After the ceremony, the Fourth Prince rested in the front hall while his wife and noblewomen performed the "opening of the face" ceremony for Lanqin. Then, her hair was restyled, changing the double buns to a flat, flowing "swallowtail" style that wouldn't obstruct her movement on the pillow. She still wore the double happiness hairpin, and added a red velvet "Fu" (福, meaning good fortune) flower. Once she was dressed, the palace-style "reunion meal" (团圆膳, tuányuán shàn) was held. At this time, the wife, eunuchs, and palace maids all knelt and withdrew. The doors and windows of the bridal chamber were gently closed. The Fourth Prince's guards and the newlyweds stood outside the bridal chamber, striking clappers and singing a "congratulatory song" in Manchu.
Amidst a chorus of blessings, Fourth Master and Lanqin sat facing each other, their faces beaming with joy. For a moment, they forgot that they were already an old married couple with several children. They smiled at each other, drank the nuptial wine from the same cup, and completed the wedding ceremony.
The palace ladies-in-waiting helped Lanqin sit on the dragon and phoenix wedding bed, removed her phoenix hairpin, and helped her change into a dragon and phoenix robe. After the change was completed, the palace maids tactfully withdrew. Lanqin then rose to help the Fourth Prince undress.
In the stillness of the night, the Fourth Prince held Lanqin's hand and stood in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, gazing at the full starry sky.
The Fourth Prince and Lanqin reminisced about the past twenty years, how many times they had narrowly escaped death, how many storms they had weathered, yet they had always stood by each other. Suddenly, the Fourth Prince stopped looking at the stars and turned to Lanqin with deep affection, saying, "I thought I would be alone for the rest of my life, but how fortunate I am to have found a soulmate. From now on, I promise you a path strewn with flowers. Will the Empress Dowager accompany me to witness a long and prosperous nation?"
Lanqin understood what the Fourth Prince meant. The loneliness of the throne was something that ordinary people could not imagine. However, Lanqin was willing to do her best to stay by the Fourth Prince's side. So she said to the Fourth Prince with affection, "Whether it is a field of flowers or thorns, Lanqin is willing."
Afterwards, Lanqin suddenly recalled her dream from a few days ago, a hint of melancholy creeping into her mind. Perhaps she might not be able to stay with the Fourth Prince forever. But she still feigned nonchalance and asked the Fourth Prince, "If Lanqin weren't from this time and space, what would Your Majesty do?"
Unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince wasn't surprised. He simply said, "I know you must come from a different time and space." Lanqin, on the other hand, was somewhat astonished. Recalling the past twenty years, she seemed to have revealed nothing. The Fourth Prince continued, "Whether you come from outer space or the future, I want you to be with me forever. For all eternity."
The night was slightly cool, and the Fourth Master, fearing that Lanqin would catch a cold, took her inside to sleep.
After the investiture ceremony, everything was peaceful in the court, and no major events occurred throughout the country. After all, it was the prosperous Kangxi and Qianlong era, and the Fourth Prince was extremely busy with state affairs, thus managing the country very well.
In these peaceful and tranquil days, the palace awaited the birth of a joyous surprise: the baby in the womb of Hongli's wife, Mingyu.
Three months later.
Mingyu's pregnancy was particularly strong, and the imperial physician diagnosed that she would give birth in less than three days. As a result, Hongli dared not go far, and wherever he went, he stayed within a quarter of an hour's walk, so that he could go back to see Mingyu at any time, for fear of missing the birth of his prince and princess.
That day, according to the diagnosis, she should be about to give birth, but the midwife went in and didn't come out for a long time. Hongli waited anxiously outside the delivery room. Xueying, Gaoshi, and Sushi also came and were all waiting outside.
Seeing Mingyu covered in sweat, the midwife was truly helpless. After struggling for a long time, Mingyu still suffered a difficult labor. The midwife was terrified; if this pregnancy couldn't be saved, the Prince wouldn't let her off. But Mingyu just couldn't give birth.
In desperation, the midwife came out and said to Hongli, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort is having a difficult childbirth." The midwife looked troubled and didn't know what to do.
Hongli was so anxious he wanted to rush in, but the midwife stopped him. "Your Highness, this is absolutely forbidden!" It was a great taboo for a man to enter the womb while a woman was giving birth, and although Hongli was anxious, there was nothing he could do.
At this critical juncture, if they delayed any longer, the consequences would be unimaginable. So the midwife had no choice but to ask Hongli, "At this point, we can only save one of us. I wonder if Your Highness would like to save the mother or the child?"
Hongli grabbed the midwife's hand in anger, "Save them all!"
Everyone stared anxiously at the midwife. The midwife looked troubled. "Now that the princess is having a difficult labor, this old woman can't do anything about it."
Xueying suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said to the midwife, "I have a way. Let me go in with you and take a look."
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