The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 477 The Emperor Also Feels Sorrow for His Heir
The Empress overreacted, while Consort Niohuru accepted it much more easily in comparison.

When the servant came to report, Consort Niohuru was painting. She didn't take it seriously and only instructed the servants to speak. But as soon as the servant finished speaking, the brush in Consort Niohuru's hand tilted, and a heavy ink dot appeared on a painting of summer lotus and fish that was almost finished, ruining it.

Consort Niohuru looked up and saw that the ink dots on the painting of lotus and fish playing were clear and conspicuous, and could not be wiped away.

A fine painting, created casually, was ruined just like that. But Consort Niohuru only glanced at it and placed the brush on the inkstone beside her.

Unlike the Han Chinese imperial families of previous dynasties, the Manchu imperial family did not have the responsibility of raising imperial heirs. Instead, female slaves gave birth to imperial heirs for their masters and were of the same lowly status as their birth mothers.

Let alone inheriting the family business, he doesn't even qualify as the head of the household's child.

Humble status!

Emperor Kangxi's current order for Consort Ma Jia to raise the Third Princess clearly does not mean this. The Third Princess remains incomparably noble!
Consort Niohuru saw an opportunity.

"That's good news..." Consort Niohuru said with a smile, her meaning ambiguous.

Consort Niohuru paid no attention to the destroyed painting. The servants had prepared water for her, and Consort Niohuru elegantly washed her jade hands, saying, "With Consort Ma Jia personally taking care of the Third Princess, she should have far fewer major and minor illnesses."

“Of course,” Nan Zhi replied. What their master cared about, they cared about; what their master didn’t care about, they, as servants, naturally didn’t care about either.

“Consort Ma Jia is, after all, the Third Princess’s own mother. She will take better care of her than we servants. She won’t be as constrained as we are, and she won’t be delayed at any time.”

Nan Zhi explained her reasons, and besides, with her mother watching over her, even if someone wanted to harm her, it wouldn't be so easy. Did she really think that every royal heir who died young in this palace was an accident?
“Yes,” Consort Niohuru said, sitting and washing her hands. “I remember a few days ago, the ranks of the concubines in the harem were in disarray, and the rules were also somewhat chaotic. The Emperor intends to re-establish the ranks of the concubines. Consort Ma Jia must take good care of the Third Princess. She still has a Fourth Prince who is being raised in the Qian Dong Fifth Palace. She must perform well so that she can bring the Fourth Prince back in the future.”

Consort Niohuru spoke casually, saying that the Third Princess was personally raised by Consort Ma Jia, which only opened a crack in the system. In the future, raising imperial heirs would not be the sole responsibility of the Empress.

Without the threat of an heir in the Empress's hands, the other concubines would have fewer scruples about seeking revenge, settling scores, or scheming against anyone.

The queen dug a pit and finally buried herself, though it was only a matter of time!

"Ah!" Not only was Nan Zhi extremely surprised, but Nan Yan, who was listening in, was also shocked, as were all the servants in the hall!
They simply couldn't believe that Her Majesty would dare to think such a thing. In truth, whether they were palace servants or concubines, they all considered themselves imperial heirs and had been raised and educated in the East and West Five Palaces, and there had been no change in that regard.

"The Fourth Prince is an imperial prince, how could he be taken back to Zhongcui Palace to be raised by Consort Ma Jia? How could Your Majesty think such a thing!" Nan Zhi was puzzled, how could Her Majesty have such an absurd idea.

The Fourth Prince is the Emperor's son, while the Third Princess is just a minor princess. It doesn't matter that the Third Princess is raised by Consort Ma Jia, but how could the Emperor's son allow Consort Ma Jia to have the opportunity to be raised?

“Why not!” Consort Niohuru said dismissively. “They’re all imperial heirs. The Third Princess is just a precedent. Once something happens, it will happen again.”

While everyone in the harem was still in shock, Consort Niohuru had already foreseen the ultimate consequences.

In other words, the Third Princess was merely an experimental subject. If Consort Ma Jia could raise her well, it would almost certainly be a certainty that she would raise the Imperial Prince in the future. The prerequisite, however, is that the Fourth Prince survives until then!
However, it doesn't matter if there is no fourth prince; there are other imperial princes. As long as Consort Ma Jia can give birth, there will be a time when she can raise an imperial prince on her own!
“But, but the Third Princess is a princess! The Fourth Prince is the Emperor’s son!” Nan Zhi still couldn’t understand, or rather, she found it hard to believe and couldn’t accept it. How could the concubines in the harem personally raise a prince under their wing?

"What's the difference?" Consort Niohuru chuckled lightly, seemingly unconcerned. "Aren't they all imperial heirs?"

The emperor's son is more precious, but compared to him, there are also more dangers. Doesn't he need his mother's careful protection even more?

The concubines in the harem weren't stupid. A prince was their only support for the rest of their lives, so naturally they would take even better care of him!

Thus, most of the great dangers inherent in the birth of the imperial princes could be kept outside the palace gates.

The servants inside the hall exchanged bewildered glances. Although it was impossible, nothing the Empress had ever said was wrong. They found it hard to understand, and they tried to understand.

With a bitter laugh, only the Empress would think that, and so she casually said that there was no difference between the Emperor's son and the princess, as they were both imperial heirs.

Whether it was worldly customs, constant admonitions, or the environment that told them, the imperial prince had always been far more precious than the princess.

The status of the emperor's son is something that even a princess, with a ladder to heaven, cannot match.

"Your Majesty," Consort Niohuru took the handkerchief offered by the servant, wiped the water droplets from her jade hands, and sighed, "Your Majesty also feels sorry for the imperial heirs!"

Even if he didn't care about his children as a father, how could a renowned and wise ruler have one child born and another die young?

The third wife of Prince An was indeed trusted by Prince An, but she did not enter the Prince An's mansion when so many princes and princesses died prematurely.

Those chaotic situations have nothing to do with her!
After she entered the household, she proved to be capable, shrewd, and cunning. She was able to give birth to a child and raise it, so Prince An was naturally pleased with her.

This success, this situation, is something that cannot be replicated.

The emperor must establish both legitimate and illegitimate princes in order to ensure the stability of the court and avoid having to spend too much time on the inner palace.

Unfortunately, the Empress failed in both aspects. She didn't take good care of the illegitimate prince, whom she hadn't been attentive to, nor did she take good care of the legitimate prince, whom she had been attentive to. It's really hard to find an Empress like this who can satisfy people!
In other words, her family background just happened to be in the right place at the right time! Otherwise, how could she have been on the throne, sitting high on the phoenix throne and commanding the noblewomen?

“To be honest, women are inherently gentle, but become strong when they become mothers. Mothers always need to be more meticulous and thorough in taking care of their children. It is a good thing for the imperial heir to have a mother taking care of him! Although we servants are also meticulous, we cannot make decisions on everything.” Nan Yan understood the implied meaning in the Empress’s words.

He then spoke up. Too many imperial heirs have died prematurely in the palace. Now there are only two or three heirs left, teetering on the brink of collapse in the storm. Even the emperor, as a monarch, has to put in some effort.

With a son to inherit the throne, the court officials of the previous dynasty could follow the emperor with peace of mind and strive for merit. Otherwise, if the emperor were to pass away one day, the struggle for the throne would reignite, which was not what the court officials wanted.

They also hope that their family will be well!