Chapter 141: Bearing Fruit

Chapter 141: Bearing Fruit

The delivery room door opened, and the palace maids and the midwife were seen carrying a carved spring bench, on which Fan Xueyao lay. She was on a brocade cushion and covered with a thin summer quilt.

They carried her into the rear hall, and Fan Xueyao was placed inside the green gauze bedchamber. Chu Nan followed her in, but Chu Xu was not present.

Li Rong had originally intended to stay and chat with her daughter, but seeing Chu Nan enter, she tactfully withdrew. She signaled Hua Ping with a wave, who understood and led the maids out.

Chu Nan sat by the bedside and took Fan Xueyao's hand. Her hands, usually warm and soft, now felt a bit cold.

He studied Fan Xueyao for a moment. Her face was pale, but her cheeks were abnormally flushed, which seemed unusual. He felt a little anxious, even though the Imperial Physician had said that both mother and child were safe. But childbirth is never easy.

"You've worked hard," Chu Nan said sincerely.

Fan Xueyao's eyes welled up with tears. In the palace, women viewed bearing children as their life’s purpose. Those who didn’t give birth to the emperor's child were seen as failing in their duty. It wasn’t just the concubines who held this view; everyone else did as well.

Though she had wanted to give birth, not for favor or reward, it was an unexpected joy that the father of her child was grateful. He wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t view women as mere tools for bearing children.

"It’s a prince," she said, a little weakly but with pride in her eyes.

Chu Nan smiled upon hearing that.

While she was pregnant, she had quietly told him that she wanted to have another prince.

He wondered if she was still anxious, worried that if she gave birth to a princess, he wouldn’t promote her. He was about to reassure her that whether she had a son or a daughter, he would elevate her rank.

Before he could express his feelings, she said that this way, he would have three sons, and no one could say his lineage was thin.

Chu Nan couldn’t deny that he had been deeply moved at the time.

When he first ascended the throne, to cleanse the court, he expelled the sycophants favored by the Late Emperor, either demoting or exiling them. Many had died as a result. Those who lost their wealth and status cursed him behind his back, calling him harsh, ungrateful, and cold-blooded.

The ministers petitioned him to expand his harem to ensure many offspring, lest his uncles and brothers seize the opportunity.

The implication was that without a son, if he were to die unexpectedly, the lack of a crown prince would cause turmoil.

Even the Empress Dowager frequently urged him. In truth, he was anxious about having an heir, but he was always reserved, hiding his inner turmoil behind a calm exterior.

At the time, he smiled genuinely at her and said, "A princess would be fine too." He didn’t want her to feel pressured. She had already given birth to Xu'er for him; if she couldn’t have another prince, it wouldn’t matter. One was enough.

She didn't speak, and he thought she had moved on. Unexpectedly, she had been holding onto it all along.

"You..."

He felt helpless, moved, and overwhelmed with complex emotions. Not knowing what to do, he bent down and gently kissed her cool forehead.

The Spreading Fragrance Hall was the most closely watched place in the rear palace. As soon as the palace servants reported that Fan Zhaoyi was in labor, everyone kept a close eye on the activity there.

As soon as the third prince was born, the entire palace knew.

Yang Xiuyi sat stiffly on the bed, lost in a daze.

She had given birth again, and it was a son.

Why do some people have such good fortune? Others would go almost mad trying to have one child, while she could have one after another.

Yang Xiuyi thought to herself, when she gave birth, there were no imperial physicians on duty to celebrate, no emperor waiting by her side with such attention. Nor did she have the care and thoughtfulness of having the imperial physicians remain after the birth.

The emperor was truly cold, not even hiding his special treatment of Fan. This made jealousy feel exhausting due to the vast gap. She knew she couldn't compete for his favor.

If not through jealousy, how could she deal with this unresolved sense of injustice?

**

Fan Xueyao had been very attentive to her health during her pregnancy. Even in her final trimester, she insisted on walking in the hall every day. With the personal experience of the postpartum period from her last birth, her recovery was swift and smooth. By the full month of the little prince, she had fully regained her strength.

On this day, it was a court meeting day. After the court session with the ministers, Chu Nan summoned several participating ministers to discuss the flood disaster in Liangzhe. They discussed matters until noon, and Chu Nan, feeling hungry, asked Li Huai'an for the time, realizing it was already lunchtime.

Chu Nan was not an emperor who mistreated his ministers, so he allowed them to leave the palace and return home for lunch.

He picked up his teacup and took several sips.

Li Huai'an stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, the kitchen has prepared lunch. Where should it be served?"

