The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

Kangxi spoke naturally, and Qinrou had no objection. It was not certain that the truth could be kept hidden forever. At this moment, it was hard to say how many demons and monsters in the palace knew the truth and how many were still kept in the dark.
However, the baby is still in my belly, safe and sound. It's not that there aren't any open or covert attacks, it's just that they've been deflected. So!
Whether we hide it or not, it's really unnecessary.

Qinrou leaned against Kangxi's chest for a while, and Kangxi gently comforted her. Whether Kangxi was an emperor or a husband, as long as he was sincere, he still had his merits.

After a brief moment of tenderness, Qinrou moved aside, not far away. She sat to the side, reading and eating snacks, while Kangxi busily reviewed memorials.

However, Emperor Kangxi did not stay long during his special trip. Soon after, the imperial entourage departed and returned to the Qianqing Palace.

The news that Qin Rou was pregnant with twins didn't cause a stir during the day, but by evening, it was almost common knowledge.

The Empress, always gentle and virtuous, specially selected some gifts for her to take back to the palace. "The Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners have always regarded twins as an auspicious sign. Among the imperial family, apart from the twins of Prince An's mansion, no other twins have been born to bring such auspicious fortune..."

"Your belly is truly blessed; you are fortunate indeed," the Empress praised. "Twins require even more nourishment from the mother. I have selected some tonics for you to take home and use to help you recover. Properly deliver the imperial heirs from your womb, and the Emperor and I will reward you handsomely!"

The Empress's attitude was clear: any additional imperial heir in the harem was thanks to her, as the matriarch, for her excellent guidance. Consort Nara was pregnant with imperial heirs, and now it had been diagnosed as twins; the Empress would certainly reward her!

Whether one is happy or not is one thing; but one must never lose the dignity of an empress.

Therefore, when a concubine in the harem is diagnosed with pregnancy and the pulse indicates twins, the empress not only cannot be unhappy, but on the contrary, she must happily reward her.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty the Empress." Qin Rou was momentarily surprised. She was not the type to publicize her private affairs, but since the Empress had brought it up, she couldn't be rude.

Naturally, one should accept the imperial decree and express gratitude.

The concubines, on the other hand, all showed surprise, as if they had just learned the news from the Empress.

"So Consort Nara is carrying twins!" Consort Yehe Nara exclaimed with delight. It was the first time she had heard this, and her joy was palpable.

Consort Li's expression didn't change much. She simply looked at Qin Rou, nodded, and said calmly, "Congratulations."

Neither sad nor happy! When she first heard the news, she was also worried. Twins are an auspicious sign, but a good pregnancy is not easy to give birth to! Only if they are born will it be auspicious; if they cannot be born, then it can only be said that she is not blessed.

Consort Li had a moment of worry; she was genuinely worried for Consort Nara for a fleeting instant. But in the end, she let it go. The imperial heirs in the palace face countless hardships from birth to adulthood!
Surviving is fate; not surviving is also fate.

Consort Li didn't need to get too close to her. She knew that the one in Chengqian Palace and Zhenshunzhai was a clear-headed person, and no one in the palace could compare to her.

The best way to get along is to leave her alone. Let her have a good pregnancy!
"How fortunate they are." The concubines' expressions were complicated, a moment of surprise mixed with sudden resentment and jealousy, but they were still clear-headed.

Knowing they had to react quickly, and being still in the palace, they couldn't afford to show any resentment or jealousy. Damage to their moral character was a serious matter.

How could they dare to do things that even the Empress wouldn't dare to do?

Therefore, some quick-witted individuals immediately changed their expressions, offering a seemingly envious yet congratulatory remark.

How could people not be jealous? Imperial offspring are so rare. They went to great lengths, even praying to gods and Buddhas for mercy, just for one child, and they still couldn't get one.
And what about some people? Heaven truly favors them, bestowing upon them not only honors and blessings but also offspring, as if afraid they might suffer a loss, giving them two in return. How incredibly lucky they are!

What could Qinrou do? She didn't react at all.

Are you smug? Are you showing off? No!

There's nothing to brag about or be proud of, especially in front of a rival. We're all the same, it's just that on the surface, she seems to be in a better position.

It's true that she was envied and hated! It's also true that she was targeted and plotted against.

Therefore, she finds it difficult to get close to this group of people and give them a friendly look.

So she wasn't smug or boastful. She just sat quietly, waiting for them to get bored and stop talking when no one was there to join in.

The Empress lowered her brows slightly. Watching the farce unfold below, she was helpless as the characters who wanted to drag her into the mess remained on the sidelines, refusing to get involved, and she wasn't afraid of offending anyone.

She never gives anyone a friendly look. When asked about it, she simply replied nonchalantly, "Tired, don't want to talk!" and dismissed the question.

Or just snap back! The point is not to get angry, but to make others angry, whether they're furious or not doesn't matter.

The Empress smiled and interrupted Qinrou, saying, "Since you're tired, let's end the day early. Go back and rest well; the imperial fetus in your womb is the most important thing."

Then, looking at the crowd, the Empress said without hesitation, "You may all leave now!"

The Empress did not do anything unnecessary. Once the news was released, she did not care. Whether it succeeded or not, it would be good to get rid of an eyesore.
If it doesn't work out, then let's take a step back and assume it's ultimately worthless. If it is born, so be it; it's not like there haven't been imperial offspring in the palace before.

The fact that she managed to keep the twins safe until now shows she's no pushover. The Empress knew this all along; with Aunt Chen by her side and the Emperor watching over Consort Nara, even if evil spirits wanted to make a move, they would have to restrain themselves.

But once the child is born, placing him in the East Fifth Hospital makes it much easier to avoid accidents.

However, the Empress's only concern was the precedent set by the Third Princess and Consort Ma Jia; she feared that the Emperor would also entrust the princes and princesses to Consort Nara to raise on his own!

The Empress would absolutely not allow anything that challenged her authority.

However, this is only the worst-case scenario. The Emperor is a wise ruler whose heart is with the court and the people. He will not break the rules again for matters of the harem. If the laws and regulations of the harem lose their authority, it will cause great chaos.

With the emperor engrossed in state affairs, he would no longer have any designs on the harem!
Thinking of this, the Empress felt less flustered.

Taking care of children is not easy. Everyone makes mistakes. A moment of carelessness may not mean much to an adult, but for a child, it can be a death sentence or a fatal injury.

With this in mind, she had a way to advance and a way to retreat, and she was certain that she still held the reins of power in the harem and had a general understanding of the situation. The Empress finally felt a little more at ease.

The eldest son is the most important.

She needs an heir! She really needs an heir, and it must be a prince. The Empress pondered this, but unfortunately, she hasn't conceived yet.

Thinking of this, she thought of her second prince and hated the mastermind behind it all, who had destroyed almost all of the empress's hopes.

Even now, thinking back, the Empress still grits her teeth in pain! And still grits her teeth in hatred.

"Yes." The concubines composed themselves and obeyed the Empress's decree, then dispersed.
(End of this chapter)