Three months later
Outside the palace, the Ula Guarjia clan, the son-in-law of Ushiha, Guarjia E'shun's father passed away.
Immediately following, just after the seventh day after his death, the imperial son-in-law, Guarjia'e, decisively separated his household from his elder brother (born of the same mother) and his younger brother (born of his stepmother).
When the news reached the palace, Xu Lejin was genuinely happy for Ushiha.
On this day, the concubines in the harem paid their respects.
Consort Hui raised her eyes and glanced at Xu Lejin, then spoke with a half-smile, "Your Highness, I have heard that in the Ula Guarjia family, the family of Princess Hengshu's husband, the old master has just passed away and the seventh day of mourning has passed, and the husband has already separated from his elder brother and half-brother?"
"Although the stepmother is not Princess Hengshu's biological mother-in-law, she is still an elder. How can Princess Hengshu instigate her husband to separate from her elder brother and younger brother while their elders are still alive? Isn't that unfilial?"
After Consort Hui's words, the entire Yikun Palace fell silent.
With a slight curl of her lips, Xu Lejin said coldly, "Is Consort Hui siding with her own family instead of reason? Although Consort Wuxiha's stepmother is your distant cousin, Consort Hui,..."
"The division of the family property between the prince consort and his elder brother, who are half-brothers, is a family matter of the Ula Guarjia clan, and the clan chief and elders of the Ula Guarjia clan have no objections."
Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Hui with disdain before speaking again.
"Only a kind mother can raise a filial son. Consort Hui is likely unaware of the situation in the Prince Consort's family. Your distant cousin, Consort Hui, married the Prince Consort's father as his second wife, yet she uses her husband's family's possessions to supplement her own family's income. Furthermore…"
"Consort Hui, your distant cousin, has even arranged for her niece to be placed by the emperor's side, intending for her to become his concubine. The emperor and Ushiha are newly married, how could it have come to the point of taking a concubine?"
Xu Lejin gave Consort Hui a cold look and said in an icy tone, "Although in this dynasty, a consort can take concubines, they can only be lowly concubines. However, Consort Hui, your distant cousin wants her niece to be a secondary wife of the consort."
"Sometimes I wonder, could it be that this matter was secretly orchestrated by Consort Hui?"
After speaking, Xu Lejin snorted coldly.
Consort Hui's face turned pale, and she lowered her head sheepishly.
End of November
News came from Changchun Palace that Consort Wang was about to give birth.
Frowning, Xu Lejin quickly did some calculations and thought to herself, "Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, Consort Wang is about to give birth."
Because Emperor Kangxi never bestowed any title upon the Wang family, the Wang family had no official status or recognition.
She had forgotten that there was a pregnant woman named Wang in the harem. Naturally, she hadn't paid much attention to Wang's unborn child. Now that she was about to give birth, she still didn't know whether it would be a prince or a princess.
With a long sigh, Xu Lejin said, "Consort Wang is giving birth today. Liuying will go to Changchun Palace to keep watch for her and make sure that the imperial physician and the midwife guarantee that Consort Wang's unborn child will be born safely."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Liu Ying respectfully agreed and quickly left Yikun Palace.
Evening
Liu Ying returned from Changchun Palace and reported that Consort Wang had safely given birth to a baby prince.
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, looked up at Kangxi, and carefully spoke, "Your Majesty, Consort Wang has made a contribution by bearing the imperial heir. Do you think we should reward Consort Wang?"
"In addition, the young prince born to Consort Wang..."
Emperor Kangxi frowned and pondered.
After a cup of tea, Kangxi said coldly, "Wang will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and six bolts of various brocades. The little prince born to Wang will be moved to the Prince's Residence after his one-month celebration, where he will be cared for by his wet nurse and palace servants."
"、、"
Xu Lejin was stunned upon hearing this.
Is that all?
Consort Wang gave birth to a prince after ten months of pregnancy, but only received a thousand taels of silver and six bolts of various brocades.
and,
The little prince born to Consort Wang was taken to the wet nurse and palace servants after he was a month old. From then on, he was separated from his birth mother, Consort Wang, and could only see her once or twice a year.
Kangxi's decree spread throughout the six palaces.
Consort Hui, being a reborn person, had witnessed far too many similar events in her previous life. She remained indifferent, showing little reaction, while the other concubines in the palace were utterly astonished.
Has His Majesty become so stingy these days?
In the western wing of the rear hall of Changchun Palace, Consort Wang listened to the report from her serving maid. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief; she had given birth to a prince, yet she remained a concubine without any title or rank.
Although the Emperor had decreed that she would receive the same privileges as a concubine during her previous pregnancy, she was unnamed and without any real status; this was an undeniable fact.
Consort Wang was filled with anger and rage, and finally, she fainted due to a sudden attack of her anger.
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, with the New Year approaching, the little prince born to Consort Wang was successfully one month old. He did not stay with Consort Wang for even a moment longer before being taken to the prince's quarters.
Emperor Kangxi neither bestowed a name upon him nor granted him any rewards.
From then on, the little prince born to Consort Wang was called the eighteenth prince of the palace, or simply the little prince.
Kangxi 33rd year
For the first half of the year, apart from the two concubines, Hesheli Sanghua and Hesheli Tangrou, who successively received the emperor's favor, nothing else happened in the palace.
outside the palace
During the first month of the lunar calendar, Ushiha gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Emperor Kangxi was overjoyed and, after the baby was a month old, bestowed upon the two infants the titles of Yunqiwei (a military rank) and Heshuo Junzhu (a princess of the first rank).
The title of Yunqiwei was acceptable, although bestowing it upon an infant was somewhat excessive, but it wasn't unheard of before.
And Princess Heshuo?
Only the eldest daughter of a prince can be granted the title of Heshuo Junzhu (a title for a princess of the first rank), while the second daughter can only be granted the title of Heshuo Junjun (a title for a lady of the first rank). Ushiha is a princess, and the fact that she was granted the title of Heshuo Junzhu when she was just a month old is truly unprecedented.
It should be noted that the eldest daughter of the First Prince is now six years old, but has not yet been granted any title.
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