Rebirth of His Royal Highness Prince Chenghu

December 22, Kunning Palace

Qingyao was like a lazy kitten, curled up in her bedroom every day. She shivered and sighed, "It's so cold today. I don't want to step out of that door."

Matron Ling reported, "Your Majesty, news has come from Chuxiu Palace that Concubine Zhao is ill and has fallen ill."

Qingyao asked, "Has Doctor Xuan examined it?"

Matron Ling said softly, "Imperial Doctor Xuan has already examined it and said it's a cough."

Qingyao smiled slightly and ordered, "Prepare the sedan chair and go to the storehouse to get some precious medicinal herbs. I want to visit her and hope she can recover soon."

Matron Ling responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty. I will go and make the preparations right away."

Qingyao said, "Xia He, come in and help me dress up."

Xia He responded, walked in quickly, and carefully helped the Empress to sit in front of the dressing table. Her technique was skillful and gentle, and she quickly finished the Empress's makeup. The whole process was as smooth and natural as flowing water.

Qingyao looked out the window, feeling the chill of deep winter. She said, "Why not pick out a bright yellow Qi dress and pair it with a hand warmer? This weather is so cold it makes you shiver."

Xia He responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty." Then she went to get a bright yellow Manchu dress and a thick fox fur coat, and carefully helped Your Majesty change her clothes.

Qingyao said lightly: "Xia He, come with me to Chuxiu Palace." Wearing flower-pot shoes and putting her hand on Xia He's arm, she walked out of Kunning Palace. She shivered as the cold wind blew in her face.

Xia He, feeling worried, said softly, "My Lady, why don't you let this servant go in your place, and you rest here for a while."

Qingyao whispered, "Go quickly and come back quickly." Then she let go of her hand, turned around and lightly entered the sedan chair.

Xia He whispered to the sedan bearer and headed to Chuxiu Palace.

Chuxiu Palace

"Empress, your medicine is ready." Banxia said softly, carefully carrying the medicine bowl and candied fruit to the bedside and gently putting them down.

Concubine Zhao said softly, "Put it aside for now and drink it later." As soon as she finished speaking, she was hit by a violent cough and her body trembled slightly.

Banxia hurried forward and gently patted her back to help her calm down.

Lu Zhu announced softly, "Your Majesty, the Queen has arrived."

Concubine Zhao: "Please invite the Queen in."

Qingyao, wearing high-heeled shoes, showed her elegance with her light steps. She held Xia He's arm and walked into Chuxiu Palace together, as if making the solemnity and splendor of the entire palace even more dazzling.

Concubine Zhao helped Banxia into the main hall and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Empress. May the Empress be blessed with good health."

Qingyao: "Sister Zhao Fei, there's no need to be so polite. Please stand up."

Concubine Zhao: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Please take a seat."

Qingyao sat elegantly in the main seat, smiled and invited Concubine Zhao to sit down, saying, "Sister Zhao, please sit down."

Concubine Zhao: "Thank you, Her Majesty, for your hospitality." Then she gracefully sat down in the seat below.

Qingyao asked with concern, "Sister Zhao Fei, I heard you were ill. Are you feeling better now?"

Concubine Zhao smiled and replied, "Your Majesty's concern is deeply engraved in my heart. I feel that I am fine now, so please rest assured, Your Majesty."

Qingyao: "Then I'm relieved. These herbs were specially selected by me as a gift to my sister, Concubine Zhao. You must ask the imperial physician to carefully check them to ensure that they are used properly."

Concubine Zhao: "Thank you very much for your gift, Your Majesty."

Qingyao: "Sister Zhao Fei, you must take good care of your body so that you can better serve His Majesty."

Concubine Zhao responded respectfully: "I will definitely keep it in mind."

Qingyao slowly stood up and said softly, "Sister Zhao Fei needs to rest well. I won't bother you any more. I wish you a speedy recovery."

Concubine Zhao slowly stood up and said respectfully, "I am here to see the Empress off."

