Chapter 161 The Princess's Head Nurse's Shocking Announcement
In his previous life, he lacked a mother. In this life, he has both parents. Although he knows that his father's love for him is somewhat fake, he has enjoyed fatherly love in his previous life. Compared to fatherly love, he cherishes motherly love even more.
With his mother, the Empress Dowager, he was no longer a child without a mother.
If you cry, someone will comfort you; if you're hurt, someone will care for you; if you're hungry, someone will ask how you are; if you're cold, someone will add clothes for you.
This kind of pampering was something he had never experienced before, something he longed for.
In his previous life, his brothers envied him for being favored by his father, the Emperor. Little did they know that he envied them for having their mothers protecting them.
In this life, with his mother and brother still alive, he was content.
However, having lived an extra lifetime, Yinreng understood better how to get along with his imperial father.
So in this life, he is not lacking in fatherly love.
Having never lacked love, he lived a very enlightened life and was no longer attached to anything.
He showed more tolerance towards Cheng Dao, who replaced Yin Zhi.
This would have been impossible in the previous life.
But in this life, he can laugh it off, unless they hurt his beloved mother and elder brother.
Ever since the talent show began awarding out imperial concubines, life in the imperial concubine harem has become more interesting and lively.
Empress Fanghua loved her son and cared for everyone in the harem.
She was especially excited when she learned that Tongjia wanted to have a son.
She wondered if, since Emperor Kangxi was sterile in this life, she could still risk damaging her health by giving birth.
Allowing her to live a little longer can be considered a way of repaying her impure feelings for Yinreng in her previous life.
"Your Majesty, Consort Tong has brought back another prescription for conceiving a child from outside the palace." That day, Qiaoling was combing her mistress's hair when she mentioned this amusing incident.
Three years have passed, and no one in the harem has given birth. The servants have naturally heard the rumors circulating outside.
But so what? The emperor is not without children. Their mistress has been merciful enough. Apart from those who brought this upon themselves, all the children born in the harem have survived. This is the mercy of their empress.
"How many times has this happened?" She couldn't understand why she always blamed herself for not being able to have children, instead of considering whether it was the man's problem.
“This is the third time, once a year.” Qiaoling smiled and replied as if she had thought of a joke.
"This is the third time. It seems that Consort Tong is really anxious. I just don't know if it's her or the Tong family who are anxious."
The Crown Prince is growing up safely, and she, the Empress, is in good health. She doesn't know why the Tong family is so eager for a prince.
Fanghua found it all amusing; watching their clown-like behavior, she almost couldn't help but tell them the truth.
But for the sake of the emperor's reputation, we should just endure it.
"How about the prescription?" Since Qiaoling has said that, she must have found out about the prescription.
"An 80% chance, but unfortunately, the losses are also significant."
Fanghua smiled, "It's such a pity that she has such a loving mother's heart. It's a pity that she probably won't be able to fulfill her wish in this lifetime." She would not let go of her child; the Emperor already had enough children.
Besides, if the Emperor really wanted to pin that crime on her, she wouldn't mind helping him spread the word.
"Your Majesty, Consort Tong is unlikely to give up easily. Since she cannot have children, she may seek someone else to conceive." Although Qiaoling did not know why Consort Tong would do this, she still voiced her concerns, thinking of Her Majesty's great abilities.
Fanghua shook her head after hearing this, "Don't worry." Finding a husband? Haha, no matter how many people there are, they can't have one, because the cow is broken. "She won't get her wish, but she'll keep an eye on things."
She hadn't forgotten about the famous Lady Uya from the Kangxi era.
Although she changed the course of her previous life, who knows if that person's luck will be strong enough to make her conceive Emperor Yongzheng again.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured, we have people in every palace."
After getting ready, Fanghua went out for breakfast. Now that the children were older, she spent her free time eating, drinking, and having fun.
The food served in the small kitchen of Kunning Palace is now no less delicious than that produced by the Imperial Kitchen.
In addition, she had a clever and inquisitive assistant, and the Kunning Palace produced a vast array of peony-themed products.
Whether it's food, incense, or anything else, the Kunning Palace is decorated primarily with peonies, which is quite elegant.
After breakfast, Fanghua was about to ask about the two children when Li Changfu came to report that the Imperial Concubine was requesting an audience.
Fanghua was quite helpless about this person's arrival. "What does she want today?" She had no idea why the Imperial Concubine always liked to come to her Kunning Palace.
"Your Majesty, this servant does not know," Li Changfu shook his head.
Fanghua sighed. This person couldn't be stopped. Even if she stopped him today, he would come again tomorrow. It was very annoying. "Never mind, please invite the Imperial Concubine in."
Before long, Li Changfu led the Imperial Concubine into the main hall.
