Yingtao continued, “The mistress was very pleased. Although the Fifth Prince cannot go out yet, she brought extra pelts before coming here. There are a few particularly fine rabbit skins, so she instructed me to deliver them to Miss Fang He…”
Yingtao was also quite pleased that there was someone as well-mannered as Fang He at the Emperor’s side.
Not only was she not a seductive schemer, but she was also particularly sensible, so she had picked out some of the best pelts for her.
In the past, the Fifth Prince had been raised by the Empress Dowager and wasn’t particularly close to Concubine Yi. Even when they were together, he didn’t know how to show filial piety to his mother.
But ever since Miss Fang He had started tutoring the Fifth Prince, he had become more sensible and closer to his mother.
Concubine Yi was overjoyed and disregarded court etiquette to send a reward.
Fang He saw Kangxi open the wooden box and tried to look troubled.
“Ah, this…”
Hahaha, well done, Concubine Yi!
She bit her tongue to suppress her overly lively tone and composed herself.
“Your servant thanks Concubine Yi for her generosity. However, every item for palace servants, from a needle to a thread, should be issued by the Internal Affairs Bureau. Your servant does not dare to accept…”
Please persuade me more. I’ll take it, I’ll take it, I’ll take it!
Yingtao didn’t dare look at the Emperor and only stole a glance at Liang Jiugong, remaining silent.
Liang Jiugong, on the other hand, only focused on his master.
Given Fang He’s status, it was neither obligatory nor forbidden for her to accept the gift.
Kangxi tossed the wooden box to Liang Jiugong.
He certainly wouldn’t fuss over a few rabbit pelts with a servant.
After casually dismissing Yingtao, he stood thoughtfully, gazing in the direction of Concubine Yi’s courtyard for a long time.
Once inside, he finally asked Fang He, “You are now receiving a second-rank palace maid’s stipend?”
Fang He was still overjoyed about the quality of the pelts in the box.
There were six in total, and as she had expected, they were all the thickest gray fur.
Each pelt would sell for at least three taels of silver at the Internal Affairs Bureau.
That meant this single reward was worth eighteen taels of silver!
Tsk, tsk, Concubine Yi was far more generous than Kangxi.
Hearing Kangxi’s question, Fang He lowered her gaze to hide her subtle expression.
“Replying to Your Majesty, your servant has only been receiving the second-rank maid stipend for two months.”
At the doorway, Li Dequan shrank his neck slightly—he had delayed it for less than half a month, and yet he had already made up for it.
He couldn’t be blamed for this!
Kangxi curled his lips into a smile, confusing both Liang Jiugong and Fang He.
He realized he was like a kite flyer.
As a child, he had never gotten to play, but now, he was finally getting his chance.
But on the other end of the kite string was a cunning and mischievous groundhog—one that would scratch him if he wasn’t careful.
Now, he seemed to have figured out where the kite string was—and had begun to enjoy flying the kite.
Fang He couldn’t hold back any longer.
Under Liang Jiugong’s urging gaze, she quietly asked, “What is Your Majesty laughing at?”
Kangxi played mysterious.
“Want to know? Memorize the Hundred Family Surnames first, then I’ll tell you.”
Fang He: “…”
Did she care?
Alright, she cared.
She accepted the two new calligraphy practice books that Liang Jiugong handed her while suppressing laughter.
She returned to her quarters in frustration, so annoyed that she lost her appetite for dinner, eating only three plates of Jiangning’s specialty pastries.
“Isn’t it just calligraphy and memorization?”
Fang He grumbled in her room.
“Back in the day, I was ranked first in liberal arts… I could do this lying down!”
“If I dared to show my real skills, they’d all be scared to death… Humph! I can’t let myself be pua-ed like this…”
That poisoned wine from before had indeed taught Fang He the importance of caution—lest she say the wrong thing and invite disaster.
She murmured to herself, repeatedly checking her surroundings to ensure no one was present.
