Zheng Yuanzhen felt this child came at the wrong time, but Princess Fucheng did not think so.
Emperor Yongchang only ordered Prince Qing to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors. But reflecting was something to be done during the day; she had never heard that one wasn't allowed to sleep at night.
Prince Qing was only twenty-one, exactly at the age full of youthful vigor. Having reunited with his princess after a long separation, how could he not have intimacy on his mind?
As long as they avoided the first few days right after he was scolded, it would be fine.
Therefore, before summoning the imperial physician, Princess Fucheng had already instructed her daughter: if the physician asked when her last menstrual period ended, she should change May 28th to June 16th. Prince Qing had only returned on June 13th, so the earliest her daughter could have conceived was that night. Whether she conceived on June 13th or June 17th or 18th, it had been about a month until now. How could an imperial physician distinguish a difference of a few days just by taking her pulse?
Sure enough, the imperial physician had no doubts about her daughter's words or her pulse.
Princess Fucheng directly told the imperial physician to report the good news to Empress Zhou: "Today is only the seventeenth. When you see Her Majesty, just say that it hasn't been a full month yet, but it seems to be a pregnancy pulse. You can come back to check the princess's pulse in five or six days to confirm. Just in case it's not, it will save everyone from rejoicing in vain."
The imperial physician was indeed unsure whether Princess Qing's pregnancy had reached a full month, so he didn't overthink it. The Princess's concerns were simply human nature.
After the imperial physician left, Princess Fucheng looked at her daughter: "For such a small matter, the maids and nannies around you won't let it slip, will they?"
Zheng Yuanzhen blushed and said, "No, I will give them instructions."
The servants she brought to the temporary palace were all trusted confidantes. Moreover, the arduous journey to the Northern Park and her initial acclimatization issues could serve as reasons for her last period being delayed for so long.
Princess Fucheng: "It's best if we can keep it hidden, but even if the news gets out, it's not a major fault. At most, it will just look bad for you as a couple. The Emperor is occupied with a myriad of state affairs every day; he won't haggle over such minor details. Especially at his current age, the joy of his son having a child will completely offset any annoyance over his son's insincere reflection."
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When the imperial physician came to Empress Zhou to report the good news, Empress Zhou took the opportunity to mention it while Emperor Yongchang was having lunch with her: "He said it hasn't been a full month yet, and the pulse is not obvious. He will go check the pulse again in a few days to confirm."
Emperor Yongchang sneered: "I told him to reflect on his mistakes, and look at him. His memorials are written like utter nonsense, but he managed to 'reflect' a child out."
Empress Zhou said softly, "Prince Qing is only twenty-one, and a brief parting is sweeter than being newlyweds. Your Majesty shouldn't hold this against him."
Emperor Yongchang was just saying it casually and didn't mean to blame his third son for it. He had long known that his third son was lustful; in recent years, the bedmaids around him had been changed quite frequently.
Emperor Yongchang didn't even care whether his third son made this child the night he returned to the Northern Park or a few days later, because Emperor Yongchang had long seen from his third son's slick and hypocritical memorials that this son had no sincere repentance at all. He was entirely focused on how to brush off his imperial father!
Anger aside, the prosperity of the royal offspring was indeed a joyous event. Moreover, his third son was his third son, and his niece was his niece. If his third son insisted on having a child, could his niece stop him?
A young wife pregnant with her first child would always have a lot of anxiety. Emperor Yongchang didn't want his niece, whom he had doted on since childhood, to worry too much during her pregnancy because of his attitude towards his third son.
That night, Emperor Yongchang went to see Consort Rou. He said that once his third son's wife's pregnancy was confirmed, Consort Rou should grant some rewards, and incidentally tell his third son that he didn't need to submit any more memorials of reflection. He just needed to honestly stay behind closed doors for three months.
Since his third son returned until now, he had submitted three reflection memorials in a month, and the more he reflected, the more crooked he became. Reading a few less of them would save Emperor Yongchang from getting angry a few more times.
The Emperor said one thing but thought another. How could Consort Rou see through it? She merely thought the Emperor was happy that his third son was having a child, so he exempted their son's reflection.
The next morning, Consort Rou picked out a gold-inlaid ruby plum blossom hairpin from the jewelry box she had brought in advance, and happily went to Songfeng Hall.
