A secret is a secret because it is not easily spoken and is known to everyone.
Apart from her family elders and the imperial physician who examined her pulse, no one else, including Qianli who had served her for a long time, knew the secret of Tong Jiarong's pregnancy.
Therefore, everyone thought that Tong Jiarong's pregnancy was just good luck, that the timing was right, and that it was a natural thing.
In reality, Tong Jia Rongyue paid an unimaginable price for this pregnancy, and this pregnancy may very well be her first and last.
Having already given so much, she had no reason to give up.
After saying this to herself, Tong Jiarong turned around and lay back on the bed. She was less than two months pregnant and had eight more months to go, so she had to take it seriously.
...
At the end of October, the fifth prince born to Uya Chenglin held a full-moon banquet at Yonghe Palace.
At the banquet, Consort An attended in full regalia, with heavy makeup, and she personally carried the little prince to greet the other concubines.
"Consort An's face still looks a bit pale. What's wrong? Is she not fully recovered?"
Xiuning and Consort Yi huddled together, chatting idly.
The two of them have been seeing each other quite frequently lately. It's because Guo Luoluo has become pregnant, and Consort Yi has used the excuse of pregnancy to ask Xiuning about many precautions (and even the Empress Dowager).
Xiu Ning remained calm, saying what she should and shouldn't say, acting as if she genuinely considered Yi Pin a good sister, almost stirring up the last vestiges of Yi Pin's conscience.
"The abdominal wound is particularly deep. The imperial physician said it would be best to rest and recuperate for a few months."
"Right now, I'm in high spirits because of this happy occasion, but once this is over, I'll probably have to rest in bed again," Consort Yi raised her phoenix eyes slightly, looking radiant.
Xiuning nodded in agreement. "Yes, the hardest part is if you can't heal a wound in one go."
Because wounds become more troublesome the longer they are left untreated. The reason why there are so many sequelae is that people can't help but go out before they have fully recovered from their illness, which leads to repeated illnesses and relapses. Eventually, their bodies can't take it anymore, and they fall ill and die.
To be honest, Xiuning was a little scared of Consort An's reckless behavior. It was just a little prince, and he was registered under her name. If something happened to her later, she might have to return the child (as Consort Tong had done, when Yinzhen was already a big boy).
In her opinion, no matter what you do, you should always prioritize your own safety before making any decisions.
"They probably know in their hearts that we are outsiders and if they don't pay attention, even if a god comes, it won't help."
Consort Yi muttered a few words, and then the two of them heard the Emperor bestow a name upon the little prince in Consort An's arms.
"Yinzhen"
It seems that even having two children and changing the original order of birth still couldn't stop certain people from coming.
It remains to be seen whether Yinzhen will be able to ascend the throne smoothly this time.
Xiu Ning raised her eyebrows, first glancing at Consort An's beaming face, then at Wu Ya Cheng Lin, who was hiding behind her with an ugly expression.
Hey, there's scenery everywhere here; if you want to see something, nothing is impossible.
The full moon celebration was not very grand, mainly because of Yinzhen's background.
The Emperor stayed for about 15 minutes before returning to the Qianqing Palace.
When Consort An saw that the Emperor had left, she immediately had her wet nurse escort Yinzhen back to the side hall, and then she, along with Wuya Chenglin, went forward to greet the concubines who had come over and invited them to sit down for their meal.
Xiuning remained an unremarkable background figure throughout, occasionally interjecting a few words to answer Consort Yi beside her. By the time she returned from Yonghe Palace, it was already past noon.
"Luckily, I came here by sedan chair this time, otherwise my back and legs would have been sore and numb when I got back."
To be honest, life in ancient times was really tough. It was very cold, but there were so many people coming that they could only sit outside the palace. Although there was a curtain over their heads, the wind was still blowing in from all directions. It looked nice on the surface, but they actually suffered a lot.
Xiuning shook her head wearily, filled with despair for the future. Kangxi was going to live a long life; this was only the beginning. What would happen when he had a dozen or twenty sons lined up in a row? Just looking at them would be a nightmare.
Chunyu also felt sorry for her master. She spent half the night yesterday coaxing the Fourth Prince and didn't get any rest. In the morning, she played with the Third Prince for almost half an hour before rushing out to Yonghe Palace. The whole process was tight and she didn't get a moment's rest.
"Your Majesty, I have learned a few new massage techniques from the imperial physician. I heard they are very effective at relieving fatigue. I will demonstrate them to you when Your Majesty returns to the palace."
After Chunyu finished speaking, she spoke lightly to Xiuning about some important and trivial matters in the harem, trying to make Xiuning laugh.
Xiuning did not disappoint Chunyu's efforts. She waved her hands to the left and right, "Thank you for thinking of me. Go back to the palace and rest first. I hope nothing will happen in the harem during this period."
In the freezing cold, it's unbearable to go outside. If possible, Xiuning prefers to stay indoors by the stove, enjoying snacks and reading stories in her spare time. When bored, she plays with the children and chats. This is the daily life she seeks.
...
"Didn't you just finish drinking milk? Why are you crying again?"
The sounds of babies crying filled her ears. Consort An held her abdomen with one hand and supported herself on the table with the other. Her face was pale and bloodless.
"The little prince spits up milk; he drinks it and then spits it out again. This servant doesn't know what to do."
The wet nurse held the crying Yinzhen in her arms, responding to Consort An's words while defending herself.
"You're the wet nurse, if you don't know what to do, do you think I do?"
Consort An was furious at her wet nurse's words, and her finger trembled as she pointed at her.
Seeing this, Baoxing quickly advised Consort An to calm down, and then gestured for the wet nurse to take Yinzhen back to the side hall.
The wet nurse knew she had displeased her master, so she lowered her head and hurriedly left.
The door creaked open and then closed again, and Consort An clutched her chest in anger.
"Your Majesty, how are you? Should I fetch the imperial physician?"
Bao Xing was terrified. Her master's expression was so deceptive that it brought her back to the day of the assassination attempt.
"No, no need, I'm fine."
Consort An gritted her teeth and refused, while staring intently at the doorway of the room, "Sometimes, even I myself don't know if what I'm doing is right or wrong."
She had gone to great lengths to raise the little prince that Uya had promised; she should be happy.
But the emperor did not change the imperial genealogy and did not pay attention to the young prince. It was as if she had only raised a crying child and had not brought her any benefits.
Feeling somewhat resentful, especially since her wounds hadn't healed, Consort An inevitably overthought things.
She shouldn't have been so ruthless back then, and she shouldn't have left herself no way out.
She regretted it.
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