Chapter 12: About to Give Birth

The imperial palace and the harem had both returned to their former calm. Kangxi also stopped obsessing over finding that soul from another world. He decided that night had simply been a dream and buried the matter in his heart, resuming the summoning of concubines to share his bed.

The first to be summoned was Consort Yi. For three nights in a row, she alone attended to His Majesty, and for a time, her overwhelming favor drew the attention and envy of everyone in the palace.

After Consort Yi, Kangxi began summoning other concubines at random. He gave due respect to the Imperial Noble Consort, did not forget the gentle and considerate Consort De—so that, aside from those especially out of favor or those who, after one night, were discarded from his thoughts, nearly every concubine in the palace had her turn.

And Yu Ying?

While Kangxi was enjoying the company of so many women, how could he possibly remember the little concubine waiting for his summons?

Yu Ying’s days, however, were not much different from before. Consort An had long given up on urging her to compete for favor. The two women who disliked her—Attendant Yin and Concubine Miao—were also neglected by the emperor, so they only occasionally grumbled in her presence, which did her no harm. As for the concubine she was on good terms with—Lady Zhangjia—she was still happily feeding her every day.

Yu Ying, for her part, grew increasingly anxious whenever she saw Lady Zhangjia’s belly growing larger day by day.

As for competing for favor? Sorry, Yu Ying had already forgotten all about that.

Oh please, Yu Ying thought, staring at Zhangjia’s belly with a strange grin. That’s the future Permanent Deputy Emperor in there! As long as she clung to this big thigh, once Yongzheng ascended the throne, would she ever have to worry about living well?

“Sister, sister, what’s gotten into you?” Lady Zhangjia looked at Yu Ying’s increasingly odd smile and couldn’t help but ask worriedly.

Yu Ying snapped out of her pleasant daydream and looked at Zhangjia’s belly with shining eyes. She clutched her hand excitedly.
“Zhangjia, my dear sister! From today on, you’re my own blood sister! The child in your belly is my own nephew!”

Lady Zhangjia had long since grown used to Yu Ying’s sudden bursts of enthusiasm. She let Yu Ying hold her hand without resistance.

After all, ever since she became pregnant, Yu Ying had been like this. Zhangjia hadn’t thought much of it, only assuming that Yu Ying also wanted a child.

“Sister, someday you will have your own baby, too!” she even said kindly, patting Yu Ying’s hand in reassurance.

Yu Ying curled her lip but didn’t bother to correct her. In her heart, though, she couldn’t help retorting, Pah, no thank you. I don’t want any kids. She just wanted to eat, drink, take care of her health, and do her best to outlive Kangxi—so she could enjoy a blissful retirement!

As for those lofty ambitions she’d had two months ago—Yu Ying had already thrown them out the window.

The first step is always the hardest, she thought. But if you’re willing to give up, everything gets easier. She was better off being an obedient salted fish. She wasn’t made for the kind of bold schemes it took to survive this place.

Perhaps everything was predestined. Heaven had sent her here just so she could personally witness the coming chaos of nine princes battling for the throne.

Yu Ying stopped her wandering thoughts and looked again at Zhangjia’s belly. The only two winners of that future struggle were right before her eyes. She absolutely had to hold tight to this shining, golden thigh!

“My dear sister…good sister, let me touch your belly. Let me bond a little with my future nephew!” Yu Ying blinked her eyes and gazed at Zhangjia with a look full of longing.

Zhangjia blushed bright red. She had never seen a woman so straightforward. Since the Qing entered China, the court had promoted Han learning and the unity of Manchu and Han. The women of the harem had adopted the Han women’s gentle manners, putting aside the bold ways of the grasslands. But this woman before her—though she looked like a delicate Jiangnan lady—had a temperament like a Manchu matron.

“Sister, you…you can touch.” She was always soft-hearted and had never refused anyone. Even more so when facing someone so harmless. Sometimes she wondered why her sister seemed…so sycophantic? No—surely that was her own misconception. She ought not think of her sister like that.

Zhangjia looked gently at the woman stroking her belly, even arching her abdomen a little to make it easier to reach.

Yu Ying, feeling the warmth under her hand, let her thoughts drift far away. Oh, little nephew… I’ll be here watching you be born. When you grow up, don’t forget to be good to your mother—and me.

