Chapter Forty-Eight

After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yin Chu headed towards the palace gate, because the carriage from the Yuqing Palace was already waiting in that direction.

Yin Chu did it on purpose. Seeing that his father was distracted by his chubby baby, he took his leave.

His father was so busy that he certainly wouldn't be willing to help him take care of the child, but apart from his father, he couldn't think of anyone else he could entrust the child to, since he wasn't like his other brothers and didn't have a biological mother.

How could the Emperor, who is so kind and gentle, bear to see his little chubby son crying and fussing all by himself?

At this moment, the carriage was already stopped on the palace road leading from Jingqing Palace to the outside of the palace.

Upon seeing Yin Chu arrive, Jia Luo asked worriedly, "Did Hong Yao cry?"

I wonder who Hongyao learned this from, that he even knows how to distinguish between blood ties and family relationships? It's truly amazing.

"Of course not, Your Highness should believe that Father Emperor is omnipotent." Yin Chu no longer devotes all his attention to political affairs; he knows his responsibilities as Crown Prince.

but……

He was the crown prince for over twenty years. Anyway, most of the memorials his father handled were from officials paying their respects. What was there to see?

"Mmm." Jialuo hadn't been out for a long time either. After lying around in Yuqing Palace for so long, she was especially excited to go soak in the hot springs.

"How big is the hot spring? Is it hot?" Jia Meng kept asking Yin Chu in the carriage, occasionally glancing at the horses outside, and inexplicably feeling an urge to ride one herself.

"It's quite large, but it shouldn't be too hot. Hot springs are all about the right temperature for people. The estate is also very large. When the autumn hunt comes, I'll take you to the hunting grounds."

Yin Chu also knew about Jia Luo's past hobbies and comforted her. The two of them spent the rest of the journey in a warm and affectionate manner.

"Really? Then will Hongyao come along too? He'll be turning one year old then..." Bringing a one-year-old along seems a bit inappropriate.

"Not necessarily, we'll see when the time comes." We don't know what Father Emperor's plans are yet, but he's only one year old, so he's still a bit too young. Maybe we should wait until next year?

When the two arrived at the estate, they first ate a farmhouse meal... all vegetarian, which Jialuo was used to, but His Highness the Crown Prince was craving roasted whole lamb.

In the afternoon, we also went to soak in a hot spring.

Whether it was the enchanting mist of the hot spring or not, Jiameng and Yinchu spent most of the day together, even taking a stroll around the capital, like a young couple going on a date, before returning to the palace near dusk.

But he was still quite angry. He knew they had returned to the palace so late, and they all had stern faces. They were just being lazy and leaving their son with him.

Although Emperor Kangxi did indeed like this little grandson very much, it didn't mean he had to take care of him all day long. He was cute when he smiled and when he called him in his baby voice.

There's one thing: Yin Chu had told him before that "Hongyao is quite clingy," but Kangxi didn't take it to heart. As a result, as soon as little Hongyao woke up, he started crying loudly, and no one could soothe him.

Only when Emperor Kangxi coaxed him did it work, and he would insist on grabbing onto Kangxi's clothes and sticking to his side.

The little chubby hands grabbed him, and kept trying to climb onto his lap to be held by his mama. How could Kangxi possibly be heartless with such a sweet and innocent little baby?

Should we let the wet nurse hold us?

Little Hongyao doesn't want it, the servants don't want it either, he only wants it.

Kangxi was somewhat surprised but also a little delighted. Liang Jiugong, who was standing next to him, kept praising him, saying things like, "The little prince knows that Your Majesty is his imperial grandfather, and he is close to you." Kangxi eventually got tired of the pleading and picked him up while reviewing memorials.

Before long, I was either hungry or thirsty, and I also needed to urinate...

Emperor Kangxi had no time to review memorials. Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had returned to the palace, he immediately ordered someone to summon the Crown Prince!

Today is a day off, and Bao Cheng couldn't wait to hand the child over to him. How unfilial!

