Chapter 66 Your Majesty, I Can Give Birth to Twelve

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is already the cold winter of the seventh year of Kangxi's reign.

The red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City were covered with a layer of snow.

On one side of the rear hall of Yongshou Palace, Jiang Nan had carved out a small, vibrant space.

This is Consort Jin's private amusement park.

The place is small and the facilities are simple, but it is full of ingenuity and a sense of incongruity that makes it stand out from its surroundings.

A sturdy wooden swing set stands in the corner, with a seat covered with thick cushions hanging from it.

Next to it is a slide made of smooth wooden planks, with a thick cotton quilt underneath.

The most eye-catching feature is a large leather cushion.

Jiang Nan specially drew up a design, which made the craftsmen of the Imperial Household Department rack their brains to barely make it.

And a seesaw that requires two people to sit facing each other to play on.

At this moment, Jiang Nan was sitting at one end of the seesaw, wrapped in a thick mink cloak.

A rosy, smiling face peeked out from under the hat.

Sitting opposite her was Consort Dai Jia, who was also dressed in winter clothes and looked excited yet somewhat nervous.

The two of them, one on top of the other, were having a great time, their cheerful laughter breaking the winter silence.

"Dai Jia, put in a little more effort! How come you're so light?"

Jiang Nan pressed down hard while shouting with a smile.

Dai Jia's face turned even redder as she tried to push herself up on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I... I've used every ounce of strength I have."

With her large pregnant belly, Wang sat on a fur-covered armchair on the veranda not far away.

He was covered with a thick blanket and watched them play.

A gentle yet somewhat helpless smile graced her face.

Her due date is just around the corner.

"Slow down, be careful not to fall."

Wang couldn't help but speak up to remind her, her voice full of concern.

"Okay, Sister Wang, just relax and be a viewer."

Jiang Nan responded loudly, but did not stop moving.

Just as they were having a great time, familiar footsteps and Liang Jiugong's deliberately loud announcement came from outside the palace gate.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Jiang Nan's eyes lit up. Instead of stopping, she turned and waved to Kangxi, who was walking in quickly.

"Your Majesty, you've come at the perfect time! Come quickly and help me keep up the pace. Sister Dai Jia is too light; she's not fun to play with."

Emperor Kangxi was dressed in a black casual robe with a black fox fur cloak over it, and there were still some unmelted snowflakes on his shoulders.

He stepped into this paradise and looked at the unimaginable scene before him, feeling both amused and helpless.

This doesn't resemble a solemn and dignified imperial palace at all.

It was clearly a place where children played.

Strangely, every time he stepped into this place, the heavy shackles of imperial authority on his body seemed to lighten a little.

He waved to the crowd, indicating that they didn't need to be so polite, and walked to the seesaw.

Seeing Jiang Nan's matter-of-fact attitude in letting him substitute, he couldn't help but lightly tap her forehead with his finger.

"You're almost a mother yourself, yet you still play around all day long. Be careful, my prince."

Yes, Jiang Nan is nearly two months pregnant.

However, she was already slender, and with the heavy winter clothes and the fact that she was still early in her pregnancy, there was no sign of pregnancy at all. She was still as agile as a cat.

Jiang Nan covered her forehead and muttered.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, the prince in my belly is very healthy. Chunlan checks my pulse every day, and everything is fine. Besides, exercise is good for the fetus. Look at me, I'm eating well and sleeping soundly. Your little prince will surely enjoy playing with his mother."

Emperor Kangxi had no choice but to shake his head in resignation.

"Your twisted logic and heretical ideas are just your own playful musings."

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At this moment, Jiang Nan seemed to remember something and jumped off the seesaw.

Startled, Emperor Kangxi instinctively reached out to steady him.

She leaned closer to Kangxi and asked in a low voice.

"By the way, Your Majesty, is the Empress's pregnancy going well? I've heard she's been feeling anxious and short of breath lately."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi frowned slightly and his tone became somewhat indifferent.

"I went to see her just two days ago. The imperial physician reported that her pulse was stable and there was nothing seriously wrong. As for her saying that she felt palpitations and shortness of breath, I think it's mostly because she's overthinking things and being paranoid. She's just looking for an excuse to make me go see her more often."

Jiang Nan blinked, her tone carrying a subtle, unspoken meaning.

"Your Majesty, you can't say that. What if the imperial physicians are incompetent and haven't noticed any hidden illness? The palace is a dangerous place."

Kangxi glared at her.

