Chapter Thirty-Two
After hearing the Fourth Princess's words, the Empress summoned her mother to the palace and explained the smallpox vaccination program, suggesting that some children be tested. There were many trivial matters to attend to in the palace, and the Empress, carrying a heavy pregnancy, sometimes found it difficult to cope. At over thirty years old, she was considered an elderly mother in those times. The late July sun was scorching, and the Empress carefully placed the Phoenix Seal, waiting for the Fourth and Fifth Princesses to return.
From afar, one could see the Fourth Princess with a smile on her face, while the Fifth Princess had a dark expression. The Empress looked at the two women, puzzled, and told them to look at the Emperor; why did they return with such expressions?
Fifth Princess was inwardly annoyed. That Fu Ertai was nothing more than a bondservant, a servant's servant, yet he dared to challenge her. Wasn't he just a relative of Consort Ling? She vividly remembered how her father's face darkened whenever the Fu family was mentioned. Hadn't he learned his lesson from Fu Erkang? Didn't he know that even a lowly concubine in the palace was of higher rank than them? Thinking himself royalty, he should take a good look at himself in the mirror. Fifth Princess cursed him inwardly, her face flushing red with embarrassment at her own vulgarity.
The Fourth Princess, unlike the Fifth Princess, didn't have as many ulterior motives. She thought Yongqi looked incredibly cute and innocent! He hadn't yet been corrupted by Fu Ertai; he was still a normal person, aware that his status was different from that of a mere servant. He wasn't foolish enough to befriend a servant's servant. Actually, Yongqi was quite shrewd! Befriending a servant's servant made someone less perceptive think that this lord was approachable and willing to listen to advice.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The two stepped into the main hall and bowed to the Empress.
"How is His Majesty's health?" the Empress asked with some concern. "Have you suffered any injustice at His Majesty's hands?"
"Your Majesty, Father is in good health. How could he let us suffer?" Fourth Princess replied to the Empress. She was determined to avenge herself and refused to believe she couldn't deal with Fu Ertai.
The Empress looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression, but didn't say anything. "Have you been to Cining Palace?"
"I have already informed Grandmother." Although Fifth Princess suppressed some of her anger as she spoke, some of it still showed when she opened her mouth.
"Go and have fun!" After watching the two leave, the Empress summoned Rong Momo and said, "Go and find out if some blind fool has bullied the Fourth Princess and the Fifth Princess."
Rong Momo immediately agreed and went out to inquire.
Not long after, Rong Momo returned and whispered a few words in the Empress's ear. The Empress gently placed the cup on the table and asked, "What did the Fourth Princess say?"
"Your Majesty, I just asked Baozhu, who serves the Fourth Princess, and she said that the Fourth Princess was smiling the whole way back, and only said something when she saw that the Fifth Princess was very angry..."
“Sister, there are plenty of ways to torment people in the palace, and even more ruthless ways to punish them. Why bother arguing with someone who is not even as good as a servant? Let’s just wait and see; someone more capable will deal with this scoundrel in the future.”
The Empress picked up the cup she had just put down. "How dare the Fu family bully me?" A stern look flashed in the Empress's eyes. "How is Consort Jia's health?"
"Your Majesty, I asked the imperial physician outside the wall, and he said that Your Majesty's health is probably not good."
The Empress sighed softly, her hand tightening around her teacup. Everyone understood that it was strange for Consort Jia to contract smallpox at such a young age, but investigating it would be incredibly difficult… Once Consort Jia passed away, the palace maids, noble ladies, concubines, and other high-ranking officials would likely all follow her. The Empress wanted to investigate, but she had no leads.
~~~~
"Fu'ertai, how dare you!" The Fifth Prince, back in Jingyang Palace, grabbed a teacup and threw it at Fu'ertai. Fu'ertai instinctively dodged, but Yongqi grabbed another teacup and threw it at Fu'ertai's head. What a bold servant, daring to dodge! Consort Ling, Consort Ling! If it weren't for his mother saying he couldn't afford to offend her and had to endure it, he would have killed this fool long ago. Fourth Princess and Fifth Princess—everyone could see from their return to the palace that the Emperor doted on them like precious treasures. Fu'ertai actually used his name to oppose the two princesses, someone even he avoided… Thinking of this, Yongqi walked to Fu'ertai's side. If he didn't kick Fu'ertai a few times today, he wouldn't be able to vent his anger.
After dodging the first kick, Fu'ertai knew something was wrong. The Fifth Prince was angry. Consort Ling had repeatedly told him that he should coax the Fifth Prince and not offend him. Had he just offended the Fifth Prince? Fu'ertai watched the Fifth Prince approaching with anger, his heart filled with unease. He dared not dodge again and took the kicks from the Fifth Prince squarely.
"Fuertai, I cannot keep someone like you by my side." After kicking him a few times, the Fifth Prince's anger subsided considerably. Fuertai could not be kept by his side; keeping him would only bring disaster.
"Fifth Prince, I confess my crime!"
