"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?" Cuizhi used her arms to support the queen and saw her suddenly stop, stretching out her hands to cover her stomach with a look of extreme pain on her face, she hurriedly shouted loudly.
Everyone who heard the voice also looked towards Niu Hulu, and found that the queen's face was not only pale, but also there was a layer of fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
The Queen Mothers of the two palaces, who were about to get up, couldn't help but feel a little bit in their hearts when they saw this sudden change.
"Cui Zhi, I, my amniotic fluid has broken, I'm afraid I'm going to give birth." Mrs. Niu Hulu stretched out her right arm and held Cuizhi's hand tightly, her voice trembling with pain.
The confidant maid standing next to her in a protective posture also opened her eyes suddenly. What? Isn’t the due date still several days away?
The Queen Mother, who was standing at the top, also heard this and hurriedly shouted to her palace servants: "Suma, hurry up and clean up the east side hall to send the queen to give birth. Aunt Gui, hurry up and take care of the imperial doctor and midwife."
All the nuns are here."
Under the command of the Empress Dowager, the entire main hall began to move in an instant. The young eunuchs running errands walked very fast, and the palace people in Cining Palace were also very agile. A quarter of an hour later, Niu Hulu's scream of pain started.
It came intermittently from an inner room of the East Side Hall.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager were sitting in the side hall holding the battle, and the concubines were also sitting behind them and waiting quietly. An Bin, who was located on Qingyan's left hand side, couldn't help but look at her with the corner of her eyes.
But they only saw Concubine Jing lowering her head slightly and stretching out her slender white fingers to slowly rub the hot tea in her hand. She didn't know what she was thinking.
The warmth conveyed by the cup in her hand was warm, but Qingyan's heart was a little confused. She knew that in history, the only legitimate son of Kangxi who survived was Yinreng, but it's hard to say now...
The concubines all saw clearly that if this child is really a healthy little brother, then he will pose a great threat to the crown prince.
The maternal clan behind the little elder brother is also prominent and powerful, and there is a big gap in age with the little prince who is more than three years old. More importantly, the Yuan Dynasty Queen Hesheli is gone, but the power in the hands of the successor Niu Hulu
But it is still hot. If this is really born, I am afraid that the future prince's road to the throne will not be so smooth!
Everyone waiting in the side hall had different thoughts, and various faint scents of tea filled the air from the cups, lingering and entangled together.
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes gently, and kept moving the beads slowly one by one in her hand. Her right eyelid was beating wildly. Even though she was silently reciting the blessing scriptures in her heart, she still felt panicked in her heart.
After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Imperial Physician Zhang led several imperial physicians to the East Side Hall in a hurry.
"I would like to extend my regards to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager." The imperial doctors all bowed and saluted.
Everyone looked around and saw that the dark blue official uniforms and red cherry hats they were wearing were covered with a thin layer of white snowflakes. Only then did they realize that at some point, fine snow had started to fall outside.
.
"Get up and wait here first."
After hearing the Queen Mother's instructions, the doctors also bent down and carefully sorted the bottles and jars in the medicine boxes they carried with them, and then waited quietly outside the door of the delivery room.
"Is the Queen's delivery time today?" The Queen Mother raised her eyelids and looked at the doctor in charge and asked softly.
"Returning to the Empress Dowager, I have carefully read the Empress Dowager's medical record when I came here. The Empress is now ten months old. It is normal to give birth a few days earlier or a few days later." Dr. Zhang was busy.
He leaned down and said in a low voice.
As soon as Dr. Zhang finished speaking, a loud cry of a baby could be heard in the delivery room.
Everyone was shocked and immediately sat upright, but they felt incredible in their hearts. The queen gave birth too fast, didn't she? Not even half an hour?
Just when the Empress Dowager breathed a long sigh of relief in her heart, before she could raise the corners of her pursed lips, the Buddhist string in her hand suddenly broke, followed by the round and translucent black agate beads that clicked one after another.
"It rolled to the ground.
"Empress Huang!" Several black agates rolled to Qiqige's feet, and she couldn't help shouting.
It was also the first time for the Empress Dowager to encounter such a thing. She frowned tightly when she saw Doctor Zhang standing not far ahead.
She panicked and asked hurriedly: "What's wrong?"
Doctor Zhang turned his head and glanced at the delivery room worriedly, then bowed his hands to the empress dowagers of the two palaces and said: "Empress Dowager, you don't know something. If a woman's entire delivery process from abdominal pain to the end of delivery is less than one and a half hours,
, the ministers all call it 'hurry delivery', 'hurry delivery' and 'dystocia' are both abnormal delivery methods, both of which are not good for the mother and the child..."
However, before Dr. Zhang could finish his words, a horrified shout suddenly came from the delivery room: "It's not good, the Queen is bleeding heavily!"
Kangxi, who received the news that the Queen was giving birth during the imperial court, took Liang Jiugong and hurriedly rushed from Qianqing Gate to Cining Palace in the wind and snow. As soon as they entered the East Side Hall, they heard the palace people shouting "Queen"
My mother's blood is collapsing." In an instant, her feet went weak and she almost tripped over the threshold and fell to the ground.
