Consort Xi went into premature labor due to miscarriage.
Xu Lejin nearly dropped her jaw upon hearing this!
"Consort Xi's unborn child? If I remember correctly, Consort Xi's unborn child was just seven months along. How could she have suddenly gone into premature labor?"
After a quick moment of thought, Xu Lejin asked in a deep voice, "Has the midwife and the imperial physicians been arranged?"
Liu Ying quickly exchanged a glance with Nongying, who was standing next to Xu Lejin.
Carefully choosing her words, Liu Ying respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the midwife was just selected by the Imperial Household Department on the orders of Consort Que the other day, and has not yet been arranged to go to Consort Xi's palace."
"The imperial physician is Physician Liu, who has been protecting Consort Xi's pregnancy."
Xu Lejin responded, then asked, "Have Consort Hui prepared all the wet nurses and palace servants to care for Consort Xi's unborn child?"
"Consort Xi's pregnancy was premature and she went through several hardships during her pregnancy. After the little princess is born, she will be a bit weak and will need careful wet nurses and palace servants to take good care of her."
After speaking, Xu Lejin looked at Nongying beside her with a heavy expression.
Nongying spoke respectfully, “The day before yesterday, Consort Hui reported that two wet nurses had been selected, and two more are still being selected. The palace servants who will serve them are all ready.”
"Um."
Nodding, Xu Lejin added, "Tell Consort Hui to hurry up and select two more wet nurses."
In Yanxi Palace
Consort Hui had already retired for the night when suddenly a commotion broke out in Yanxi Palace.
With a frown, Consort Hui sat up straight on the bed and said coldly, "Cunxin, what's going on outside? Why is it so noisy at this hour?"
A moment later, Cunxin bent over and entered the bedroom.
"Your Majesty, Consort Xi of Qixiang Palace is going into premature labor. Noble Consort Yu has sent someone to our palace to inform you that you should prepare two more wet nurses to care for the unborn princess."
Consort Hui's expression changed, becoming so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it.
After a short while, Consort Hui spoke in a cold voice, "Consort Xi's unborn child is only seven months along. How could it have suddenly gone into premature labor?"
"Consort Xi has gone through several hardships during her pregnancy, and now she has gone into premature labor at seven months. The imperial fetus in her womb must be exceptionally weak, and even if it is born safely, it may not be able to grow up safely."
"What bad luck! Even if a little princess is born, she is destined not to survive, yet I have to prepare four wet nurses and twelve palace servants to take good care of her."
Cunxin glanced quickly outside and whispered, "Your Majesty, please be careful what you say! You mustn't say such things!"
"Yes, I know."
Consort Hui responded faintly and, with Cunxin's help, began to dress and do her hair.
A moment later, she rushed to Qixiang Palace with the palace servants and stood guard outside the delivery room.
On winter nights, the cold wind howls, and even with a charcoal brazier, it's difficult to keep out the chill.
By midnight, Consort Hui was numb from the cold wind, her face frozen stiff. At this moment, she desperately missed the days when she didn't have to manage the six palaces.
Before she was in charge of managing the six palaces, when the concubines gave birth or something happened at night, she would lie comfortably in bed.
And now...
Because she was in charge of managing the six palaces, when Consort Xi gave birth, she had to get up in the middle of the night to stay outside the delivery room.
Time passed second by second.
As the morning star gradually rose in the east, Consort Xi was still struggling to give birth in the delivery room, while Consort Hui, who was waiting outside, looked numb, filled with exhaustion and helplessness.
Yikun Palace
Xu Lejin woke up from her sleep, glanced at the sky outside, and called Ruhua and Nongying into the hall in a deep voice.
Sitting upright in front of the dressing table, Xu Lejin spoke softly, "Has Consort Xi given birth? Last night, wasn't Consort Hui waiting outside the delivery room at Qixiang Palace?"
"Your Majesty, Consort Xi has not yet given birth."
Nongying paused for a moment, then said respectfully, "Last night, Consort Hui learned that Consort Xi had gone into premature labor, so she went to Consort Xi's palace and has been sitting outside the delivery room ever since."
Xu Lejin nodded slightly and whispered.
“Consort Hui is in charge of managing the six palaces. Consort Xi gave birth last night, and it is her duty to sit outside the delivery room to oversee things.”
Changing the subject abruptly, Xu Lejin revealed a wicked smile and said coldly, "With Consort Hui assisting in managing the six palaces, the concubines below the rank of consort can slack off on childbirth for me and Noble Consort Que."
Nongying and Ruhua exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads to suppress their laughter.
When the sun was high in the sky, Xu Lejin, after washing and dressing, leisurely led Ruhua and Nongying to Qixiang Palace to check on Consort Xi's childbirth.
At the entrance of Qixiang Palace, I encountered Consort Que, who was also taking her time.
The two smiled at each other, gave each other a half-bow, and stepped into Qixiang Palace.
Consort Hui, looking exhausted, bowed to Consort Xu Lejin and Consort Que with the help of a palace maid, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Consort Yu and Consort Que. May both of you be blessed."
"Consort Hui, please rise. There's no need for such formalities!"
A moment later, the three sat down in order.
Xu Lejin looked at Consort Hui and asked in a deep voice, "How is Consort Xi? When will she give birth? Consort Xi was carrying the imperial child and went into premature labor at seven months. Is she alright?"
Consort Hui took a deep breath and forced herself to cheer up.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Physician and the midwife just came out to report that Consort Xi and the unborn child are both well and will give birth in about two hours."
Xu Lejin nodded and exchanged a glance with Consort Que.
After a moment of contemplation, she said softly, "This is Consort Xi's first pregnancy, and she gave birth prematurely at seven months. It's understandable that her labor took longer."
"Consort Hui worked hard last night. I and Consort Que will report to His Majesty the truth later."
Consort Que nodded with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Consort Hui's expression changed. She suppressed her anger and replied respectfully with her head bowed, "It is my honor to share the burdens of Your Majesty, Consort Yu, and Consort Que. I am not tired."
Time passed second by second.
Three pots of tea were served at Qixiang Palace. Noon passed, and by 1 p.m., Consort Xi still hadn't given birth. Consort Xi's voice from inside the delivery room was weak and intermittent.
15:00 PM
As the sun began to set, a baby's cry, like a kitten's meow, finally rang out from the delivery room, but it was only that one cry before it was silenced.
Xu Lejin, Consort Que, and the others all changed their expressions, their faces becoming solemn.
With a creak, the delivery room door was pushed open.
The midwife, carrying a pink swaddled baby, walked towards Xu Lejin and the others with a look of trepidation and fear on her face, her feet feeling as if they weighed a ton.
Upon reaching Xu Lejin and the others, the midwife's legs went weak, and she knelt down, saying, "Your Highness Consort Yu, Your Highness Consort Que, Your Highness Consort Hui, Your Highness Consort Xi..."
"Consort Xi gave birth to a little princess, but the little princess died shortly after birth..."
Xu Lejin staggered and fell into a chair.
Consort Que's face was deathly pale. Trembling, she reached out and lifted the swaddling clothes. Inside, she saw a tiny, cat-like infant, its body bluish-purple, showing no signs of life.
Consort Hui exclaimed in shock, muttering, "How could this be? How could this be?"
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