Chapter 172
Fanghua saw resentment in Chengreng's eyes, and she looked at him with pity, "It's all my fault, Your Majesty, that you lost your mother at birth. Otherwise, you wouldn't have suffered so much." Fanghua pulled him onto her lap and gently patted his back.
The language was full of apology towards him.
“Empress Mother, this is not your fault. You were indeed murdered. Father knew who harmed you, but he concealed it, not only did he not seek justice for you, but he also covered up the truth.”
Fanghua was surprised that Chengren knew the truth, and asked in astonishment, "How did you know?"
She hadn't told him this, and this life is different. How did he find out?
Chengren smiled sarcastically, "Of course, there are people who can't stand to see their son doing well and deliberately leaked it to him." At that time, he had indeed considered it, but in the end, he was blinded by his fatherly affection and chose to give up.
It was because of his kindness that he ultimately harmed his closest relatives.
Thinking of Suo'etu starving to death in prison, and of his family members being killed and exiled, he hated himself.
Why wasn't I ruthless back then? Was the father-son bond really that important?
The past is too painful to recall.
Fanghua was filled with heartache. "It's all in the past, it's all in the past. If you want to play, then play. It's fine this way." Since her son wanted to test the medicine, then let him try it. Couldn't she, the empress, protect him from all consequences?
"However, Chengren, your mother has something to tell you."
Chenghu's focus was not on the capital, so apart from the matter of Kangxi's infertility, she didn't say much about other things.
But Chengren is different. He should be informed about the matter of the Da Guo Luo Luo clan, so that he won't be tricked without even knowing what happened.
“Your Majesty, please speak, I am listening.”
She not only told Chengren about the emperor's infertility, but also revealed all the arrangements she had made for the harem.
“Empress Mother, don’t dirty your hands for someone unworthy. Your son has grown up and can protect you.”
Chengren tightly wrapped his small, delicate hands around his mother's neck, hiding his small and vulnerable side in her embrace.
"Yes, Your Majesty knows that Chengren can protect Your Majesty and your elder brother, but Your Majesty doesn't want you to work too hard."
The mother and son snuggled together affectionately, creating a very heartwarming scene.
But this heartwarming scene couldn't be maintained.
Qiaoling ran in and broke the warmth of the moment.
"What is it?" Fanghua put Chenghu down on the ground and let him stand up on his own. "You're in such a hurry to get back into proper form."
Seeing that the Empress was angry, Qiaoling immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, this servant has something important to report."
"Speak, what has made you lose your composure like this?"
Qiaoling dared not delay and immediately reported that the Imperial Concubine was requesting an audience, as well as relaying the news from below.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine requests an audience. However, this servant has learned that the Imperial Concubine is currently pregnant."
This news almost made Fanghua faint. She knew the Consort's health better than anyone else; she would never get pregnant, no matter who was pregnant.
This inevitably reminded her of what Cicai Chengren had said.
She looked at Chengreng, her eyes questioning him.
Chengren touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly and nodded guiltily.
Seeing him like this, Fanghua sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. How could she have given birth to such a troublesome son?
"Alright, let the Imperial Concubine in." She'll have to explain this to people herself.
I figured she would listen to me, since she wouldn't have come over at this critical moment if she didn't trust me.
Ironically, not long after the Consort returned home, the imperial physician came to take her pulse, but the diagnosis shocked her.
Yes, there was only surprise, no joy.
So she rushed to Kunning Palace immediately.
It would be a lie to say she didn't want a child of her own, but she knew her physical condition better than anyone else; getting pregnant was simply impossible for her.
There's definitely something fishy about this pregnancy.
So she had to go find the Empress, and here she is.
Of course, before she came, she also had someone pass on the message to the Empress's spies, because she was afraid that the Empress would not want to see her.
Because the Empress found her annoying.
Sure enough, her actions worked, and the Empress let her in.
Soon, only three masters remained in the main hall of Kunning Palace.
The servants were all dismissed.
Although the Imperial Concubine was somewhat puzzled to see the Crown Prince there, she didn't think much of it.
After all, Chengreng is the crown prince, and he has the right to know about the secrets of the harem.
"Your Majesty, you must save me!" The Imperial Concubine, abandoning her usual aloof and disdainful demeanor, grabbed the Empress's hand and pleaded for help.
This surprised Chengren, who was seeing his true face for the first time, and even made him feel somewhat frightened.
What kind of image does his Empress Dowager have in the eyes of the Consort? Why would he come to the Empress Dowager for help after such a big incident?
What kind of magic does his mother, the Empress Dowager, possess?
"Alright, there are children around. Think about your image." Fanghua was quite helpless. Why were the people around her so shameless and scoundrel-like? She didn't know who she owed anything to.
