Chapter 137 (1/2): Extra- Triplets in the Dragon Womb

The thirty-second year of Kangxi, winter.

For once, Heaven seemed to take pity on mortal suffering; aside from a single snowfall in the tenth month, there had been no further sign of winter.

This year was unexpectedly warmer than previous years.

Moreover, the three types of Golden Grain from before had now spread throughout the Jingji Region.

In places like Zhili, Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan, they’d all started planting.

By winter, seeds for the next year’s crops had already been set aside, and there was even surplus grain.

One could say, this was a rare year of favorable weather and prosperity for the Great Qing.

Every region was thriving, and even the Court Hall was unusually quiet.

Old rivals, upon meeting, could greet each other with smiles and pleasantries.

Ah, it wasn’t that the civil and military officials at Court couldn’t find trouble.

Say what you will about their ability to handle affairs, but when it came to scheming and intrigue, none of them were any less cunning than Imperial Consort Zhen.

It was just that everyone was waiting—waiting for His Majesty to depose the Crown Prince, or for the newly pregnant Imperial Consort Zhen to be made Empress.

Though the Crown Prince’s intent to seize the throne—even attempting a coup at Gubeikou—remained a secret, Suo’etu’s collusion with the military, and his plot at Shoukang Palace to abduct the Fifteenth Prince, could not be concealed.

The ministers all understood Imperial Consort Zhen’s momentum was unstoppable, so it was no surprise the men of the Hesheri clan were detained in the Zongrenfu.

Many generals from Jingjiao Daying and the Imperial Guards Headquarters had been imprisoned; the Ministry of Justice Prison was filled to bursting.

Even the executioners wore worried looks, sharpening their blades under the trees at the marketplace whenever the sun was bright.

Truly, everyone was waiting.

Waiting for the Emperor to declare the Crown Prince’s crimes, to make his intention to depose him clear—then each faction could, according to their own interests, tailor a round or several rounds of furious cursing matches at Court on behalf of the Crown Prince or the Emperor.

Some might even throw themselves at a pillar for dramatic effect, each to achieve their purpose.

But by the end of November, Kangxi still had not issued an edict.

The ministers grew restless, openly and secretly urging Mingzhu, Chen Tingjing, Zhang Yushu—those most trusted by the Emperor—to press for answers.

After all, something had to be said; they needed certainty.

If they were to wait for the war’s end, then they’d prepare to properly celebrate the New Year.

The officials returning to the capital to report were almost all back—it was the perfect time for private dealings.

If the Crown Prince wasn’t kept for the New Year, then they’d all have to keep their heads down.

The tributes from the provinces, all the information-seekers—those meetings would have to be held secretly, away from prying eyes.

But Mingzhu and the others pretended not to hear a word, each day standing calmly at Court, dozing off if there was nothing to do, anything to avoid falling afoul of the Emperor.

Didn’t they see how dark the Emperor’s face had been these days?

That morning at Court, Kangxi wore his sternest face yet, leaving in haste for Yanxi Palace as soon as the session ended.

Fang He was pregnant, and he wanted her to stay long-term in Qianqing Palace.

Unfortunately, a careless word had made her angry a few days ago, and the troublesome woman—whose emotions had been even more volatile lately—had run away back to Yanxi Palace.

“Greetings, Your Majesty!” Upon seeing Kangxi, Advisor Xing hurriedly saluted and followed close behind, lowering his voice.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you could rest a while in the side hall? The mistress is still asleep, she said she would see no one.”

Kangxi felt a pang in his chest and raised his swordlike brows in frustration.

This troublesome woman had been even more unruly since returning to the capital, hiding behind her pregnancy!

There was nowhere in the Forbidden City he couldn’t go!

Seething, Kangxi strode naturally into the side hall.

Jiujiu slid expertly down from the bed, bowing to Kangxi in a most standard and speedy salute.

“Good morning, Imperial Father. Have you eaten breakfast yet? We were waiting for you to eat with us…”

At five years old, Jiujiu wasn’t as easygoing as Fang He, nor as rigid as Kangxi.

Instead, she was a bundle of nerves, quick-tempered and caught between both ends—silent when angry, and endlessly talkative when nervous.

Who she took after, no one could say.

Her rare moment of affection came in a torrent, leaving Kangxi no chance to speak.

He sat beside her, waiting for her to finish before lifting her onto the bed.

“Did your Mother get angry again yesterday?”

Yesterday afternoon, he’d come to see Fang He, only to be driven out of the hall by her.

That night, the lights at Yanxi Palace were out, and he couldn’t even get in.

Jiujiu looked at Kangxi with a mournful face, puffing out her cheeks.

Er Bao finally found a chance to interject, calmly explaining for his sister, “Mother said Sister is adorable, Da Bao can’t see us every day, so she wants to have another like Er Bao for Sister to play with. She sent Sister out!”

Kangxi: “…..”

This was the first time he’d heard a consort speak of wanting a son in such an offhand way.

Frowning, he asked Jiujiu, “Your Mother still refuses to see the Imperial Physician?”

This troublesome woman, relying on Fule by her side, claimed not to trust Imperial Physicians, refusing to ask for the Peace Pulse, and throwing tantrums at the slightest mention, just like these past days.

It had already been delayed over a month; he couldn’t let her have her way any longer.

Seeing Jiujiu shake her puffed cheeks in refusal, Kangxi paused in thought, then instructed Liang Jiugong.

“Go summon Imperial Physician Zhao to wait outside.”

No matter what, today he would force… coax that troublemaker to let her pulse be taken.

