Consort Ming gave birth to the second princess, which should have been a joyous occasion. However, the princess was born prematurely and had pre-existing health issues. In addition, the emperor was worried about the severe drought in the previous dynasty, so there was no intention to celebrate the princess's birth in a grand manner.
Even the Empress Dowager and the Empress did not bestow particularly generous rewards upon the Second Princess.
This was not because the Second Princess was a princess and they were being stingy with her, but rather because the Empress Dowager and the Empress did so intentionally, deliberately giving her a smaller reward so that the Second Princess would not be overwhelmed by their kindness.
The Emperor was busy with state affairs during the day, and it wasn't until night that he learned that Consort Ming had given birth to the second princess.
Naturally, even knowing that Consort Ming had given birth, the Emperor still went to Chuxiu Palace.
However, when the Emperor arrived, Consort Ming had just finished drinking her medicine and fallen asleep. Pei Yuanhui slept by her bedside for a while before going to see the Second Princess.
The second princess was born prematurely and looked more like a kitten in her wet nurse's arms.
Pei Yuanhui stared at her for a long time, afraid that if he held the Second Princess in his arms, he would press down on her, as she looked as light as a feather.
Since he had come to Chuxiu Palace, he did have dinner there. He also instructed the wet nurse of the Second Princess and the people around Consort Ming to take good care of Consort Ming before leaving Chuxiu Palace.
Upon leaving Chuxiu Palace, Jin Yang could clearly sense that the Emperor was not in a good mood.
Seeing that the emperor had boarded the imperial carriage, he dared not speak loudly.
The birth of a child in the palace is usually a joyous occasion, but the Second Princess is in poor health and Consort Ming gave birth prematurely, making it difficult for Jin Yang to even offer her congratulations.
The Emperor did not speak, which naturally meant he wanted to return to the Funing Palace.
As the imperial carriage passed through the Imperial Garden, Pei Yuanhui suddenly called for a halt.
"Your Majesty?" Jin Yang quickly gestured for the sedan chair to stop, then asked cautiously.
"I'm going to have a drink with Chi Qinlin."
With both national and family matters piling up, Pei Yuanhui was extremely unhappy at the moment and naturally wanted to find some entertainment to vent his frustrations.
Upon hearing the sound, Jin Yang hesitated.
Pei Yuanhui raised his hand and pressed it down slightly in the air. He stood up and said, "Issue my decree: Consort Ming, née Wang, has rendered meritorious service. The princess shall be named Fuqing. Also, tell the Empress and the Imperial Concubine that Fuqing is in poor health. The baby's third-day celebration and full-moon celebration should be simplified. There is no need to disturb many people."
Jin Yang agreed, but when he looked up again, he saw that the Emperor had already walked away.
He quickly flicked Miao Xi with his whisk: "Aren't you going to deliver the message? After you deliver it, go back to Funing Palace and keep watch. Don't let the news that the Emperor is leaving the palace tonight get out."
After saying that, he quickly followed the official's back.
With severe droughts in Qiongzhou and Yizhou, it was natural to reduce taxes and open granaries for relief, as well as to hold rain-making ceremonies. Pei Yuanhui naturally had no time to attend to the inner palace.
The harvest in Xichuan Road has never been very good. The harvests in the neighboring Shaanxi Road, Shan Road, and Jinghu North Road have been decent this year. The government has issued an urgent order for the transport commissioners of these roads to transfer grain, but this is only an emergency measure.
After all, the severe drought is affecting this year's harvest in both regions.
Apart from Yizhou and Qiongzhou, many other prefectures in Xichuan Circuit also experienced unusually hot weather this year, making the government even busier than usual.
The civil officials argued endlessly in the court, giving Pei Yuanhui a headache every day.
Naturally, no one noticed General Yulin, who had been sent to Xichuan Road by the emperor.
With the emperor preoccupied with state affairs, Princess Fuqing's third-day celebration was naturally rushed.
The Empress personally led the imperial concubines to pray for the drought-stricken Qiongzhou and Yizhou in Baohua Palace. They prayed for three consecutive days, and the Empress even fell ill once.
Indeed, kneeling in the Baohua Hall for three or four hours every day, how could one not fall ill?
Every day when Huo Qinghe returned home, Wang Mama would bring her medicinal wine to massage her knees. Apart from the chronically ill Consort Ma, Consort Ming who was in confinement, and Consort Cao who was pregnant, the other concubines had been praying for blessings at Baohua Hall in accordance with the Empress's decree these past few days.
Two days after the Empress fell ill, she accompanied the Emperor to the palace to pray for rain.
The imperial concubines were also exempted from going to Baohua Hall to pray for blessings.
In mid-July, Qiongzhou and Yizhou finally received their first rain, and the local people were finally reassured.
This is naturally all due to the merit of the Emperor and Empress personally praying for rain and moving Heaven.
This summer is indeed going to be hotter.
Huo Qinghe still used ice here, after all, she had been favored quite a lot among the new talents this time.
However, her rank was neither high nor low, so there were limits to the amount of ice she could use.
However, with this kind of weather, the sweltering summer heat is inevitable, so Huo Qinghe doesn't need to worry about gaining weight.
It was getting hot, and that day the Emperor and Empress went out of the palace to pray for rain, so the traditional greetings on the fifteenth of the month were no longer required.
After two or three days of rain in Yizhou and Qiongzhou, things calmed down a bit in politics, but Princess Fuqing in the harem was not doing well.
The emperor naturally stayed at Chuxiu Palace for two days.
On July 23rd, the Emperor finally made a proper choice regarding the concubine.
Pei Yuanhui was still somewhat dazed when the Imperial Household Department brought in the green plaques after he hadn't been to the inner palace for a while.
Before flipping the card, he remembered something else.
"Chi Qinlin has returned to Beijing?"
Jin Yang bowed: "General Yu Lin returned to the capital last night. I heard that General Yu Lin has gotten a bit tanned, which made the Privy Council's wife both laugh and scold him, saying that General Yu Lin will have even less chance of finding a wife if he looks like this."
Pei Yuanhui smiled upon hearing this and raised his hand to flip over Consort Chi's nameplate.
"I'm going to see Consort Chi. She'll laugh at Chi Qinlin for getting a tan again."
The two of them always loved to make fun of Chi Qinlin.
Jin Yang responded with an "Eh".
This time, General Yulin has rendered meritorious service, so it is only natural that the Emperor would go to Consort Chi's place.
After finishing his duties in court, the Emperor spent two days visiting Consort Chi's Chengqian Palace.
Then, out of the blue, I suddenly remembered Huo Qinghe.
Naturally, people tend to remember beautiful women more.
Nearly a month later, Huo Qinghe was summoned by the emperor again.
When Huo Qinghe alighted from the carriage at Fu Ning Palace, she was hit by a gust of hot wind.
"His Majesty is still handling state affairs in the Funing Palace. Let me take you to bathe first." The old nanny led the way again.
Huo Qinghe followed them halfway when she was suddenly stopped by Miao Xi, who was by the Emperor's side.
"Please wait, Granny. His Majesty requests that Lady Huo come with me."
Huo Qinghe remained silent, nodded slightly to the old nanny, and then followed Miao Xi.
After walking for a while, Huo Qinghe realized that this was the hot spring where she had bathed last time, but that was only once.
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