In just half a month, Consort Lan had served the emperor three times.
Consort Niu panicked immediately because she realized that Emperor Kangxi had not visited her palace for the past two weeks, and she had not become pregnant as she had expected.
Her period arrived as scheduled three days ago.
May 19
As night fell, Consort Niu's eyes darkened, her fingernails digging deep into her palms as she gritted her teeth and said, "It's Consort Lan again? This month, Consort Lan has already served the emperor four times."
"Your Majesty,"
The old woman lowered her eyes, deep in thought.
With an inscrutable expression, Consort Niu pondered for a moment before speaking, "Go, report to the Emperor that I suddenly feel nauseous and unwell, and request that His Majesty come to my palace."
Consort Niu's wet nurse gasped in surprise.
"Your Majesty, this..."
Isn't this wrong? False pregnancy is a crime of deceiving the emperor.
Consort Niu's expression was indifferent, and her red lips parted slightly, "I am just feeling nauseous and uncomfortable. I am not pregnant. Don't worry, nanny, I have my own plans."
The wet nurse pondered for a moment, then nodded silently to the palace maid serving Consort Niu.
A moment later
Consort Niu bit her lip tightly and said in a deep voice, "Have someone prepare a bowl of fertility-enhancing soup. I refuse to believe that I cannot conceive."
The wet nurse gasped in surprise.
"Your Majesty, all medicines have some degree of toxicity. Please take care of yourself."
With a cold laugh, Consort Niu gave a bitter smile and said softly, "My body is so uncooperative. I served the Emperor eight times last month, but I still didn't conceive. Now I have no choice but to take the plunge and gamble once."
"Either succeed or die trying."
The wet nurse sighed softly and nodded with her head down.
The moon rises above the willow branches
In a brightly lit side hall of the Qianqing Palace, Consort Lan lay on the dragon bed, her face flushed with shyness. Not far away, under an oil lamp, Emperor Kangxi frowned as he flipped through a book in his hands.
"emperor,"
Consort Lan waited and waited, but Emperor Kangxi showed no sign of resting. So, with a shy smile, she spoke in a delicate voice.
Emperor Kangxi looked up at Consort Lan, whose face was flushed, on the dragon bed, and remained silent in contemplation.
Consort Lan gritted her teeth, her face flushed, and said shyly, "Your Majesty, it's late, you should rest early. This servant... this servant will make Your Majesty comfortable..."
"、、"
Emperor Kangxi's face darkened, and he was about to reprimand Consort Lan.
At this moment, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the side hall. Kangxi swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth and said coldly, "Liang Jiugong, what's going on? What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?"
Liang Jiugong, who was waiting outside the hall, had beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.
Clearing his throat, Liang Jiugong spoke respectfully, "Your Majesty, Consort Niu has sent word that she suddenly felt unwell tonight, experiencing nausea and vomiting."
"Consort Niu requests Your Majesty to go to Chuxiu Palace."
Emperor Kangxi paused for a moment, looked at Consort Lan on the dragon bed, and frowned in thought.
"Understood, prepare the sedan chair!"
Consort Lan, lying on the dragon bed, turned pale upon hearing this. Suppressing her raging anger, she looked timidly at Emperor Kangxi and said in a soft voice, "Your Majesty..."
"Um."
Kangxi responded, then added, "You should go back soon!"
Consort Lan was stunned and incredulous.
"emperor……"
Kangxi strode out of the sleeping quarters and into the outer room. Soon, palace maids came forward to help him change his clothes. Consort Lan, who was on the dragon bed, turned from white to green, and her teeth almost shattered.
Lan Guiren cursed inwardly, "Bitch! Bitch! Consort Niu, that bitch! She used her illness to steal the favor that should have been hers! This is outrageous!"
Yikun Palace
Just as Xu Lejin was about to go to sleep, Ru Hua hurried in from outside the palace and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has gone to Chuxiu Palace, to Consort Niu's palace. It is said that Consort Niu suddenly felt unwell and nauseous."
After a moment of hesitation, Xu Lejin quickly considered the matter in her mind.
"Didn't His Majesty summon Consort Lan to the side hall of Qianqing Palace tonight? Why did he go to Consort Niu's palace? Consort Niu suddenly felt unwell, nauseous, and wanted to vomit. Could it be..."
Xu Lejin looked puzzled, but quickly regained her composure and said casually, "Last month, Consort Niu had the most nights with the Emperor, so it's only natural that she would become pregnant."
"Ruhua, have someone keep an eye on Consort Niu's palace, and report every move to me."
Ru Hua respectfully responded.
Xu Lejin murmured softly, then spoke, "Consort Niu, Consort He, and Consort Tong entered the palace together. Consort He and Consort Tong are young and have not yet reached the age of marriage, so it is not yet time for them to serve the emperor."
"Consort Niu has been serving the Emperor for half a year, and now rumors of her pregnancy are almost circulating. Consort Wan and Consort Ning, however, have yet to serve him."
Qin Huai lowered his head, thinking quickly.
The next day
It happened to be the sixteenth, the day when all the concubines in the harem gathered at Yikun Palace to pay their respects to Xu Lejin.
Consort Niu was unwell last night and invited Emperor Kangxi to Chuxiu Palace. After that, everything proceeded as planned, and Emperor Kangxi stayed at Chuxiu Palace. This morning, Consort Niu was late in arriving.
"Your Highness, I heard that Consort Niu was unwell last night, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit, and the imperial physician was summoned to take her pulse. Does Your Highness know how Consort Niu is feeling?"
"But Yu Xi became pregnant."
Consort Hui looked up at Xu Lejin and spoke with a forced smile.
Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Hui with a calm expression and said, "I don't know either. When Consort Niu arrives, Consort Hui should ask Consort Niu herself."
"Last night, the Emperor chose Consort Lan, but because Consort Niu was unwell, he was summoned to the Chuxiu Palace. Consort Lan was wronged. Ruhua,"
Ru Hua bowed and stepped forward, awaiting instructions.
Clearing her throat, Xu Lejin spoke in a deep voice. "I recently acquired some fine jade and had earrings made from it. I will bestow them upon Consort Lan."
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