Chapter Sixty-Eight

The news that the Crown Princess was suspected of having multiple pregnancies quickly spread.

The most surprised was Yinti. When the Crown Princess was pregnant, and it had been four years since the Crown Princess became pregnant with Hongyao, he wanted to know if she would be able to give birth to a son.

After all, the secret formula for having a child given by Yinreng was so bizarre that he was now starting to look forward to it.

"I wonder how many sons the Crown Princess will give birth to this time?" Yinti asked excitedly, pacing back and forth.

When the First Princess heard Yinti's words and saw his seemingly excited and expectant expression, she felt somewhat bewildered.

"No, what business is it of yours how many sons the Crown Princess can have?" The First Princess rolled her eyes at Yinti. If word got out, people would think he had some kind of relationship with the Crown Princess.

"Isn't this because we used Yinreng's secret recipe?" Yinti, of course, had no idea what his wife was thinking about him, and reminded her in a low voice.

Yinti also knew that this matter could not be known to others, firstly for his own face, and secondly because Yinreng had run out of the secret recipe and had given him the last one.

After listening to Yinti's reminder, the First Princess Consort remained silent for a few seconds. "There are still more than four months left. Perhaps it won't take that long. Let's wait and see. We'll know the results soon."

Yinti suddenly realized, "Yes, yes, yes, it's just tension and worry. If it doesn't work, I've cultivated myself for so many years, I, I'll definitely hit him with a stick."

"It's only been half a year, how could it be so many years?" The First Princess Consort was speechless. However, she was truly surprised that Yinti could cultivate his character for so long.

Yinreng never expected that his casual remark was simply to help his eldest daughter-in-law recover her health so that he wouldn't lose his wife in middle age and his son in old age.

The so-called self-cultivation actually allowed Yinti to do nothing for three years, and Yinreng did not have the habit of inquiring about other people's bedroom affairs.

Therefore, Yinreng naturally knew nothing about this matter. He couldn't care less about others at the moment. The Crown Princess was pregnant with multiple children, and her belly was huge. He was worried sick about her every step she took, his heart trembling with fear that she would fall.

If possible, Yinreng was prepared to ask for leave to stay home with the Crown Princess, but with the end of the year approaching and things already complicated, Kangxi did not approve.

Emperor Kangxi also knew that the Crown Princess was suspected of having multiple pregnancies. Although the imperial physicians said that it had not been confirmed, Kangxi knew that it was almost certain. To express his joy, he bestowed upon her a large number of gifts.

He told Jialuo to stay in Yuqing Palace to recuperate. The imperial physician was supposed to take Yinreng's pulse every three days, but Kangxi felt that Yinreng was not caring enough about the Crown Princess.

How could once every three days be enough? Of course, he would report every day. If conditions allowed, Emperor Kangxi felt that the imperial physicians should be stationed at Yuqing Palace.

Apart from the wife of the third son, none of the wives of the other sons were pregnant. As the next generation of heirs to the throne, how could Kangxi not pay attention to them?

However, as a father-in-law, it is not appropriate for him to interfere too much in his daughter-in-law's affairs, lest gossip arise.

Therefore, he could only instruct the Crown Prince. Yinreng was speechless at his father's instruction, "Father, if you are so worried about your son, why don't you let me take four or five months off?"

"Get out!" Kangxi felt a headache coming on when he heard this. Yinreng was good in every way, except that he didn't have many children. It was just that the Crown Princess was pregnant with multiple children. What was there to be so nervous about?

Always thinking about slacking off, with the end of the year approaching and many things piling up, how can the crown prince avoid doing any work?

However, he overlooked the fact that he had just been so concerned about the Crown Prince's offspring.

Yinreng had become accustomed to his father's menopausal irritability. It was good that his father was like this so often; it meant that he, as the crown prince, was not perfect.

"Father, I take my leave." Yinreng was too lazy to chat with his father, who couldn't stand him being more idle than him.

The Emperor was very controlling, and the things he could do for him were all ordinary and mundane, such as reviewing memorials. It seemed like a power only the Crown Prince had, but in reality, the memorials the Emperor gave him were all from his subjects paying their respects.