The key thing is, she's too clingy. Occasionally, she'll grab him, look at Kangxi with her big, round eyes, and call out in a childish voice, "Mama, look at me."

Emperor Kangxi was helpless. You can't reason with an eight-month-old baby.

You can't hit or scold them; even raising your voice a little can scare the baby to tears.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Kangxi snorted coldly, "Hold your son and get back to Yuqing Palace right now."

As for the Crown Prince's fatherly heart? It hardened!

"Father, you've changed. You didn't used to talk to me like this." Yin Chu shouted at Kangxi in dissatisfaction at his attitude.

As soon as he finished speaking, Kangxi was about to slam his fist on the table in anger, but then he remembered that little Hongyao was standing next to him. He couldn't frighten the child, or he would lose his soul.

Forcing himself to suppress his angry gesture, he instead nodded in agreement, "Yes, I have changed."

Yin Chu was speechless; his father, the Emperor, was not playing by the rules.

"Father!" Little Hongyao only realized what was happening now, and he quickly struggled off Kangxi and rushed towards Yinchu.

Overwhelmed with joy and longing, Yin Chu quickly bent down and hugged his chubby little boy, "Hong Yao, your father missed you. Did you miss your father?"

"Father." The chubby little boy reached out to hug his father with his chubby hands. Although he was small and his arms were short, it was clear that Xiao Hongyao relied on Yin Rang.

Seeing this scene, Kangxi understood what Yin Chu had said earlier. Perhaps it was because this was a child that had been hard to come by that Bao Cheng was taking such good care of him.

"Alright, let's go back now." Kangxi, who had been bothered by the little girl's voice all day, felt that he needed some peace and quiet.

"Father, aren't you going to invite me to dine with you? The three of us, grandfather, grandson, and daughter, can dine together, and I can even serve you." Yin Chu held his chubby son. The Crown Princess had gone back to sleep because she was too tired. When Hong Yao returned, he would definitely be clamoring for his mother.

Kangxi, of course, had no idea what Yinchu was thinking and assumed that Baocheng was missing him.

That's right. It's been a long time since I've dined with Bao Cheng. Thinking back to those days, and glancing at the little prince's face, which is quite similar to Bao Cheng's, I feel like I'm eating a substitute meal.

(Other princes: Father, you mean it's been a long time since you've dined with the Crown Prince? What about us? Shouldn't we say we've almost never dined alone together?)

Little Hongyao had nothing else to eat but milk and porridge, at most a porridge with some meat puree.

Seeing Yinchu and Kangxi enjoying the delicious food, they were so tempted that their mouths watered and they slurped for a bite.

"Eat the porridge, your meat porridge is the best, otherwise I'll give you the green porridge instead." Yin Chu knew how to coax the child. After saying that, he placed a bright green bottle in front of Xiao Hongyao.

Xiao Hongyao immediately understood, his eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head, his face showing some panic, afraid that his father would give him this unpalatable food.

Kangxi glanced at it; it was a vegetable paste. He could tell from the name that it was made with green vegetables. He hadn't expected that Hongyao also disliked vegetables so much.

"Not eating vegetables is not good; a balanced diet of meat and vegetables is the way to health," Kangxi said to Yinchu, giving him advice on how to raise and educate his child.

"Father is right." Yin Chu did not argue with Kangxi in this place, and obediently accepted his teaching.

It was during this casual chat at the meal that Kangxi's anger gradually subsided.

The Crown Prince took a break, leaving his young grandson with the Emperor, and went out to play by himself.

No one who saw this would believe that the Crown Prince left his son with the Emperor just to go out and have fun, but rather that he deliberately used the excuse of being busy to get closer to the Emperor by going out of the palace.

How cunning!

But what could he do even if he thought the Crown Prince was cunning? Who told him he didn't have a grandson?

DE-4

one person

In March, it was the triennial general election again. This time, even the Empress Dowager started to make moves, because the third and fourth sons above had already gotten married, but her fifth son was still unmarried.

