Kangxi not only demoted the Uya clan to the lowest rank of the bondservant banner, but also exiled three members of the clan. This time, he truly brought the Uya clan down completely. Wanyi was relieved and left Chuxiu Palace with the others.
"So many! Go pick out some valuable things to send to Sister Suo Zhuolun. If it weren't for Sister Suo Zhuolun, I wouldn't exist. I would be the one staying in the Cold Palace."
She didn't believe Consort Suo Zhuolun at first, but she was feeling uneasy those few days, so she replied to Consort Suo Zhuolun with some doubt. Unexpectedly, she was actually saved once. She would remember this favor.
"Yes, this servant will definitely satisfy Consort Suo Zhuolun." Qingfen was also happy that her mistress had escaped a calamity, and she treated Consort Suo Zhuolun with great respect.
To compensate Consort Guoluo, Emperor Kangxi bestowed many gifts upon her and allowed her to stay in Yikun Palace as a sign of his favor.
"Who has such great ability to thwart my schemes? I doubt Consort Tong has the brains to do that. Is there such a meticulous person in the harem?"
After Consort Tong took Consort Zhaojia away, the Empress Dowager made two attempts to take her downstairs, but failed both times. This made her more wary of Consort Tong and also made her doubt that Consort Tong had such a brain.
"Princess, could it be that old nanny who served Consort Tong? I heard that Granny Tong used to serve Empress Xiaokangzhang," Su Mala Gu said after thinking for a moment.
"These old hags, those scheming, cunning servants are the worst. Find a chance to get rid of her." She dares to ruin her plans; she's asking for trouble.
"Yes, what about Consort Zhaojia?" Su Mala Gu thought that Consort Tong would not become the Empress, so raising a child was nothing. Why was the princess still clinging to the child? She really couldn't understand the Empress Dowager's thoughts anymore.
"Try it one more time. If it still doesn't work, then forget it." She could only say that the child was destined to survive, but she just couldn't bear to see Consort Tong so happy.
"yes."
East Annex Hall of Chengqian Palace
"My lady, are you sure you want to drink this?" Caixia asked worriedly, as the dragon fetus was almost eight months along.
Caixia carried a bowl of medicine that was as black as ink. As the end of June approached, Consort Zhaojia, without waiting for Consort Tong's instructions, had Caixia prepare labor-inducing medicine.
"Bring it over! I can't worry about anything else right now. June 26th is an auspicious day. Seven months is a good month, eight months is not, so as long as it's not eight months yet, this child will definitely survive. Besides, he has Consort Tong taking care of him, so he'll be fine." She still needs this child to rise to power, how could she let anything happen to him!
"My lady, please reconsider!"
Caixia hesitated to serve it, feeling that a child not raised by her would not be close to her. If it were a princess, it would not be an alliance with Consort Tong, but an offense to Consort Tong.
"Bring it here! I order you to bring it here!" Consort Zhao Jia frowned, but she didn't get angry inside, after all, Cai Xia was doing it for her own good.
"Yes, my lady, I feel sorry for you! Perhaps we should inform the midwife as soon as possible!"
Caixia knew that Consort Zhaojia wanted to wait until she was close to giving birth before informing others, but that was too dangerous, and she was reluctant to follow her mistress's orders.
“You mustn’t go, Caixia. Help me. If I don’t seize this opportunity, when will our family be able to be promoted to a higher status? You don’t want to be a slave for the rest of your life, and have your children be chosen to be buried in this deep palace just like you.”
Consort Zhaojia knew that Caixia had always wanted to leave the palace, so she was very loyal to her, hoping that she could be granted a favor and marry into a good family as a principal wife. Caixia also had the surname Zhaojia and was a concubine's daughter who was five degrees of kinship with Consort Zhaojia.
"I understand. If you feel unwell, please tell me. I'll stay with you." Caixia was still soft-hearted and obedient.
“Caixia, thank you. Whether I give birth to a prince or a princess, I intend to arrange for you to take care of her.”
This was a promise made by Consort Zhao Jia. Serving a consort is very different from serving an imperial heir. The nannies and head maids around princes and princesses are fixed, but the head maid is different. After serving for two or three years, she can leave the palace to get married if her master grants her the privilege.
"This servant will follow your instructions, Mistress." A wise person knows how to choose.
"How is the situation in the East Annex Hall?" Consort Tong knew that Consort Zhaojia would take some action early this morning, but she couldn't send anyone to check, for fear of accidentally letting the news out.
"It seems she has already taken the labor-inducing medicine. This is not Consort Zhao's first pregnancy, so we should hear the news soon."
Tong Mama also said somewhat nervously, "Consort Zhaojia had been pregnant before, but she gave birth prematurely at five months."
"Well, in short, be careful. I'm relying entirely on this as leverage now." Since her family isn't enough, she can only make up for it with her children.
“Your Majesty, if Consort Zhaojia gives birth to a prince, you must let Consort Zhaojia raise him until he is a month old before bringing him to the main hall,” said Granny Tong suddenly, remembering something.
"Why? What if the prince develops feelings for Consort Zhaojia?" Consort Tong wanted to bring the child to the main hall as soon as he was born. She had already found her nanny and wet nurse, both of whom were from the Tong family.
"Your Highness, have you considered what the Emperor will think if you do this? You must be magnanimous and treat the concubines of lower status in your palace with courtesy. In the future, you may even have to select young ladies for the Emperor to enter into the harem." Previously, Tong Mama had only told Consort Tong how to treat the other concubines, and told Consort Tong to be tolerant.
"Granny, I've already endured this much, why are you going to make things worse?" Consort Tong said unwillingly. If it was just a matter of not bringing Consort Zhao Jia's child to the main hall so quickly, she could manage it, but she was extremely unwilling to send other women to the emperor's bed.
"Your Majesty, this is what it's like to be an Empress. You are revered by everyone, yet you are not in control of your own destiny. Even the Emperor is the same." Granny Tong earnestly advised you, hoping to make Consort Tong understand the truth.
"Granny, I'm so heartbroken! Waaah..."
In the end, Consort Tong still cried. One can imagine how hard and wronged she had endured over the past year. From the moment Kangxi put the peony on her head, she put away all her sharpness and became a dignified consort. She was generous, not jealous, and did not compete for favor. She no longer openly targeted Consort Zhao, treated the concubines kindly, and was obedient and gentle to Kangxi.
"It's good to cry. One day you will be the Empress on the Phoenix Throne, the mother of the nation." The nanny ignored the rules and embraced Tong. However, there was no one else in the hall, so the nanny did this.
Time passed slowly, and Consort Zhao Jia, who had initially been able to endure the pain, was now whimpering in agony, not daring to cry out loud. She kept thinking to herself, "It'll be over soon, it'll be over soon."
"My lady, let me take a look. If you can't bear it, then we won't."
Caixia tenderly wiped the sweat from Consort Zhaojia's forehead and then went to check how many centimeters dilated she was. She had specifically gone to see the midwife who taught her how to do this, so she probably knew a little bit about it.
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