Chapter Thirty-Two
"I think the people in the Imperial Household Department might... be passing off inferior goods as superior ones to make a huge profit?" Jialuo cautiously pointed out this, but she wasn't sure if she was right.
This is really difficult. She's just a lazy bum who likes to eat and drink and occasionally hang out with her boyfriend, Bao Cheng. Why make things so hard for her?
Yinreng, who had been called by his childhood name by the Crown Princess, glanced at her with slightly raised eyelids, not bothering to consider how disrespectful her address to him was.
Is Bao Cheng a name anyone can call?
"Let me see it?" he said, taking the account book from Jialuo's hand. Baocheng had been raised in a wealthy family and didn't have much of a concept of money.
As I looked at it... I didn't notice anything wrong with it.
He looked up at Jialuo, spread the account book out in front of her, and didn't say anything. But Jialuo could tell from the prince's silence that he was a little bit dependent on her and being affectionate.
[Aww, Bao Cheng is so cute when he's being affectionate, all those kisses and hugs!]
Crown Prince: Who's being coquettish? Does the Crown Princess have bad eyesight?
"Here, Your Highness, didn't you often go out of the palace to stroll through the streets of the capital? Didn't you ever buy anything?" This outsider had been to the streets of the capital a few times and had a general idea of the prices of daily necessities such as chicken and duck.
Whose eggs cost three taels of silver each? Are they watered with Tian Shan snow lotus? She's never even eaten Tian Shan snow lotus.
However, I've heard that the Imperial Household Department is a very complex and entrenched place. If something happens there, will it implicate me?
The crown prince took the ledger and looked at it, then asked in confusion, "Didn't you say you weren't in charge of the kitchen and purchasing? Where did you get the ledger?"
Jialuo replied matter-of-factly, "Of course I sent someone to ask for it. Consort Hui is in charge of purchasing, and Consort De is in charge of the kitchen. They're under house arrest, so how could they not give it to me when I sent someone to get it?"
It's not that difficult; even a novice can defeat a master with a flurry of punches.
Hearing Jialuo's words, Yinreng chuckled. Indeed, being unexpected was also the key to success.
Consort Hui and Consort De probably didn't expect the Crown Princess to act so rashly. However, as the Crown Princess said, the people under her are deeply entrenched and she has no idea when someone will stir things up.
Yinreng knew that the Crown Princess was not good at this, but it didn't matter. He was there, and the people left behind by the Empress Dowager were still there.
While working on the ledgers, Jialuo felt her mouth was a little dry, so she ate some fruit.
The man intently examining the ledgers, his profile revealing a handsome and charming appearance, so captivating that he's irresistibly attractive.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. Why don't you retire for the night?" His Highness the Crown Prince had already taken a bath when he returned.
Jialuo gently reached out and hooked her hand around the Crown Prince's belt, looking at His Highness with a sweet and charming smile, as if to say: "Crown Prince, come and play."
Still engrossed in the accounts, the Crown Prince ignored her flirtatious glances, frowning. This problem was rather serious.
Seeing the Crown Prince's expression and actions, Ou Jialuo tugged at his clothes again, secretly thinking to herself:
[Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince is already beyond saving, and I've drained him dry?]
[See? I told you, men are sometimes all looks and no substance. His Highness the Crown Prince will eventually lose to my boundless energy; look at how little he takes care of himself.]
The Crown Prince, engrossed in the account books, put down the books when he heard the noisy voices around him, especially the comment that they were "all show and no substance."
Some women can't go a day without taking care of themselves.
Seeing that His Highness the Crown Prince understood her meaning, Jialuo's eyes lit up, and she hooked her arm around Yinreng's sash and walked into the room.
Yinreng felt that Jialuo's actions resembled those of a seductive concubine trying to seduce a foolish emperor, which was improper. Moreover, there were other servants present, and if they saw it, it would damage his noble image as the crown prince.
She pulled her belt back, her elegant and proud expression now cold and indifferent. "Pulling and tugging like this, what kind of behavior is this?"
Yinreng's low reprimand had no threat or pressure on Jialuo at all. Her delicate and pretty face was full of happy smiles. "Yes, yes, I will pay attention next time."
Her Highness the Crown Prince is concerned about his image and needs to maintain the demeanor of a heir apparent in front of others. She knows that, goodness gracious…
If you like it, come and stick it on!
With a cold face, Yinreng made no comment on Jialuo's concern for his image, and also said that the Crown Princess had become quite bold, daring to even think about him in her heart.
She still dares to use that "be good, be good, be good" approach to coax him like a child? Is the Crown Princess so desperate for a baby that she's treating him like a child as soon as she gets pregnant?