But as she was absorbed in her thoughts, she suddenly felt the person beneath her hand stiffen. She looked up and saw that at some point Zhangjia’s face had turned pale, cold sweat breaking out across her forehead. Yu Ying hurriedly pulled her hand back and jumped away.

“Sister—sister, what’s wrong?” Yu Ying asked nervously.

“Sister…I…I’m going into labor…”

“Ah—!” Yu Ying had never seen anyone give birth before. She was utterly stunned. “Th-this…”

Outside, Qing Tao and Qiu Hua heard Yu Ying’s panicked cries and rushed inside. They found their young mistress lying on the couch clutching her belly, while Yu Ying was spinning in circles, completely flustered.

When she saw Qing Tao enter, Yu Ying looked as though she had seen her savior.
“Qing Tao! Hurry! Zhangjia is about to give birth!”

For a moment, the two maids were stunned by the sudden news. Then, hearing Yu Ying’s shout, they sprang into action.

Qing Tao ran to the door and shouted,
“Someone come quickly—Lady Zhangjia is in labor!”

At her call, two elderly matrons from next door came running in. They had been specially sent by Consort An to look after Lady Zhangjia during her pregnancy.

The matrons took in the situation at a glance and knew what needed doing.

“Move the Lady into the birthing room.”

“Send someone to fetch the imperial physician and the midwife. Quickly!”

“Has anyone gone to report to Consort An?”

Yu Ying had been frozen in place, but hearing this question, she immediately snapped out of it.
“I’ll go—I’ll go!” she said, running toward the main hall. Even as she ran, she called back to Qing Tao,
“Qing Tao—stay here! See if you can help! I’ll go find Consort An and be right back!”

Consort An was sitting in the hall reviewing the account books when she heard that shameless little Concubine Wei’s voice growing nearer.
“Consort An—Consort An!”

By the time Yu Ying reached her, she was out of breath, just about to speak—

But Consort An calmly instructed,
“Someone, bring Concubine Wei some tea.” Then she looked at Yu Ying,
“Slow down. What are you in such a frantic hurry for? It’s fortunate this happened in my palace. If you’d behaved this way elsewhere and accidentally offended someone, I wouldn’t be able to protect you.”

Yu Ying took a deep breath and quickly raised her voice.
“Wait—don’t bring tea! Now is no time for tea! Your Highness, please come see Lady Zhangjia—she’s going into labor!”

She reached out to grab her arm.

“Impudent!” came the stern rebuke of Nian Xue, Consort An’s chief maid.
“How dare you lay hands on Her Highness?”

The sudden scolding cleared Yu Ying’s mind. Right—she’d forgotten she was in the Qing dynasty, where rank was strict.

“Stand down!” Consort An snapped, dismissing Nian Xue. She got up and took Yu Ying’s hand.
“All right, don’t be afraid. It was Nian Xue overstepping. I’ll punish her later. Didn’t you say Lady Zhangjia is in labor? That is the most important thing right now. Let’s go quickly.” She turned to Nian Xue and added,
“Send someone to inform the Palace of Heavenly Purity and Yikun Palace.”

Then she led Yu Ying outside.

Yu Ying finally came back to herself.
“Your Highness, please don’t blame Sister Nian Xue. I was the one who lost my composure.”

When they reached the birthing room, the midwife had already entered, and the imperial physician was waiting outside.

Yu Ying stood nervously to one side, craning her neck to listen for any sounds from inside, but she could hear nothing. Anxious, she began pacing back and forth. She soon heard Consort An laughing and turned in confusion.

“What is it?” Consort An asked, smiling. “Lady Zhangjia is giving birth, yet you’re the one here behaving like you’re about to faint.”

Yu Ying desperately wanted to say that this was no ordinary baby—this was her future golden thigh! But thankfully, her brain was still working, and she only said,
“Lady Zhangjia has always been so kind to me. Now she’s suffering inside, and I can’t help at all.”

Yu Ying was genuinely worried. Everyone said childbirth was like stepping through death’s door. Even in the modern world with advanced medicine, it was still dangerous—let alone here in the Qing dynasty, where everything was so backward.