Rong Fei is not honored

At the New Year's Eve banquet, Kangxi supported the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress supported the Empress Dowager, and they slowly walked into the hall. Everyone knelt down and shouted "Long live the emperor".

This was done deliberately by Kangxi. He wanted to publicize the importance that the Aisin-Gioro family attached to filial piety, erase the bad influence of the previous emperor Shunzhi's disrespect for his biological mother, and demonstrate to the Han people, especially the Han ministers, how much he, the emperor, valued Confucian culture.

Kangxi was not a stubborn person. He naturally understood that given the huge disparity in numbers between the Han and Manchu peoples, if he wanted the Aisin-Gioro family to maintain their rule over this vast empire with thousands of romantic stories, he could not exclude the Han people.

He would become an emperor who was fond of and admired Sinology, and would gradually make the Han people under the rule of the Qing Dynasty submit to him and recognize the Qing Dynasty.

This year's New Year's Eve dinner is a little different from previous years. First of all, the seating arrangement of the concubines. In the past, Concubine Borjigit sat in the first seat, but last year she could only sit third, with Concubine Majiajinai and Concubine Nara sitting above her.

This year, because of the loss of her son, Concubine Nara was unable to advance to the next level. Without the status of a mother with a son, she could not compare with Concubine Borjigit, who enjoyed the same status as a concubine, so their seats were reversed. However, because Ji Nai gave birth to Chengrui, she was promoted to a concubine, so she sat firmly in the first place.

It was not obvious at ordinary times, but now it was really a bit out of place for the depressed and frustrated concubine Borjigit and the concubine Nara, who was still in poor health and looked sick, to sit together.

Many of the court officials and their families noticed this, and although they did not dare to look at it for too long, they did show something strange. Kangxi and the Empress Dowager at the top looked unhappy, and the Empress's expression was even more stiff. She really had not thought about this aspect.

But even if she thought of it, there was nothing she could do. After all, the seating arrangements at such occasions were based on the nobility of one's status. She couldn't move the Empress Dowager's family and the concubines who had given birth to children to the back, nor could she deprive them of the right to attend the New Year's Eve banquet simply because they looked unhappy. If she really did that, it would be the Queen's fault for being unfair.

Secondly, the royal family had a new generation this year, and it was a noble prince. So many people wanted to see the only prince of His Majesty, and some even thought further, looking at the belly of the Empress. If the Empress was pregnant, it would be a blessing for the Qing Dynasty. It was a pity that there had been no movement so far.

Fortunately, Chengrui soon attracted everyone's attention. In fact, Chengrui was not a naughty person. He was completely different from the troublesome child he was in Ji Nai's belly. Chengrui has always been a well-behaved and sensible child.

When he was hungry or urinated, he would only hum quietly to remind everyone that he was uncomfortable. Most of the time, he was quiet and played with his wet nurse.

Chengrui only became extremely excited when he saw Kangxi. Ma Jiajinai, wearing the royal dress of a concubine, was seen holding a bright yellow swaddling cloth. The prince was waving his hands lively and laughing with undisguised happiness, so that everyone could see that this was a healthy child.

Chengrui kept calling for a long time but his father didn't come to hug him, so he felt a little aggrieved. In the past, Kangxi would have gone to hug Chengrui, and he was reluctant to let Chengrui down, but today's occasion didn't allow him to do anything.

Not to mention the Manchu custom of embracing grandchildren rather than sons, it would be inappropriate to show his love for Chengrui in front of all the ministers, as this would make the court officials worry that he was overly doting on his illegitimate son, even though the legitimate son had not yet been born. However, Kangxi would not allow such a hidden danger to occur.

The Queen saw that everyone's eyes were focused on Chengrui, and even the song and dance she had carefully arranged stopped. She felt a little uncomfortable. She wanted to end this scene and said, "Chengrui is hungry, let the nanny take him away."

Although Chengrui didn't quite understand what was said, he vaguely knew that he was being asked to leave. Thinking that he would not be able to see his father again, he struggled even harder and Ji Nai almost couldn't hold him.

Everyone exclaimed, fortunately, Concubine Borjigit, who was sitting next to Ji Nai, helped him in time, otherwise the prince would have fallen. Ji Nai was frightened and broke into a cold sweat. She really didn't expect that Cheng Rui, who was usually well-behaved, would make a fuss today.

It was obviously because he was afraid that something like this would happen that he specially invited Kangxi to Zhongcui Palace yesterday so that the father and son could get closer and this would ease Chengrui's homesickness a little.

The Grand Empress Dowager naturally knew Chengrui's habits, and she spoke up to help, "Chengrui has always been clinging to me. He's missing his great-grandmother."

The Empress Dowager and Kangxi were sitting next to each other. Chengrui was fluttering in Kangxi's direction, but it could also be said to be the Empress Dowager's direction. It is said that the generations are close, and it is understandable that the ancestors love their great-grandsons. Although there will be some influence, it is more reassuring than being close to the emperor and the princes.

Having said that, the Empress Dowager asked Su Malagu to bring Chengrui to her. The Empress Dowager personally held Prince Chengrui in her arms, which attracted attention from both the court and the harem.

The Queen had indeed heard that the Grand Empress Dowager loved this child very much, but she did not take it seriously. Her biological mother was of too low a birth and would not pose any threat to her at all.

But after seeing the Empress Dowager's attitude towards Chengrui today, the Queen realized that she was not as able to accept it as she had imagined.

Although he didn't get to be hugged by his father as he wished, at least he could be close to him, and Chengrui calmed down with satisfaction. In the eyes of everyone, it was just as the Empress Dowager said, the two had a good relationship.

For a moment, people below began to praise the deep affection between Chengrui and the Empress Dowager, and some even began to praise Chengrui for his filial piety.

Ji Nai's mouth twitched when he heard this. How could such a young child understand what filial piety was? Although they were praising their own children, it really made people feel guilty. This was too exaggerated.

The thin-skinned Ji Nai blushed a little, but Kangxi above accepted it well. Yes, his Chengrui was so good. It was a pity that he could not tell them that Chengrui was really close to him, his father, rather than the Empress Dowager. They didn't know how much Chengrui liked him. Thinking of this, Kangxi felt a little regretful.

Although the concubines in the harem also echoed, jealousy was hidden in their eyes. Today, Ma Jia and her children really stole the limelight. It was a pity that they didn't have such luck. However, if they tried harder, maybe they would be the envy of others at the New Year's Eve banquet next year.

But Borjigit, the concubine, was not the one who thought this way. In the past few years, Kangxi was unwilling to touch her. She was angry, unwilling, and confused, but all these emotions turned into despair.

She vaguely realized that Kangxi would never touch her, because the emperor did not want another prince with Khorchin blood. But the emperor could not directly grant her contraceptive soup, because that would be a slap in the face of the Empress Dowager and Khorchin.

So as long as the Emperor wanted her, her cousin, the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty, would have the means to make her give birth to a child.