The incident with Wang Qin should have left Hongli in a foul mood for quite some time.
Fortunately for him, another piece of news soon arrived—one so pleasant that Wang Qin was immediately forgotten.
It happened during a routine visit to the Empress.
In the middle of the gathering, Bai Ruiji suddenly covered her mouth and retched.
Fuca Langhua had given birth several times herself.
One look was enough.
Her eyes widened.
Could Bai Ruiji be pregnant?
She immediately summoned an imperial physician.
After taking Bai Ruiji’s pulse, the physician confirmed the suspicion.
She was indeed pregnant, already more than a month along.
Hongli was overjoyed.
On the spot, he promoted Bai Ruiji to Noble Lady Mei.
Then, personally carrying the good news, he hurried to Cining Palace to tell Zhen Huan.
Although Zhen Huan was nowhere near as excited as he was, she had no intention of dampening the mood and dutifully exchanged a few congratulatory remarks.
Who would have thought that in the middle of his enthusiasm, Hongli would suddenly declare:
“This is my first child since ascending the throne.
A truly noble child.”
Zhen Huan blinked.
What?
Had Hongli evolved into some kind of superhuman after becoming Emperor?
Otherwise, how had children who all shared the same father suddenly acquired different levels of nobility depending on whether they were conceived before or after a coronation?
Following that logic…
The so-called “noble child” in the previous reign would be—
Actually, none.
If she absolutely had to pick one, perhaps Princess Wenyi.
What purpose did this “noble child” nonsense serve besides encouraging ambitious people in the harem to become even more restless?
So she immediately replied:
“Whether born before or after your accession, whether first or tenth, are they not all your children?
Since when have your own flesh and blood been divided into noble and base?
Furthermore, throughout history, how many emperors had their first child after ascending the throne?
You keep speaking of a noble child, but what exactly makes the child noble?”
Hongli looked rather embarrassed after being scolded.
“Mother is correct.
It seems your son was mistaken.”
“It isn’t that I enjoy arguing with you.
But the moment people start talking about a noble child, countless eyes will turn toward Noble Lady Mei’s pregnancy.
You’re inviting trouble for no reason at all.”
Only then did Hongli finally take the matter seriously.
His brows furrowed.
“The palace is indeed full of dangers.
It would be best to proceed cautiously.
I shall forbid anyone from discussing this so-called noble child.”
Satisfied, Zhen Huan nodded and offered a few more reminders.
After returning, Hongli immediately instructed Fuca Langhua to suppress all discussion of the term “noble child.”
His official reasoning was simple:
All imperial children were equal in their father’s eyes.
The next morning, during the customary gathering, the Empress relayed the order.
Bai Ruiji had been thrilled ever since hearing that she supposedly carried a “noble child.”
Now she was being told the phrase could no longer be used.
Naturally, she was displeased.
“But this is His Majesty’s first child after ascending the throne.
How auspicious!
Why can’t it be called a noble child?”
Fuca Langhua’s expression grew stern.
“And what if it is the first?
Regardless of when they are born, every prince is the Emperor’s flesh and blood.
Where does nobility or inferiority enter the discussion?
If this child is a noble child, does that mean the other princes are somehow lesser?
By saying such things, where do you place the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince?”
Bai Ruiji immediately fell silent.
The moment the discussion expanded beyond her own child, the implications became dangerous.
Pure Consort’s expression had already darkened.
And the Second Prince was the legitimate son of the Empress.
How could Bai Ruiji possibly claim her child outranked him?
Though she stopped arguing aloud, whether she still privately believed her child was special was another matter entirely.
Nearby, Jin Yuyan remained unconvinced.
She firmly believed in the concept of a noble child.
True, the baby could not compare to the Second Prince’s status as the legitimate heir.
Nor could it rival the First Prince’s position as eldest son.
But surely it still stood above the Third Prince.
Besides, whoever produced the first son born after the Emperor’s accession would inevitably receive greater attention from the Emperor.
The Empress could control people’s mouths.
She could not control their hearts.
All she could do was warn everyone to behave themselves and remain even more vigilant than before.
As for Bai Ruiji, once she learned she was pregnant, she became determined to give birth to a healthy and intelligent child.
She wanted all those people who looked down on her humble origins to watch in envy.
Unfortunately, she had no experience whatsoever.
Unsure how to best care for herself and the baby, she decided to seek advice from women who had successfully borne children before.
Within the palace, that left only two choices.
The Empress.
Or Pure Consort.
The Empress was far too intimidating.
Pure Consort, however, was kind-hearted and had never looked down on her.
Whenever Bai Ruiji came seeking advice, Pure Consort happily chatted with her.
One day, when Bai Ruiji visited, both Jin Yuyan and Lady Yi happened to be present.
Jin Yuyan was blunt by nature, but the two had never quarreled.
In fact, since Bai Ruiji’s pregnancy, Jin Yuyan had been unusually accommodating.
As for Lady Yi, they barely interacted at all.
Seeing no reason for concern, Bai Ruiji joined them.
The conversation soon turned toward pregnancy.
When Bai Ruiji asked what she should pay attention to, Jin Yuyan enthusiastically suggested:
“Why don’t you think back to what you ate when you were pregnant?
After all, you gave birth to such a healthy and adorable Third Prince.”
Pure Consort thought for a long while before answering.
“People always say that eating more fish and shrimp makes children smarter.
Now that I think about it, I did seem to crave fish and shrimp quite a lot back then.”