The Zhongcui Palace was bustling for half a day as the fifth princess's third-day celebration came to a successful conclusion.
As evening fell, Xu Lejin reclined on the soft couch, listening to Zhishu's vivid recounting of the Fifth Princess's third-day celebration, and was filled with emotion!
A child is a mother's heart and soul. Before the child of Consort Wanyan was even diagnosed, she miscarried due to the punishment of Consort Tongjia. Consort Wanyan's health was also damaged as a result, and she could no longer conceive.
Although the Emperor punished Consort Tongjia by confining her to her quarters for three months, he could not bring back Consort Wanyan's child.
At this moment, Ruhua returned from the imperial kitchen carrying a food box.
"Your Highness, today is the third-day celebration for the Fifth Princess. The Empress and the Consort of Chuxiu Palace have specially instructed the Imperial Kitchen to add two meat dishes to the evening meals in each palace."
As Ruhua spoke, she took the food out of the food box.
The meal consists of four dishes and a soup. The soup is a delicious crucian carp soup with a milky white broth. The crucian carp is about the size of a palm and is simmered for several hours, allowing all the essence of the fish to be infused into the broth.
It has only the freshness of fish meat, without any fishy smell.
Xu Lejin smiled and nodded, looking at the four dishes and one soup on the table. She was very satisfied, as they were all her favorite foods.
Yingchun stood to the side, carefully serving Xu Lejin the food, and spoke with a smile, choosing her words carefully. "After you became pregnant, my lady, you like to eat fish and shrimp. I've heard that eating more fish and shrimp will make the child smarter."
"This servant congratulates Your Highness on the birth of a healthy and intelligent prince."
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, holding the crucian carp soup, swallowed the soup in her mouth, put down the small bowl in her hand, and stared at the crucian carp soup on the table, her expression thoughtful.
After a long while, Xu Lejin spoke in a deep voice, "Zhishu, go to the Imperial Hospital and invite Physician Xu here."
"My lord..."
Zhi Shu looked completely puzzled.
Yingchun and Ruhua exchanged a glance and became more vigilant.
Jing'er, who was standing to the side with her eyes lowered, was desperately suppressing the fear and anxiety in her heart. Although she was sweating from nervousness, she forced herself to be calm and composed.
Two quarters of an hour later, Zhishu, accompanied by a royal physician in his forties, hurriedly entered the west wing of Yikun Palace.
Zhi Shu bowed nervously to Xu Lejin and said respectfully, "Your Highness, Physician Xu is off duty today, so I took the liberty of inviting Physician Meng from the Imperial Hospital, who is on duty today."
"Okay, I understand."
Xu Lejin glanced at Physician Meng indifferently and spoke in a deep voice. "Physician Meng, please take my pulse and see how the dragon fetus in my womb is doing. Also, I would like to ask Physician Meng whether the crucian carp soup I like to eat every day is beneficial to the growth of the dragon fetus in my womb."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey."
Physician Meng knelt down to take Xu Lejin's pulse, his expression grave.
After examining the pulse, Physician Meng tasted a sip of crucian carp soup, his expression thoughtful.
At that moment, a eunuch's shrill voice rang out from outside the west wing hall: "The Emperor has arrived! The Consort of Chuxiu Palace has arrived! The Consort of Chengqian Palace has arrived! Consort Li has arrived! Consort Wanyan has arrived! Consort Shangjia has arrived! Consort Fanjia has arrived!"
With the help of Yingchun and Zhishu, Xu Lejin knelt down to greet Emperor Kangxi, as well as Consort Niohuru and Consort Tongjia.
Emperor Kangxi personally helped Xu Lejin up and asked with concern, "How is my beloved consort's health? Is there anything wrong with the imperial pregnancy? Tonight I am staying in Niohuru's room in Chuxiu Palace. Niohuru's maid informed me that you had summoned the imperial physician. Niohuru and I were worried, so we came to check on you."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Perhaps it's because I'm pregnant that I've become too suspicious. Neither I nor the unborn child are in any serious danger."