Qingyao waved her hand gently, turned and walked out of the main hall of Chuxiu Palace, and stepped onto the sedan chair. She said softly, "Xia He, let's go back to Kunning Palace. The weather outside is too cold."

Xia He: "Yes, your Majesty" and ordered the sedan bearers to return to Kunning Palace.

Kunning Palace

Liang Jiugong sang: "His Majesty has arrived!"

The palace maids and eunuchs outside the door all knelt down and said, "Greetings to the Emperor."

Kangxi waved his hand, signaling everyone to stand, and then strode into the main hall of Kunning Palace. He called out affectionately, "My dear..." He gently pushed the door to the inner hall, only to find it empty. He couldn't help but wonder, "Where did you go? It's so cold outside, why don't you stay in your bedroom?"

Qingyao sat lazily in the sedan chair, her eyes slightly closed, as if she had fallen asleep.

Kangxi gave an order: "Come here!" His voice was full of majesty and irresistible.

Chunyu bowed and said respectfully to Kangxi, "Your servant greets the Emperor."

Kangxi asked calmly, "No thanks, where's the Queen?"

Chunyu replied, "In reply to the Emperor, Matron Ling told Your Majesty that Consort Zhao of Chuxiu Palace is unwell, and Your Majesty has gone to visit her."

Kangxi: "I understand. Please leave."

Chunyu replied respectfully, "Yes, I'll take my leave now." Then she bowed and left the room.

Xia He lowered her voice and said, "The Empress has returned to Kunning Palace." Qingyao replied lazily, "Yes, I understand." She gently lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, and a cool breeze blew in her face, instantly refreshing her mind and completely getting rid of her sleepiness. Xia He quickly stepped forward and carefully helped the Empress out of the sedan chair.

Qingyao waved to Xia He, signaling her to go about her business, and then she slowly walked towards the door of the main hall in her flower-pot shoes. When she just reached the door, she ran into Liang Jiugong outside.

Liang Jiugong saw the person coming and said, "This servant pays his respects to the Empress."

Qingyao said gently: "Hurry up and get up, why are you here?"

Liang Jiugong replied respectfully, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, the Emperor has been here for a while."

Qingyao said respectfully, "I know that Your Majesty has arrived." After that, she pushed the door open and walked in without stopping.

Kangxi: "My dear, it's freezing outside, why don't you stay in your bedroom?"

Qingyao: "I pay my respects to His Majesty. In reply to His Majesty's question, Madam Ling said that news came from Chuxiu Palace that Concubine Zhao's sister was ill, so I went to visit her." She knelt down and saluted.

Kangxi smiled and said, "It's just you and me here. No need for all the formalities, my dear."

Qingyao gently put down the fox fur and hand warmer in her hands and said coquettishly, "Husband, the wind outside is biting. It's so cold that it makes me shiver."

Kangxi chuckled at her and said, "You're really afraid of the cold, yet you still run out. Isn't your maidservant who came with you idle? Just ask her to go."

Qingyao walked over to him without hesitation, nestling gently in his arms, her slender arms gently wrapped around his neck: "I just want to go there in person. Who knows what those gossipers in the palace will say about me. If the Queen Mother knew, she would definitely be angry."

Kangxi gently put his arm around her waist and said lovingly, "You are right. How is Concubine Zhao's health?"

Qingyao said softly, "Madam Ling told me that the Chuxiu Palace has already called in the imperial physician. After taking the pulse, he diagnosed it as a cough."

Kangxi said, "I'll ask Liang Jiugong to come over and check on him later."

Qingyao asked softly, "Husband, won't you go see them? They've been in the palace for a few months now. Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate for you not to go?"

Kangxi smiled and said, "Then I will go and see it myself tomorrow."

Qingyao smiled and said to Kangxi, "Everything is up to you. By the way, I haven't had time to congratulate Your Majesty on becoming Ama again."

Kangxi hugged her gently and asked with concern, "Qingqing, are you pregnant again? How many months have you been pregnant?"

Qingyao said: "It's not me."

Kangxi: "If you are pregnant with a dragon heir, it will be my greatest joy."

