The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Yinxiang buried his face in her neck. Yes, it was too late. The book bag that hadn't been delivered to Hongyu before his birthday, the ice skating that hadn't been fulfilled, and the favoritism he had shown over the years hadn't been compensated for.

Yinxiang unconsciously loosened his grip, and Qingwan, noticing this, struggled again, trying to stand up and walk back to Hongyi's side.

"Don't be like this, Qingwan, don't be like this. Let Hong go in peace. Look, you've frightened them, our other children, and the one in your belly who hasn't been born yet," Yinxiang gently coaxed in her ear.

Qingwan looked up and saw that Moyaqi, Hongjiao, and Mingzhao were all watching her from the doorway. She saw that they were all crying and calling out to her.

Qingwan closed her eyes until she felt pain. She didn't look at the children anymore, nor did she ask what would happen to Hong? who had already been taken away. She only said, "Master, let the children go back. Also, have the imperial physician take a look at me. My stomach is uncomfortable; it seems the pregnancy is a bit unstable."

"Alright," Yinxiang said. "Moyaqi, take your younger siblings back."

"Father." Moyaqi didn't want to leave, and neither did Hongtun and the others, especially Hongtun.

"Go back first. Your nannies will tell you what to do," Yinxiang said.

"Yes."

The children could only look at Qingwan with concern before leaving, following Yinxiang's instructions.

After returning to her room, the imperial physician examined her pulse and advised her to rest in bed to preserve her pregnancy, which she did not refuse.

In the following days, close relatives came to visit, but she didn't see any of them; only Moyaqi could show up on her behalf.

Jingwan arrived the fastest, and Moyaqi's eyes immediately welled up with tears upon seeing her: "Sixth Aunt, oh dear, her..."

Jingwan hugged her: "Good child, don't cry, your sixth aunt knows everything." How could she not know how Qingwan would cry and what she would do in this matter? That was her own sister, born of the same mother.

Mu Xiang shook her head as she approached them, indicating that she didn't even want to see Jing Wan.

Jingwan sighed and asked, "How are you feeling? She's pregnant."

Moya asked curiously, "Perhaps it's because of the baby in her womb, Enie is still willing to eat and drink normally, but she doesn't want to talk or see anyone. Hongtun and I stayed up all night, but Enie didn't want to see us either. She only asked Aunt Muxiang to tell us to go back and rest."

We just want to stay with her, but we're worried that she'll have to worry about us, so we come and keep watch during the day so that she can see us immediately whenever she wants to.

Only Yinxiang was able to see Qingwan, not because Qingwan only wanted to see Yinxiang, but because no one dared to stop him, nor could they stop him.

When Jingwan came for the third time, Qingwan still didn't see her. After thinking for a while, she got up and went to Qingwan's bedroom. Muxiang tried to stop her, but couldn't.

Jingwan said, "Don't worry, even if I go in, your master won't blame you."

"Madam, that's not what I meant." Mu Xiang was a little embarrassed. She wanted Jing Wan to go in and persuade Qing Wan.

Jingwan patted her shoulder: "I am her older sister. When it comes to persuading her, I am actually more suitable than her child. Besides, I also had a child who died young, so I can understand her."

Mu Xiang lowered her head and thought for a moment before stepping aside: "If you have any instructions, please call me, and I will wait outside the door."

Jingwan nodded and pushed open the door to enter the room.

Qingwan was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly out the window, though the window was closed for fear of her catching a cold.

She didn't make any extra movements when Jingwan entered the room, and didn't even glance at Jingwan.

Jingwan sat by her bedside, picked up the hand warmer that Qingwan had abandoned, and warmed her hands. After a long while, she said, "I met the new wife of Prince Dun a few days ago. She is quite young. When she is with Prince Dun, they look more like father and daughter than husband and wife."

Princess Consort Abahai Borjigit of the Prince of Dun passed away in the fifty-eighth year. Less than a year after her death, Emperor Kangxi appointed a new princess consort for the Prince of Dun.

Although her father was only a Zuo Ling (a military rank), the new wife of Prince Dun was from the Hesheli family. Her grandfather was Duke Cheng'en Gabula, and she herself was the niece of Empress Renxiao and the cousin of Yinreng.

Upon hearing this, Qingwan finally turned to look at Jingwan, and gave a rather abrupt laugh, for which even she herself didn't know why she laughed:

"Is Sixth Sister worried that I'll be so devastated by Hong's situation that I'll end up taking my own life with the child?"

