Changchun Palace

Consort He lay on her sickbed, her face ashen, as if it could drip water. The palace maids attending to Consort He lowered their heads slightly, not daring to utter a sound.

After a long silence, Consort He said coldly, "The Emperor actually allowed Consort Hui to raise the Fifth Prince? I—"

I am not reconciled!

The palace maid looked up, glanced quickly at Consort He, lowered her voice, and whispered, "Your Highness, you are still young. As long as you take good care of your health, you will definitely be able to give birth to a prince for the Emperor."

"The Fifth Prince's birth mother, Consort Liang, was merely a palace maid from the Xin Zhe Ku (a place for palace women to serve in), and besides..."

She paused for a moment, then her voice was barely audible.

"Besides, the Fifth Prince is already thirteen years old. Even if the Emperor decrees that he be raised by Consort Hui, the Fifth Prince may not necessarily have a close relationship with Consort Hui."

Consort He sighed deeply and said, "I'm afraid my health will never recover. Having been in the palace for so many years, I have yet to bear a prince for the Hesheli family. I..."

"Cough cough cough,"

After coughing violently twice, He Fei's eyes dimmed.

Then, Consort He added, "The Fifth Prince's birth mother died early, and he is now being raised by Consort Hui, one of the four consorts. Even though the Fifth Prince and Consort Hui do not have a 'mother-daughter' relationship, they will still act like a loving mother and a filial son for the sake of their interests."

"I only regret that due to a moment of negligence, Consort Hui gained the Fifth Prince as a son for nothing."

The palace maid lowered her head and remained silent.

Consort He's condition worsened due to her deep-seated depression.

Two weeks later

Liu Ying strode into the hall, her face grave. She bowed slightly and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Majesty, news has come from Changchun Palace that Consort He seems to be on her deathbed."

"Um,"

Xu Lejin responded with a soft voice, "Consort He has been bedridden for more than three years and has suffered a lot."

"Liu Ying, take my token to the Imperial Hospital and ask them to send more imperial physicians to Changchun Palace to treat Consort He. Make sure to save Consort He's life."

Liu Ying softly agreed and left.

Ru Hua and Nongying exchanged a glance. Ru Hua spoke in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Consort He has been barely clinging to life for the past few years. Now, His Majesty has decreed that the Fifth Prince will be raised by Consort Hui. Consort He…"

"I heard that when the news reached Consort He's palace, Consort He vomited blood on the spot."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly and put down her teacup.

With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin said, "Consort He was also a pitiful person. In her youth, she entered the palace as a consort for the glory of the Hesheli family. As soon as she came of age, she hoped to give birth to a prince for the Hesheli family."

"After being sick for so many years, it's time for me to be free."

Ru Hua and Nong Ying lowered their heads and remained silent.

When Consort He fell seriously ill, Gabula and Soetu's wives from the Hesheli family outside the palace submitted a petition to the palace, requesting Xu Lejin's permission to enter and see Consort He one last time.

Furthermore, Princess Chunhui, who had never returned to the palace since her marriage, surprisingly submitted her nameplate to enter the palace.

When the Hesheli family and Princess Chunhui's residence submitted their credentials to the palace, Consort Que happened to be in Xu Lejin's palace.

Covering her mouth, Consort Que said softly, "The Hesheli family is one thing, but Gabula's wife is at least Consort He's legal mother, and Suo'etu's wife is Consort He's aunt. But Princess Chunhui..."

"When Princess Chunhui was in the palace, she never went to Consort He's palace to pay her respects to her aunt Consort He even once. Now that Consort He is seriously ill, Princess Chunhui has made an unprecedented move by submitting a token to enter the palace."

Lowering her voice, Consort Que whispered, "Your Majesty, what do you think Princess Chunhui is up to?"

With a faint smile, Xu Lejin looked at Consort Que.

"I don't know either, but things will work themselves out. Once Gabula and Soetu's wife enter the palace, and Princess Chunhui meets Consort He, we will naturally find out."

Consort Que covered her mouth and softly replied, "Yes."

Three days later

Gabula, Soetu's wife, and Princess Chunhui entered the palace.

Consort He lay on her sickbed, her face ashen, and she spoke weakly, "My mother, aunt, Princess Chunhui, what brings you to the palace? I—"

"I am now bedridden with illness and my time is drawing near. I am ashamed before the Hesheli family and before my ancestors."

Princess Chunhui was taken aback.

With her head bowed, Princess Chunhui thought to herself, in her past life, when she was the Crown Prince and before she was deposed, she enjoyed the Emperor's deep trust and favor. And this illegitimate aunt...

In her previous life, she gave birth to a prince, who died young, and she passed away shortly after.

In this life, many things are different!

Gabula and Soetu's wife exchanged a glance, pursed their lips, and pondered.

After a long while, Suo'etu's wife spoke in a low voice, "Your Majesty is now seriously ill, and I have heard that she does not have much time left. Your Majesty is a daughter of the Hesheli family, so you must think of the Hesheli family!"

"..."

In Changchun Palace, every word of the conversation between Consort He, Gabula's wife, Soetu's wife, and Princess Chunhui reached Xu Lejin's ears.

With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin murmured, "Wealth, power, and status are all alluring, but the Hesheli family still refuses to give up!"

"Consort He is now seriously ill. The people from the Hesheli family came to the palace not to comfort her and encourage her to recover, but to pressure her to promote a princess from a collateral branch of the Hesheli family to the palace."

"Is the Hesheli family trying to emulate the Niohuru family of yesteryear?"

Nongying lowered her head and spoke in a low, buzzing voice.

"Your Majesty need not worry. Even if the Hesheli family does send a woman of marriageable age to serve the Emperor in the palace, it will not affect Your Majesty."

"Our Fourth Prince is deeply favored by the Emperor. He is now fourteen years old and will be marrying his wife in a year or two. The Tenth and Eleventh Princes are older, already eight years old."

"Um."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly and said, "That's true."

Ten days later

Consort He passed away, and before her death, she requested to see Emperor Kangxi one last time.

Shortly after the seventh day memorial service, Emperor Kangxi issued an edict posthumously honoring Consort He as Consort Ping, and also ordered the Hesheli family to send a daughter to the palace as a concubine.

Hershey family

Gabula and Soetu sat solemnly.

After a long silence, Suo'etu said coldly, "Although she is a concubine, the Emperor has ultimately agreed to our family sending a woman of marriageable age to the palace. The Emperor is in his prime; as long as there are women from our Hesheli family in the palace, there will be no shortage of opportunities to give birth to princes and princesses."

"Now, the Fourth Prince under the Imperial Noble Consort's care has grown up, and the Tenth and Eleventh Princes are seven years old..."

After a pause, Soetu sighed deeply.

"The Hesheli family held a winning hand at the beginning of the Emperor's reign, but they've ended up in this state. So be it, let's not think about that throne anymore."

"Now, we only hope that among the princes in the palace, there will be one who has the blood of the Hesheli family flowing through his veins."

Gabula nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing with Soetu's words.

After a moment, Suo'etu said with a serious expression, "Sister-in-law, Madam, our main branch doesn't have any women of marriageable age. Even if there were, they would be too young and of mediocre quality."

"His Majesty has agreed to let us send eligible women into the palace. We will have to trouble you, my sister-in-law and madam, to select a few who are both talented and beautiful, and most importantly, who are good at bearing children."

Gabula's wife and Soetu's wife responded softly.