Consort Ma gave birth to a baby princess safely, and the news quickly spread throughout the palace.
The reactions varied among the palaces; some were secretly relieved, while others felt that Consort Ma Jia was incredibly lucky...
The following afternoon, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager learned that Consort Ma had given birth to a princess. They were somewhat disappointed and lamented that Consort Ma's child was not a prince.
There are only three princes still alive in the palace.
The fourth son of Consort Ma Jia, Saiyinchahun; the fifth son of Consort Nara, Baoqing; and the sixth son of Consort Yu, Xu Muershi, Baoshou.
Princess?
Excluding the eldest and second princesses who died young, there are now eight princesses in the palace.
The Empress Dowager, with her aged and frail face, pondered for a long time before saying in a deep voice, "Ma Jia is an unlucky woman. She has been pregnant six times, but miscarried once."
"Chengrui died in infancy, and her third, fourth, and fifth pregnancies all resulted in the birth of princesses."
The Empress Dowager, who had been keeping her head down and seemingly lost in thought, paused for a moment, then glanced at the Grand Empress Dowager out of the corner of her eye before lowering her head again and speaking softly.
“Empress Mother, although Lady Magiya has given birth to daughters one after another, the princess is still the Emperor’s own flesh and blood, and is a precious and noble Qing princess.”
"Although Lady Ma Jia was not fortunate enough to give birth to a prince for the emperor, a princess would still be excellent."
There was a hint of envy in the Empress Dowager's tone.
She came to the capital from Khorchin and was made empress after entering the palace, enjoying the honor of being the mother of the nation. However, she was not fortunate enough to have children while the late emperor was alive.
Even if she were a princess, she wouldn't have one.
The Empress Dowager sighed softly, "Yes, the princess is fine too."
"The Manchu-Mongol intermarriage was a rule set by our ancestors, solely for the purpose of stabilizing the country and maintaining the relationship between the Qing Dynasty and the various Mongol tribes."
After a pause, the Empress Dowager changed the subject.
"During the reign of Emperor Taizong, my aunt and my daughter both married into various Mongol tribes and sacrificed themselves for the Qing Dynasty. During the reign of the late emperor, only Princess Gongque was raised."
"When the emperor first ascended the throne, all the Mongol tribes sought his hand in marriage, and he sent women from his own clan to marry them."
The Empress Dowager paused slightly, then fell into deep thought.
The Empress Dowager lowered her head and spoke in a deep voice, "For the sake of the country, my elder sisters have worked hard. Although Gongque and Gongque were born to Consort Yang, they were raised by me for several years."
"I wonder how she's been doing in Shengjing all these years?"
The Cining Palace fell silent instantly.
After a long while, the Empress Dowager said softly, "It must have been hard on Gongque. Back then, for the sake of the previous dynasty's political situation, he was betrothed to Aobai's nephew at the age of fifteen. Aobai relied on being the regent appointed by Emperor Fulin and was arrogant and domineering."
"Back then, if Gongque hadn't sent someone into the palace to inform the Emperor and me of Aobai's actions, the Qing Dynasty would probably have already collapsed."
The Empress Dowager frowned, lost in memories of the past.
After a long while, the Empress Dowager solemnly instructed Sumalagu, who was serving her, "Suma, send a message to the Khorchin tribe and ask them to take good care of Gongque, after all, Gongque is Fulin's only daughter."
"Yes, the Empress Dowager is kind and benevolent. Princess Gongque will surely be safe and healthy."
Sumalagu smiled and agreed.
The Empress Dowager sighed and murmured softly.
“Sending my concubine to secure the nation’s well-being is also for the sake of the Qing Dynasty, and I am sacrificing my lifelong happiness.”
"I am also a woman. Back then, for the sake of the Qing Dynasty, I had to harden my heart. Now that I am old, my heart has softened. I only hope that my children and grandchildren will surround me, that the emperor will have many offspring, and that the Qing Dynasty will last for thousands of years."
After a pause, the Empress Dowager continued, "If Lady Ma Jia gives birth to a princess for the Emperor, Su Ma will select one item from my dowry and send it to Zhongcui Palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager bestowed a gift upon the youngest princess born to Consort Ma Jia, who was also the tenth princess. The news quickly spread throughout the palace.
Consort Zhao sat upright in the main hall of Chuxiu Palace with a gloomy expression.
"A princess, and the Empress Dowager actually bestowed a gold necklace from her dowry upon her? I have been in the palace for many years, always working diligently, and have never received any reward from the Empress Dowager."
"Ma Jia, a lowly hussy born into a bondservant family, seduced the Emperor. Ma Jia's tenth daughter is still an infant in swaddling clothes. What virtue or ability does she possess to deserve such attention from the Empress Dowager?"
"Caiyue, why haven't I conceived yet? Even if I had a princess, I would be content!"
As she spoke, tears began to flow from Consort Zhao's eyes.
Caiyue and Lianxing exchanged a glance and quickly comforted her softly, "Your Majesty, you are in the prime of your life. You will have princes and princesses sooner or later."
"The Emperor and the Empress Dowager trust Your Majesty. In the future, when Your Majesty is made Empress, every prince and princess in the palace will be Your Majesty's child."
Consort Zhao was stunned for a moment, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.
"Even so, none of the princes and princesses in the palace are my own children. Whenever I see them with their own children, I feel a tightness in my chest."
"I am suffering in my heart!"
Caiyue and Lianxing were at a loss, not knowing how to comfort Consort Zhao.
At this moment, Hongxia, a second-class palace maid serving Consort Zhao, entered from outside the hall with a solemn expression and respectfully reported to Consort Zhao, "Your Majesty, Cui'er, a palace maid from the West Annex Hall, has come to report that Consort Sixue is suspected of being pregnant."
"Si Xue is pregnant?"
Consort Zhao was so shocked that her jaw dropped.
Si Xue was sent to the palace by the Niohuru family through the Imperial Household Department after she entered the palace to help her secure the emperor's favor. She occasionally served the emperor and had not been pregnant for the previous six or seven years.
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