The most beautiful lady in the harem

Chapter 276 Past Love

Concubine Xiao De looked at the pale-faced Concubine Zhou and quickly had someone hold the Fourth Prince so that she could have a look at him and then put him next to her. Only then did Concubine Zhou close her eyes and rest in peace.

When Concubine Li Xian, who was standing next to her, saw this, she tightly wrung her handkerchief. She had never expected that this bitch was so lucky and was so good at laying eggs that she gave birth to a prince in one go.

But the prince is still a prince, with a handle.

Even if Concubine Li gritted her teeth, she could not change this fact.

For a time, the voice of congratulations could be said to have spread throughout the harem.

In less than half an hour, everyone in the imperial city knew that Zhou Cairen had given birth to the fourth prince.

On the other side, Emperor Yongjia was in the imperial study and learned the news first.

He immediately waved his hand and asked Zhu Wanxi to pass on the imperial decree to raise Zhou Cai's position and make her Concubine Zhou.

Naturally, everyone who served in the delivery of babies in Yuxiu Palace received a reward.

But when this news reached Concubine Xin Shu's ears, her face looked uglier than a dead person. Her face was gray and she looked like she had just emerged from wood ashes.

She was so angry that she threw the teacup in her hand to the ground in anger. The porcelain pieces shattered all over the floor and the hot water splashed out, scalding the face of the maid next to her.

However, the maid only dared to lower her head, trembling her shoulders, not daring to speak, for fear that Concubine Xin Shu would vent her anger on her.

"How could God be so blind that he allowed such a lowly embryo to give birth to a prince." Concubine Xin Shu said while gritting her teeth.

It is said that when Emperor Yongjia learned the news, he returned to the harem from the imperial study to see her.

Concubine Xin Shu thought about the scene of Zhu Wanxi taking the imperial edict to Yuxiu Palace, and her eyes turned red with jealousy.

After giving birth to a son, she has now become a concubine. After she finishes her confinement, she can move to another palace and take the seat of honor.

Zhou Cairen can now be considered a mother who has gained status through her son. Once she gets pregnant, she will have endless wealth and glory in the future.

The maid trembled as she tried to comfort Concubine Xin Shu, "Your Majesty, why bother with such a bitch? Our Majesty is the one that the Emperor cares about the most."

"Your Highness originally held a high position and had long been the master of the Northwest Backyard. When you returned to the capital, the Emperor immediately promoted you to Consort Shu. How could anyone else compare to such honor and favor?"

"Look at those lowly concubines. After they gave birth to children, they were only imperial concubines at best, right? It shows that in the eyes of our emperor, the queen is more important."

It might be that this maidservant, who had been with Concubine Xin Shu for a long time, could really coax her. After hearing this, Concubine Xin Shu felt a little better.

The prince was born over there. Concubine Xin Shu stroked her belly. Not wanting to lose to her, she immediately went to her Buddhist temple, burned incense, and knelt down with the help of her maid to pray to the gods. She then asked the maid to bring out some paper money, and quietly ran to the backyard to burn the paper money in preparation for bribing the gods.

I don’t know if it was because Concubine Zhou was so happy to give birth to a son that made Concubine Xin angry and caused her to have a miscarriage. The next day, it was Concubine Xin’s turn to give birth.

After hearing the news in Yongshou Palace, the Empress Dowager knelt down in front of the Buddhist temple with her hands clasped together and prayed, chanting, "May God bless my royal family with a prosperous population and the safety of mother and child."

There was a happy event in the palace yesterday, and less than a day later, Concubine Xin Shu was going to give birth. The Empress Dowager Cixi was very happy.

The old aunt and Zhucui also laughed so hard that they couldn't stop. They said to her, "Our queen mother will be the ancestor again. After this year, the little princes and princesses will be able to speak. The palace will be really lively."

"Who says it's not?"

At this age, she likes the hustle and bustle of life. That is why the Empress Dowager Cixi took special care of the many pregnant concubines in the harem, sending people to greet them and send some gifts from time to time.

There are also Concubine Zhou and Concubine Xin Shufei, and it is not just Qin Liuse who is favored.

The Empress Dowager bowed and walked back to the main hall from the Buddhist hall, feeling both expectant and a little nervous.

"Yesterday, Concubine Zhou gave birth for a long time. I was so worried. I don't know how long Concubine Xin will take today."

Zhu Cui said straightforwardly, "Yesterday's Concubine Zhou was having her first child and had no experience, but today's Concubine Xin Shu has given birth to a princess before, so it shouldn't be that difficult."

The Empress Dowager smiled and nodded, saying, "I hope so too. No matter if they are princes or princesses, as long as they are from our royal family, I will be happy. It would be better if it is lively and bustling. After all, the most important thing is that the mother and child are safe."

Seeing that the Empress Dowager Cixi was a little nervous, Aunt Cuihua changed the subject and told her what happened in Yuxiu Palace yesterday.