The Imperial Concubine noticed the Empress's impatience as soon as she arrived, but instead of getting angry, she looked at her with a mocking expression, "Does Your Majesty not want to see me?"
Fanghua knew this person was troublesome. "Alright, there are no outsiders here. Find a place to sit. What brings you here today?"
The Imperial Concubine is really something, always bothering me for no reason. Can't she just stay quietly in her Yongshou Palace?
Seeing that the Emperor was so unfriendly to her, she was not angry. She calmly sat down next to the Empress and said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong? Your Majesty's behavior really makes me sad."
Fanghua couldn't stand her like this. She really couldn't remember when she became a concubine.
"Alright, get to the point. If there's nothing else, I'd like to go see the children." Unlike her, who only has one daughter, Xizhu, she has two sons.
Chenghu is getting older and has a heavy workload. In addition, he also has to take time out of his schedule to cultivate, so she naturally has to pay more attention to him.
Chengren is alright; he can keep up with his studies, after all, her son is no ordinary person.
In his previous life, his civil and military achievements were no less than those of his brothers. In addition, he learned the art of ruling the world, which made him far superior to all his brothers. Otherwise, he would not have been feared by Emperor Kangxi in the later years.
He's only three years old now, so she doesn't need to worry about his studies. At most, she just needs to make sure he's eating well.
"I have come today for the sake of the children. Your Majesty, please listen patiently to what I have to say."
This was something Fanghua really hadn't expected.
"Tell me about it." For the sake of her child, she was willing to be patient.
Although Fanghua was the Empress, she did not usually form cliques in the harem, but that did not mean she could let everything go unchecked.
She kept an eye on both princes and princesses, fearing that something unexpected might happen.
“The princesses are growing up, and I’ve been thinking that we can’t keep teaching them with Han Chinese etiquette. I recently discovered that Xizhu has developed problems due to the way those nannies have been teaching her.”
This was indeed her main purpose for coming today.
After a princess reaches her first birthday celebration, two head maids from the Imperial Household Department will be assigned to her to teach her.
These two nannies were also the stewards for them after they got married.
Her power was in no way inferior to that of the princesses' birth mothers.
Because they taught the princesses from a young age, the princesses were very dependent on them. There was no way around it; everyone liked princes, and those who were capable would naturally have another prince.
Those who lack ability cannot even control the people around the princess.
Although Niohuru was a Noble Consort, the maids around the princess were all arranged by the emperor, so they were no less powerful than the Noble Consort.
When instructing the princess, he would use ancestral rules as a pretext, making it difficult for even the Imperial Concubine to intervene.
Eight-year-old Princess Xizhu is already quite sensible; she knows what mission she will have as a princess in the future.
Therefore, she listened very attentively when the nanny was instructing her, perhaps because she inherited her birth mother's temperament and had none of the noble concubine's toughness.
It's perfectly normal to be manipulated by the nanny.
If the Imperial Concubine hadn't discovered it early, it's uncertain who would have been in charge of the Princess's residence by the time she got married.
"What's the problem? Tell me more." Fanghua hadn't been raised as a princess, so she didn't really know much about this matter.
I usually pay more attention to the birth mothers of these princesses, and I don't really know much about what's going on at the North Five Institutes.
The Imperial Concubine was not one to mince words; she vented all her discoveries and anger at once.
Fanghua was also startled and broke out in a cold sweat.
"These people were all appointed by the Emperor, how dare they?" To be in charge of the princess's household, to teach the princess how to serve others—is this still the noble princess of the Qing Dynasty?
Even princesses in a normal family wouldn't necessarily be raised like this, how dare they?
"So, this is why I've come to see Her Majesty the Empress." The Imperial Concubine was also a little scared.
She has already placed the tutor of her daughter under surveillance, and is now awaiting the Empress's decision.
"Is this the norm or an isolated case?" Fanghua frowned. If this wasn't an isolated incident, then the Imperial Household Department would have a serious problem.
This is an attempt to control the entire royal princess family.
How dare they?
"All of them." The Imperial Concubine was never one to fight an unprepared battle; she had already sent people to investigate, and the results shocked her.
Fanghua was also shaken. "This matter is of utmost importance. Noble Consort, come with me to see the Emperor."
In fact, she could have reported this matter directly to the Emperor, but the fact that she came to me shows that she respects me, the mistress of the harem.
She certainly wouldn't disappoint the Imperial Concubine.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your will."
Fanghua got up and went to the Qianqing Palace with the Imperial Concubine.
The arrival of the two surprised even the eunuchs guarding the gate.
"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress, may Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings."
"Greetings, Your Highness. May Your Highness be well."
Fanghua raised her hand and asked, "Get up. Is His Majesty busy right now?"
