Xu Lejin's words were so casual and understated that Yingchun and Zhishu lowered their heads and remained silent in thought.

August 5th

With few affairs of state to attend to, after reviewing the memorials, Emperor Kangxi, seeing that it was still early, took his servants to Yikun Palace.

As they approached the entrance to the west wing, they heard Xu Lejin's voice.

“Bao Shou is a prince, and he is quiet and well-behaved, while Wu Xiha and Wu Na Xi are much more mischievous. When one of the sisters cried, the other seemed to have a telepathic connection and started crying as well.”

“My lady, I have heard that twins and twin girls are connected by telepathy. Our little princesses, Ushiha and Unashi, are twin sisters and have a telepathic connection.”

Emperor Kangxi stopped in his tracks, a warm smile spreading across his face.

He didn't rush into the west wing to visit Xu Lejin and the three children. Instead, he shook his head to stop Liang Jiugong, who was about to announce his arrival, and stood at the entrance of the west wing with a smile on his face.

Inside the west wing, Xu Lejin was lovingly playing with the three children in the cradle.

Yingchun carefully considered her words before speaking softly.

“My lord, our little princesses, Ushiha and Unashi, are like two peas in a pod. Their noses, eyes, and mouths resemble the Emperor's, and their eyebrows resemble yours.”

Xu Lejin wore a gentle smile as she looked at her two infant daughters, Wuxiha and Unaxi.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Lejin spoke softly, "I think that Ushiha's eyes and nose resemble the Empress Dowager, while Unashi's mouth and eyebrows resemble the Empress Dowager."

"Now that you mention it, Your Highness, I do think there is some resemblance."

Yingchun smiled and agreed.

At this moment, the young prince, who was standing nearby, suddenly started crying loudly. Xu Lejin quickly asked the wet nurse to check carefully to see if he had wet himself or defecated.

Emperor Kangxi, standing outside the palace, felt his heart clench as he listened to the loud weeping from inside.

As she stepped into the west wing, her eyes met those of Xu Lejin. Xu Lejin quickly gestured for Yingchun and Zhishu to help her up, preparing to pay her respects to Emperor Kangxi.

Emperor Kangxi waved to stop Xu Lejin from getting up and said in a loud voice, "No need for formalities. You are still in your postpartum period. The imperial physician has advised you not to overexert yourself. Rest and recuperate."

"This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your concern."

Xu Lejin blushed slightly and thanked him in a low voice.

Yingchun and Zhishu, being very perceptive, brought Kangxi a reclining chair and placed it in front of Xu Lejin's bed. Kangxi sat in the chair, looking at Xu Lejin's complexion. Seeing that Xu Lejin's face was rosy, he was somewhat relieved.

Holding Xu Lejin's hand, Kangxi smiled and said, "My beloved consort has borne me a child, and you have worked hard. You must take good care of yourself during your postpartum period. Only when you are well can you bear another imperial heir for me in the future and continue the royal line."

"My dear consort, you need not worry too much about Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Na Xi. I have arranged for reliable and capable nannies to take good care of them. They will surely grow up safely and healthily."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly.

Speaking softly, Xu Lejin said, "This concubine knows that Your Majesty is so fond of Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi. The nannies Your Majesty has arranged to take care of Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi are all excellent, but..."

“But Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi will soon be a month old. According to the palace rules, after the princes and princesses are a month old, they will be sent to the princes’ quarters. I thought I should take advantage of the fact that Bao Shou and the others are still in my west wing and see them more often.”

During the Kangxi era, there was a rule that every prince and princess would be separated from their birth mother after their one-month birthday and sent to the Prince's Residence, where they would be cared for by wet nurses and palace servants.

Throughout the year, the imperial concubines, who were the birth mothers, could only see their children one to four times, depending on their rank.

Xu Lejin is now a concubine and can only see her child twice a year.

"Well, princes and princesses, send them to the Princes' Quarters to be raised by wet nurses. This is a rule set by our ancestors, and I am powerless to change it." After pondering for a moment, Kangxi looked at Xu Lejin and said softly.

He knew all too well that it was cruel to separate a newborn child from its mother.

But he had no choice.

After Emperor Taizong entered the pass, he established this rule, and he and his brothers, the daughters of the Ma Jia clan (Saiyinchahun), the third princess, the Nara clan (Baoqing), and the princesses born to the Zhang and Zhao Jia clans all came of age in this way.

Even for Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Na Xi, no exceptions could be made.

Xu Lejin nodded gently. She naturally knew that Kangxi had no way to keep Bao Shou, Wuxiha, and Wunaxi by her side and let her take care of them as they grew up.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Children who are too sensible are the ones who are most easily overlooked by their parents when they grow up.

Emperor Kangxi was young and ambitious, and there would be many children in the palace in the future.

She deliberately brought it up now only to get Kangxi to cherish and care for Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi more, so that when they grow up, they can marry a good wife and a good son-in-law.

Emperor Kangxi looked at his three children in the cradle with loving eyes. They had grown a lot in the past month.

After visiting Xu Lejin and her three children, Kangxi did not stay in Yikun Palace, but went to Chuxiu Palace behind Yikun Palace, the sleeping quarters of Consort Zhao, Niohuru.

Consort Zhao looked at Emperor Kangxi with delight and admiration in her eyes. "Your Majesty is coming. Why didn't you have the palace servants inform you in advance so that I could make preparations to receive you?"

Emperor Kangxi laughed heartily.

"I just went to the west wing of Yikun Palace to visit Xu Muershi, as well as Bao Shou, Wuxiha, and Wunaxi. Since the day after tomorrow is the full moon celebration for Bao Shou, Wuxiha, and Wunaxi, I came to your palace."

Consort Zhao wore a polite smile, but a flash of anger quickly crossed her eyes.

Immediately afterward, Consort Zhao carefully chose her words and said softly, "Does His Majesty mean that the full moon celebrations for the sixth prince, the eighth princess, and the ninth princess should be grandly organized?"

Kangxi nodded with a smile.

Consort Zhao's expression darkened slightly, but she quickly regained her smile and said, "The sixth prince, the eighth princess, and the ninth princess have already had grand celebrations for their third-day-old celebrations. If we were to hold another grand celebration for their full-month-old celebrations, then we would have to raise the scale of their full-month-old celebrations to the same level as the full-month-old celebrations for the sixth princess, who was born to the Empress."

After speaking, Consort Zhao secretly observed the changes in Kangxi's expression out of the corner of her eye.

After a moment of contemplation, Kangxi said in a deep voice, "Reduce the scale of the full moon celebration for the sixth princess by one-tenth. After all, the sixth princess is the empress's daughter, while Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi are ultimately the daughters of concubines."

"Consort Zhao, Xu Muer has given birth to her third child and needs to complete a full two-month postpartum period. I will trouble you to take care of the full-month celebration for Bao Shou, Wu Xiha, and Wu Naxi."

Emperor Kangxi looked at Consort Zhao and continued speaking.

"Consort Zhao, you are dignified, wise, and have a good understanding of the bigger picture. In the past few months, you have managed the harem very well. I believe you will be able to perfectly organize the full moon celebration for Bao Shou and the other two."

Consort Zhao lowered her head, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes, and respectfully replied, "Yes."