Xu Lejin responded faintly, without much reaction.
Qin Huai and Ru Hua exchanged a glance and then winked at Zi Wu, who was kneeling below.
Ziwu carefully bowed and retreated, and 'thoughtfully' closed the main hall door of Yikun Palace.
"Your Majesty, Consort Yi is pregnant. Even if she gives birth to a prince, he will not surpass Your Majesty's. Your Majesty need not worry too much."
"Your Majesty, you have a third prince, and also a seventh princess, an eighth princess, and so on."
Ru Hua frowned and spoke in a low voice.
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, looked at Ruhua with surprise, and said in a deep voice, "Consort Yi is pregnant, this is a good thing, what am I worried about?"
"Consort Yi has been serving the Emperor for five years and has always been favored by him. It is normal for her to be pregnant now."
"Ruhua, prepare a congratulatory gift and send it to Consort Yi's palace to congratulate her on her pregnancy."
Ru Hua lowered her eyes and respectfully agreed.
In Yongshou Palace, Consort Yi's face radiated the loving warmth of an expectant mother. She lowered her head slightly and gently stroked her belly, which had just been diagnosed with pregnancy but was not yet showing.
Softly murmuring, Consort Yi smiled and said to herself, "After so many years of waiting and drinking so many fertility-enhancing medicines, I am finally pregnant."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is blessed with good fortune and will surely conceive and give birth to a little prince."
Qingtao, the head palace maid beside Consort Yi, spoke with a smile.
At this moment, another senior palace maid, Lvliu, who was by Consort Yi's side, bowed and entered the hall.
"Your Majesty, Consort Xiu, Consort Guo, and Consort Chen have learned that Your Majesty is pregnant and are requesting an audience outside the palace."
"Um."
Consort Yi responded, frowned and pondered for a moment, then parted her lips slightly, "Quickly invite them into the palace."
A moment later, Green Willow led Consort Xiu, Consort Guo, and others into the hall.
Xiu Changzai remained calm, while Guo Changzai and Chen Daying's slightly lowered eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.
Bowing, the three women said in unison, "This humble servant greets Consort Yi."
"No need for such formalities!"
Consort Yi, with her belly not yet showing, quietly instructed the palace maids to prepare tea and snacks.
Guo Changzai smiled and winked at Chen Yingying.
Consort Chen spoke in a sweet voice, "This humble servant heard that Your Majesty is pregnant, so I specially invited Consort Xiu and Consort Guo to come and congratulate Your Majesty."
"Her Majesty is the head of our Yongshou Palace. Now that she is pregnant, our Yongshou Palace will surely prosper in the future."
"The Emperor dotes on the Empress. After the Empress gives birth to the little prince, she will surely be promoted to the rank of Consort."
Chen, who was not very literate, racked her brains to try and say something nice.
Consort Yi smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Consort Chen. I am also hoping that the child in my womb will be a prince."
"I have served Your Majesty for many years, and now, after much anticipation, I am finally pregnant. I have not failed Your Majesty's kindness."
After a pause, Consort Yi glanced at her half-sister, Consort Guo.
“In the past, I was unable to conceive for a long time, so my family sent Consort Guo to the palace. Now that I am pregnant, I can say that I have fulfilled my duty to my family and have not disgraced them for their support over the years.”
Guo Changzai stood up without changing his expression.
"Your Highness is overjoyed to be pregnant. It is a blessing for our Yongshou Palace and for the Guo Luoluo family."
Inside Yongshou Palace, Consort Yi, Consort Guo, and a few others exchanged pleasantries with feigned camaraderie.
Ru Hua, who served Xu Lejin, personally went to Yongshou Palace to deliver congratulatory gifts and congratulate Consort Yi on her pregnancy.
Consort Yi accepted it with a smile and had her head maid personally deliver Ruhua to her.
Watching Ru Hua's departing figure, Chen Daying recalled her demotion from Changzai to Daying, the stripping of her title, and the confinement she had endured. Her hands, hanging in her sleeves, clenched into fists.
With a quick dart of her eyes, Consort Chen smiled and said, "Your Highness is now pregnant, and Consort Yu has sent Ruhua to deliver a congratulatory gift. This humble servant feels that there is something fishy about this."
"Consort Yu is a concubine; she has condescended to be of such a high rank."
Swallowing the words that were about to come out, Consort Chen quickly glanced at Consort Yi and lowered her voice.
"Your Majesty, the congratulatory gift sent by Consort Yu should be carefully inspected."
"I used to be a palace maid. I heard the older women in the palace discussing the dirty tricks used in the palace. They said that tonics, medicines, and food are the easiest things to tamper with."
Upon hearing this, Consort Yi's face darkened.
Guo Changzai lowered her head slightly, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes, while Xiu Changzai raised her eyes, gave Chen Daying a meaningful look, and then lowered her head again.
Xiu Changzai used to serve Consort Tongjia. Now she is over twenty-five years old and is not favored. She only serves the emperor two or three times a year.
Kangxi's favor?
Consort Xiu had once hoped for this, but after the death of Consort Xiuqin, who was like a sister to her, Consort Xiu fell into seclusion, spending her days eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, quietly staying in her own room.
If it weren't for her rank of Consort, people in the palace would almost have forgotten that there was such a person as Consort Xiu.
Ten days later
After Xu Lejin took Wuxiha, Wunaxi, and the infant Wulingzhu to Cining Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.
Strolling leisurely down the long street.
From afar, a woman dressed in green palace attire, accompanied by palace maids, could be seen walking back and forth outside Yikun Palace, beneath the palace walls.
"Your Highness, it's Consort Xiu from Consort Yi's palace."
After walking a little closer, Ru Hua whispered her report to Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin nodded.
Xiu Changzai looked at Xu Lejin, quickly walked over, and knelt down to respectfully greet her, "This humble servant greets Consort Yu, may Consort Yu be blessed."
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