Xu Lejin lowered her head slightly, suppressing the doubts in her heart.
After a pause, Xu Lejin looked at Consort Niohuru and said with a smile, "This humble servant thanks Your Highness of the Chuxiu Palace. It is late and the dew is heavy. Because this humble servant invited the imperial physician, I disturbed His Majesty and Your Highness of the Chuxiu Palace. It is this humble servant's fault."
Emperor Kangxi's gaze fell on the dining table, and he remained silent.
After a moment's consideration, Consort Niohuru took Xu Lejin's hand affectionately and spoke with a smile. "Consort Xu is pregnant with the Emperor's child, and her health is of utmost importance. I have been granted permission by the Emperor to assist in managing the six palaces. Tonight, Consort Xu, you are unwell and have summoned the imperial physician. I should naturally come to Yikun Palace to visit you."
"yes."
Xu Lejin responded respectfully.
Emperor Kangxi, with a serious expression, looked at the kneeling Imperial Physician Meng and said in a deep voice, "Imperial Physician, is there any serious problem with Consort Xu's unborn child?"
"Your Majesty, Consort Xu's pregnancy is progressing well, and there is no serious problem. However, when I was taking her pulse just now, I discovered that she was poisoned by oleander flower powder."
"Although the toxin is minimal and insufficient to harm Consort Xu and the unborn child, over time, they will gradually weaken. When the child is born, it will also be underdeveloped and difficult to raise due to its weakness in the womb..."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's face immediately darkened.
Xu Lejin looked surprised, her eyes filled with fear and disbelief, and she subconsciously held her stomach.
Consort Niohuru exclaimed in alarm, "Your Majesty, is someone trying to harm Consort Xu and the imperial heir in her womb? Consort Xu is carrying twins; if they are a boy and a girl, it would be an auspicious sign!"
"Um."
Kangxi nodded solemnly and ordered Liang Jiugong behind him in a deep voice: "Investigate. Find out exactly who is so audacious as to plot against the imperial heir."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Liang Jiugong accepted the order and left. Soon after, palace guards entered the hall and took away several palace maids around Xu Lejin, as well as the food on the table.
Xu Lejin opened her mouth, wanting to keep Yingchun and Zhishu, but the words were stopped by Consort Niohuru.
After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Kangxi instructed the eunuch following behind him in a deep voice: "Li Dequan, have Chunhua and Qiuyan go to the west wing of Yikun Palace to serve Consort Xu."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The young eunuch Li Dequan accepted the order and left.
Consort Niohuru paused for a moment upon hearing this, then remained indifferent. Consort Tongjia, however, was shocked to learn that Emperor Kangxi had sent his two aunts, Chunhua and Qiuyan, who served him in the imperial court, to Yikun Palace to serve Xu Lejin.
Immediately afterwards, the surprise in Consort Tongjia's eyes was replaced by intense jealousy.
Consort Tongjia was about to speak, but Kangxi beat her to it. She could only show her displeasure and glare at Xu Lejin where no one could see.
Kangxi looked at Xu Lejin and said, "My beloved consort has been frightened today. Your maids and eunuchs must cooperate with the Censorate in investigating the case. I will have Chunhua and Qiuyan from my imperial court attend to you."
"Chunhua and Qiuyan were the maids who served my birth mother, Empress Xiaokangzhang, during the reign of the late emperor."
Xu Lejin was taken aback, flattered and surprised, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I am but a lowly servant. Aunt Chunhua and Aunt Qiuyan serve Your Majesty in the Imperial Court. I dare not let the two aunts serve me."
"It's alright. You are carrying the emperor's child, and your health is precious."
Kangxi's sharp gaze swept over the group of concubines behind him, and he said coldly, "Xu is pregnant with the imperial heirs, and they are twins, which is a rare occurrence. I have ordered Chunhua and Qiuyan from my imperial guards to serve Xu in Yikun Palace. Do you have any objections?"
All the concubines knelt down and said respectfully, "We dare not."
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