Chapter Thirty-Six
When Consort De learned that the Crown Princess of Yuqing Palace was three months pregnant, she sneered, "I really didn't expect her to be pregnant. With her looks and knowledge?"
Consort De was filled with resentment. She felt that the Crown Prince had a grudge against her for three lifetimes. First, he confined her to her quarters, then he confiscated her property. At the same time, a sinister look appeared on her face.
Even though her father is gone, there are still many people in the Wuya family. Consort De sent a message to the Wuya family, saying that she was pregnant. Wouldn't that be perfect? The Wuya family could use this as an opportunity to make their move.
What they didn't know was that the newly appointed head of the Uya family, after being persuaded by the Crown Prince with heartfelt words and because of their blood ties, also promoted his son, who was the Crown Princess's cousin. With a combination of sweet dates and a stick, he had no time to care about Consort De.
When Wei Wu was still alive, all the good things happened to his family. How could it be the turn of a collateral branch like mine?
Although they are not from the Crown Princess's maternal family but from her maternal family, the relationship is still considered close. Now, his son is working for the Crown Prince and will be a close advisor to the Emperor in the future.
I heard that the Crown Princess is pregnant now. We need to properly cultivate the next generation of the Uya family so that they can become a powerful figure in the future. With two generations of close ministers to the emperor, the Uya family will surely become prominent in our hands.
Consort De never imagined that the Uya family would be so spineless, so easily bribed by the Crown Prince's little sweet talk. Compared to her, Consort De, the Uya family had now become His Highness the Crown Prince's people.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, was raised by Lady Tongjia, and the Fourteenth Prince is only a few years old. It's all for the sake of the family's greater prosperity and development, and I believe the Empress can understand that.
Because Consort De was unaware of this, after sending the message back, she waited silently for the 'good news' she wanted to come from Yuqing Palace.
Consort Yi, of the Guo Luo Luo clan, has been very troubled and busy lately because the eleventh prince is ill and his condition has been recurring. It is said that he has caught a cold, which is causing her great anxiety.
Even the Fifth Prince and the Ninth Prince failed to garner much of her attention. The Fifth Prince was easier to deal with, as he had always been raised under the Empress Dowager's care and his relationship with Consort Yi was just so-so.
The Ninth Prince was different; he was always the child who was pampered by Consort Yi. Because the Fifth Prince was sent away to be raised, Consort Yi treated the Ninth Prince as her precious darling from the moment he was born.
She was raised to be chubby, lively, and mischievous. She and the Tenth Prince were kindred spirits and ruled the harem. One was the son of a Noble Consort, and the other was the son of a Favored Consort. Who would dare to mess with them?
Since the birth of the eleventh prince, the frail eleventh prince has been a source of worry for Consort Yi.
"Eleventh Brother is sick again." Mother didn't have time to pay attention to him. Even on his days off, he would be playing pranks with his good brother, the Tenth Prince.
"My mother is also sick." The Tenth Prince was also troubled. Perhaps it was because winter was coming and people were more prone to illness?
The two little rascals wandered around everywhere, causing trouble here and there, or getting the lower-ranking concubines to come and complain. Consort Yi was overwhelmed and had no time to care about Yuqing Palace.
So what if she has one? It's not like she's her grandson.
Consort Rong, of the Ma Jia clan, was worried about her son's marriage. Tong Jia was dead, but why did the emperor make her empress the day before she died?
Isn't this clearly a way to postpone her third son's wedding?
With no hope of a grand wedding and none of those useless princesses getting pregnant, all they can think about is the power and influence within the harem.
Wouldn't it be even better if the Crown Princess got pregnant?
Doesn't this mean that the Emperor should temporarily halt his plan to have the Crown Princess take control of the palace? Consort Yi has been busy with the Eleventh Prince's affairs lately.
The only problem was that they dared not reach out recklessly anymore, because the emperor could easily chop off the hands of countless bondservants with a single stroke.
But it doesn't matter if you have no money or resources, as long as you have connections.
Consort Hui was most worried. She thought that since the First Consort had given birth to a princess in her first pregnancy, it was a journey of blossoming before bearing fruit, and the order didn't matter. As long as the second child was a prince, that would be fine.
Consort Hui didn't find it difficult to give birth to a son; she herself had two children, both of whom were princes.
Being confined to his quarters and stripped of his power in the palace, he was already in a bad mood and had been hoping that his daughter-in-law would give him a better future.
