In the fiftieth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Zhenping Navy, after two years of maritime training, began its first war against the Japanese pirates active in the South China Sea.
The Zhenping navy won a complete victory in this battle.
In the same year, a shipbuilding company was established in the capital, operating independently without any other restrictions.
Subsequently, the Shipbuilding Bureau provided the Zhenping Navy with powerful ships. At the same time, the imperial court dispatched a large number of personnel to overseas countries to learn advanced shipbuilding and navigation technologies.
In the fifty-first year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Qiqiao Academy was officially recognized by the imperial court and renamed the Imperial Qiqiao Academy. Officials were appointed to oversee it, and talented individuals within the academy were granted different levels of supervision.
This move was met with opposition from many scholars, but all of them were suppressed by Emperor Kangxi.
In the same year, the Kikyo-in Institute created exquisite glasswork.
Yinzhen set up experimental fields on the estate. With the inspiration given by Tong Cheng'er, experienced farmers harvested batches of high-yield rice, as well as some other high-yield crops. These crops were not only high-yielding, but also exceptionally resilient to adverse external environments.
Therefore, in that year, the imperial court officially established the Department of Agriculture, which operated independently, and its head was Yinzhen.
In June of that year, Tong Cheng'er was diagnosed with pregnancy.
When the news spread, Yinzhen and Tong Cheng'er were shocked. The happiest person was Kangxi. Although he valued Yinzhen, his lack of offspring had always been a worry for him.
Although Hongzhao was excellent, there was only one, which was not enough.
Kangxi's way of expressing his joy was simple: he showered the emperor with gifts, even more so than when the former crown prince's concubine gave birth to his first son.
His actions further solidified the court officials' belief in Prince Yong's status. They had no choice but to acknowledge it; the Emperor's high regard for Prince Yong's wife's pregnancy was a direct reflection of his affection for Prince Yong.
Tong Cheng'er's pregnancy was truly unexpected. Both of them had intended to use contraception, but there were always some that slipped through the net. Once, the two of them were so excited at the manor that they were both exhausted and forgot to take care of themselves.
Now that you're pregnant, you should naturally give birth to the baby.
Tong Cheng'er's health improved significantly, and even the imperial physicians, after examining her pulse, remarked that she was one of the few people in good health they had diagnosed. This brought Yinzhen considerable comfort.
He was truly terrified when his concubine gave birth to Hongzhao.
So Yinzhen always looked nervous, and Kangxi couldn't help but laugh and say, "What a spineless fellow."
Yinzhen, with his thick skin, replied, "Your Majesty, I am thick-skinned. Giving birth is a life-or-death experience. It is only natural for me to be nervous, given that my wife is pregnant."
Kangxi sighed, thinking about his situation. For him, his wife was indeed more important than his children.
Thinking of this, Kangxi couldn't help but ask him, "But you still can't touch other women."
Yinzhen looked embarrassed: "Father, I have already accepted my fate."
Kangxi was also embarrassed and muttered, "I'm glad you don't feel wronged."
Are you feeling wronged?
Kangxi felt that he was wronged, but that was from a man's perspective. Born into an imperial family, he could only touch one woman in his lifetime, which seemed to be a real injustice.
But in reality, there's nothing wrong with having only one person in the backyard. There won't be any jealousy or rivalry, and there will be less secrecy and filth. With no outsiders, the couple can have heart-to-heart talks.
Because of the presence of his concubine, he felt warmth and didn't feel wronged at all; in fact, he enjoyed it.
"I have the Imperial Medical Academy staff on standby at all times to ensure that Consort Fujin remains healthy."
Emperor Kangxi's feelings were also quite complicated.
"Your son thanks Your Majesty."
The pregnancy caught both Yinzhen and Tong Cheng'er off guard. At around thirty years old, Tong Cheng'er was considered an elderly mother in the Qing Dynasty.
With Tong Cheng'er pregnant, some people started to get restless. Even though Yinzhen had kept himself pure all these years and had no other women besides Tong Cheng'er, Tong Cheng'er was still getting on in years.
In ancient times, a woman's "flowering period" was always very short. The best time was when she was 16, and the peak of her life was in her early twenties. After about 25, she would be said to be "old and faded".
Men are different. Whether they are thirty or forty, as long as they have ability and power, they are at a good age.
At the age of thirty, Yinzhen had only been past that age for a few years. Now, he was favored by Emperor Kangxi. He was steady in his work and handsome in appearance. Although his face was a bit cold, in the eyes of outsiders, he was still someone worth relying on.
Even if a woman becomes his concubine and bears him a son or daughter, she can still bring glory to her family and clan if she becomes the emperor of the future.
And now, with the draft approaching, they're starting to get restless.
Some people tried to use connections within the imperial harem, hoping that the concubines could say a few words about their daughters to Emperor Kangxi. Others tried to use connections with the old wives of the imperial family, since these wives could speak with the Empress Dowager.
Having her talk to Emperor Kangxi is also a good idea.
Some rather dim-witted individuals even sought help from Tong Cheng'er's maternal family, which puzzled Tong Cheng'er's mother, father, and others.
"Who are these people? Prince Yong and Cheng'er are living a good life, but these people are causing trouble. I don't know where they got the nerve to come to me for help. Do they think I would arrange for an outsider to become my son-in-law's concubine? They're out of their minds..."
Shumulu became increasingly angry as she spoke, and Alhatu, who was standing nearby, quickly comforted her, saying, "Princess Consort, don't be angry. You know they're not very bright. It's not worth getting upset over them and suffering the consequences yourself."
Shumulu sighed: "How could I not know it's not worth it? But look at what those people are saying. So what if Cheng'er is pregnant? Does being pregnant mean her husband has to take a concubine? They're all supposed to be wives and principal wives in their households. I don't know how they have the nerve to say such things. It's infuriating."
Alhatu quickly reassured her, "They're just a bunch of clowns, why should the Princess Consort hold a grudge?"
"This year is the year of the imperial concubine selection. I don't know what kind of rules His Majesty has in mind. Although there are words of wisdom from the Living Buddha, things in the royal family are really unpredictable."
Al-Hatu didn't know what happened in the end.
"Cheng'er is currently resting during her pregnancy; her health is the most important thing. As for Prince Yong, let's leave it to fate!"
If it really comes, they won't be able to stop it even if they want to. Over the years, everyone in the capital has said that their daughters are blessed.
He also hoped that Prince Yong would never change, but that was difficult!
He still earnestly urged his children and grandchildren to strive for success, assuring them that as long as they prospered, his daughter would have a reliable support system.
"What are you saying, sir? How could I not know that my daughter's pregnancy is of utmost importance?"
Tong Cheng'er was unaware of the gossip and rumors circulating outside. Although she wasn't vomiting everything she ate during this pregnancy, she was still quite tired.
"It's definitely not like before; I feel very tired even with the slightest movement."
Yinzhen said, "This is my fault."
If he hadn't been so reckless, she wouldn't have had to suffer like this.
Hearing this, Tong Cheng'er smiled. It's true that pregnancy is not easy, but she really appreciated this thoughtfulness and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
The reason people feel suffering is more often due to the injustice of not being understood; physical suffering is never as bad as psychological suffering.
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