Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Kangxi arrived just as…

Kangxi happened to meet Yinzhen on his way there, so the father and son set off together. Outside Chonghua Palace, they happened to run into Yinsi and Yinxiang, who were visiting their newborn nephew and niece.

Wen Shan, noticing their arrival, quickly asked Zhenzhu and Amber to take the children out first, while she stayed a little longer to look after Fucha.

When Wen Shan left, she saw Kangxi holding one child in his arms, and Yinsi holding the other, both playing with them.

Judging by the swaddling clothes, it seemed Kangxi was holding the older brother, while Yinsi was holding the younger sister.

Yinsi's holding technique was still competent, while Kangxi's was a bit stiff, and Wen Shan watched, fearing he might drop the children.

Yinxiang couldn't grab Yinsi's hold, so he had to take turns running to look after his nephew and niece.

"Although this child looks frail, he's quite strong." Kangxi beamed from ear to ear. He wasn't angry when his grandson kicked around in his arms, but rather felt the child's strength.

His younger sister, by contrast, was much calmer, obediently blowing bubbles in Yinsi's arms.

Yinzhen, his father, was the calmest of all. Upon seeing Wen Shan emerge, he hurriedly inquired about Fucha.

"She's fine, just exhausted. She just drank some tonic and fell asleep," Wen Shan said softly.

Yinzhen was finally relieved. Palace regulations prohibited him from entering the delivery room, a bloody place. He'd just heard a palace maid say Fucha seemed to be hemorrhaging, and he'd been so frightened he nearly fell off his chair.

Kangxi sat down, holding the child, looked at Wenshan, and said with a smile, "Now that Yinzhen has both a son and a daughter, you can rest assured."

Wenshan had often expressed concern with Kangxi during their casual conversation, worrying that Yinzhen's aloof nature

would make his life less lively and fulfilling. Kangxi always told her she was worrying too much, saying that Yinzhen was a prince, one of the most noble people in the world, destined to be a happy one from birth. Wenshan disagreed, but certainly didn't dare to object.

"Bring the little princess here for me to see." Kangxi, having already cherished his grandson, now had his eye on a granddaughter. Yinsi reluctantly handed his niece to Kangxi.

Kangxi, rarely seeing such an open expression on Yinsi's face, laughed heartily, "If you like, go have one yourself after your wedding next year."

Yinsi curled his lips, thinking, "Father, you have plenty of daughters of your own, and I don't see you showing much affection."

Kangxi was a typical grandparent, so naturally, he doted on his children. However, with the princes and princesses other than the crown prince, he was usually stern and rarely displayed the doting expression he was showing now.

"The little princess is born beautiful. She will surely grow up to be a beauty."

Wen Shan had noticed when her younger sister was born that she was indeed much fairer and prettier than a normal newborn. Perhaps because she absorbed more nutrients in the womb, her arms and legs were plump and pleasing to the eye.

That's why Yinsi had been so reluctant to let go of her.

Now, Kangxi couldn't let go of her either. He held his granddaughter and played with her for a while before saying, "I've chosen names for these two little ones. What do you think?"

Who could say that wasn't wonderful? Sure enough,

Yinzhen lowered his hand and said, "It's a blessing for these two children to have names bestowed upon them by the Emperor."

Kangxi asked, "How about calling the girl Yi'an?"

Wen Shan considered the name and concluded it was a name that evoked good fortune and good luck. It was probably the same character that the Imperial Household Department would choose. It seemed quite standard.

Kangxi pondered for a moment and continued, "As for this little one, since he is my first grandson and a legitimate child, I will name him Hongxi. Not Yang, not Xi."

The character "Xi" (Xi), meaning the rising sun and the revival of all things, is indeed a good name and has a good meaning, but it shares a common pronunciation with Kangxi's reign title.

Both the given name "Xuanye" and the reign title "Kangxi" have always been taboo characters throughout the country. Although they are not the same characters, homophones are still taboo.

In his previous life, Kangxi's beloved eldest grandson, the crown prince's son, was also named Hongxi by Kangxi—the same homophone, but different characters.

Wen Shan was speechless after hearing this. Why would he be so fond of giving his eldest grandson this name?

Yinsi and Yinxiang naturally thought of it, and they exchanged a glance that seemed to suggest it was just as he expected.