Chu Nan picked up a memorial without looking up. "Have them serve it in the Spreading Fragrance Hall. I will dine there."

"Yes," Li Huai'an replied and went out to pass on the order, also arranging for the imperial carriage and sending someone to notify the Spreading Fragrance Hall. Chu Nan reviewed several memorials, put them down, and got up to leave.

Originally, the lunch in Fan Xueyao's hall was almost ready. But when Li Huai'an sent word that Chu Nan was coming for the meal, even though there were imperial dishes from the kitchen, he mostly preferred the meals from her hall.

Fan Xueyao was sensitive to heat, so the meals prepared in her hall were mostly simple and light. They were good but not very rich. They had to quickly prepare additional dishes.

When Emperor Chu Nan arrived in his imperial sedan chair, Consort Fan Xueyao did not need to come out to greet him as she had not yet completed her lying-in period. He entered the rear hall by himself and went to the bedroom to visit Fan Xueyao first. She was lying on the bed, listening to Zhu Zhu sing the "Nian Nu Jiao." Ice basins were stacked behind the green gauze screen, and she had a summer quilt draped over her.

"May the emperor be blessed with eternal peace and good health." Everyone bowed in unison, and Fan Xueyao also greeted him from the bed.

"You haven't finished your lying-in period yet, so rest well and don't move around unnecessarily." Chu Nan pressed her back onto the bed with some dissatisfaction, and Fan Xueyao complied and lay down. Chu Nan did not know that she was already able to move freely. The day after giving birth, she had already gotten out of bed for a bit of activity, but she just didn't let Chu Nan know. She didn't want to challenge the age-old practice of "sitting the month." She knew how to take care of her body best, so why make things difficult for him?

Lying there, Fan Xueyao's eyes concernedly swept over him. "You're all sweaty. Go freshen up first. If you don't, the sweat-soaked clothes will stick to your body, and when the sweat cools, you might catch a cold."

"You just lie there. The maids will take care of everything." Chu Nan took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat and instructed the maids, "Prepare hot water and assist with washing and changing clothes."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xiao Jin, Xiaohong, and the others went to prepare the bathing tools.

Chu Nan sat down by the side of the bed and looked around.

The red gauze fragrance bags hanging on the lattice of the green gauze screen emitted the fresh scent of jasmine, blending with the coolness of the ice blocks, creating an exceptionally serene atmosphere. Fan Xueyao wore a gauze garment, with a white inner shirt and a water-green outer garment. A silver-red silk quilt covered her. Her eyes were darker than the night, and her lips were redder than flowers. Her fair face appeared even more delicate and beautiful, ethereal and graceful.

She had just given birth to a fair and lovely son.

Chu Nan's heart was filled with tenderness. "You gave birth at the worst time, in the summer month, when the heat is exhausting, causing you great suffering." Being pregnant meant she couldn't have cold drinks, and she couldn't bear the cold. Moreover, her body temperature rose during pregnancy, and she had to stay in bed during the lying-in period, covered with blankets, unable to be exposed to the wind. No matter how Chu Nan thought about it, he felt it was akin to enduring punishment.

Fan Xueyao smiled gracefully. "It's not as bitter as you say. As soon as I got pregnant, you ordered that all supplies be given to me first. You may not know, but the amount of ice I used this month is equivalent to two months’ supply from last year. Despite feeling hot, the abundance of ice kept me quite comfortable. It was challenging to remain in bed for the entire month. Fortunately, Hua Ping and the others kept me company and helped pass the time. Zhu Zhu even learned a few songs to sing for me."

Chu Nan said, "If you felt bored during the lying-in period, why didn't you say anything? A young maid's singing isn't enough to entertain you. If you feel bored, you can instruct the Imperial Music Bureau to call some musicians and dancers to sing and perform a few plays. That's also permissible."

Fan Xueyao was amused and embarrassed. "I'm still sitting out my lying-in period. It wouldn't be proper to have the Imperial Music Bureau come and perform music and dances. It would be a laughingstock."

"You have just given birth to Prince Third. Who would dare to laugh at you?" Chu Nan instructed Hua Ping to call Li Huai'an and tell him to have the Imperial Music Bureau ready for calls from the Spreading Fragrance Hall to entertain the Zhaoyi.

Fan Xueyao couldn't do anything to stop him, so she let him have his way. Chu Nan continued, "I have given the order, so don't worry about this or that and not call for people. Your happiness and pleasure are the most important. Everything else is irrelevant."

"Alright, tomorrow I'll call for people to sing. I'll have them sing one song after another until I'm pleased." Fan Xueyao agreed with a smile, fully complying.

