Xu Lejin slowly raised her eyes and met Kangxi's scrutinizing gaze.
Startled for a moment, her face flushed slightly, Xu Lejin said coquettishly, "Does Your Majesty find my eating too much? I don't know why, I always feel like eating, perhaps..."
"I think it's probably related to the fact that I'm carrying twins."
After speaking, Xu Lejin lowered her head slightly, staring at the food, swallowing hard. She thought to herself that she had tried her best to control her food intake because Kangxi was dining with her.
Normally, when she eats alone, she eats an extra large bowl of food.
Emperor Kangxi laughed heartily, looking at Xu Lejin with doting eyes, "My dear consort is quite right. Now that you are eating for one person and need to be nourished by three, it is normal for you to have a larger appetite."
Xu Lejin smiled shyly, and secretly rolled her eyes where no one could see.
Emperor Kangxi seemed to enjoy looking at her with doting eyes. Although she was an old aunt at heart, she had the heart of a young girl.
If this continues, she will eventually be won over by Kangxi.
After lunch, Emperor Kangxi looked at Xu Lejin with gentle eyes.
After a long silence, Kangxi spoke in a deep voice, “My beloved consort, yesterday my fifth brother, Prince Gong, came to the palace. During our conversation, he mentioned the palace maid in the flower room who cultivated the ‘Green Beauty’. She is your second sister.”
"I see that my fifth brother is just indulging in his love for the house because he likes 'Green Beauty,' so he is also very curious about your second sister, my beloved concubine."
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then looked up at Kangxi.
After a moment's consideration, Xu Lejin lowered her eyes and spoke softly, "Your Majesty, it is my second sister's good fortune that she is favored by Prince Gong."
Kangxi smiled and nodded.
Immediately afterwards, Kangxi looked intently at Xu Lejin and said, "My fifth brother's household only has a primary consort and a few concubines. I am thinking of bestowing upon my fifth brother a secondary consort."
"My beloved consort, you are carrying the imperial heir. After giving birth, I am considering extending my grace to your maternal family and granting permission for your sisters to leave the palace and marry on their own."
Xu Lejin's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.
"This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Kangxi personally promised that after Xu Lejin gave birth, he would allow Xu Lejin's sisters to leave the palace to get married. Xu Lejin was overjoyed and had a smile on her face for several days.
July 6th, afternoon.
Xu Lejin was followed by Chunhua, Qiuyan and others, strolling leisurely in Yikun Palace, occasionally stopping to admire the various flowers and plants displayed in the corridors of Yikun Palace.
"This servant greets Consort Xu."
An unfamiliar palace maid bowed respectfully to Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, looking at Yingchun who was following behind her, puzzled.
Yingchun spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, it is Mo'er, the little palace maid who serves Consort Chuyun in the East Side Hall."
Xu Lejin nodded and looked at Mo'er.
"No need for formalities. Is your young master well?"
Mo'er timidly looked up at Xu Lejin, then carefully lowered her head and said respectfully, "Reporting to Consort Xu, my mistress is doing well. Thank you for your concern, Consort Xu."
Xu Lejin smiled and looked at the medicine bowl that Mo'er was holding.
After a moment's thought, Xu Lejin frowned and asked, "Is your young master feeling unwell?"
"Reporting to Consort Xu, my mistress recently caught a cold. This is a decoction prescribed by the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital to treat her cold."
Mo'er replied with her head down, but a hint of panic flashed quickly in her eyes, and her hands trembled involuntarily.
Xu Lejin saw this but did not expose it.
She responded softly, and Xu Lejin gestured to Yingchun and Zhishu to continue helping her walk. When Xu Lejin had walked quite a distance away, Mo'er looked up and glanced back, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead with lingering fear.
Inside the East Annex Hall.
Consort Chu Yun looked solemn as she stared at the dark, murky medicine in front of her.
The trembling little palace maid, Mo'er, was kneeling on the ground.
Shi Man, the head palace maid who served Consort Chu Yun, hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Your Highness, perhaps Consort Xu was just asking casually and did not suspect anything."
"Better safe than sorry. The fact that Xu was able to announce her pregnancy under the Empress's very nose, and only after three months, shows that she is very shrewd."
Consort Chu Yun pondered for a moment.
A moment later, Consort Chu Yun said coldly, "Pour out this medicine and brew a fresh one."
"My lord,"
Mo'er slightly raised her eyes and looked at Consort Chu Yun with a puzzled expression.
Shiman hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "My lady, this is the last dose of medicine. If we brew another bowl, we may not have enough silver on hand."
"Okay, I understand."
Consort Chu Yun's face darkened. After thinking for a moment, she said coldly, "Have someone send the jade bracelet from the jewelry box, which was a gift from the Imperial Household Department, out of the palace to exchange for some silver."
Shiman and Mo'er looked hesitant.
Consort Chu Yun smiled lightly and said casually, "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. For the sake of the future, not to mention the jade bracelet presented by the Imperial Household Department, even the protective jade pendant left to me by my mother can be exchanged for silver."
"yes."
Shi Man respectfully agreed and withdrew.
Around 5 PM, Xu Lejin was leaning back on a soft couch, flipping through a storybook in her hand, when suddenly a sticky liquid gushed out from her lower body.
With a cold expression, Xu Lejin put down the storybook in her hand and touched it with a strange look.
A strong, fishy smell wafted over.
"Yingchun, quickly go and fetch the imperial physician and the midwife, I'm about to give birth!"
The west wing of Yikun Palace quickly became noisy as Xu Lejin was personally escorted into the pre-prepared delivery room by her two aunts, Chunhua and Qiuyan.
Yingchun, Zhishu, and others went to report to Kangxi and Consort Zhao in an orderly manner, and also prepared hot water.
Xu Lejin lay in the delivery room, a look of confusion on her face.
I'm about to give birth, but why don't I feel any pain?
If I hadn't been an older woman who had given birth in my past life and knew that a woman's water breaking meant she was about to give birth, I might not even have thought I was pregnant and incontinent today...
"My lady, there is no need to be too nervous. The dragon baby in your womb is in the right position and you will definitely be able to give birth safely."
Aunts Chunhua and Qiuyan exchanged a glance and spoke softly.
Xu Lejin nodded heavily, calmed herself down, and tried to feel the pain of childbirth. However, after half an hour, she could not feel anything at all.
Suddenly, I felt a pang of panic!
Xu Lejin looked at her two aunts, Chunhua and Qiuyan, and said in a deep voice, "Aunt Chunhua, Aunt Qiuyan, how many centimeters dilated am I? When can the baby be born?"
Chunhua and Qiuyan exchanged a glance.
Suppressing her doubts, Aunt Chunhua bent down to take a look and said with a smile, "My lady, this is your first child, so the delivery will take longer. Dragon babies aren't born that quickly."
"Right now, Your Highness, your cervix is not yet dilated."
Xu Lejin nodded upon hearing this.
The midwife and the imperial physician rushed into the delivery room after tidying up. After examining Xu Lejin, they began a long, tense, and anxious wait for her to give birth...
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