It was not a secret in the harem that Empress Qin was not in good health. Many years ago, Empress Qin gave birth to twins. Among them, the Prince died when he was born, leaving only a sickly Princess.
The Imperial Astronomer had once said that the Princess's physique was weak, and the Empress had a domineering physique which counters the Princess's. If the mother and daughter were to get close, both their lives would probably be in danger.
At that time, the Empress was in an unconscious state, so Emperor Minghua made the decision to send the Princess to another place to be raised.
To ensure the safety and respect of the Empress, as well as to maintain proper decorum, all relatives were instructed to use formal titles when addressing her. Therefore, the younger generations of the Duke Yong Manor household, whether they called her "aunt" or "auntie," referred to her as "cousin aunt" or "cousin auntie" as a sign of respect and acknowledgement of their family ties.