Thinking of this, her indifferent eyes softened with affection. That's right, the Crown Princess must be worried because the First Princess Consort is heavily pregnant.
Yinreng believed that the Crown Princess was on his side, so she naturally wanted to help him.
Yinreng: No, I'm not in a hurry, not at all. I just want to prove to Father Emperor that he is a capable man.
Just as he was pulled into the room and placed next to the bed, Jialuo, full of energy, pushed him down onto the bed. Having read so many storybooks, for some reason, scenes from those storybooks would occasionally pop into his mind.
Looking at the Crown Prince she had pushed down, Jialuo inexplicably felt like a bandit king who had forcibly taken a man from the common people, especially the fair-skinned and handsome Crown Prince, a dashing young man.
Lying there, gazing at herself, the candlelight softened her sharp features, revealing a tender, watery look in her eyes. "Hehehe, my little husband, you can't escape me now."
Looking at the Crown Princess who spoke with the tone of a 'female bandit', Yinreng replied in a cold voice, "What do you want to do?"
"Hehe, you've entered my spider's nest, and you still want to escape? Just obediently submit to this grandma!" With that, she stepped forward and reached out to unfasten the Crown Prince's inner robe. He was wearing a white, thin inner robe, and his hair was loose, just like the saying: If you want to look pretty, wear mourning clothes.
The white robes on the Crown Prince were so beautiful that one couldn't help but want to defile him—cough, cough, that's not the right word. She just couldn't help wanting to get close to Bao Cheng.
As Yinreng looked up, he gazed into the depths of her eyes, seeing her deep affection and infatuation for him. He then grabbed the 'female bandit's' hand and pulled her towards him.
The next second, their positions were reversed.
Looking down at Jia Luo below, his gentle smile carried a hint of smug satisfaction. "Miss Jia Luo, I've been waiting for you."
Jialuo: What? There's a twist?
The female bandit, her eyes wide with surprise, seemed to have never expected that the scholar in front of her had actually used a trick against her. Her beautiful, starry eyes welled up with tears, and she was both angry and annoyed. "You, you did this on purpose?"
"Yes, otherwise, how could I have come to your spider's nest?" As he spoke, he flirtatiously tugged at Jialuo's hair, twirling it around his fingers, slowly and deliberately.
She tried to struggle to her feet, but the seemingly frail scholar was surprisingly heavy. She tried to push him away, asking, "Are you a spy sent by the imperial court?"
"How could that be? I only wanted to see Miss Jialuo..." Seeing that her eyes were red from anger, he lowered his head and kissed her tenderly, his gentle voice slowly fading from his lips.
The weak scholar ultimately failed to prove strong and was outmaneuvered by the female bandit.
The female bandit was arrogant for a moment, and even laughed triumphantly, saying: You weak scholar, don't you still have to submit to me?
Immediately afterwards, the frail scholar demonstrated to the female bandit what it meant to be a raging storm of power, insisting that she see for herself that even without tonifying tonics, Aisin Gioro Yinreng was still the man who had the upper hand.
Being looked down upon by the Emperor is bad enough, but if I were to lose to the Crown Princess, I would be too ashamed to face anyone.
So, when the frail scholar, exhausted from the storm, called for retreat, Jialuo collapsed onto the bed as if she had turned into a puddle of water. After a short while, she felt a pain in her stomach.
At first she didn't pay much attention, but the pain grew more and more intense, causing Jialuo to look at the Crown Prince with a wronged expression.
"Your Highness, could you please pour me a cup of hot water?" Why does her stomach hurt? And in this spot no less. Could it be that the Crown Prince was too rough and hurt her?
Waaaaah...
It's all her fault. She thought she could handle it, but she still had to provoke him...
Jialuo's pitiful, soft voice pleading for help, along with her sobs of self-reproach, made the Crown Prince realize that he had been reckless.
She got up and went to pour hot water for Jialuo.
Aside from his father and mother, this was the first time he had ever served anyone.
He poured hot water over and, seeing the Crown Princess slumped over like a limp rag, knew she was exhausted. Without any dissatisfaction or blame, he picked her up and fed her water.
After moistening her throat, Jialuo still felt uncomfortable in her stomach, and tears of physical pain welled up in her eyes. She leaned against the Crown Prince, still wanting to cry.
"Your Highness, it hurts, my stomach still hurts, what should I do? Did I push too hard just now?" Jialuo rubbed against the Crown Prince's chest helplessly, looking utterly pitiful.
"No, don't be afraid, I will have someone fetch the imperial physician right away." Yinreng saw her clutching her stomach in pain, and it looked very painful, so he was frightened and quickly called for the imperial physician.