Who knows...
"What a waste! She can't even give birth to a son!" Consort Hui slammed her fist on the table in a huff. She was furious to learn that the Crown Princess was pregnant and three months along.
"Summon the First Princess Consort to come and pay her respects to me!" Just because she can't leave doesn't mean others can't come in.
"Your Highness, the First Princess Consort is already over eight months pregnant..." the nanny beside her reminded her. Wouldn't having the First Princess Consort come at this time give others leverage over her?
"What? Am I not her mother-in-law anymore? How can she be such a daughter-in-law? She's not even this filial! How did Irgen Gioro raise her daughter?" Consort Hui was furious; she had no right to let others grumble.
She was already dissatisfied with the Irgen Gioro clan; their family background was average, not comparable to the prominent Manchu families, and they couldn't give her a legitimate grandson.
Not only could she not give birth to a legitimate grandson, but she also prevented Yinti from going to other concubines' quarters. Oh, and if he did go, he would be given contraceptive soup. How could Consort Hui accept this?
What a wicked woman! What a jealous woman!
However, what was overlooked was that behind this incident, her son was the one who most wanted to have a legitimate grandson and was the one who took the initiative to give the other princesses contraceptive soup.
Hearing Consort Hui's angry rebuke, the maidservants around her dared not advise or stop her from doing anything foolish while she was in a fit of rage.
When the eldest prince and his wife received the message from Yanxi Palace, they were quite surprised, as if they hadn't expected it. However, since it was their mother-in-law who had summoned them, there was no reason for them, as the daughter-in-law, to avoid seeing her.
This is unfilial and will invite gossip.
"Your Highness, what are you doing? Don't you know you're over eight months pregnant? It looks like it's going to snow outside, and the roads are slippery..."
The maidservant beside the Grand Consort spoke up with considerable dissatisfaction, feeling that she shouldn't have agreed, and also criticized the mother-in-law for being unreliable.
"Silence." The First Princess Consort glanced at her maid. Although she thought so in her heart, she couldn't say it out loud.
If this gets out, people won't think it was their own maid who said it; they'll just think that they're dissatisfied with Consort Hui as their mother-in-law and are using their maid to say it.
After dressing and putting on his cloak, he put on flat shoes and, accompanied by his maids, nannies, and eunuchs, headed towards Yanxi Palace.
Yuqing Palace.
Crown Princess Jialuo, the little cutie, patted her slightly bulging belly, ate tangerines, warmed herself with charcoal, and listened to the little maid Xu Ya telling stories. She was so comfortable that she was about to doze off.
When the Crown Prince returned, he saw this scene and was filled with envy.
I'm out here working hard and struggling, while you're lying here comfortably.
"Your Highness is back?" Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Jialuo put down the tangerines in her hand and slowly stood up. The Crown Prince was as handsome and dashing as ever.
"Hmm." Yinreng's expression was indifferent, and his arrogant and noble aura was unmatched by ordinary people. When he glanced at the Crown Princess, he found that she had already clung to him.
"Your Highness has been so busy lately, it's really difficult to see you." Jialuo was still quite concerned about Yinreng. Knowing that Yinreng was away on business, she was worried that someone might cause trouble for him.
As she spoke, she took Yinreng's hand and felt his hand was so cold, her heart ached. "Bring hot tea. Is Your Highness hungry? Xiaoqing, bring some pastries to fill Your Highness's stomach."
When Jialuo held his hand, Yinreng subconsciously pulled it away, afraid that his hand would get cold on Jialuo.
"I still feel the chill in my body. You are pregnant, so don't get too close to me." Honestly, the Crown Princess doesn't know how to take care of herself at all. Yinreng can only worry about her.
At the same time, he glanced at the maidservants serving in the main courtyard with his cold gaze, his expression showing more disdain, as if they didn't care about the Crown Princess at all.
If they can't even handle this small matter properly, they should all be sent back to the Imperial Household Department!
The disliked maids felt a chill run down their spines, as if something bad was about to happen, and waves of unease washed over them.
"Your Highness, the child isn't that fragile." Although Jialuo said this, she didn't reach out to hold the Crown Prince's hand again, afraid that the cold air would catch her. She was fine, but the baby in her womb was more important.
He turned to Xiao Shunzi and said, "Eunuch Shun, please help His Highness the Crown Prince take off his outer robe."