"The name bestowed by the Emperor should not be refused, but this character "Xi" clashes with the Emperor's reign title, and I'm afraid the child won't be able to bear it," Yinzhen said, following the rules.

Yinsi held the little one in his arms, thinking that this child seemed blessed.

Kangxi waved his hand dismissively, saying, "What's the problem? Don't worry about it. I think this name is good, so let's call him that."

Yinsi said, "Hongxi, it's a good name. Since it was given to you by the Emperor himself, don't refuse it."

Kangxi held Yi'an in his arms, and the more he looked at her, the more he liked her. Although she was just a newborn, Yi'an was incredibly well-behaved. Her little hands grasped Kangxi's clothes and she actually smiled with her eyes narrowed.

Looking at his well-behaved and beautiful granddaughter, Kangxi felt a long-lost joy from the bottom of his heart. This kind of emotion brought by blood ties was truly wonderful.

"Hongxi and Yi'an are your eldest son and daughter, and they were born today, the day you were conferred the title of Prince. They are truly blessed children." Kangxi smiled, looking at Yinzhen and saying, "How about I add a little more joy to your life today? Hongxi will be conferred the title of Crown Prince Yong, and Yi'an, who should have been a Princess, will be granted the title of Heshuo Princess."

This surprised Yinzhen and the other two.

Whether Yi'an was a Princess or a Princess wasn't really important, but Kangxi's decision to appoint a Crown Prince so soon after Hongxi's birth seemed a bit premature.

If Kangxi truly favored Yinzhen as the next emperor, then this Crown Prince would be the equivalent

of a personal choice by Kangxi. Logically, the Crown Prince shouldn't have been appointed just yet; he should have given Yinzhen some leeway. After all, Yinzhen was still young, and this was his first son, and his qualifications were barely discernible at birth.

Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang exchanged glances, all sensing something was amiss.

Could the Emperor have had other ideas?

"Your Majesty, it's fine that you can confer the title of princess on Yi'an, but Hongxi has just been born and we don't know if she can shoulder the responsibility of being the crown prince. You are being too hasty." Wen Shan stepped forward and held Hongxi in her arms and said.

Yinzhen and the others were not very good at talking, but Wen Shan's words seemed much more logical.

However, Wen Shan didn't think too much about it. She simply felt that Kangxi's decision was a bit hasty, and considering Kangxi's vision of Hongli, well... it was still debatable.

Wen Shan also felt that this would make Hongxi a target of public criticism at such a young age. After all, the number of people in Yinzhen's backyard would only increase, which was inappropriate no matter how she thought about it.

The two children felt uncomfortable after being held for so long and began to whimper. The wet nurse hurried forward to hold them and take them away to feed them.

After listening to this, Kangxi looked at Yinzhen with a smile and said, "Yinzhen, what do you think of what your mother said?"

"My mother is worried that this kid will be useless and live up to the love of the emperor." Yinzhen said, "Your Majesty, please make the decision. I will listen to you."

Kangxi nodded with satisfaction and said, "Your mother's worry is not unreasonable. It is indeed a little early to enthrone the prince. Let's forget it for now."

Seeing that Kangxi seemed to have sat for a long time and wanted to go back to the Yangxin Palace, Wen Shan hurriedly stopped him.

"Your Majesty, today, Fucha suffered a dangerous hemorrhage during labor. Thanks to the miraculous skills of the two female doctors, she was able to bring her

back to health. When I left just now, Fucha asked me to ask for your favor and reward them." Although Kangxi had never witnessed a woman giving birth, he had heard of hemorrhage. Nine out of ten women who experience hemorrhage during labor cannot be saved, and in some cases, even the child cannot be saved.

"Oh, such miraculous doctors?" Kangxi, intrigued, invited them out to meet him.

The two female doctors had already cleaned themselves of the blood stains and changed their clothes. They emerged from the inner hall, bowing and greeting everyone inside.

Kangxi raised his hand. "You have performed a remarkable service in treating Prince Yong's wife and child. No need for formalities."

"I've heard you're skilled doctors from the common people, but I don't see how old you are. I wonder what your names are, and where you're from?"

The two female doctors were indeed relatively young. The older one looked around thirty, the younger one in her early twenties. Wen Shan had learned from their conversation in the palace that they were a master and apprentice.