Yuqing Palace hurriedly summoned the imperial physician late at night. The physician thought something serious had happened and rushed to Yuqing Palace.
Emperor Kangxi was alarmed, thinking something had happened to Bao Cheng. After inquiring, he learned that the Crown Princess had summoned the imperial physician in the middle of the night.
Oh, the Crown Princess, that's good.
Of all the women in the world, none could compare to Bao Cheng. Emperor Kangxi didn't care much, after all, as the head of the family, he didn't need to worry too much about his daughter-in-law's affairs.
When the imperial physician arrived, Jialuo was still dressed. Because of her stomach pain, she felt uncomfortable even with the slightest movement. She looked at the crown prince with teary eyes, not saying a word, but her eyes were filled with accusatory tears.
[Waaah, why does it still hurt? I played like this before, why does it hurt today? Did the prince hurt me?]
[I'm so miserable! Why is it that His Highness the Crown Prince is the one who feels pleasure, while I'm the one in pain? Waaah, I only enjoyed it for a very short while...]
Her heart was filled with whimpering, which made even the Crown Prince sigh helplessly.
Who told the Crown Princess to keep telling him to push harder? This is...
Finally, after getting dressed, he lay half-reclined on the bed when the imperial physician entered. He didn't dare to look around casually, focusing solely on treating the patient.
After taking his pulse, he fell silent after a few seconds. It was hard to believe that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were having such a wild time.
"How is it? Is the Crown Princess alright?" Yinreng still hadn't forgotten what the Crown Princess had said earlier: "Broken... can this really be broken?"
Having never associated with the various dissolute young men of all walks of life, and not being particularly knowledgeable about such lewd matters, Yinreng still had some doubts.
However, as the crown prince, he cannot afford to wear the perfect and excellent mask and disgrace the royal family. His frivolous and dissolute behavior is at most something he can do with the crown princess in the boudoir.
Outside, the arrogant and noble Crown Prince still possesses the demeanor of a crown prince.
"Your Highness, the Crown Princess has suffered a miscarriage. She must abstain from excessive sexual activity..." The imperial physician's expression remained calm and unwavering, as if this minor ailment was no different from any other illness, and in the eyes of us doctors, there was no question of shame or embarrassment.
The more serious and normal the imperial physician's expression, the less embarrassed the patient will feel.
When the imperial physician finished speaking, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were stunned for a moment. "Did...disturb the fetus?"
"Yes, Your Highness, you are pregnant, but the pregnancy is still in its early stages. However, your pulse is slightly pulsating." The imperial physician saw that both the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were surprised, and knew that they were unaware of this matter.
"Then, Imperial Physician, my stomach hurts so much, is the baby alright?" At this moment, Jia Luo didn't care about why she hadn't discovered she was pregnant before; her first thought was whether the fetus in her womb was alright.
The Crown Prince was also surprised by the news that the Crown Princess was pregnant. However, when the Crown Princess asked him, he stared intently at the Imperial Physician, as if he would do something to the Imperial Physician if he heard bad news from him at any moment.
"Yes, yes, Imperial Physician, is the baby in the Crown Princess's belly alright?" At this moment, a trace of regret flashed in Yinreng's eyes as he asked this question. Why couldn't he control himself before?
Damn it!
If something were to happen to the baby in the Crown Princess's womb, wouldn't he be devastated?
The eldest son's wife is about to give birth, while my own Crown Princess has already miscarried after just getting pregnant. If the eldest son finds out, he'll definitely laugh at me for a whole year.
I feel a bit scared afterwards.
At this moment, Yinreng was still a little worried about Jialuo's health. If she was in poor health, he would have to work hard to make up for it, as a rosy complexion was a sign of good health.
Jialuo's face was slightly pale. If it weren't for the presence of the imperial physician, Yinreng would have wanted to hold Jialuo and comfort her.
"Your Highness and Princess Consort, do not worry. Let this old minister prescribe some medicine to prevent miscarriage." For the imperial physician, this was not a serious illness or difficult case. However, he still had to give a word of advice: "But, before the first three months of pregnancy, you must abstain from sexual intercourse, otherwise, you may easily miscarry."
This imperial physician was not the same one who had been summoned by the emperor to examine the crown prince's pulse last time. He was unaware of the secrets behind it all, but he simply felt that the crown prince and crown princess were indeed quite affectionate.
Upon hearing the latter part of the words, both Yinreng and Jialuo nodded awkwardly and obediently. It was the first time the imperial physician had seen the crown prince with such an expression, so he couldn't help but say a few more words, such as what to pay attention to and what not to do.
Well, seeing the Crown Prince so obedient and well-behaved, the imperial physician felt quite satisfied.