It was a bit chilly when we came in, and taking off our clothes right away could easily make us sick.
In Eunuch Shun's heart, His Highness was more important than anything else.
Having already shed one layer of clothing, Yinreng: ...
If I take off any more, I'll really only be left with my undergarments.
However, after glancing at the Crown Princess who had borne him children, Yinreng could only change his clothes and soak his feet with her, a scene that looked both heartwarming and... improper!
"While I was away, did you take good care of the Crown Princess?" Even while soaking his feet, His Highness the Crown Prince's majestic and elegant demeanor remained undiminished as he glanced at the maidservants serving him with an imposing air.
"Your Highness, rest assured, they are taking good care of me." Jialuo chuckled. She had been living a very comfortable life lately, eating and drinking well. If she weren't pregnant, she would have wondered if she should start exercising and losing weight.
"That's good." Knowing that the Crown Princess had no worries, the Crown Prince was very satisfied. "If there's anything, tell me, and I'll take care of it for you."
He shouldn't worry too much while pregnant. He had heard that overworking during pregnancy could easily lead to miscarriage, and he had heard these things mentioned in the imperial physician's "medical advice".
"Baocheng, it's so good to have you." Jialuo took Yinreng's hand, her eyes filled with adoration and tears. "I want to see you have a snowball fight, is that okay?"
"When..." The Crown Prince nodded in agreement without hesitation, but then realized what was happening. A snowball fight??
"Of course not." How could the Crown Prince play such childish games? He refused, "Let Xiao Shunzi and the others play for you to see."
The imperial physician said that it is normal for pregnant women to have many strange thoughts and tastes during pregnancy.
Perhaps, the Crown Princess is just this kind of strange person?
At this moment, Yinreng completely forgot about Jialuo calling him "Baocheng" earlier. However, the other servants in the main courtyard were extremely shocked when they heard the Crown Princess address His Highness the Crown Prince in that way.
Crown Princess, aren't you being a bit too bold? Aren't you afraid of offending His Highness the Crown Prince by speaking such nonsense?
"Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Fourth Princess Consort has arrived." Just as Jia Luo was about to say 'I want to eat snow', a maid came in to report.
Hmm? Fourth Prince's wife?
Why is she here?
"Please invite her in." In the main hall where guests are received, there is charcoal for warmth, hot tea, and freshly baked pastries.
Dried meat and fruit were prepared in large plates, ready for the Crown Princess to eat whenever she craved something sweet.
The Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, prepared a gift to congratulate the Crown Princess on her pregnancy. When the Fourth Prince learned of this news, he couldn't sit still and insisted on coming to see it.
To Guarjia's surprise, His Highness the Crown Prince was also there.
When Guarjia saw the Crown Prince gently supporting the Crown Princess as she spoke to Lady Fucha with a smile, she was slightly taken aback.
After a brief pause, she regained her composure and, with a gentle and graceful smile, presented her gift, saying, "Your Highness, I heard you are pregnant, so I came to offer my congratulations and share in your joy."
"Fourth sister-in-law, you're so kind." When Jialuo came out, she accidentally kicked the corner of the table. Seeing her recklessness, the Crown Prince was startled and quickly helped her up.
And so, the scene that Guarjia had seen at the beginning appeared.
His Highness the Crown Prince sat down beside her, his slender, fair fingers still peeling the tangerines for Jialuo. It was a warm and romantic scene that made Guarjia feel resentful.
If it were Li Jia or the others, Guarjia could accept it as usual and be glad that she had left Yuqing Palace.
If Empress Fucha was not doing well, she could accept it; if she was doing too well, she would feel unbalanced. She could only comfort herself by telling herself that he was just a deposed crown prince who would eventually be imprisoned in Xian'an Palace, and that it was nothing serious.
[She's really pregnant? How could that be? The Crown Prince is treating her so well? He's never been this considerate to Lady Li before.]
[Even before Yuqing Palace has an eldest son born of a concubine, Lady Fucha is already pregnant? She definitely won't be able to give birth.]
[Even if she's born a child destined for misery, regardless of gender, oh well, why should I worry so much?]
I should go back as soon as possible. The matter of Yuqing Palace has long since ceased to concern me.
I am the future mother of the nation; let bygones be bygones. Out with the old, in with the new.
As His Highness peeled the tangerines, he listened to the heartfelt words from Lady Guarjia. Her words surprised him so much that he couldn't help but glance at Lady Guarjia unconsciously.