Because the birth mother of the Seventh Prince Yinyou, Lady Daijia, gave birth to a sick child, she fell out of favor and was neglected. Unlike Consort Yi, she dared not go out and about. She could only hope in her heart that her Seventh Prince would find a good wife.

The Eighth Prince, Yinzhuan, was only one year younger than his two older brothers. His birth mother, Lady Wei, was not favored and could only pray that the Emperor would choose a good match for the Eighth Prince.

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were not yet of that age, and Emperor Kangxi had other plans.

Every three years, a grand selection of young women would be held, bringing with them ambitious aspirations to the Forbidden City.

This year's candidates for the imperial concubine selection did indeed come from some good families, and Consort Yi was quite satisfied with them, even summoning several of them.

Consort Yi specially invited the Emperor to Yikun Palace and told him about the few young ladies she liked, saying they were all quite good.

Emperor Kangxi simply nodded slightly and did not offer any opinion.

Consort Yi didn't care. That was her daughter-in-law, the one who would spend her life with the fifth prince. How could she not choose a good one?

If the emperor is unhappy, then we can try to appease him again later.

But who would have thought that in the end the emperor would choose Princess Tara, the daughter of Zhang Baozhu, a minor official of the fifth rank, a princess she had never paid any attention to.

Who is this?

But who it is doesn't matter; what matters is how could the Emperor go so far? The Ta La family wasn't a prominent clan to begin with, they were just minor officials…

How could you do this to my son, Yinqi??

The Seventh Prince's wife was Princess Nara, the daughter of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Faka. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief was a high-ranking official and was granted the title of Second-Class Light Cavalry Captain.

The Eighth Prince's wife was Lady Guoluo, the granddaughter of Prince An, Yue Le...

On what grounds?

Consort Yi was furious on the spot, feeling both angry and aggrieved. Why was she treated like this by her son, Yinqi?

However, when Consort Yi was about to confront the Emperor, the last vestiges of reason in her mind stopped her.

She knew that the emperor had already issued an imperial edict, which meant there was no turning back.

Compared to Consort Yi's dissatisfaction, the Seventh Prince's birth mother, Lady Daijia, was much happier and more excited. She never expected that the Emperor would bestow such a good family background upon her seventh son.

Hmm... Although she wasn't particularly illustrious, compared to the Fifth Prince, what could Lady Daijia possibly be dissatisfied with?

The consort chosen for the Eighth Prince, Lady Guoluo, was also of illustrious status, born into the Guoluo clan. She currently resided in Prince An's residence and was Prince An's most beloved granddaughter.

The Emperor had always wanted to take this opportunity to consolidate the power of the Eight Banners leaders, as well as the military power held by some princes, such as Yue Le.

Using the Eighth Prince as a pawn was also a way of hoping that he could achieve his own expectations.

Clever people, however, made a connection: the prince, whose maternal family was declining, received a princess from a powerful maternal family as his consort, while the Fifth Prince... was he 'abandoned' by the emperor?

Even more panicked than Consort Yi was the Tatara family. Tatara Zhang Baozhu was just a minor official, and his daughter wasn't particularly beautiful. They were thinking of using her as a stepping stone to the imperial concubine selection.

Who would have thought that the Emperor would bestow a marriage upon his own princess, making her the Fifth Prince's Consort?!

How are they a good match?

Zhang Baozhu was both delighted and worried, wondering if Consort Yi and the Fifth Prince would be dissatisfied because of this.

Of course, he also knew that even if he was dissatisfied, it wouldn't be directed at the emperor, but rather at his daughter.

Zhang Baozhu's wife also had this concern, but now was not the time to worry, but rather to figure out how to do better in the future, such as regarding the dowry.

I used to think I'd marry someone from a similar family background, and I wouldn't need much dowry since their family could afford it. But things are different now.