The Crown Princess summoned the imperial physician, and the servants and maids waited by her side to attend to her. When they heard the physician say that the pregnancy had been 'affected,' they were both excited and worried.
I'm so excited! The Crown Princess is pregnant! That's wonderful!
They were worried that the Crown Princess might have miscarried, and if she wasn't taken good care of, the baby could miscarry, which would be very dangerous.
They ignored the warning to avoid excessive sexual activity. As soon as they got the prescription, they rushed to the Imperial Hospital to pick up the medicine and then decocted it. They were busy running around, and luckily the little eunuch was fast enough.
When the medicine packet was retrieved, the imperial physician opened it to check it, fearing that the young pharmacist on duty at the Imperial Hospital might have made a mistake due to drowsiness, which could have been fatal.
Seeing that there were no problems, he sent someone to prepare the medicine.
He didn't have to stay here, and then he left.
After the imperial physician left, the crown prince, still unable to contain his excitement, grabbed the crown princess's hand and said excitedly, "Jialuo, did you hear that? You're pregnant."
Jialuo was looking down at her stomach, somewhat dazed. Was she pregnant? Apart from this pain, she hadn't felt anything else.
Yinreng sat down next to Jialuo, reached out and stroked her flat belly. "Jialuo, I didn't mean to. If I had known you were pregnant, I definitely wouldn't have pushed so hard."
Jialuo, who was still in a daze, glared at Yinreng when she heard him say these words. Her watery eyes seemed to be pleading with him.
The Crown Prince's heart softened. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. I'll have the imperial physician come every day to check your pulse. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"Your Highness, people say that you shouldn't tell anyone you're pregnant during the first three months. Can we keep my pregnancy a secret for now?" She touched her belly with some hesitation. It seemed quite dangerous right now, and she wanted to protect the baby first.
Everyone says that the struggles in the imperial harem are deep and complex, and the inner quarters are no less so. With the fetus unstable and most easily frightened, she was somewhat worried.
He raised his eyes and looked at the Crown Prince in front of him, wondering if the Crown Prince would understand this point, or perhaps feel that this was a sign of distrust.
As for that old saying, she didn't know where she heard it from, but now it seemed to be somewhat applicable.
Anyway, she just felt like she couldn't outmaneuver those people's schemes. Sigh, why did she have to think so much about something as insignificant as her?
It must be because those TV dramas were too horrific, with endless poisoning, murder, and scheming in the imperial harem.
Yinreng held Jialuo's belly, listening to her innermost thoughts and anxieties, his tone still carrying a hint of unease and distress.
TV drama?
Yinreng didn't understand, but considering the meaning of the preceding and following sentences, perhaps... it referred to a theatrical troupe?
Yinreng didn't dwell on those three words, but followed Jialuo's words and thought about them. Indeed, the women in the harem had endless tricks up their sleeves.
"Alright." Yinreng knew he needed to be careful now. Whether it was true or false, it was better than having a legitimate eldest grandson first.
"Baocheng, you're so kind." Perhaps because he had called out "Baocheng" so many times in his heart, he simply said it out loud.
The woman, moved to tears, clung to him, murmuring words of her own emotion.
When Granny Jin brought the medicine to prevent miscarriage, she saw the Crown Prince and Crown Princess being affectionate. As she was used to it, she didn't show any change in expression. "Crown Princess, you can take your medicine now."
Although Jialuo was somewhat resistant, for the sake of the baby in her womb, she brought the medicine over first, held her breath, and then gulped it down.
The pregnancy-preserving medicine was already warm, but it was a bit bitter. After drinking it, I frowned and complained, wanting to drink some jujubes.
The imperial physician, who was leaving, was caught up by a eunuch from Yuqing Palace, who handed him a purse containing silver notes. "Imperial Physician," the eunuch said, "our Crown Prince says that you should not tell anyone about this matter."
The imperial physician, who knew best how to protect himself, accepted the reward money in the purse and nodded quickly, "Don't worry, don't worry."
Even if the Crown Prince doesn't give the order, he won't speak recklessly.
The Crown Princess's pregnancy was naturally the first thing the Emperor wanted to hear, and he would be even happier to hear it from the Crown Prince himself.
What right does it have to talk nonsense?
The young eunuch didn't care about all those complicated thoughts; he only went back satisfied after the imperial physician agreed.
Here, Jialuo had just finished drinking the medicine to prevent miscarriage, and not long after, the pain in her abdomen subsided considerably. The imperial physician's medical skills were truly outstanding.
The Crown Prince looked at his Crown Princess, who was sleeping nestled beside him, but in the end, he did not go to his father, the Emperor, that very night to tell him the good news.
