The Crown Princess, of the Guarjia clan, has passed away.
Yi Hua was shocked to receive the news. She knew that the Crown Princess had been recuperating for the past year. Although it might affect her ability to have children, it was not related to her lifespan. There were also imperial physicians in the palace who took special care of the Crown Princess's health. How could she have passed away so suddenly?
The Crown Princess fell ill very suddenly. After coughing up blood and fainting in front of the Crown Prince's window, she stopped breathing before the imperial physician arrived.
In his grief, the prince's headaches, which had lasted for over a month, miraculously disappeared.
The imperial physician concluded that the Crown Princess had died suddenly from overexertion and exhaustion.
Well, in her previous life, Yi Hua had seen some news reports about PhD students from certain universities who died suddenly after four days and three nights of non-stop experiments. She thought these people probably had some heart problems and died of suffocation due to insufficient blood supply to the brain.
The Crown Princess had a rosy complexion and spoke with a strong voice before, which didn't seem like someone who could die suddenly after caring for someone who had been ill for more than a month.
Besides, she is one of the two bigwigs of Yuqing Palace. Although she is said to be taking care of the sick, how many things can she actually do herself? She just shows her face in front of the Crown Prince all the time. The real hard work is done by the maids and eunuchs. How could she possibly work the Crown Princess to death?
However, once the palace had made its final decision, the Crown Prince, in his grief, wrote several articles mourning his wife. For a time, the entire court and the public were moved by the Crown Prince's deep affection for his wife.
The examination was suspended that day. Hongxi and Hongjin went back to wear mourning clothes for the Crown Princess, kneel before the coffin and hold the banner. They didn't bother to cause trouble for Honghui.
However, when Honghui returned and spoke privately to Yihua, he said that his two elder brothers, Hongxi and Hongjin, showed no sign of grief. They only put on a show of peace in front of the Crown Prince, and at other times they did not shed a single tear.
The scale of the Crown Princess's funeral was much larger than that of the death of the Prince Zhi's wife. Yi Hua, along with the eldest princess, Hong Hui, and Hong Yun, came to offer incense to the Crown Princess.
The concubines that the Crown Princess usually looked down upon were kneeling on both sides, crying pitifully. Yi Hua took a closer sniff and found that the air was filled with the smell of ginger and chili peppers. Presumably, these people really couldn't cry and had resorted to external means.
After the worship ceremony, Yihua planned to take the children to Yonghe Palace. Consort Dong'e of Prince Cheng came over and said, "Since you're going to Yonghe Palace, you can walk there for a while. I'll also take them to pay their respects to Mother."
The children consciously lagged behind a few steps, giving Yihua and Dong'e a good distance to chat.
"What do you think?" Dong Eshi pointed behind her and whispered.
"The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were deeply in love. I only hope that the Crown Princess, if she has a spirit in heaven, can come to the Crown Prince's dreams to comfort his grief," Yi Hua said slowly.
Dong E scoffed, "You little rascal, if it were really like a dream, you'd be scared to death."
When Yi Hua heard someone calling her from behind, she immediately stopped. Everyone knew that the Crown Princess's departure was suspicious. Could such things be said in the palace? Dong Eshi liked gossip, but she was really inconsiderate of the occasion. Hong Qing and his mother were exactly the same in this respect.
"Third sister-in-law, fourth sister-in-law." The person behind was the Fourteenth Prince's wife, who was also going to Yonghe Palace and was going the same way as Yihua.
"Fourteenth sister-in-law, you've come at the right time. Last time I came to pay my respects to Her Majesty, you weren't feeling well and couldn't come. Her Majesty was worried about you." Yi Hua glanced at Wanyan's somewhat overly broad waist and had a guess in her mind.
Sure enough, Wanyan straightened her back and said, "Fourth sister-in-law, I've come today to deliver good news to my mother. Although my master forbids us to say it, you are all my sisters-in-law, so let's talk quietly. I'm more than a month pregnant."
"That's a good thing, congratulations." Dong E rolled her eyes slightly. What was there to brag about? She wasn't even a member of the Fourteenth Mansion.
"It's close to the Empress's palace, so I'll go first. Please take your time, my two sisters." After saying that, Hongqing and Hongsheng followed her.
"Are you feeling unwell on a day like today? The funeral hall is filled with smoke, don't push yourself," Yi Hua asked with concern.
"Thank you, Fourth Sister-in-law. This child is so well-behaved, he never makes a fuss. I feel better than ever before," Wanyan said happily, touching her belly.
Yi Hua thought to herself, "It's been more than a month and it's still not fully formed. It's not like it won't make a fuss. It won't start turning over in my belly until it's at least four or five months old."
"Well, if there's anything you want, just send someone to my residence, and I'll find it for you." Yi Hua said politely, since Consort De would give the same order later anyway, so she might as well say it first and do someone a favor.
As expected, Consort De beamed with joy upon hearing the good news from Lady Wanyan, while Yihua was completely overshadowed.
"Liu Liu, look at Aunt Fourteen's belly. Is it a little brother or a little sister inside?" Consort De coaxed Liu Liu. It is said that children have sharp eyes and can see things that adults cannot see. What they say is basically true.
Liu Liu was about to speak when Yi Hua interrupted her: "Your Majesty, what does Liu Liu know? Sometimes she can't even tell if she's a boy or a girl. All she knows is to go crazy."
"Liu Liu, are you sleepy? Why don't you go to bed with Granny Lü?" Yi Hua looked down at Liu Liu.
Upon receiving the message from her mother, the little girl immediately yawned and looked up, saying, "Mama, Liu Liu is sleepy."
"Go to sleep." Upon hearing this, the eldest princess reached out and hugged Liu Liu, personally escorting her to the side hall.
After paying his respects to Consort De, Honghui followed the eunuch to find Yinzhen, leaving only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the hall.
Consort De looked displeased: "The Fourteenth Prince's household has good news, so the Fourth Prince's household should hurry up. Two sons are still too few. As the wife of the prince, you should advise your husbands to spread their affections more evenly. This is your duty."
"Yes, daughter-in-law, listen to my instructions."
Consort De's words were an open expression of dissatisfaction with Yihua, but also a subtle warning to Lady Wanyan. After all, she had caused quite a stir with the Fourteenth Prince during her wedding, and the lawsuit had even reached Yonghe Palace.
Yi Hua deliberately prevented Liu Liu from answering. The idea that children are insightful and perceptive is nonsense. If she mentioned the younger sister, both of them would be unhappy. If she mentioned the younger brother, and the younger sister ended up, they would blame Liu Liu for talking nonsense.
What's more, Liu Liu was absolutely right this time. If word gets out, what kind of reputation will she have in the future? Why bother getting involved in this mess?
"The Crown Princess was unlucky; she passed away without leaving any offspring. The capital will soon be bustling again, and the Emperor probably already has a name in mind for the next Crown Princess." As she said this, Consort De gave Yi Hua a meaningful look.
Yi Hua was somewhat puzzled; surely she couldn't be a daughter of the Ulanara family.
A month later, Yi Hua finally understood what Consort De meant.
Emperor Kangxi issued an edict, bestowing upon Tong Guining the title of Crown Princess, and the wedding was to take place on an auspicious day.
Who is Tong Guining? She is the legitimate daughter of a collateral branch of the Tong family. She has been registered for marriage but has never been betrothed. Originally, her family wanted to try to persuade her to marry freely, but the Tong family collapsed, leaving her to remain unmarried at nearly twenty years old.
Life's circumstances are truly wondrous; a once-despised, impoverished woman suddenly transforms into a crown princess.
Tong is such a good surname!
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