"My surname is Wang, my husband's surname is Xue, and we're from Luoyang. This apprentice's surname is Li, and we're from the capital."

Wen Shan inquired further about their names and learned that the master was Wang Ying and the apprentice was Li Huiyan.

Kangxi studied the two women with interest and asked, "Female physicians are rare. How did the Imperial Concubine find two such skilled gynecologists to bring into the palace?"

Yinsi stood up and said, "Your Majesty, ever since I learned that my fourth sister-in-law was pregnant with twins, Mother has been worried about the dangers of childbirth. To comfort Mother and ensure the safety of my two nephews, I opened a clinic in Beijing. Thinking that male physicians might not be convenient, I hired female physicians to specialize in gynecology. These two doctors were selected from the clinic as the most experienced in childbirth." "

That's a good thing," Kangxi nodded repeatedly. "If childbirth is smoother for women, both in the palace and among the common people, it will benefit both the country and the people."

Population growth was also a concern for Kangxi. Ultimately, childbirth must be risk-free. If serious complications like dystocia and hemorrhage occurred, many women would die, and countless more would be lost to the Qing Dynasty.

So, upon hearing that Yinsi was establishing a clinic specifically for women's health, Kangxi was very supportive.

Kangxi was in a good mood today, and knowing the backgrounds of the two women, he asked a few more questions.

"I hear you're already married, and your husband's family is in Luoyang. How did you decide to come to the capital to practice medicine?"

Married women from the countryside at that time rarely appeared in public.

Wang Ying replied calmly, "Your Majesty, my husband passed away three years ago due to illness. My family is in dire straits, so I brought my children to the capital to live with relatives." Having

arrived in the capital, one had to find a job to make a living. Wang Ying's father was a barefoot doctor in their village. Although he was a skilled doctor, he didn't charge for visits, sometimes only a portion of the medicine, out of compassion for the poor. Wang Ying had lived a poor life since childhood, but she learned excellent medical skills from her father. She

also learned the compassionate heart of a doctor who wanted to save lives.

Kangxi praised her and, seeing Li Huiyan beside him, suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Li... is she Li Jingzhong's daughter?"

Li Jingzhong was one of the richest men in the capital. He had built his fortune through small business in just over a decade, becoming a renowned merchant both in the capital and throughout the Qing dynasty.

While merchants were considered the lowest class among the gentry, Kangxi had heard of the Li family's success. This was especially true when Kangxi personally led an expedition against the Dzungars. To raise funds, he had opened up vacancies for government positions, as usual, and Li Jingzhong donated 100,000 taels of silver to his son, securing a seventh-rank position as a county magistrate.

Li Jingzhong was a shrewd man, knowing his son lacked talent and hadn't studied for the imperial examinations. He seized the opportunity presented by the war and funded his son's official position. He deliberately didn't donate a high-ranking position, but instead gave a substantial sum of money as a subtle token of his loyalty to Kangxi, expressing his willingness to contribute to the campaign.

This remarkable story naturally reached Kangxi's ears. Although he had always been indifferent to merchants, he was impressed by this knowledgeable and thoughtful individual.

Kangxi inquired further about Li Jingzhong. Liang Jiugong then jokingly recounted an anecdote: Li Jingzhong had a daughter who had been meticulously raised as a distinguished lady, enjoying the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But for some reason, Miss Li suddenly insisted on becoming a doctor, causing such a scene with her family that the story spread throughout the capital. Ultimately, Li Jingzhong disowned his daughter and kicked her out.

Kangxi had dismissed the story as a joke, but today, when he met Li Huiyan, the incident came back to him.

Li Huiyan hadn't expected the emperor to know about their merchant family, but she had already severed ties with her father and was unsure how to respond.

"My biological father is indeed Li Jingzhong, but I stopped associating with the Li family six months ago."

Wen Shan, hearing this for the first time, couldn't help but sigh inwardly, wondering if this was some kind of Qing Dynasty Wang Baochuan. Wang Baochuan was after men, while Li Huiyan was dedicated to her medical practice.

Kangxi was quite interested in this headstrong and somewhat carefree young woman, and immediately said, "Raise your head."

One could not look directly into the emperor's eyes, so Wang Ying and Li Huiyan lowered their heads when they replied, and Kangxi really couldn't see their faces clearly.