Liang Jiugong was also shocked. Before his mind could react, his body had already rushed forward and firmly supported the emperor.
"What are the doctors doing here? Why don't you go in and take a look!" the Empress Dowager quickly stood up from her chair and urged.
At this critical moment, etiquette and the like have long been forgotten. Doctor Zhang led his colleagues into the inner room quickly. However, even if they tried their best, they could not save a peony flower that had lost all its vitality.
of……
After a while, the tearful maid Cuizhi walked out of the delivery room with a big red baby in her arms tightly. When everyone saw the color of the baby, they realized that the queen had just given birth to a delicate little princess.
Cuizhi, who was sobbing, walked up to Kangxi, then knelt down on the ground with a bang, and shouted in grief: "Your Majesty, the empress is dying. She wants to tell you before she dies.
A few words."
The sad female voice was mixed with the baby's loud cries, and everyone onlookers couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sadness in their hearts. Most of them had already given birth, and the rest would also face this crisis in the future.
So what if they were concubines? There was no choice for them in the square Forbidden City.
If you "don't have children", it will be difficult to stabilize your status in this life. When the new emperor ascends the throne and becomes a concubine, your life will be even more difficult and poor.
If you "have a baby", you are risking your life and facing a huge risk of losing your life. You are in a dilemma, and you can't see a good way out, which inevitably leads to panic...
Kangxi, who was supported by Liang Jiugong, looked at the red and purple baby in Cuizhi's arms with a dazed look. The familiar scene in front of him was like the violent waves crashing against the rocks on the shore, the scene that had sealed his life into the depths of his memory again.
It was washed away mercilessly.
"Xuan Ye, alas, you'd better go in and see her." Qiqige had worked with the Queen before and had a good impression of her. She never expected that such an unpredictable thing in life would happen on an extremely ordinary winter day.
kind of thing.
Seeing that there were almost no people left, she still cared about why a dirty delivery room was unlucky. She walked up to Kangxi in a few steps, stretched out her hand and tugged on his sleeve to comfort him.
The Empress Dowager's Buddha string, which had been turning in her hands for many years and had become swollen, was gone, and she was sitting on the chair as if she had received a huge blow. Three years ago, when the Emperor broke into the delivery room of Empress Yuan, she failed to stop him.
She simply didn't speak this time.
Kangxi came back to his senses and bent down and took the bright red swaddling clothes with trembling hands. Then he opened the cotton curtain with red eyes and walked into the delivery room.
Seeing the same young and beautiful woman, her face was pale and without a trace of blood, her black hair soaked in sweat was wet and messy on her face and neck, the quilt under her body was all shockingly bright red, and the room was filled with thick blood | fishy smell
With their noses bent, a group of "incompetent" and frightened imperial doctors and midwives pressed their foreheads tightly against the cold floor tiles, trembling with fear.
A blooming peony suddenly withered and exhausted its vitality due to childbirth. It was almost exactly the same as the scene when the prince was born. The sadness of this nightmare reappeared made Kangxi's heart feel like it was tightly held by a pair of big hands.
It was so tight that I almost couldn't breathe.
Niu Hulu, who was numb from the pain, blinked her eyes lightly, turned her head with strength, saw Kangxi walking in with her child in her arms, and smiled weakly at the two of them:
"Your Majesty, are you here?"
Kangxi didn't say anything but hugged the baby in his arms tighter, walked to the bed in a few steps, and gently placed the baby next to the queen's pillow.
"'Moyali' (meaning: dragon eyes) looks very much like you, and she will definitely be a good-looking girl in the future."
"The emperor is just joking. She is obviously as ugly as a little monkey, but I like her name very much."
Mrs. Niu Hulu turned her body sideways with difficulty, then stretched out her fingers to touch the baby's face and gently wiped away the white vernix stuck in the corners of her eyes. The corners of her mouth rose, but tears fell slowly, her tone of voice was slow.
said softly.
"She will look better after two days. Her ears and mouth are just like yours." Kangxi's throat seemed to be blocked by cotton at this time, and he said in a choked voice.
"I will decree and canonize her as Princess Gu Lun, how about she be titled 'Ke Jing'?"
“‘Ke’ means cautious and respectful; ‘Jing’ means stability and governance.”
"She is your daughter, and her temperament will definitely follow yours. She will grow into a calm, self-possessed, and very capable princess."
"Okay, my concubine, thank you very much, Your Majesty." Niu Hulu thought about this title in her heart, smiled playfully and nodded gently, but she couldn't help but feel sore and achy in her heart. I really didn't expect it.
Ah, her life has just reached its peak and has no choice but to end here...
After feeling that her eyes were starting to darken, Mrs. Niu Hulu turned her hazy eyes to Kangxi, stretched out her hand and patted her crying daughter, and said softly in a more broken tone:
"Concubine, I don't ask for anything. The emperor can love and protect my daughter as much as I do for the legitimate son of Empress Yuan. However, without my mother's child, it will be difficult to survive in the harem after all. I just ask for it."