If we don't compare the First Prince's Consort and the Crown Princess, then we should at least compare the Third Prince's Consort and the Fourth Prince's Consort, right? The future Seventh Prince's Consort and Eighth Prince's Consort also come from good families.

After the election, a group of young women entered the palace, others were betrothed to princes and members of the imperial family, and the rest were sent back to their own homes to marry on their own.

For the Fourth Prince Consort, Lady Guarjia, this was not unexpected at all. What annoyed her even more was that both Consort Song and Consort Li in the inner courtyard were pregnant.

Song Gege didn't care, but Li Gege... Guarjia clan hadn't forgotten that in her previous life, Ulanara clan was suffocated by Li Cefujin.

The one in my belly should be a grid, right?

Guarjia initially thought that if she was just a princess, she wouldn't have to worry about her taking away her legitimate son's position.

However, she overlooked one problem: if the Fourth Prince's harem only had two princesses, or... only one healthy princess, could the Fourth Prince really turn a blind eye to his own offspring?

Impossible! Just look at the eldest prince; he treats his two daughters very well! He even takes them to the crown prince to show them off.

Regardless of their motives, it's clear that even if she were just a young princess, a man couldn't possibly be indifferent to her.

Princess Li was bright and lively. She used her status as the fourth prince's concubine to curry favor with him, which explains why she was able to give birth to so many princes later on.

"Don't worry about Song Gege. Take good care of Li Gege. After all, our Fourth Master cares about Li Gege more." Song Gege's previous child died young and is now sickly. It's uncertain whether the newborn will survive.

"Yes, Madam." The nannies and maids around Guarjia knew what Madam was worried about, and naturally, their interests were on Madam's side. That's how it is in the inner court; either Madam dominates the concubines, or the concubines dominate Madam.

As they followed the Fujin (principal wife), they witnessed many instances of Fujin being bullied and oppressed by concubines, and naturally did not want their own Fujin to suffer the same fate.

After becoming pregnant, Consort Li became increasingly smug and even dared to deliberately arrive late for the morning greetings to save face for the Fujin (Prince Consort).

To show her gentleness and generosity, the Fujin never argued with Li Gege, which infuriated Shuanghua and the others.

"Consort De seems to have been quiet lately." Guarjia thought that after Yikun Palace and Yonghe Yan became enemies, they would continue to fight. Why has it suddenly become quiet?

“Madam, it’s because Consort Yi has been busy choosing a consort for the Fifth Prince lately, but no one expected that in the end…” Shuanghua’s words were cut short by a cold glance from Guarjia.

"Shut up. How dare you speak so casually about royal matters?" If it weren't for the fact that Shuanghua was someone she liked, she would have already decided to fire her.

Shuanghua lowered her head, not daring to say anything more.

In Yonghe Palace, Consort De has recently been searching her palace to see if anything unusual has appeared. For example, even though the Fourteenth Prince's illness has been cured for so long, she is still so restless and can't calm down. Something is wrong.

However, no matter how they investigated, they couldn't find anything. It was only after the incident was exposed that the imperial physicians took it for research and discovered that it was poisonous.

The fact that Consort De was not found out does not mean that she can be ignored; therefore, all of them should be replaced.

A month after the change, she felt her mood return to its usual tranquility. Sure enough, someone wanted to harm her.

Consort De would not suspect the Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, of this accident. In her opinion, Lady Guarjia did not have the ability; it must be her old rival, Consort Yi!

The Fifth Prince is getting married? She'd better send a big gift!

Tsk, what kind of grand gift would be appropriate? I heard that the Fifth Prince's wife is from the Tara clan? Her status is lowly? Wouldn't that be even better?

The matter of the Fifth Prince, Seventh Prince, and Eighth Prince choosing their wives and having the Imperial Astronomical Bureau select auspicious dates is being closely watched by those who care, while those who don't care completely ignore what you're doing.

For example, the Fucha family at this time.

When the Crown Princess sent the letter out, the Fucha family initially thought it was just a family letter addressed to Fucha Fujin.

