Anhua Palace
The Empress's memorial hall was set up in Anhua Hall. Outside the hall, high monks chanted the 'Rebirth Mantra' for the Empress day and night, while inside the hall, concubines, imperial relatives, and noblewomen, dressed in white mourning clothes, knelt before the Empress's spirit.
Emperor Kangxi, dressed in plain clothes, personally visited the Anhua Palace to offer incense to the Empress.
Lianxing, the head palace maid of Consort Niohuru, hurried in from outside Anhua Palace and whispered in Consort Niohuru's ear that Consort Zhaojia had fallen and gone into premature labor.
Upon hearing this, Consort Niohuru paused in surprise.
After a quick moment of thought, Consort Niohuru looked at Emperor Kangxi and said softly, "Your Majesty, news has come from Zhongcui Palace that Consort Zhaojia tripped and fell on her way back to Zhongcui Palace and went into premature labor."
"Yes, I understand!"
Kangxi's serious gaze swept over the group of concubines kneeling before the coffin. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke in a deep voice, "Niohuru has worked hard to manage the Empress's funeral. Now that Zhaojia has given birth prematurely, Zhongcui Palace needs someone to take charge."
"Your Majesty, I hereby order you to go to Zhongcui Palace immediately and take full charge of Zhaojia's childbirth. You must ensure the safety of Zhaojia and her child."
Consort Niohuru smiled gently and continued to kneel before the Empress's spirit tablet.
Consort Tongjia looked up in surprise, glanced at Kangxi, and then lowered her head. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, I take my leave."
Supported by palace maids, Consort Tongjia rose, bowed respectfully to Emperor Kangxi, and withdrew from Anhua Palace. The noblewomen kneeling outside Anhua Palace exchanged knowing glances, their minds filled with bold speculations.
An hour later, inside the Cining Palace.
Su Ma La Gu bowed and reported to the Empress Dowager: "Your Majesty, Consort Zhao Jia tripped and fell on the main street this morning, resulting in premature labor. Consort Xu rushed to Zhongcui Palace after learning the news to take charge of Consort Zhao Jia's delivery."
"When His Majesty was offering incense to His Majesty the Empress at Anhua Palace, he learned that Consort Zhaojia had given birth prematurely. He immediately dispatched Consort Chengqian to Zhongcui Palace, instructing her to ensure that Consort Zhaojia and her child would be safe."
The Empress Dowager turned the prayer beads in her hand and nodded gently.
Su Ma La Gu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Empress Dowager, I had someone check where Consort Zhao Jia fell. It was because the palace maids accidentally left water on the ground while cleaning, which caused Consort Zhao Jia to slip and fall."
"Um."
The Empress Dowager responded and exchanged a glance with the Empress Dowager beside her, who had a calm expression.
"So, Zhao Jia's premature birth was fate?"
Su Mala Gu bowed, hesitated for a moment, and said softly, "Your Majesty, it must be the will of Heaven. This servant has heard that Consort Zhao Jia is in poor health; she is nine months pregnant, yet her belly is not as large as Consort Xu's when she was six months pregnant."
"Furthermore, I heard that Consort Zhaojia started burning moxa to protect her pregnancy when she was seven months pregnant."
The Empress Dowager remained silent in thought.
After pondering for a moment, the Empress Dowager smiled and said to the Grand Empress Dowager in Mongolian, "Your Majesty, I think that even though Lady Zhaojia is pregnant, her waist is still slender. She is not someone who can easily give birth."
"She used moxibustion to protect the pregnancy for seven months, which means she probably already had some spotting around that time. Now, she's barely managed to keep it going until nine months, which is the limit!"
The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment.
Immediately afterwards, the Empress Dowager spoke softly, "Your Majesty, I heard from the imperial physicians that Lady Zhaojia's pulse is light and weak, and I estimate that the child in her womb is a princess."
"She's a princess, that's not bad."
