Chapter 170: Birthday Banquet

Over these past two days, the healers of the Medical Academy have been granted official ranks, and everyone has begun to grow envious.

The threshold of Qian Ruofang's office is about to be worn flat by visitors.

Many people have come to ask if it is possible to recruit more female healers; Qian Ruofang is at her wit's end and can only say that they have no use for so many people for the time being.

Those female healers who can enter the Medical Academy are truly lucky.

Qian Ruofang spoke to Yan Ning about this matter, and Yan Ning pondered that there are many Imperial Physicians in the Imperial Hospital who are willing to come over to teach medical skills.

Expanding the Medical Academy is not a problem at all.

Yan Ning selected another thirty girls from the Capital to be female healers; since they are in the Capital, they do not need to live on-site, and after they finish their studies, they can either become doctors or go to other branch academies to teach.

A few more days passed.

Yan Ning went out of the palace for a stroll again.

This time, Xiao Huaijin is with her.

Yan Ning wants to go to the teahouse to see if there is any new news today.

Even if there isn't, that doesn't matter; she can listen to storytelling while she is at it.

Yan Ning changed into a moon-white robe and, disguised as a man, went to the teahouse with Xiao Huaijin.

Yan Ning carefully observed the clothing of the surrounding commoners; it was indeed much more vibrant than before.

The teahouse is not far from where paper and ink are sold upon entering the city; Yan Ning saw young girls wearing pink garments and women wearing red from head to toe.

There were also women wearing Tie-dyed Fabric.

It has only been ten days since the decree was issued, yet the styles of clothing worn by the people of the Capital have increased quite a bit.

Yan Ning looked on, very satisfied.

It is only good if it is colorful; in the past, everything was black, white, blue, or dark brown, which looked lifeless.

While Yan Ning was looking out the window, she heard an "Oh!" and then a woman was in her arms.

Yan Ning's brain crashed for three seconds.

That girl in the pink garment had already been pulled away by Xiao Huaijin.

Xiao Huaijin blocked Yan Ning, his tone very cold: "What are you doing?"

The girl in the pink garment was stunned; she also had not expected that an extra person would suddenly pop up.

She said coyly and softly: "I accidentally tripped, no, I had no other intentions."

Xiao Huaijin's expression was very cold.

Yan Ning poked her head out from behind him and saw that the girl was very pretty, with an oval face, almond eyes, and slightly flushed cheeks; the pink outfit made her look delicate and cute.

Seeing Yan Ning poke her head out, the girl in the pink garment continued: "Since I bumped into you, young master, how about I treat you to some snacks from the Apricot Blossom Pavilion?"

As she spoke, her cheeks turned even redder.

Xiao Huaijin frowned and said: "No need."

The girl in the pink garment rolled her eyes, "I wasn't asking you."

Yan Ning tugged on Xiao Huaijin's sleeve, "Forget it."

After Xiao Huaijin sat back down, the girl in the pink garment looked at them a few times; she frowned and looked them up and down, which made Xiao Huaijin feel somewhat displeased.

The girl in the pink garment suddenly had a look of realization: "So the two of you are in that kind of relationship; I was too forward."

Xiao Huaijin looked at Yan Ning and then at the girl in the pink garment.

She seems to have misunderstood something.

After the people had walked far away, Yan Ning said with a smile: "She thought you were a sodomite."

Xiao Huaijin:...

He felt somewhat helpless.

When the girl in the pink garment returned to her seat, she whispered to a few of her friends: "Those two look so good, yet they are sodomites!"

Another person said: "That's not right, that man is the Nanyang Prince's heir, Xiao Huaijin, and the other one looks particularly familiar; I forgot where I've seen them before."

At this moment, a young girl exclaimed: "She looks like the Crown Princess! That's right, she is the Crown Princess!"

All of them were shocked.

The girl in the pink garment sighed with regret: "Sigh, it was hard enough to find someone I liked, and it turns out she is a woman."