It's so boring.

After leaving Qianqing Palace, Yinreng returned to Yuqing Palace. The Crown Princess was heavily pregnant, and Yinreng quickly stepped forward to support her, fearing that she might stumble and fall.

"Sit properly." Yinreng quickly stepped forward to support her; her belly was visibly growing bigger every day.

"The imperial physician said that walking around more will be beneficial for childbirth." Jialuo looked at Yinreng with a bit of confusion, but her cautiousness was indeed heartwarming.

Jialuo thought that Yinreng must have forgotten what the imperial physician had said. She reached out and touched her big belly, while Xiao Hongyao was still fussing over her.

“Yes, Mother, you can’t wander off.” Little Hongyao was also quite worried about his mother’s condition; his younger brother was no longer cute at all.

Another half month passed, and the imperial physician diagnosed her with multiple pregnancies.

Therefore, whenever Jialuo went out, everyone would keep their distance, and those who served her would be extremely careful, for fear that something might happen to the Crown Princess.

Including the upcoming Banquet for the Golden Festival, the Eighth Prince's wedding in December, and even the New Year's Eve banquet, the Crown Princess was required to stay in Yuqing Palace to take good care of her pregnancy.

Jialuo had no complaints about this at all; staying in Yuqing Palace to rest and prepare for childbirth was actually a very good thing.

The only thing is... her belly is unusually large.

The imperial physician said that it would be at least the third pregnancy... or perhaps more.

Jialuo was shocked and extremely nervous. The story of multiple pregnancies happening right next to me.

In the Qing Dynasty imperial family, she had never heard of any princess consort who was pregnant with multiple children, and... she had never heard of anyone who had traveled through time.

Finally, Jialuo noticed something was amiss. Could it be that I, who was able to travel through time, was the real female protagonist? Touching her chin, she noticed that her estrogen levels had skyrocketed after becoming pregnant, making her more sentimental and sensitive.

Little Hongyao, who was standing beside her, knew that his mother seemed to be thinking about all sorts of random things all day long, so he stayed by her side, looking at his pregnant mother and his younger brothers inside.

Every time he sees her, he gets nervous and hugs his mother's big, thick legs, saying, "Mother, my little brother is so disobedient."

He always heard his mother say that she had some backaches and swollen feet, all because she was pregnant with his younger brother.

My younger brother isn't cute.

"Mother, I don't want a little brother anymore. Let's not have another one, okay?" The little voice was full of worry. Xiao Hongyao had heard somewhere that his father's mother had died when she gave birth to his father.

He was afraid.

He was afraid of losing his mother.

"No, you can't! Your belly is already so big, which means your little brother or sister has grown up. If you don't give birth, Mommy's belly will get bigger and bigger and it'll explode, boom!"

Jialuo playfully opened her palms and teased her son. At this moment, Jialuo could no longer hold her son in her arms and coax him.

Hongyao was startled by Jialuo's words and froze for a moment before bursting into tears, crying out to the heavens, "Mother..."

Yinreng was still walking in from outside the gate when he heard Xiao Hongyao crying inside, calling out "Mother" loudly. Yinreng was worried that something had happened to Jialuo, so he quickly stepped inside.

"Jialuo." He spoke in a tense tone, and as soon as he finished speaking, Jialuo looked over with a pleading expression.

"Your Highness, you're back! Come quickly, come here! Hongyao, Hongyao was scared to tears by me!" Jialuo was at a loss, unable to even squat down to comfort Hongyao, and could only dryly try to coax him.

"Hongyao, you scared your mother. Your mother has to bend down and squat down to comfort you. It's so hard for her." Yinreng walked over and gently patted little Hongyao's head, reminding him.

You're not a baby anymore.

Your mother is my greatest treasure.

Hearing his father's words and seeing his mother's worried expression, Xiao Hongyao wiped away his tears with his chubby little hands.

"Don't cry." He sniffled again, then sobbed a little. He was Little Baturu, how could he possibly cry?

"Mother, sit down quickly." Little Hongyao didn't want his mother to suffer because of him. Once his younger brother was born, he would give them a good spanking.

