The Virtuous Concubine

After the banquet, they spent another day packing up, waiting for the luggage and horses to be ready. The wheels slowly started, and the group of people and horses began their return journey under the reflection of the morning glow, heading towards the Forbidden City. Malu sat in her carriage, slightly lifted the curtains, and looked at the grassland scenery gradually disappearing outside the window, as if the experiences of these days were just a dream.

She briefly enjoyed the vastness and freedom of the grassland, and now she is the dignified and generous Consort De again. She was almost shaken apart in the carriage, but Kangxi was eager to return home and urged the team to move faster every day.

The Fourth Prince was by Kangxi's side when he was reading the letter from the advisor who stayed in the palace, and he heard it too. The letter said that Concubine Tong was in a very bad condition, and although the child was far from full-term, she could give birth at any time. This news was like a heavy stone pressing on Emperor Kangxi's heart, and he felt more eager to return home.

This made him feel a little worried, and he rode listlessly every day. Fortunately, he was surrounded by many guards and civil officials, and Nalan showed his goodwill from time to time. In addition, he had begun to slowly come into contact with several great scholars and his mother had taught him about talents with great potential in the future. Only then did Yinzhen feel better.

After everyone returned to the palace, Kangxi bathed and changed his clothes before visiting the Grand Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother, telling them about Mulan's hunting trip, and then bringing some leather, meat and other local specialties to the two elderly people. The Grand Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother were also very happy.

They were all Mongolian noble ladies who missed the grassland very much. They not only listened with great interest, but also asked Kangxi from time to time whether he had seen so-and-so, and whether he was okay. The Cining Palace was full of joy for a while.

But before Kangxi could finish his filial duty, Su Malagu came in with a frown on her face and an uncertain look on her face. She told the three leaders in the palace some very bad news: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Noble Consort of Chengqian Palace seems to have launched a rebellion. Chengqian Palace Liuying sent a nanny here to ask the Emperor to come over and take charge."

This is a very tactful way of putting it, but it is definitely not a good thing to say that a fetus that is barely 7 months old has gone into labor.

Concubine Tong was probably excited about Kangxi's return and had been looking forward to it. After all this, her stomach felt uncomfortable and blood and amniotic fluid flowed out from her lower body. Chengqian Palace was in chaos again. The imperial doctors and midwives in the palace were urgently summoned to Chengqian Palace, and the whole palace was filled with tension and anxiety.

When Kangxi heard the news, he stood up suddenly, which made the Empress Dowager very dissatisfied.

"Emperor, what's wrong with you?" The Empress Dowager's voice was filled with a hint of reproach. "To remain calm when facing a mountain collapse is the calmness that a ruler of a country should have."

Seeing this, Su Malagu quickly tried to smooth things over and said to Kangxi, "Grand Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, Concubine Tong is a lucky person and will be fine."

Kangxi felt extremely irritated at the moment. To put it bluntly, his cousin was about to die, so why was he still acting like a king? However, he still nodded very restrainedly: "The Empress Dowager is right. Your grandson has lost his composure. Now your grandson will go over and take a look."

He left without even waiting for the Empress Dowager's nod. Kangxi was not afraid of what the Empress Dowager would say to him. He was afraid that she would tell him to protect the child!

He is not the same as he was before. He has many children, but he only has one cousin. To him, his cousin is the sustenance of family affection. Whenever he misses his mother, his cousin is the only person he can confide in. Blood ties are always unique and different after all.

The eunuchs who were carrying the sedan chair wished they could run as fast as they could. They knew that Emperor Kangxi was extremely anxious, so they did not dare to delay for a moment. They walked quickly towards the Chengqian Palace, making sparks on the brick road.

Kangxi sat in the sedan chair, his heart aching. He kept repeating to himself, "Cousin, you must hold on. I will be there soon."

When the sedan finally stopped at the gate of Chengqian Palace, Kangxi almost jumped down, his face full of anxiety. Little Niuhulu had already led Rongfei, Huifei and Defei to the gate of Chengqian Palace, waiting for Kangxi. Their faces were solemn and their eyes were filled with sorrow, and it was obvious that the situation was not optimistic.

They had already heard the imperial physician's diagnosis, and they were waiting for him to see Imperial Concubine Tong for the last time. No one wanted to, and no one dared to, tell Kangxi the truth. Given Imperial Concubine Tong's physical condition, she was doomed to die tonight.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Xiao Niuhulu, who had the highest position, had to step forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, Imperial Noble Consort Tong is in critical condition. The imperial doctors are trying their best to treat her. With Your Majesty's blessing...she will be fine."

Kangxi nodded, his eyes passed through the palace gate, watching the servants running around in a panic with basins of water. Calming his mind, Kangxi strode into Chengqian Palace, ready to see Imperial Concubine Tong for the last time.

After entering the inner room, Kangxi saw the miserable faces of the imperial doctors and midwives outside, and his heart finally died. He waved away the midwife and Liang Jiugong who were blocking his way, and went straight into the delivery room.

The smell of blood inside was thick and pungent. Although the sun was shining brightly outside and the delivery room was clean and bright, Kangxi felt that everything was gray and shrouded in an indescribable heaviness and sorrow.

Concubine Tong, who was lying on the bed, had lost too much blood, and her lips were as pale as paper. However, she bit them and bled because of the severe pain. It was really scary to see. Sweat and tears were mixed on her face, her brows were furrowed, her eyes were tightly closed, and she was breathing out more than breathing in!

Kangxi approached the bed, touched Concubine Tong's shoulder with trembling hands, and called Concubine Tong's name softly, hoping that she could hear. Concubine Tong really sensed it, and felt Kangxi's call on the verge of coma. It seemed that she used up all her strength to open her eyes: "Is it... Is it the emperor?"

Kangxi's eyes turned red when he heard her weak voice, but he still said to Concubine Tong calmly: "Yes, I am here. How do you feel? Our baby will be born soon! Have you chosen a name, cousin?"

When he was hunting with Mulan, he had thought of many names, both for boys and girls. Although the imperial physician said that the pulse showed that it was 80% likely to be a girl, he did not let the imperial physician tell her for the sake of his cousin's comfort.

There was a power revealed in Kangxi's words, as if as long as his tone was firm enough, he could dispel all of Concubine Tong's worries and fears.

Concubine Tong's eyes gleamed with light, and she tried hard to smile, even though the pain still occupied her body and mind. "Your Majesty... Child..." Her voice was almost inaudible, "Don't lie to me... I... I can't do it anymore..."

The tears in Kangxi's eyes finally fell, dripping onto the face of Concubine Tong in his arms: "I am the Son of Heaven, a king whose words are as good as gold and whose words are enforced by law. How could I lie to a little girl like you? Just hold on a little longer..."

Concubine Tong interrupted him and said, "Wait until I die, then dig the child out... I heard that this way the child can survive..."

Her hand tightly grasped that of Emperor Kangxi, as if seeking support and also showing her determination.

Kangxi refused to listen to these words and said, "No, it won't happen. You and the child will be fine. I ordered the imperial physician to save you no matter what. How dare they not be attentive?"

In fact, he knew better than anyone that Concubine Tong was powerless to save the situation. But at this moment, he was no longer the high and mighty emperor, but just a worried husband and a relative who was expecting a miracle.