Qingyao replied helplessly: "I also hope to have good news, but unfortunately there is no good news yet."

Kangxi: "There's no need to rush."

Qingyao asked gently, "Husband, it's almost noon now. What would you like to eat today?"

Kangxi asked with concern, "Qingqing, is there anything you particularly want to eat?"

Qingyao: "Really? No, I love eating hotpot when the weather gets cold. It's warm and so comfortable."

Kangxi: "Then let's eat the pot."

Qingyao smiled and said, "I'll go tell the kitchen and ask them to prepare it."

Kangxi said, "You are so stupid. It's freezing outside. Why don't you let the maid do it for you?"

Qingyao: "Spring rain." She said loudly.

Chunyu opened the door to the main hall: "My Lady~"

Qingyao instructed: “Chunyu, please go to the small kitchen and tell them to prepare a steaming hot pot for lunch today.

I want something a little spicier, but your Highness wants something lighter. Also, add some fresh fish fillets to the dish."

Chunyu immediately responded, "Yes, Your Majesty, I'll do it right away." and then walked out.

Kangxi hugged her tightly and said softly, "After tonight, you can stop writing."

Qingyao said softly, "Husband, you have worked hard for a whole year, and now you can finally have a good rest."

Kangxi: "I will seal it tomorrow and then give you my blessing."

Qingyao smiled and said, "My husband, the first blessing is placed in your Qianqing Palace. Then, can you bestow the second blessing on me?"

Kangxi: "Over the years, when has the second blessing not been yours?" He was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Qingyao smiled and said, "There are many more sisters in the palace this year. If my husband gives the second blessing to someone else, I will be worried. While my husband is still here, I must ask for it quickly."

Kangxi said meaningfully: "This second blessing belongs to you alone and will never fall into the hands of others."

Qingyao said, "Husband, thank you. By the way, early yesterday morning, Baocheng rushed to me and hugged me and cried for a long time."

Kangxi asked, "Did Baocheng mention any reason?"

Qingyao said: "I asked him, but he cried and refused to tell me, so I didn't ask any more questions. Maybe he had a nightmare and was scared."

Kangxi said with concern: "Baocheng is still young, only three years old, so it is understandable that he is occasionally disturbed by nightmares."

Qingyao: "My dear husband, you are finally free. I am still busy preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner, and I also need to arrange the rewards for each palace."

Kangxi: "Everything will remain the same as before for the New Year's Eve dinner. You can have the Imperial Household Department organize it according to the rules of previous years. As for the rewards for each palace, they will also remain the same as in previous years. There is no need to change them."

Qingyao smiled and said, "My husband, you are finally free, but I am starting to get busy."

Kangxi: "With concubines in the harem, why worry about no one helping you?"

Qingyao said sweetly, "Husband, can you let me rest for a while? It would be great if you could do it for me." As she spoke, she gently kissed his cheek.

Kangxi smiled slightly and said, "Let's discuss this matter tomorrow afternoon."

Qingyao said calmly: "I will listen to my husband. Let's talk about it in detail tomorrow afternoon."

Kangxi: "Those three little guys won't bother you anymore, will they?"

Qingyao said, "Those three are hanging out with Baoqing and Rongxian again. They're together every day. Yesterday, they even went to the Iron-Eating Beast's palace."

Kangxi shouted loudly: "Liang Jiugong!" He was extremely majestic and domineering!

Liang Jiugong responded respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am here."

Kangxi gave an order: "Quick, call Chenghu and the others over."

Liang Jiugong replied respectfully, "Yes, I will do it immediately."

Qingyao raised her hand and gently stroked his chest: "Husband, don't be angry, the dragon's health is important." She quickly comforted him.

Kangxi smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, I won't be angry about this."

Qingyao sighed and said helplessly: "Alas, I should have not mentioned the iron-eating beast to my husband earlier."

Kangxi stroked Qingyao's hand, his eyes full of doting: "Qingqing, you gave birth to a legitimate son for me, so what are two mere iron-eating beasts? If you want to raise a tiger, I am willing to find one for you."

