The sound of vomiting, when associated with this action, must indicate pregnancy.
If Xiuning could think of it, then others, even those who have already given birth, could naturally think of it too.
Turning around and looking up, Xiu Ning saw that the Empress's expression had changed drastically, and knew that the Empress must be in a very bad mood.
Xiu Ning lightly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, a smile of anticipation spreading across her face. Hmm, she was curious to see which clever person was using the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet to create this trouble for her this time of year.
"Su Ma, go and fetch the imperial physician."
The Empress Dowager spoke calmly, her gaze sweeping over the several lower-ranking concubines below who were covering their mouths and vomiting. After all, the children born to these women were related to her by blood, and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was quite pleased.
"Your Majesty, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, and we may well add to the joy."
The Empress Dowager turned to Kangxi and said something, then smiled at the Empress not far away.
Empress: ...What kind of talk is that? Are you deliberately trying to hurt me?
The Empress Dowager clapped her hands with a smile, "In recent years, the Emperor has grown up, and there have been successive developments in the harem. Empress, you have done a good job."
Well, having many children in the harem is the empress's skill, while having few children is the empress's incompetence. In any case, the empress will always be the one to take the blame.
The Empress's face stiffened, but she still had to respond to the Empress Dowager's words. However, since they were both elders, the Empress could not offend them, which made her feel somewhat aggrieved.
Emperor Kangxi, the protagonist, frowned. "Grandmother and Empress Dowager are too hasty. It's still unknown whether it's a happy occasion or not. We should wait for the imperial physician's decision." If it's not, then all the joy will be in vain.
When Kangxi said this, it sounded like he was helping the Empress to criticize the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.
The Empress's expression brightened, Empress Dowager remained impassive, and the Empress Dowager regained her composure. The three women displayed contrasting expressions, creating an somewhat eerie atmosphere.
After a long pause, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang spoke, her words sounding as if she were mocking herself, "The Emperor is right, I am getting old and a little senile."
“Grandmother, you have also worked hard for me,” Kangxi replied with a smile.
The grandfather and grandson spoke in strange ways, seemingly offering each other compliments while also conveying a deeper meaning.
At this point, it was none of the concubines' business. Xiu Ning simply glanced at the concubines who had just made vomiting motions out of the corner of her eye. As expected, this included Concubine Ma Jia and Concubine Nara.
Tsk, judging by the birth timeline, these two didn't get pregnant around this time.
Could it be that her entry into the palace altered established history, making the timing of childbirth uncertain?
With her mind racing with all sorts of thoughts, Xiu Ning felt that it didn't matter whether the timing of childbirth changed or not. As long as she waited for the Empress to become pregnant, all her plans could proceed smoothly.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Su Ma La Gu arrived with a royal physician dressed in official uniform.
Because many concubines vomited, more than one imperial physician came to help.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager simply waved her hand and ordered the imperial physicians to examine all the concubines.
The imperial physicians responded with a "yes" and then took turns examining the pulses of the concubines.
After completing the round, a while later, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, looking flustered, reported, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this... this... apart from Consort Sun, who is pregnant and has been pregnant for over two months, the other consorts... the consorts are showing signs of poisoning."
Poisoning?!
No one expected that the incident at today's banquet would turn out to be poisoning.
The four people sitting at the head of the table were no longer calm. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang spoke first, "Tell me in detail, will this have any effect on your health?"
Poisoning? It's better to be pregnant.
Once the news gets out, the entire royal family will likely be ridiculed by the public for being so incompetent as to not even be able to protect their own backyard.
The head of the Imperial Medical Academy quickly explained the cause-and-effect relationship he had discovered to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
In short, it's because the weather is hot, and food spoils if left out for too long.
Whether it was due to the eunuch's carelessness or something else, there were more than just one or two dishes of spoiled food; almost every concubine's table had these dishes.
The concubines usually ate very refined food, so how could they withstand the sudden impact of spoiled food? Sure enough, their bodies reacted immediately.
As soon as the imperial physician finished speaking, the atmosphere at the scene changed.
The most heartbroken of them all was the Empress. She was initially quite happy to hear that she wasn't pregnant, but the reason for the poisoning was so outrageous that she felt it would have been better if she had been pregnant.
It should be noted that this Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was organized by Kunning Palace and was the first large-scale banquet held by Hesheli Fangyi after she took over the palace affairs. As a result, it was a complete mess, and even food poisoning occurred.
The Empress's face immediately turned extremely ugly. She nervously glanced at the composed Kangxi and couldn't help but bite her lip.
"Imperial Physician, are Zhang and Sun alright?"
Emperor Kangxi spoke first, inquiring about the health of the two pregnant women.
"Your Majesty, Consort Zhang and Consort Sun have used less medicine and are in good health. However, Consort Sun is less than three months pregnant and should pay more attention to her daily life. I will write a prescription for her to take one dose each morning and evening, and she will be fine."
"I'll leave this matter to you," Kangxi waved his hand, dismissing the imperial physicians.
"Due to an unforeseen incident today, the banquet is now adjourned. Everyone should return to the palace and rest for a couple of days."
"Your Majesty, there's no need for them to come to Kunning Palace to pay their respects these next two days."
After Kangxi finished speaking, he looked at the Empress beside him.
"Your Majesty is wise, that is exactly what I was thinking," the Empress said, trying to salvage the situation. "My sisters must have been frightened today. It was all my fault. I will have the palace servants send some gifts to my sisters to apologize later."
After speaking, the Empress glanced at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang again, "Your Majesty, I would also like to ask for a favor for Consort Zhang and Consort Sun."
Consort Zhang is five months pregnant. The previous incident with Consort Shu has left me with lingering fears. I am thinking that it would be better to let Consort Zhang stay in the palace to rest and recuperate, so that she does not have to travel around to pay her respects.
Consort Sun has just been diagnosed with pregnancy; it's not too late to pay her respects after she's been three months pregnant.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager gently brushed her hand, adorned with exquisite nail guards, across the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist. "The weather is turning cooler now, but the summer heat is still hard to dispel."
In my opinion, both Consort Zhang and Consort Sun were meritorious officials who bore children for the royal family.
Absent from their daily greetings, the risk of accidents on the road could be reduced, preventing a recurrence of the incident involving Consort Shu.
The Empress's thinking is comprehensive, and I naturally agree.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had no intention of making things difficult for her grandson and his concubines. It was fine that they didn't come to pay their respects. It wasn't her own family members who were pregnant, and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang felt uneasy seeing them pregnant every day.
The Empress clenched her fists and turned to smile at Consort Zhang and Consort Sun, saying, "You two, why don't you quickly thank the Empress Dowager for her compassion?"
Consort Zhang and Consort Sun were not stupid. Upon hearing this, they quickly rose with the help of their maids and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, we thank you, Empress Dowager and Empress."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang waved her hand with a smile, "Get up, be careful on your way back."
"Yes, Your Majesty/Your Concubine takes her leave."
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