At that moment, Fang He was already awake in the inner hall.

Her tailbone ached fiercely, making it impossible to stay in bed before dawn.

She stroked her belly by looking at Fule with anticipation and she asked, “Well? Did I eat too much?”

Fule lowered her head, hesitating, unsure how to answer.

Serving at the side of the Imperial Noble Consort, the entire Imperial Medical Institute treated her as a treasure.

All sorts of secret recipes were shown to her, just in case anything happened to the harem’s mistresses, so she could lend a hand when the Imperial Physicians were indisposed—especially for her mistress.

Her medical skills had improved greatly compared to when she first joined Fang He a few years ago—though not as good as an Imperial Physician, she was certainly better than most regular doctors.

This was also why Kangxi hadn’t forced Fang He to let an Imperial Physician take her pulse.

Seeing Fule so troubled, Fang He looked down at her belly, nearly as big as half a watermelon, her heart pounding.

She’d been pregnant twice before and knew what size the belly should be at each month.

Now, not yet four months, her belly was already bigger than in her previous pregnancies at five months, and the fatigue and tailbone pain were both worse.

If not for the Imperial Physicians who accompanied the royal expedition being so frightened by Zhang Ziqin’s death that they dared not speak up, perhaps Kangxi would have learned on the way back to the capital… that she might be carrying twins.

At that time, everyone around her was under Kangxi’s command—he might not have allowed her to keep the babies.

In this era, twins were only considered auspicious if both were born safely; during pregnancy, it was considered even riskier than for ordinary mothers.

Not to mention, she was of advanced maternal age now, and had shown signs of miscarriage before—if luck turned against her…

“Master, not yet, it’s still not too late,” Fule whispered, her face pale and full of guilt.

“If a premature baby is born, it could be weak; but if you carry it to full term, your body might not hold out…”

Fang He had never even considered that option.

Those little ones had followed her through so much hardship and were still safely nestled in her womb.

The way she loved Jiujiu and Er Bao, she would love them just the same—she would never give up on them.

She said calmly, “There are so many Imperial Physicians in the palace, and many famed doctors in the folk. If I nurse myself carefully, surely I can deliver the first royal twins ever.”

Fule was even more at a loss, “But… when I took your pulse, it seemed there were more than just twins!”

If it were only twins, she wouldn’t be so worried.

Fang He was stunned, ‘More than twins?’

Kangxi wanted to know as well.

He asked Imperial Physician Zhao, who was checking Fang He’s pulse again, with a grim face, “How many pulses do you detect?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the pulses that Miss Fule and I feel are consistent—two are strong, and faintly, there seems to be a third, weaker one.”

Kangxi looked at Fang He, whose waist was covered with a blanket.

He opened his mouth, momentarily speechless.

Triplets…

There had never been such a thing among the Aisin Gioro.

Suddenly, he recalled something Fang He had once said—could it be that he truly had a taste for the extraordinary?

“It’s all Your Majesty’s fault! Are you a pig?” Fang He hurled a soft pillow into Kangxi’s arms, forgetting all decorum.

“I always said my own body was healthy—how could just some traveling cause miscarriage symptoms? Turns out it’s because Your Majesty—”

She glanced at the two little ones, wide-eyed at her side, swallowed her wolfish words, and glared fiercely at Kangxi.

“In any case, it’s got nothing to do with me! Even Zashuhu Li never had twins!”

Kangxi: “……”

‘Is this really the point right now?’

He asked Imperial Physician Zhao and Fule, who had both been startled by the flying pillow.

“Tell me honestly, can you guarantee the Imperial Noble Consort’s safe delivery?”

Fule knelt in silence, Imperial Physician Zhao’s face full of hesitation.

Twins were already more dangerous than a regular pregnancy; with triplets, neither mother nor children were safe—no one could guarantee there’d be no issues.

Kangxi understood their answer from their silence.

He reached out and took Fang He’s small hand and said,”Guoguo, these children, let’s not…”

“Pa!” Fang He slapped his hand away, calmly ate a piece of pastry, and looked at him steadily.

“No matter what Your Majesty is thinking, I advise you to keep it to yourself. Otherwise, I’ll have Jiujiu and Er Bao cry in front of you!”

Jiujiu and Er Bao: “…”

‘What’s this got to do with us?’

Er Bao didn’t quite understand, but Jiujiu was beginning to grasp things.

She sensed that Mother’s pregnancy with brothers… might be dangerous.

But Father didn’t want the brothers, while Mother still did.

Catching Kangxi’s meaningful glance, she softly hugged Fang He’s arm and whispered, “Mother, Jiujiu is scared. You promised to stay with Jiujiu… Jiujiu was born by you.”

Kangxi: “…..”

‘So is this troublemaker afraid of dying or not?’

Fang He kissed Jiujiu’s forehead, gently patting her, “Mother’s promise to you will not change. I promise, I’ll safely give birth to your brothers… so you can play with them.”

She treated Er Bao equally, kissing his cheek as well.

“Er Bao will be a big brother now. Soon, someone will listen to you and help you take care of Sister, alright?”

Er Bao’s eyes brightened a little—he was a bit slow, often driven to tears by his sister’s antics.

Not that he disliked it, in fact he secretly enjoyed it.

If there were more brothers, he’d be even happier.

Mother had said that he’d face many fierce beasts in the future.

He could barely manage Mother and Sister alone—if he had more brothers, it’d be safer.

So, not understanding the danger of childbirth, Er Bao was quite willing, though he sensed that Father and Sister were not pleased, so he kept quiet.