“Your Ladyship, there’s news from Jingren Palace. His Majesty will be visiting there today.”
Jinhua hurried over in quick steps to deliver the message.
“I understand.”
Shulan’s expression remained calm.
Among all the women in the harem, Tongjia’s fertile period was the easiest to calculate.
Shulan didn’t even need to make inquiries.
After all, every month when Tongjia had her period, she would be bedridden with severe discomfort and excused from the customary greetings.
However, over the past six months, Tongjia had secretly followed the methods outlined in the handbook, exercising regularly and improving her health considerably.
Thinking of this, Shulan—who normally neither burned incense nor prayed to the gods—suddenly felt tempted to offer a prayer.
She silently hoped Kangxi would do his part and that the Imperial Noble Consort would conceive before the New Year.
Whether it was Kangxi’s efforts or Shulan’s prayers that worked, before the New Year even arrived, news of Tongjia’s pregnancy spread throughout the entire harem.
At once, all eyes turned toward Jingren Palace and Yongshou Palace.
Even the lowest-ranking servants swept the grounds more carefully than usual, whispering among themselves about whose pregnancy was more stable and who would be the first to give birth to an imperial heir.
“Your Ladyship, you’re awake. Why not sleep a little longer?”
Seeing Tongjia rise, her nursemaid hurried over to support her.
Rubbing her eyes, Tongjia replied softly,
“With everyone in the palace watching us now, how could I possibly sleep peacefully?”
The nursemaid smiled reassuringly.
“Please don’t worry. Even the imperial physicians say your health is much better than before. The imperial child will surely grow safely and steadily.”
Leaning against the couch, Tongjia gently rested a hand over her lower abdomen.
“For some reason, I’ve felt heavier these past few days. I haven’t been sleeping well at night, either.”
She sighed quietly.
“But I’m afraid of disrupting palace order, so I don’t dare make too much fuss.”
Nursemaid Zhang tucked the edges of the brocade quilt around her more securely.
“Please don’t worry, Your Ladyship. During the first three months, it’s normal to feel heavy and tired.”
“If you can eat a little more and rest well, your strength will gradually improve.”
“And if you continue taking walks according to the handbook every day, you’ll certainly feel better.”
Tongjia nodded.
This child had not come easily.
She had to protect it carefully.
Lowering her voice, Nursemaid Zhang continued,
“The palace is full of watchful eyes. Now that Your Ladyship is carrying an imperial child, you must walk more slowly and attend fewer social gatherings.”
“As for any food or gifts sent by the other consorts, this servant has inspected them all personally. I would never allow anything harmful to come near Your Ladyship.”
Tongjia’s gaze softened.
“I’m fortunate to have you looking after everything.”
She pressed a hand lightly to her chest.
“This is my first pregnancy, and I’m terribly anxious. I rely entirely on your guidance.”
“That is this servant’s duty.”
Nursemaid Zhang bowed.
“I only pray that Your Ladyship can focus on nurturing your pregnancy and safely give birth to a healthy little prince. That would be the greatest blessing for Jingren Palace.”
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside.
Little Four broke free from a servant’s grasp and charged into the warm chamber on his short legs.
Throwing his arms open, he ran toward Tongjia.
“Mother!”
The servants behind him turned pale with fright.
One of them rushed forward and caught him around the waist.
“This servant deserves death! I failed to watch over the Fourth Prince properly. Please forgive me, Your Ladyship!”
Held tightly in the servant’s arms, the four-year-old squirmed and struggled.
His cheeks flushed red with frustration.
“I want to hug Mother! Let me go!”
Despite his young age, he was surprisingly strong.
His struggles nearly knocked the servant off balance.
Tongjia quickly intervened.
“Let him go. He’s only a child—don’t frighten him.”
Once the servant released him, Tongjia addressed Little Four in a serious tone.
“Come stand beside Mother. You’re not allowed to throw yourself at me anymore.”
The boy obediently walked over and wrapped his arms around hers.
Looking up at her with confusion, he asked,
“Why can’t I hug Mother?”