"I am aware of what you have done, but I must apologize to you here. This was something Chengren did unintentionally."
Fanghua naturally wouldn't tell anyone about her son studying medicine, even though this was a concubine who wanted to curry favor with her; some things had to be kept secret.
As she said before, she trusts no one in this world except her two children.
She maintained the utmost vigilance even towards the servants who attended her.
Upon learning that the Crown Prince had taken the Empress's medicine and caused the misunderstanding, the Consort felt somewhat disappointed, but also relieved.
"The effects of this medicine will last for three months. During these three months, you can do things that you can't do normally," Fanghua reminded her with a smile.
The Imperial Concubine naturally understood the Empress's intention and nodded with a smile, "Then thank you very much for your kindness, Your Majesty."
After saying this, she looked at the little child beside her and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to ask Niohuru." After making this promise, the Consort bowed and got up to leave.
Throughout the entire performance, Chengren felt like he had watched nothing at all; at least the suspicion and probing he had imagined did not occur.
Some of their conversations were riddles with hidden meanings, but fortunately, he knew some of the inside story and could guess some of the meaning behind their dialogue.
It was precisely because he had guessed these things that he was so shocked.
If his mother, the Empress, had been alive in his previous life, he would have had to yield to her in every way to secure his position as Crown Prince.
"Empress Mother, it's so good to have you." With no outsiders around, Chengren hugged his Empress Mother and said in a spoiled tone.
"You should be less mischievous in the future. There is a balance in the harem, and some balances are not easy to break. For example, the power of the Imperial Concubine. If she really gives birth to a prince, it will be a great obstacle for us to advance further in the future."
Touching Chengren's little face, Fanghua earnestly told him about the secrets of the imperial harem.
These words reminded Chengreng of his tenth brother in his previous life. Wasn't it by relying on the power of the Niohuru clan that his fourth brother was ultimately forced to back down?
Even if he was unwilling, he had to give up the title of prince.
“Son understands now and will be more careful in the future,” Chengreng replied obediently.
Fanghua knew exactly what he was thinking, but it didn't matter. With her there, he could get what he wanted.
The fact that Consort De and Consort Gui were pregnant could not be kept secret in the end. Emperor Kangxi was overjoyed when he found out. He not only bestowed upon them precious treasures but also gave Consort Gui special favors.
The bestowal of the title "Xi" upon her was unexpected for Fanghua, another unexpected turn of events. However, she had long been able to face such unexpected events with equanimity.
Consort De did not receive the same favor as the Noble Consort; aside from precious treasures, she did not receive any special affection.
This also made her realize that in this harem, she had to climb to a high position to gain more favor.
Fanghua also exempted the two from their daily greetings. After Consort Tong finished her confinement period, she also received the Golden Book and Imperial Seal, becoming one of only two Imperial Consorts in the palace.
Unfortunately, she was still not as good as Niohuru, because Niohuru had a title, while she was just Consort Tong.
She is certainly no match for Consort Xi.
Fanghua knew the truth: both of them were faking their pregnancies. The only difference between them was that Consort Xi knew the truth, while Consort De thought she was really pregnant.
She neglected the third and fourth princesses, losing her former maternal love.
The two princesses naturally sensed this change. They had been favored by the emperor since childhood, and their tempers were no less than those of the princes. Knowing that their mother was neglecting them because of the little brother in her belly, they immediately developed a dislike for the unborn brother.
Fanghua had seen all of this, and she was curious to see what great things these two princesses could do.
It's good to prepare for their future marriage alliances.
She really thinks she can act recklessly just because she has auspicious omens? Ha, she'll have to see if her stepmother agrees.
Fanghua felt extremely uncomfortable thinking about how the two of them would try to sow discord between her and others.
After Chenghu injured his leg, the two of them would always curse him behind his back, calling him a good-for-nothing. There were even rumors that the Crown Prince, the younger brother, had deliberately harmed his outstanding older brother, Chenghu.
If they want to sow discord between the brothers, then they shouldn't blame her, their stepmother, for being ruthless.
This time, we'll see if they're truly lucky enough to escape this scheme.
The imperial harem was filled with joy after the news of a pregnancy broke. The concubines flocked to the emperor, hoping that they too could bear a child.
The value of Da Guo Luo Luo Shi was exhausted, and by the time Fang Hua found out, Da Guo Luo Luo Shi had already died from a miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage.
The Emperor personally went to Yikun Palace to see her off on her final journey.
After all, she was just a noblewoman. When she was buried in the imperial concubine mausoleum, Emperor Kangxi was quite generous with the posthumous honors bestowed upon her, directly granting her the rank of imperial concubine.
