Cining Palace.
The hastily prepared delivery room was naturally not as comfortable as the one originally arranged, but at this moment, no one cared about such trivialities.
After all, this was the consort of the Eldest Prince, a generation apart from the imperial concubines present. It made no sense for them to linger here. Thus, aside from the two noble consorts overseeing the situation and Consort Hui, the mother-in-law, the other ladies returned to their own palaces. The Empress Dowager sighed and retreated to the rear hall to await news of her granddaughter-in-law’s labor, saying she would recite sutras to Buddha.
Ruizhu, quick-witted as ever, followed Yunxiu’s orders and summoned all the Imperial Physicians on duty. The midwives and wet nurses also arrived in haste.
Intermittent cries of pain echoed through the room. After taking turns examining the patient behind the gauze curtains, the Imperial Physicians grew slightly solemn. After a hushed discussion, they prepared prescriptions for both stabilizing the pregnancy and inducing labor. Then, one of them bowed and reported, "The signs of bleeding have gradually stopped, but the Eldest Prince’s consort is burdened with sorrow—this may lead to a difficult birth."
There were other things they left unspoken. Lady Irgen Gioro was weak, emaciated, and not as spirited as before. Combined with the premature labor, this delivery would likely be arduous and might harm her health. Fortunately, this wasn’t her first childbirth—her prior experience was a small mercy in this misfortune.
The Imperial Physicians thought to themselves: for the Eldest Prince’s consort to encounter trouble in Cining Palace, and on the lively Minor New Year’s Festival at that, there must have been some sudden incident related to the inner palace. But now was not the time for their curiosity.
Speak little, hear little, see little—after all, a life was at stake.
At the mention of "difficult birth," Noble Consort Wen sighed softly, Yunxiu’s expression darkened, and Consort Hui’s face twisted in alarm.
She took a deep breath and snapped, "I order you to ensure both mother and child are safe. Do not harm my grandchild—or else—"
Her voice carried a deadly edge, making one of the Imperial Physicians tremble as he hastily assented.
Noble Consort Wen nearly laughed in anger. Listen to that—"mother and child," "my grandchild." Next, would she demand they prioritize the child over the mother?
Since the fall of Mingzhu, the Nara clan had grown increasingly paranoid and irrational. If this continued, disaster would surely befall them. The bleeding, the difficult birth—who was responsible for all this? If the Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager found out, how could they let her off?
Even the Eldest Prince wouldn’t escape unscathed.
Mother and son were truly cut from the same cloth—equally foolish.
Noble Consort Wen pinched the bridge of her nose and said coldly, "Consort Hui, the Imperial Physicians will naturally do their utmost. There’s no need for such threats. You’ve overstepped."
Consort Hui’s expression darkened further, but before she could retort, Yunxiu had already lost patience with her.
"Not a shred of remorse, only causing more trouble. To have you as a mother-in-law is the worst misfortune," she said icily, adjusting her fingerguard. "Someone, escort Consort Hui out. Serve her tea and water properly—after all, the delivery room is unclean, and we wouldn’t want to soil her noble self."
This was Cining Palace, and Yunxiu’s authority was undisputed. Nanny Dong signaled to the maids, who hesitated briefly before swarming forward and "politely" ushering Consort Hui out of the inner chamber.
Consort Hui was livid, her delicate brows furrowed in outrage. How dare they?! The woman lying inside was her daughter-in-law! Was there no justice in this world?
When Lady Irgen Gioro became pregnant again, the entire palace had watched with schadenfreude. The first time, she had borne a Little Princess, drawing endless ridicule—taunts about her delusions of bearing the Imperial Eldest Grandson. Now, when she finally had a chance to prove herself, how could she allow Noble Consort Wen and Yunxiu to scheme against her in secret?
"I shall seek the Emperor’s judgment!"
Consort Hui’s personal maid also shouted, "You little wretches laid hands on Her Ladyship! Do you dare take responsibility?!"
Outside, the commotion grew chaotic—until suddenly, it ceased as if someone had pressed pause.
Then, a flurry of kneeling, trembling voices rose: "Your Majesty."
"What is this ruckus?" Kangxi glanced at Consort Hui’s disheveled state, his expression unreadable. Then, with deliberate patience, he repeated, "What is this ruckus?"
Those with sharp instincts sensed the storm brewing and pressed themselves to the ground, not daring to speak.
At that moment, Yinti, his eyes red, strode past them all toward the inner chamber—forgetting even to greet Consort Hui in his haste, his mind consumed by his suffering consort, Lady Irgen Gioro.
"Yinti!" Consort Hui panicked at his intent to enter the delivery room. "Have you lost your senses? That’s no place for you!"
"Mother," he murmured dazedly, too distraught to respond properly. "There’s a screen. I just want to speak to her."
The Eldest Prince looked utterly broken.
The Crown Prince and the other princes gradually realized something was amiss.
This wasn’t the behavior of a man who favored concubines over his wife. Why would he have mentioned taking a secondary consort when his wife was heavily pregnant?
Kangxi slowly turned his jade ring, cutting off Consort Hui’s further protests. "Let him go." Then he asked, "Where are Noble Consort Wen and Yunxiu?"