, you can be more tolerant to her, so that she can grow up freely and unrestrainedly in the palace."
Mrs. Niu Hulu begged Kangxi helplessly. She knew that it was meaningless to say "not letting her daughter touch Meng" at the moment. She could only use her last breath to get the maximum benefit for her daughter within a limited scope.
, and "freedom and tolerance" are the greatest goodwill towards the princesses in this palace.
"Don't worry."
Kangxi thought for a moment, then sat by the bed, took Niu Hulu's plain white hand, patted it and said, "I will take Moyali to the Qianqing Palace to raise her first, but that is not the place where a princess should stay.
After next spring, I will let your sister come into the palace to take good care of her for you."
"She is my legitimate daughter, just like Baocheng. I will take good care of her."
"Then, Duo, Emperor Xie, come on."
After hearing Kangxi's promise, Mrs. Niu Hulu finally felt relieved. Her energy was exhausted and she really couldn't hold on any longer. She tilted her head and rested her head on her daughter's swaddling clothes, her thick long eyelashes trembling slightly.
After shaking for a few times, she closed her eyes with great regret, and the crystal tears dripped from the corners of her eyes onto the bright red swaddling clothes. The wet areas became even more red...
After Niu Hulu's catkins slipped silently from Kangxi's hands, the 24-year-old young emperor couldn't help but burst into tears. Three years later, his child once again lost his mother just after birth.
He also lost his queen again...
When the concubines waiting outside heard the bursts of crying coming from the room, they all stood up from their chairs in silence and immediately fell to their knees on the ground.
The Empress Dowager's eyes were red, and Empress Dowager Qiqige's tears were also streaming down her cheeks. When Kangxi slowly walked out of the delivery room with the little daughter in his arms, there were sad voices saying "The Empress has passed away."
The sound also echoed throughout the Forbidden City with red walls and gold tiles along with the death knell.
On the 15th of the 15th day of the lunar month, the howling and biting night wind swept up the heavy snow that was flying all over the sky, covering the entire imperial city with a layer of white. The mother of the country passed away, and the emperor announced that he would suspend the court for five days, and the Empress Niu Hulu’s Zi Palace was buried there.
In the main hall of Kunning Palace, the queen, who had only been in office for half a year, was given the posthumous name "Xiao Zhao". The whole country mourned her, and she died at the age of twenty.
At around 16:00, Qingyan led the concubines to kneel in the main hall of Kunning Palace. She looked at her step-sister, who was about fifteen or six years old not far away, with tears streaming down her face, and she held her crying sister with her left arm.
With his heart broken and his lungs broken, Yi Bilong fell limply to the ground next to Fujin Shu Shujue Luo Shi, and with his left hand he threw silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five days in a row. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be changed into a place of worship. This palace that made the emperor sad will never be inhabited again... I cried with my left arm in my arms.
Fu Jinshu Shujueluo was beside Fu Bilong, who was heartbroken and collapsed on the ground. With his left hand, he was throwing silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five days in a row. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be changed into a place of worship. This palace that made the emperor sad will never be inhabited again... I cried with my left arm in my arms.
Fu Jinshu Shujueluo was beside Fu Bilong, who was heartbroken and collapsed on the ground. With his left hand, he was throwing silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five days in a row. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be changed into a place of worship. This palace that made the emperor sad will never be inhabited again... I cried with my left arm in my arms.
Fu Jinshu Shujueluo was beside Fu Bilong, who was heartbroken and collapsed on the ground. With his left hand, he was throwing silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five days in a row. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be changed into a place of worship. This palace that made the emperor sad will never be inhabited again... I cried with my left arm in my arms.
Fu Jinshu Shujueluo was beside Fu Bilong, who was heartbroken and collapsed on the ground. With his left hand, he was throwing silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five days in a row. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be changed into a place of worship. This palace that made the emperor sad will never be inhabited again... I cried with my left arm in my arms.
Fu Jinshu Shujueluo was beside Fu Bilong, who was heartbroken and collapsed on the ground. With his left hand, he was throwing silver paper piece by piece into the brazier.
At a quarter of an hour, the emperor led all his sons and daughters to express their condolences.
The golden bell on the head of the three-and-a-half-year-old prince was removed, and the pearl-red rope binding the little prince was replaced by a white rope by the dressing ladies. With a serious face, they led the brothers and sisters to the queen.
The god bowed down and offered incense three times, and then the rest of the princes and princesses knelt on the futon and kowtowed three times respectfully.
At 2:00 p.m., the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager arrived at Kunning Palace to cry. The Empress Dowager was repeatedly persuaded by the Emperor and returned to Cining Palace. Empress Renxian Qiqige stood quietly in front of Empress Zi Palace.
He mourned and did not return to Shoukang Palace until noon.
It has been snowing heavily for five consecutive days. White flags and snow blended together inside and outside the capital. The emperor ordered that Kunning Palace be converted into a place of worship. This palace, which made the emperor sad, will never be inhabited again...