Cining Palace
Consort Hui, Consort Yi, Consort Rong, and Consort De all brought their daughters-in-law and grandchildren to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was always self-disciplined and never concerned herself with politics, which earned her the great respect of Emperor Kangxi.
The old lady loved to see her children and grandchildren gathered together, creating a lively atmosphere. Now, the adults sat and talked, while the children chased each other freely on the ground, making the Empress Dowager smile even more kindly.
Hongqing and Honghui hit it off immediately. They huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, and were reluctant to part until they finally separated, feeling like they hadn't had enough.
The eldest princess's situation was not so smooth. The daughter of the Prince Zhi was arrogant and disdainful of associating with her half-sister, completely ignoring her in her words.
Fortunately, the eldest princess was resolute and unmoved by external factors. She kept her eyes fixed on Honghui, afraid that he might make a mistake.
The Empress Dowager, who was sitting at the head of the table, saw everything clearly and specially bestowed a pearl hairpin upon the eldest princess, which was an extremely prestigious thing.
With this connection, the eldest princess's future social interactions and even marriage prospects would be secured.
The Third Prince's wife became the wife of a Prince of the Second Rank, and she was riding high, walking with a swagger. For a time, her cheerful voice could be heard throughout the Cining Palace.
Consort Rong was furious at her short-sighted daughter-in-law, but she had to suppress her anger because of the inappropriate occasion.
"How is the First Princess Consort's health?" Consort Rong wanted to interrupt the Third Princess Consort's conspicuous question and turned her attention to the First Prince's wife.
Today, Lady Irgen Gioro was dressed in the magnificent court dress of a prince's wife. Even with all the makeup on her face, her complexion was still deathly pale. She looked like she was struggling to sit in the chair, and her personal maid was supporting her with her own body to prevent her from collapsing.
Consort Hui was distressed by her daughter-in-law's sickly appearance. How could she possibly give birth to a healthy eldest son for Yinzhi in such a state?
"Your Majesty, I am doing very well. Your mother often sends imperial physicians to examine my pulse and inquire about medicine. With some rest, I will be fully recovered," the First Princess Consort replied, forcing herself to stay calm.
Yi Hua remained expressionless, but felt a pang of sadness in her heart. The First Princess Consort looked like she was on her last legs. She had heard that Consort Hui had already begun to secretly look for the next Princess Consort for Prince Zhi. She wondered how much Consort Hui knew.
Perhaps it is precisely because she knows all this that she feels compelled to stand in front of others and speak out for herself.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said slowly, "If you're sick, take good care of yourself. You can't neglect your health."
"Yes." The First Princess Consort accepted the instruction.
***
Main courtyard
Yinzhen came to have dinner with Yihua and her son. Yihua thought about what happened during the day and said to Yinzhen, "It seems that the First Princess Consort is not going to make it."
Yinzhen sneered: "Everyone says that the eldest brother dotes on the eldest sister-in-law the most, but with one child after another being born, it is a miracle that the eldest sister-in-law, with her frail body that could be blown away by the wind, has been able to hold on until now."
The First Consort risked her life to leave Yinzhi with four daughters and one son. She did have a legitimate son, but she was unlikely to live to see him grow up.
It is said that with a stepmother comes a stepfather. In the future, when Prince Zhi has a new consort and a new legitimate son, will he still care about a child whose mother has died and who has no one to teach him?
Yi Hua had a loss of appetite: "My lord, I am so fortunate to have such a healthy and lovely child as Hong Hui."
Yinzhen glared at Yihua: "How could I let you fall into such a state?!"
Yi Hua secretly retorted in her heart that Empress Xiaojingxian in history was no less pitiful, and she received no pity even when she died.
However, who knows whether the place she traveled to is actually the Qing Dynasty as recorded in textbooks? Now that Yinzhen is treating her and her son very well, all she has to do is to continue this kindness indefinitely.
Sure enough, not long after, news of the death of the First Prince's wife arrived. Yi Hua sighed. She hadn't spent much time with the First Prince's wife, but she still remembered the look in her eyes when she looked at Hong Hui.
This is a woman who was driven insane by her child and ultimately committed suicide.
Yihua sought advice from Yinzhen: "Your Majesty, shall we go to the Prince Zhi's residence to pay our respects tomorrow? Should we bring Honghui along?"
"No, he's still young. It's hard to say what he might do. Just increase the gift by 20%," Yinzhen said.
Princess Yihua did not want to take Honghui with her, but since it was the wife of Prince Zhi who had passed away, it was normal for a nephew to be present. So Princess Yihua asked Yinzhen for advice.
The next morning, Yi Hua and her entourage hurriedly went to the Prince Zhi's residence.
Everything was white. The four princesses were crying uncontrollably in the mourning hall. Prince Zhi sat blankly, his eyes vacant, seemingly lost in thought.
Hongyu was still very young, and he cried and called for his mother, but his wet nurse couldn't soothe him no matter what she did.
The chaotic scene startled Yi Hua.
Yinzhen, accompanied by Yihua, offered incense to the First Princess Consort and then approached Prince Zhi: "Brother, please accept my condolences. The children are still young, especially Hongyu; be careful that things don't get out of hand."
Yinzhen reminded himself that he had fulfilled his responsibilities as a younger brother, and then took Yihua home to be with his son.
Prince Zhi's eyes flickered as he looked at Yinzhen and murmured two words, which Yihua interpreted as a thank you.
He assigned people to protect the children closely, confined all the concubines and mistresses to the inner courtyard, and used the same discipline required for military operations to regulate the Prince Zhi's residence. The effect was immediate.
Prince Zhi came to Hongyu's side, whose voice had become hoarse from crying: "Sleep with Father tonight."
"Where is Mother? Hongyu wants Mother!"
Prince Zhi patiently explained, "Mother is tired and needs to rest. Our Hongyu should be good and not wake Mother, okay?"
"good."
The princesses of the Prince Zhi's mansion listened to their father comforting their younger brother, their faces filled with sorrow. The five of them would be motherless children in the future, and their little brother was still so ignorant. How would they live the days to come?
***
Human joys and sorrows are never shared. Just when the Zhijun Prince's Mansion was in deep grief, the Chengjun Prince's Mansion received good news.
Lady Dong'e successfully gave birth to her second son, Hongsheng.
Hongsheng was born healthy and fair-skinned, weighing a full eight pounds and one ounce. Although Dong Eshi suffered a lot during his birth, she recovered well and was overjoyed whenever she saw her healthy son.
During the baby's third-day celebration, Yihua brought the eldest princess and Honghui to visit.
Honghui and Dong'e's eldest son, Hongqing, huddled together, looking down at the chubby baby who was still sleeping: "Why is he so small?"
The eldest princess was indeed a bit older, and she said softly, "All children are born like this. My little brother Honghui wasn't even as big as him when he was born."
Honghui stretched out his hand to indicate the size, his chubby face scrunching up in a very amusing way.
Hongqing is like a little monkey, only thinking about playing: "When will my little brother play with me?"
Yi Hua took out a handkerchief and wiped Hong Qing's little face: "He's still young. When he's as tall as that flowerpot, he can play with Hong Qing."
Hongqing looked at the best-blooming flower in her mother's garden, opened her mouth wide and thought for a long time, "That will take a very, very long time."
The two boys couldn't stay still. After watching their younger brother sleep for a while, they went out running hand in hand.
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