"Your Majesty, the Emperor is currently reviewing memorials. This servant will go in and inform him. Please move to the side hall."
The servant was well-mannered and didn't let the two stand at the door, but instead invited them into a side hall.
Fanghua glanced at Qiaoling, and only after seeing her give the little eunuch a purse did she relent and say, "Go ahead."
In the side hall, the smile on the Consort's face was completely gone, replaced by a deep anger, indicating that she had been suppressing her rage.
The Emperor was full of questions when he learned that the Empress and the Imperial Concubine had come together, and immediately ordered that the two be invited in.
In the main hall, Emperor Kangxi sat at the head of the table, holding a teacup and sipping his tea.
Upon seeing the two enter, he immediately put down his teacup. "It's rare for you two to come together. Is there something urgent?"
Everyone knows that the Empress and the Imperial Concubine are at odds. The fact that the two of them came to the Qianqing Palace together suggests that something big has happened in the harem.
After the two exchanged greetings, Fanghua briefly explained what the Consort had discovered and then handed over the reins to the Consort.
Emperor Kangxi was also very surprised by the Empress's words, and his anger flared up. "How dare those servants do that?"
In a fit of anger, Emperor Kangxi smashed the teacup.
At this moment, the Imperial Concubine's eyes also reddened.
"Your Majesty, Xizhu is already eight years old and will be married in a few years. The way the tutor teaches her is an attempt to harm my Xizhu!" The Imperial Concubine could no longer hold back her tears and they burst forth.
Kangxi got up and came down, supporting the weeping Consort. "Consort, rest assured, I will investigate this matter thoroughly. I want to see what kind of servant dares to be so audacious as to try to manipulate a royal princess."
Emperor Kangxi was indeed angry. No matter how much he valued his sons, the princess was still his child, and a noble princess in the Qing Dynasty. She was not someone to be trifled with by servants.
"Waaah, Your Majesty, you haven't seen the eldest princess. If you had, you would know why I'm so afraid." The Consort was afraid that Xizhu alone wouldn't be able to gain the Emperor's favor, so she dragged the eldest princess and others into the mess.
Anyway, all nine princesses in the palace will be sent to marry foreign rulers in the future, and she doesn't believe that the emperor can tolerate the fact that the princesses won't be able to help the Qing Dynasty after they marry foreign rulers.
After all, the purpose of marriage alliances was to win over various tribes. If all the princesses were to be managed by their matriarchs after marriage, and the servants were to tamper with the affairs, wouldn't that go against the original intention of the marriage alliances?
Fanghua was very glad that she hadn't given birth to a princess, otherwise she would have killed those servants right now.
Of course, if it were her daughter, she wouldn't let a servant have her way with her. Anyone who dares to mess with her daughter deserves to have their entire family wiped out.
"Let's go to the North Fifth Institute." He would see his daughter occasionally, but seeing that she behaved well in front of him, he didn't pay much attention to it.
Besides, their mother wouldn't let them suffer any injustice. Unexpectedly, she gave him such a big surprise.
Fanghua remained silent throughout. Looking at the Emperor's dark face, she felt that these bondservant servants should also be given a good talking-to.
A lackey is a lackey; don't actually think of yourself as a master.
She had some guesses about it, but she couldn't say anything. The bondservant officers of the Imperial Household Department were all under the Emperor's jurisdiction, and she, as the Empress, had no right to touch them.
She is neither the Empress Dowager nor the Empress Dowager.
It's best if she doesn't say anything about this today; just go along with it.
Soon they arrived at the Fifth Northern Palace, where the princesses would live after they grew up.
It wasn't that the princesses' birth mothers disliked them, but rather that they wanted to conceive another prince, but unfortunately, many years passed and they still couldn't get pregnant.
But the princesses had grown up and reached the age to leave their mothers, so the emperor allocated the North Fifth Palace to the princesses to live in.
Kangxi arrived at the Fifth Northern Palace without alerting anyone, and it was precisely because of this that he was able to see how the teaching matrons were instructing the princesses.
Kangxi immediately kicked the door open and entered.
This is where the eldest princess lives. She used to do needlework, but when she heard the noise, she was so frightened that the needle in her hand pierced her flesh.
She cried out in pain and stood up in fear.
"Insolence, you dog servants! Is this how you teach the princess?" Kangxi was furious. He went up to a nanny and kicked her, making her vomit blood.
The princesses had never seen such a scene before, and they were so frightened that they immediately knelt down.
Fanghua felt a pang of pity for the eldest princess, who had once stayed by her side when she was little. Seeing her in such a frail state now was truly unbearable to look at.
So when the eldest princess knelt down, she stepped forward to help her up and then pulled her behind her.
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