What do you mean by "he's just a deposed crown prince who will definitely be imprisoned in Xian'an Palace in the future"?
What does it mean to say 'she is the future mother of the nation'?
Yinreng couldn't help but suspect that Guarjia was not only mentally ill, but also constantly fantasized about becoming the future Empress? And why was she cursing herself for not being chosen as the Crown Princess by her father?
The matter of Yuqing Palace had absolutely nothing to do with her, okay?
Prince Ren never imagined that there were people in this world who had been reborn.
Even Jialuo didn't think much about her modern life. She preferred the carefree and enjoyable life she had in Yuqing Palace, where she could eat and drink, have a place to stay, and be served and entertained...
It's much better than being a wage slave who can't even save up for a down payment on a house.
She was happy every day, raising herself into a silly little piggy, living a life of eating, drinking, and nourishing her pregnancy, occasionally snuggling and hugging the elegant and noble Crown Prince, living a life of unparalleled joy.
Such a life was unheard of in my past life.
"Your Highness, I want to eat pickled radishes." Jialuo suddenly wanted to eat some, without even looking at the time. She didn't say anything, but turned around and shouted to the Crown Prince that she wanted some.
"Then let's eat." It's just pickled radishes, right? They're not expensive things. Even ginseng can be eaten. He can't afford to feed a pregnant woman who loves pickled radishes?
"Grandma said it's cold in winter, so she won't let me eat too much." Jia Luo felt a little wronged. The people in the main courtyard treated her like a fragile porcelain doll, afraid that she would eat the wrong thing, and strictly controlled her.
"Then eat plums, they're sour too." Yinreng didn't quite understand, but since the nanny said it wasn't okay, it must be for the good of the baby in his belly, so that he wouldn't suffer from his health because of a momentary craving.
Jialuo puffed out her cheeks, dissatisfied with Yinreng's answer. She lowered her head and patted her belly, "I want to eat, but you won't let me. How awful!"
Seeing her adorable actions, Yinreng smiled and took her hand, coaxing her helplessly, "Yes, yes, yes, the old nanny is really awful."
Jialuo angrily raised her head and glared at Yinreng. How dare he speak ill of that old nanny?
Lady Guarjia had no intention of staying to watch them show off their affection. Just as she was about to leave, another eunuch came over, looking hurried and anxious, as if something serious had happened.
However, looking at the scene before him, he hesitated, unsure whether he should speak.
"What is it?" Yinreng asked directly when he saw his expression.
"Your Highness, it is indeed the matter concerning the First Prince. I heard that the First Princess Consort slipped and fell on her way back from the palace to pay her respects to Consort Hui. She has already gone into labor."
The young eunuch wasn't sure whether he should say these things in front of the Fourth Prince's wife, but after thinking about it, he figured it wasn't anything important or secret, and she would find out soon enough.
"Sister-in-law, weren't you only eight months pregnant? You've already given birth prematurely?" Jialuo was a little surprised. There's a saying among the people: "Seven months to live, eight months to die."
Premature newborns born at seven months are more likely to survive, while those born at eight months are less likely to survive.
Well, although Jialuo doesn't understand the scientific principles behind it, every folk saying goes like this, so there must be some examples to prove it.
Especially since she's pregnant now, I'm terrified something might go wrong with her. Couldn't someone please collect and explain things about pregnancy? I'm so worried.
"Hmm." The Crown Prince really didn't remember, because ever since Yinti's wife was diagnosed as a princess by the imperial physician, she had never boasted about being a few months pregnant in front of Yinreng. Why would he remember such things?
All he remembered was that his crown princess was three months pregnant.
"My sister-in-law is about to give birth, why did Consort Hui summon her? Oh, to pay her respects to Consort Hui? And she didn't even excuse my sister-in-law from paying her respects?" Jialuo had forgotten about Consort Hui being confined to her quarters. Pregnancy makes you stupid for three years, and she felt like her IQ wasn't up to par.
"I don't know either." Yinreng wouldn't speak ill of the concubines in the harem; there was no need.
The Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, overheard the conversation between the Crown Prince and Princess above, and also heard the young eunuch's report. She couldn't help but sneer, "What else could it be? Consort Hui is unhappy that the First Prince's wife is pregnant with a princess."
