Chapter 151 Bestowing Titles

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Household Department has selected these titles. Please take a look."

The newly appointed Chief Steward Xia of the Imperial Household Department respectfully placed a tray between the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Hongzhao peered inside and saw three neatly arranged red paper cards, each bearing the characters "Kang," "Dun," and "Ping."

This Consort Li was neither particularly talented nor beautiful among the concubines, and she didn't receive much favor. Her only advantage was her height; she might even be comparable to the Third Prince. But that wasn't the only reason the Imperial Household Department chose her name.

Yinzhen held up Hongzhao's completed homework in one hand and propped his head up with the other. His gaze lingered on the three characters for a moment, and he casually said, "Then... let's choose the character 'Kang'. I remember when she entered the palace, the Empress praised her for being healthy and would surely have many children soon. Now it seems that her words were right."

"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will immediately send someone to Zhongcui Palace to congratulate Consort Kang, and we can also take the many rewards from Her Majesty the Empress with us." Chief Eunuch Xia's voice was joyful and festive, which made Hongzhao take a second look.

If he remembered correctly, this Xia Zian seemed to have been promoted by the Empress Dowager. Judging from his surname, he must have some connection with Xia Wei. After all, although Xia Dongchun perished in the fire in the Cold Palace, her body was able to be returned home thanks to the grace of the then Consort Xian. Xia Wei couldn't possibly not seize this opportunity to both repay the favor and cling to this powerful figure.

"Did the Empress also bestow many gifts?" Yinzhen's voice was filled with pleasure.

Xia Zian nodded in agreement, “That’s right. Her Majesty the Empress was overjoyed and bestowed many gifts upon her. Each item was examined by the imperial physicians before being presented to Consort Kang. She even summoned Zhou Qi, the head physician of the Imperial Hospital, to accompany her to take her pulse.”

"Hmm." Yinzhen was more and more satisfied as he listened. "The Empress has always been virtuous, and I am very relieved about that. Su Peisheng, go to the flower room and see if they have finished making the pine bonsai that I specially asked for before the New Year. Send it to the Empress; she loves it the most."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Emperor was pleased, and Su Peisheng naturally followed suit with a broad smile.

——

"Your Majesty, Consort Kang is pregnant, we should think of a way to help her. Why are you so happy to reward her?"

In Yongshou Palace, Consort Qi sat there sullenly. There weren't many people in the room, including Consort Jing, Consort Rou, and the rarely seen Consort Ye. They all turned their heads when they heard her words.

Lu Jiaying glanced at her indifferently and chuckled, saying, "I am the Empress, and I am naturally happy if someone can bear children for the Emperor, let alone Consort Kang. If you were pregnant, I would bestow many rewards upon you and send you to Chuxiu Palace."

Consort Qi pouted, clearly disapproving of the Empress's actions. "Her Majesty the Empress is a kind mother, but I fear others may not share her sentiments. If she gives birth to a princess, that's fine, but if it's a prince, then..."

"What difference does it make whether she is a princess or a prince?" Before she could finish speaking, Consort Jing interrupted her, her brows furrowing slightly. "As long as they are born, they are all the Emperor's children, and naturally they are equally noble."

In truth, it's clear to everyone that even if Consort Kang were to have a son this time, he wouldn't pose any threat to the Crown Prince. Putting aside the Emperor's blatant favoritism, just consider the age difference: by the time her child is old enough to run, walk, and talk, the Crown Prince will already be twelve or thirteen. If it were the late Emperor, that would be marriageable age; what chance does a two-year-old have of a proper meal?

Of course, if it's a princess, then there's even less to worry about. A princess born to a concubine is just a low-ranking concubine. Even if she's promoted in the future, she'll only be a noble lady. She'll have to rely on the emperor's mood to raise her own child. What big trouble could she possibly cause?

Lü Jiaying was naturally the one who saw it most clearly. Therefore, apart from her initial surprise, she was truly unmoved and even remembered to give An Lingrong some instructions.

"Consort Rou, the newly arrived Noble Lady Zhen and Consort Kang are both in your palace. Now they are less than three months pregnant, so you must be careful. Have the imperial physician examine all food and supplies before sending them over. Otherwise, minimize contact as much as possible."

An Lingrong pursed her lips and revealed a sweet and gentle smile, her eyes sparkling with a sly glint as she looked at the Empress—"Your Majesty, rest assured, these days the princess wants to learn needlework, so I will have to come to Yongshou Palace to bother Your Majesty often."

Speaking of Hongjin, Lü Jiaying suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Ye Lanyi, who had been silent all along—"Speaking of which, I still have to trouble you, Sister Ye. It will probably be a while before Jinghua learns to ride a horse. Please take good care of her."

Ye Lanyi lowered her eyes and spoke in a cold tone, but it was much softer than before: "It is my honor to teach the princess to ride a horse. Moreover, the princess is intelligent, so I have not had to worry about anything."

"Speaking of which, I've always wanted to reward you, but I haven't had the chance until today." She said, beckoning to Xuexin. "I remember that last year, Prince Guo sent a blue crystal bracelet as a congratulatory gift to the palace. The color was very clear and bright. I noticed that Consort Ye seemed to like this color, so I thought I'd give it to you. Such a fine thing should be worn and seen by the world."

When Ye Yingying heard the words "Prince Guo", her eyes lit up. This spark of interest was noticed by An Lingrong, who was sitting opposite her.

She touched the tip of her nose lightly with her handkerchief, concealing the deep thought in her eyes.

"This concubine thanks Your Majesty the Empress."

When Consort Qi saw that even the lowly Lady Ye had received a reward, she snorted and turned her head away—"She really knows how to curry favor with the Empress. I wonder if the Emperor was this happy when he bestowed her a title."

Although her voice wasn't loud, there weren't many people sitting in the hall, so it was easily heard.

He was more than just unhappy; he practically threw the imperial edict in Eunuch Su's face.

——

As Consort Kang's belly grew bigger day by day, Zhou Qi frequently went to Zhongcui Palace to check her pulse, and there was absolutely nothing unusual about it. Even the timing of her pregnancy matched the Emperor's visits.

But compared to these things, Hongzhao believed in the system more. He didn't believe that the child could just appear out of thin air in Consort Kang's belly. These days, he had people keep an eye on Zhongcui Palace. Consort Kang was really very careful. It took him three or four months to finally discover a clue.