Consort Hua glanced around and sent Songzhi, Qiangwei, and the others outside to guard them, preventing anyone from getting close so as not to disturb their conversation.
"It's just the two of us here, is there anything we can't say?"
"Since you've suffered a loss on the surface, you should find a way to make up for it. Do you want to suffer this pain for nothing?"
Sun Miaoqing bit her lip. Of course, she wouldn't have done all this for nothing. Taking such a big risk by faking a pregnancy and testing Da Pang Ju was only half the battle; the other half was for her own future.
Why has Hua Pangpang suddenly become so clever? Or is this an essential code of conduct for daughters of officials and nobles?
[Giving birth is so hard, but without children, you'll only be able to stay in the backyard of Cining Palace or Shou Kang Palace when you're old. If your rank isn't high enough, and with so many concubines left behind by the old emperor, I might even have to sleep in a large dormitory. I can't stand that kind of hardship!]
[Qi Erha is still around. Hongli is too cunning. Hongzhou is much better; he's young and doesn't remember things. After raising him for a while, he'll become just like my own son.]
Sun Miaoqing said, "Your Highness Consort Hua, I wish to raise the Fifth Prince..."
Consort Hua knew that there were only a few children in the palace, and there were no other options besides the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince.
It's true that a mother's status rises with her son's, but there's also the saying "a son's status rises with his mother's." The Fourth Prince's background wasn't prestigious enough, and he was never favored by the eldest son, who lived in the Yuanmingyuan Garden. He was never even asked about the Fourth Prince's birth throughout the year.
The Fifth Prince was different. Although he was frail and sickly and kept outside the palace, the Prince Zhuang would often inquire about his condition. Every now and then, the Prince Zhuang would report the Fifth Prince's recent situation to the Prince Zhuang.
Bringing him to live with us and raising him well would be a great deal, like getting a son for free.
However, Consort Hua found it strange that Sun Miaoqing was already thinking about having children, even though she had only been in the palace for a short time.
Could it be that she knows about my actions towards the chubby orange?
Thinking of this, Consort Hua tentatively asked, "Why did you decide to raise the Fifth Prince, sister?"
"You are still young and have the Emperor's favor, why are you in such a hurry?"
"The Fifth Prince is in poor health. If you were to raise him, not to mention the amount of thought and effort you would have to put in, wouldn't you be asking for trouble if something went wrong?"
Sun Miaoqing said, "Your Highness, please rest assured, I have figured it out."
"His Majesty is not young, and there have been very few princes and princesses born safely in recent years. The risks are simply too great."
"Although the Fifth Prince is in poor health, that is precisely why he is not feared by others."
"Besides, there are so many skilled imperial physicians in the palace, what kind of tonics don't they have? He'll be fine when he gets older."
He lived to be fifty-nine, which is not short of life at all. After all, these days, many people become grandparents in their thirties!
Besides, childbirth is so risky. I've heard that at this stage, a quarter of pregnant women don't live to give birth, a quarter don't survive childbirth, and a quarter don't even finish their postpartum period. Those who manage to watch their children grow up safely are truly blessed...
I didn't get this life easily, so I should enjoy it to the fullest and not waste it on other things!
Did Hongzhou live to be fifty-nine years old?
Consort Hua narrowed her eyes slightly. Is childbirth really that dangerous?
She had heard of people around her who died from complications during childbirth, but that was nowhere near three-quarters of the cases.
Perhaps Sun Miaoqing remembered it wrong...
Consort Hua said, "It's good that you have a plan in mind. I will help you persuade the Emperor. I think there shouldn't be any problems."
Sun Miaoqing was shocked, "No, please don't!"
Realizing his reaction was too strong, he composed himself and added, "What I mean is, this matter requires His Majesty's consent."
"If Your Majesty helps me persuade him, it wouldn't be good if the Emperor thought we were using this to pressure him..."
[Big Fatty Orange is so wary of Hua Pangpang and Nian Gengyao, if Hua Pangpang were to suggest to him that I raise the Fifth Prince, even if the Fifth Prince is in poor health, he would definitely think of other possibilities!]
[At that point, suspicion will breed resentment, and one problem after another will arise, making it seem like it will never end.]
Consort Hua was unhappy, very unhappy.
But this wasn't directed at Sun Miaoqing, but at the suspicious and chubby Da Pangju.
It's only natural for other concubines to whisper sweet nothings in each other's ears. But when it comes to her, everything she says is wrong, everything she does is seen as scheming. Why?
Consort Hua sighed, "Alright, you can handle it yourself. I won't interfere."
"Having a child is good, at least the palace will be more lively."
*
In the small Buddhist hall of Shou Kang Palace, there is a white jade Guanyin statue.
The Empress Dowager knelt before the Buddha, closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and chanted Buddhist scriptures for a long time. Hearing a noise beside her, she knew that Zhu Xi had returned, so she kowtowed several times to the Bodhisattva. Zhu Xi helped the Empress Dowager up and left the small Buddhist hall for the outer room.
The Empress Dowager asked, "Have you found out the details? What exactly happened?"
Zhu Xi said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the people in Chuxiu Palace said that when the Emperor was about to leave, the Buddhist beads hanging by the bed fell to the ground. The Emperor did not notice and stepped on them, and fell down."
"In her haste, Consort Cheng went to help her up, but she couldn't hold on and fell to the ground as well. Her belly hit the footstool, and she miscarried immediately."
"I heard she bled a lot, but fortunately Consort Cheng has always been in good health, and the imperial physician treated her in time, so her life was not in danger."
The Empress Dowager felt that this matter was strange and too coincidental.
"Zhu Xi, do you think this matter might be related to my dear niece?"
When Zhu Xi first heard about this, he also suspected the Empress, after all, the Empress had a long history of crimes and had always spared no effort in plotting to harm the Emperor's offspring.
However, after investigating the matter himself, Zhu Xi felt that it had nothing to do with the Empress.
The empress's reach wasn't long enough to tamper with the emperor's body.
Zhu Xi said, "This servant believes that this matter has nothing to do with the Empress."
The Empress Dowager asked, "Why? You've never liked the Empress, yet you're speaking up for her now."
Zhu Xi said, "Your Majesty, please understand. This servant is only addressing the matter, not the person."
"Her Majesty the Empress is still ill, and Consort Hua is currently managing all the affairs of the inner palace. It won't be so easy to place someone next to Consort Cheng."
"Besides, even if the Empress wanted to harm Consort Cheng's unborn child, she wouldn't shift the blame onto the Emperor. What good would that do her?"
The Empress Dowager said, "That's true, but who else could it be besides her?"
"No matter what, that's still a royal heir. It couldn't possibly be Consort Cheng herself, could it?"
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