For the past two months, Rouyin had been taking a systematic course of medication to prevent miscarriage, so she was experiencing regular menstrual-like discharge, which was actually just some menstrual blood. Therefore, no one except herself knew she was pregnant. She continued to have intercourse with Yinzhen as usual during these two months, mainly because she herself had desires. If she didn't take advantage of Yinzhen's seemingly devoted relationship with his wife, why wait until he became a "dirty cucumber" (a metaphor for someone who has lost their sense of self-respect)?!
At first, Yinzhen didn't know, until one day when he and Rouyin were having a meal, Rouyin took a small sip of fish soup and immediately felt nauseous and vomited. Yinzhen was so frightened that he immediately threw away the fish soup, thinking that the fish soup was poisoned, and immediately ordered Su Peisheng to bring the royal physician.
Seeing this, Rouyin stood up, took Yinzhen's hand, and placed it on her stomach. "Your Majesty, I think I might be pregnant." Yinzhen froze, overjoyed, and couldn't help but hug the petite Rouyin. Suddenly, he remembered his recklessness these past few days and felt guilty, wondering if it would affect the baby.
When the royal physician arrived, he was greeted by the master's dark yet joyful face. His heart skipped a beat. The physician said with a slight tremor, "Your Majesty and Consort, may I ask which master is feeling unwell?"
"Quickly, let the Princess Consort see," Yinzhen said anxiously, helping Rouyin sit down. Looking at his anxious and gloomy master, the physician's mind raced with thoughts of all sorts of private matters within the household, and his heart pounded. He said even more fearfully, "Please, Princess Consort, extend your hand."
Rouyin casually placed her hand on the pillow, looking relaxed and at ease, not particularly concerned.
The physician considered the matter carefully and visibly relaxed from his previous tension and worry. He lowered his hands, immediately cupped his hands, and congratulated her with a smile: "Congratulations, Your Highness, congratulations, Madam. Madam is two months pregnant and has two faint pulses, indicating twins, and the babies are healthy."
Overjoyed, Yinzhen grasped Rouyin's hand tightly. After a moment's thought, he asked again, "How is your health, Fujin? You seem a bit tired these past few days."
The physician understood somewhat, "The princess is in very good health, and even fatigue has no effect on her, but she still needs to be careful to rest more after becoming pregnant."
Yinzhen said, "Good! Good! Good! The entire palace will be given two extra months' worth of allowances this month to pray for the Fujin's well-being." As he spoke, he couldn't help but touch Rouyin's still-flat belly.
Because Rouyin was pregnant, Yinzhen should immediately inform His Majesty and the ladies in the palace. He recalled the rumors from last time, and his eyes darkened. He instructed Su Peisheng to warn and suppress those present, and planned to report to the palace after Rouyin was three months pregnant and her pregnancy was stable.
After three months, Yinzhen immediately sent word to his father and the concubines in the palace that they were pregnant.
Upon hearing this news, the man sitting at the desk in a dragon robe paused for a moment, his hand holding a pen still, and then asked himself, "Am I getting old?"
Liang Jiugong knelt down with a thud, saying, "Your Majesty is in the prime of life and in good health. You shall live ten thousand years!"
The Emperor's sharp, knife-like gaze swept over Liang Jiugong, causing cold sweat to pour down his back like a torrential downpour.
After a quarter of an hour of silence, Emperor Kangxi spoke: "The Fourth Prince's wife has rendered meritorious service by giving birth to twins. Go and send the pair of gold-threaded jade unicorn-shaped bracelets from the storeroom, along with some rewards, to the Fourth Prince's residence. The rewards should be slightly less than those for the Crown Prince."
"This servant obeys the decree." Liang Jiugong only felt a sense of relief after stepping out of the Qianqing Palace. He was puzzled and wondered why the Emperor was so hostile after hearing the news, even though he had bestowed such precious treasures.
When the Empress Dowager learned of this, she was also pleased. Thinking of the bright and beautiful young girl, she pondered for a moment and said, "Send over something similar to the Emperor's reward, plus that natural crystal Guanyin statue that grants children."
After hearing this, the nanny understood that the Empress Dowager genuinely liked the girl, the Fourth Prince's wife. Thinking of that exceptionally beautiful young woman, she sighed inwardly, "Who wouldn't like a woman like the Fourth Prince's wife?"
In Consort Tongjia's palace, she pondered for a while and said to her personal maid Lan'er, "Go and see what the Emperor has sent, and send it out one grade lower than the Emperor's reward."
As Emperor Kangxi's cousin, Consort Tongjia naturally understood the Emperor very well, and there was no way she would make a mistake if the Emperor handled these trivial matters in the palace.
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. However, the Fourth Prince has always been extremely filial to you, and since it is the Fourth Princess Consort's first pregnancy, there may be some oversights. It would be better to send a nanny who knows about childbirth to serve her, so as to show His Majesty your virtue and thoughtfulness." The words of the personal nanny Li Xiujuan were exactly what the Consort wanted. Sure enough, after a series of actions, Emperor Kangxi bestowed some more jewelry upon the Consort's palace, which added a lot more fragments and flowers to the harem.
Meanwhile, in Consort De's Yonghe Palace, Consort De was still somewhat angry after being warned by the Fourth Prince last time, but she still had some affection for Yinzhen in her heart. After hearing the news, she was slightly pleased and bestowed some jewelry upon the Fourth Prince's wife.
Yinzhen was already somewhat numb to the continuous stream of rewards he received from the palace.
In the past few months, Rouyin had been pampered by Yinzhen, treated like a precious gem. Yinzhen personally spent every spare moment day and night with his wife, juggling official duties and caring for Rouyin, and had lost more than half his body weight. Only after Rouyin couldn't bear it any longer and scolded him for a long time did she finally manage to find some time to rest properly.
This made the noble ladies and princesses in the capital, who had countless concubines, even more envious of the Fourth Prince's good fortune. She was not only incredibly beautiful, but also had the Fourth Prince's deep affection and tenderness.
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