Cuiwei was still in shock.
Usually, Chief Steward Liang only had eyes for the favored ladies in front of the Emperor, never showing such kindness toward the lower-ranked palace maids.
But now, he was grinning like a blooming chrysanthemum, which sent chills down everyone’s spine.
Fang He, however, felt alarm bells ringing in her mind.
Something had happened!
Her brain spun rapidly, and she immediately put on a sarcastic expression, her words nearly cutting.
“Grandpa Liang, you’re such a busy man. Even if you don’t have to go to the Laundry Department, you should be busy attending to His Majesty’s Eastern Tour. Why would you lower yourself to come to our shabby little place? It’s our fault for dirtying your noble feet.”
Annoyed?
Angry?
She hoped he would unleash his authority as the Chief Steward, reprimand her, or even order her to be beaten.
Cuiwei’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she desperately shot glances at Fang He.
Had this foolish girl lost her mind?!
Fang He was wailing inside.
It was all because she had provoked the wrong man that night—she feared that if she didn’t act crazy now, she wouldn’t have another chance.
If she could just keep surviving, she wouldn’t even mind getting beaten up.
She swore she would grit her teeth and not make a sound!
But Liang Jiugong, as if he had just been praised, simply chuckled—his face thicker than a city wall—and even bowed slightly.
“Nonsense. When it comes to serving others, I am nothing compared to the ladies here, especially Miss Fang He. You mustn’t underestimate yourself.”
Cuiwei: “……”
Was something wrong with the way she woke up today?
How else could she be hearing such absurd words?
Weren’t there many palace maids in the Imperial Tea Room more competent than Fang He?
Fang He clenched her fingers tightly and bit her lip, appearing both anxious and agitated.
“Grandpa Liang, aren’t you afraid of Wei—”
“Oh, right,” Liang Jiugong interrupted her smoothly, smiling even more meaningfully.
“I forgot to mention—Wei Zhu is indeed a capable young man. Previously, Li Dequan had some misguided intentions and made things difficult for him. I was misled by Li Dequan.”
“I’ve already given Li Dequan a beating. From now on, no one in the palace will trouble Wei Zhu anymore. That kid will accompany the Eastern Tour as well.”
After coming to this realization, Liang Jiugong felt as if he had been living in vain for decades—his whole being felt refreshed, like he had been reborn.
Wasn’t Wei Zhu just a clever little eunuch?
Li Dequan couldn’t compete with him, and if Liang Jiugong wanted to groom a promising godson, it was more than doable.
Besides, if Fang He gained the Emperor’s favor—whether she was bestowed a marriage to a royal relative or elevated to a high status—the more honorable she became, the less likely Wei Zhu would ever rise in rank.
The Emperor couldn’t possibly keep a eunuch who had close ties to a minister’s household by his side.
There were plenty of other servants in the palace.
Fang He: “……”
So no one would trouble Wei Zhu anymore.
But what about her?
Seeing Fang He fall silent, a trace of schadenfreude flickered in Liang Jiugong’s eyes, though his expression turned more serious.
“His Majesty has decreed that Cuiwei will remain at the Imperial Tea Room in Qianqing Palace, while you, Miss Fang He, will enter the inner palace to serve His Majesty personally.”
Fang He’s face instantly fell.
Was she really destined for such close service?
Cuiwei: “???”
Even though she didn’t fully understand what was going on, she knew that in the palace, it was always “better you than me.”
Without hesitation, she knelt and declared firmly, “This servant obeys His Majesty’s decree! Chief Steward Liang is absolutely right—Miss Fang He has always been the most meticulous in the Imperial Tea Room. She will surely serve His Majesty well!”
Good luck!
Not sending you off!
Having quick feet was no match for having good fortune—ha!
Fang He: “……”
All those years of palace gossip she’d listened to had gone to waste.
Now that the moment had come, she wasn’t even that surprised.
After all, the famed Emperor Kangxi was a ruler who had risen through a blood-soaked path.
He was practically no different from a spy.
Even when he was too drunk to walk straight, he was still the same Emperor—ugh!
As Cuiwei eagerly escorted her toward the designated quarters, Fang He felt empty inside.
Even while walking through the vast Forbidden City, she had the same sense of confusion as someone who had fought tooth and nail for a CEO position, only to lose to a royal family’s direct appointment.
Nonsense!
In her past life, she had at least had a supportive “dad-type” boyfriend who helped her prepare in advance.
But in this life… all she had were a pair of hands she wished she could chop off.
After transmigrating, she had considered all sorts of possibilities—perhaps she would offend someone and be on the brink of life and death, or she might be forced into poverty and expelled from the palace…
Or maybe she’d have no choice but to cling to a concubine and navigate the treacherous harem.