Consort Hui could only force a smile and comply. Then, her eyes reddened as she answered softly, "Your Majesty, both noble consorts are inside. I was merely anxious and urged the Imperial Physicians to do their duty—yet Noble Consort Yi had me expelled..."
The Crown Prince let out a cold laugh.
"While Eldest Sister-in-law suffers, Consort Hui still finds time to sow discord. How touching."
Consort Hui choked, unable to respond as Kangxi swept past her without another word, leaving her seething in helpless fury.
Pushing aside the heavy curtains, the faint scent of blood reached Yinti’s nose. His entire body trembled, his steps unsteady, his heart no longer his own.
Then, a piercing scream tore through the air—so agonized that his legs nearly gave out. "Consort!" he cried hoarsely.
Behind the screen stood maids and midwives; outside it waited the Imperial Physicians. Noble Consort Wen and Yunxiu were also present, turning to look at him in unison.
Yunxiu’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly. At least he had some conscience left.
"Speak to your consort," she said quietly. "Don’t let her fall asleep. Childbirth is like passing through the gates of hell—and with her heart so heavy, this is a difficult labor. If she sleeps now... she may never wake again."
The moment Yinti spoke, Lady Irgen Gioro’s consciousness, scattered by agony, began to return. Her dry eyes welled with tears, streaming down her cheeks.
At Yunxiu’s words, Yinti froze as if struck by lightning.
A heart burdened with sorrow... never waking again...
His hands clenched into fists. After a long moment, he steadied himself, his eyes red as he rasped, "Consort, I’m here. Just focus—you’ll be fine."
Once the floodgates opened, all the words and emotions he’d suppressed came pouring out.
He rambled, speaking whatever came to mind, until his voice cracked with sobs. "I shouldn’t have moved out of the main residence. I shouldn’t have fought with you. But you looked down on me! Yet you never sent for me, not once! Guoguo is waiting for her mother... The child is weak, but it’s fine—boy or girl, I’ll raise them. They’ll want for nothing. Just—just don’t sleep. Don’t leave me..."
The sudden surge of fear and heartache was suffocating, gripping his heart like a vise. It throbbed, convulsed, teetering on the brink. In that dazed moment, Yinti thought: even if he got everything he ever wanted, what would it mean without her?
Not just the Imperial Physicians—everyone in the room was stunned.
The Eldest Prince... was actually a devoted husband?
This wasn’t estrangement—it was a lovers’ quarrel?
The Eldest Prince’s incessant muttering reached the ears of his primary consort without missing a single word.
Gripping the embroidered quilt with great effort, her eyes widened slightly, and for a long moment, she seemed unable to regain her composure.
Another wave of excruciating pain struck, twisting her delicate features. She parted her lips, letting out a faint whisper, "The... the secondary consort..."
Her personal maid, standing vigil by the bedside, wiped away her tears and raised her voice, "Your Highness, the primary consort is asking about the matter of taking a secondary consort. Lady Cheng, daughter of the Deputy Commander of the Bordered White Banner—wasn’t this someone you personally proposed to Consort Hui? Just as the primary consort was about to give birth, you sought approval from Consort Hui, who then requested the Empress Dowager’s judgment. It was said you fancied Lady Cheng—how could this be false?"
"Lady Cheng..."
A chill ran through Yinti’s heart. At last, he understood the full truth behind the matter of taking a secondary consort.
He closed his eyes briefly. "Mother..."
Then, in a rush of urgency, he spoke rapidly, "Apart from attending court and official duties, I’ve barely spared her a glance. How could I possibly fancy her? In recent days, I’ve been listless, barely present during greetings. I thought Lady Cheng was someone Mother had chosen for my cousin’s marriage prospects." His voice gradually trailed off until it was nearly inaudible.
Yinti wiped his face, suddenly lacking the courage to continue.
To have wounded his primary consort so deeply—he thought numbly—what a wretched existence he led.
Inside the birthing chamber, Noble Consort Wen was utterly astonished, while the gathered Imperial Physicians exchanged uneasy glances, wishing they could have gone deaf at that moment.
Yunxiu parted her lips slightly but found herself at a loss for words.
Truly, brothers cut from the same cloth. Both lacking a crucial thread of sense.
Though this one was decidedly more foolish.
The maid softly called out, "Primary Consort," forcing a strained smile. What a mess this was.
The primary consort managed a faint smile, her sallow complexion suddenly brightening, though her tears flowed even more freely.
Of course. She had overestimated him—just look at that clueless expression.
At that moment, the midwife’s delighted voice rang out, "Primary Consort, push harder! The baby’s position has corrected, and the cervix is fully dilated!"
Yinti collapsed onto the floor.
Half an hour passed, then an hour...
By the time dusk settled, the faint, feeble cry of a newborn finally pierced the air, lacking some vigor. The primary consort, drenched in sweat, had no strength left and fell into a deep, unconscious slumber.
The Imperial Physicians exhaled in collective relief. Though the Little Princess was delicate, her condition was far better than they had feared.