However, if Consort Hui knew that the grandson she so desperately wanted wouldn't be born so soon, the First Princess Consort had given birth to four daughters in a row; who in the entire court didn't know that the Grand Prince was solely focused on having a legitimate son? She had been ridiculed for quite some time.
[What a pity! In the end, the legitimate son was born, but despite the First Princess's best efforts, she was sickly and weak, and was still raised by the Second Princess, who only managed to live to the age of twenty.]
Yinreng glanced at Guarjia again. It seemed that Guarjia was not only mentally unstable, but also quite vicious.
Cursing herself is one thing, but now she's cursing the eldest son, his primary wife, and even the eldest son's future legitimate son...
Fourth Prince... no, why did Father Emperor choose such a consort for Fourth Prince?
"Should I go and visit him?" Jialuo, the adorable girl whose IQ had already dropped by three years, turned to ask His Highness the Crown Prince. Although it was proper etiquette to visit him, the road was slippery.
She also has to take care of the baby in her belly. I heard that she slipped on the way back. What if she walked there and didn't notice the road?
"No need. Your sister-in-law is probably busy too and doesn't have time to entertain you, so don't go and cause trouble." His Highness the Crown Prince was also worried about this issue. If he slipped and fell, he wouldn't be able to have a premature birth at three months; at most, he would have a miscarriage.
No matter how many children the eldest son has, none are as precious as his children.
"I'll send someone to check on her," His Highness the Crown Prince comforted Jialuo. "It's cold outside, snowing, and the ground is slippery. Even if you don't care about yourself, you should take care of the baby in your belly, right?"
Guarjia no longer wanted to listen. Looking at the Crown Prince's state, she felt as if the Crown Prince of her past life was just a dream, and had nothing to do with her anymore.
Empress Fucha seems quite happy now, but in a few years, she will meet a bad end.
She's being too attached to appearances.
Not wanting to stay any longer, Lady Guarjia got up to take her leave. The Fourth Prince's residence was quite close to the First Prince's residence, and since it was inconvenient for the Crown Princess, she would go and see how things were going.
Yinreng was genuinely worried that his Crown Princess might be harmed if she got too close to this vicious woman.
He was the kind of person who thought, "If I'm not doing well, none of you should be doing well either." But as far as Yinreng knew, the fourth prince valued rules and treated his wife with utmost respect...
She's psychologically twisted and ill; don't let her come to Yuqing Palace so often.
After Lady Guarjia left, Yinreng specifically reminded Xiao Shunzi, who was by his side, that as the chief steward of the Crown Prince, Eunuch Shun was the highest-ranking person besides the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
His orders left his subordinates somewhat bewildered, but...
Following the instructions above, the Crown Princess is busy, tired, unwell... The excuses have already been thought up, just waiting to be used when the Fourth Prince's wife comes next time.
The eldest prince's residence.
When the eldest prince learned that his wife had gone into premature labor, he rushed back from outside the palace. What happened? Wasn't his wife resting peacefully in the prince's quarters?
Then, I heard from the people around me that Consort Hui summoned the First Princess Consort and made her stand while being scolded, saying that she slipped on the way back, but actually she already had a stomachache when she was in Yanxi Palace...
The eldest prince, Yinti, had a slightly somber expression, but when it came to his mother, he clenched his fists. In the end, he simply stood outside the delivery room, listening to the screams of his wife coming from inside, extremely nervous.
The Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, did come over, but seeing that they were all very busy, she didn't stay to disturb them. Judging from the First Prince's wife's appearance, she probably wouldn't give birth so soon.
The main problem is that the eldest prince seems quite agitated right now, and Guarjia doesn't want to stay here and become a punching bag.
Anyway, it's none of her business.
On the contrary, Princess Song in the backyard, tsk, she really is...
She was pregnant, and right before the mourning period. This reminded Guarjia of the princesses in the fourth prince's harem in her previous life. She remembered that Ulanara gave birth to the eldest son, Consort Li gave birth to several princes, but only one survived. And who else? Two little princes...
However, that was much later in the story, and it clearly had nothing to do with the Song family.
Guarjia did not lay a hand on Song Gege, nor did she protect her, leaving Song Gege to protect her unborn child on her own.
If she doesn't act, there are plenty of people in the backyard who want to harm her unborn child, such as... Madam Li...
After enduring a long and arduous day, the First Princess Consort finally gave birth to a legitimate daughter for the First Prince. However, perhaps due to the prolonged labor or some other reason, the daughter was somewhat weak.