Chu Nan felt relieved and looked at the baby in the adjacent Ruyi cradle. Prince Third was sleeping soundly, and Chu Nan couldn't help but show a loving smile. "As for Prince Third's first bath ceremony, do you have any ideas on how to organize it?"

Hearing this, Fan Xueyao turned to the side and spoke earnestly, "I was planning to discuss this with you. I was thinking, perhaps we shouldn't organize it this time?"

Chu Nan's eyes widened in confusion. "Why?" The bath ceremony was a significant event for the child and also reflected the dignity of the child's mother. The concubines in the palace all wanted it to be as grand as possible to demonstrate their importance and respect. Why didn't she want to hold one?

"Recently, I heard that there was a flood in the Liangzhe region. Due to this, you and the ministers have been working tirelessly, and you've even lost weight due to the stress. At this critical moment, it would be inappropriate to hold a grand ceremony for such a minor occasion as my child’s full moon." Fan Xueyao spoke gently and calmly, sharing her thoughts.

The Zhejiang floods were indeed quite severe. Disasters occurred every year, and relief efforts were constant. Droughts, floods, hailstorms, and locust plagues were common. Chu Nan had long grown accustomed to such challenges. However, in recent years, the floods in Zhejiang had become more frequent. Although the court could still manage the relief, the problem lay with the displaced people who relied solely on the court's aid, which was quite troubling.

Chu Nan, with a disapproving look, said, "The court is already handling the Zhejiang floods. We are providing grain and exempting taxes. There will be a way out for the displaced. The treasury isn't so depleted that you need to worry about not being able to bathe the third prince."

Fan Xueyao, realizing he had misunderstood, quickly clarified, "No, don't take it so seriously. I didn't mean that. I was just thinking that with you and the ministers so preoccupied, it would be inappropriate for me to hold a washing ceremony for San Lang, adding to the burden. It wouldn't be in his best interest. Perhaps we could just have a simple wash here in the palace and prepare a modest feast to celebrate."

After a moment of thought, Chu Nan smiled and said, "No, we can't be too shabby. While we shouldn't go overboard, it can't be as simple as you suggest either. San Lang has only one full moon ceremony. How can we just brush it off? Here's what we'll do: on the day of San Lang's full moon, invite the Ladies-in-waiting and your elder sister-in-law into the palace. You're close with Jinping, and she's been idle in the princess's mansion, finding life quite dull. Invite her for some lively company. Also, send out invitations to the consorts you're friendly with to join in the fun."

Seeing that Chu Nan had already made up his mind and that his plan was reasonable, Fan Xueyao agreed. It was already a simplified version compared to the usual palace protocols, so she couldn't object further.

However, she added, "You've mentioned everyone, but you didn't mention the Empress..."

The Empress referred to was Empress Xu. In the palace, only the Empress Dowager and the Empress were called "Empress." Fan Xueyao usually referred to the Empress Dowager as "Madam" and Chu Nan as "Imperial Lord."

Upon hearing this, Chu Nan frowned and said coldly, "She hasn't been feeling well lately and shouldn't move around. There's no need to invite her."

Fan Xueyao blinked and nodded silently.

It seemed that Chu Nan was indeed still upset about the incident when Empress Xu had not only failed to manage the palace properly during the recent rumors but had also stirred up more trouble.

Since then, Chu Nan had rarely summoned Empress Xu and had stopped visiting the central palace. For San Lang's washing ceremony, even Princess Jinping was invited, but not Empress Xu, clearly showing that Chu Nan was still angry and unwilling to show her any respect.

Chu Nan continued to give detailed instructions, "You're still young and may not be familiar with the ceremonial aspects of the washing ceremony. I'll issue an order for the Ladies of Ceremonies and Ladies of Attendance to handle everything. You just oversee things and don't stress too much. They won't dare to neglect their duties."

After a pause, Chu Nan added, "As for the expenses, they won't be deducted from your palace allowance, so feel free to arrange everything."

Although Fan Xueyao was the highest-ranking person in the harem after the Empress, she was still only a consort. Her palace allowance seemed generous but was mostly sufficient for daily expenses. However, the palace couldn't function in isolation; there were always birthdays, flower parties, and tea gatherings to attend.

In the harem, only the Empress received fixed rewards and banquet arrangements on her birthday. Other consorts didn't have such privileges. At most, favored consorts might receive gifts from the Empress Dowager or the Emperor on their birthdays, but there were no set banquet rules. If a consort wanted to host a birthday banquet and invite a few friends for drinks, the palace wouldn't cover the costs. The consort had to manage it herself.

