In an earlier episode, when Meili was confirmed pregnant, instead of joy, she was treated with suspicion and contempt by her husband Prince Qing Xuan. Flashback to a scene when he saw Yong He hugging Meili next to her bed. At the time, Yong He was tasked with looking after Meili and during her moment of despair, he was trying to console her. But Qing Xuan imagined they were intimate then and her pregnancy was a result of that secret liaison. He was detached and cold towards Meili and even suggested abortion.
To viewers, there was no scene which depicted a sexual relationship. When Qing Xuan warned that Meili should not get pregnant within the year, it was his way of confirming that if she did, she had intimate relationship with Yong He before marriage. Many viewers wonder why whenever husband accused her of that, Meili could only feebly deny it. She showed resignation and despair that no matter how she explains, he will never believe her. To add to Qing Xuan's suspicion, on their first night of marriage, the traditional white cloth to test her virginity was not tainted with her blood. To avoid suspicion, he had to cut his own palm to let drop his own blood on the cloth, which was shown by Meili to her mother-in-law the next morning.
During her pregnancy, Meili went through trials and tribulations, with attempts on her life with poison and created accidents. Though suspicious of Meili's past conduct, Qing Xuan treated her with love and attention. The pregnancy was like a thorn in an otherwise loving relationship. He had even suggested abortion but Meili refused because she insisted it was conceived with him.
During her seventh month of pregnancy, Meili was desperately seeking help from Empress Dowager and Yong He to save Qing Xuan, after he was mistakenly accused of disobeying the Emperor's royal command not to attack Gerkhan. A general and many soldiers died as a result.
Being overactive for a few days, rushing here and there, Meili had labour pains and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The Empress Dowager was overjoyed, and Meili was happy but clouded with having to deal with husband's constant suspicion. An early birth was bad news where this is concerned, as it further confirmed his earlier suspicion that it was conceived before marriage. That the baby was normal and healthy instead of small and weak because of early birth also added to the malicious gossips going round in the palace. Empress Dowager even had to warn that anyone who spoke about this would have her tongue cut off!
When asked to name the baby, Qing Xuan intentionally named him, Yun Ke, as if to remind Meili that it was Yong He's and not his. He even secretly asked someone to use a blood test, by an outside physician instead of the usual royal physician. But because it was overheard by Su Ying's maid and her father got to know, he followed the man. Could he have done something to the sample or more likely, bribed the person doing the test to give a different result? Qing Xuan was furious when the result seemed to confirm his suspicion, and he even accused her of lying despite his proof by blood test.
The fact that Meili gave birth to a baby boy was bad news for first wife, Su Ying, who was also expecting. She was intensely jealous because she had yet to give birth and it may not be a boy. But soon, she was lucky to give birth to a baby boy too. What followed was to be jealousy over which baby got more attention and from whom. Mother-in-law has always favoured Su Ying, so it followed that her child was favoured by her when compared to Meili's. Husband loved Meili more but subdued with some reservation.
The intensity of jealousy between the two wives over their children grew over time. The favouritism shown to Su Ying's child was felt by Meili's, much to Meili's disappointment and despair. To make matters worse, the Emperor conferred a royal title to Su Ying's child, making him officially a prince.
On the day of Meili's child first birthday celebration, there were sounds of fire crackers being let off. She thought it was the eunuchs bringing some presents for birthday boy. It was their arrival, but bringing a royal decree proclaiming Su Ying's child a Qing prince. Qing Xuan was forced to be present, and later followed them to the palace for dinner with the Emperor and Empress Dowager. This meant Meili and her maid waited in vain for his presence for their son's first birthday, until late at night.
When both kids were growing up, the new status of Su Ying's son as prince had created new royal protocol to be followed and it was deliberately enforced on his half brother, who could only wonder why he is being treated differently.
Meili was able to accept all kinds of ill-treatment on herself, but when it comes to her child, she felt she had to do something about it. She asked Qing Xuan to appeal to the Emperor for a similar title for their child. Feeling guilty over the unfair treatment, Qing Xuan went to see the Emperor. Emperor was furious that he asked for something which was beyond acceptable royal practice and demanded that he leave. Qing Xuan was stubborn and refused and had to be dragged out of the palace.
When news spread to Qing Xuan's mother, she was furious that Meili had caused her family so much embarrassment. She decided to mete out punishment on Meili according to her house rules. While Meili knelt, she was about to cane her when Qing Xuan came in at the knick of time to prevent it. His mother was further angered by son's open defiance in denying her of her right to punish her daughter-in-law.
Meili felt remorseful that she had caused so much embarrassment to her husband's family, and even created a tiff between husband and his mother. She said she did not realise that her wish for her son to be treated equally could have caused so much problems. To ask for her mother-in-law's forgiveness, she knelt outside the house for hours... even when it began to snow. Husband and son tried in vain to stop her from kneeling. But she felt she had to do it until she is forgiven. Yun Ke knocked at the door asking his grandmother to forgive his mother. He even 'kow tow'ed but his grandmother remained stubborn. It was when Qing Xuan was about to kneel that his mother opened the front door and said, 'No need.' She walked over to Meili and said sternly, 'I forgive you this time but never again.'
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