As the moon rose above the willow branches, Xu Lejin looked sleepy and yawned, covering her mouth.

Ruhua and Nongying exchanged a quick glance, and after a moment's consideration, Ruhua spoke softly, "Your Majesty, it's past midnight, it's getting late, you should rest early."

"Yes, I understand."

Xu Lejin responded lightly, and with Ruhua and Nongying attending to her, she turned and entered the bedroom.

Just as she lay down, the second-class palace maid Liu Ying entered the palace under the cover of night with a solemn expression and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Majesty, Consort Yi has miscarried, and the imperial fetus could not be saved. This miscarriage has damaged Consort Yi's health, and she will find it difficult to conceive again in the future."

"、、"

Xu Lejin was shocked for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Can you find out why Consort Yi miscarried?"

Liu Ying raised her eyes, glanced quickly at Xu Lejin, and then lowered her head in thought.

A moment later, Liu Ying spoke in a barely audible voice, "Your Majesty, it's musk. Someone has added a significant amount of musk to Consort Yi's pregnancy-preserving medicine."

"Rouyin, the maid who accompanied Consort Yi, has committed suicide out of fear of punishment."

Xu Lejin was so shocked when she heard this that her jaw almost dropped.

So, was Consort Yi's miscarriage caused by internal strife, or was it a poisoning act by her own people?

However, musk is expensive, and even though Consort Yi's dowry maids were somewhat respectable, where would they obtain musk?

After a quick moment of thought, Xu Lejin asked in a deep voice, "Has anyone been sent to report to the Emperor? What did the Emperor say about Consort Yi's miscarriage due to the musk?"

"The night is deep and the dew is heavy; no news has yet come from the Emperor."

Xu Lejin nodded gently, frowning as she pondered. Finally, she drifted off to sleep with these thoughts in her mind. Meanwhile, the fact that Consort Yi had miscarried due to the musk incident meant that tonight would be a sleepless night in the palace.

Two days later

Consort Que and Consort Duan brought news that Consort Yi's miscarriage was related to Consort Mu of Xianfu Palace.

According to Kangxi's investigation, the musk in Consort Yi's pregnancy-preserving medicine was secretly purchased from outside the palace by Consort Mu, who bribed Consort Yi's maid, Rouyin, to put it in Consort Yi's pregnancy-preserving medicine.

Consort Mu harbored resentment because she had been subordinate to Consort Yi in Yongshou Palace.

The palace maid Rouyin harbored resentment because Emperor Kangxi once glanced at her during a visit to Consort Yi's palace, and Consort Yi blocked Rouyin's path to power.

With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin said in a deep voice, "Consort Mu is muddle-headed, and Consort Yi's maid is also incredibly audacious! Consort Yi suffered a great calamity and miscarried, which damaged her health, making it difficult for her to conceive again. What did the Emperor say?"

Consort Que pursed her lips and remained silent.

Consort Duan glanced at Consort Que out of the corner of her eye, then lowered her voice and said, "Your Highness Consort Yu, the Emperor has decreed that Consort Mu be demoted to commoner status and relocated to the Cold Palace. The Eighth Prince, born to commoner Guo Luoluo, will have his name changed in the imperial genealogy."

"Consort Yi, Consort Yi has suffered such a great calamity. She is hereby granted one hundred taels of gold and will enjoy the privileges of a consort."

Xu Lejin nodded.

"That commoner Guo Luoluo is also muddle-headed. It's a pity that the Eighth Prince lost his birth mother at such a young age, but..."

Xu Lejin gave Consort Duan a meaningful look and said, "His Majesty has decreed that the Eighth Prince be registered under your name, Consort Duan, which is excellent. The Eighth Prince was originally raised by you, Consort Duan, and now that he is registered under your name, it is even more legitimate."

"It's just a pity for the seventeenth princess, born to Consort Yi. She lost her mother shortly after birth, and now her aunt, who has been raising her, has been demoted to a commoner."