Under the candlelight, looking at the sleeping Crown Princess, a gentle smile appeared on his lips, and he felt quite proud inside.
See? He's still the best.
The eldest son and his wife had been married for a year before the wife became pregnant and gave birth to the eldest princess.
He was different. With his diligent efforts, his seed took root and sprouted in the Crown Princess's belly in just over three months.
He was proud and confident that he could leave his father speechless. He would see if his father would dare to come to him and ask him if he was capable or not.
With a satisfied expression, the Crown Prince embraced his young wife and fell asleep.
The fact that the imperial physician was summoned overnight to the main courtyard where the Crown Princess of Yuqing Palace resided was not kept secret from others, such as the other princesses in the back courtyard of Yuqing Palace.
It has been almost four months since the Crown Princess married into Yuqing Palace, but the Crown Prince has been staying at the Crown Princess's residence in the main courtyard and has not paid any attention to the princesses at all.
How could these proud, ambitious, and beautiful princesses accept this?
Lin Jia Gege has been trying to please the Crown Princess for so many days, but it's had no effect at all. Sometimes the Crown Princess even ignores her.
Many of the princesses secretly mocked Lin Jia for doing useless work, saying that the Crown Princess was clearly a jealous person.
"Fang'er, do you think something might have happened to the Crown Princess?" Princess Li Jia really hoped that something had happened to the Crown Princess, otherwise, if the Crown Prince was always drawn to the main courtyard, how could he possibly pay any attention to them, the princesses?
The maid called Fang'er had no idea how to answer the princess's question. "Princess, I don't know. I'll send someone to investigate."
"Hmph, useless." How could Princess Li Jia not know that even if Fang'er investigated, she wouldn't be able to find out anything? The Crown Princess was very capable. Everyone was fooled before, thinking that Fucha was a simple little girl.
Upon entering Yuqing Palace, the main courtyard was immediately surrounded like an iron barrel, and a few servants with ulterior motives were even driven out of the main courtyard.
There were her little pawns planted inside. Princess Li Jia coldly watched as Lin Jia tried to curry favor with the Crown Princess, but unfortunately, she failed.
Clearly, starting with the Crown Princess is simply not an option.
"Send the message out. I refuse to believe that if we can't do anything about the Crown Princess, others can't either." The Crown Princess is jealous and has been monopolizing the Crown Prince for nearly three or four months. The Emperor can't possibly ignore this issue.
With her help, many members of several powerful bondservant families worked together to make sure the rumor reached the emperor's ears.
Many of the princesses, including Lin Jia, Li Jia, and Tang, came from bondservant families. Although their status in the Imperial Household Department was minor, they collectively wielded a small but significant influence.
Day 1.
When Kangxi attended court, he glanced at the Crown Prince and saw that he looked radiant, so he knew that the Crown Prince was unharmed and paid no attention to it.
After court, just as Yinreng was about to tell his father the good news, Yinti ran up to him again and asked, "Your Highness, I heard you're not feeling well?"
He only found out with great difficulty that, more than three months into his wedding, the Crown Prince had been frequently drinking aphrodisiac soup?!
Ha ha ha ha.
Upon hearing the news, he immediately came to congratulate His Highness the Crown Prince. "Oh dear, Your Highness, you need to exercise more. How come you're so weak?"
His pitiful and sympathetic expression immediately soured Yinreng's mood.
"Brother, do you want to ask me about the recipe?" Yinreng asked casually, pretending that he didn't care about anything.
This simple rhetorical question immediately infuriated Yinqi. "Who cares?"
After instinctively shouting a rebuttal, he became somewhat smug and arrogant, "Your Highness, you are weak. You should learn from me and practice Buku regularly. Like me, you are much stronger!"
As he spoke, he even raised his arm to show Yinreng how strong he was.
[Sigh, I didn't expect the First Prince to be so weak and frail. He really needs to take good care of himself. No wonder the Crown Prince hasn't dared to mention the eldest grandson to him lately; he must know he's not up to the task, hahaha.]
What began as compassionate sympathy turned into gloating mockery.
Yinreng didn't want to pay any attention to his eldest son, that fool. If he hadn't remembered Jialuo's tearful plea last night, Yinreng would have arrogantly told Yinti that his crown princess was pregnant, and that she was pregnant just three months after their wedding!
No problem, let the boss mock us for a while, then we'll prove him wrong with facts.
Kangxi knew that Baoqing and Baocheng were arguing outside the palace again, but he ignored them. He didn't have the time to mediate between the two. They were just kids, so it was normal for them to bicker.
Seeing Yinreng angrily go to complain to his father, Yinti left triumphantly. Only useless children would go to their father to complain; Yinti was not that kind of person.
laugh.