The First Princess was holding her daughter and crying. The First Prince felt terrible seeing this. Mother, what is Mother going to do?
Once his wife and daughter were alright, Yinti rushed to Yanxi Palace.
At this moment in Yanxi Palace, Consort Hui did indeed notice something amiss with the Grand Consort. Before making things difficult for the Grand Consort, she had not anticipated this situation at all, and only thought that the Grand Consort knew how to pretend to be weak and pretentious.
She was heavily pregnant before, and didn't she stand outside the Kunning Palace waiting for that bitch Hesheli for a long time? And she still gave birth to Baoqing, didn't she?
Seeing that the First Princess Consort seemed unwell, he even scolded her a few times before sending her away. Not long after, someone came to report that the First Princess Consort had gone into premature labor.
"What a useless piece of trash! And she's the daughter of a military general, yet she's so weak. How can she possibly give Yinti a legitimate eldest son?" Consort Hui was initially furious, thinking that the First Princess Consort was just making trouble for no reason.
Then……
Then she heard her son's voice outside the palace, calling out "Mother" to her inside. Consort Hui's heart suddenly panicked.
Only now did she realize that what she had done might have been a little bit wrong, and her son had come to question her.
"Yinti, what brings you to see your mother?" Consort Hui asked Yinti with a smile. "You haven't visited your mother in a long time. Your mother is confined to Yanxi Palace in the palace, and she feels very lonely."
As she spoke, a hint of melancholy appeared on her face, which immediately made Yinti, who was about to question his mother, choke on his words and unable to speak.
"Yinti, come, sit down. Granny, go prepare some dried meat. Our Yinti used to love chewy dried meat the most." Consort Hui instructed the nanny, completely ignoring the matter of the Grand Consort.
Yinti: That was when I was a child. Because there was no afternoon tea and I had to ride horses and shoot arrows in the afternoon, I was so hungry that I liked it. Dried meat was easy to hide.
"Mother, the Fujin has given birth." Yinti looked at his mother with a stern face, as if asking if she had anything to say to him.
"I know, I know, you gave birth to a princess, right? Yinti, your mother said long ago that since you, the wife, cannot give birth to a son, you should not stop the princesses in the back courtyard from giving birth..." Consort Hui grumbled incessantly, full of resentment, hoping that Yinti would listen to her.
"Mother, why are you treating the Fujin like this? She's carrying my child, your granddaughter! She's eight months pregnant, and you're still wasting her time like this!" Yinti couldn't understand why his mother disliked the Fujin so much.
Isn't the Princess Consort doing well?
She has a good personality, a good temper, manages the household affairs, works hard for him, and has children...
In Yinti's heart, the First Consort was a very good woman, so why didn't his mother like her? What kind of woman did she actually like?
"Yinti, in your heart, is your mother the kind of vicious mother-in-law?" Consort Hui slammed her fist on the table and shouted angrily at Yinti, trembling with rage.
“Your Highness, you’ve misunderstood Her Majesty. When the First Princess Consort came to pay her respects, Her Majesty asked her to take good care of the First Princess and the baby in her womb, and also bestowed many gifts upon her,” the nanny beside her quickly explained.
Unfortunately, Yinti wouldn't listen. "Mother, the Fujin is over eight months pregnant. Why did you summon her? Can't you send someone to deliver the message?"
"Now the Fujin is bleeding heavily and almost didn't survive. She will need to rest for two or three years. When will she be able to give birth to a legitimate son?" Yinti felt that his mother just didn't understand him. She didn't know his inner distress. Not only could she not help him, but she was also deliberately holding him back.
“Mother, I am the eldest son born out of wedlock. Between me and the Crown Prince, I am clearly the eldest son, but Father Emperor only has eyes for the Crown Prince. I don’t want my son to be like me, do you understand?”
Yinti couldn't help but tear up, feeling that his life could be so miserable.
When Consort Hui first heard Yinti dissect his inner world for her, she knew that Yinti had always been unwilling to be ranked below the Crown Prince, and thought that Yinti was ambitious.
The eldest grandson was also chosen to please the emperor.
"Yinti." Consort Hui stepped forward awkwardly, her heart aching. "Mother, Mother didn't know, this, this isn't..."
Beside her, the old nanny also hurriedly spoke well of Consort Hui, occasionally mentioning things about Yinti's childhood and the things Consort Hui had done for Yinti behind the scenes.