Prince Qing was worried that his imperial father would scold him for making a child. Upon learning that his imperial father not only wasn't angry but also exempted him from writing memorials, Prince Qing was so happy that he kept praising Zheng Yuanzhen: "You really know how to conceive. This child came at exactly the right time."
No matter how good one's literary talent was, writing three essays on the same matter was enough. Prince Qing really didn't know how to write anymore.
Consort Rou was still there, and Zheng Yuanzhen blushed with embarrassment. Looking again at the gemstone hairpin given by Consort Rou, which Emperor Yongchang had reminded her to reward, Zheng Yuanzhen felt a warmth in her heart. Her uncle indeed still doted on her.
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These past few days, Yao Huang didn't need to go to the Western Palace to pay respects. The Eldest Princess, because her mother told her to wait for the confirmed news before congratulating her third sister-in-law, sensibly didn't spread the word. Thus, Yao Huang didn't know about Zheng Yuanzhen's joyous event.
On the twentieth of July, Prince Hui could rest again. Yao Huang proposed that the couple go to the grasslands to play chuiwan.
It was a distance of two li from the temporary palace to the chuiwan field. Riding a horse was too bumpy, and walking was too slow, so the couple got into a carriage.
The carriage was also a bit bumpy, and Zhao Sui looked worriedly at his princess.
Yao Huang smiled and said, "If I speak to comfort Your Highness, Your Highness will turn your head away again."
Zhao Sui: "..."
Yao Huang patted his hand: "Don't worry, I'm not the frail type who pants after running a few steps. Nanny Jin said that nourishing a pregnancy requires a balance of rest and activity. I should move when it's time to move."
Zhao Sui held the princess's hand and didn't refute anything.
They arrived at the place, and the couple got out of the carriage one after the other.
Chuiwan tests one's eyesight, arm strength, and swing technique. Yao Huang played easily. On Prince Hui's side, Qingai pushed him in front of the wooden ball. Prince Hui would adjust the direction of his wheelchair himself. His arm strength and swing were not affected at all. Moreover, Prince Hui had the excellent eyesight of a master archer. Although he didn't play chuiwan much, he quickly became proficient, almost getting the ball into the hole with every stroke.
He was so impressive that the continuously losing princess was about to pout. Fortunately, the Eldest Princess and the Second Princess, who had also come out to play, rode their horses over. Prince Kang, who was taking a walk with Chen Ying, saw the liveliness here, and the couple also came over.
After confirming with a glance that Prince Hui didn't mind a few more people playing together, Yao Huang suggested that the six of them divide into two teams and keep a total score.
Among the female family members, Yao Huang was a dominant expert. As soon as teams were mentioned, the Eldest Princess and the Second Princess both stood by her side.
Chen Ying felt awkward. It was normal for her to be on the same team as Prince Kang, but what about Prince Hui?
Chen Ying had barely spoken to Prince Hui, and suddenly they had to be teammates. She was very afraid of seeing Prince Hui's cold face if she made a mistake.
Seeing this, the Eldest Princess offered to swap with Chen Ying.
Yao Huang stopped her and asked Prince Kang, "Big Brother, how well do you play chuiwan?"
Prince Kang subconsciously glanced at his second brother. When they were young, their imperial father had taken him and his second brother to play. It wasn't often, but every time he played better than his second brother. The question was, had his second brother been intentionally letting him win back then?
Prince Kang wanted to be modest, but he was afraid that his second brother's chuiwan skills were impaired by sitting in a wheelchair, which would make his modesty misplaced.
He remained silent for a long time. Yao Huang thought of a solution and directly asked Prince Kang to try hitting three balls, because the Eldest Princess and the Second Princess also didn't know Prince Kang's skills.
Prince Kang took the club handed over by Feiquan. Looking at the eyes of his princess, sister-in-law, and younger sisters all staring at him, he suddenly felt a bit nervous and said, "Actually, I haven't played this in a long time."
The Eldest Princess smiled: "There are no outsiders here. Even if Big Brother plays poorly, we won't laugh at you."
Prince Kang glanced at Chen Ying and walked up to the wooden ball.
The hitting area was called the teeing ground. Ahead, at distances ranging from ten to a hundred paces, more than twenty holes had been dug. The further the hole, the higher the score for sinking the ball.