Yinreng: The eldest brother really deserves a beating.
Upon entering the Qianqing Palace, Kangxi, still holding a memorial in his hand, casually asked, "What brings Baocheng here?"
"Father, I have some good news to tell you." When Yinreng mentioned the good news, his face beamed with a smile, mixed with a hint of pride and confidence. "I was going to tell you last night, but I thought it was too late, so I didn't want to disturb you."
Upon hearing this, Kangxi put down the memorial in his hand, looked up, and saw how happy Baocheng was. He then recalled that the Crown Princess had summoned the imperial physician to Yuqing Palace last night. The words "last night" and "happy event" combined made Kangxi seem to understand something.
"Oh? Tell me about it." Seeing that Bao Cheng was still keeping him in suspense, Kangxi didn't mind and asked with a gentle smile.
"Father, the Crown Princess is pregnant! She's only a month along, and it's only been four months since the wedding!" Yinreng said, raising his chin slightly with pride as he boasted to his father.
And hidden in his words was the veiled meaning he wanted to express: Father Emperor, do you think I can do it?
Yinreng grew up by Kangxi's side from a young age. How could Kangxi not know what Yinreng was like?
The expression on his face was full of smug pride and a hint of wanting praise, as proud as a peacock spreading its tail feathers. Kangxi could see it all clearly.
It was precisely because I understood this that I was amused by Bao Cheng's attitude.
What about Yuqing Palace? Other people's spies may not know, but does Emperor Kangxi not know?
He stayed overnight in the main courtyard for more than three months in a row, and often drank medicinal meals to replenish yang. I heard that he asked for water once a night. This... according to Kangxi's standards, Bao Cheng is not very good.
"Good, good, good, Bao Cheng, well done." Seeing Bao Cheng's proud expression and bright eyes, Kangxi still didn't say anything to discourage him.
Bao Cheng was obedient. He said he wanted to have the eldest grandson, so he worked hard to achieve it. Although the process was tough, what man drinks aphrodisiac soup every day?
No!
Why……
However, he didn't say these words aloud. Instead, he praised her lavishly, which made Yinreng even happier.
See? The Emperor has acknowledged that he is capable and realized he misunderstood him. So the Emperor, who didn't usually praise him much, now knows he was wrong (and praises him lavishly).
Although the father and son were not on the same wavelength, their communication ended perfectly.
Emperor Kangxi was overjoyed and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although Bao Cheng was not very capable, he still needed an heir. For example, the Crown Princess would be quite suitable.
He was also thinking that if there was no news for more than half a year, he should let Bao Cheng have a different woman to dote on. He couldn't let Bao Cheng have no offspring and the family line die out, could he?
"Very good, very good, reward him handsomely, very handsomely." Kangxi's way of expressing his favor was to reward him handsomely, but he was stopped by Yinreng as soon as he finished speaking.
"Father, the Crown Princess had a miscarriage last night. The imperial physician said she needs to rest well. I was thinking that since the fetus is not stable in the first three months, could we not announce it yet?"
Yinreng's words brought Kangxi back from his ecstasy. Yes, that's right. Baocheng finally had a son, who was not yet born, so he should be protected.
Otherwise, there will always be some people with ulterior motives who want to harm the Crown Prince's offspring. Alas, it turns out that Bao Cheng also knew about his affairs, which is why he attaches so much importance to this offspring.
"Alright, whatever you say." Kangxi didn't know that it was the Crown Princess who brought this up, and thought that the Crown Prince cherished the child and was worried that he would be murdered before he was even born.
Why are you so worried?
Isn't it just fear that you won't have anything left in the future?
Kangxi used his rich experience to delve into the Crown Prince's intentions, much like he was doing a reading comprehension exercise.
"You've worked hard too. Take good care of yourself these days. You should also rest and recuperate for a while and take good care of the Crown Princess." Kangxi nodded approvingly and showed concern for the Crown Prince.
In his view, Bao Cheng had exhausted a lot of energy and vitality in his struggle with Bao Qing for the position of the eldest grandson of the heir, and he was afraid that the crown prince would die from exhaustion if he did not rest.
Yinreng was still happy at this moment, and felt that he had shown himself to his father, the Emperor, and that his father believed him and admitted his past mistakes.
As for what Yinqi said to him outside the palace at the beginning?
He's just a narrow-minded fool, not worth getting angry over.
However, they overlooked the fact that Yinreng was in a bad mood when Yinti made that sarcastic remark, and he almost lost his temper on the spot and revealed what he had promised to keep hidden.
Because he had promised Bao Cheng to keep the matter a secret, Kangxi pretended not to know that the Crown Princess was pregnant and did not bestow any rewards upon her.