"Nonsense. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy personally examined her pulse. Besides, she is currently confined to Kunning Palace, and no one else can enter. Who could possibly harm her? It's good enough that she doesn't harm anyone."

Seeing that he said that, Jiang Nan did not pursue the matter further.

She then giggled and grabbed his arm, dragging him toward the seesaw.

"Alright, alright, Your Majesty, I won't say anymore. Since you're already here, don't just stand there. Play with me for a while. Sister Dai Jia, please step aside and let Your Majesty play with me."

Dai Jiashi blushed and quickly got up and stepped aside.

She watched with envy as the Empress half-pushed and half-reluctantly pressed the Emperor onto the other end of the seesaw.

This kind of intimacy, which was almost presumptuous, was something she never dared to imagine.

Emperor Kangxi visited many times, but at first he was a little reserved, after all, he was the emperor of a country, and playing this game was really unbecoming.

But after being coaxed and pulled by Jiang Nan a few times, the initial awkwardness and shyness gradually faded away.

In the end, he gave up. Anyway, in this Yongshou Palace, once the doors are closed, no one will know. Now he's quite adept at playing the game.

The two played for a while and were both a little out of breath, mainly because Kangxi was panting from kicking his legs.

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After stopping, Kangxi looked at Jiang Nan's rosy cheeks, then at Wang Shi who was sitting quietly, and asked her a question.

"Wang's due date is in the next few days, right? Have the midwives selected by the Imperial Household Department been prepared?"

Jiang Nan wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and waved her hand when she heard this.

"Your Majesty, I have something to discuss with you. When my sister Wang gives birth, and when I give birth in the future, I would like to entrust the delivery to Chunlan and Fangruo."

Emperor Kangxi was taken aback.

"Chunlan? Although she is knowledgeable in medicine, she is not a midwife. Is this... appropriate? My imperial heir is not to be trifled with."

"How can this be considered child's play!"

Jiang Nan rolled her eyes at him, completely justified.

"Chunlan's medical skills are excellent. She can treat all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases. How could she possibly be unable to deliver a baby? Besides, we feel more at ease using someone we know. If any unexpected situation arises during childbirth, Chunlan, with her medical knowledge, can react the fastest. She is much better than those midwives who only know how to follow the old rules."

As she spoke, she turned to Chunlan and Fangruo, who were standing beside her, and solemnly gave them instructions.

"Chunlan, Fangruo, you two must be extremely vigilant and take good care of this baby of mine. When it's almost time next year, I will entrust the lives of myself and the baby in my belly to you."

She said it half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"If anything happens, you must remember to prioritize my safety. Don't create the age-old dilemma of whether to save the mother or the child; I'm terrified of dying."

Chunlan and Fangruo immediately knelt down, their voices firm.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will do everything in my power to ensure the safety of Your Majesty and the Prince and their child, and will never allow Your Majesty to fall into such a dangerous situation."

Jiang Nan nodded in satisfaction, then turned and gestured with her chin towards Kangxi.

"You saw it? Only our own people know how to care for their master. Your Majesty, please grant it?"

Emperor Kangxi was both amused and exasperated by her fear of death and rebuked her.

"Nonsense! How can you curse yourself like that? My princes, princesses, and beloved concubines will naturally all be safe and sound."

However, he also knew in his heart that Jiang Nan's concerns were not without reason.

Although the Empress was confined to her quarters, there were still many secrets and intrigues in the inner palace, so it was indeed safer to use one's own people.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Alright, so be it. Let Chunlan learn more from the midwife, just in case."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. However, there is a reason why I suggested having Chunlan and the others deliver the baby."

Jiang Nan immediately beamed and started counting on her fingers.

"Your Majesty, think about it. I'm young and healthy now. I'll give birth about once every two years. By the time I'm thirty, I'll have at least... well, seven or eight children, right? By forty, maybe twelve. It's too much trouble to have a midwife every time, don't you think? Also, I should remind you that my children will be lined up waiting for you to name them, and there are all the expenses of raising them... tsk tsk... let me make it clear first, I have no money. I'm dirt poor. You'll have to worry about all of this."

Emperor Kangxi was amused by her calculations and couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek.

"You really have no sense of propriety. Twelve? What do you think you are? A sow?"

Jiang Nan dodged his outstretched hand and chuckled.

Looking at her bright smile, Kangxi felt a surge of tenderness in his heart and said in a clear voice.

"Alright, as long as you can give birth, I will sell everything I own to ensure that my princes and princesses are well taken care of."