"Your Majesty, that is a good idea, but the eldest and second sons have already been fathered. As for the third son, you know how much Consort Rong dotes on him." Taking her son away would be the death of her!

"It's only for a short time. If she's still worried, she can keep you in Shou Kang Palace for the time being. When my aunt was alive, she was most concerned about your offspring, so I also worried about them!"

The Empress Dowager explained why she had suddenly appeared, since she had always been a devout Buddhist and didn't concern herself with worldly affairs.

"You've worked hard, Your Majesty. I still need to think about it. It's getting late, Your Majesty should go back now and get news as soon as possible!"

Kangxi did not doubt the Empress Dowager's intentions. After all, the Empress Dowager had no connection with the concubines in the harem. If there was any interest involved, it was that she was tied to the Noble Lady Association, since the Noble Lady was also from the Khorchin.

"Very well, Your Majesty should consider this carefully. Besides the First Prince and the Crown Prince, there are only the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince now. The Third Prince is not a big deal, after all, he is almost old enough to plant beans. However, the Fourth Prince is still young, and I, as his Empress Dowager, would not harm him!"

The Empress Dowager tried her best to appear kind, but in her heart she was thinking about how to make Consort Chen suffer.

"I know, I will discuss it with Consort Chen." Kangxi was not very willing to take the Fourth Prince to the Princes' Residence, but he could consider going to Shou Kang Palace, where Wan'er could also rest.

"Consort Chen is still pregnant. You should feel sorry for her. She is also assisting in managing the six palaces. The imperial fetus is only two months old, and the Fourth Prince is only nine months old."

The Empress Dowager disapproved, somewhat blaming Kangxi for not treating Wanyi well. Kangxi knew that the Empress Dowager and Wanyi were on good terms, and he was happy about it, since it would be good to have another person protecting Wanyi.

"I will seriously consider it!" Kangxi thought about it and realized that Wan'er had been working hard lately.

"Oh, by the way, I saw Consort Li on my way here. I asked her if she was going to Anhua Palace to pray for you. She's a good girl!" the Empress Dowager said casually.

"Consort Li! I remember her as a good person." She was good at both tea ceremony and poetry.

"I'll head back now!" The Empress Dowager smiled and turned to leave when she saw that Kangxi remembered Consort Li.

"Your Majesty, be careful on the road. Granny Qiu, please take good care of the Empress Dowager!" Kangxi rose and saw her off for a few steps.

"Your Majesty, please wait. I can walk by myself. It's cold outside!" The Empress Dowager said, seeing that Kangxi was only wearing ordinary clothes and worried that he might fall ill.

"Your Majesty, still want to bathe? The water has already been heated!" Liang Jiugong said after the Empress Dowager left.

"Go wash up! Summon Consort Li tonight." Lately, he didn't know what was wrong with him, but he really liked summoning Consort Li to his bedchamber. Consort Li's appearance seemed to be tailor-made for him, catering to his preferences.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Liang Jiugong was secretly shocked. He hadn't expected that Consort Li, who had been in the palace for two years, would suddenly become favored. He had thought that the Emperor was just having a passing fancy, but now it didn't seem like that at all.

Yongshou Palace

"Hmm, humming!" Wanyi, who had fallen into a deep sleep, vaguely heard a humming sound. Just as she was about to push the sound away, a thought flashed through her mind.

"Thank goodness I didn't push it!"

Wanyi, whose hand was on Yinzhen, was startled. That was her eldest son; if she pushed him, he would surely fall off the bed. Granny Kong had placed him on the outside so that it would be easier for her to hold him and breastfeed him.

"Why is Your Highness up? Is something wrong with the prince?" Granny Kong asked anxiously as she returned from relieving herself.

"I'm watching!" Wanyi shook her head, trying to shake off her drowsiness, and touched Yinzhen's forehead with her hand. A warm sensation entered Wanyi's palm.

"Granny, go and fetch the imperial physician to the side room. Yinzhen has a fever!"

Wanyi held Yinzhen in her arms with pity. Yinzhen frowned, his mind in turmoil. Even though he was in great pain, he didn't cry, having been emperor for many years. He just kept whimpering.

"I'll go right away!" Granny Kong ran off as fast as she could, afraid that if she was too slow, the prince would suffer for a little longer.

"My dear Yinzhen, don't be afraid. Your mother is here. Your mother will not let anything happen to you," Wanyi coaxed as she walked towards the side room, completely disregarding the fact that she hadn't put on her outer garment yet.

"Hmm!" Yinzhen, who was in his arms, thought he had arrived in hell and had seen his gentle imperial mother. He answered subconsciously.

"My lady, please put on your cloak first! Shall we inform the Emperor?" Furong said softly as she helped Wanyi put on her cloak.

"Let's tell him after the Emperor finishes court!" Seeing that it was almost time for Kangxi to attend court, Wanyi decided not to bother him anymore and thought it better to inform him after the morning court session.

"Your Highness, the imperial physician has arrived!" Granny Kong, who was outside the door, said as she was afraid that Consort Wan had not yet tidied her appearance.

"Come in!" Wanyi didn't think too much about it. Doctor Lu and the others were all her people. No matter how disheveled she was, they wouldn't say anything.

As soon as Physician Lu entered, he bowed and quickly took the Fourth Prince's pulse, fearing that if he was too late, the prince might lose his head.

"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince's fever is normal. Please pay attention to his diet, and make sure his bedding and clothes are all new." After finishing his diagnosis, Physician Lu felt relieved, and the bean planting proceeded as normal.

"Alright, I understand. Furong, please ask Physician Lu to leave first. Ye Ming, inform Consort Liu to prepare the medicine to relieve the pain. Yongshou Palace will be closing soon!"

Smallpox was spreading outside, so according to regulations, Yongshou Palace was to be closed to prevent the spread of infection.

When Emperor Kangxi arrived at Yongshou Palace after court, the gates were already closed. He could only do what he had done before: sprinkle lime and strong liquor.

"She's infected, huh! I don't even need to lift a finger, plenty of others will do it. But I won't be satisfied until I deal with her myself!" She couldn't vent her anger.

"This fourth prince is young, and he has such a terrible smallpox disease, I'm afraid..."

She couldn't get past this hurdle! Granny Qiu didn't know how the Empress Dowager had become like this. She thought it might be because the Grand Empress Dowager had suddenly passed away and she was upset. She could only say that Consort Chen was unlucky.

"As long as Consort Chen suffers a fate worse than death, as for the Fourth Prince, let fate decide!" She would be even happier if the child in her womb were to be lost first.

An unprecedented quiet and tranquility descended upon the inner palace. Everyone, whether they had planted cow beans or not, was on edge, as Emperor Kangxi's expression was truly grim. This situation lasted for more than half a month.

"Finally, it's all right!" It wasn't easy! Wanyi had the gates of Yongshou Palace opened early in the morning, and also had mugwort water burned to drive away the bad luck.

"The Fourth Prince also felt sorry for the Empress, so he hardly cried or made a fuss!"

Furong carefully supported Wanyi, thinking about how the Empress had personally taken care of the Fourth Prince for the past half month, and how hard it must have been for her, especially since she was pregnant.

"Yes! He's so good at managing his emotions at such a young age. I wonder what he'll be like when he grows up!" Wanyi exclaimed, marveling that the unpredictable Yinzhen of the past was actually born that way. No wonder he didn't change even when Kangxi scolded him for being unpredictable.