Two days later.
Rumors were circulating in the inner palace about Yuqing Palace, and this time, they were not about the Crown Prince, but about the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess was extremely jealous. Since marrying into Yuqing Palace, she had monopolized the Crown Prince's affections, yet she could not bear him children and refused to allow him to visit the concubines in the inner palace...
When this news was first released, some people did indeed murmur: "The Crown Princess doesn't seem like that kind of person."
She usually appears gentle and graceful, and even in her work she is very disciplined, which makes things much easier for the lower-level servants, such as ensuring that their monthly allowances are not withheld.
With the Golden Banquet approaching, everyone was busy with preparations for the banquet, which was hosted by Consort Rong and Consort Yi, with the Crown Princess assisting. After all, the Crown Princess had just taken power and he was stripping her of her authority, and he couldn't announce her pregnancy. Kangxi felt that he was being quite considerate of her in order to protect her position.
It was Jialuo's first time co-organizing, and she didn't know what to do. She would occasionally go over to ask, just like her daily walks. Anyway, she didn't need to put in any effort.
Consort Rong and Consort Yi had met the Crown Princess before, and they were quite familiar with her methods. They also knew that the Emperor was preparing to transfer power in the harem to the Crown Princess.
They neither hindered nor helped, and occasionally, when discussing matters, they would ask Jialuo for her opinion.
Jialuo was very modest, "There's nothing wrong with Consort Rong and Consort Yi's arrangements, they're quite good, we'll listen to you."
He said he was just there to learn and didn't need to consult with me.
Before the rumors could spread, the Golden Week holiday arrived as scheduled.
As a major festival in Manchuria comparable to Lunar New Year's Eve, it was customary to host banquets for imperial relatives and important officials. The empresses, consorts, and secondary consorts also attended, and the entire hall had to be arranged properly according to their status, which was no small matter.
However, Jialuo doesn't need to get involved this year. Wearing flat shoes, she strolls leisurely on the street. Her life is much more leisurely than before, like she's raising pigs.
Yinreng happened to run into the Crown Princess when he returned to Yuqing Palace. He was about to greet her when he heard her say that she was like a pig being raised. He glanced at her face and saw that she hadn't gotten much rounder.
It must be that he, the pig farmer, didn't work hard enough and didn't fatten her up properly.
When they got back, they ordered a lot of delicious food for Jialuo, meaning she should eat more so that she and the child wouldn't go hungry.
In the past, Jialuo would have been so touched by the Crown Prince's concern for her that she would have wanted to hug and cuddle with him.
Now, hearing these words, I don't know if it's because of the surge in estrogen during pregnancy, or if I'm just more sensitive.
She looked up, her cheeks puffed out in displeasure, her star-studded eyes filled with a hint of reproach, "Now you're more worried about the child."
Yinreng: The Crown Princess is being coquettish and jealous again.
"Alright, alright, don't go hungry." What else could Yinreng do? He was already feeling guilty because he had accidentally used too much force, causing the Crown Princess's pregnancy to become unstable. The only way he could make up for it was by treating the Crown Princess even better.
Gold Award Ceremony.
Jialuo got up early to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. She didn't wear those flowerpot-shaped platform shoes either. Luckily, she wasn't short, so she walked slowly.
"The milk cake today is good, and I also like the milk tea from the Empress Dowager's palace. The dried meat is also good." Jia Luo felt that the baby in her belly must be a gluttonous little devil. How come the baby's appetite has become so big and good as soon as she got pregnant?
"Your Highness, you already ate before you left," Zhao Mama reminded her. The Crown Princess was just being greedy and should eat and drink more nutritious food instead of always thinking about snacks.
The Crown Princess ignored her and insisted that the baby was hungry.
Cining Palace.
When Jialuo arrived, many concubines were already there. Jialuo didn't recognize many of them, but she greeted the Empress Dowager in fluent Mongolian, saying, "Your Majesty, I greet you."
Upon seeing Jialuo arrive, the Empress Dowager cheerfully beckoned to her, "The Crown Princess has arrived? Come, sit down. Knowing you were coming, I specially prepared dried meat and milk tea for you."
The blood of the Horqin people is different. Even though they didn't grow up on the Horqin Grassland, their love for the food of the Horqin Grassland is still rooted in their blood.
In fact, Jialuo simply likes this kind of thing.
"Thank you, Grandma." Jialuo didn't stand on ceremony and went over without any hesitation. She picked up the jerky and started eating, nodding as she ate. "I just love the chewy texture."
"Eat more if you like." He turned his head and instructed the maid beside him to bring out the milk cake. He remembered that the Crown Princess had mentioned wanting to eat it when she came last time.
