Chapter 11: Chapter 11
The decree promoting An Ning to Side Consort arrived surprisingly quickly. With the sole little heir in her arms, no one questioned whether this concubine position was undeserved—even though An Ning herself was merely a former palace maid. Even Emperor Kangxi, who typically valued noble lineage, approved the promotion without hesitation.
The Qing dynasty placed great importance on the firstborn son, especially since Prince Zhuang had already passed thirty without producing another heir. Unless unexpected circumstances arose, this child would undoubtedly become the next Prince Zhuang, making it imperative that his birth mother's status not remain low.
After receiving the imperial decree, An Ning took the plump, fair-skinned baby from the wet nurse's arms and planted two loud kisses on his cheeks. Recognizing her familiar scent, the little bundle immediately burst into giggles. Unlike the "Brother Lin" she had initially worried about, this little fellow, despite his young age, proved to be an absolute sweetheart—at least when in An Ning's presence.
Watching the child wiggle his tiny arms, desperately trying to burrow deeper into An Ning's embrace, the attending wet nurse remarked in amazement, "Our Eldest Young Master is truly clever! So young yet already knows his own mother!"
"Every morning when he wakes, if he doesn't see you, Madam, he throws quite the tantrum!"
One shouldn't underestimate the destructive power of such a tiny creature, especially when he was the apple of the entire household's eye. The prince visited him multiple times daily, leaving the wet nurses too intimidated to even raise their voices.
The child displayed remarkable intelligence, unlike other oblivious infants who typically grew attached to their wet nurses. While amusing the little one, An Ning—the mastermind behind it all—simply smiled without comment.
As if the months of drinking Spirit Spring Water during pregnancy had been for nothing! Children possessed natural sensitivity, their perception of spiritual energy far surpassing adults'. This was something An Ning had tested repeatedly during her pregnancy—each time she consumed the Spirit Spring Water, the baby in her womb would become noticeably more active.
Seizing the opportunity while playing, An Ning discreetly fed a drop of Spirit Spring Water to the infant. As expected, the little one waved his arms even more vigorously, his laughter growing more delighted.
"That shouldn't happen, right? You're now officially promoted to Side Consort by imperial decree. Even the princess consort couldn't forcibly separate mother and child, could she?" Besides, that woman didn't seem the type.
"Who can say for certain?" Holding her child, An Ning remained noncommittal.
Indeed, since entering the household, regardless of how favored she became, the princess consort had never subjected her to harsh treatment—her allocated resources always arrived complete. During pregnancy, the woman had been exceptionally generous, never questioning any benefits exceeding regulations. By all accounts, she appeared the epitome of a kind, virtuous wife.
But human nature? Who could truly fathom it?
Life experience taught An Ning never to overestimate people's goodness, especially when substantial interests were involved. The princess consort hailed from the Borjigit clan, a genuine imperial princess married by the Grand Empress Dowager's decree—effectively backed by two palace dowagers. And what did An Ning have?
A mere Side Consort title? History proved the imperial family respected no rules when convenient. Rather than scrambling when disaster struck, she preferred eliminating all possibilities from the outset.
In short, the child she, Shen An Ning, had painstakingly birthed would never acknowledge another woman as mother.
"Alright then." Recalling recent palace dramas, the system had to admit its host, though excessively cautious, often demonstrated remarkable foresight.
As the long-awaited heir of a prince's household, Yuanbao's full-month celebration was exceptionally grand. Nearly every notable imperial clan member in the capital attended. Considering his cousin's difficulty producing heirs, Emperor Kangxi sent gifts, while the crown prince and eldest prince—both around ten years old—personally brought presents for their newborn cousin.
At this age, the princes would marry in a few years, making connections with imperial relatives timely. Surprisingly, the crown prince and eldest prince appeared quite amicable at this stage.
An Ning only heard snippets about the front courtyard's festivities. As the newly promoted Side Consort and the baby's mother, she naturally received guests alongside the princess consort. Having arrived late and lacking prior acquaintance with most noblewomen present, she mainly followed the princess consort's lead, occasionally exchanging pleasantries. Most treated her kindly for her son's sake.
As for harassment? None whatsoever. Without conflicts of interest, these social elites had no reason to stir trouble. Thus, while others toiled through the banquet, An Ning remained perfectly at ease.
Her adopted younger brother, however, experienced his first major social event as her sole attending relative. Terrified of embarrassing his sister and newborn nephew, the poor boy looked thoroughly drained by the banquet's end, making An Ning briefly regret inviting him.
She'd hoped to broaden his horizons for future social interactions, but perhaps she'd rushed his development. As a bondservant, he already stood below the Eight Banner nobles—let alone facing these pinnacle powerholders of the Forbidden City.
"Cough... Elder Sister, did I embarrass you today?" The usually confident Long'an, who'd recently passed the imperial examinations at a young age, appeared uncharacteristically flustered, his handsome face flushed red.
Sharing his sister's good looks, the teenager had grown even more striking after months of proper nourishment. Perhaps influenced by residual memories, An Ning felt rare softness and comforted him: "Don't worry, little brother. No one's laughing."
This wasn't entirely reassurance. Their lowly status rendered them practically invisible to top-tier nobility. As for lower officials, who'd dare antagonize a prince's household?
Today, while her adoptive father—now an official—could have attended as a Side Consort's parent, only her scholar brother appeared. This subtle signal wouldn't escape Beijing's politically astute residents.
In the capital where one could accidentally hit a third-rank official with a thrown brick, having a prince's concubine as sister ensured her brother wouldn't be bullied by random wastrels—precisely why An Ning wanted him seen today.
As for that scoundrel father? She'd count it a blessing if she didn't cause him trouble. Benefiting from her status? Not a single strand of hair's worth!
What could hurt more than seeing unimaginable wealth just beyond reach? Judging by her predecessor's memories of that despicable man, his household was probably in uproar right now—a thought that pleased An Ning immensely.