The matter was handled very cleanly and respectably, but Fanghua knew that not only did Kangxi not allow Lady Da Guoluo to be buried in the imperial concubine mausoleum, but he also threw her into a mass grave to be eaten by wild dogs, leaving no trace of her remains.
Of course, it wasn't just her, but also the guard.
He's still the most ruthless.
Fanghua didn't expose the matter, but she found it ridiculous to see Xiao Guoluo, who had risen to power by stepping on her own sister, become the Consort Yi.
She may not be as straightforward and innocent as she appears.
Although she didn't have a good end in her previous life, she still enjoyed half a lifetime of honor and favor.
To say that Yinzhen was implicated by the Eighth Prince is an understatement; rather, it's more accurate to say that Consort Yi, who had enjoyed a life of glory, was unwilling to accept it.
After all, the one who would eventually rise to power would be the son born to the lowly palace maid she despised the most.
She was even less willing to suffer at the hands of a palace maid or empress dowager in the future.
To say that she was unaware of what Yinzhen was doing?
No, she knew.
Her push was also a factor.
To say she was unaware of Yinzhi's schemes?
No, she knew.
She simply wanted the son of a convicted woman to outdo the son of a palace maid.
Even in the end, she didn't think that her son, the son of a favored concubine, would lose to them. Unfortunately, she overestimated her son's loyalty.
He would rather abandon his mother than not go to the Imperial Clan Court with his eighth brother.
Fortunately, she had an eldest son, but he was a quiet and reserved person, and she had been neglected too much when he was young, so she felt stifled living in his house for a while.
He ultimately died with resentment.
In this life, her two sons will not be born, and no one knows what will become of her.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Yes, after the death of the elder Guo Luoluo, Emperor Kangxi promoted the younger Guo Luoluo to the rank of concubine due to the power of the Guo Luoluo clan, and also bestowed upon her the title of Yi.
This favoritism immediately made Consort Yi stand out in everyone's eyes.
Just then, the Empress Dowager returned to the palace.
After five years away from the palace to pray for the Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager has finally returned.
Upon her return to the palace, she won over Consort Yi's heart.
Perhaps the Empress Dowager's long absence from the palace made Emperor Kangxi feel guilty. He not only showed her great filial piety, but also doted on Consort Meng and Consort Yun, whom she cared about.
Unfortunately, despite being pampered, the two were unable to conceive.
It's unclear whether the Empress Dowager has come to terms with it or not, but she no longer insists on the fact that the two of them conceived a royal child.
The Empress Dowager's coldness gave the two of them a chance to catch their breath.
"Sister, is the Empress Dowager really abandoning us?" Over the years, Consort Yun had been living with Consort Meng. Although they hadn't enjoyed much glory, no one in the harem dared to mistreat them.
Yes, even though Gao Yun was made a concubine, she still lived in the same palace as Meng He.
Only the two mistresses lived in Shou'an Palace, which was quite comfortable.
When the Empress Dowager was away, they longed for her return.
But now that the Empress Dowager has returned, they are afraid of the Emperor's favor towards them.
They naturally wanted children too.
The example of Kegerile was too frightening; the two were conflicted about having a child, wanting it but also afraid of it.
I'm extremely conflicted.
“That’s even better, sister. Haven’t you seen it after all these years? Our living is the greatest contribution to the tribe. If we die, then other sisters in the family will have to be sent to the Qing Dynasty.”
Thinking of her sisters, Meng He couldn't bear it.
These Mongolian princesses should live on the grasslands; that is their home, that is the sky where they can soar.
Mongolian princesses are all eagles; they should not be confined to this small world, their wings broken, their magnificent plumage shed.
"Or do you want your child to become a threat to the royal family from the tribe?" After so many years, she had long since seen through the tricks of the trade.
Even Gao Yun, after all these years, is still the same timid and indecisive person.
"Sister, how could it be a threat?" Gao Yun asked, puzzled. "If we have a child, wouldn't that further strengthen our relationship with the Qing Dynasty?"
She felt that her sister was wrong.
Meng He sighed helplessly, "You only see the immediate benefits. Have you ever thought about how dangerous the struggle for the throne would be if there were a Mongol prince in the harem?"
She believed that as long as they conceived a prince, they would surely follow in Gerile's footsteps.
Her life still has value; it shouldn't be lost just to have a child.
Fanghua couldn't hear the sisters' conversation. If she had known, she would definitely have praised Mengfei for being mature and intelligent.
Unfortunately, I can't hear it.
I don't know what the sisters are thinking.
However, in order to facilitate future marriage alliances between the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to these two men.
Life is never short of them.
Not only that, their share was 20% higher than that of their peers.
She had made this public, and the emperor was aware of it, so he didn't object and just continued to carry it out.
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