Chapter 28 Imperial Concubine
Two Imperial Concubines
Time passed slowly as Chen Guanxue was being led by Emperor Kangxi to admire the paintings.
February arrived in the blink of an eye.
February is a time of warming weather, and it's also the time when Emperor Kangxi would lead his ministers to work in the fields.
Emperor Kangxi would change into simple clothes that were easy to wear for work early in the morning.
Chen Guanxue glanced at it sleepily, then her eyes widened instantly.
Kangxi removed his fine clothes, revealing his strong muscles, which shone brightly even in the candlelight.
She rarely saw Kangxi's body.
Twenty years later, when Emperor Kangxi slept with her, he would have the candlelight extinguished. Now, Emperor Kangxi would certainly not sleep naked with her. Such a rare scene naturally made him want to take a few more glances.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Emperor Kangxi turned to look at her before he had even buttoned up his clothes.
He noticed her gaze lingering on his waist and abdomen, and couldn't help but laugh.
He wasn't a stingy person; he sat on the edge of the bed, took her hand, and pressed it against his body.
The warm skin felt different from before.
This was Chen Guanxue's only thought; he had no other ideas.
After a while, Kangxi tucked her hand back into the bedding and tucked the blanket around her.
"It seems there are some fresh flowers blooming in the greenhouse. If you find them interesting, you can call them over to ask. I will come back this afternoon to have dinner with you."
"good."
After he left, Chen Guanxue slept for a while, but the little one in her belly made her sleep restless, so she simply got up to eat breakfast.
After walking around the courtyard a few times, Granny Chana and Runxi each took one of her hands and carefully helped her sit down.
After the New Year, her belly grew bigger and bigger. Not only was she being careful, but her servants were also on edge. The dark circles under her eyes couldn't be covered up even with makeup.
Chen Guanxue also reduced the time she spent in the yard. It was fine to just walk around inside the house, because slipping on the melting snow outside was no joke.
Feeling a bit bored listening to the storybook, she remembered Kangxi's words and ordered someone to summon the eunuch from the flower room.
The eunuchs in the flower room rarely see the concubines. The work there is heavy and there's not much reward. They are mostly assigned to those who have no connections and are not very bright.
When Chen Guanxue saw the young eunuch bowing to her, his movements were somewhat restrained, but at least he didn't make any mistakes, she waved her hand and told Runxi to take him away to talk to him.
Runxi wasn't particularly stupid to begin with, but after eating refined grains for half a year, her mind has become more agile, and her memory is especially good.
She asked the young eunuch what flowers were in the greenhouse and how well they were blooming.
After asking enough questions, he went back to his room and told Chen Guanxue.
"Magnolia and camellia are the best bloomers; pink magnolia and red camellia are both suitable for the yard."
Chen Guanxue nodded in agreement, "Two of each, have someone bring them over and put them in the yard."
The eunuchs in the flower room were quick and efficient, and a large group of them went back and forth between the Qianqing Palace and the flower room. However, the magnolia trees that could bloom were quite large, and only two were moved over in one morning.
Looking at the two magnolias standing in the yard in flowerpots that were half a person's height, Chen Guanxue inexplicably thought of that famous saying.
That would be the case if she were in her current situation.
There are two trees in front of my house, one is a magnolia tree, and the other is also a magnolia tree.
Thinking of this, Chen Guanxue couldn't help but recall the old jokes she still remembered, and then she thought of one of Kangxi's nicknames.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Your Highness, Consort Tong requests an audience." The maid entered the room as she smiled.
All the palace maids, eunuchs, and nannies in the East Warm Pavilion called her "Master," not only because it was required by Emperor Kangxi, but also to make them understand her importance.
"Let her in," Chen Guanxue nodded.
I wonder what brings them here at this hour; it must be something important.
When Consort Tong entered the room, she didn't stand on ceremony with her. There was no need to bow to each other; she simply nodded and sat down.
