“This servant will never make such mistakes again. If I ever stray again, Your Majesty need not consider our past relationship—this servant would have no face left to live!”
Kangxi had sent him to the Office of Careful Punishment as a final test.
Seeing that Liang Jiugong had finally been shaken awake, it was not yet too late.
He didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he slowly finished reviewing a memorial.
Then, without looking up, he suddenly asked—
“Do you think you could take me down while I was drunk?”
Liang Jiugong’s head snapped up, his swollen face contorting into absolute confusion.
“Huh? This servant—how could this servant possibly have that ability… No! This servant wouldn’t even dare dream of such a treasonous thought!”
But even as he spoke, his heart sank, and his pale, bruised face turned ghostly white.
Given his years of serving the Emperor, he immediately caught onto the subtle implication.
Someone had taken down the Emperor while he was drunk?!
Oh dear heavens… that girl Fang He… No, that ancestor!
If she’s that capable, why is she hiding in some obscure corner of the palace?
If he had known, he wouldn’t have dared provoke her in the first place!
Kangxi let out a soft, unreadable chuckle but didn’t say more.
He continued working on his memorials.
There were still many matters to settle before the imperial tour in September.
He wasn’t in a hurry to settle accounts just yet.
Seeing that the Emperor had not ordered any medicine for his injuries, Liang Jiugong dared not move an inch.
He stood dutifully at his post, his swollen face serving as a reminder of his mistakes.
It wasn’t that he didn’t feel humiliated, nor that he wasn’t in pain.
But this was exactly what he deserved—it would teach him a lesson so that he wouldn’t forget the pain once the wounds healed.
Once Kangxi finished his work and had dinner, he did not retire to bed immediately.
Instead, he changed into flexible training attire and took Liang Jiugong to the largest wrestling room inside Hongde Hall.
Upon entering, Kangxi threw his braid over his shoulder, and without another word, he flipped Liang Jiugong onto the mat.
With a pained yelp, Liang Jiugong lay sprawled on the ground, his face scraping against the mat.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself to suffer, he hadn’t expected this!
He thought punishing himself was enough—but the Emperor had decided to add another round?!
Kangxi smirked and gestured at him.
“Get up. Try using the same move to throw me.”
Liang Jiugong’s eyes instantly filled with tears.
He quickly scrambled up, kneeling, his voice trembling as he sobbed, “Your Majesty, please just give this servant a swift death!”
Kangxi: “… I’m sparing you. Get on with it.”
Liang Jiugong sobbed even harder.
“Even if this servant were to be cut into a thousand pieces, I wouldn’t dare lay a finger on Your Majesty!”
Have mercy!
Not everyone is capable of being a walking disaster like Fang He!
Kangxi massaged his temple, annoyed by the wailing.
“Go fetch Zhao Chang.”
Among those Kangxi favored for external assignments, the most trusted weren’t eunuchs but rather ministers’ sons like Zhao Chang, Cao Yin, and Nalan Xingde.
***
It was already September, and the imperial court had announced the twelve edicts for the Eastern Tour, letting the world know that the Emperor would be inspecting the Yellow and Huai Rivers, personally overseeing the management of the region’s frequent floods.
The decree specified that the journey would commence on September 28th, and the palace had been bustling since the beginning of the month.
After all, who wouldn’t want to accompany the Emperor out of the palace?
If someone else went while another was left behind, wouldn’t that mean they had fallen out of favor?
The imperial princes had been frequenting their mothers’ palaces daily, while the consorts and concubines made constant visits to Cining Palace, seeking favor from Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
Frustrated by the commotion, Xiaozhuang scolded Kangxi when he came to pay his respects.
“If you’re going to leave the palace, then leave peacefully! Either that, or finalize the list of attendants early. What’s the point of keeping everyone in suspense, as if you want the palace to be in chaos?”
Before Xiaozhuang, Kangxi wasn’t the imposing ruler he was elsewhere.
Instead, he grinned mischievously, just as he had when he was a child.
“But you won’t come with me to admire the great rivers and mountains of our Qing Empire. Just thinking about you staying behind, eating vegetarian meals and chanting scriptures, makes me feel bad for you! So I figured I’d let the palace be lively for a while before I leave.”
Xiaozhuang nearly struck his back with her cane.
“Do you think I don’t know your scheming ways?”
“Who are you planning to play tricks on this time? Just tell me so this old woman can watch the show properly.”
Of course, she didn’t say what she was truly worried about—that her grandson might be quarreling with one of his concubines.
A little palace drama wasn’t an issue.
What she feared was Kangxi expending too much energy on romantic entanglements, which was not something an Emperor should indulge in.
Kangxi understood her concern and dismissed it lightly.
“It has nothing to do with the harem. Some officials outside the palace refuse to behave, so I figured I’d use this opportunity before leaving to flush out the rats.”
Xiaozhuang assumed he was referring to the unruly royal relatives outside the palace.
She had already heard rumors about unrest among the palace staff in Qianqing Palace.