After a pause, Xu Lejin continued speaking.

"When Guo Luoluo, a commoner, was sent to the Cold Palace, what did the Emperor say about the Seventeenth Princess? Should she be raised by the concubines in the palace, or sent to the Prince's Residence to be cared for by wet nurses and palace servants?"

Consort Duan lowered her head and remained silent.

Consort Que smiled gracefully and said, "His Majesty is very kind to entrust the Seventeenth Princess to my sister for upbringing."

"oh,"

Xu Lejin was slightly surprised, and then parted her lips slightly, "Consort Que, you now have two princesses under your care. Although the Seventeenth Princess is being raised by you, she will be filial to you in the future."

Congratulations, little sister!

Late April

Xu Lejin's belly grew bigger day by day.

To ensure a smooth delivery, Xu Lejin insisted on walking back and forth in Yikun Palace for about half an hour every day, with the help of Ruhua and Nongying.

At first, Xu Lejin was alone. Later, when she lived in the east wing of Yikun Palace, Consort Le, who was nine months pregnant, learned that moving around more would make childbirth smoother, so she also started exercising.

Xu Lejin and Consort Le had just finished exercising and were about to return to their rooms when Liu Ying hurried in from outside the palace and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Le, news has come from Yongshou Palace that Consort Wan is pregnant."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly.

"Consort Wan is pregnant, this is wonderful news. Ruhua, prepare a generous gift and send it to Consort Wan later to congratulate her on her pregnancy. Also..."

After a moment's hesitation, Xu Lejin sighed softly and said, "Consort Yi has just suffered a miscarriage and is in the midst of grief. Meanwhile, Consort Wan has been diagnosed with pregnancy. Consort Wan's imperial heir..."

"While the pregnancy is still in its early stages, Consort Wan will be moved to Chengqian Palace, and Consort Wan's unborn child will be cared for by Consort Que."

Liu Ying respectfully acknowledged and withdrew.

Consort Le frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then carefully spoke softly, "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, a blessing to the harem. Consort Wan is pregnant."

"I heard from the palace maids that Consort Wan only served His Majesty once in February."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly upon hearing this. "Consort Wan is nearly twenty-five; in a few years, she'll reach the age to leave the palace. Her gaining favor was purely accidental."

"No matter what, it's a happy occasion for Wan Ying to meet with good fortune."

Changing the subject, Xu Lejin looked at Consort Le and said with a smile, "Consort Le, you are nine months pregnant now, and your due date is in early next month. You must be careful in everything you do."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will follow your instructions and be careful."

Lady Le respectfully agreed.

When the news of Consort Wan's pregnancy reached Emperor Kangxi's ears in the Qianqing Palace, he was taken aback. "Consort Wan? I only remember favoring her once. How could she be pregnant?"

Liang Jiugong quickly looked up at Kangxi and spoke respectfully.

"It is a joyous occasion for Consort Wan to be pregnant. Consort Yu has already had the imperial physician take Consort Wan's pulse and compare it with the records from the Imperial Household Department. Consort Wan's pregnancy was indeed conceived when she was serving the Emperor."

Kangxi nodded, frowning as he pondered.

Ten days later

In Xu Lejin's palace, Consort Le, who lived in the east wing, had already started her activities early in the morning.

Consort Le was very well cared for during this pregnancy. She was also young, only twenty-one or twenty-two years old, so she gave birth to a baby prince safely in less than half a day.

Consort Le's youngest son, the twelfth prince, weighed seven pounds and two ounces at birth. He was healthy and had a loud cry.

On the day of the baby's third-day celebration, Emperor Kangxi took some time to visit Yikun Palace and saw the twelfth prince in his swaddling clothes. He was overjoyed and immediately rewarded Consort Le, bestowing upon her one hundred taels of gold and the title 'Xin'.

After Consort Xin received her title, a number of porcelain ornaments were smashed in various parts of the harem, including the palaces of lower-ranking concubines.