Yinti finally left only after receiving a promise from Consort Hui that she would no longer make things difficult for the First Princess.
Emperor Kangxi did not object to the birth of his second daughter by his primary wife and sent a series of rewards to her. Soon after, the Empress Dowager and Consort Hui also sent another series of rewards.
The next morning at court, His Highness the Crown Prince greeted the eldest prince, Yinti, with a bright smile, saying, "Congratulations, elder brother, on the birth of another daughter."
How could Yinqi not see the sarcasm behind the Crown Prince's smile? "Thank you," Yinqi replied indifferently, not wanting to continue the conversation with Yinreng on this topic.
"Brother is in a bad mood? Sigh, it's just the birth of a princess. As the saying goes, flowers bloom before fruits ripen. Now there are two flowers, and there will definitely be two fruits in the future. Why rush it?"
Yinreng's words of congratulations were all very pleasant, but only Yinti could hear the malice in Yinreng's words. Wasn't he just mocking him?
"Thank you, Your Highness." Yinqi said coldly, "Since Your Highness is congratulating me, why didn't you send a gift to my Second Princess?"
"Brother, are you expecting my congratulatory gift? Don't worry, it's already been sent over, and my sister-in-law was sent along with it. Brother, I'm not trying to be mean, but during the Golden Festival you were bragging to me about how good you are to your wife. Sigh, I don't even want to talk about you anymore."
The smile on Yinreng's face was slightly smug, as if he were showing off to Yinti, "I am the best man for my wife, you are not."
After being reminded by Yinreng, Yinti recalled the situation at the palace banquet and his dark face remained unchanged.
In terms of being a doting husband, I am superior to Yinqi! I am even better.
Other officials: We don’t understand why the eldest prince and the crown prince have such a strange competitive spirit. Everyone else competes in horseback riding, archery, and bow and arrow, but the crown prince and the eldest prince compete in... who is better to his wife?
That's strange, let's take another look.
"Hmph." Because of his mother, he had lost a round, and Yinti was unhappy and didn't want to pay any attention to Yinreng, that bastard.
The newly arrived Third Prince Yinzhi and Fourth Prince Yinzhen: You can compete all you want, it's none of our business.
How could Kangxi not know that his eldest son and the crown prince had quarreled again over such a childish matter? But it was better than them fighting over state affairs, neglecting important matters and delaying important state affairs.
The main hall was not a place to discuss family matters. When Kangxi came out, he did not mention at all that the eldest prince's wife had given birth to a princess.
Mingzhu has already found a reason for the emperor to dismiss him from his post, and like Suo'etu, he is now retired at home.
The factional infighting also affected the operation of government affairs; they only knew how to fight and stopped doing government work.
After being mocked by the Crown Prince, Yinti went back home and showered his first wife, who was in confinement for two months, with concern and care. Unfortunately, the first wife didn't seem to want to see him.
Although it is winter now, I haven't showered for two months, afraid that my body odor will be smelled by the eldest prince.
The eldest prince had nowhere to release his passion and tenderness, except by holding his two daughters. The eldest princess was soft and cuddly, while the second princess could only cry.
Helpless, he could only sit outside the room where the First Consort was confined after childbirth and chat with her for a while.
The Lunar New Year arrived while the eldest daughter-in-law was in confinement after childbirth.
During the New Year, Jialuo was more than three months pregnant. At the palace banquet, the Crown Prince instructed her not to eat any food and to eat her fill before going.
Dressed warmly and wearing flat shoes, the road had been cleared of snow, but it was still a bit slippery. If it weren't for the rule against it, the Crown Prince would have asked the Crown Princess for leave.
The princesses in the backyard of Yuqing Palace are still under house arrest. They either celebrate the New Year together by having a feast.
After becoming pregnant, Jialuo experienced a period of forgetfulness and didn't remember the group of princesses in the backyard. It was only after the nannies reminded her that Jialuo suddenly remembered, "Oh, then let's add a dish."
We provide them with good food and drink; isn't that good enough for them?
On the way back to Yuqing Palace from the palace banquet with His Highness the Crown Prince, as they walked slowly, Jialuo suddenly spoke up, "Your Highness, I want to taste the flavor of snow."
Yinreng turned to look at Jialuo speechlessly. He remembered that the Crown Princess had also begged him last time, but he had refused. Why was she still not giving up?