While Jialuo was pregnant, the Third Prince's wife gave birth to the Third Prince's legitimate son, who became one of only two grandsons of the next generation.

While the Third Prince's wife was in confinement after childbirth, the Third Prince's concubine, Lady Tian, ​​also gave birth to a son for him. However, the son died before the third day had passed.

Princess Tian was on the verge of going crazy. When Consort Ala and Qige went out for a walk, the Consort Ala slipped and fell, resulting in a miscarriage and the loss of the fetus.

Ala Daqige was also going crazy. The investigation eventually revealed that it was because Tian Gege suspected her of harming her son that she deliberately murdered her child.

Ala Daqi immediately ran to Tian Gege's yard and gave her a good beating.

Soon after, another princess in the backyard also became pregnant. Seeing the miserable state of the concubine and the princess, she suspected that the princess was behind it and carefully protected her belly.

If it weren't for the Fujin's meddling, with three women in the harem getting pregnant at the same time, why would only her son be able to survive?

Ala Daqige's fierce, arrogant, and domineering nature was indeed disliked by the Third Prince, Yin Zhi.

He prides himself on being a refined person who likes gentle, beautiful, kind women who can add fragrance to his life. Ala Daqige used to be quite passionate and fiery, but now... all that's left is a hideous expression.

Gradually, he fell out of favor.

But Ala Daqi doesn't care whether she's fallen out of favor or not. If you neglect me, I'll just block your way from the front yard to the back yard.

This time, she definitely won't let her child miscarry again.

The Third Prince, Yinzhi, didn't want to, but he couldn't resist Ala Daqige's strong charm. She wasn't good at acting cute or charming, but she was quite enthusiastic, and the Third Prince was occasionally charmed by her.

After many years, the Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, finally became pregnant.

Guarjia Dukuai was so moved that she cried, sob sob sob... She finally got pregnant, much earlier than she had gotten pregnant after marrying into Yuqing Palace in her previous life.

After Lady Guarjia became pregnant, those around her became extremely cautious, full of vigilance and wariness towards the women in the inner courtyard, fearing that the princess's child would be poisoned by those ruthless women.

Guarjia knew the importance of the child in her womb. Although she was unsure whether it was a boy or a girl, both the Crown Princess Fucha and the Third Prince Consort Dong'e had given birth to legitimate sons, so there was no reason why she couldn't.

Didn't the fourth wife, Ulanara, in her previous life also give birth to a legitimate son?

Lady Guarjia wanted to rest and recuperate peacefully, but Consort De of Yonghe Palace seemed unwilling to see her safe and sound. She did not allow her to rest at home properly and had to pay her respects to Consort De on the first and fifteenth of each month.

Those around the Fourth Prince's wife thought that Consort De was simply a vicious mother-in-law, but they dared not say such things in front of the Fourth Prince's wife, let alone talk about it outside.

Although Guarjia did indeed think so, and secretly wished for Consort De's death, Consort De, after being irritable for a while, returned to her gentle demeanor, perhaps finding out about the gifts she had given her earlier. Guarjia found this disgusting.

There was nothing she could do but endure it. She also needed to protect herself now, and dared not touch any of those so-called poisons or similar things, for fear of causing any harm to her stomach.

For the sake of her unborn child, the Fourth Prince's wife could only barely endure the difficulties caused by Consort De.

Time passed slowly, bit by bit.

New Year's Eve.

Jialuo was nearly eight months pregnant. Perhaps the fireworks during the Lunar New Year disturbed the restless little fetus inside her, and she suddenly started experiencing abdominal pain.

Yinreng also brought Xiao Hongyao to the palace banquet. In fact, the two of them really didn't want to come, but they had no choice. It was a major annual festival, and they planned to go back immediately after attending.

Seeing the Crown Prince's absent-minded appearance, Yinti, as the eldest brother, knew that the Crown Princess might be about to give birth. The imperial physicians and midwives had already made preparations since the Crown Princess was about seven months pregnant.

