After many twists and turns, Consort Duan finally won custody of the fourteenth princess, and the entire Jingyang Palace was filled with joy.
Jingyang Palace Main Hall
Consort Duan gazed lovingly at the fair-skinned fourteenth princess in her swaddling clothes, her heart melting with tenderness. She was finally pregnant again.
Although he was not his biological son, the emperor had already issued an edict to change the imperial genealogy.
From this day forward, she will be the birth mother of the fourteenth princess.
This time, she will do everything in her power to raise the fourteenth princess and ensure her safe growth!
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Your humble servant and Sister Niu learned last night that Your Majesty has been granted custody of the Fourteenth Princess. We should have come to congratulate you last night, but it was late and the dew was heavy, and we were worried that we might disturb Your Majesty's rest, so we came to congratulate you today."
"Please forgive your humble servant and Sister Niu, Your Highness."
Yin Changzai sat halfway on the embroidered stool, smiling as she looked at Duan Pin and spoke. Niu Daying, standing beside her, also had a face full of joy.
Consort Duan nodded slightly and said, "Consort Yin and Consort Niu are very kind!"
"His Majesty has been very kind to grant me permission to raise the Fourteenth Princess. I am overjoyed and am currently thinking of thanking Consort Yu. If Consort Yin and Consort Niu are free today, would you please accompany me to Consort Yu's palace?"
Yin Changzai and Niu Daying exchanged a quick glance.
"Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated by your humble servant and sister Niu. We will certainly accompany Your Majesty to Yikun Palace to pay our respects to Consort Yu."
The three women from Jingyang Palace—Consort Duan, Consort Yin, and Lady Niu—each led their maids towards Yikun Palace in the western six palaces. The news quickly reached Consort Jing in Yonghe Palace.
Consort Jing's face was gloomy, and she said coldly, "So it was Consort Yu who was behind this. Since I entered the palace, I have always been cautious and have never offended Consort Yu. Why would Consort Yu obstruct me from raising the Fourteenth Princess?"
"I am not favored by the emperor. Although I have the power to assist in managing the six palaces, having offspring is the foundation for my survival in the palace."
Consort Jing's brows furrowed tightly into a line.
The palace maids Shiman and Jiaxin exchanged a glance. Shiman spoke softly, "Your Highness, this servant suspects it might be related to the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine became close to Consort Yu as soon as she entered the palace, but…"
"Ever since the Imperial Concubine suffered a miscarriage and was subsequently promoted to Imperial Concubine, she has become estranged from Consort Yu. I have also heard that the Imperial Concubine once laid a hand on the Third Prince, the Seventh Princess, and the Eighth Princess."
"Your Majesty has always had a close relationship with the Imperial Concubine. This time, the Imperial Concubine lost the opportunity to raise the Fourteenth Princess, which benefited Consort Duan. It is likely that Consort Yu was behind this."
After listening to this, Consort Jing thought about it carefully and felt that this was the correct approach.
With a furrowed brow and after a long silence, Consort Jing instructed in a deep voice, "Shiman, have the palace servants prepare the sedan chair. I haven't visited the Cining Palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager for several days."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Shiman and Jiaxin exchanged a quick glance, bowed, and left the main hall of Yonghe Palace to give instructions to the palace servants.
Half an hour later
When Consort Jing arrived at Cining Palace, she respectfully and obediently greeted the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the Fifth Princess, Burhe, who was sitting quietly to the side, and the adorable Twelfth Princess, Wuyoudai, who was nestled in her wet nurse's arms. Her heart was filled with bitterness.
When will she be able to have her own child?
Even if it were a princess, that would be good, but I haven't been favored by the emperor for more than half a year, so how could I have a child?
The Empress Dowager gave Consort Jing a meaningful look, and said in her aged manner, "The Empress Dowager and I are aware of Consort Jing's purpose. The Fourteenth Princess is being raised by Consort Duan, and the birth mother of the Fourteenth Princess on the imperial genealogy has been changed to Consort Duan. This is the Emperor's will."
"Consort Jing is young, and now she assists the Noble Consort in managing the affairs of the six palaces. She will surely become pregnant and give birth to a son or daughter in the future."
Consort Jing glanced quickly at the Empress Dowager, her face showing bitterness.
"The Empress Dowager's teachings are correct."
Changing the subject, Consort Jing looked at the Fifth Princess and the Twelfth Princess beside her and said with a smile, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I think the Fifth Princess has grown into a graceful young lady, and the Twelfth Princess is also very well-behaved and lovely."
"The Fifth Princess is the legitimate daughter of Empress Xiaocheng. In terms of status, she is even more noble than the First Princess, who was raised by Empress Xiaozhao. The Twelfth Princess's birth mother is Consort Yu. Consort Yu is blessed with one son and three daughters. She is currently six months pregnant. I wonder if Consort Yu's baby will be a prince or a princess?"
After speaking, Consort Jing lowered her head, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.
The Empress Dowager opened her tightly closed eyes and glanced at Consort Jing with a gloomy look. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the Grand Empress Dowager and said thoughtfully, "Consort Yu is indeed blessed, having become pregnant one after another."
"The Emperor highly values Consort Yu's pregnancy. Although she comes from a humble background, she has contributed to the production of offspring. If this child is a prince..."
After a pause, the Empress Dowager slowly spoke again. "Enough, enough. Everything will be clear after Consort Yu gives birth."
"yes."
Consort Jing nodded obsequiously, but a cold smile quickly flashed through her mind.
More than half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The beginning of the twelfth lunar month arrived. In the winter, the warm sunshine shone on the earth. Xu Lejin had the eunuchs move a chaise lounge to the window and leisurely basked in the sunshine.
Ru Hua bowed as she entered from outside the palace, smiling as she said to Xu Lejin, "Your Majesty, Consort Duan sent some things over this morning. They were presented by Consort Duan's maternal family outside the palace."
"Consort Duan selected some of them and sent them to our Yikun Palace."
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