She had done her utmost to be cautious, humble, and invisible.
Even when she realized that Emperor Kangxi had taken notice of her and might use her, she quickly adjusted her mindset, planning to strategize once she left the palace.
But she had never, ever thought about serving him directly.
Staying away from the Emperor’s chambers had always been her priority—even if she had to endure some hardships, she would never voluntarily step forward.
But now…
A palace maid who served in close quarters wasn’t just someone with prestige.
She was a bedchamber maid.
A reserve concubine.
Once she was associated with the Emperor’s harem, any hope of leaving the palace was even slimmer than being sent to the Laundry Department.
Even if she were given a marriage, she would forever be scrutinized by her in-laws, pointed at wherever she went.
What kind of freedom was that?
And that’s assuming she could even manage to offend the Emperor without losing her life in the process—only then might she be given away in marriage.
The difficulty level of staying low-profile had suddenly gone from a mere challenge to an impossible mission.
Was there still a chance for her to play dead and live like a salted fish?
Cuiwei saw her looking utterly lost and knew something major must have happened but didn’t press for details.
As they approached the new living quarters, some palace women peeked out to watch.
Those eligible to serve in the Emperor’s chambers lived in the area near Zhaoren Hall, close to the outer quarters.
Several young women who had been secluded in their rooms for days also looked out, only to see Fang He—a plain-looking, timid girl.
Instantly, they felt relieved.
Nobody spoke to her.
Cuiwei sighed, at least helping Fang He retrieve her assigned belongings.
As she packed up Fang He’s things, she tried to offer some comfort.
“No matter what happens, as long as you serve His Majesty well and stay out of the scheming, you might get promoted to at least a consort’s rank. At worst, you could become a senior palace maid—it’s still better than leaving the palace and marrying the wrong man.”
Fang He gave her a deadpan look.
That’s not what you said before!
Cuiwei coughed awkwardly.
“Look, serving tea is one thing, but working inside the palace is a whole different world. Do you know how many people would kill for this chance?”
“You should think of it as good fortune—sometimes, we just can’t fight fate!”
Thinking about how she could now be the temporary ruler of the tea room, Cuiwei almost couldn’t maintain her solemn expression.
Fang He stared at her, half amused, half exasperated.
After her luggage was packed, she took out her last good-quality handkerchief and stuffed it into Cuiwei’s hand.
“Leave. If you don’t, we’re both going to lose it.”
One would laugh, the other would cry.
Cuiwei: “…… Pfft! Fine, fine, I’m leaving. Good luck!”
On September 28, Fang He, feeling as if her salted fish life had suddenly grown wings and flown away, dazedly followed the imperial sedan chair out of the palace.
Emperor Kangxi had yet to summon her.
Liang Jiugong had also told her to rest and not rush to serve.
Even as Kangxi conducted the sacrificial ceremony outside the Meridian Gate and embarked on the grand journey to board the dragon boat in Yangliuqing, she hadn’t even come close to appearing before him.
The newly assigned palace maids serving in the imperial entourage were even more cunning than those in the Imperial Tea Room.
They quickly caught on that Fang He was not in the Emperor’s favor and simply acted as if she didn’t exist.
Once on the dragon boat, these maids, along with a few junior concubines and court ladies, huddled together affectionately, shoving Fang He aside and taking all the available rooms for themselves.
Not a single room was left for her.
It was Li Dequan, smiling as if there had never been any friction between them, who finally approached and led her to a tiny cabin with no windows.
“Miss, please don’t take offense. There are simply too few hands available to serve His Majesty, and since you arrived in such a hurry, we didn’t have time to arrange proper accommodations for you. You’ll have to make do here for now.”
Fang He tidied her disheveled hair and said nothing.
She had already been living in the assigned quarters for over ten days—what hurry?!
Li Dequan just kept smiling.
“Once we settle things on His Majesty’s end, we will arrange for you to serve close to him.”
“If His Majesty remembers you sooner, things might move along even faster. You understand, right?”
Fang He, her face blank, nodded without saying a word.
After just being ostracized, she looked particularly miserable.
Although Liang Jiugong had already put Li Dequan in his place, seeing Fang He in such a sorry state still gave Li Dequan a sense of smug satisfaction.
He recalled how Wei Zhu used to call him “big brother” sarcastically—essentially mocking him as a lackey—and now, seeing Fang He down and out, he felt as refreshed as drinking a bowl of iced tea on a scorching summer day.
So what if she caught the Emperor’s attention?
She still ended up in his hands!
