"Today's banquet, putting everything else aside, has really cost the Empress a fortune." So many fine fabrics were taken without hesitation, and they were given away without batting an eye. Tsk tsk, that's all pure silver.

After leaving Kunning Palace, Xiuning and Chunyu, mistress and servant, did not rush back to the palace. Instead, they took a detour and went to Shou Kang Palace.

Having finally acquired some fine fabric, I felt I had to send some to Ning Chuge and the Empress Dowager. Although the Empress Dowager didn't care for it at all, sending something and having it are two different things, and I had to show my appreciation.

Chunyu supported Xiuning's arm, while also paying attention to road safety as they walked. "Judging from the Empress's posture, I'm afraid she's going to empty the entire private treasury."

It's not so obvious with others yet, but Consort Hesheli really did take a lot with her.

It was as if she were a poor relative coming to buy goods. She came empty-handed and then brought back to the palace with big bags and small packages, not caring that people would laugh at her for being stingy and short-sighted.

"Consort Hesheli is favored and consciously makes contributions to the Hesheli clan. How about taking a little bit of cloth from the Empress? Don't forget that she has to go to the Qianqing Palace to accompany the Empress every few days."

Xiuning smiled and looked up to smooth the slightly swaying hairpin at her temple.

"We can talk about it when we get back. It's getting colder every day. I don't like winter as much as other seasons." It's cold and dry, and heating in the palace is inconvenient. Life is really miserable.

Xiu Ning tightened her clothes again, put her hands back in her gloves, and quickened her pace.

On the other side, after seeing off a group of concubines who were leaving with their gifts, Hesheli Fangyi could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty, let me massage your body."

Tan Yun helped Hesheli Fangyi lie face down on the couch, and then reached out to massage her shoulders and neck.

After the tingling sensation subsided, a sense of relief washed over her. Hesheli Fangyi half-closed her eyes and sighed comfortably.

"Is everything sorted out in the storeroom?" Even a wealthy empress would be exhausted if she had to produce so many bolts of cloth at once.

Tan Yun nodded. "The warehouse has been reorganized, but such good materials were wasted on them."

Especially someone as shameless and brazen as Consort Hesheli, who took them without any hesitation, would make anyone who didn't know better think they were all hers.

Hesheli Fangyi smiled and said, "It's not cheap. These fabrics were just going to sit around anyway, but now they're finally coming in handy. I just hope they won't waste them."

It would be best if she could wear it more often, so that she could have some peace and quiet. According to the imperial physician, it would take about a year for her body to be fully recovered. She hoped that the harem could be more peaceful during this time.

...

The Empress bestowed a generous reward, and within a few days, a new fashion trend emerged in the palace.

With the New Year approaching, the Emperor naturally did not want to see the harem remaining unchanged and lifeless. The Empress's actions undoubtedly pleased the Emperor.

Emperor Kangxi, considering his ambitious plans, realized he indeed needed a legitimate son to increase his leverage, so he resumed his daily routine of visiting the Kunning Palace.

Soon, the relationship between the Emperor and Empress gradually recovered.

Unlike the previous two years, this year's Lunar New Year was peaceful and joyous.

Although only three princesses remain in the harem, their good health makes Emperor Kangxi very happy.

The year was the twelfth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

A cold in early February took away Consort Dong's third princess, leaving only the adopted Chunxi and Ningchuge children in the harem. The Empress Dowager could no longer help but urge Emperor Kangxi to consider the imperial heir.

Kangxi: ...

Emperor Kangxi had a 'friendly exchange' with the Empress Dowager about this, but the final result was that Kangxi began to frequently summon the concubines in the harem, especially those who had given birth to imperial heirs.

Xiuning: ...It's hard to calm him down. I wish him success.

Unfortunately, this kind of mystical blessing often fails at crucial moments.

Emperor Kangxi had been working diligently for several months, and the weather had turned from cold to warm, but there was still no movement in the harem.

He even invited a physician from the Imperial Medical Academy to examine his pulse, but the physician only said that the time was not yet right, which disappointed Kangxi.

With no other option, the Empress Dowager simply asked the imperial physicians to prescribe fertility-enhancing medicines for the concubines in the harem, so that everyone could take the medicine and make sure to produce several princes.

"Chunyu, take this medicine away quickly. In this sweltering heat, who's in the mood to drink medicine?"

Xiuning frowned, feeling nauseous at the sight of the steaming herbal soup on the table.

Chunyu gently persuaded her mistress, "My lady, this is a rare opportunity. Everyone in the harem is drinking."

Xiuning curled her lip, "What's the use of drinking? That person hasn't made a move yet, who would dare to be fearless?"

Moreover, the previous dynasty was in great chaos. Since the emperor made the decision to abolish the feudal lords in March, the feudal lords in various places have outwardly agreed, but inwardly they are all disloyal.

Xiuning received news from outside the palace that the court was likely to go to war.

Being pregnant at this time means not only having to guard against rivals, but also against enemies; just thinking about it is terrifying.

"Quickly collect and throw away all these medicinal soups. Let's wait for news from Kunning Palace before making a decision."

Xiuning felt that she had already made it through several years, so a few more months wouldn't make a difference.

Besides, Emperor Kangxi lived a long life, so it didn't matter whether he had children early or late.

Spring Rain: ...

Chunyu, of course, had no idea what Xiuning was really thinking, but since her mistress didn't want to drink it, she couldn't just force her to drink it.

Helplessly, Chunyu carried the medicine away, making sure to close the door behind her.

In other places, few shared Xiu Ning's ideas, because the benefits of having children had blinded them. The urging from their families outside the palace and the behavior within the palace were all making them dizzy.

The Forbidden City was filled with the fragrance of medicine.

In November of the same year, as one of the aftereffects of the previous dynasty's abolition of the feudal domains, Wu Sangui was the first to raise the banner of rebellion.

He first killed Zhu Guozhi, the governor of Yunnan, and then proposed the "Revive the Ming and Punish the Manchus" campaign, directing his rebellion at the imperial court and joining forces with his troops to invade surrounding territories.

The news was delivered to the imperial court by fast horse, and the emperor immediately arranged for several military generals stationed around the area to directly engage in battle, while also sending court officials to supervise the battle.

The imperial court was about to go to war. The concubines in the harem were filled with mixed feelings of worry and joy upon hearing the news, but in any case, it had nothing to do with them. Their biggest task at the moment was to bear children for the royal family.

It seemed that the time had truly come for Emperor Kangxi to have an heir. Just a few days after the court dispatched troops, good news began to emerge one after another from the inner palace.

First, the Empress of Kunning Palace became pregnant, then Consort Ma of Zhongcui Palace became pregnant, Consort Zhang of Xianfu Palace became pregnant, and Consort Zhao of Changchun Palace became pregnant.

Four concubines announced good news in succession, which relaxed the previously tense atmosphere in the harem.

From another perspective, a large number of offspring also represents a rising national strength. At present, a rebellion by a vassal king in a border region is not a big deal at all.