No one can be sure when it will suddenly happen. I've heard that pregnant women carrying twins or triplets are more likely to have premature births.

So this time, Yinqi didn't force him to drink. Instead, he sat down next to him and asked in a kind tone, "I heard the Crown Princess is about to give birth?"

"Hmm." Yinreng glanced at Yinti sitting next to him, thinking that what Yinti said was utter nonsense.

"Don't worry, the Crown Princess will definitely be able to give birth to the child safely. Do you think she will give birth to a son this time?" Yinti lowered his voice and leaned close to Yinreng's ear to ask, quite expectantly.

Hearing Yinti's expectant tone, Yinreng turned his head and stared at Yinti, "Whether my Crown Princess gives birth to a son or a daughter is none of your business."

Boss, something's really wrong with you, you know that?

When Yinti sat down next to Yinreng, he lowered his voice, afraid of being overheard, "How can it not concern me? You haven't forgotten, have you? The fertility formula you gave me before!! Were you just lying to me before??"

As Yinti spoke, his eyes widened, as if afraid that Yinreng's next words would be: "Yes, I was lying to you."

He was really going to pick up the mallet and hit someone.

Yinreng: Ah... so that's why? He really had forgotten.

However, seeing Yinti's anxious and worried expression, Yinreng began to doubt whether his behavior was inappropriate. How could he have fooled his eldest son like that?

Just as he was about to explain, a young eunuch rushed over anxiously, "Your Highness, Your Highness."

The voice wasn't loud; only those around could hear it. When Yinreng turned around, wasn't that Xiao Chenzi, who served by the Crown Princess's side?

"What happened to the Crown Princess?" That was my first thought.

"Your Highness, Your Highness is in labor!" Little Chenzi exclaimed, startling Yinti, who immediately cried out, "What? Your Highness is going into labor?"

Yinti's initiative and loud voice drowned out the voices of those around him, and everyone turned their gaze to him, staring intently at him.

No, the Crown Princess is about to give birth, so why is the eldest prince the most excited?

Could it be that the eldest prince has a crush on the crown princess?

Is the child in the Crown Princess's belly related to the First Prince?

Although no one spoke, Yinreng heard their thoughts.

Yinti was still excited: It's going to happen! It's finally going to happen! The Crown Prince must have taken the fertility formula too. He wants to see if the Crown Princess has given birth to a son. Could that fertility formula be a lie? I've been cultivating my character for so long...

Yinreng's face darkened slightly. What kind of nonsense were these people thinking?

Yinreng really wanted to slap Yinti on the back of the head for his agitation. "Even if you're agitated, can't you at least try to control yourself? There are so many people around. Do you know that your behavior will cause me, the Crown Princess, to hear all sorts of hurtful rumors?"

"Father!" Yinreng cursed the whole group, including the eldest son, in his mind, then got up and asked his father for leave, "The Crown Princess has started labor."

Upon hearing this, Kangxi immediately understood, and said, "Go, go."

When Yinqi left, Yinqi wanted to go with him, but Yinqi slapped him hard on the back of the head before he calmed down.

Little did they know that Yinti's actions had already been observed by many.

Many people had doubts, but dared not say so in front of so many people. Only after the palace banquet ended would a few close friends whisper among themselves, but they were stopped by someone else as soon as they started to whisper.

Are you kidding me?! This is a royal secret. Do you think your heads are harder than a sword?

Immediately after the banquet, Emperor Kangxi summoned Yinti and asked him what had happened.

"What? What's going on?" The Emperor was really baffling. He always liked to ask these strange questions. Who knew what he wanted to ask?

"The Crown Princess is about to give birth, why are you so nervous and concerned? What's it to you?" Kangxi thought his eldest son really deserved a beating. Didn't he see the strange and subtle expressions of those relatives earlier?

Damn it, Yinqi has completely disgraced the royal family.

"Well, I was just looking forward to it. The Crown Prince gave me a secret recipe for having a son, saying it would definitely guarantee a son. I just wanted to see if what the Crown Prince said was true. If the Crown Prince is lying to me, I'll definitely grab a wooden mallet..."