The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief, continued turning the prayer beads in her hand, and said in a deep voice, "The Empress has just passed away, and before the seven-day mourning period has passed, Lady Zhaojia has gone into premature labor."
“If Lady Zhaojia gives birth to a prince, it will be during the seventh day after the Empress’s death, which will inevitably give people something to talk about.”
The Empress Dowager and Sumalagu exchanged a glance and respectfully replied, "Yes."
As night fell, more than three hours had passed since Zhao Jia fell and entered the delivery room, but her cervix was only dilated to three fingers, and there was still no sign of labor.
Consort Tongjia, her face grim, looked at the heavily pregnant Xu Lejin and said coldly, "Consort Xu, you are pregnant, and the imperial heir is of utmost importance. Consort Zhaojia went into premature labor today, and the imperial fetus will not be delivered for a while. You should go back to Yikun Palace as soon as possible to rest and recuperate."
"With me here at Zhongcui Palace, Consort Zhaojia will surely have a safe delivery."
Xu Lejin raised her eyes and glanced at Consort Tongjia, her face showing hesitation.
After hesitating for a moment, Xu Lejin glanced at the closed delivery room and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but I am currently pregnant and have some worries."
"Today is the day that Sister Zhaojia is giving birth. I was thinking of staying at Zhongcui Palace to learn some birthing experience, so that I won't be like a headless fly and lose my composure when I give birth."
Taking a deep breath, Xu Lejin looked intently at Consort Tongjia, "This humble servant is foolish and begs Your Highness to allow this humble servant to remain in Zhongcui Palace."
Consort Tongjia snorted coldly, stood up, and looked down at Xu Lejin.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then the door to the delivery room opened, and the midwife came out with blood on her hands and knelt down in front of Consort Tongjia.
"Your Majesty, Consort Zhaojia's cervix has not yet dilated, and the imperial fetus has not yet been delivered."
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then looked up at Consort Tongjia.
Consort Tongjia was secretly gloating, but on the surface she looked worried and solemnly asked the midwife, "Why is the imperial heir so slow to be born?"
"Four hours have passed since Consort Zhao Jia began her act."
Upon hearing this, the midwife was speechless.
Xu Lejin lowered her head and rolled her eyes dramatically, thinking to herself that Consort Tongjia had never given birth and was still a 'naive young girl,' naturally unaware that childbirth for a woman's first pregnancy takes longer, and besides...
Moreover, Consort Zhao Jia's premature birth was caused by a fall.
After a quick moment of thought, the midwife respectfully reported, "Your Highness, Consort Zhaojia's premature birth was caused by a fall. As Your Highness instructed, I administered labor-inducing medication to Consort Zhaojia, but..."
“But Consort Zhao Jia refused to cooperate with me, and I had no choice.”
Consort Tongjia's face darkened. She opened her mouth to ask Consort Zhaojia why she refused to cooperate, but Xu Lejin shook her head and gave a wink to the maid beside her.
The palace maids and eunuchs bowed and withdrew.
A moment later, only Xu Lejin and Consort Tongjia remained in the west wing of Zhongcui Palace.
Xu Lejin looked at Consort Tongjia and said softly, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but it is currently the seventh day after the Empress's death. If it is a princess, that would be fine, but if it is a prince, then it would be a taboo."
“A prince born on the seventh day after the Empress’s death is considered a child born during the mourning period.”
After speaking, Xu Lejin lowered her head.
Consort Tongjia was stunned for a year, then snorted coldly, "You've been showing off here. I am a consort, and I have known all this for a long time. My hesitation before was only because I thought Consort Zhaojia was ignorant."
"The imperial heir is of utmost importance; we cannot allow her to act out of personal desires. If this harms the imperial fetus in her womb, she, a mere concubine, would be guilty even if she were to die a thousand deaths."
Xu Lejin's lips curled up slightly, and when no one was watching, she rolled her eyes dramatically. With her eyes lowered, she replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness is absolutely right. It was I who was showing off."
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