After speaking, Miao Chang curtsied to Xu Lejin, then left quickly with her maids, her face grim.
Watching Miao Changzai's departing figure.
After a long while, Xu Lejin sighed softly and shook her head.
Ru Hua pouted, her face full of mockery, and said disdainfully, "Your Majesty, Consort Miao is too ignorant of her own limitations. She doesn't even know her own worth, yet she dares to dream of becoming a concubine or a royal consort after giving birth to the imperial heir."
"In my humble opinion, Miao Changzai is nothing but a fool's dream and a delusional fantasy."
Xu Lejin glanced at Ruhua.
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Consort Miao is a concubine in the harem, serving the emperor. Now she is pregnant. Perhaps one day she will be able to rise in status through her son and be granted the title of concubine or imperial consort."
"Ruhua, please don't say things like that again."
Ru Hua lowered her head and replied sheepishly, "Yes."
Ten days later, on the tenth day of the sixth lunar month
Despite her illness, the Empress summoned the concubines of the inner palace.
"The Empress Dowager, out of consideration for my poor health, specially arranged for my sister Consort Xuan, Consort Hui, Consort Jing, and Consort Xi to assist in managing the six palaces. I am very grateful to my sisters."
"Colorful Moon,"
The Empress called out towards the outside of the palace, and a moment later Caiyue led two palace maids, carrying a brocade box into the palace.
With a gentle smile, the Empress said softly, "This is a red-gold lotus bracelet that I specially instructed the Imperial Household Department to make from pure gold and gemstones. I am giving it to my four sisters to thank them for their hard work in managing the six palaces."
Consort Xuan was slightly taken aback.
"Thank you for the gift, Your Majesty. This red-gold lotus bracelet is exquisitely crafted and the colors are very well matched. I like it very much."
Consort Xuan picked up the bracelet from the brocade box and spoke with a smile.
The Empress's expression was gentle and graceful.
"I'm glad Consort Xuan likes it. Caiyue, quickly put it on Consort Xuan."
Caiyue respectfully agreed, bowed slightly, and carefully put the crimson lotus bracelet on Consort Xuan's wrist. Consort Xuan raised her hand, admiring the bracelet on her wrist with a look of delight on her face.
Consort Hui glanced at the bracelet in the brocade box in front of her, and subtly revealed the jade bracelet on her wrist.
"I am not very happy about Your Majesty's kindness, but I am already wearing a jade bracelet today. If I were to wear the red gold lotus bracelet that Your Majesty has bestowed upon me, it would seem inappropriate."
Changing the subject, Consort Hui said to the maid beside her, "Green Lotus, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and put away the bracelet that Her Majesty the Empress bestowed upon you."
"yes."
Green Lotus stepped forward and took the brocade box from the little palace maid.
Xu Lejin saw everything, smiled faintly, and said nothing more.
Immediately afterwards, Consort Jing said that her clothes and the red-gold lotus bracelet did not match, and asked the palace maid to take the bracelet away. Consort Xi, under the scorching gaze of the Empress, put the bracelet on her wrist.
After returning to Yikun Palace, Xu Lejin couldn't shake the thought of the Empress bestowing the red-gold lotus bracelets upon Consort Xuan and Consort Hui that day.
With a solemn expression, Xu Lejin pondered for a long time before beckoning Ruhua forward and whispering, "Ruhua, go to Xianfu Palace and deliver a message to Consort Xuan for me."
Ru Hua leaned close and whispered a few words in Xu Lejin's ear.
A moment later, Ru Hua hurriedly left Yikun Palace.
Lianzhi lowered her head and spoke softly, "Does Your Majesty suspect that the Empress tampered with the bracelets that she bestowed upon Consort Xuan and Consort Hui today?"
"Better safe than sorry."
Xu Lejin sighed softly and said, "Today in the Empress's palace, neither Consort Hui nor Consort Jing wore the bracelets bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress on the spot. Consort Xi also hesitated and only wore them under the Empress's gaze."
"Such an unusual occurrence makes me suspicious."
Lianzhi nodded slightly, a look of understanding flashing quickly in her eyes as she pondered whether to report this matter to the Emperor.
Half an hour later, Ru Hua ran into the palace, her face filled with panic, and reported to Xu Lejin: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Consort Xuan has miscarried."
"..."
Xu Lejin looked surprised and staggered a few steps. "How could she suddenly miscarry? There was no news of Consort Xuan being pregnant before. How could she suddenly miscarry today?"
"Your Majesty, Consort Xuan is only one month pregnant. Today, after paying her respects to the Empress in her palace, she felt unwell. At first, Consort Xuan thought it was just her period. This afternoon..."
Ru Xian looked embarrassed and continued in a low voice, "In the afternoon, Consort Xuan started bleeding. When I went to Consort Xuan's palace just now, the imperial physician was reporting that Consort Xuan had accidentally eaten something cold, which caused her to miscarry."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin immediately got up and led the palace servants toward Xianfu Palace.
Fifteen minutes later
Consort Xuan lay weakly on the bed, her face pale. Xu Lejin gently comforted her, "Sister Consort Xuan, you can have more children in the future. Don't be too sad or heartbroken!"
"The most important thing right now is to take good care of your health."
"Yes, Consort Yu..."
With a choked voice, Consort Xuan said softly, "Sister Consort Yu, I didn't even know I was pregnant. I... I thought it was my period, which is why my lower abdomen was bloated and painful."
"Sister Yufei, he was only a tiny little thing in my belly, and he's gone just like that, sister!"
As Consort Xuan spoke, she began to sob uncontrollably.
Xu Lejin gently comforted Consort Xuan, feeling that although Consort Xuan was usually simple, lively, and kind-hearted, she was also very saddened by the sudden loss of her child.
"His Majesty has arrived! The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Outside Xianfu Palace, the shrill voice of the head eunuch could be heard.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects; I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager; I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Xu Lejin curtsied.
Emperor Kangxi glanced at Consort Xuan, whose face was pale on the bed, and before Xu Lejin could finish speaking, he said, "No need!"
The Empress Dowager looked at Consort Xuan with a face full of pity and sorrow, and said, "Consort Xuan, you child, you didn't even know you were pregnant. A perfectly healthy child, gone just like that."
"Your Majesty, your humble servant..."
Consort Xuan silently shed tears, her heart filled with sorrow.
The Empress Dowager also looked at Consort Xuan with a face full of regret, lamenting the cruel twist of fate.
They longed for Consort Xuan to conceive day and night, but now that Consort Xuan was pregnant, she suffered a miscarriage without their knowledge.
Consort Xuan's child was of the same bloodline as the Qing Dynasty and the Khorchin, but now it's gone just like that.
Kangxi glanced at the kneeling imperial physician and the palace maid serving Consort Xuan, and said coldly, "Imperial Physician, how is Consort Xuan?"
"Your Majesty, Consort Xuan has ingested something cold and raw, resulting in a miscarriage. Consort Xuan's health is already weak, making it difficult for her to conceive, and now this sudden miscarriage..."
"Furthermore, I have found a slight trace of musk in Consort Xuan's body. It will be difficult for Consort Xuan to conceive again in the future."
The imperial physician replied tremblingly.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's vision went black, and she fainted. Immediately, chaos erupted within Xianfu Palace as everyone rushed about in a flurry of activity…
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