In the court, there was a heated argument over the matter of Galdan.
Kangxi advocated war, while the civil officials advocated peace, and for a while they gave in to each other.
At this time, Xiaozhuang fell ill.
At first, this matter was kept secret by the Cining Palace until one day Xiao Si came to Yinreng with a bitter face and asked what to do if Ukuma Ma continued to be ill and could not get better.
After careful questioning, Yinreng found out that Xiaozhuang had been ill since the first month of the year, but she had kept it a secret.
Yinreng's head suddenly started buzzing. If he remembered correctly, Empress Xiaozhuang had died at the end of this year in the previous life.
Thinking of this, he rushed to the Cining Palace immediately and was indeed shocked by the scene in front of him.
The old lady had lost a lot of weight due to her illness, and Su Malagu also looked tired.
Upon seeing this, Yinreng sent He Yuzhu to inform Kangxi immediately, regardless of whether the other party had discussed the matter with the ministers or not, the matter must be reported as soon as possible.
Sure enough, Kangxi was discussing the matter of Galdan with his ministers. Liang Jiugong saw He Yuzhu trying to rush in and hurriedly stopped him.
After hearing the reason, she was shocked and rushed in with him without caring about the rules.
Kangxi was about to curse, but when he saw He Yuzhu, he suddenly asked, "Is there something wrong with the Crown Prince?"
He Yuzhu eloquently recounted the events of the Cining Palace. Kangxi suddenly stood up and rushed to the Cining Palace without even bothering to take the sedan chair.
The father and son looked at each other and said nothing, but their eyes fell on the sallow old man on the bed.
"Grandmother, why didn't you tell me you were sick?"
Kangxi held Xiaozhuang's hand, his voice trembling, "How long have you been ill? Why are you so thin? What did the imperial physician say?"
Su Malagu answered them one by one, and at the end she just sighed.
In the words of the imperial physician, all the organs in Empress Xiaozhuang's body were failing and no medicine could cure her.
Kangxi knew that everyone would die sooner or later, but knowing that was one thing, but now that he saw the royal grandmother who raised him was about to leave like this, he could not accept it in any way.
So, from that day on, Kangxi would go to the Cining Palace to take care of the old lady after finishing his official affairs every day, and Yinreng did the same.
The atmosphere in the harem became solemn due to Empress Xiaozhuang's sudden illness. Even the announcement of Uya's pregnancy in March did not cause much commotion, which made her grit her teeth.
According to the original plan, Yinreng's marriage was scheduled for next year, but looking at Xiaozhuang's current condition, it is likely that he will not be able to wait until next year.
So Kangxi issued an edict to advance the prince's wedding to December 23rd of this year.
The Ministry of Rites was in a panic after receiving the imperial edict.
The imperial concubine also took on the corresponding responsibilities at this time, but the prince's wedding was originally grand and solemn, and preparations had to be expedited according to the date. Now that it was so far in advance, everything had to be rushed.
So the imperial concubine called on Concubine Hui, Concubine Rong and Concubine Yi to come together to handle the prince's wedding.
By November, when all matters related to the prince's wedding were finally settled, Concubine Min took action.
This time, the ordeal didn't take that long. Three hours later, the eighth princess was born successfully. Thus, they had both a son and a daughter.
After reviewing the scene, the Imperial Concubine comforted her, "Min Guiren, take good care of yourself. The Emperor is bound to be unable to take care of the situation in the harem right now. When the Eighth Princess is one month old, I will raise the issue with the Emperor and strive to promote you."
Naturally, Concubine Min didn't dare to say much. There was nothing she could do. The Empress Dowager was seriously ill and was said to have been in a coma frequently in recent times.
How dare she act like a demon at this time? She would be lucky to give birth to the child safely.
In the Cining Palace, Empress Xiaozhuang was awake for a rare moment. Seeing Yinreng standing by her bed, she forced a smile.
"Baocheng, I may not be able to see your wedding."
Yinreng held Xiaozhuang's hand and said in a soothing tone, "Ukuma Ma, Baocheng will be getting married next month. You will definitely be able to see it."
Xiaozhuang was a little bewildered, "How come I remember it's next year?"
"The Emperor asked the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to compare my horoscopes with Li Jiashi's and mine, and they said the 23rd of next month is the best day, but after this year it will be unlucky."
Xiaozhuang was stunned at first, then she smiled bitterly as if she understood something.
"Xuanye, why bother... This is the Crown Prince's wedding, how can you do this..."
"Ukuma Ma, Baocheng actually wants to get married soon."
Xiaozhuang looked at him in confusion, and Yinreng smiled and explained, "Ever since my eldest brother got married, he has been showing off to Baocheng all day long, so Baocheng also wants to get married soon and give birth to a legitimate son to annoy him."
Xiaozhuang was amused by his words.
After the two talked for a while, Xiaozhuang became confused again.
Yinreng also asked Western doctors to treat Xiaozhuang, but the results were always the same: she was too old and no medicine would work.
Yinreng sat here for a while, and when he was sure that the old lady might not wake up in a short time, he had to leave.
Until December 23rd, the celebration was arranged in the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
The Empress Dowager helped the pale-faced Empress Xiaozhuang sit down and watch the ceremony. Fortunately, the old lady was relatively sober that day and did not fall asleep during the ceremony.
In order to take care of the old lady's health, everything that could be omitted from the ceremony was omitted.
The old lady seemed to be trying hard to stay awake until the celebration ended and she fell into a coma again after returning to the Cining Palace.
When she woke up the next day, she heard that the prince and the princess had been waiting for a long time. The old lady blinked her eyes and seemed a little confused.
Yinreng brought Li Jia into the bedroom and saluted Empress Xiaozhuang. Then he took her hand and said, "Ukuma Ma, do you think Baocheng's wife is pretty?"
Xiaozhuang turned her head to look at Li Jiashi standing behind Yinreng, smiled and nodded, her voice hoarse, "It looks good."
Yinreng smiled, but as he smiled, tears welled up in his eyes.
Li Jia hurriedly stepped forward to block him, took Xiaozhuang's hand and said, "Ukuma Ma, you must get better soon. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been asking you to help take care of the children in the future."
Xiaozhuang grinned and nodded, but couldn't say anything.
Soon, Kangxi and the concubines in the harem arrived, and Yinreng and Li Jia gave up their seats.
Li Jia pulled Yinreng aside and whispered, "Your Highness, please stop crying, lest Ukuma Ma and Huang Ama get upset."
Yinreng nodded, but the sadness in his heart could not be washed away no matter what.
Because, according to the date in her previous life, Ukuma Ma will...
He closed his eyes and tried hard to hold back the tears.
"I'll have He Yuzhu take you back to Yuqing Palace. I'll stay in Cining Palace tonight."
Seeing him like this, Li Jiashi didn't try to force herself to stay. "Your Highness needs to calm down. I will go back tonight and come back early tomorrow."
That night, Kangxi, Yinreng, as well as Prince Chun, Prince Yu, and Prince Gong who had heard the news, all stayed in the Cining Palace for the night.
They gathered around Empress Xiaozhuang's bed, talking about their childhood or imagining the future prosperity of the Qing Dynasty.
They kept talking and talking until shortly after midnight, when Empress Xiaozhuang, who had worked hard for the Qing Dynasty all her life, finally closed her eyes.
There was a cry of grief in the Cining Palace, and the hearts of the people in the court and the harem were suddenly in turmoil.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
