The midwife beamed and spoke auspicious words, each one more sincere than the last.
It was still cold, so the twins took a short walk outside before being brought back inside by Granny Ling.
Newborn babies get hungry easily, especially those with large appetites. If left outside, even if they don't get cold, they'll cry from hunger.
Tong Wanyan couldn't sleep inside the room. She listened anxiously to the sounds outside through the window.
She couldn't hear the whispers, but she could catch glimpses of laughter and congratulations.
Even so, she was still worried.
Before her son had even traveled a thousand miles, she was already a mother to worry about.
"Granny Ling, how are the prince and princess?" Tong Wanyan was taking a nap with her eyes half-closed when she heard the door open and hurriedly got up.
Chunque hurriedly pressed her down: "Consort, Ling Mama is here, don't worry. It's best not to move around too much during postpartum confinement, especially since you're having twins, you need to be even more careful."
Ling Mama nodded in agreement. The servant chosen by the Crown Prince for his concubine was quite good; she was sensible and knew her place.
"Don't worry, Consort. Prince Hongzhao and Princess Tana are both very good. The Emperor and Empress Dowager took a great liking to the two young masters after meeting them. When the Emperor bestowed a name upon the prince, we servants were all astonished," said Granny Ling with a kind smile.
She only wished for the Crown Prince to live well, and for his offspring to be valued by the Emperor; she would be happier than anyone else.
In this way, she wouldn't have failed her former master.
Tong Wanyan was stunned by the news brought by Granny Ling. This situation was becoming increasingly bizarre, making her afraid to rely on her memories of living an extra life.
I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
“Granny Ling, I am very happy that the prince and princess are favored by the Emperor and Empress Dowager. However, they are ultimately not legitimate sons, and the Crown Princess will marry into Yuqing Palace in a little over a year. I always feel uneasy about such favor.” Tong Wanyan said worriedly, biting her lip.
During her year at Yuqing Palace, she saw several vibrant people who died in the blink of an eye.
Granny Ling smiled calmly and told Chunque to go out and guard the outer gate.
“The concubine’s concerns are not without merit, but that’s how others would feel. You are different!” Granny Ling said in a low voice.
Tong Wanyan looked at Granny Ling with bright eyes, waiting for her to answer her questions.
“Firstly, you and Empress Dowager Cining look alike, are from the same clan, and have the favor of the Imperial Noble Consort, and your brothers are also successful. Secondly, the young prince and Prince Chenghu look 99% alike. This is a secret, and only this servant knows it besides the Emperor,” Ling Mama sighed.
Tong Wanyan was speechless; her mind was blank.
"Prince Chenghu?" Tong Wanyan repeated Ling Mama's words.
Ling Mama nodded sadly. Even after more than ten years, her heart still ached dully when she thought of Prince Chenghu.
"Prince Chenghu was intelligent from a young age and was deeply loved by the Emperor. Everyone thought that the Crown Prince was favored by the Emperor, but when Prince Chenghu was young, the Emperor's heart was only on him. Perhaps because of the Emperor's great favor, on the fifth day of the second month of the eleventh year of Kangxi's reign, Prince Chenghu died young from illness. Now you should know that the Emperor now regards the young prince as the reincarnation of Prince Chenghu. I'm afraid that even the Crown Prince would have to take a backseat to the young prince."
According to Buddhist teachings, one is reincarnated every eighteen years. Hongzhao was born on the fifth day of the second month of the twenty-ninth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, which matches the exact date.
Tong Wanyan's birth was sudden, and after much thought, Kangxi felt more inclined to regard Hongzhao's birth as a gift from heaven.
"Granny Ling, is this a good thing?" Tong Wanyan didn't think it was a good thing that Hongzhao became Prince Chenghu's stand-in.
The road to success is difficult; one wrong step and you'll fall and lose your soul.
"Consort, it's up to you," said Granny Ling.
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