Consort Fucha thought Jialuo wanted to talk to her about something, but when she opened the package, what did she see? Smallpox prevention? They were to be sent to research it?

Secretly? Without letting anyone know? Or did you find it in an ancient book in the library? Unfortunately, the young prince accidentally got the book wet and tore it to pieces. There's no other way but to let Ma Qi and the others study it. If they succeed, it will be a great deed!

Well, actually, Jialuo didn't know how else to explain it, so she could only use this excuse.

Also, don't ask about the source, and don't expose me.

The Fucha family knew that it was the Crown Princess who had designs on them, so they didn't even tell His Highness the Crown Prince about it.

They knew that if they leaked the information without authorization, it would only create a rift between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. The only way to support the Crown Princess and the young prince in the future was to conduct research diligently and make contributions.

"Also, Ma Wu, your son should be properly trained so he can become a beacon for the young prince in the future." Ma Qi was discussing with Ma Wu, while Ma Sikai and Li Rongbao sat there nodding.

Hesheli's illustrious future lies in the future, and so does the Fucha family's; they have a long way to go in the distant future.

No rush.

There aren't many spots available for the young prince's Haha Beads. Hesheli doesn't know if he'll get a spot, but the Fucha family certainly will.

The so-called "Haha Beads" are not servants who attend to the young prince, but rather companions who study together and grow up together, fostering a closer relationship in the future.

The Fucha family members got busy and had no time to care about any of the royal princes. Nothing was as important as the affairs of the Fucha family.

A grand wedding? At most, we'll send one person to attend.

If cowpox could be used instead of variolation to prevent smallpox, the effect would be better and the infection would be less severe, which would truly make us famous throughout the Qing Dynasty.

First, send people to investigate the farmers in the suburban fields, especially those who raise cattle or have their own large ranches...

After entrusting this matter to the Fucha family, Yuqing Palace awaited their results.

She herself was incapable, so she handed it over to the Crown Prince, who in turn delegated it to others. Suo'etu was busy with the glass workshop and managing the group of young men in Hesheli, so he had no time.

The Fucha family was also a large clan with many members.

My little chubby boy has become even more clingy lately, always snuggling up to me and acting all cute. Whenever I say something, his bright eyes will look at me and ask me to praise him.

What could Jialuo do? She could only hold her own baby, kiss and hug him, and lift him up high.

"Eh-lang." The little voice, though not quite standard, was full of energy and its cheerful tone was clearly conveyed.

“It’s Mother, Mother, niang…” Jialuo hugged her chubby little boy while coaxing him in a low voice and teaching her son how to say it correctly.

"Liang." The little boy, who had just grown teeth, couldn't pronounce it correctly, but he was quite confident that he was shouting it very loudly and correctly.

Xiao Qing and the others nearby smiled as they watched this scene; the little prince was so cute.

The little chubby boy has recently started to stand and is preparing to learn to walk, but he finds it tiring and insists on sticking to his mother. He won't learn to walk.

Jialuo is not the kind of person who spoils children. After holding him for a while, she put him downstairs.

The people in the main courtyard were also coaxing the little prince. When the Crown Princess said, "The best little boy can walk," they cheered, "Your Highness is awesome!" Little Hongyao staggered on his little feet and slowly walked towards Jialuo.

Xiao Hongyao walked very carefully because he had fallen before.

She squatted down, about five or six steps away from an adult, and clapped her hands, saying, "Hongyao, come here, let Mommy hug you."

"Mommy, there's more delicious food here."

The others cheered him on, but Xiao Yinxiong staggered, making everyone nervous, as if afraid that the young prince might accidentally fall.

Others followed behind the young prince, reaching out to protect him on both sides, and immediately caught him if he were to fall.

However, as everyone expected, Xiao Hongyao finally ran into Jialuo's arms, giggling and calling out "Mother" in his cheerful little voice. When Yinchu returned, he heard their joyful laughter and thought something happy had happened.