For birthdays, gifts were expected. For flower and tea gatherings, the palace didn't handle these events either. Unless a wealthy consort hosted the event, participants usually chipped in. Additionally, when palace servants performed well, they were rewarded with money, food, palace flowers, and other items. These expenses came out of the consorts' own allowances.

Regarding external matters, during festivals, it was customary to send some rewards to one's family to maintain dignity.

In reality, the palace allowance often felt insufficient. Chu Nan considered that when Fan Xueyao entered the palace, she came from a family of minor officials. How much dowry could she have brought? Even though he had bestowed a considerable amount of wealth over the years, there were constant expenses, and it likely wasn't enough.

"The decree to promote you to Imperial Noble Consort has already been drafted. It will be issued after San Lang's washing ceremony. By then, you'll have more freedom. However, this palace is a bit cramped. Should we move to a larger one?"

Fan Xueyao didn't address the promotion but replied regarding the move, "A move is too cumbersome, so let's not change. For one, most palaces already have consorts residing in them, so a move wouldn't just involve me. For another, the Spreading Fragrance Hall is conveniently close to your residence, making it easy to come and go."

Chu Nan listened to what she said. The first point wasn’t much of a bother to him; it was just a matter of relocating a few concubines, not a big deal. However, the second point struck a chord with him. Indeed, while the Spreading Fragrance Hall wasn’t the largest among the imperial consorts’ quarters, it was very close to his own residence. The reason he could come to the Spreading Fragrance Hall almost every day, even if just for a short sit, was largely due to the proximity. Moving to another hall would make things less convenient than they were now.

"What you say makes sense, but this hall was fine when you were living here alone. Once you are promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, it will indeed feel cramped. Now with the birth of Sanlang, and Xu'er living in the eastern anteroom, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Sanlang to stay there as well."

Fan Xueyao had already thought about this issue and replied gently, "There are still the Xunhui, Fuyun, and Jiang'e Pavilions. Although they were once quarters for imperial consorts, they have been left vacant. Moreover, the emperor has said that no consorts will be residing there in the future... Why don’t we use one of those pavilions? When Sanlang and Xu'er are a bit older, it would be suitable for them to move there. It’s just for a short while."

Chu Nan pondered for a moment. Although he personally thought it would be better for Fan Xueyao to live in a larger and more comfortable space, since she preferred to stay in the Spreading Fragrance Hall, even if it meant living a bit more crowded, he didn’t want to force her to move.

"Alright then. If you like it here, we won’t move. It may be small, but there are advantages to living in a smaller place. You and your children are all together, so you can look after them at all times. In a few years, when they are older and move out, they will only have wet nurses and servants by their side. Even though palace rules are strict, there are still cunning and evil people who, for the sake of wealth, will go to great lengths to curry favor and dare to take risks, leading the princes astray and exposing them to all kinds of things. By then, seeing them only during formal greetings will make it hard to supervise them properly. It’s important to teach them some principles while they are still young and naive, so they won’t be misled by unscrupulous people in the future."

These words reflected Chu Nan’s personal experiences.

When he was young, although the Empress was neither highly respected nor favored by the late emperor, he was the son of the Empress and was born to be the crown prince. As the heir, his status was extremely noble. At that time, the Empress had high hopes for him and was constantly advising him to work hard and strive for excellence, which made him feel burdened and annoyed.

The eunuchs and maids around him, wanting to gain his favor, brought toys into the palace and did everything they could to encourage him to play and indulge in pleasures.

As a child, he found it hard to resist these temptations and gradually became immersed in them. Those wicked people, fearing that the Empress would discover their actions and punish them, stirred discord between him and his mother, encouraging him to avoid her summons and disobey her orders.

Later, he witnessed a eunuch who was deeply favored by the late emperor being disrespectful to the Empress, and even though she was the Empress, she had to endure it silently. It was at that moment that he suddenly realized the situation he and his mother were in. He took the initiative to see the Empress and told her about the misdeeds of these eunuchs and maids, purged the servants around him, and from then on, he worked hard to improve himself.

He almost went down a path of no return... if not for his timely realization.

Fan Xueyao pretended not to notice his emotional turmoil and avoided bringing up things that might upset him. Seeing Xiaojin, Xiaohong, and others bringing over the washing utensils, she urged, "You’re starting to sweat again. Hurry and wipe off, change into something dry and comfortable."

Sighing, Chu Nan pushed his memories to the back of his mind, put on a smile, lowered the curtain, and went behind the screen to wash up and change clothes.