"The Little Princess must not be exposed to drafts. She must be carefully nurtured for at least a month before she can match the health of an ordinary child," one physician murmured as he carefully swaddled the infant. "As for the primary consort, she must not be moved until after her confinement."
He added in a hushed tone, "The ordeal has taken a toll on her body. In my humble opinion, the primary consort will need at least two years of recuperation before she can conceive again."
Yinti listened intently. At the words "two years of recuperation," a flicker of heartache passed through his eyes, but he showed no other reaction, merely nodding solemnly.
"Noble Consort Wen, you’ve worked hard," Yunxiu said softly, exchanging a glance with her that carried unspoken inquiry.
Yunxiu observed Yinti, his eyes red-rimmed as though he had survived a great calamity, and said coolly, "Since the primary consort is out of danger, the Eldest Prince should accompany me to report to His Majesty."
Yinti responded with a low acknowledgment and cupped his hands in deference.
Upon hearing Liang Jiugong’s report, Kangxi gave an approving hum, clearly pleased.
While it was natural to show concern for the primary consort’s labor, it was hardly proper for elders to linger. He had the Crown Prince lead his younger brothers to pay respects to the two Empress Dowagers in the inner chambers before returning to his study in the imperial library.
The emperor typically refrained from interfering in his sons’ domestic affairs unless scandal erupted beyond control. Today, however, he made an exception.
After ordering Liang Jiugong to investigate the circumstances leading to the primary consort’s premature labor, Kangxi pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Consort Hui. Yinti."
Suppressing his fury, he set down the memorial in his hand. "Prepare the carriage for Cining Palace."
Meanwhile...
"A Little Princess?!" Consort Hui, who had been waiting anxiously, shot to her feet, unable to believe it. "Not a little prince?"
Her precious grandson—the Imperial Eldest Grandson of the reigning emperor!
Her expression was so ghastly with disbelief, her eyes bloodshot and her body drained of strength, that her disappointment was palpable to all.
For nearly a quarter of an hour, the air stood still, the hall silent as a tomb.
After what felt like an eternity, Yinti closed his eyes and forced out stiffly, "Primary Consort has troubled Mother greatly."
The words "troubled greatly" dripped with sarcasm. Yunxiu lifted an eyebrow at him, her lips quirking in silent amusement.
As if provoked by Yunxiu’s gaze, Consort Hui snapped out of her disappointment and advanced with a cold laugh. "Noble Consort Yi, what impressive authority you wield. Not content with stealing my grandson, now you presume to act as Lady Irgen Gioro’s rightful mother-in-law?"
Unnoticed by all, a young palace maid slipped away from the hall and hurried toward the Empress Dowager’s quarters. Just then, the Empress Dowager entered, leaning on Nanny Qian’s arm, and overheard the remark, her smile vanishing instantly.
In the imperial family, princes were naturally held in higher esteem, but princesses were still treasured as golden branches and jade leaves, cherished by all. At present, the emperor had only two legitimate granddaughters—how could he not dote on them? Who was she to scorn them?
Yunxiu seemed to find this absurd, taking a long moment to suppress her smirk.
Softly, she said, "His Majesty has been terribly mistaken."
Her words sent shockwaves through the room. Before Consort Hui could retort, Yunxiu fixed her with a cold stare. "Out of regard for the Eldest Prince, His Majesty has repeatedly spared you, clinging to past affections. Little did he know that both mother and son are fools—one blinded by deceit, unable to distinguish right from wrong; the other feigning kindness while tormenting her daughter-in-law."
After a pause, she continued, "Despite her pregnancy, the primary consort tirelessly attended to the Empress Dowager’s illness. Returning to the estate, she managed household affairs without respite, stretched to her limits. And you—this paragon of maternal devotion—have you ever spared a thought for the Eldest Princess?
"At eight months pregnant, you schemed to fill your son’s household with concubines. The birth of a Little Princess should be a joyous occasion, yet you dare resent her for not being a prince?" Yunxiu lashed out sharply. "Even if she is your daughter-in-law, even with the gap in seniority, you have no right to demean her so!"
The rebuke was so scathing it stripped Consort Hui bare, leaving her dignity trampled underfoot.
Consort Hui pointed a trembling finger at her, gasping for breath, unable to utter a word. Yinti, meanwhile, stood frozen as if his soul had fled his body.
Having said her piece, Yunxiu turned and met Kangxi’s gaze head-on.
How long had he been listening?
She smiled knowingly. "Your Majesty, does this concubine speak the truth?"
Kangxi stood with his hands behind his back, his lips twitching.
If he agreed, wouldn’t that mean admitting he, too, was a fool?
So, without sparing Consort Hui a glance, he said calmly, "Yinti, kneel."
The Eldest Prince stiffly dropped to his knees.
"To govern the state, one must first cultivate oneself and manage the household. Which of these have you mastered? To be manipulated by a woman’s hand—"
Before he could finish, Sumalagu arrived in haste, her usually composed demeanor flustered. "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager! The Grand Empress Dowager was enraged by Consort Hui’s words. She declared, ‘If you don’t want your granddaughter, this old one will take her!’ Then she clutched her chest in pain. Imperial Physicians must attend to her at once!"
