Chapter Eighteen

  The sky turned from deep black to sapphire, with the morning star hanging on the horizon. The sun had not yet risen, and the morning breeze carried the remaining night air. Ordinary people were still asleep, but the princes in the Forbidden City were already getting up.

  The main room opened, and the maidservants entered in a line, carrying washing utensils under the lanterns on the corridor. Although there were many people, there was no extra noise. Su Peisheng was attending to Emperor Xianzong's dressing, and only a faint figure could be seen inside the bamboo-colored bed curtains, suggesting that Consort Rong was still asleep.

  Yuan Zhen dressed and washed up, turned around and lifted the bed curtains to take another look, muttering something under his breath, but his tone was gentle and affectionate.

  The concubine Gege who was waiting outside saw Yongzheng off, and when she returned, she waited again under the corridor. Fuheng would get up in a moment.

  The entire harem gradually became busy, and the sound of conversation and water splashing could be heard from the adjacent courtyards of Third Brother and Fifth Brother. Xiaoyue walked out from inside: "The mistress is not feeling well this morning, so there's no need for the princesses to go in and pay their respects."

  Song Shi cautiously took a step forward: "Is Madame Fu alright? Should we invite a physician to take a look?"

  Li said hastily: "If the mistress is unwell, we should go in and attend to her."

  Yan's daughter glanced at Li and opened her mouth but didn't dare speak up, it wasn't her turn to talk in this place.

  "The princess knows what you girls are thinking, so go back to your rooms first."

  The Song and Li families did not dare to force them, so they agreed and each returned to their own rooms.

  Quan Pei was wearing a loose, pale green robe, with her hair half undone and leaning back on the couch. Her face didn't look very good, and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed. She glanced at the dishes on the table, gestured to Xiaoyue to serve herself, and forced down several mouthfuls of food. Then she called out to the maid: "Heat up some water for me, I want to take a bath."

  Even if the mistress's request was strange, the servants didn't dare to say much. Song and Li saw the maid bring in hot water and became even more uncertain about what was wrong with Madame Fu, being too concerned that she might be unhappy, yet not being concerned also made them fear that she would be unhappy, until they felt uneasy.

  The sun rose higher and higher, shining on the courtyard where the flowers, grass, and trees were lush and green, casting patches of shade. Yatou supported Quanpei, who was wearing no adornments at all, as she walked around the courtyard. The three midwives had been watched by Xiaoyue as they changed into clean clothes from head to toe, even re-braiding their hair, not a single piece of jewelry allowed. After the girls in the delivery room checked everything inside and out, the midwives were led inside.

  Quan Pei's forehead was covered in fine sweat, and she finally let out a sigh of relief: "Help me into the delivery room."

  The door of the delivery room creaked shut from the inside, and several eunuchs stood outside watching. The little eunuch who had received the message immediately rushed to Yonghe Palace. It was only then that Song Shi and Li Shi in the courtyard realized that Fugui was going into labor!

  It was still early in the morning, and there wasn't much to do. In short, it was all about Gerdan, and nothing else could be considered a matter without Gerdan being eliminated. Yongzheng nodded slightly as he passed by Feiyanggu, who might have been the commander-in-chief of the expedition, and said, "Quan Pei is fine." They then dispersed. Not far away, Su Peisheng saw Yongzheng as if he had seen a lifesaver, rushed over to him in a low voice, and said, "Master, please go back quickly! The lady is giving birth!"

  The prince who came out later didn't even have time to shout "Fourth Brother" before he saw Yongzheng suddenly take off running, like a gust of wind. He turned his head and asked the Third Prince beside him, "What's wrong with him?"

  The third brother didn't understand either and just guessed: "I suppose there's something going on in the courtyard."

  Yongzheng met Empress Dowager Chongqing at the entrance, and after exchanging a glance with his mother, he spoke up: "Mother, why have you come?"

  "This isn't what I heard, wasn't it said that Guan Yu was born quickly? If I don't come, I'm afraid something will go wrong."

  It seems like everyone wants to pretend to be calm, but they all failed. They only said one sentence before rushing back in a hurry.