Prince Kang aimed at a hole fifty paces away diagonally to the front, steadied his nerves, and swung his club.
The wooden ball rolled along the ground, stopping just a few paces short of the hole.
Yao Huang remarked, The direction was accurate. Big Brother just hasn't played in years, so he is a bit rusty with his power.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Prince Kang switched to another hole fifty paces away and hit his second ball. This time, he had enough power, though it was slightly off-center. Still, getting so close at fifty paces proved that Prince Kang's skills were quite impressive.
For his third ball, Prince Kang chose a hole twenty paces away and sank it in one shot.
Having gauged Prince Kang's skill level, Yao Huang took charge of the arrangements. I will team up with Big Brother and Sister-in-law. You two younger sisters can form a team with your Second Brother.
A match was only interesting if the overall strength of the two teams was evenly matched.
The Second Princess muttered, Big Brother is so good, and Second Sister-in-law is also a strong player. Sister and I are just average...
Yao Huang asked, How would you like to divide the teams?
The Second Princess smiled and walked over to Prince Kang's side, suggesting Yao Huang team up with Prince Hui and the First Princess.
Yao Huang agreed, Alright, let's play a practice round first. Bring out the wagers.
The maids brought by the First and Second Princesses each took out a mace of broken silver from their purses. Chen Ying's maid, accustomed to this, also brought a purse and took out two taels of broken silver for her Prince and Princess, placing it into the wager tray. Finally, Aji placed the wager for Prince Hui and his wife. This was the amount set by Yao Huang; playing Chuiwan for half a day would result in winning or losing a tael or two at most, which would not hurt anyone's feelings.
When it was Prince Hui's turn to hit the ball, Yao Huang blinked at him.
Zhao Sui had no choice but to cooperatively choose a hole twenty paces away, sinking it in one shot.
The Second Princess was speechless.
At this, she finally agreed to Yao Huang's initial team proposal.
When Emperor Yongchang came out for some fresh air, he saw from afar the rare spectacle of his eldest and second sons playing Chuiwan with their wives and sisters. He rode his horse over, waved off the younger generation's formalities, and told them to continue their match.
Yao Huang and Prince Kang both had a skill level of seven or eight out of ten, carrying Chen Ying, who was at a three.
Prince Hui had a perfect ten in skill, leading his two sisters who were at a four or five. They had already played two rounds, with each team winning one.
With Emperor Yongchang watching from the sidelines, Prince Kang grew visibly nervous, missing shots he would normally have made.
Zhao Sui remained unaffected. Urged by his two sisters that he absolutely had to make the shot, he subconsciously looked at his Princess Consort standing opposite him.
Yao Huang was speechless.
Before she could glare back and tell Prince Hui she wasn't that petty, Emperor Yongchang cleared his throat. This is a fair competition. Are you thinking of cheating for this little bit of wager?
Hearing this, the Second Princess leaned over in disbelief to look at her second brother. No way, it was just winning one mace of silver from her second sister-in-law, was her second brother actually afraid of making her angry?
The First Princess pulled her aside and said with a smile, Father is definitely overthinking it. Second Brother isn't that kind of person.
Now, even if Zhao Sui wanted to let Prince Kang win, he couldn't. He glanced at the distant hole, lowered his eyes, and struck the ball.
The wooden ball rolled smoothly along a straight line right into the hole.
The Second Princess happily hugged the First Princess and ran over to collect the winnings from the tray.
As a new round was about to begin, Yao Huang invited Emperor Yongchang, Would Father like to join us?
Emperor Yongchang asked, If I join, how will we divide the teams?
Yao Huang smiled. It's up to you, Father, but I want to be on the Second Prince's team, and I don't want to be on yours.
Emperor Yongchang asked, ...Why?
He hadn't even played yet, and his second daughter-in-law already distrusted his skills this much? Thinking back to his younger days, he had been a master at Chuiwan!
Yao Huang glanced at the tray holding the wagers, her eyes shining brightly. Because only by not being on your team, Father, will I have the chance to win the wager you put up.
As soon as she said this, the First and Second Princesses chimed in, declaring that they didn't want to be on their father's team either.
Emperor Yongchang was left speechless.