"Hongyao, tell your father that you're amazing!" Jiameng patted her little Hongyao's bottom, urging him to walk over and tell his father the good news.

Xiao Hongyao was put back on the ground and stood up. The joy of being praised was still lingering in his mind. He grinned and staggered towards Yin Chu step by step with his short legs.

The chubby little boy hugged Yin Chu's leg, calling out in a cheerful, childlike voice, "Father."

Yin Chu immediately understood, bent down and picked up little Hong Yao, "Hong Yao is great."

He held Hongyao and coaxed him a couple of times. At this moment, Yin Chu forgot what the majesty of the crown prince was. In front of Hongyao, there was only one person: a gentle and kind father.

After coaxing Xiao Hongyao, he looked up and started talking to Jialuo about serious business, "The Emperor's birthday is in early May, which is more than a month away. We need to prepare a gift."

The Emperor's Birthday Festival refers to the day of the Emperor's birthday.

Last year, because the Emperor was on his way to conquer Galdan, there was no opportunity to celebrate Father Emperor's birthday. Instead, everyone sent him birthday gifts.

Although Emperor Kangxi felt that his sons had gone to great lengths and trouble to send the package back to the capital, he was still quite happy, as it meant that his sons still cared about their imperial father.

This year is of paramount importance.

"I already knew, don't worry, I'm all ready." Jia Luo, who already knew about this, was also arranged to host a banquet, so it wasn't a difficult task for her.

"Oh? What have you prepared?" Yin Chu, who was still thinking about what gift to prepare for his father, the Emperor, was curious. Of course, he also had a little thought of whether he could get some inspiration from it.

As for the wedding gifts, there was a long list of them. To her, as long as they were precious items, they were acceptable. As a daughter-in-law, how much more could she ask for?

"Mafa?" Little Hongyao still remembered his grandfather. When he heard him mentioned, he looked up with his big, round eyes and asked in a soft, childish voice.

"Yes, Grandfather." He nodded casually to Xiao Hongyao, and was discussing with Jialuo what gift to give to their father.

Besides the Crown Prince, the other princes also had the same worries. Every year on the Emperor's birthday, they had to consider what to give to please their father.

There was no way around it; the Emperor had just too many sons. The sons he once longed for and doted on were now so numerous that Kangxi sometimes had to overlook the existence of one of them.

The concubines in the harem were also racking their brains about how to attract the emperor's attention on his birthday, especially the concubines who had not been favored for a long time. The difference between being favored by the emperor and not being favored was huge, and they were eager to return to the days when the emperor was favored.

Just as the Emperor's birthday was approaching, news came from the First Prince that the First Princess Consort had made a move, but... there were not many people left who were looking forward to it.

Because before this, the imperial physician had taken her pulse and found she was a young princess.

The nannies serving Consort Hui did not want the Empress to be in a state of rage for too long, because it was the people serving her who would suffer.

"Your Highness, have you forgotten? Didn't that woman in Yuqing Palace also find out she was pregnant with a princess before she gave birth?" the nanny whispered, reminding her not to be discouraged or fly into a rage.

Because the imperial physician at Yuqing Palace was misdiagnosed once, the one who was in charge of checking the pulses of the concubines in the harem to determine whether they were male or female is now being questioned for his mediocre medical skills.

For example, if someone is diagnosed as being pregnant with a princess, they will have the same expectation: what if I am also misdiagnosed by the imperial physician, just like the Crown Princess?

I can't give up because of this. I need to take good care of my pregnancy and strive to make a name for myself. Well... the main thing is that I can't accept it.

Upon hearing the old woman's words, Consort Hui frowned slightly. After a long silence, she nodded reluctantly, "Indeed, what if!"

The eldest prince inexplicably felt confident that the imperial physician must have made a mistake in taking his pulse, and even questioned the physician on the spot, "Are you even qualified? How could she possibly be a little princess?"

He's already given birth to two princesses; statistically speaking, shouldn't he at least have a prince by now?