"Your subject!?" The Fifth Prince was horrified. What was Fu'ertai trying to do, referring to himself as "your subject" in front of him? If others heard this, wouldn't they say he had ulterior motives? "Xiao Luzi, take some men and throw Fu'ertai out of the palace." This scourge cannot be allowed to remain.
"Fifth Prince, Your Majesty..."
"Gag him." The Fifth Prince was secretly anxious; even if he had the desire, he couldn't show it now. Thinking this, he broke out in a cold sweat. Had he been too hasty in asking his father for a task? The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Then, remembering Fu Ertai's matter, the Fifth Prince, having just returned to Jingyang Palace, went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with his men.
Emperor Qianlong frowned as he looked at Yongqi kneeling before him. "Yongqi, what is it now?"
"Father, your son has come to beg for forgiveness." Yongqi knelt on the ground with his eyes downcast. He had been too reckless today and should not have believed Fuertai's words.
"Oh?" Qianlong asked in a raised voice, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"My son ordered someone to throw Fu'ertai out of the palace," Yongqi told his father through gritted teeth.
After Yongqi finished speaking, a young eunuch ran in and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress is about to give birth."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianlong immediately stood up and, not forgetting to tell Yongqi to get up as well, said, "Come with me to take a look."
Chaos reigned in Kunning Palace. The Empress giving birth was a major event, especially since it was premature.
As Qianlong entered, he heard the young eunuch explain the situation: the Empress had been offended by Princess Xinyue, which caused her to show signs of premature labor. Qianlong's anger flared. He was busy with state affairs, and now the harem was adding to the chaos. Consort Ling... "Wu Shulai, convey the imperial decree: Consort Ling is of improper character and has been demoted from her position of tutor to a lower rank. Princess Xinyue is to be sent to the Imperial Clan Court."
This time, Consort Ling didn't say anything. When she received the Emperor's decree, she seemed somewhat bewildered and at a loss. She pulled Wu Shulai, wanting to ask what was going on, but Wu Shulai flicked his sleeves and left. Consort Ling—no, it should be called Consort Ling—sent Lamei out to inquire while she paced around the room. A short while later, Lamei ran back, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Princess Xinyue has offended the Empress, and the Empress has gone into premature labor."
"Hiss~~" Consort Ling's handkerchief was torn. "Give me some plain clothes, I need to go to Kunning Palace to apologize."
~~~~
"How is the Empress?" The Empress Dowager couldn't stay seated in Cining Palace and had Gui Mama help her to Jiaotai Hall. Qianlong was sitting in Jiaotai Hall watching the situation in Kunning Palace. Seeing the Empress Dowager arrive, he immediately stood up. "Your Majesty, the imperial physician just reported that everything is normal."
"Amitabha! May our ancestors protect us."
"Your Majesty, I'm thinking of moving to Yongshou Palace after the Empress gives birth to the prince. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
The Empress Dowager looked at Qianlong, "Let's do as the Emperor says!" Yongshou Palace was the closest courtyard to Yangxin Hall, and it used to house the most favored concubines. The Empress mostly resided in Yikun Palace, but after Hongli entered the palace, he moved Xiaoxian to Kunning Palace, and later Empress Nara also lived there. The Empress Dowager was quite surprised by Hongli's sudden decision to have the Empress move to Yongshou Palace. Even when Huixian was favored, she only lived in Changyuan Lane.
Emperor Qianlong's thoughts were very strange, and no one could understand them. Perhaps only Emperor Qianlong himself knew what he was thinking and why he made the Empress move to Yongshou Palace.
Inside the Hall of Union and Harmony, Emperor Qianlong and the Empress Dowager awaited news of the Empress's childbirth. Consort Ling changed her clothes and rushed over. She arrived at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and, without even bothering to look for the Emperor, knelt before the main hall of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. Regardless of whether the Emperor could see her or not, she had to do it. How could she lose the position she had worked so hard to achieve?
The Empress Dowager glanced coldly at Consort Ling, inwardly scoffing. Emperor Qianlong inherited the Empress Dowager's tendency to find fault with anyone he disliked, and at this moment, he found Consort Ling extremely displeasing. Didn't she understand the meaning of "reflecting on one's mistakes behind closed doors"?
"Consort Ling, aren't you shortening our lives?" The Fourth Princess, who had come out of the side hall with her two younger sisters and two younger brothers, looked at Consort Ling kneeling towards them with a look of shock. "Consort Ling, it's not convenient for you to kneel here with all this coming and going! If you're going to kneel, you should kneel further away. The rose bushes that Wu'er just planted yesterday are right there."
Consort Ling did not kneel on the marble-paved road, but on the loosened soil.
"Fourth daughter, fifth daughter, Lan'er, bring Yongxing and Yongqi to me." The Empress Dowager looked at the place where Consort Ling was kneeling, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
"Greetings to Grandmother and Father Emperor."
Consort Ling didn't dare turn around. At this moment, she hoped that the Emperor would call her to get up, but listening to the Empress Dowager talking with the princesses and princes in the Hall of Union, while the Emperor remained silent, Consort Ling's heart was in turmoil.
