After Kangxi arrived in Jiangnan, although he frequently went out, the imperial carriage remained stationed at the rear courtyard of the Jiangning Weaving Mansion.
Cao Yin had received a prior hint from His Majesty, so he had already instructed people to meticulously renovate certain courtyards, which were nominally side yards but were actually separate gardens.
With small bridges over flowing waters and intricately carved beams and painted rafters, the refinement was no less than that of the imperial palace.
It even carried an added sense of elegance, greatly piquing Kangxi’s interest.
He ordered many geographical illustrations of Jiangnan gardens to be drawn.
Fang He heard from Chun that when it rained in Jiangning, the scene was breathtakingly beautiful—misty rain blurred the surroundings, and the people walking through it looked like figures in a painting.
The Emperor was already considering building a similar garden in the capital.
But Fang He did not feel the beauty of the misty, rainy Jiangnan at all.
Apart from the official women and first-rank palace maids, Fang He and the others had to walk all the way to the Jiangning garden estate in the cold wind after disembarking from the ship.
Others might not notice, but Fang He increasingly understood that traveling in this world was far from an enjoyable affair.
Even after settling down, they had to wake up past midnight.
Everywhere was pitch black and freezing cold.
Who could have the mood to admire the scenery?
Though Jiangnan was not as cold as Beijing, when it rained, everything became damp.
Even with thick clothing, the chilly wind still seeped through.
Cuiwei had packed a thin cotton-padded jacket and a winter bijia (a type of vest) for Fang He.
But no matter how many layers she wore, walking through the deep night and the misty drizzle left her embroidered shoes completely soaked, and the cold creeping up from her feet made her entire body stiff.
“Please, Fifth Prince… uh, peace, peace!”
The Fifth Prince sat by the brazier, lifting his round little face with clear and curious eyes.
“Fang He, why don’t you change into deerskin boots? Even cowhide boots are warmer than embroidered shoes!”
Fang He huddled closer to the stove—what a damn good question.
Do you not want to be the emperor or what?
She smiled and replied, “To answer the Fifth Prince, as a palace servant, I am not allowed to wear deerskin or cowhide. I can only use regulated footwear, such as thousand-layer cloth soles or rabbit fur lining…”
Too bad the Emperor’s southern tour was not just for sightseeing.
Once they entered the Jiangning Weaving Mansion’s garden estate, the Fifth Prince and the others were no longer as free as they had been on the journey, where they could at least follow Kangxi on informal outings.
The movement of palace attendants was also strictly controlled after disembarking.
There was no place to buy anything, even if they wanted to.
Hearing this, the Fifth Prince looked a bit disappointed, but being a gentleman, he stubbornly made a promise.
“When I go hunting with Father Emperor, I’ll be sure to get you some rabbit fur, so you can stay warm!”
Fang He smiled sweetly at the Fifth Prince’s generosity and responded in kind.
“To thank the teacher for being so considerate, why don’t we read through the Hundred Family Surnames today and practice some calligraphy?”
Fifth Prince: “…………”
As expected, students are always the teachers’ burden.
Why must you repay kindness with cruelty?
Jiangnan was different from the capital—anything could happen.
So after arriving in Jiangning, Kangxi ordered the princes to resume their studies.
The first thing he did afterward was ask Cao Yin how well he had managed to win over the local Jiangnan gentry.
At present, the Jiangning Weaving Mansion was still under the management of Cao Yin’s father, Cao Xi.
Cao Yin had only come south under the pretense of selecting tribute gifts for the Emperor.
Since his eldest son had just been born, he had not returned to the court.
Now, hearing His Majesty’s question, Cao Yin felt bitter.
“Your servant has only been here for less than two years. I haven’t even fully understood the thresholds of those noble families. Only the salt merchants have been proactive, so I still need more time, Your Majesty.”
Kangxi knew Cao Yin’s personality well—he was someone who wouldn’t act unless pressure was applied.
Compared to when he dealt with others, Kangxi was much more relaxed in front of Cao Yin.
With a grin, he gave him a strong kick.
“I have plans for you in a few years. If within a year you fail to bring the Jiangnan gentry under control, you’ll be sent to Ningguta to supervise Isangga in shipbuilding!”
