Although in the imperial presence, Kangxi was indeed not that idle.
He had to receive ministers every day, read books, practice calligraphy, exercise, and attend to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang’s illness.
He rarely spoke with Fang He.
But not speaking did not mean he had no presence.
When this master was reading the memorials, for some unknown reason, he would occasionally shift his gaze over and look at her thoughtfully for a while.
Fang He wished she could rush up and give Kangxi a set of anti-wolf tools.
Couldn’t he just give her a straightforward answer, whether she would live or die?
One either becomes perverted in silence or explodes.
In her anger and desperation, Fang He still did not dare to become perverted.
Just as she could not hold back any longer and was about to explode, Kangxi instructed Liang Jiugong to prepare to return to the palace.
The breath Fang He had been holding in was instantly let out.
Although returning to the palace did not necessarily mean good days ahead, at least there was a side room in the Hongde Hall.
With Kangxi’s status, he could not always go there.
Kangxi was right in saying that it was good to live well.
Kangxi also noticed the dark circles under Fang He’s eyes, which could not even be covered by face powder.
Amused by this, he decided not to trouble her anymore.
He was not that petty to hold a grudge against a young girl.
He planned to promote her to a female official in charge of rituals once they returned to the palace.
Before leaving, Kangxi first went to the Xuanning Hall to visit the Empress Dowager.
Over the past couple of years, Xiaozhuang’s legs had been frequently swollen, her joints ached day and night, and it was difficult for her to walk.
Her skin had not been good when she was young, and as she aged, it became even more itchy and hard to heal if scratched, especially with the change of seasons.
This was due to the effects of diabetes, and with her advanced age, the imperial physicians had no good solutions.
They could only try to alleviate the symptoms for the Grand Empress Dowager.
The hot spring in Xiaotangshan could make Xiaozhuang’s skin more comfortable, reduce the pain in her joints, and thus improve her sleep.
Kangxi personally attended to Xiaozhuang as she took her medicine and said with a smile,
“The humidity here is also quite heavy, so Your Majesty should not stay too long. The imperial physicians suggest that you should return to the palace in half a month and continue to nourish yourself with medicinal diets.”
“The Consort is about to give birth, there are two other pregnant women in the palace, and there is some unrest in Northern Mongolia”.
“The Crown Prince is still young, and I am worried about potential chaos. I will return to the palace ahead of you to arrange things. Once everything is settled, I will come back to escort you.”
Xiaozhuang’s spirits were not very good.
Although soaking in the hot spring could alleviate joint pain and skin itching, the swelling problem remained unresolved, and the improvement in sleep was limited.
Upon hearing this, she slowly nodded and weakly said,
“In a while, for the Emperor’s birthday, Northern Mongolia and Horqin will definitely send envoys. I and the Empress will have to return. You do not need to make the trip again.”
Her limited energy made her dislike grand ceremonies even more.
She just wanted to be as comfortable as possible.
“I will follow Your Majesty’s advice. Once you return to the palace, you will be able to see the new great-grandson.”
Kangxi did not insist.
He took the handkerchief from Suman’s hand and wiped the corners of Xiaozhuang’s lips.
Xiaozhuang smiled and said,
“The Consort has been spoiled by her family. You should talk to her properly. The child she is carrying is your offspring. With a mother around, the child’s life will be easier.”
Kangxi knew that his grandmother had seen through the hidden dangers behind Niohulu’s radiant appearance.
He pondered but remained silent.
It was not that he did not want to talk to her properly, but Niohulu did not give him or herself any room for retreat.
Her own brother, Fagha, was not ambitious, while her legitimate son, Aling’a, was growing up and now served as a first-class guard in the imperial presence.
The Niohulu’s house had many unsavory accounts.
Niohulu did not trust him as her husband and believed in herself more.
She was too eager to secure a position for her mother and brother, openly and secretly competing with her cousin for the merit of being made the empress.
Knowing that Kangxi was a man of his own mind, Xiaozhuang did not say more.
She simply did not have the energy to worry about so many things.
She just said, “I heard that there is a palace maid named Fang He who serves you well. She has been rewarded by your mother twice. I am very curious. Let her serve me for a while.”
Kangxi was taken aback, not because his grandmother knew about Fang He’s existence.
After all, he had pushed Fang He forward when he went south, and his grandmother was well aware of the palace gossip.
He knew this day would come.
What surprised him was the deeper meaning behind his grandmother’s words.
“Your Majesty, I have my use for Fang He.”
Xiaozhuang raised her aged eyes and playfully scolded him with a smile,
“It is precisely because I know you have a use for her that I want her”
“Yue Le, that old fellow, might live longer than me. You may seem as unshakable as a mountain, but you are the most impatient. Now, even if you take back the Zhenglan Banner, the Shengjing Abatai line will not give up easily”.
“With Northern Mongolia unstable, Shengjing must not be in chaos. You should understand these principles.”
Yue Le was the legitimate son of Nurhaci’s seventh son, Abatai, and thus Fulin’s cousin.
Because of his remarkable military achievements and the fact that Abatai had not offended his brother Huangtaiji too severely, their branch had considerable influence in Shengjing.
Her grandson now held great power and would not tolerate others to interfere.
In his thirties, he was no different from when he was a teenager.
“Huangtaiji took over the Zhengbai Banner, Fulin kept the Zhengbai Banner, and Xuan Ye must be even more formidable than his predecessors”.
“The remaining banners probably all have their own ideas. But we must be cautious. Shengjing cannot be in chaos. We must take things step by step.”
Kangxi felt helpless and said,
“Your Majesty, I will wait until Yue Le dies before I take action.”
