"My lady, you're already seven centimeters dilated. I'll go call the midwife." Usually, by eight centimeters, you can start pushing, which means you're not far from giving birth.

"Ah! Hurry, it hurts!" Consort Zhao Jia could no longer hold back her tears.

"Oh, okay!" Caixia was stunned by Consort Zhaojia's shout, but she immediately went down to give the order.

Chuxiu Palace

Consort Zhao, who was looking at the account books, breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the news from Chengqian Palace that Consort Zhaojia had given birth.

"They've finally arrived. It wasn't for nothing that I spent so much effort to save this child." Otherwise, with Consort Tong's abilities, how could she have withstood the Empress Dowager's schemes?

"The imperial physician said that Consort Zhaojia's child was a prince. Your Majesty, if that's the case, Consort Tong will definitely target you after learning that she didn't get to be made empress. With a prince backing her up, she might become arrogant and domineering..."

Youbai said with some worry, adding that Kangxi felt guilty towards Consort Tong. They all knew what kind of person Consort Tong was before; she was just suppressing her temper and appearing gentle now.

"It's alright, this is just a rough estimate. We'll only know for sure if it's a boy or a girl after it's born." Consort Zhao wasn't worried at all. After all, premature babies have a high chance of dying young, and she wouldn't harm the child unless absolutely necessary.

"Yes, this servant will go and prepare the palanquin." Youbai bowed and said, but in her heart she was praying to the Eternal Heaven that Consort Zhaojia must give birth to a princess, and she was willing to shorten her lifespan by ten years.

"Go!" Consort Zhao put down the account book in her hand, then got up and went into the side room to change her clothes.

"Consort Tong is truly heartless." Wanyi had originally planned to go to her room for a nap, but unexpectedly, Granny Kong came in and told her that Consort Zhaojia was about to give birth.

"A woman who isn't ruthless won't have a stable position. My lady, you have to be ruthless when necessary. This harem is a life-or-death struggle. There are no eternal friends or eternal enemies," said Granny Kong as she helped Wanyi walk out.

"I know." Under the occasional reminders from Granny Kong, Wan Yi gradually changed. She was no longer the innocent and kind-hearted young lady. If she wanted to reach the highest level, she would have to get her hands stained with blood.

When Wanyi arrived at Chengqian Palace, almost everyone was there, except for Emperor Kangxi, who was not yet there. Sumalagu, who was by the side of the Empress Dowager, was also standing to the side.

"Greetings to Consort Zhao and Consort Tong. May Consort Zhao and Consort Tong be well." Wan Yi's face showed a slight pallor, but she was much better than before.

"Get up! Consort Suo Zhuolun. If you are not feeling well, you don't need to come. It would be bad if you caught a cold and got sick again."

Consort Tong spoke first to Consort Wan, saying that when Consort Wan went out to see Consort Wuya earlier, she went back and summoned the imperial physician, and it was said that she had fallen ill again, which is why Consort Tong said this.

"The imperial physician said that I am well. My condition was aggravated because I was weak and ate half a bowl of ice." Wanyi said embarrassedly, but Hongxiu did eat that half bowl of ice.

"That's good. This time, she can't be greedy. Granny Kong has to keep a close eye on Consort Suo Zhuolun to prevent her from being tempted and unable to resist."

Consort Tong only showed concern for Wanyi because she saw Granny Kong. Putting aside Su Ma La Gu's presence, Granny Kong was also a nanny who came from the Empress Dowager's side, so she had to make a good impression.

"Yes, this servant will definitely keep a close eye on Young Master Suo Zhuolun," Granny Kong replied with a smile.

"Sister Suo Zhuolun, over here!" Consort Guo Luoluo warmly greeted Wanyi as she walked over, with Consort Borjigit beside her.

"Sister Borjigit, Sister Guoluo, what's the situation inside?" Wanyi asked softly after standing still.

"We just arrived and don't know much yet, but we heard that the cervix is ​​fully open, so the prince should be out soon." Consort Guoluo arrived a little earlier than Consort Borjigit, so she overheard a bit of what was going on.

"Consort Zhao Jia was almost eight months pregnant, how could she have given birth prematurely?"

Consort Borjigit was concerned about the child. She knew that the child would be raised by Consort Tong, so she also fantasized that she could adopt one herself.

"It's probably because of the previous miscarriage!" Wanyi replied casually.

Consort Zhao Jia, who was in the delivery room, was already exhausted. The baby had been overfed, and if she had given birth at full term, both she and her unborn child would have died.

"Your Highness, don't sleep! We can see the head! Push!" The midwife shouted anxiously at Consort Zhao Jia.

"Go, cut a slice of ginseng for the concubine to suck on," another midwife instructed Caixia.

"Yes." The ginseng was a section of a hundred-year-old ginseng, which Consort Tong had sent over earlier. It had been taken out and prepared before Consort Zhaojia drank the labor-inducing medicine, so Caixia immediately took out a piece and put it into Consort Zhaojia's mouth.

"Your Highness, it's just a fragment. Your strength will come back soon. Give it your all." Caixia took a handkerchief from a second-class palace maid and wiped the sweat from Consort Zhaojia's forehead.

"Ugh, ah! Caixia, it hurts, it hurts so much." This is her second time. The first time was a little better, not as painful as this.

"Your Highness, the pain will subside soon. Push with the contractions, come on, one, two, three, very good, just one more push and it will be out." The midwife saw that the baby's head was already halfway out and quickly reminded Consort Zhao Jia, hoping that she would not lose heart.

"Mmm, ah!" Consort Zhao Jia took a deep breath, and with a sudden contraction, she pushed hard, her lower body sliding out. A warm current followed, soothing the pain and making her sigh comfortably.

"It's out, it's out." "Waaah..." The baby seemed to sense that the midwife wanted to spank her bottom, and immediately started wailing.

"She'll be a good, obedient child in the future," the midwife coaxed the princess with a smile.

"Is it a prince or a princess?" Consort Zhao Jia was about to fall into a deep sleep from exhaustion, but the sound of the children crying startled her awake.

"Your Highness, it is, it is a princess." Caixia naturally saw the princess who had just come out, so she knew it was a princess. She was very flustered and only came to her senses when Consort Zhaojia asked her a question.

“Princess, oh, she’s actually a princess.” Consort Zhao Jia was immediately overwhelmed with grievance, and tears streamed down her face. She had worked so hard, only to end up as a princess.

"My lady, my lady, what's wrong?" Caixia saw Consort Zhaojia suddenly burst into tears and fainted before she could say anything. Caixia misunderstood the situation.

"Quickly, let the imperial physician take a look!" The midwife, who was preparing to help Consort Zhaojia with her placenta, hurriedly reminded the flustered Caixia.

"Yes, this servant will go right away." Caixia went to the inner chamber to call the imperial physician, and the second-class palace maid quickly lowered the curtain and pulled the screen over to the side.

On the other side, just as they heard the child crying, news came from outside that the Emperor had arrived.

"Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Wanyi thought that if nothing changed, Consort Zhaojia's child would be a princess, the second princess, Princess Duanjing.

"Let's get to the start of the ceremony!" Kangxi strode in, and only after he had stopped did he tell the people below to rise.