"How is the situation inside? Is everything going smoothly?" Kangxi was not optimistic about the one inside and hoped it would be a princess. After all, Tong had no intention of having a prince, so as not to threaten the crown prince.
"Your Majesty, the baby has been born and will be coming out to announce the good news shortly." This time, it was Consort Zhao who spoke before Consort Tong.
"So soon, that's good." Kangxi was surprised, after all, he had just finished dealing with the memorials and had lunch, and then someone came to invite him.
"I wonder why Consort Zhao Jia went into premature labor out of the blue?"
Consort Li suddenly said that she had naturally received news that Consort Tong was behind it. The person she least wanted to sit on the throne was Consort Tong. They had a dirty secret, and Consort Tong probably hadn't forgotten it. If that was the case, then she was in big trouble.
"Oh, this! The imperial physician said that Consort Zhao Jia had a miscarriage last time, and premature birth was inevitable." Consort Tong knew exactly what Consort Li was up to, but she didn't take Consort Li seriously at all.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Consort Zhao, Consort Tong, and all the concubines and ladies-in-waiting. Concubine Zhao has given birth, and the baby weighs a full six pounds and six ounces." At this moment, the midwife came out, interrupting Concubine Li's words.
"How is Consort Zhaojia doing?" Consort Zhao asked with gentle concern.
"Your Majesty, everything is fine! Consort Zhaojia has been resting after giving birth and has fallen asleep. Mother and daughter are safe!" As soon as the midwife finished speaking, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, except for Consort Tong, who was stunned.
"Is it a princess?" Consort Tong asked in surprise. After all, she had always believed that the child was a prince, but now that a princess had appeared, how could she not be surprised?
"Your Majesty, it is a little princess." The midwife thought that Consort Tong had not heard clearly, so she patiently explained.
"I like the princess too, Your Majesty, please don't forget to reward her!" Consort Tong quickly composed herself when she saw that both Emperor Kangxi and Consort Zhao were looking at her, and said somewhat reluctantly.
"If Zhu'er is happy, then you will raise the Second Princess from now on." Seeing Consort Tong's appearance, Kangxi thought it was because happiness had come too suddenly and she hadn't gotten used to it yet.
"Yes, but Consort Zhao Jia has just given birth, and it would be too much for her to be separated from her daughter so soon. I think it would be better to wait until the princess is a month old before bringing her to the main palace to be raised. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
She doesn't want to raise this little brat; she wants princes and noblemen. What use are princesses? In the end, they'll all be sent to serve the Mongols.
"Zhu'er is still so kind. Good. We'll bring her to the main hall when the princess is a month old." Kangxi sighed, realizing that his innocent cousin, who used to cling to him and act spoiled, had changed. She was now dignified, elegant, gentle, and virtuous.
"Take her inside first! So she doesn't catch a cold. Give her two months' salary as a reward, and double the amount for the midwife!" Kangxi turned around and gave out the rewards.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." All the maids and nannies in the East Annex Hall expressed their gratitude with joy.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Consort Tong! You have gained such a lovely princess." Consort Zhao congratulated her with a smile, but the mockery was all too obvious.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Consort Tong!" Before Consort Tong could say anything, the concubines burst into unison, offering their congratulations.
"Alright, get up, everyone! It's getting late, go home now!"
Emperor Kangxi noticed that his afternoon nap was over. Seeing that several of his concubines were drowsy and found them quite endearing, he took pity on them and let them leave.
When Wanyi heard that she could finally go back, she was happy and regained some spirits. She left with the main group, unaware that her adorable appearance was seen by Kangxi.
"Is Consort Suo Zhuolun still not fully recovered?" Kangxi suddenly asked Liang Jiugong, who was beside him, as he returned to the Qianqing Palace.
"Your Majesty, actually, at the beginning of the month, Consort Suo Zhuolun had already recovered. However, the Consort had a sweet tooth, and when the nanny wasn't around, she secretly asked her personal maid to bring her a bowl of ice. By the time the nanny found out, Consort Suo Zhuolun had already eaten half of it." Liang Jiugong said with amusement. It was quite helpless to have a master who couldn't even put the nanny at ease when she was sick.
"She's really mischievous. Let Physician Lu go and take a look." He still quite liked Wan'er's mischievousness; he found it amusing to think about how she looked when she secretly ate something fishy.
"Yes, this old servant will go right away." Liang Jiugong was surprised. He didn't expect His Majesty to like Consort Suo Zhuolun so much. They hadn't seen each other for almost two months, yet His Majesty still remembered her. That was truly remarkable.
"Princess? How could she be a princess?" Consort Tong was furious and pushed a vase next to her to the ground, making a crisp "clang" sound.
"Your Majesty, my dear Your Majesty!" Granny Tong helped Consort Tong sit up straight.
"Granny, do you think my cousin the Emperor will still make me Empress? Yes, I think he won't. Then all my efforts this past year have been in vain!" Consort Tong cried sadly. She hoped to grow old with her cousin, to share a bed in life and a grave in death.
"Your Highness, we still have a chance. We can't give up easily until the very last moment. Even Consort Zhao doesn't have a prince by her side. At least we still have a princess!" Granny Tong didn't think they would lose; it was all up to them.
"Yes, I haven't lost yet. I can't worry about having an heir. I have to think of a way." Consort Tong suppressed her anger and carefully considered a solution, shaking her head from time to time as if denying her own ideas.
“Princess, ha, the thing I feared most has happened. It’s all my fault for being so useless and giving birth to a princess.”
Consort Zhao Jia gave a self-deprecating laugh, but tears kept flowing down her face. However, she was also very gratified, after all, she was a princess, and perhaps Consort Tong did not want to raise her.
“My lady, why are you crying again? Although she is a princess, it might still be a good thing. If it were a prince, we would have to be wary of those concubines and Consort Zhao. Now that she is a princess, no one would lay a hand on a girl. Also, Consort Tong asked you to take care of the princess until she is a month old before bringing her to the main hall.”
Caixia comforted Consort Zhaojia, who was also disappointed that the child was not a prince. But what had happened was done, and there was no use saying anything more. She could only try to get through this difficult time.
"Very well, after all, she is a piece of my flesh." Consort Zhaojia gestured to the wet nurse to bring the second princess over. The moment the princess was in her arms, Consort Zhaojia was overwhelmed with maternal love.
“Princesses are also precious and noble. Now the Emperor only has two princesses, and with Consort Tong raising them, they must be even more favored by the Emperor.” Caixia saw Consort Zhaojia smile and quickly advised, thinking that it would be bad if Consort Zhaojia and the second princess became estranged.
"I am not in good health, so you must take good care of the princess. If anything happens, think of your people."
Consort Zhaojia also realized that if she showed dislike for the princess, the servants around the princess would inevitably become more negligent.
"Yes, we will do our best to take good care of the Second Princess." The wet nurse and the palace maids who were taking care of the princess quickly knelt down to express their loyalty.
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