  The midwife in the house exclaimed in unison with Quan Pei: "Madam, your palace gate has opened five fingers wide, and you will be giving birth soon!"

  There was a Taishi chair in the hall, and De Fei sat on it. Yongzheng also had a chair, but he couldn't sit still and kept pacing back and forth.

  Giving birth is always accompanied by painful cries, but the Fourth Prince's courtyard was even quieter than usual. The neighbors on either side only saw that there seemed to be more people and commotion in the courtyard, and for a while they didn't guess that it was Rong'er giving birth. As the sun grew hotter, the palace maids fanned Consort De with fans, and from inside the house came the midwife's shout: "I see the head!"

  It was as if at the same moment, the people who were inquiring about the news had guessed the truth.

  "Fourth Lady is probably giving birth!"

  The masters all said: "Go and take a look quickly!"

  Someone outside shouted: "The Fourth Mistress has just given birth!"

  "Is it a brother or a sister?!"

  The child's loud cry echoed through the Fourth Prince's courtyard, and the midwife shouted loudly: "A seven-catty little prince!"

  The fourth prince stared at the chubby and wrinkled child with wide eyes, even a little flustered for a moment: "How...so soft..."

  De Fei Shu Chang smiled: "You were soft at that time, but not as fat as this child!" As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes unconsciously had a few points of sadness.

  Quan Pei was weak, but she hadn't suffered too much. The child was born smoothly, without any tearing. The maidservants helped Quan Pei change into clean clothes and re-braid her hair, then brought a bowl of light hot soup for her to drink. As she drank, Quan Pei asked: "Has anyone gone out to spread the news?"

  "Until you gave birth to your little brother, no one went out."

  Just as the house was tidied up, Yongzheng came in holding the child and chattered on like a nagging wife: "I just found out that you weren't feeling well when I left this morning, but you didn't tell me!"

  And then you said "You're also too reckless, still running around everywhere when you're about to give birth, what if something goes wrong?"

  "It's good that you're okay!"

  Ruan Yu lay on the kang and touched her son's chubby little face, smiling at Yongzheng: "Look how well-behaved he is."

  Watching the child, his heart also melted: "I have a son too."

  The Emperor's grandson was born, and Kangxi soon received the news. Li Dequan could guess a few of the emperor's intentions, so he didn't dare say much in congratulations. The emperor stroked an old jade pendant on his hand for half a moment before saying, "If only the Crown Prince had a son, that would be great."

  Next year when spring begins, he plans to attack Galdan. When going out on an expedition, nothing can be predicted, if the crown prince has a successor, it may even be more stable, but the situation is difficult to predict.

  "Is your child strong and healthy?"

  Li Dequan hastily said: "It's at least seven catties heavy, and its cry can be loud!"

  Kangxi's eyes still had a hint of a smile: "Alright, having grandsons is good enough!" The imperial family couldn't always be without grown-up grandsons, that wouldn't look good either.

  Li Dequan heard that Kangxi was delighted, and he dared to say some words: "I heard that when the fourth Fu Jin gave birth, she was still walking in the courtyard. When the pain became unbearable, she went into the delivery room, so she gave birth very smoothly. Neither the adult nor the child suffered!"

  Recalling the last time Guan Yu shot an arrow, Kangxi had some thoughts flashing through his mind. If such a bold and thoughtful woman were to be given to the Crown Prince, it would also be a good thing. He only thought about it briefly before dismissing the idea. The Crown Princess was still not bad.

  Li Dequan also knew that when the fourth Fu Jin gave birth to a child, the news was tightly sealed, and only after the child was born did everyone know. But he didn't dare say more, fearing it would cause trouble. However, in his heart, he thought that this Fourth Fu Jin was indeed a formidable figure, and from now on, he should be careful with what he does, lest he offend her.

  The crown prince and the crown princess also received the news, asking if the child was strong and healthy. The child was born weak and the possibility of death was great. Hearing that the child was very robust, they both fell silent. After a moment, the crown prince furrowed his brow and said, "If the previous child were still alive, there would be no way for the fourth brother's child to become the imperial grandchild!"

  The crown prince had previously also given birth to an elder brother, but he died before reaching one year of age.

