However, for the royal family, twins were considered extremely unlucky.
During lunch, Yinzhi lost his appetite and, while taking a nap with Hezhuo, told him a secret of the royal family.
In the 26th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, a concubine in the palace became pregnant, but later died mysteriously, resulting in the loss of both mother and unborn child. This was the official version of events. The four concubines, who had served the Kangxi Emperor for a long time and were in power, were tacitly aware of the truth: it was actually a case of three deaths.
The imperial physician who cared for this nobleman also died, his death shrouded in mystery. Upon hearing the news, the physician's favorite concubine hanged herself, and the physician's wife, upon hearing this, also committed suicide out of love.
Actually, it was because the imperial physician and his concubine had told the concubine during their intimate moment that the concubine's family had once been prominent but had fallen into poverty due to a crime. Knowing the gravity of the situation, the concubine was terrified and told the lady of the house about it. The lady of the house remained calm and was still praying that the baby would be twins or a boy and a girl. However, neither of them dared to tell anyone else.
The imperial physician was assassinated on his way home. Knowing he was doomed, the lady feigned grief and committed suicide. She feared that if she didn't die, her children would all perish, so she willingly faced death.
This concubine was selected to enter the palace during the 24th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. Although she was a member of the Manchu Banner, she was beautiful and charming, and was greatly favored by the Kangxi Emperor at the time.
However, the emperor's favor is always ephemeral; he only enjoyed the emperor's favor for about half a year before fading into obscurity, and he did not have a distinguished family background.
Later, she became pregnant and came back into the public eye. This noblewoman was somewhat cunning and bribed the imperial physician to conceal the news of her twins. However, she was no match for the old foxes in the palace. Everyone soon discovered that something was wrong with her, and the news of her twins was found out by the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi.
The imperial physicians were all capable; they could determine the sex of the fetus after only four months of pregnancy. If both fetuses were female, there was a chance of survival. However, whether the twins were boys or auspicious twins of opposite sexes, they could not be tolerated in the palace.
Twin sons are considered unlucky, while twins of opposite sexes are considered very auspicious, but too much auspiciousness is also not tolerated.
At that time, the Crown Prince was already over ten years old. He had been personally raised by Emperor Kangxi, and their relationship was deep and his position was secure. The Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi naturally could not tolerate the twins who posed a threat to the Crown Prince.
Emperor Kangxi was no longer in the period when he lacked sons. Although it was not Emperor Kangxi who personally gave the order, Emperor Kangxi was on an inspection tour of the border regions when this young concubine died, but it was he who tacitly allowed the Empress Dowager to take action.
The Empress Dowager was already seriously ill at that time. She loved the Crown Prince no less than Emperor Kangxi. She had dedicated her entire life to the Qing Dynasty and would never allow any entity to threaten the Crown Prince or the stability of the Qing Dynasty.
Therefore, this young concubine was destined for tragedy, losing three lives in one pregnancy, two of whom were princes. The women in the harem once again experienced the cruelty of the palace and the ruthlessness of Emperor Kangxi. The harem was in a state of depression during that period.
Emperor Kangxi was lenient with his concubines on trivial matters, after all, the four consorts and six concubines had been with him for a long time. However, once they threatened the Qing Dynasty, they would be abandoned without hesitation.
Emperor Kangxi was a ruler who cared deeply for the nation. He was not just a nobleman; his princesses, princes, concubines, and even himself all belonged to the Qing Dynasty. His sons fought bloody battles and sacrificed their lives for the Qing, while his princesses married far away to foreign lands, traversing grasslands and deserts for the Qing.
Emperor Kangxi himself sacrificed the most for the Qing Dynasty. Many of his princesses who were married off to distant lands did not live long, which he could not help. However, no one can say that Kangxi was heartless, because most of his princesses were about 20 years old when they got married. In that era, a 20-year-old Manchu girl was considered an old maid. It was because he cherished his own flesh and blood that he kept them until so late.
Being an emperor is difficult!
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