Time flies, and Rouyin's belly grew larger and larger like an inflating balloon. Her five-month-old belly was twice the size of others at the same stage of pregnancy, which was quite alarming.
Rouyin, holding her round belly, strolled slowly through the garden with the help of Wumu, the old woman sent by Consort Tongjia. The timing was perfect; the height of summer had just passed, and the weather was turning slightly cooler. Now that she was pregnant and had some free time, it was a good opportunity to take walks and exercise.
Rouyin had always loved spicy food, and her cravings only intensified after becoming pregnant. She suspected that both babies in her womb also preferred spicy food, and it wasn't just her being greedy. Even though the maids knew that the princess loved spicy food, they didn't dare let her eat too much. They could only limit her intake each day and coax her to eat more after giving birth.
In fact, she had taken medication to prevent miscarriage, and the system had already installed a protective aura that could monitor and protect the mother and child in real time. She knew that overeating would not affect her at all, but in order to put the nannies and the master at ease, she could only follow the conventional methods of pregnancy.
As the pregnancy progressed, Yinzhen became increasingly anxious. Even Rouyin's previous advice was no longer effective. He wanted to be by his wife's side every moment, and even at night he had to sleep on a separate bed on the floor to avoid crushing Rouyin. He would often get up in the middle of the night to stare at her, which would frighten Rouyin when she woke up in the middle of the night to find a standing figure.
When the emperor saw his emaciated fourth son, he reflected on whether he had given the prince too many official duties. He reduced the prince's workload and bestowed upon him many Chinese medicines and tonics.
During her pregnancy, Rouyin wore a light green, loose-fitting ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and sat on the swing that had been built two years ago, swaying gently. The cool autumn breeze combined with the soft cushions on the swing was simply the most comfortable thing.
Rouyin appeared to be resting on the swing, but in reality, she was engrossed in watching a movie on the system screen. Yinzhen rushed over at that moment, and seeing Liu Qing and the others about to report, he immediately made a shushing gesture, quietly embracing Rouyin, whose cheeks were slightly flushed. Rouyin opened her eyes, saying, "Your Majesty has just finished court; you should rest more..." Yinzhen gently silenced Rouyin's incessant chatter with his long, slender fingers.
Yinzhen got up, picked up Rouyin, and carried her to the inner room. "Yin'er, why don't you sleep with your husband for a while?" Rouyin looked at his dark circles and obediently lay down beside him. Before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.
When Rouyin woke up, it was already close to dinner time. She found Yinzhen sitting next to her, engrossed in reading. Yinzhen had noticed her the moment she woke up and immediately summoned Su Peisheng to prepare the meal.
Rouyin looked at Yinzhen, who was supporting her tenderly, and nestled obediently in his arms, waiting for the meal.
Looking at the plum juice that the small kitchen had brought out in advance, Rouyin licked her lips with a hint of longing. After checking the temperature with one hand, Yinzhen immediately handed it to his adorable little wife, affectionately pinching her nose. Once all the dishes were served, he served her as if he wanted to feed her everything. This phenomenon was already commonplace in the Fourth Prince's residence. Ever since Yinzhen first fed his wife, Su Peisheng knew that his wife was someone even more formidable than Yinzhen himself.
In the twenty-ninth year of Kangxi's reign, perhaps due to the butterfly effect of the arrival of the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince became increasingly anxious, frequently contacting ministers of the previous dynasty and engaging in a fierce power struggle with the First Prince. However, Kangxi was still in good health at the time. Although some secretly supported the Crown Prince and others sided with the First Prince, most officials remained neutral. Minister Suo'etu, from the Crown Prince's maternal clan, also became increasingly reckless due to the Crown Prince's trust. Kangxi observed all of this and became increasingly vigilant and suspicious of the Crown Prince and the First Prince.
However, the Crown Prince's years of affection for him ultimately prevailed. During a court session, the Crown Prince's faction reported that the nephew of Minister Mingzhu, a member of the First Prince's faction, had seized land and property. Enraged, the Crown Prince took the opportunity to punish Mingzhu. Although he was not demoted from his position as Prime Minister, he was still punished with twenty strokes of the cane, which nearly killed Mingzhu. In this battle for the throne, the Crown Prince had a slight advantage. However, he did not expect that Kangxi would look at him with increasing indifference.
Although the turmoil in the previous court had little to do with the Fourth Prince, it still had some impact.
Yinzhen transferred twice the number of guards to the east courtyard of his wife's residence. Not counting the secret guards, the number of guards in plain sight far exceeded the normal standard for his wife. But for him, protecting his wife and daughters was the most important thing he could do.
Rouyin also sensed the uneasy atmosphere in the palace and instructed Liu Qing and others to go out as little as possible when not necessary to avoid causing trouble.
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