Li Huiyan was eighteen years old this year, in the prime of her youth. She should have been married long ago, but she didn't want to get married, and her focus on practicing medicine and saving lives had delayed it until now. It wasn't until last year that she met Wang Ying and became her apprentice. She insisted on practicing medicine with Wang Ying, and Li Jingzhong couldn't stand it anymore and broke off their relationship in anger.

Wen Shan heard this and thought to herself, could it be that Kangxi had fallen for this young girl again?

"You're quite good-looking," Kangxi nodded and said, "You're skilled in medicine and have performed remarkable medical services. How about I arrange a marriage for you?"

Li Huiyan hadn't expected Kangxi to arrange a marriage for her, and naturally, she didn't want to get married. But when the emperor spoke, she could only say, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness, but I'm a humble woman..."

"You come from a good family, your father has done his part in the battle against the Dzungars, and you've been instrumental in the succession of the emperor. How about I marry you to Prince Chun as his concubine?" Kangxi interrupted her.

Prince Chun was the Seventh Prince, newly enthroned that day.

Wen Shan and Yinzhen were stunned, bewildered by this inexplicable arranged marriage.

Yinzhen frowned, thinking that although his Seventh Brother was disabled and his mother's family was not high-born, Li Huiyan's background didn't qualify her for a concubine. After all, a concubine was listed in the imperial patriarchal list.

Yinxiang had always been known for his straightforwardness. Seeing Li Huiyan's expression, he clearly didn't want to accept this marriage and immediately said, "Your Majesty, although Li has made great contributions in treating my fourth sister-in-law, her social status is quite low, so I'm afraid she's not suitable for a concubine."

Yinsi, for once, agreed, "Thirteenth Brother, your point is valid. Your Majesty, please reconsider."

"Li's social status is certainly low, but being a concubine is unfair to her, so I say it's a reward from me." Kangxi waved his hand and said, "It's settled. Yinyou will certainly not treat her unfairly for this."

Once Kangxi spoke, it was hard to take back his words. Li Huiyan bit her lip and was about to speak when Wang Ying grabbed her from below. Despite her reluctance, she could only offer a dry thank you.

Kangxi felt relieved after his random matchmaking, but was about to return to the Yangxin Palace when Wen Shan stopped him.

"Your Majesty, I'm sure you haven't had lunch yet. Xianfu Palace has prepared some of your favorite dishes. Would you be so kind as to serve them?"

Wen Shan rarely so directly dragged Kangxi to Xianfu Palace, and Kangxi, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, agreed.

Before leaving, Wen Shan gave Yinsi a look, which Yinsi understood. He privately reassured Li Huiyan, who looked visibly distraught, that Concubine Xuan would try again to change the emperor's mind.

Li Huiyan thanked Yinsi and Wen Shan, and Yinsi waved his hand, saying, "You have done Fourth Brother a favor. I and Mother can't repay you with evil, can I?" Yinxiang

listened from the sidelines. When Yinsi finished speaking with them, he immediately approached, intending to invite Wang Ying and Li Huiyan to the Yanxi Palace to see Concubine Min.

Wang Ying and Li Huiyan would undoubtedly be confined to Chonghua Palace for the next few days, so Yinxiang wanted to take this opportunity to have them see if there was any cure for Concubine Min's illness.

Wen Shan and Kangxi returned to Xianfu Palace. Lunch had indeed been prepared long ago, but it wasn't for Kangxi. Wen Shan had originally intended to wait until Yinzhen and the others returned to Chonghua Palace before having the palace maids bring it to them, so everyone wouldn't starve.

Now, Kangxi had to take advantage.

Wen Shan clearly had something to say to Kangxi, and Kangxi, having known her for so many years, naturally knew. After lunch, he asked, "You've been so gloomy on the way back. Just tell me what you want to say." Wen

Shan put down her chopsticks and said, "Your Majesty, I know you sent Miss Li to Prince Chun because you wanted someone with medical knowledge to look after her. But Miss Li had already fallen out with her family because she didn't want to marry, and now that she's indebted to Yinzhen, I have no choice but to ask Your Majesty if you could revoke your decision."

Kangxi wiped his hands with a handkerchief and looked up at her.

"I knew you understood my intention. If you do, you shouldn't have stopped me."