Knowing her grandson’s dislike for interference, she hadn’t asked for details, but she could guess it involved the usual troublemakers.
So she merely reminded him, “A tour is no small matter. You can catch rats anytime, but your safety is the most important thing. Keep that in mind!”
Kangxi smiled and agreed without revealing that one of the rats was already inside the palace.
If he didn’t bring this particular rat along to deal with it himself, he would be stewing in frustration for the entire southward journey.
On September 15th, after letting the harem scramble for days, Kangxi finally confirmed the list of those who would accompany him.
Among the high-ranking consorts, only Concubine Hui and Concubine Yi would go.
The rest were lesser-ranked concubines and a few attendants.
However, all the princes from the First to the Fifth were chosen to go.
The Sixth Prince, Yinzuo, was in poor health, and the younger ones were still too small, so they would remain in the palace.
It was rumored that Concubine Rong and Concubine De had broken several porcelain vases in their palaces upon hearing the news.
In an ear room near the Imperial Tea Room, Cuiwei was whispering to Fang He about the palace gossip.
“Eternal Longevity Palace hasn’t reacted much, but it’s said that even Chengqian Palace had some people burying things in the corners.”
She was referring to Noble Consort Niohuru and the Imperial Noble Consort.
Fang He leisurely cracked open a melon seed, enjoying the drama.
“And what about the other concubines? No one else made a fuss except for Tong Pin?”
Cuiwei pursed her lips.
“With the Empress Dowager still in the palace and the Imperial Noble Consort staying behind, who would dare to make a fuss?”
Or rather, who even had the status to cause trouble?
Fang He’s curiosity was piqued.
“What about the princesses? I heard the Fourth Princess is very ambitious, and His Majesty seems to favor her. She’s not going?”
When the princes visited the Emperor, palace maids were kept away to avoid any inappropriate entanglements, and only young eunuchs served them.
But when the princesses paid their respects, the tea house attendants sometimes had a chance to serve tea.
The Fourth Princess had been the most visible among them—unlike the older princesses, who were more reserved.
Cuiwei shook her head.
“The Eldest Princess is from the Gong Prince’s household. She wouldn’t dare ask.”
“The Second and Third Princesses are quiet and well-mannered. And the Fourth Princess… don’t forget, Noble Lady Guo’s little prince died just in June, and Noble Lady Guo herself hasn’t been in good health.”
With her birth mother still frail and grieving, the Fourth Princess likely had no energy for such things.
A royal tour sounded grand, but everyone knew the hardships and dangers that came with it.
If something went wrong along the way, who knew if Noble Lady Guo would even survive?
Cuiwei looked at Fang He with a rather resentful gaze.
“How did you manage to run to Qin Gugu and secure permission to stay behind? You should’ve waited for me!”
The moment the Eastern Tour decree was issued, Fang He had sprinted to Qin Gugu, claiming her expertise in the Imperial Tea Room and volunteering to stay behind.
Meanwhile, Cen Ying, Yulian, and Ran Xia were still thinking about career prospects and had chosen to accompany the journey.
Cuiwei, like Fang He, just wanted to enjoy a peaceful few months in the palace.
Unfortunately, Fang He had beaten her to the punch.
Fang He grinned shamelessly.
“Qin Gugu is thinking about the bigger picture! You know how much Liang Jiugong dislikes me. If I stayed in the traveling entourage, wouldn’t that just make him unhappy?”
She had learned well from Liang Jiugong—as long as your legs were fast enough, you could choose your own pace.
But if you were too slow, you might lose your head.
Cuiwei sighed dramatically.
“If I weren’t still concerned about getting a decent marriage arrangement, I would’ve asked Liang Jiugong too—”
“—Liang Jiugong?”
Fang He cut in, raising an eyebrow as she spat out a melon seed shell.
“What were you planning to ask him?”
Before Cuiwei could answer, a familiar voice chuckled from behind them.
“Oh? The two young ladies were thinking about me? I’d love to hear what you had in mind!”
The voice belonged to none other than Liang Jiugong.
Fang He nearly jumped out of her skin.
Fortunately, she was quick-witted.
She immediately stuffed the melon seeds into her sleeve, turned smoothly, and performed a respectful curtsy without batting an eye.
“Cuiwei was concerned about your upcoming journey, Jiugong. She wanted to make you a comfortable pair of boots and was just about to ask for your measurements, isn’t that right?”
Cuiwei, caught off guard, nearly choked.
“…Yes!” she blurted, playing along.
But inside, she was cursing Fang He to the heavens.
Damn her!
She didn’t even do her own needlework—she always dumped it on Cen Ying and the others!
And now she was volunteering me for extra work?!
Liang Jiugong’s smile widened.
“Oh, how could I possibly accept such kindness? I’m just a lowly eunuch—how could I trouble you lovely young ladies with such an effort?”
Fang He and Cuiwei both froze.
Wait.
What?!
Was Liang Jiugong… being polite?!
Had he eaten something bad?