"Just like the Crown Princess, didn't you make a mistake in diagnosis?" The eldest prince was not one to hide his emotions; he was mainly angry because he had lost to the second prince. Now that the third and fourth princes were married, their wives were probably getting pregnant soon.

As the eldest son, it's one thing for him not to be the second son, but he might have to be the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth...?

The imperial physician showed no anger at the prince's questioning. "Your Highness," he replied, "as I just said, I'm fifty percent certain." He added, "Besides, the Crown Princess deliberately spread the word; she just doesn't dare to publicize it."

Upon hearing this, the eldest prince's eyes widened. "Isn't that just half and half? What the hell are you talking about?"

The imperial physician nodded. "Your Highness, before the child is born, this old minister cannot be certain. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

The eldest prince glared at him angrily, but there was nothing he could do.

"Alright, Your Highness, don't make things difficult for the imperial physician. Whether it's a princess or a prince, it's all fate. We'll know once the child is born."

The First Princess Consort gently tugged at the First Prince's clothes and said a few words of comfort, her voice gentle, "How could you speak to the Imperial Physician like that? We will have to rely on the Imperial Physician for care in the future."

The eldest prince did not believe it and was certain that the imperial physician had made a mistake in diagnosing the pulse, just like the Crown Princess in Yuqing Palace.

When the imperial physician realized that he had diagnosed a young princess, he knew he would not receive any reward money, so he left with his medicine chest.

The eldest prince wasn't ignorant of social etiquette; he simply felt that there was no need to curry favor with the imperial physicians as one would with officials, and even considered it unlucky. However, the eldest princess consort gave her maid a meaningful look.

The maidservant beside the Grand Princess hurriedly stuffed a large silver ingot into the imperial physician's hand, as she had to thank him for making the trip, no matter what.

Unlike Yinti, the First Princess Consort was not as confident in what the imperial physician said. She seemed somewhat worried, wondering if she should consult the Crown Princess for advice.

On the day the attack was launched, Yinti rushed back from the Ministry of War and stayed by the Grand Consort's side, hoping to see his son as soon as possible.

With the hopes of both the eldest prince and Consort Hui, she endured a full day of labor pains and finally gave birth to a little princess.

When Yinti saw that it was the little princess, he frowned in disappointment, but in the end, he still picked up his child, who was also the child that his wife had worked so hard to give birth to for him.

The First Princess Consort had already anticipated this, and although she had a tiny bit of hope, it would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed.

Somewhat bewildered, she touched her belly. Was she destined never to have a son?

She hadn't fallen into a deep sleep, but was lying there feeling tired. When Yinti came over with the child, he saw that his wife had red eyes, which made Yinti extremely nervous.

"My lady, my lady, what's wrong? Are you in a lot of pain? Don't cry, don't cry. Look, our third princess looks just like you."

Yinti hurriedly comforted the First Princess Consort. It was the first time he had seen the usually spirited and cheerful Princess Consort with red eyes. How could he not be worried?

"Yinli, it seems I can't give you a son. You should find another princess..." The First Princess Consort felt bad, feeling that she had let down Yinti and her mother.

Her voice was trembling with sobs and choked with emotion, tinged with a sense of grievance and self-blame.

"Silly girl, you're crying over this? If you can't have children, then we won't. Don't cry." The First Prince wiped away the First Princess's tears with his rough fingers. Really, what's there to cry about?

The First Lady knew that Yinti was just trying to comfort her, and that's why she felt even more guilty.

"Madam, you shouldn't experience extreme joy or sorrow after giving birth. You can't cry during your postpartum period; it's bad for your health." The nanny, hearing the crying, quickly advised her. If you don't take good care of your body, how will you give birth to a prince in the future?

Don't listen to your master's nonsense. Even if your master agrees, would Consort Hui agree? Would the Emperor agree?

