As December arrived, the competition for the emperor's favor in the harem subsided, and Emperor Qianlong became too busy to visit the harem.

Ji Huan, on the other hand, found it rare to have some free time.

She was just a concubine, favored but powerless. Being busy had little to do with her. Even if there were things to do, she had plenty of capable people around her, so it wasn't her turn to be busy.

With December almost over and the new year about to begin, Qingyin rushed in.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Seventh Prince has contracted smallpox!"

Ji Huan wasn't surprised, but she still stood up in astonishment: "How is that possible?"

"The Emperor has ordered the Changchun Palace to be sealed off. The Empress will personally take care of the Seventh Prince. The Emperor has also ordered that all palaces be strictly prohibited from moving around. The Imperial Household Department will arrange for people to deliver daily necessities and meals. All the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital are on standby at the Changchun Palace."

It seems that Emperor Qianlong suspected that someone had harmed the Seventh Prince. Well, of all people, why did it have to be the Seventh Prince, who was the one who was protected so thoroughly?

"Since His Majesty has given the order, we must obey. Pass down the order that playing and fighting are prohibited in Xianfu Palace, and all bright and eye-catching things should be put away for the time being. I will go to the study to copy Buddhist scriptures to pray for the Seventh Prince."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

With Ji Huan in charge, Xianfu Palace operated smoothly and efficiently.

On the 29th, Qingyin said urgently, "Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has died young."

Ji Huan closed her eyes, turned the prayer beads in her hand, and said with a sorrowful expression, "Amitabha, what a pity!"

Strictly speaking, the Seventh Prince was not even two years old yet! He was young and already weak. If he had been carefully raised until he was ten or so, he might have been no different from an ordinary person. But he broke out in smallpox at such a young age.

Smallpox, also known as pox, is an infectious disease that even healthy adults may not survive.

"Give the order: no one in Xianfu Palace is to show any joy. You all know how much the Emperor trusts the Empress. I don't want anyone to displease the Emperor at this critical juncture. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Ji Huan skillfully copied Buddhist scriptures in the study. To be honest, she looked more and more calm and composed now. To some extent, copying Buddhist scriptures is still useful, for example, in terms of improving a certain temperament.

"System, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it seems that Qianlong's beloved empress will die in Shandong next year. I need to do something about it."

"This is outside the scope of my services."

"I know, I just want to talk to someone. You know, in the harem where intrigues and schemes abound, too much repression can lead to serious problems."

Strictly speaking, the system is not a person, but it is a very good listener.

As expected, Empress Fucha fell ill. Her already frail body was now severely weakened by this blow, and she was bedridden.

Empress Fucha's only surviving daughter, Jingse, stayed by her side every day, but this did not improve her condition.

Emperor Qianlong began preparing a grand and solemn funeral for his eldest son on the second day of the Lunar New Year to show his respect. But no matter how grand the funeral was, the man was still gone.

Even after the Lantern Festival, there wasn't much of a festive atmosphere in the palace.

"Tonight I come in a small boat to bid you farewell; from now on, life and death will be separated by the east and west."

"Nothing is without end, leaving only sorrow for the survivors!"

"Your Majesty, what do these two lines of poetry mean?"

"Poems of mourning."

Shuxiang quickly comforted her, "This servant knows that Your Highness is kind-hearted, but you should also take care of yourself. Have you not been eating properly lately?"

"The Seventh Prince was so innocent and adorable. It's heartbreaking to see such a healthy child suddenly gone. But there's not much I can do except copy some Buddhist scriptures!"

"Your Majesty has done more than enough."

Ji Huan sighed before saying, "After I finish copying this scroll, you can take it and make an offering!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Outside the study, Emperor Qianlong came and went quietly.

Ji Huan only put down her pen after Emperor Qianlong left.

Shuxiang breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her stop writing. Jihuan and her confidantes knew that Qianlong was eavesdropping. They were serious about their act.

Back in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Qianlong picked up his brush and unconsciously wrote down the two lines of poetry that Ji Huan had recited.

"Tonight I come in a small boat to bid you farewell; from this day forward, life and death will be separated, each going our separate ways!"

"Nothing is without end, leaving only sorrow for the survivors!"

“Consort Rou is kind-hearted. Li Yu, proceed to Changchun Palace.”

He was heartbroken, but as the emperor, he had to pull himself together. The empress was even more heartbroken than he was. The dead are gone, and the living should not give up.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Emperor Qianlong comforted the Empress for several days, and she finally cheered up. Although she was not fully recovered, she was no longer bedridden as before.

By the time Empress Fucha was able to walk again, it was already past the first month of the lunar calendar.

Immediately afterwards, Emperor Qianlong began to linger in the harem, visiting each of the women in turn, and Ji Huan received many rewards.

This was either for political purposes, or Emperor Qianlong wanted to take the Empress on a trip to Shandong to relax.

Once the news got out, Ji Huan felt it was about time.

In Consort Xian's palace, Consort Shu and Consort Xian sat facing each other.

"Consort Xian, there is something you may not know: our Empress may not live much longer."

Consort Xian paused in her tea-serving hand, then asked, "Where did Consort Shu get this information?"

Consort Xian was indeed unaware of this matter. Physician Liang's family had been unexpectedly destroyed, and she was still looking for a new trusted physician. It was not yet possible to find one.

“My sister has connections in the Imperial Hospital. He found out by accident. Don’t you think this is a good opportunity, sister?”

"What good opportunity?"

"Tell me, if our Empress were to discover that all her children had died tragically, would she still be able to maintain that gentle and graceful demeanor?"

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