Outside, officials from Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Hangzhou were already waiting to be summoned.
After giving his orders, Kangxi left, leaving a bewildered Cao Yin, who quickly grabbed Li Dequan.
“What did His Majesty mean by this? Why has my title changed all of a sudden?” Cao Yin smoothly slipped a money pouch into Li Dequan’s hand, grinning as he asked.
“His Majesty is truly something. At least give me a chance to thank him for the new title!”
Liang Jiugong always kept Li Dequan close by for a reason.
There were things the Emperor would not say outright, but as the Emperor’s closest attendant, Liang Jiugong had to keep his lips sealed.
At such times, an adopted godson with a less cautious nature made for a useful informant, one easily swayed by money and able to leak just the right hints the Emperor wanted known.
“Tsk, isn’t it because His Majesty has a new favored girl? The other day, His Majesty threw your morning greeting memorial to the girl for fun.” Li Dequan smiled as he accepted the pouch.
“The young lady, in jest, misread Lian Ting as Dong Ting to amuse His Majesty. Lord Cao, you mustn’t overthink it.”
Cao Yin: “……”
If he couldn’t understand the Emperor’s warning from this, he had no business serving the Emperor anymore.
The Emperor was angry with him for favoring salt merchants while distancing himself from the gentry and even inquiring about imperial policies on behalf of the salt merchants in his memorials.
But in this matter, he had no personal agenda—he was truly thinking only of his master.
The scholars of Jiangnan were known for their rigid integrity, and the aristocratic gentry valued principles and heritage even more.
Many of them had private connections with anti-Qing restorationist groups and even followers of Prince Zhu San.
He dared not approach them recklessly.
The problem was that the imperial court held a weak position in Jiangnan.
They lacked evidence of the gentry’s rebellious intentions and had less control over public sentiment than these long-established aristocratic families.
So, Cao Yin planned to divide and conquer.
If he could gain control over the salt merchants and even influence the canal transport business, his father, Cao Xi, could take charge.
That way, the Jiangning Weaving Bureau would become the Emperor’s blade, piercing through the gentry’s haughty facade and forcing them to lower their arrogance.
But before that could happen, he needed the Emperor to loosen his grip in certain areas to lure the salt merchants and canal transport factions into his plan.
Cao Yin had originally thought that what the Emperor valued most at the moment was the military review at Sanzhou Prefecture.
If stability in the south was his goal, then two things mattered—heritage and stationed troops.
The Emperor had already paid respects at the Ming Taizu Mausoleum.
As long as there were no issues with the stationed troops, this southern tour would not have been in vain.
Even if the sea ban were lifted, they wouldn’t have to worry about the south descending into chaos and forming a rogue state.
He had yet to report this to the Emperor, fearing it would affect his mood during the military review.
But in just a few days, Cao Yin deeply regretted his overcautious nature.
Meanwhile, Kangxi, having finished teasing and reprimanding Cao Yin, returned to the garden estate in a good mood—just in time to see Concubine Yi sending Yingtao over with a gift.
Kangxi casually took the box from Yingtao’s hands.
“What has Concubine Yi sent to me? And why hasn’t she come herself?”
Previously, Concubine Yi had said she wanted to visit a teacher—it was nothing more than an act of playful pouting.
Kangxi, of course, understood such coquettish antics and had already agreed to let her stay with him.
He rather liked Concubine Yi’s charming and petulant ways.
But unexpectedly, Concubine Yi had first suffered from acclimatization sickness, and then she remained quiet after that.
Nearby, Fang He, who had just returned from her duties, was secretly amused.
Right? Right? What’s the matter? Was it too difficult to learn from Consort Hui?
Yingtao looked awkward, crouching on the ground and not daring to lift her head.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, our mistress has had a slight fever these past few days and has been reluctant to move around.”
“When the Fifth Prince returned, he said he felt sorry for his mother being sick from the cold.
He wanted to go out to hunt fox pelts for her and get some rabbit fur for Miss Fang He to make shoes.”
Huh? Fang He’s eyes lit up instantly, but she quickly lowered her head, failing to hide the faint smile at the corners of her lips.
Kangxi caught the expression from the corner of his eye, his own lips twitching slightly—what little ambition.