A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Consort Xian Pin

She only took a hazy glance and muttered, ”So ugly!” Then she fell into a deep sleep.

Little Bun seemed to be protesting his mother calling him ugly. He cried loudly, his little legs kicking energetically.

The midwife skillfully cleaned Little Bun and wrapped him in a small swaddling blanket. Afterward, she weighed him and recorded the time of his birth.

Sister Liang and Sister Huang were not idle either. They busied themselves wiping Xia Ruqing’s body and changing the bedding.

The Imperial Physician was also busy, taking Xia Ruqing’s pulse.

Imperial Doctor Zhang stroked his beard and nodded to himself, murmuring, ”Xia Jieyu was in labor for three shi chen. This is fast for a first birth. She has good physical strength and condition, and her pulse is also good.

”Apart from... being overly fatigued, there’s not much depletion of her health. A good month of postpartum recuperation will bring her right back!”

Giving birth, an event that usually depleted a woman’s vital essence and blood—Xia Jieyu had managed to minimize the damage to such an extent. This was the first time Imperial Doctor Zhang had witnessed such a case. His eyes and heart were full of approval.

As an Imperial Physician, what he most liked to see was patients who cherished their own bodies!

Yes! Quite impressive!

Zi Yue and Zi Su were even busier. They hurried to carry out the used hot water and remove all the blood-stained bedding, then brought in fresh, unused items.

Everyone was bustling about.

Zhao Junyao stood to the side, suddenly feeling as if he were in the way.

Uh...

This thought startled Zhao Junyao himself. In the past, at any time, wherever he went, he was the focus of everyone’s attention. But now... for the first time, he was being ignored.

He really wasn’t used to it!

Zhao Junyao cast a melancholy glance at Little Bun, a sense of foreboding in his heart.

Yes, I have a feeling Qingqing might also find me in the way in the future! What if I’m a bit unwilling to accept this? Can Little Bun be tucked back in?

Little Bun seemed to retort: Daddy, thinking of competing with me for Mommy? That’s not possible!

「In the fourth year of Jiayuan, on the twenty-fourth day of the tenth month, at Chen Zheng One Moment,」

The Great Chu Dynasty’s Imperial Eldest Son was born. Three days later, during the ceremonial bath, the Emperor bestowed upon him the name Kichen.

The Crown Prince’s mother, Jieyu, Lady Xia, hailed from the official Xia family of Jiangnan.

With Lady Xia giving birth to the Crown Prince, the Emperor was greatly pleased. He specially promoted her rank to Pin and bestowed the honorific title Xian, her name recorded in the Jade Butterfly Book.

From then on, Emperor Jiayuan’s harem had one more high-ranking consort: Consort Xian Pin.

「Tomorrow would be the Little Prince’s washing ceremony.」

Xia Ruqing had slept soundly for two full days after giving birth before she finally regained her senses.

Sister Huang and Sister Jiang said that the first three days after a woman gives birth are the most critical; she must eat well, drink well, and rest well.

Upon waking, Xia Ruqing thought, Eating well and drinking well might not be possible, but I did indeed sleep quite soundly!

Sister Liang, holding the Little Prince and feeding him, laughed upon hearing this.

”My Lady, you have such a positive mindset!” she said. ”The Imperial Physician even said it’s the first time he’s seen someone give birth so quickly for a first-time mother and remain in such good health afterward!”

Sister Huang, at the side, also laughed.

”Exactly!” she chimed in. ”It’s only been two days, My Lady, and look at how your complexion is already improving!

”The Imperial Physician said that if you recuperate well this month, you’ll be almost back to your old self!”

Xia Ruqing felt a bit downcast. ”I don’t believe I’ll ’almost’ be back to normal. My stomach is like a deflated ball, all loose and flabby. Who knows when it will recover!”

Sister Huang chuckled. ”Starting tomorrow, you should wear a belly band. After wearing it for a month, your stomach will have shrunk back down almost completely!