That girl’s family still has people in Shengjing, and Zhasihu Li is also a former legitimate faction of Abatai.
When the time comes and she is promoted to manage the Zhenglan Banner, of course, the premise is to marry Fang He to the most useful Niu Lu of the Zhenglan Banner.
Then he will assist Zhasihu Li with the newly promoted Du Tong.
When the children in the palace grow up, one will be promoted to be the banner lord, and it will be natural to take back the Zhenglan Banner.
If Fang He is not married off, a suitable Jueluo bloodline can also be chosen to continue to marry into Zhasihu Li, sharing the power of the Zhenglan Banner with the Prince An’s mansion, until his princes grow up.
He did not plan to tell his grandmother about this to avoid causing her more worry.
But Xiaozhuang insisted, “Then you must keep this girl for at least two years and let her serve me for a while. It would be better to reward her with a marriage for her service in attending to my illness.”
Kangxi had no choice but to agree.
When they returned to the Qianqing Hall, Fang He was still diligently sitting in front of the small desk copying scriptures.
Seeing him come in, a hint of panic flashed in her expressive big eyes, and she quickly got up to greet him.
Kangxi walked to her side with a distant expression, casually picked up the calligraphy she had written, and flipped through it page by page.
Fang He’s head drooped down to her chest, uh uh…
Usually, when she was diligent and no one was watching, she would take a break.
How did she get caught again!
Usually, this master would go to the Xuanning Hall in the afternoon and would not return until after dinner.
He did not know why he came back so early today.
Kangxi was not surprised to find a blank sheet of paper after five pages of calligraphy, and as he continued to flip through, he found more blank pages…………
“Fang He, have you borrowed courage from a leopard?”
He casually lifted Fang He from the ground, rolled the paper into a scroll, and raised it.
Fang He shrank her neck and quickly racked her brains for an excuse.
“Your servant dare not. It’s just to prevent the ink from smudging,” she said.
In her previous life, she had never been caught slacking off.
Her boyfriend, who was like a stepfather, never noticed her mischief, so why was this “doggy father” so perceptive!
Kangxi let out a soft hum and tapped Fang He’s shoulder with the rolled-up paper.
Fang He, anticipating a harsh blow, gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.
But when the paper tube came down, she was taken aback— it didn’t hurt!
Was it because she hadn’t eaten?
Kangxi tapped her again, “Stop staring and go pour me a cup of tea. I have something to say to you.”
Fang He’s heart pounded.
What could he possibly have to say?
This master had never spoken to her in a normal way; every sentence was like a thunderbolt.
She nervously walked to the door, took the tea cup from Cen Ying’s hand, carefully placed it on the low table, stepped back, and stood meekly two meters away.
“Am I going to eat you?” Kangxi lounged against the low table, half-lifting his eyelids to stare at Fang He.
“Come closer.”
Fang He: Am I deaf?
She took small steps forward, feeling flustered under Kangxi’s gaze, and unconsciously softened her voice.
“Your Majesty, whatever you want to say to your servant, just command it, and I will surely——”
“Do as you’re told?”
Kangxi actually finished her sentence.
Fang He thought to herself, What kind of daydream are you having?
Do you understand the concept of paying lip service while acting otherwise?
Do you know about secretly going against orders?
Do you get what it means to turn on someone after crossing the river?!
She put on a resolute expression.
“Your servant has received much favor from Your Majesty and will of course be loyal. If you tell me to go east, I won’t go west. If you tell me to hold a dog, I won’t kill a chicken”
“Enough,”
Kangxi’s eyes twinkled with amusement, knowing she was babbling out of nervousness.
The annoyance he had felt earlier dissipated once again.
This made him more tolerant of Fang He, and his expression softened considerably.
He smiled and said, “Come even closer.”
Fang He: “——”
Like I’m going to sit on your lap!
She recalled the humiliation from a few days ago, and a hint of rebellion cautiously surfaced.
She quickly moved forward, knelt on the footrest of the Arhat couch, and asked,
“What does Your Majesty want your servant to do?”
Her posture was very delicate.
Favored consorts would sit close to Kangxi, and lower-ranking ones might kneel at his feet to rest their heads on his knees.
But Fang He knelt two steps to his side, looking up with her still dark, round face and her clear, black-and-white eyes filled with curiosity and admiration, pure as the first ray of dawn in early spring.
Her demeanor was not overly intimate but respectful enough, giving off a vibe similar to that of the Fourth Princess in his presence.
Kangxi raised an eyebrow, leaned forward on his knees, and brought his face close to Fang He’s.
He got straight to the point.
“From now on, you will stay in the palace to serve me. As long as you don’t commit a crime punishable by death and the confiscation of your family’s property, I will ensure your lifelong prosperity”.
“The monthly stipend you will receive throughout your life will definitely be more than what you lost in the hot spring. How about that?”
Fang He: “——”
What else could she say?
It was sinful!
She didn’t understand what kind of charm she had radiated.
Couldn’t she just change?
Fang He stiffened, tilted her face back slightly, and dryly said,
“Your Majesty, didn’t you say that you are half teacher and half father to me——”
“You are a stepfather, not a godfather, Your Majesty!”
“Think it over, Your Majesty!”
Kangxi suddenly burst into laughter, his deep, amber-colored, phoenix-like eyes sparkling with amusement.
“While it is true that a teacher can be like a father, there is also a saying in the common folk that an elder brother is like a father. Given my age, I am not quite old enough to be the former.”
“Good girl, stay in the palace. I will be your elder brother. Is that not good?”
Fang He: “——”
No need to rush back to the palace.
Fang He’s eyes suddenly brightened.
Wasn’t this like a pillow coming when she was dozing off?
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