Ye Liangdi looked better than she had a few days ago.
However, she still looked somewhat haggard, while Luo Liangyuan looked much better in comparison.
It's already mid-July, almost the end of the month.
It seems she is really close to giving birth.
As the due date approaches, her belly is unusually large. It seems to be growing very fast.
The household has already invited wet nurses and midwives, who are being kept in the household and are just in preparation.
The kind that can be deployed immediately whenever needed.
However, before Consort Luo gave birth, news spread a few days later that Consort Fang in the palace had given birth.
She gave birth to a prince, a healthy fifteenth prince.
His Majesty was overjoyed and immediately bestowed upon Consort Fang the title of Lady Fangwan. He also granted her residence in the Jade Lotus Palace, specifically the main hall.
According to the rules, in the imperial harem, only four first-rank concubines and four second-rank concubines could manage a palace.
The Three Elements and Three Appearances can only govern one pavilion.
If one were to stay in a palace, one could only stay in a side hall.
But if His Majesty wants to favor her, who would hesitate over such a small matter? The Empress couldn't be happier.
As long as it's not that vile Consort Zhen, that's fine.
Now that Fang Wanyi has risen to prominence, it would be best if she could become a precious concubine of the court.
Many people in the palace think this way.
Consort Zhen was naturally dissatisfied, but she dared not say anything. After all, she was a Consort, still second only to the Empress.
And because of her favor with the emperor, she didn't respect the empress at all.
Since it was His Majesty's great favor, the Crown Prince also followed suit and sent a congratulatory gift.
After all, he was the Crown Prince. For a concubine to receive even one gift from him was considered a good thing, and she wouldn't dare to be picky.
It was the hottest time of the year, and Fang Wanyi, who had not yet moved into Yufu Palace, was in her postpartum confinement period.
The maid, Qianbi, wiped her face and said, "You must take good care of yourself now. Even if you're not feeling well for a while, if you catch a cold, it could be a lifelong problem."
"I understand. Does Your Majesty have anything to say?" Fang Wanyi asked.
"Your Majesty, don't you know? I was just praising you," Qianbi said with a smile.
"Sigh." Fang Wanyi sighed.
"What's wrong with Wanyi?" Qianbi asked worriedly.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking that now that I've given birth to a prince, I'll have fewer peaceful days. I wonder what Your Majesty wants me to do."
“Well…you gave birth to a prince, so perhaps…you’re thinking of yourself too?” Qianbi whispered.
“You silly girl, don’t say things like that again. Don’t even mention that my whole family’s lives and fortunes are all thanks to Her Majesty’s grace. Take myself for example, so what if I gave birth to a prince? He’s the fifteenth in line, what can you expect from him? I’m thinking of myself, but…”
However, it's not about whether one's infant son can inherit the throne; such pipe dreams should be abandoned.
Rather, while serving the Empress, one must also consider one's own and one's child's future; one cannot simply ignore it.
Qianbi quickly said she wouldn't dare, she didn't have any bad intentions, she was just thinking of her master.
On the first day of the eighth lunar month, before the time for paying respects, Consort Luo in the mansion made a move.
The Crown Princess excused herself from the greetings and went to Tingfeng Garden.
Since Han Chenghui moved out, only Luo Liangyuan has lived here.
By this time, the midwives had arrived, and Luo Liangyuan had begun giving birth in the delivery room.
There was an early court session today, and Shu Chengfeng was no longer in the mansion, so naturally the Crown Princess was in charge.
Yan Nangui thought about it and decided not to go. She was giving birth, and unless her superiors gave a direct order to go, she wouldn't go.
Although Luo Liangyuan had miscarried once, this was her first time giving birth, so it wouldn't be easy.
Even after Shu Chengfeng returned in the afternoon, the baby still hadn't been born.
The Crown Princess has also been working here all day; she is truly diligent.
Since she wasn't leaving, the others couldn't leave either, so they had a simple lunch there.
When the Crown Prince arrived, he saw that apart from the pregnant Consort Ye, only Yan Nangui was not present.
He thought to himself that this woman was being lazy.
"Apart from the Crown Princess and Consort Su, everyone else may go back." Shu Chengfeng helped the Crown Princess to her feet. "Thank you for your hard work, Jiao Lan."
The Crown Princess hurriedly replied, "I dare not say that, but I am worried, as more than half a day has already passed."
"Your Highness, please don't worry too much. This is your first pregnancy, after all. It's normal for someone to be overjoyed for three days," Consort Su quickly comforted her.
The servants also comforted her in the same way.
After sitting for a while longer, and after the tea was changed three times, there was finally some activity.
Luo Liangyuan was truly exhausted.
She was given ginseng soup to continue the process. Fortunately, she felt a little relieved knowing that the Crown Prince had returned.
As darkness fell, the sound of a baby crying was finally heard.
A short while later, the midwife came out to announce the good news: "Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Prince, congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Princess, the little princess and her daughter are safe and sound."
The crown prince's daughter was not necessarily a princess; it was just a title used by midwives.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess was completely relieved.
Even if she was born so hastily, it's still just a daughter.
Shu Chengfeng smiled and said, "Alright, everyone will be rewarded. I will also reward Consort Luo on my behalf. She has worked hard."
Inside the room, Luo Liangyuan felt both like laughing and unwilling to accept it.
She had already discerned from the imperial physician's words that this pregnancy was likely to result in a daughter.
But she still held onto hope that if she could give birth to a son, she would have someone to rely on.
But now that she's given birth to another daughter, it's impossible not to be disappointed.
Having a daughter is good, as she's the first girl in the household. If she enters the palace later, her rank won't be too low.
When Yan Nangui heard about this during his dinner, he smiled and said, "Just give whatever you should give."
"Yes," Jiangxiang replied. "This time, I'm sure the headmaster can rest assured."
"The person the chief physician is most worried about isn't Consort Ye. Even if Consort Luo gives birth to a son, she's not a big threat, is she?" But what if Consort Ye's baby is a son...
Tsk, now the Ye family will have someone to rely on.
“Yes, but now that Her Majesty the Empress is keeping a close eye on things, it’s not certain that the main courtyard can make any more plans,” Jiangxiang said.
"They're all eyeing that position, and the Crown Prince hasn't even gotten it yet. The powerful families are still fighting to the death, but they've already started eyeing the next Crown Prince." Yan Nangui shook his head and scoffed, "Aren't they tired of fighting all that?"
"Isn't this how most people live their mundane lives? Those aristocratic families, the higher they climb, the more afraid they are of falling. So they strive to climb higher, and the girls in their families are either married off to other families or sent to the palace. Few of them can marry a scholar or an ordinary person according to their own wishes," Jiang Xiang said.
[I saw some girls saying that the female lead is bland and uninteresting because the crown prince can't ascend the throne? Well, even if she did ascend, she couldn't just dominate everyone. With this kind of pacing, it's definitely going to be an ensemble piece; if only the female lead is amazing, it wouldn't be interesting. Don't be impatient; we're looking at the whole story, aren't we? Honestly, I was slowly getting into the story while writing it. Let's do this together, love you all.]
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