The imperial kitchen, as usual, hurried to prepare a table of dishes to be sent to the back.

Huaping, Qiaoqiao, and a few others hurriedly set the tables and moved chairs. Since Fan Xueyao couldn’t get up and Chu Nan didn’t want to dine in two separate places during his visit to the Spreading Fragrance Hall, they opened the green gauze room and set the table inside.

The imperial kitchen delivered the meal, and the courtyard was filled with eunuchs and maids. Each maid carried a food box and stood silently, waiting for the order to serve the meal. After a short while, the bamboo curtain was raised, and a maid dressed in a green gauze palace robe, with a pearl hairpin, came out and said, "It’s time to serve the meal."

The palace servants who often served meals at the Spreading Fragrance Hall knew that this was Huaping, a first-class maidservant close to the highly favored Zhaoyi.

The eunuchs led the maids into the hall, and Huaping guided them to the green gauze room, where the lattice doors were wide open. Inside, lying on the couch was a beautiful woman with her hair down, wearing a green gauze shirt, without any makeup but still stunning. It was none other than Fan Zhaoyi, who had just given birth to the little prince.

Beside her, the emperor, dressed in a round-collar robe embroidered with blue-green silk, was leaning sideways, gently talking to her with a tender expression.

The maids glanced discreetly, lowered their heads, and proceeded to orderly place the dishes on the table. Another table featured nine high-footed lacquered black plates with various fruits and fragrant medicines, with seven layers of fresh seasonal fruit piled high.

Once the last palace maid had placed the rice bowls, soup bowls, spoons, and chopsticks before retreating backward, Chu Nan grew impatient with the crowd filling the room, as if the air had become stale. He waved his hand, dismissing the attendants to wait outside for further instructions.

Soon after, the small kitchen sent over the meal.

Fan Xueyao sat up, but the cushion behind her seemed too short, leaving her back unsupported and feeling hollow. Hua Ping went to fetch a summer quilt, folded it, and placed it behind Fan Xueyao to support her.

Sitting upright, Fan Xueyao pointed to the eastern anteroom, signaling Qiaoqiao to bring Chu Xu for lunch.

Not wanting to eat with her hair disheveled, Fan Xueyao lightly dabbed at the black tresses on her shoulders. "Fetch a hairpin and tie up my hair," she said.

Huigu and Yuechan hurriedly complied, entering the sleeping chamber. They opened the multi-layered dressing box containing Fan Xueyao's usual hairpins and jewelry. Uncertain which one to pick, Yuechan whispered, "Just grab one. We're about to eat."

Huigu's eyes scanned the row of hairpins, and she selected a gold toad jadeite lotus leaf white jade pin. She thought the white jade pin, with a lotus leaf carved in jadeite, would complement Fan Xueyao's green gauze clothes.

"Shall we use this one?"

Yuechan agreed, and they respectfully presented the pin.

Hua Ping took it, glanced at it, and knelt on the footrest to assist Fan Xueyao with her hair.

Fan Xueyao looked at Chu Nan. Although he practically lived in the Spreading Fragrance Hall and should be accustomed to seeing her, her attendants still felt uneasy around him and were not as relaxed as usual.

"Get up and serve. In this position, I have to bend down to accommodate you, which is very inconvenient."

Hua Ping complied but didn't dare to get on the bed because Chu Nan was sitting too close to Fan Xueyao, leaving no space for her.

Fan Xueyao gently pushed him, and Chu Nan moved aside, making room for Hua Ping, smiling. "Actually, I'm quite good at doing hair."

Fan Xueyao understood but smiled. "Not this time. It's inconvenient now because my hair is oily. I don't like its greasy and overpowering scent. Wait until after my confinement, when I'm clean and presentable, then you can help me with my hair, Your Majesty."

Chu Nan looked at her hair. It was smooth, black, and shiny, unlike others who used a whole jar of hair oil, making their hair sticky and heavy. Hers looked clean and fresh, each strand distinct. He felt an urge to touch it, letting the soft strands slip through his fingers.

But knowing she loved cleanliness and was particular about her appearance, he understood she must feel uncomfortable during her confinement. She probably didn't want him to see her in a messy state. Thinking of the saying "a woman adorns herself for the one who loves her," Chu Nan didn't want to force her.

Hua Ping quickly knelt on the bed, moving on her knees to Fan Xueyao's side, deftly coiling her hair into a bun.

Chu Nan watched Hua Ping's technique the whole time, observing the finished hairstyle. It was a casual, everyday bun, simple and unadorned. He was sure he could do it too. He had seen Yao Niang wear this style many times; it was time for something new...