Rebirth of His Royal Highness Prince Chenghu

Qingyao sighed softly, looked at him tenderly, and said slowly: "My husband, you have a total of fifteen sons! Five of them were born after I carried them for ten months with great difficulty. And you have quite a few daughters, nine in total. Among them, only one precious girl is my biological daughter, and although the other one is not my daughter, I have raised her since she was a child, and she is no different from my own daughter. Now, I am pregnant again, so I have eight children." She stroked her belly unconsciously as she spoke, her face filled with the radiance of maternal love and a happy smile.

Kangxi looked at Qingyao with deep affection in his eyes and said gently, "Thank you for your hard work, Qingqing. You have been by my side all these years, taking care of the affairs of the harem with all your heart, and giving birth to so many outstanding princes for me. They are all smart and talented, and this is all thanks to you, Qingqing!" As he spoke, he gently took Qingyao's hand and stroked it gently, as if it was the most precious treasure in the world.

Qingyao smiled tenderly and said, "All this is thanks to you, my husband! If it weren't for your careful teaching, how could we have such outstanding results today? Moreover, our prince is also very smart. He learns things quickly and understands things at once. It really makes people happy!" Her beautiful eyes sparkled with tenderness and pride, as if she felt extremely satisfied and happy with the scene before her.

Kangxi: "My dear, the Empress Dowager made the right choice when she chose you for me."

At this time, a young eunuch hurried over, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, Empress Defei requests an audience." Kangxi frowned slightly, but Qingyao smiled and said, "My husband, I'm sure Empress Defei must have something important to discuss with you. I'll take my leave." Kangxi nodded and let go of Qingyao's hand.

Qingyao turned to leave, and hadn't gone far when she heard Defei's voice behind her, "Goodbye, sister." Qingyao turned back and smiled, but didn't answer. Defei entered the palace, her eyes slightly red, as if she were aggrieved. Kangxi asked, "Why are you so flustered?" Defei knelt and sobbed, "Your Majesty, the Fifteenth Prince was reprimanded by Your Majesty yesterday, and he's been feeling depressed ever since. He's still young, and I'm afraid Your Majesty's actions are inappropriate." Kangxi frowned. "Princes should encourage each other. If Chenghu reprimanded him without reason, I will punish him. But if the Fifteenth Prince was at fault, he shouldn't be so timid." Upon hearing this, Defei kowtowed and pleaded. Kangxi sighed helplessly, "Get up first. I'll investigate this matter." Defei thanked him and stood up, a calculating look in her eyes. She knew that in this harem struggle, every little thing could become a bargaining chip to bring down her opponent. Even facing Qingyao, who was deeply favored by the emperor, she had to find a way out for her son.

Seeing that Kangxi's expression had eased a little, Defei said softly, "Your Majesty, the Fifteenth Prince has been timid since he was young. He must have been extremely frightened when he was scolded by the Emperor. My sister has always been virtuous and has managed the harem in an orderly manner. It's just that she has many children, and it is inevitable that she is sometimes negligent, which leads to the Emperor being so domineering." After hearing this, Kangxi's face darkened slightly, "Don't make random accusations. Chenghu is usually sensible, and this matter has not been clarified yet." Defei was startled and nodded her head in agreement.

Qingyao returned to her palace, knowing that Concubine De would not let this go. She summoned a trusted maid and instructed her, "Go and find out what happened to the Fifteenth Prince. Be sure to investigate thoroughly." A short time later, the maid returned with a report, "Your Majesty, I've learned that the Fifteenth Prince stole the Emperor's beloved jade pendant, and the Emperor, in a fit of rage, reprimanded him." Qingyao sneered, "Hmph, Concubine De is so impatient, she's trying to use this to slander me."

After Kangxi dispatched his men to investigate the incident, he was furious and summoned Concubine De to rebuke her for her false accusation. Terrified, Concubine De collapsed to the ground, begging for mercy. Kangxi warned her against further trouble, lest she be severely punished. After this incident, Concubine De never dared to plot against Qingyao again, and peace returned to the harem for a time.