She even kept her voice to a near whisper, eliminating any chance of being overheard.
Within three days, Fang He memorized the Hundred Family Surnames.
Then she waited a few more days, only presenting herself before Kangxi to recite them just before he was set to depart for Suzhou for the military review.
This time, she didn’t even need Kangxi to explain why he was laughing—by the time she was reciting, she was already grinning so wide her eyes practically disappeared.
Before entering the hall, she unexpectedly encountered one of the masters of this residence—Cao Yin.
Usually, he was only present in the mornings, and by the time Fang He returned from the study room, he had already left for his duties.
This was the first time she saw him in person.
To be honest, she had some interest in Cao Yin’s grandchildren, but as for the man himself—this minister from Kangxi’s reign who later squandered half of the Yongzheng Emperor’s treasury and was scolded to death by her “bestie”—she had no fondness for him.
Yet, Cao Yin deliberately blocked her path to the inner hall, as if he had been waiting for her.
“You must be Miss Fang He?”
Fang He avoided his bow with a puzzled expression.
“Your servant Fang He greets Lord Cao.”
Cao Yin solemnly returned the bow but flipped his wrist deftly, slipping a pouch into Fang He’s sleeve so smoothly that she couldn’t dodge the gesture.
Cao Yin said, “My surname is Cao.”
Fang He: “…”
I know what your surname is.
What I don’t know is… are you an idiot?
Cao Yin continued, “My courtesy name is Ziqing, and my literary alias is Lian Ting. You may also call me Lixuan.”
Fang He recalled the embarrassment she had suffered earlier at Kangxi’s hands and forced out a polite smile.
“Lord Cao must be joking.Given my status, it would be improper for me to call you anything at all, wouldn’t you agree?”
Cao Yin gazed at her meaningfully.
“I simply ask that when reviewing memorials or if my name comes up again… please remember that it is Lian Ting.”
He bowed again. “For that, I thank you in advance, Miss Fang He. This is a small token of appreciation, nothing significant. If I have offended in any way, I hope you will forgive me.”
Fang He roughly understood his intent—he wanted her to discreetly put in a good word for him in front of the Emperor.
The name Lian itself was a play on words, and anything that became a memorable joke to the Emperor could work in his favor.
But she had no interest in getting involved in these power games.
Avoiding trouble was already difficult enough!
She opened the pouch and gasped at the sight of a banknote worth ten thousand taels of silver.
Oh.
So Cao Yin wanted her to help him win favor, did he?
Ten thousand taels… Good heavens, before this, she had thought Concubine Yi’s eighteen-tael gift was generous.
For ten thousand taels, she could make Cao Yin a legendary meme in the Emperor’s mind!
But to Fang He’s great sorrow, precisely because the amount was so large, she didn’t dare to accept it.
After reciting the Hundred Family Surnames, she had no choice but to return the pouch with a heavy heart.
Kangxi, upon seeing the silver note, couldn’t help but laugh again.
He looked at Fang He, who was kneeling on the ground clutching her chest as if in pain, and teasingly asked:
“You’re really willing to part with it?”
Fang He’s very breath hurt, but she could only lower her head and grit her teeth.
“Serving my master loyally—there is nothing I would hesitate to give up. This was only offered because of Your Majesty’s favor…”
(Sobs internally) It hurts so much! No, please, just give it back to me!!!
“Good. I like how straightforward you are.”
Kangxi slowly and deliberately put away the ten-thousand-tael note and smiled.
“I accept your sincerity.”
Fang He nearly blacked out on the spot.
Her “sincerity” made her want to spend day and night drawing cursed circles, hoping for this man’s early demise!
Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, Kangxi finally shifted his tone leisurely.
“I’ll hold onto this ten thousand taels for now.
If you can improve your calligraphy to a respectable level before we return to the capital… when I arrange your marriage, I’ll add a little more to your dowry.”
Fang He’s eyes instantly lit up.
How did she get so lucky as to have such a long-lived, supremely generous master?!
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