Tongjia rested her hand on her abdomen and explained gently,
“Mother has a little brother or sister in her tummy now. If you rush at me like that, you might hurt them.”
She smiled softly.
“So you mustn’t be so reckless anymore, understand?”
Nursemaid Zhang crouched beside him and added warmly,
“Good children walk slowly and speak softly around Your Ladyship from now on. That’s what considerate boys do, right?”
Tongjia frowned slightly at the nursemaid’s words but chose not to interrupt.
Instead, she changed the subject.
“Why are you here so early today, Little Four?”
The boy’s face brightened immediately.
“Mother, I couldn’t see you, and I missed you today.”
He carefully reached out and gently touched her stomach.
“From now on, I’ll be very gentle. I won’t hurt little brother or sister.”
Listening from the side, Nursemaid Zhang bent down with a smile.
“They say children have sharp instincts.”
She asked playfully,
“Fourth Prince, can you tell whether Your Ladyship is carrying a little brother or a little sister?”
Little Four tilted his head thoughtfully and examined Tongjia’s stomach with great seriousness.
“It’s a little sister.”
The nursemaid quickly corrected him.
“No, it’s a little brother. Fourth Prince, you’ve guessed wrong.”
“But—”
The boy looked puzzled and was about to continue when Tongjia interrupted him.
Maintaining a gentle smile, she said,
“Then you’ll have to be a good older brother and take care of your little sibling in the future.”
Turning to the servants, she added,
“Take the Fourth Prince back now.”
“Mother, I don’t want to leave.”
Yinzhen’s eyes reddened as he clutched tightly at her sleeve.
“Little Four, Mother is tired right now. Can you be good and listen to me?”
Though her voice remained gentle, it carried an unmistakable firmness.
Nursemaid Zhang added meaningfully,
“Your Ladyship is already exhausted from carrying the imperial child. Fourth Prince, you should behave and be an obedient child, shouldn’t you?”
At her signal, the servants stepped forward.
Hearing those words, Yinzhen slowly loosened his grip on Tongjia’s sleeve.
So…
Was he a disobedient child?
He lowered his head and answered quietly,
“I understand. I’ll take my leave.”
As the servants led him away by the hand, he turned back to look once more at Tongjia’s stomach before slowly following them out.
After everyone else had left, Nursemaid Zhang finally spoke.
“Perhaps this isn’t this servant’s place to say, but I still wish to ask—what does Your Ladyship intend to do about the Fourth Prince?”
Tongjia looked at her in confusion.
“Do about him? Why should anything change?”
Jingren Palace certainly had more than enough resources to raise one child.
Nursemaid Zhang hesitated before lowering her voice.
“The Fourth Prince doesn’t understand restraint.”
“Just now, he rushed at you without thinking. Your pregnancy is still unstable.”
She leaned closer.
“Wouldn’t it be better to move him farther away?”
Tongjia considered her words for a moment before shaking her head.
“There’s no need.”
“Though he isn’t my biological son, he has been with me since he was less than a month old.”
Her expression softened.
“Even if it were a dog, I’d have grown attached to it after all these years—let alone a child.”
“Besides, Little Four is thoughtful and has brought me much comfort.”
She sighed quietly.
“I can’t push him away simply because I now have a child of my own.”
Nursemaid Zhang persisted.
“This servant knows Your Ladyship cares deeply for the Fourth Prince.”
“But he is not your flesh and blood.”
“Right now, your own child must come first.”
She continued cautiously,
“What if he accidentally injures you and harms the pregnancy?”
“I’m not suggesting sending him away entirely.”
“We could simply move his quarters farther from yours and assign more attendants to look after him.”
Tongjia thought about it again but still shook her head.
“Let’s leave things as they are for now.”
“My pregnancy is still in its early stages.”
“We can discuss it again once I’m further along.”
Seeing that she had made up her mind, Nursemaid Zhang said nothing more.
But inwardly, she was already considering where the Fourth Prince’s new quarters might be arranged.
It would be best to prepare in advance.
What no one noticed, however, was the small figure standing hidden around the corner.
Little Four had quietly returned.
And he had heard every single word.