"You've been in the palace for some time now, and the Emperor intends to bestow a title upon you. I fear the harem will be in turmoil, so I've asked you to let him know." Consort Tong wouldn't disobey Emperor Kangxi, nor would the other concubines, but there's no guarantee that some might be blinded by greed and oppose it for the sake of their maternal clan's interests.
Chen Guanxue frowned.
The situation is much better now. Although she is favored, she has never been given a formal title, so she will not affect the interests of the people in the palace. Even if she has a child, she is not afraid.
If someone has a certain rank or position, they might be seen as a thorn in someone's side.
But then she thought that Kangxi wouldn't push her forward to be a target, so she nodded and gestured for Consort Tong to continue.
"His Majesty's intention is to bestow the title of Imperial Concubine upon you after you give birth to your child," Consort Tong said with some emotion.
She was able to be granted the title of Imperial Concubine by virtue of being the Emperor's maternal cousin and the late Empress's sister.
Chen Guanxue, however, was favored by Emperor Kangxi.
“This child was raised by you and only recognizes me as his adoptive mother. The Tong family will also be close to this child.”
The Tong family really has some trouble.
When Empress Tongjia was alive, they hoped that she would give birth to a son or daughter to continue the glory of the Tong family.
However, the princess born to Empress Tongjia died young.
Later, they thought she could have children, but she had already taken a potion to prevent her from having offspring before entering the palace.
This was a decision made by Emperor Kangxi after careful consideration. He could not tolerate any one family becoming too powerful, even his maternal family, for fear that the children born to them would die young.
Both the imperial physicians and Western missionaries told him that two people who are closely related by blood have a higher chance of having a sickly child, and some may even have facial or physical deformities.
Just like the Seventh Prince.
With the precedent of the Seventh Prince being born with a limp, Emperor Kangxi would not allow another case to occur.
He was proud and decisive.
Chen Guanxue understood his thoughts and agreed with Consort Tong's explanation.
That's good. The Tong family needs a prince or princess to climb up to, and she also needs a powerful backer.
It was only the thirty-sixth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, not the fifty-seventh year she was familiar with. They still had a long way to go, so naturally they couldn't and wouldn't act as recklessly as before.
"Then you'd better prepare a congratulatory gift." Chen Guanxue patted her belly.
Consort Tong breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she had no complaints.
"This is also like my half-child," Tong Fei said jokingly.
In fact, when Kangxi told her about this, that was her first thought as well.
She wanted something to look forward to in the future, but she couldn't have children. If she adopted a child of a lower-ranking concubine, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't end up like Consort De, who became estranged from her son.
She thought she would be all alone, but after adopting a son, Chen Guanxue, who was of equal status to her, it seemed they were heading towards becoming sisters.
The inner palace is likely to become even more lively.
Thinking of this, Consort Tong felt more hopeful about the future.
After speaking, Consort Tong did not linger and left the Qianqing Palace.
Not many people in the harem knew what they were saying, but the palace began to get busy, and the concubines could all sense it.
"What's wrong with the Imperial Household Department? They've been busy making clothes for that person these days. They can't even handle this small matter properly." Consort De was born into a bondservant family and should be able to command the servants of the Imperial Household Department, but she has been neglected and delayed in many matters over the past half month.
"I heard they're preparing for Consort Tong's investiture; judging by the looks of it, it's more than just a consort title..."
Consort De felt a headache coming on.
Another imperial concubine.
The Tong family has produced an empress, and now they're going to produce a concubine?
Judging from the appearance of the Imperial Household Department, perhaps she will be made an Imperial Noble Consort directly?
The Hesheli and Niohuru families have both produced empresses, so why haven't they produced a concubine?
Why do the Tong family members all want to put pressure on her?
The situation had already been disrupted by Chen Guanxue's appearance, and during this period the Crown Prince had been particularly targeting his brothers other than the Seventh Prince.
Those who established their own residences outside the palace were fine, but the princes who stayed in the palace were often tested on their studies. The Fourteenth Prince, because of his intelligence since childhood, was asked many questions by the Crown Prince, but he received few words of praise and even lost interest in studying.