"Yes, Madam, don't cry, don't cry. Look how beautiful our Burhe, Erlinzhu and the Third Princess are! They look just like you. The Prince loves them so much. The nanny is right, you can't cry, it's bad for your health." The First Prince was at a loss, he didn't know what to do.

Yin Tui could not truly understand what others had not experienced.

Women who weren't oppressed by feudal dogma in this era simply don't know how difficult it is for a woman in the inner quarters to have no means of support or security.

Seeing Yinti's flustered and naive manner in trying to appease her, the First Princess Consort felt a pang of sympathy. Her tears welled up, and she smiled through her tears, her eyes reddening again. "Mmm."

After the eldest prince appeased the first princess, he took the third princess away.

He didn't understand, but he could ask, "Why is the Princess Consort both crying and laughing?"

The reason why the Fujin was so distressed was that she could not give him a son. Yinti did not know what to do about this. After thinking it over and over, he finally set his sights on His Highness the Crown Prince, who had given birth to a son.

When the First Consort gave birth to a princess, Consort Hui cursed her as useless. However, after the Emperor and Empress Dowager sent a wave of rewards, Consort Hui could only suppress her anger and had someone send a wave of rewards as well.

After agonizing over it for several days, the eldest prince pursed his lips, steeled himself, and went to Yuqing Palace with generous gifts.

When Xiao Chu heard that the First Prince was requesting an audience, he was completely astonished. What? Requesting an audience? Are you sure the eldest prince used that word?

"Please come to my front yard, elder brother." Yin Chu wanted to see what his eldest brother was up to.

Over the past two or three years, Yin Chu and Yin Ti have had a fairly good relationship, which can be described as... brothers who are like bickering lovers (?). Because Yin Chu can hear their inner thoughts, coupled with Yin Ti's tragic future, their interactions have gone from political party disputes to childish competitions.

Yin Tui was unknowingly led astray by Yin Chu.

Yin Tui felt ashamed to bow his head to Yin Chu, but remembering the sight of his wife's red eyes from crying, he finally walked into Yuqing Palace with his head held high and chest out.

"Big brother." Yin Chu spoke first, and saw Yin Ti's hesitant expression. He couldn't even tell what Yin Ti was thinking, and he didn't know what Yin Ti was being coy about.

However, seeing him acting like a shy young girl in front of him, Yinreng still felt a little disgusted. "Alright, big brother, just say what you want to say."

"Well, Your Highness, I haven't yet congratulated you on giving birth to a son." Yinti considered the topic of conversation, deciding to proceed gradually before making his request.

Yinji: Huh? Why is the boss's wording so strange? This is usually used to describe women, right?

Because he had heard a member of the imperial clan's wife say this before, and it was even a boastful statement...

"Brother, if you don't know how to compliment people, then don't." You'll only offend people this way. "If you have something to say to me, just say it. We're good brothers, why be so polite?"

Brother, be normal. If you keep acting like this, I'm worried that you're getting more and more mentally unstable.

Yin Tui was silent for a few seconds after hearing what he said. His face turned red before he managed to utter a broken sentence, "Second Prince, as you know, my wife has given birth to three princesses in a row. And now you've given birth to a son. Do you know any secret techniques for having a son?"

Yin Chu stared intently at Yin Ti without speaking, making Yin Ti increasingly uncomfortable. "What, what's wrong, Your Highness? Is there something amiss?"

"Yes, elder brother, I want to ask you, when you were born, was your head caught in a door? What secret formula for having children? If there were, all those wives of the imperial relatives would have been blessed with many children long ago." Yinji mocked venomously, this was an insult to his abilities.

I am so powerful that I can strike with a single blow.

"Second brother!!!" Yin Ti was furious. Fine, don't say it, but don't resort to personal attacks?! Did you get your head caught in a door when you were born? Don't think he can't tell this is an insult!!!

Yin Chu thought of the ending of his eldest son and his wife, paused for a second, and felt that his eldest son's thinking was not right and needed to be changed. "Brother, tell me first, why are you in such a hurry to have a son?"

(End of this chapter)