Qingyao smiled sweetly and said, "Husband, you are going to spoil me like my father-in-law. No matter what I want, you will send it to my yard! My father-in-law is always accused of being partial by Mafa.

Kangxi was puzzled: "Father-in-law, is he sometimes partial?"

Qingyao smiled and said, "Yes, Ama is very partial to me. When I was little, every time my two brothers asked for something, it was always missing, wrong, or forgotten. But as for me, as long as I wanted something, Ama would always remember it and never let me down."

Kangxi gently promised: "My dear, don't worry, whatever you and I ask for will always be fully supplied and nothing will be left out."

Qingyao snuggled sweetly against his neck and whispered softly, "Husband, you are so kind."

Kangxi held her hand gently, his eyes full of doting, "You are the love of my heart. Of course I must do my best to treat you well. Otherwise, if you leave me, what should I do?"

Qingyao suggested, "My dear, Concubine Zhao is not feeling well. I think she can rest well in the palace after the New Year's Eve dinner. After all, it's freezing cold, and it would be bad if her condition worsens. I think we should skip the greetings and let her rest well."

Kangxi agreed: "Okay, I will tell her tomorrow."

Qingyao pouted and asked in confusion, "Husband, those two little guys never seem to grow up. Is there something wrong?"

Kangxi said, "I've never raised an iron-eating beast, so I'm not sure. However, if it's still young, you can still feed it; but if it's grown, it might attack people."

Qingyao asked curiously, "Husband, are there any records of iron-eating beasts in the books in your Qianqing Palace?"

Kangxi suggested, “Perhaps you could go to the Zhaoren Hall and look for it yourself someday. It’s next to the Qianqing Palace.”

Qingyao: "Okay, I'll go check it out another day."

Liang Jiugong knocked on the door politely and announced softly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the five young masters have arrived."

Qingyao gracefully pulled herself out of his embrace, sat aside, and said softly, "Let them in."

Liang Jiugong gently pushed open the door and said softly, "Five young masters, please come in." He said respectfully

Chenghu and his eldest sister walked into Kunning Palace hand in hand with his younger brothers and sisters. They said in unison: "Your sons pay their respects to the Emperor Father and the Empress Dowager."

Kangxi narrowed his eyes and asked calmly, "I recently heard that you sneaked into the palace where the Iron-Eating Beast is imprisoned. Is that true?"

Cheng Hu said, "Father, we have never seen an iron-eating beast before. We heard that my mother had two, so we were curious and sneaked into the palace where the iron-eating beasts were kept to find out."

Kangxi: "Oh, you guys, that iron-eating beast is no joke. What if it goes berserk and hurts you? Your mother's heart will be broken!"

Cheng Hu gently tugged at Huang Ama's sleeve and apologized in a sweet and innocent tone, "Ama, I know I was wrong. Please don't be angry."

Kangxi: "It's not enough to just know you're wrong; you have to be punished."

Kangxi said: "It is not enough to simply recognize the mistake, one must accept the punishment."

Cheng Hu: "Ama~"

Qingyao nodded in agreement and said, "Your father is absolutely right. They should be punished. I would like to suggest that they write in large characters."

Kangxi nodded in agreement. "Okay. Chenghu and Chunxi, as older brothers and sisters, will not interfere. If you want to punish them with twenty articles, Baoqing will be punished to write ten large characters, Rongxian will also be punished with ten, and Baocheng will only need five."

Baocheng trotted over to Qingyao and said coquettishly, "Mother, Baocheng really can't write!"

Qingyao said gently, "Your Majesty, Baocheng is still young and he cannot hold a pen to write." She looked at her husband with soft eyes.

Chenghu gently stroked his brother's shoulder and said soothingly, "Baocheng, don't be afraid, big brother will help you write the big words you were punished for.

Kangxi stroked Qingyao's hair and smiled softly, "Qingqing, you don't have to worry about this matter. Look, Chenghu is helping him write it."

Qingyao suggested with a smile: "Since the little ones are here, let's have lunch together."

Kangxi smiled faintly: "In that case, let's have dinner together."