Yinti scratched his head sheepishly, and seeing how angry his father was, he reluctantly told him about it.

The previous sentence infuriated Kangxi to the point of wanting to kill someone: What does "expectation" even mean? What do you expect the Crown Princess to give birth to? It's none of your business...

Then, he fell silent, and remained silent for a long time. Did Yinreng have a secret formula for having a child? How come he didn't know?

Finally, seeing the hopeful look in Yinti's eyes and remembering the fact that his primary wife had given birth to four daughters, Kangxi ultimately did not dampen his enthusiasm.

Instead, he asked Yinti, "What secret formula for conceiving a child?"

"Father, you already have more than a dozen sons, do you still need a secret formula for having children?" Yinti widened his eyes, thinking that Kangxi wanted to argue with him, and loudly retorted.

Kangxi wanted to take a wooden mallet and smash it over the eldest son's head, but who needed it? Who was he insulting?

"Anyway, the Crown Prince doesn't have any left. The last one is for me, Father Emperor. Just wait and see, I will definitely give you a legitimate grandson!" Yinti did not tell Kangxi his secret to having a son, but was full of confidence.

Kangxi believed that the Crown Prince's so-called secret formula for conceiving a son had been given to Yinti, who then gave it to his wife. He vaguely remembered asking about it once before, but he had forgotten.

Kangxi didn't care anymore; the matter was over. "Also, you need to calm yourself down and not get agitated outside. What the Crown Princess gave birth to has nothing to do with you!"

I gave him a good scolding and told him to get lost.

Yinreng handed Hongyao over to Kangxi. The Crown Princess was giving birth, and it was unknown how long it would take. He didn't have the time to take care of Hongyao.

After sending Yinti away, Kangxi went into his inner chamber, where Hongyao was waiting for him. As soon as he saw him, Hongyao quickly came over with his short legs and hugged his grandfather with a wronged expression, "Grandpa, Mother will be alright, right?"

Those big, dark eyes blinked as they looked at Kangxi, just like Bao Cheng had been back then. Kangxi was naturally very loving towards his grandson.

She comforted Hongyao in a gentle tone, "Of course, your mother will be fine. When you wake up from your nap, you'll be able to see your younger brother and sister."

Hongyao couldn't sleep and kept bothering Kangxi, asking questions every now and then. Kangxi was a little annoyed, but he couldn't scold his grandson.

Finally, they brought out food, and after eating and drinking to their hearts' content, they went to sleep.

Ah, finally got the child to sleep.

At this moment, in the main courtyard where the Crown Princess resided in Yuqing Palace, the midwife had already taken her to the delivery room, which had been thoroughly cleaned up.

Every midwife and wet nurse was first investigated and then examined by Yinreng (personally interviewed) to ensure they had a clean background and had not been bribed.

Childbirth is a life-or-death ordeal. The imperial physician and the female physician have arrived. The female physician has already entered the delivery room. The midwife, along with the nannies and maids from the main courtyard of Yuqing Palace, are watching over the child to ensure that the child does not die in childbirth due to the thieves' plot.

However, the imperial physicians could not guarantee anything in other aspects, so Yinreng was still worried.

Standing at the door, listening to Jia Luo's cries of pain coming from inside, Yinreng felt somewhat annoyed. He decided not to have any more children, and he would never have any more in the future.

From New Year's Eve until dawn, Jialuo still hadn't given birth. Her attendant, Eunuch Shun, came over to remind the Crown Prince that he should go and rest, as they had to perform ancestral rites the next day.

"The Crown Princess is giving birth to my child, how can I possibly sleep peacefully? Get out of here!" Yinreng said angrily.

As dawn approached and the first rays of light shone on the horizon, a scream of agony was followed by the cry of a newborn baby.

She gave birth! She gave birth!

Yinreng looked towards the delivery room door with immediate joy. One of the midwives came out to announce the good news to the Crown Prince, "Congratulations, Your Highness, the Crown Princess has given birth to a little prince."

"How is the Crown Princess?" Yinreng asked anxiously.

As Yinreng was asking questions, Jialuo's voice came from inside again.

(End of this chapter)