The Apo Master dressed up as Concubine Ling and killed the Ruyi sisters

In the blink of an eye, it was the day when Yihuan was due to give birth.

There had been no children born in the palace for a long time, and without the conflict between father and son, the emperor no longer had any fear for Yihuan and the child in her belly.

After receiving the report from the Chuxiu Palace, the Emperor, Ruyi, and Yanwan stayed in the Chuxiu Palace together.

Yihuan was weak and worried during her pregnancy. The day of delivery was not smooth and her cries of pain could be heard through the palace door.

The emperor was worried and asked, "Shu Fei's screams are so painful, is it because the birth is not going smoothly?"

Ruyi stood beside the emperor and comforted him, "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. Isn't this how women give birth since ancient times?"

Yan Wan frowned, thinking that Ruyi's words were too casual, and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty, don't worry too much. The imperial physician and the midwife are waiting inside. I heard that the midwife surnamed Tian is very experienced."

"Sister Yihuan is so eager to give birth to a healthy child for the emperor. She will surely give birth smoothly with the help of the midwife. Let's wait here for good news."

The emperor said, "Well, let's wait here and not disturb the imperial physician and the midwife."

Half an hour later, the sound of a baby crying was heard in the room.

The curtain was lifted, and a person dressed as a midwife came out to announce the good news to the emperor.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Concubine Shu has safely given birth to a prince for Your Majesty!"

The emperor stood up and asked happily, "It's my prince? How is Shu Fei?"

The midwife smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. Concubine Shu is fine, and both mother and child are safe! Would your Majesty like to go in and take a look?"

Yan Wan also said, "Your Majesty, Sister Yihuan is having a hard time giving birth, let's go in and take a look!"

Yihuan's beauty was one of the best in the palace, and the children she gave birth to were also exceptionally beautiful.

Yan Wan stood beside the emperor, gently touching the child's face, and said with a smile: "The tenth prince is so good, he combines the strengths of the emperor and sister Yihuan."

Yi Huan looked at the emperor holding the tenth prince happily, feeling very satisfied. She said happily, "Thanks to the emperor's blessing, I was able to give birth to the prince safely."

The emperor smiled and said, "Shu Fei has worked hard. The imperial physician and the midwife who helped Shu Fei give birth today will be rewarded!"

When Shufei gave birth, the empress dowager came to Chuxiu Palace to visit Shufei and the Tenth Prince, and rewarded Shufei with many good things.

Shu Fei felt both worried and happy. Fujia received a signal from the empress dowager and walked out.

"Today, Concubine Shu is about to give birth. You have done your best to protect Concubine Shu and her child. The Queen Mother has ordered that all the imperial physicians, midwives, and the maids and eunuchs serving in Chuxiu Palace will be rewarded!"

Everyone knelt outside the door and thanked the emperor and queen mother with joy, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward!"

The emperor had other things to do, so he went back to the Yangxin Palace to review memorials. The empress dowager held the tenth prince in her arms and said with a smile, "The tenth prince is so well-born, and you can tell at a glance that he is a blessed child."

Fujia also said: "The Tenth Prince must know that it is the Imperial Grandmother who is holding him. He is not shy at all, which shows that he is a filial child."

The Queen Mother became more and more satisfied with the Tenth Prince and was eager to take the Tenth Prince, who was not even a month old, back to the Cining Palace immediately.

Yihuan also came back to her senses from the happiness of giving birth to a child. She knew what the Queen Mother was thinking and wanted to take the child back from her, but she did not have that right.

Yihuan subconsciously looked at Yanwan, and Yanwan shook her head at her implicitly, signaling Yihuan not to act rashly.

The Queen Mother finally left, and the concubines in Chuxiu Palace who had congratulated Yihuan on her safe delivery also left. Yihuan hurriedly grabbed Yanwan's hand and said, "Sister Yanwan, did you see that? The Queen Mother wants to take my child away now!"

Yan Wan was afraid that Yi Huan would tear the wound in excitement, so she tried to comfort her, "Sister Yi Huan, don't get excited! No matter how anxious the Queen Mother is, she will wait until you finish your confinement. You should take good care of yourself first."

Yi Huanfu lay on the bed again, "What if the confinement period is over? I can't watch her take my child away. This is the first child of the emperor and me, and maybe our only child!"

Yan Wan was startled and asked, "What nonsense are you talking about, sister?"

Yi Huan said seriously: "I know that my identity is special, and I don't want my child to become a pawn in the fight between mother and son. Since I am weak, having the Tenth Prince is a gift from God. I just want the Tenth Prince to grow up safely and healthily by my side, and I don't expect anything else!"

Yanwan was shocked and felt that Yihuan was really pitiful.

He consoled her, "Sister, don't think too much. If the Queen Mother really wants to raise the Tenth Prince, she will definitely discuss it with the Emperor, and the Emperor will block it for you."

“But what if the Queen Mother doesn’t believe in the celestial phenomena and insists on taking the Tenth Prince back to the Cining Palace?!” Yihuan was still worried.

Yan Wan turned around and looked around, then whispered to Yi Huan, "The Queen Mother is a very capable person, she would definitely not believe in the celestial phenomena. Do you think it is possible that you are not the only concubine in the palace who belongs to the Queen Mother? Maybe the Queen Mother already knew about it!"

Yi Huan was stunned for a long time, and finally understood what Yan Wan meant. He suddenly realized, "I am not an obedient pawn. The Queen Mother certainly won't place only me by the side of the Emperor. But the Emperor may only know me. If..."

Yan Wan covered Yi Huan's mouth, signaling her not to say it out loud, and whispered, "If that's the case, the emperor will be even less likely to agree to let the tenth prince go to the Cining Palace. Sister, just pretend you know nothing and rest assured to take care of your health."

Yihuan nodded in understanding, and was very grateful to Yanwan for her wholehearted help.

When the emperor asked about the Tenth Prince's recent condition, Jiang Yubi said that Shu Fei's kidney energy was insufficient when she was pregnant, and the Tenth Prince was born with a weak constitution and needed more careful care from the wet nurse.

The emperor knew that Shu Fei's kidney deficiency was due to the pregnancy-maintaining medicine, and he felt a little sorry for Shu Fei and her son.

Because the Empress Dowager intended to raise the Tenth Prince, the Tenth Prince's full-month ceremony was held with great ceremony. The Emperor saw and remembered the Empress Dowager's behavior.

But as long as the Empress Dowager did not make it clear, the Emperor would play dumb and ignore what the Empress Dowager said, whether explicitly or implicitly.

At the full moon ceremony, the concubines all presented gifts to the Tenth Prince.

Yan Wan said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Tenth Prince has a weak constitution. In order for the Tenth Prince to grow up safely and healthily, and also to pray for him, how about giving an extra salary to all the servants in the palace every year during the month of Empress Xiaoxian's death? What do you think?"

Since the passing of Empress Xiaoxian, the Emperor missed her even more, and he no longer believed the rumors that were unfavorable to her.

Even if the day of ancestor worship conflicts with the anniversary of Empress Xiaoxian's death, the emperor would choose to visit Empress Xiaoxian first.

Yan Wan's suggestion was not only to pray for the Tenth Prince, but also to make the palace people more grateful for the kindness of Empress Xiaoxian. How could the Emperor not agree?

Ruyi was about to object, but the emperor agreed, "Concubine Ling has thought it through very carefully. Let's do it!"

When the eunuchs, maids and guards in the palace heard that they could get a month's salary for free, they were naturally grateful to Yanwan.