It is said that when Emperor Yongjia received the news, he rushed from the imperial study to Yuxiu Palace, saw the little prince lying next to Concubine Zhou, and personally gave him a jade pendant.

The Empress Dowager Cixi smiled and said, "Although I am happy, after all, I am a generation apart. He is just my ancestor. The Emperor is my biological father, so of course I am happy. He has been a father for two consecutive days. This year, the Emperor's fortune of having descendants has finally arrived."

When Emperor Yongjia was still the Ninth Prince and when he had just ascended the throne, not many of the concubines who served him had children, and some of them died, and there were at least two princes.

But after this year, the children came one after another. Wouldn't the Empress Dowager Cixi be happy?

Zhu Cui smiled and said, "In the past, our emperor was very busy and naturally had no time to walk around the harem. Now there are so many new concubines serving him. If the emperor treats them equally, he will eventually be able to give the empress dowager a few more precious grandchildren."

The Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't stop smiling. She was very happy to think of the pink, tender, and cute baby coming to sit on her lap.

He was already thinking in his heart that after Concubine Xin Shu gave birth, he would send some gifts to her and Concubine Zhou to reward them.

The Empress Dowager Cixi waved her hand and began to ask Aunt Cuihua what good things she had in her storehouse, wanting to pick out some suitable gifts for concubines who had just given birth and newborn babies.

-

And Zhen Zhucui was right. It was indeed easier for Concubine Xin to give birth to her second child than her first.

Concubine Zhou was in pain for a long time, but Concubine Xin gave birth to the baby in less than half a day. It was a little princess.

Although Yongjia Ding treated everyone equally, he also prepared a copy of the reward given to Zhou Cairen yesterday for Concubine Xin Shufei.

Moreover, after learning in the Imperial Study that Concubine Xin Shu had given birth to a little princess, he immediately headed for Chuxiu Palace just like he did yesterday.

When Concubine Xin Shu saw the arrival of Emperor Yongjia's spirit, even though she was lying on the bed with a pale face and had not had time to rest since she had just given birth to a little princess, she still put on a smile and talked to Emperor Yongjia.

Emperor Yongjia sat on the bedside, took the little princess's swaddling clothes from the nurse, and said to Concubine Xin Shu with a smile on his face, "Thank you for your hard work."

Xin Shufei smiled with her eyes curved, and said weakly, "It is my blessing to be able to bear children for Your Majesty."

Emperor Yongjia gave the little princess a title on the spot, Princess Hele.

Concubine Xin Shu pretended to stand up to thank the emperor on behalf of her daughter, and Emperor Yongjia stretched out his hand to signal her to lie back down, "You just gave birth to a child, no need to be so polite."

Only then did Concubine Xin Shu thank Emperor Yongjia with a smile.

Emperor Yongjia came over to see Concubine Xin Shu and his daughter for a while, but did not stay too long. He asked Concubine Xin Shu to have a good rest, and instructed his subordinates to take good care of her during her confinement. Then he took Zhu Wanxi away.

Concubine Xin Shu, who had been smiling at people just now, immediately put on a sour face after Emperor Yongjia left.

If he hadn't been completely exhausted and had no strength left in his body, he would have wanted to stand up right then and there and smash everything in the palace.

How could she have given birth to a princess after praying to the gods for so long? And she gave birth to something like this?

Concubine Xin Shu was very unconvinced, so her expression naturally did not look very good.

The maid brought her some food that had been freshly cooked in the small kitchen according to the imperial physician's instructions, which was perfect for a woman who had just given birth to a baby.

While comforting her, he said, "Your Highness is still young, and the little princesses are just little princesses. After all, the emperor loves all the little princesses very much, and your fortune will not be reduced because of this. As long as your Highness takes good care of herself, it won't be a problem to have a little prince in the future."

Concubine Xin Shu knew this truth, of course, but she just couldn't accept it. Because she wanted to compare herself with other concubines, she was secretly trying to win by relying on her belly.

But after nine months of eating vegetarian food, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and praying to God, she actually gave birth to a princess.

For a moment, he couldn't help but feel unbalanced, so he took out all his anger on the servants.

"Get out, everyone. Don't come here to laugh at me." Concubine Xin Shu said angrily.

Seeing that she looked unhappy, the maid waved her hand and asked the other maids who were standing in the room to leave, leaving only herself to serve in this room.

The personal maid had served Concubine Xin Shu for many years and had more or less figured out her thoughts and feelings. She fed her and comforted her.

"Your Majesty, the more children the emperor has, the better. No matter if they are princesses or princes, as long as there are more children, the emperor's attention and love will be unavoidable."

"Why should your majesty bother with those ignorant people?"

"Looking at the harem, how many concubines have the same fate as your majesty?"

Hearing this, Concubine Xin Shu's eyes moved.

"The only one who has two children nowadays is Consort Ning of Changxin Palace. The others either have none or only one. How many people can compare to your majesty in terms of this blessing?"

"Moreover, the friendship between the Empress and the Emperor in the past is incomparable to others."