Ironically, the Crown Prince's behavior was not out of line, and Emperor Kangxi even praised him.
Consort De was furious and had nowhere to vent her anger. When the Imperial Household Department gave her such a perfunctory response, she was about to explode.
Unfortunately, she was given the title of "Dede" and always acted as a reasonable person, so she couldn't even complain to Emperor Kangxi.
Chen Guanxue could guess some of the ups and downs in the harem, but it had little to do with her.
Because she went into labor on the morning of February 28th.
She was awakened by pain while still asleep; the sudden pain made her cry out.
Kangxi opened his eyes instantly and saw that she was sweating profusely from the pain. As he got out of bed and put on his outer robe, he called out, "Summon the imperial physician!"
Liang Jiugong, who was keeping watch outside, also woke up and pinched his apprentice beside him, "Summon the imperial physician and call the midwife."
After saying that, he straightened his clothes and went into the house.
After a bout of pain subsided, Chen Guanxue lay there unable to speak, her small face deathly pale. She drank some warm water from Kangxi's hand.
The midwife had been living in the side room for half a month. She arrived very quickly, examined the woman, and confirmed that she was about to give birth.
"Don't be afraid." Kangxi held Chen Guanxue and moved her to the prepared birthing room.
His voice was unusually calm, only his trembling fingertips revealed a hint of panic in his heart.
Chen Guanxue felt no jolting in his arms, and the pain in her abdomen was soothed. Listening to his rapid, intense heartbeat, she couldn't help but look up.
Emperor Kangxi rarely revealed his vulnerability; he learned to hide his emotions at a young age.
His clenched teeth and the sweat beading on his forehead were a testament to his emotions that he couldn't hide.
Chen Guanxue held a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, but he didn't notice. He just quickly stepped into the side room and placed her on the clean and tidy couch.
"Your Majesty, please leave." Chen Guanxue's left hand was held by him, and her fingertips, which had been cold from the pain, gradually warmed up.
Kangxi touched her forehead. "You don't have a fever, so what nonsense are you talking about? Of course I'll stay here with you."
He knew the dangers of childbirth for women, and he wouldn't feel at ease without watching over her.
Chen Guanxue shook her head, "I don't look good. Your Majesty, please go outside and wait. The imperial physician and the nanny both said that this pregnancy looks good and there will be no problem."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, she could only change her approach, "The Emperor is inside. I feel pain and want to cry, and if I cry until I have no strength left..."
Before he could finish speaking, Kangxi covered his mouth.
In those beautiful, seemingly indifferent phoenix eyes, there was a heartache that was about to overflow.
His thin lips pressed against her palm, and he practically squeezed out a few words from his throat, "Don't talk nonsense. I'll wait outside. You have to take good care of yourself."
Watching him run out of the house, Chen Guanxue gritted her teeth and swallowed the pain that was about to come out; even breathing hurt.
The imperial physician on duty outside also arrived.
Because of Chen Guanxue, all the imperial physicians on duty in the palace this month are experts in obstetrics.
"Greetings to Your Majesty. We, your humble servants, have taken the liberty of sending someone outside the palace to fetch the Imperial Physician."
Emperor Kangxi waved his hand, "Go in and take a look."
The waiting time is the most agonizing.
Kangxi waited outside for the soup brought from the small kitchen, and also for the court official from outside the palace.
"Go in and see. If anything goes wrong... make sure she is safe." Kangxi said, looking up at the sky outside.
It was just dawn.
He couldn't bear to part with the little creature that could move, and he couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Chen Guanxue, for that would be the child's life.
"Your Majesty, it's time for court," Liang Jiugong reminded him from the side.
Without a second thought, Emperor Kangxi declared, "The court session is adjourned today."
"Yes, sir."
[Author's Note]
Now that it's a paid service, I'll work hard to update! [rainbow emojis]
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