The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Seeing that the two women were having a meal, the young eunuch hesitated for a moment, unsure whether he should speak. Xunmei noticed the impatience on Yihuan's face and said, "Just say what you want to say."

"When Consort Wang passed away, the Eleventh Princess fainted on the spot from crying."

Yi Huan put down her chopsticks, looking very worried: "Eleventh Sister's health was already not good, and now that she's lost her forehead, I'm worried about her. I have to go and check on her."

Seeing that she was in a hurry, Qingwan did not stop her, but simply told her, "Drive carefully on the road."

He then spoke to Xunmei and the others: "Advise your princess to prepare some more food, and tell the kitchen to have some more for her tonight, so she doesn't have to cook."

"This servant understands, Your Highness, please rest assured."

After getting dressed, Yi Huan said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I'll arrange it myself. You're pregnant, so don't go to the coffin. Consort Wang's status isn't high, and I'm afraid not many people in the palace will care about her funeral."

After Yi Huan left, Chen Xiang sighed, "Before I was sold into the household, I thought that being well-fed and clothed was a good life. But now, looking at the Eleventh Princess, who is already the most noble person in the world, she still can't have a smooth life."

Qingwan swallowed the last bite of food, waved for the others to remove the dishes, rinsed her mouth, and then said, "In the last few days, have someone keep a close eye on Fuling. I hope she can give birth to the eldest princess safely. If something happens to her while I'm in charge, I'll be a laughingstock."

"Also, have the wet nurse take good care of the eldest princess, especially on the day Fuling gives birth, so the child won't be frightened by wandering around."

"Yes, Madam has said it several times, and we have remembered it. Please rest assured."

Have I said it several times already? Qingwan nodded blankly. Everyone says that childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell for a woman. This was also the first time she had ever seen a woman give birth, and it was under her care, so she was inevitably a little nervous.

She was too young to know what was going on when her younger brother Guanzhu was born.

Yi Huan didn't show up for several days after she left. I only vaguely heard that the Eleventh Princess was very sad and fainted several times in front of the coffin.

Consort Wang had already been removed from the palace when she was seriously ill, and now that she's gone, few people care, even though she is the birth mother of a princess.

In mid-November, the first snow of the year fell. Qingwan stood under the eaves watching the little girls have a snowball fight. Fuling, wearing a cloak, was slowly walking towards her with someone's help.

When they arrived in front of her, Qingwan didn't ask her to bow. She simply said, "Come inside with me."

"Yes."

The two simply sat down by the door, which did not affect their enjoyment of the snow.

Qingwan continued watching the little girls play: "You're about to give birth, and it's snowing today, why are you out here?"

Fuling sat with some difficulty, and she covered her lower abdomen: "Don't worry, Madam, even if I were confused, I would never risk my own child."

Hearing the girls' laughter, I was itching to come out and see what was going on, but I didn't expect the Princess Consort to be there too, and tolerating their playful antics.

Qingwan smiled and picked up a snack from the small table, took a couple of bites, and said, "The snow on the road was supposed to be shoveled away, but these little girls were so reluctant to let the snow go, so we let them play for a while. They are all teenagers, and they are at the age where they love to play and make a fuss."

Fuling, however, noticed the pastries on Qingwan's table and hesitated to speak.

After several times, Qingwan noticed it too, and said, "Just say it, what's wrong?"

Fuling then said, "Although the golden cakes on the table are a good treat during pregnancy, it's best to eat them sparingly, and ideally, avoid them altogether in the future."

Qingwan looked down at the untouched hawthorn cake on the table. It was called hawthorn cake, but it was actually a pastry made from hawthorn.

The imperial physician had specifically instructed her on what she could and could not eat, so although there was food on the table, it ultimately ended up in the stomachs of those around her.

But she still thanked Fuling.

As soon as Fu Ling finished speaking, she regretted it. Even she had been given special instructions on what to eat, let alone Qing Wan.

Unexpectedly, she heard Qingwan thank her at the end. She was stunned for a moment before saying, "I dare not accept the thanks from the Princess Consort. This is what this servant should do."

The two remained silent until the little girls had finished playing and swept all the snow in the yard. Only then did Fuling get up to take her leave.

After a moment's thought, Qingwan had Muxiang lead the people to escort her back to her house.

After returning to her room and watching everyone else leave, Fuling murmured, "The Princess Consort is really careful."

Chenxiang took the golden cake from the table: "I didn't expect the concubine to remind the wife of this."

But I thought she would watch the Princess Consort eat it, then gloat, and then hope something bad would happen to her. We're very careful about what the Princess Consort eats. This plate of golden cakes was prepared for them, but it was placed on a small table.

As winter sets in, darkness falls earlier and earlier, and candlelight slowly illuminates each room.

Qingwan leaned against the kang (a heated brick bed) with a book in her hand, but her mind was blank until someone knocked on the door, which snapped her back to reality.

"What's wrong? Who's here?"

Chenxiang raised her voice by the door and said, "It's someone from the concubine's side. They said the concubine seems to be about to give birth."

Qingwan sat up straight: "Go find a midwife, and also, send someone to the Imperial Hospital to invite a physician on duty."

"Yes." As Chenxiang relayed the message, she also wrapped some silver and handed it to Zhang Chun: "Given the status of a concubine, I'm afraid that if the imperial physician were to come at this time, he might be unhappy. Don't be reluctant to do so, lest people resent the concubine."

Inside the room, Qingwan went to look at Muxiang, who shook her head: "Earlier, we sent her back to rest, and she was perfectly fine until she finished. We haven't heard anything about her since, and we haven't summoned the imperial physician. It must be time for her to rest."

Qingwan stood up: "Help me get dressed."

"Does Madam want to go over there? But you're not in the right condition to overexert yourself. We'll just go and keep watch to let you know." Even as she said this, Muxiang didn't stop taking the clothes.

Qingwan shook her head: "I have to go and see, otherwise I won't feel at ease."

"Then you should wait a bit. According to the midwife, it takes a while from the onset of pain to the breaking of the water."

Besides, she's already given birth once, and we still have some of the people who served her before. Didn't the Fujin (princess's wife) send them all to her side?"

As if to confirm her statement, the lights outside the window suddenly became bright, and shadows moved about.

Muxiang then retrieved the cloak that had been delivered a couple of days ago: "Princess Consort, please wear this."

Qingwan laughed as soon as she saw it: "Why did you bring this out again?" It was a cloak made of white fox fur that Yinxiang had sent someone to fetch earlier.

"It looks warm. Besides, what makes this cloak so precious isn't its material, but the fact that every fox pelt used to make it was hunted by my own hands."

After Muxiang wrapped Qingwan up tightly, she heard someone outside the bedroom say, "Sister Muxiang, the hand warmer is ready."

After Muxiang took the item and placed it in Qingwan's hand, Qingwan said, "Then let's go out."