As spring sunshine gradually warmed the palace, the winter jasmine outside the warm pavilion faded, and crabapple blossoms took their place.
When the crabapple flowers withered, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus drifted through the air.
By then, there was no longer any sign of silk walking harnesses or baby walkers in Yonghe Palace’s courtyard.
In less than half a year, Little Six had grown from a toddler learning to walk into a child who could run freely through the courtyard.
Every day he chased after the palace servants.
His laughter echoed through every corner of Yonghe Palace.
His little feet thumped loudly against the stone paving.
Gone was the timid child who had once clung nervously to furniture while learning to walk.
The closer things came to this stage, the more certain Shulan became that the booklet would soon be needed.
The day when Little Fourth would return to her side was drawing nearer.
Meanwhile, Shulan had not been idle.
Relying on her grandfather’s influence within the Imperial Household Department, she quietly arranged for several palace maids to be placed within Chengqian Palace.
They would be useful for the next phase of her plans.
For now, she simply watched Little Six running and jumping through Yonghe Palace.
He chased after shifting shadows beneath the osmanthus trees.
Before long, autumn winds strengthened.
The fragrance of the flowers had barely faded before winter arrived and replaced autumn’s warmth with cold gray skies.
Just as Shulan had expected, the harem soon began receiving one piece of joyful news after another.
Consort Yi of Yikun Palace was the first to be diagnosed as pregnant.
Kangxi was delighted and rewarded her with cartloads of rare treasures.
On that same day, a Noble Lady of the Gorolo clan residing in Yikun Palace was also discovered to be pregnant.
But only a few days later, even greater news emerged.
Noble Consort Wenxi of Yongshou Palace was pregnant as well.
Within a single day, the news spread beyond the palace walls.
The entire court was shaken.
For a time, it completely overshadowed Consort Yi’s second pregnancy and the Gorolo clan’s two pregnant women.
The reason was simple.
The position of Empress remained vacant.
Noble Consort Wenxi was the younger sister of the late Empress Xiaozhaoren.
Now that she was pregnant, many wondered:
Would a new Empress soon emerge?
Ever since Empress Xiaozhaoren’s death, the powerful Niohuru clan had remained relatively quiet.
Now, however, Wenxi’s pregnancy meant she carried imperial blood.
Suddenly, the already influential Niohuru faction had renewed confidence and political leverage.
Throughout the capital, people speculated that this winter would bring major changes to the balance of power.
And among all those unsettled by the news, none were more disturbed than the Tongjia clan.
“Why hasn’t anything happened yet?”
Tong Guowei glared at his wife.
“When I told you to deliver that booklet into the palace, why is there still no result?
Is Her Highness simply useless?”
Madam Tong’s voice grew softer and softer.
“Yunjia said she wanted to try on her own first. If that didn’t work, then…”
“Foolish!”
Tong Guowei slammed his hand onto the table.
“Women’s sentimentality!
She has a method available and refuses to use it.
What exactly is she trying?
If she were capable of conceiving naturally, she would have done so long ago!”
Madam Tong lowered her head and said nothing.
She stared silently at the handkerchief in her hands.
“Send a message to the Imperial Noble Consort immediately.”
Tong Guowei gritted his teeth.
“But Her Highness—”
“Tell her to think carefully about the Empress’s seat.
Think carefully about the Tong family.
And if she refuses…”
His voice turned cold.
“There are plenty of Tong daughters willing to enter the palace in her place.”
With that, he turned and left.
Madam Tong remained standing where she was.
She understood her husband’s temperament too well to oppose him.
Reluctantly, she arranged for a message to be delivered to the palace.
“Your Highness…”
The nanny looked at Tongjia with concern.
Tongjia finished reading the letter without expression.
Then she calmly burned it.
“What is there to be upset about?”
Her voice was frighteningly composed.
“Everything is already prepared.
Only the final step remains.”
Though she had insisted she wanted to try naturally, she had read the booklet countless times.
Following its instructions, she had gradually changed her habits.
The Chief Imperial Physician personally supervised her health.
Every morning at dawn she rose early and spent half an hour walking through the halls for exercise.
Her afternoons, once devoted to managing palace affairs, were now reserved for rest.
She went to bed early.
She stopped staying awake late into the night.
She practiced quiet meditation after waking.
Although she couldn’t completely eliminate worry and anger, she had greatly reduced both.
Most palace affairs were now delegated to trusted senior attendants instead of being handled personally.
After months of following the regimen, she had not become pregnant.
But her health had improved noticeably.
Even Kangxi, who visited frequently, had noticed the difference.
He had gone so far as to reward the physician responsible for her care.
Only one step remained.
The booklet included calculations for fertile days.
The dates with the highest chance of conception had even been marked with red circles.
Yet Tongjia’s pride would not allow her to deliberately choose those dates and request the Emperor’s presence.
“Your Highness…”
The nanny wanted to persuade her.
But she didn’t know where to begin.
Tongjia ran her fingers across the glaring red circles.
Every mark seemed to mock her.
These are your best chances to bear an imperial son.
If she followed the booklet and deliberately arranged her sleeping schedule around fertile days, wouldn’t she be lowering herself?
If word ever got out, wouldn’t people laugh at her?
Wouldn’t they mock the Imperial Noble Consort for being so desperate that she abandoned her dignity?
Yet if she refused…
Sooner or later another Tongjia daughter would enter the palace.
Tongjia thought of the daily scent of medicinal pregnancy tonics drifting from Yongshou Palace.
The anxiety in her chest grew stronger.
Yet she still could not bring herself to bow her head.
Her pride would not allow it.
Even if the path before her led directly toward motherhood…
Even if it was the surest road to bearing an imperial son…
She could not take that final step.
But she was not merely herself.
She was also a daughter of the Tong clan.
Letters from her father arrived one after another.
Each demanded that she act quickly.
Closing her eyes, Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia rubbed her temples.
The red-marked dates on the booklet were today and tomorrow.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
“Go invite His Majesty.”
The nanny froze.
Then joy immediately spread across her face.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
She practically hurried from the room.
Within moments, the entire palace seemed to come alive.
Everyone was celebrating.
Watching them, Tongjia felt only self-mockery.
A bitter tide surged within her.
For years, she had looked down on low-ranking consorts who carefully calculated their fertile days and competed for imperial favor.
She had considered them undignified.
Pathetic.
Without pride.
And now?
Now she had become exactly the same.
For the sake of the Tong clan.
For the sake of competing against the Niohuru clan.
She had abandoned even the dignity of an Imperial Noble Consort.
Calculating dates.
Summoning the Emperor.
Using strategy to seek a child.
Using strategy to secure her position.
Outside, winter winds howled.
They drowned out the celebrations taking place elsewhere in the palace.
But they could not drown out the humiliation she felt.
She was the most honored woman in the Qing Empire.
Yet at this moment she felt no different from any ordinary concubine desperately struggling for favor.
For children.
For family.
She had bent her pride.
She had broken her own principles.
“How utterly ridiculous.”
Tongjia laughed bitterly at herself and whispered the words into the empty room.