Wen Shan sighed. "I know the Emperor is saddened by the passing of the Eleventh Prince, and I understand his concern for Prince Chun, who is also ill. But it's best not to force marriages. If they were arranged, they would probably just be a couple with bitter feelings."

"If the Emperor truly wants someone to care for Prince Chun, he could have placed a few more doctors around him, or perhaps found another woman with medical expertise who's willing to join the family."

Kangxi stared at her, wondering where else could he find such a suitable girl.

Daughters of ordinary wealthy families rarely studied medicine. Most women practicing medicine these days come from ordinary families. Those born into wealthy families like Li Huiyan are rare. It's a coincidence that her father had dedicated himself to the country, and she herself had saved the Fucha clan. With all these factors in mind, Kangxi felt she was a good candidate for Yinyou.

Finding another such woman would be difficult.

Wen Shan's point made sense. Li Shi was indebted to Yinzhen and unwilling to marry, and Wen Shan spoke on her behalf, so it wasn't easy to force her to marry Yinyou.

Kangxi rinsed his mouth and said, "Well, since you've asked, I can't refuse. Let's call it quits. I'll just give them some gold and silver."

Wen Shan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Kangxi had been relatively easygoing today.

The mere mention of the Eleventh Prince sent Kangxi reeling in grief. This son had died during his personal campaign; he hadn't even seen him for the last time. By the time he returned, the Eleventh Prince had already been buried. Few even mentioned him

in his presence.

"I haven't been to the Yikun Palace since I returned," Kangxi said self-deprecatingly. "Fortunately, few people have mentioned Yinzhen."

Wen Shan wondered who would dare to bring up the subject.

The Eleventh Prince's death was a funeral, and one that had already taken place. Now, Kangxi's triumphant return to the court was a joyous occasion, so naturally, no one dared to mention it.

Moreover, with the Crown Prince's rebellion at the forefront, naturally, no one paid any attention to the Eleventh Prince.

"The Emperor is a kind father; the Eleventh Prince can rest in peace," Wen Shan said softly.

"Never mind. I'll go see Concubine Yi tonight. Let's not discuss this for now." Kangxi waved his hand and then asked, "I heard that Concubine Min is also bedridden?"

Although Kangxi was away from the palace, he was still well-informed and naturally knew about what happened that night.

Wen Shan was one of the victims, after all, the Fourteenth Prince was plotting to murder her through the Fifth Princess.

Wen Shan nodded and said, "Concubine Min's health is getting worse day by day. Yinxiang visits her every day."

"Wen Xian is not young anymore. I have already found several suitable men from Khorchin. I will arrange a marriage for her after discussing it with the Empress Dowager in a few days."

Kangxi thought that the Fifth Princess was now embarrassed in the palace and it would be better to marry her off quickly.

The Fifth Princess was one of the few princesses who had never been raised. She was married to Shun Anyan, the son of Tong Guowei. In addition to Kangxi's love for this daughter, the Fifth Princess was also raised by the Empress Dowager. Just like the Fifth Prince, she was also raised by the Empress Dowager. Naturally, she wanted to keep this granddaughter in the capital.

However, there was really no one who could help the Fifth Princess now.

"Also, I thought that since the princes have all been given titles, why not also promote the rank of the concubines in the harem? This would help to wash away the bad luck of the recent period." Kangxi said.

Wen Shan naturally agreed. There had been no changes in rank in the palace for several years, but to be honest, the number of people who could be moved was limited.

Kangxi also kept Wen Shan in suspense, saying that the decree would come down in the evening and he would not tell her yet.

Wen Shan: "..."

What's so hard about this? Except for Concubine Tong who might be promoted to Noble Concubine, the others should remain unchanged. It's also hard for anyone to be promoted to Concubine. It's just that Concubine Min was seriously ill and was promoted to Concubine Chongxi, and Concubine Mi was favored by the emperor in recent years and gave birth to two princes who were made concubines. The rest are the noble ladies who were promoted to the next level.

In the evening, the imperial edict came down, and most of them were similar to what Wen Shan expected.

Concubine Tong was promoted to Noble Concubine, and the positions of Concubine Tong and Concubine De were vacant, so Concubine Min and Concubine Mi were promoted to Concubine.

What surprised Wen Shan the most was that she was also promoted. She

was promoted to Imperial Noble Concubine.