”By then, I guarantee you’ll still have that willowy waist!”

Xia Ruqing’s eyes lit up. ”Really?”

Sister Huang smiled. ”Of course, it’s true!”

Xia Ruqing patted her chest. ”Then I can rest assured!”

「The next day」

The washing ceremony was held in Qingya Residence.

Zhao Junyao, having concluded the morning court assembly, graciously made his way there. The Empress, Noble Concubine Shih, and others also arrived one after another; the rest dared not delay. Fortunately, Qingya Residence was not small and was spacious enough; otherwise, it truly wouldn’t have been able to accommodate everyone.

It had been a long time since the palace had been so lively.

During the feast, Xia Ruqing had someone bring out the child for everyone to see. The guests all presented their congratulatory gifts.

The concubines, one by one, spoke the most pleasing and auspicious words, though it went against their true feelings.

Especially the Empress. She was very generous. A gold bracelet, a gold necklace, and gold anklets—all made of pure gold—she gifted an entire set.

Xia Ruqing was somewhat hesitant to accept them.

The Empress just smiled. ”The Little Prince will also call me ’Mother Empress.’ This is just a small token of my affection!

”After all, he is... the Emperor’s first child!”

When she said the word ”first,” the Empress deliberately emphasized her tone and glanced at Noble Concubine Shih.

Xia Ruqing instantly understood the Empress’s intention. She felt repulsed inwardly but could do nothing. She had no choice but to feign ignorance and accept the gifts.

Noble Concubine Shih, however, was not so composed. She became furious on the spot, her eyes reddening. She wanted to retort to the Empress, but when she opened her mouth, she found herself at a loss for words.

Such a proud person was being openly ridiculed. Her deepest and most painful wounds were being torn open again and again, salt rubbed into them repeatedly! The sorrow in her heart was imaginable.

Seeing Noble Concubine Shih’s expression, the Empress was very pleased.

The triumphant Empress didn’t notice that all of this was seen by Zhao Junyao.

Seeing the Empress behave this way, Zhao Junyao also began to feel disgusted. The Noble Concubine’s previous child was lost, and that was that; why did the Empress keep bringing it up? Little did she know, that child was also a pain he couldn’t get over in his own heart.

Anyone would find the loss of a child hard to bear.

After a moment’s thought, Zhao Junyao spoke. ”The Empress’s love for the child is well-intentioned, but... it’s a bit excessive.

”Such a young child cannot bear such lavish affection from the Empress! It’s better... to take it back.”

Having said that, he glanced at Xia Ruqing.

Xia Ruqing thought to herself: Alright, Your Majesty, I was just waiting for you to say that! The Empress’s gifts are too hot to handle!

With that thought, she quickly handed the received gifts back. ”Your Majesty the Empress, the Imperial Son is still too young to bear such gifts!”

The Empress was stunned. The gift she had given was being returned. This was even harder to accept than a slap in the face! Moreover, the Emperor had said this in front of so many people.

For a moment, the Empress was completely unable to salvage the situation, her face turning various shades of red and purple.

Noble Concubine Shih’s complexion improved somewhat, and she looked at the Emperor with gratitude, her beautiful eyes welling with tears.

Emperor...

Zhao Junyao did not look at her. Instead, he picked up his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

Bringing up that child also made his heart ache! Seeing the Noble Concubine made him think of it again, so it was better not to look!

After Xia Ruqing handed the items to Yu Lan, who stood beside the Empress, she let out a sigh of relief. Seeing the Empress’s embarrassed face, she quickly tried to smooth things over.

”The nannies say that it’s good for little boys to be a bit mischievous, it makes them easier to raise. Perhaps... Your Majesty could bestow some other things instead!”

She was the Empress, after all, and it wouldn’t be good to make things too tense. If it had been in the past, it might have been left at that. But looking ahead... For Little Bun’s sake, she had to endure, didn’t she? What if those unscrupulous people were to harm Little Bun out of spite?