"You're still thinking about that? It's just that the Crown Princess has a good temper."

"How about we leave first? Staying here makes me feel uncomfortable all over."

Yan Ning said to Xiao Huaijin with a smile: "That girl in the pink garment just said I look good!"

Xiao Huaijin revealed a smile: "You do look good."

The birthday of the Empress Dowager is almost here.

This year, the Empress Dowager is eighty-two years old, yet her health is still robust.

Yan Ning is thinking about what kind of gift to prepare for the Empress Dowager; she must make her elder happy.

Yan Ning is having a hard time choosing a gift and asked her father: "Dad, what gift did you prepare for Great-Grandmother?"

Yan Ze said: "I prepared a Cuttlefish Bone Lamp; the pattern is repetitive, but it looks very good."

Ji Lan said: "I prepared a Coral."

Yan Ning thought it over and over, then found a jade carver to carve the Zodiac Figurines.

There are still ten days left; if two jade carvers carve them together, it should be in time.

But the Zodiac Figurines are a bit too common.

Yan Ning feels that there must be another gift.

She pondered for a long time and finally thought of something.

Seeing her eyes light up, Yan Ze asked: "What have you thought of?"

Yan Ning said with a grin, "I want to make a Longevity Peach Cake for Great-Grandmother."

Yan Ze said, "Together, together; your mother and I haven't eaten cake in a long time either, and we've quite missed it."

And so, the family of three busied themselves in the kitchen for an entire afternoon before they finally finished making the Longevity Peach Cake.

Everything for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was handed over to Ji Lan to organize; it was said the Empress Dowager wanted to arrange a betrothal for Yan Qing, and he was to choose from among these young women.

Ji Lan specifically had a stage set up for them to perform their talents.

For the Grand Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, some officials and their wives were invited, and men and women sat together.

There were many things to prepare these past few days, and Ji Lan was spinning around in circles with work.

In the past, Ji Lan often went to see the Grand Empress Dowager, but she had no time to go these past few days, so Yan Ning and Yan Qing went to see the Grand Empress Dowager together.

When the two arrived, the Grand Empress Dowager was in high spirits, sitting in the courtyard admiring the flowers.

Seeing that Yan Qing had come, the Grand Empress Dowager was also quite happy.

Yan Qing was busy with his studies and hadn't come over for a long time.

As if thinking of something, the Grand Empress Dowager asked Yan Ning, "Has your father arranged a marriage for Yan Qing?"

Yan Ning shook her head: "Great-Grandmother, my younger brother is still young; there is no rush to marry, and marrying too early is not good either."

One must let Yan Qing grow up a bit more and know what type of woman he likes, so as to avoid marrying and then divorcing.

But the Grand Empress Dowager clearly did not think so.

"He is almost fifteen; this marriage must be settled early, or are we really to wait until after he is eighteen? Even if we have to wait, it must be settled first, and then he can marry when he reaches the age."

Yan Ning said, "My younger brother is not yet sensible; how would he know what kind of woman he likes? It would be better to wait until he is older."

The Grand Empress Dowager then said, "That is also fine."

The Grand Empress Dowager thought that if a suitable one could be spotted at the birthday banquet, it would be settled, and if there were no suitable ones, then so be it.

Yan Ning sat in the Cining Palace for a while, then returned with Yan Qing.

Very soon, the Empress Dowager's birthday arrived.

Everyone began to present their gifts.

Things like scroll paintings and Yuanqi were all very exquisite items.

Yan Ning presented the Zodiac Figurines carvings, Yan Ze had someone bring up the Cuttlefish Bone Lamp, and what Ji Lan presented was Coral.

Everyone praised these three gifts as truly ingenious.

Yan Ning said with a smile, "This is not all; my father, mother, and I prepared one more gift together."

As she spoke, she clapped her hands, and a palace servant brought over something shaped like a longevity peach.