  The crown prince's consort heard this and felt a bit resentful, her breathing became somewhat unstable. Then she heard the crown prince say: "Li Shi is just pregnant now, this time there can't be any mistakes!"

  This was said to the Crown Prince's consort, who fell silent for a moment before coldly laughing: "If the Crown Prince doesn't trust me, then just have someone keep an eye on me. Why bother saying these things? If outsiders hear it, they'll think I'm plotting against the Crown Prince's descendants!"

  The crown prince's temper was actually not good at all. The crown princess spoke out, and the crown prince's face turned cold: "You're speaking like this just to give me face! It's best to prioritize the interests of the Crown Prince's estate. If I'm not happy, you won't be either. Don't humiliate yourself over small things!" The crown prince flicked his sleeve and walked away with a snort, his yellow-robed figure illuminated by the sunlight outside, looking like a celestial being. But to the crown princess, he seemed like an evil demon!

  The Empress Dowager sat at the top, narrowing her eyes and listening to everyone talking about the various things of the Imperial Grandson. After a while, she interrupted: "The identity of the Imperial Grandson is different, when you wash three times, you will all have to spend money!"

  The empress dowager rarely made jokes, and everyone was busy flattering her. However, the empress dowager also unintentionally elevated the child's status once again, and many people thought to themselves, "Yes, the imperial grandson, his status is indeed different!"

  Out of the Cining Palace, Consort Hui only felt hotter and hotter as she walked. She stood irritably in the shade of the corridor, panting for a moment, then turned her head to glare fiercely at Empress Dowager Fu who was following behind. If it weren't for this woman, how could her grandson not be the Crown Prince?! It was always this woman who ruined things, she was simply a jinx! With no outsiders around, Consort Hui crudely spat on the ground: "It's really been eight lifetimes of bad luck!"

  The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes, not even moving an eyelid. Since the miscarriage of Consort Hui's child, she had only shown minimal courtesy to her. She knew that among all people, Consort Hui was the one who most wished for her death, but she insisted on living a good life!

  She took a few steps forward and said softly, "I know you're angry, but the most important thing now is not to be angry, you have to think of a solution......" A gust of wind blew from the alley, causing the butterfly hairpin on her head to sway slightly, as if it was about to fly away.

  The Empress Dowager had her own thoughts and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She wanted to give birth to a son who would live well and not be controlled by anyone.

  Consort Hui despised Empress Fu, but Empress Fu's words still struck a chord in her heart. She narrowed her eyes, and a cold glint flashed across them as she looked at Empress Fu again: "Don't be an eyesore here!"

  Dai Furen stood in the shadows, watching Hui Fei walk away. She put her palm into the sunlight on one side and felt a burning sensation. Her child was gone, and wasn't it also due to Gong Yu's efforts?...

  The lights in the house were shining brightly, Jueluo Shi was packing up her clothes to attend the San Yu Yan banquet in the palace, Fei Yangguo sat on the kang smoking a dry pipe, looking at Jueluo Shi with a good mood, and after a while, he tentatively said: "Tomorrow you should bring Ruyi along too!"

  As expected, Guan saw the look on Ruo's face like he had been pricked by a needle. He suddenly turned his head to look at him: "Is it Wang again telling you something?! That thing that can't even be mentioned in public is also embarrassing, if you want to bring it up, bring it up yourself!"

  "Look at your temper, not even listening to me finish speaking. It's not for anyone else's sake, but Like Jade is already grown up and in a few years, we'll have to talk about her marriage. In the end, you should think about it for Yurou's sake, even if she's just a younger sister from a concubine. The Wang family won't teach the child properly, you help remind them from time to time. Like Jade is too young and not suitable for our family, let alone Yurou's."

  Jueluo's eyes narrowed as she looked at Fei Yanggu: "You really are thinking of the power pendant?"

  "I swear on heaven and earth!"

  Ya Tou went to Ruyi's house: "Madam wants you to dress up nicely, tomorrow bring Ah Ge with you into the palace!" Under the dim lamp light, Ruyi's eyes suddenly lit up, then quickly looked down again: "Thank you sister for running an errand, I know now!" In the afternoon, her clumsy performance in front of Ama really worked...