After saying his piece, Li Dequan had fulfilled his duty as a godson and left without a care, not bothering to check where Fang He’s belongings had been dumped.
Fang He stood there in a daze for a long while before slowly turning around.
Standing at the doorway, she took in the tiny, windowless cabin—so small it could barely fit a single bed, making walking inside nearly impossible.
Her eyes welled up with tears.
She lowered her head, wiped her eyes, took a deep breath to steady herself, and finally mustered the courage to step inside.
She shut the door behind her, sealing away even the faintest sob.
In the corner, a small, unremarkable eunuch gestured for someone to continue keeping watch before swiftly heading up to the second floor.
Little did he know, the “devastated” Miss Fang He, the moment she closed the door, let out a beaming, relieved smile.
That’s it?
She had been terrified for nothing, ha!
In her past life, after a certain royal took over as CEO, he had at least seized hospitality resources and emergency funds, directly cutting off the largest source of revenue for the front office.
It had left Fang He scrambling in a mess.
But in this feudal dynasty, where human lives were as worthless as grass, the Emperor’s way of making things difficult for her was just cold-shouldering and intimidation?
This only confirmed her suspicions—unless Kangxi was even less competent than that mediocre royal from her past life, she clearly had some kind of value to him.
She probably wasn’t going to die after all.
She wiped the cold sweat off her forehead and let herself collapse onto the wooden bed, deep in thought.
Solving problems immediately had been ingrained in her bones.
Compared to being beaten to death, this kind of difficulty was really nothing.
Since the Emperor hadn’t summoned her yet, it was clear he was waiting for her to reflect and figure out what she had done wrong.
She had deliberately put herself in a position to be bullied so that the mighty ruler could vent his frustrations.
But playing dumb indefinitely wasn’t a good strategy either.
Striking the right balance… that was the challenge.
Perfect timing.
She’d stay put and ponder her next move.
***
At this moment, the dragon boat was bustling with activity—not just the royal vessel, but even the trailing boats were a chaotic mess.
No one had time to worry about the tiny cabin where she was staying.
Prince Yinti, the eldest prince, and Crown Prince Yinreng had long been at odds.
After getting drunk and humiliating himself during the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, Yinti had taken a “to hell with it” approach, making their rivalry even more public.
Of course, in front of Kangxi, the two maintained the facade of brotherly love—one showing respect and deference, the other exuding humility and warmth.
There wasn’t a single sign of a quarrel, let alone a fight.
After all, they were growing older, and both had advisors with sharp minds.
The battle between them had gradually moved out of Kangxi’s direct sight.
From major things, like who received the Emperor’s favor and praise, to minor details, like differences in their daily treatment, the two and their entourages were locked in a relentless competition.
If Kangxi praised Yinti for his bravery today, Yinreng would immediately assert his position as Crown Prince by selecting his horse ahead of Yinti.
If Kangxi and the Crown Prince boarded the dragon boat together tomorrow, Yinti would ensure that the best incense for dispelling dampness was snatched up first.
Once the boats set sail, the two started competing over which vessel got their meals served first.
The servants traveling with the Imperial Household Department were utterly exhausted, and the aides of the two princes weren’t faring much better.
Every morning when they opened their eyes, they wished for night to fall, fearing that one rash decision from their master could cost them their heads.
They thought Kangxi was oblivious, but in truth, every move was reported to him by palace attendants and secret guards.
Yet, Kangxi didn’t say much about it.
As far as he was concerned, both sons still had a sense of restraint.
At least they hadn’t broken any ancestral rules or rituals.
The Crown Prince had had too smooth a path in life—far less hardship than Kangxi himself had endured.
If he truly wanted to be a wise ruler, he needed to be sharpened like a fine jade.
So long as they didn’t cross the line, Kangxi even gave subtle encouragement, balancing the power between the two, hoping they would grow into a brotherly dynamic like the one he had with his own brother, Fuquan.
Back when Fang He worked in the Imperial Tea Room, she had rarely come into contact with the First Prince or the Crown Prince.
Even Cuiwei had little gossip about them.
Yet, while stuck in this cramped little cabin, she was somehow getting a front-row seat to all the palace drama—sometimes, the gossip even walked right past her door.
It made her “reflection” period much more bearable, and she was growing increasingly relaxed.
No one had brought her any belongings, and there was no meal to eat?
So what?
Wei Zhu was still here.
Now that Liang Jiugong was no longer making things difficult for him, Li Dequan couldn’t handle everything alone.
Even if Wei Zhu couldn’t enter the Emperor’s chambers just yet, he could still grease a few palms to arrange some small conveniences.
And, for now, people were willing to give him face.
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Thanks for the novel. this is my new hidden gem.