Consort Yi felt somewhat displeased by the Empress Dowager's attitude towards the Crown Princess. She sent the Fifth Prince to be raised by the Empress Dowager in order to gain some respect from her.
"Since the Empress Dowager has the Crown Princess, she has neglected us old folks." She said cheerfully.
The radiant Consort Yi was still favored by the Empress Dowager, after all, the Fifth Prince had grown up under her care. As the birth mother of Yinqi, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, "How could that be? This is just concern for the younger generation."
As he spoke, he looked at the First and Fourth Princess Consorts and waved to them.
The First Princess Consort, now more than six months pregnant, was no longer as spoiled as Consort Hui. Her complexion was radiant and rosy, and she was completely at ease.
Fourth Prince Consort Guarjia was even less reserved and elegant, sitting on the other side. At this moment, she felt comfortable, with no one above her (Empress Xiaoyiren Tongjia had passed away, and Consort De was confined to her quarters) pressing her down. The Fourth Prince was a person who valued rules, unlike Li Jia, who had the support of the Crown Prince and was pregnant with children, and was arrogant and smug, which made her feel upset.
The Empress Dowager and others were chatting when Kangxi led the princes to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. Jialuo paid no attention to the princes and was happily munching on dried meat and drinking milk tea.
It's delicious. The jerky is chewy and flavorful; it's no wonder it's made from meat that has roamed the Mongolian grasslands.
Afterwards, they went to the main hall of the palace banquet, where men and women sat at separate tables. Jialuo also saw her mother.
When Consort Fucha saw her daughter, although they were not sitting very close, the Emperor was not present, and they were allowed to move around and talk.
"Jialuo, Jialuo." I only saw Jialuo when I returned to my parents' home three days after my wedding (to chat), and I still don't know how Jialuo is doing in Yuqing Palace. "Are you alright? Your mother is worried about you."
Because Yuqing Palace was managed by Jialuo in such a way that it was like an iron barrel, news could not get out. At that time, when mourning Empress Xiaoyiren, there was no room for idle chatter.
"Mother, I'm doing great." Jialuo felt that her life was indeed very good. She had no worries about food and drink, and played every day. Her only worry was whether she could find any new fun to do today.
Consort Fucha was quite dissatisfied with Jialuo's optimistic attitude. "Oh dear, Jialuo, you've been married into Yuqing Palace for so long, and your belly... why is there still no sign of pregnancy?"
At this time, the news of Jialuo's pregnancy was kept secret. The servants in the main courtyard of Yuqing Palace also knew the seriousness of the matter. They had to stabilize the fetus for three months before telling anyone.
Upon hearing that her mother was worried about this issue, Jialuo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Mother, you don't need to worry about that."
Fucha Fujin pulled the Crown Princess aside and spoke in a low voice. Hesheli Fujin Gioro, who used her status as a member of the imperial clan, entered the palace and brought her daughter with her.
She had heard the rumors circulating in the palace: the Crown Princess was domineering, had no children, yet had occupied the Crown Prince's position for so long—she was truly shameless.
Unlike her daughter, who is plump and beautiful, she is sure to give birth to a son.
"Your Highness, why are you hiding here talking to Consort Fucha?" Consort Hesheli was still resentful of the Crown Princess's previous attitude towards her. She had been humiliated in front of so many people. She was the kind of person who secretly thought, "I'm allowed to make things difficult for you, but you're not allowed to contradict me."
Stubborn and strong-willed, she was also the Crown Prince's maternal great-aunt, and she didn't take him seriously at all.
Furthermore, now that Suo'etu has been dismissed from his post and is at home, he is even more unhappy and always wants to find someone to provoke him.
"Consort Hesheli, is there something you need?" Consort Fucha disliked Consort Hesheli's attitude, that condescending feeling, as if she looked down on everyone else.
"It's nothing major, just some things I'd like to discuss with the Crown Princess." Consort Hesheli didn't seem to mind Consort Fucha's lack of welcome at all. She raised an eyebrow and looked at the Crown Princess, her raised eyebrows slightly critical.
Neither Consort Fucha nor the Crown Princess wanted to pay attention to Consort Hesheli, who had come to find fault. Just as they were about to leave, Consort Hesheli arrived with her sarcastic and critical tone:
"Your Highness, I've heard that you've been married into Yuqing Palace for quite some time now, but there's still no sign of pregnancy. Are you forbidding the Crown Prince from visiting other concubines?"
"That won't do. How can the Crown Princess be so jealous? Just because you can't have children doesn't mean you can stop others from having them. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent; how can he not have an heir?"
(End of this chapter)
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