Inside the Hall of Union, Yongqi seized an opportunity to apologize to the Fourth and Fifth Princesses. He couldn't afford to offend the princesses favored by his father, the Emperor. Even though his father currently valued him highly, if his two sisters spoke ill of him to the Emperor, his situation would likely worsen. Emperor Qianlong nodded in approval of Yongqi's apology. He had overheard Fu'ertai talking about the Fourth and Fifth Princesses outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and his opinion of Yongqi had changed. He had thought Yongqi was merely feigning politeness and humility in front of him. Now, however, it seemed he had misjudged Yongqi. Yongqi's willingness to apologize to his sisters was commendable; he was indeed worthy of the Emperor's respect.
The Fourth and Fifth Princesses responded to Yongqi's apology by saying they didn't take it to heart, but in their hearts they were thinking, "Not that they didn't take it to heart, but they've got it in their heads. They're not in the mood to deal with you right now, but once the Empress Dowager gives birth to the little prince safely, we'll see how we deal with you."
Seeing his two younger sisters' magnanimity, Yongqi breathed a sigh of relief and stood obediently to the side, waiting to hear whether the Empress would give birth to a prince or a princess.
The Empress, who had experience with childbirth, gave birth safely despite a premature delivery. Hearing the child's loud cry, the Empress Dowager kept chanting things like, "Amitabha, may our ancestors protect us." Supported by the Fourth Princess, the Fifth Princess, and Lan Xin, the child left the Hall of Union and entered the main hall, with three princes accompanying Emperor Qianlong.
The doors to the main hall opened, and the maids inside knelt to offer their congratulations, presenting the newborn prince to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Consort Ling, kneeling outside, swayed slightly; she had been praying that the prince would be a princess…
Emperor Qianlong was in a great mood and immediately bestowed many gifts upon her. Consort Ling, completely ignored outside, was furious, twisting her handkerchief back and forth. The memory of the Seventh Princess's first birthday celebration was still fresh in her mind; now that the Empress had given birth to another prince, how could Consort Ling not be angry?
~~~
The Empress gave birth to a son, Consort Ling was demoted to a lower-ranking concubine, and Princess Xinyue entered the Imperial Clan Court. It was easy to guess, even without careful examination, that Consort Ling had brought this trouble upon herself. Having moved out of the main hall, Consort Ling looked at the side hall, which paled in comparison, and tore countless handkerchiefs in the dust. Gritting her teeth, Consort Ling prepared to send gifts to the Empress.
After the Empress gave birth to the Thirteenth Prince, the usually hectic court affairs suddenly became less demanding, and several places sent good news. Emperor Qianlong was overjoyed and, with a stroke of his pen, named the Thirteenth Prince Yonghui.
The Fourth Princess frowned when she heard the name; she remembered that the Thirteenth Prince didn't have that name.
Fifth Princess looked at Twelfth, then at Thirteenth; both were jade. Thinking about the names of the other princes, Fifth Princess remembered Fifth Prince—why was he also named Jade?
Lan Xin had no interest in the Fourth and Fifth Princesses. She sat next to the Empress and teased the little prince. "Empress Mother, look how much the little prince is smiling."
"Your Majesty, have everything been packed?" A month passed quickly, and several small items were moved into Yongshou Palace during this month. The Empress's things were not moved at the moment because the Empress was in confinement and could not be exposed to the wind. Now that the Empress has finished her confinement, it is time to start moving things.
"Then let's move!" The Empress thought about the palace she would be moving into, her heart filled with complex emotions. In the past, she had always refused to resort to trickery and was often scolded by the Emperor. Now, her unscrupulous methods had allowed her to live in the place closest to the Emperor.
The concubines had all heard that the Empress had moved into Yongshou Palace, and now that she had moved there, they all came to congratulate her. But their eyes and mouths were filled with envy. Who didn't want to be closer to the Emperor? Who didn't want to be favored by the Emperor? Who didn't want to give the Emperor a son so that they could have something to look forward to in the future?
The Empress received the gifts from each palace and had them all recorded. The Fourth Princess looked at Consort Yi, who stood beside Consort Ling. In terms of appearance, Consort Yi was several levels more beautiful than Consort Ling; in terms of birth, Consort Yi was far superior. Consort Yi had entered the palace before Consort Ling and was also favored by the Emperor, yet she hadn't risen as quickly as Consort Ling. The Fourth Princess inwardly marveled at Consort Ling's extraordinary shrewdness!
During the Empress's postpartum period, a significant event occurred: Consort Jia recovered from her illness.
Author's Note: I started experiencing cold symptoms the day before yesterday, and developed a fever yesterday. The fever subsided this morning, but I've been feeling weak ever since. The fever returned last night, and I'm typing in a daze. I really don't know what I'm writing. Sorry everyone…
Reply or anything, I'll reply when I wake up tomorrow...
P.S.: That Xia family member, hehe, will be given an important role later on~~~ Right now it's just foreshadowing…
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