"Crown Princess, have you realized that your tastes are quite unique?" Yinreng pursed his lips, politely refusing this strange request.
"Really? I've heard that some pregnant women want to lick iron." Jia Luo, unaware of how bizarre she was, looked at the Crown Prince in shock. What's so unique about my taste?
Licking iron?
Yinreng: So, it can be this bizarre?
Yinreng thought it was because the Crown Princess had met someone outside the palace who had such unique tastes, which showed that he was still short-sighted. "No, it's cold in the snow, and it's easy to get sick."
The Crown Princess must have just wanted some shaved ice; she was craving it. After sternly refusing her, she looked at the nanny beside Jia Luo.
He spoke up, "Keep a close eye on the Crown Princess. Don't let her eat anything indiscriminately. If anything happens, I will hold you all responsible."
The maids and nannies serving Jialuo nodded repeatedly and said "yes". They really didn't expect that the Crown Princess would have this idea. She had mentioned it once before and never mentioned it again. They thought it was just a whim of the Crown Princess.
But now it seems...
Jialuo puffed out her cheeks and looked at His Highness the Crown Prince with some dissatisfaction. "Your Highness is so mean. Your own Crown Princess is pregnant, and you won't even let her have anything to eat."
Yinreng listened and nodded, "Yes, that's right, I am just that bad."
After saying that, he looked at the others and reiterated, "You all should also be careful not to let the Crown Princess eat anything indiscriminately."
Jialuo: You're all bad guys, I want to eat!
"Then, I want to eat pickled radish." Jialuo had no choice but to reluctantly change her taste; if she wasn't allowed to have this, she would puff up her cheeks in anger.
If she gets angry, she'll tell the child that night how awful their father is, refusing to let the baby taste the snow he likes.
When Yinreng learned what the Crown Princess was thinking, he glanced at her indifferently, then fixed his gaze on Jialuo's belly.
The thick, fluffy clothes concealed her slightly protruding belly, making it impossible to tell what curve it had.
However, Yinreng thought that his child was already sprouting and growing in the Crown Princess's belly, and would be born in a few months.
Yinreng's heart softened. After the Crown Princess fell asleep that night, he wanted to tell the baby in his belly: Father loves you, it's your mother who's unreliable.
It's only been three months, and the imperial physicians can't yet determine whether it's a boy or a girl, but Yinreng has a feeling that it's definitely a little prince.
Sure enough, while he was taking a bath that evening, the Crown Princess was secretly whispering to her stomach in the room, saying something unintelligible.
Yinreng: Heh.
When Jialuo fell asleep, Yinreng stroked Jialuo's belly, lowered his voice, and said gently and kindly, "Father's baby is good. Father loves you very much. Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. She just wanted to eat something bad today, and Father stopped her. She's unhappy now."
"Father will protect you and your mother." As she spoke, she stroked her belly again, but unfortunately, she didn't feel any response from the baby inside.
The term "little baby" was first heard from the Crown Princess. After hearing it so many times, Yinreng also thought it sounded like a nice term.
"Baby, it's getting late. You need to go to sleep early so you can grow tall and strong..." The gentle and noble Crown Prince coaxed softly, "In six months, your father will be able to see you."
He was filled with anticipation. Soon he would know whether the Crown Princess was carrying a boy or a girl, and he would definitely be able to slap Yinti hard across the face, saying, "It's no use you getting married earlier, I will definitely give birth to the eldest grandson before you."
As she was about to go to sleep, her face still had a rosy blush, and she looked up at the Crown Princess one last time.
Hmm, very good. The Crown Princess is still fast asleep and hasn't noticed his movements.
Today is another day of being the perfect crown prince.
After the New Year, the Emperor dropped a bombshell in the court: I will personally lead an expedition against Galdan.
When this news broke, the most shocked person was none other than His Highness the Crown Prince.
Father Emperor, are you personally leading the campaign against Galdan?
This year?
Why does this episode feel so familiar?
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Yinreng's mind.
Yinreng still remembered that when the fourth prince brought his wife to pay their respects last year, he thought to himself: Will Father Emperor personally lead the expedition against Galdan this year?
The Fourth Prince's wife, could she really make prophecies? She couldn't possibly be talking nonsense, could she? How could she be so accurate?
So, the Fourth Prince's wife said at the time that he would be deposed and imprisoned in Xian'an Palace?
Real or fake?
(End of this chapter)
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