Jingwan shook her head: "You are my sister. We have been inseparable for more than ten years, so I know you very well. You won't do that. I'm not the one who's worried."

But your identity...

“I know,” Qingwan interrupted her, “I know I am not only a mother, but also the wife of the Thirteenth Prince, the most powerful mistress in this household besides the Thirteenth Prince.”

Qingwan covered her face, her voice choked with emotion, "I'm not just Hongyan's brother, I'm also Moyaqi, Hongjiao and Mingzhao's brother."

Hongchang is getting engaged, and Moyaqi's marriage also needs to be considered.

The Fourteenth Prince is going to war again, and the Thirteenth Prince has a heavy burden on his shoulders. One wrong move and the whole thing will be lost. He can't and shouldn't stay by my side forever.

I know all of this. I won't just go with Hong, nor will I let things continue like this. I just want to be alone for a few days.

She has many roles: daughter, wife, and mother, and she has always been aware of them.

Faced with Qingwan's long string of words, Jingwan breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that she could say it. She silently stayed with Qingwan, letting Qingwan lean on her shoulder.

After Jingwan left, Mingzhao leaned against Moyaqi's back and said, "Second sister, Hong's health has always been very good. How could he have died from a cold? Father found so many imperial physicians and doctors for him, but they couldn't cure his illness."

The fact that Hongxi fell into the water and choked was kept completely hidden at Yinxiang's instruction, so in the eyes of the children, Hongxi had died of a cold in the winter.

That evening, when Yinxiang returned, Qingwan suddenly said, "Master."

Yinxiang was stunned. Only when Qingwan called his name again did he suddenly hug her tightly. This was the first time in so many days that Qingwan had called him on her own initiative.

"Qingwan, Qingwan." Yinxiang kept calling her name. Qingwan reached out and gently patted his back.

"In two days, please pass on a message to the children for me. Let them resume paying their respects. They've worried about me these past few days; it's time for them to see me."

She wasn't feeling well, so she planned to rest for two more days. Although she forced herself to eat and drink normally for the sake of the baby in her belly, it wasn't pleasant to eat and vomit at the same time.

Two days later, she saw the children again in the main room, and even Mingxin, who was getting married, had made a special trip back.

Only Hongtun deliberately sat in the farthest place, unlike the other children who made a point of getting close to her.

However, Qingwan, who was not yet fully alert, did not notice Hongtun's unease.

Aside from Qingwan and Yinxiang, the parents, the two people who were most unable to accept Hong's death were Hongchang and Hongtun, especially Hongtun, who cried to the point of near collapse after learning about Hong's death.

Later, Yinxiang spoke with them one by one, especially Hongtun. Hongtun seemed to have recovered on the surface, but what he was really thinking was unknown.

This time, due to significant emotional fluctuations, Qingwan only saw her child for two days before returning to bed to rest and recuperate.

When Yinxiang returned home, he would often see her holding a Buddhist scripture and say, "You don't believe in this."

Many members of the Qing imperial family were Buddhists, but neither Yinxiang nor Qingwan were.

Qingwan just smiled and said, "Even I don't believe it, but I can certainly be considered an expert."

Yinxiang was eager for Qingwan to talk more, so he said, "Fourth Brother is trustworthy and very knowledgeable. Having spent a lot of time with him, I've learned a lot from him."

On this day, Yinxiang and Qingwan discussed many Buddhist principles.

Later, Yinxiang placed his hand on Qingwan's belly and said, "Let's name this child Ganjur after he is born."

According to the imperial physician, the child's pulse was very clear, and it was easy to diagnose that he was a prince.

"it is good."

Qingwan's mood gradually improved, but Yinxiang spent less and less time in the mansion. However, since Qingwan was able to get out of bed, Wantang and the others often saw Yinxiang accompanying Qingwan for walks in the small garden.

The group was relieved by this. Among Kangxi's sons, only Yinzhi and Prince Dun's first wives had passed away and they had remarried. If Qingwan had gotten into trouble, Kangxi would not have allowed Yinxiang to stay by her side.

Having grown accustomed to each other's company, they all hoped Qingwan would be doing well.

Only Wusu said sarcastically, "The Fujin is recovering quickly; she doesn't look like someone who has lost a child at all."

That's true, after all, the Princess Consort has many children, and the Fifth Prince wasn't raised by her personally.