Kangxi naturally saw the suspicion in the Grand Empress Dowager’s eyes, but so what? He had flatly denied the matter, and who could possibly make him lose face?
Even the Grand Empress Dowager was no exception.
After sitting for a while longer, Kangxi used the excuse that governmental affairs were busy, rode back to Qianqing Palace in a warm sedan chair, and planned to first test the crown prince’s studies before dealing with the piled-up memorials.
Just before entering Qianqing Palace, Kangxi thought of Cao Yue, and asked Liang Jiugong, “Has Wei Zhu gone to Jingren Palace?”
As Liang Jiugong helped Kangxi carefully step over the threshold, he answered, “In reply to Your Majesty, Wei Zhu went over first thing this morning. Just now, when you were in Cining Palace talking with the Grand Empress Dowager, Wei Zhu even had someone send over a message. He said that Noble Consort Zhao did not understand these trivial matters, and directly handed over Jingren Palace’s chores to him and the eunuch in charge of Jingren Palace.”
Kangxi listened and could not help furrowing his brow. He naturally thought a bit more than Wei Zhu did. No one knew better than himself what his harem was like.
Noble Consort Zhao would not keep Jingren Palace under her own control. In the future, Jingren Palace would definitely have no shortage of people looking for loopholes, so how could life be easy?
After thinking for a moment, Kangxi said in a low voice, “When you have time, go to Jingshifang, personally find an experienced mama, and send her to Jingren Palace.”
Before the words had even finished, before Liang Jiugong could even respond, Kangxi suddenly changed his mind. “Forget it, wait a bit longer.”
He had only just shown the Grand Empress Dowager that he did not really care much about Noble Consort Zhao. If he turned around and found a managing mama for Noble Consort Zhao, would that not be practically confessing on his own?
Liang Jiugong was a little puzzled by Kangxi’s reversal, but there was no reason for a servant to question his master. Whatever the master instructed, he would do.
Before entering Zhaoren Hall, Kangxi thought and thought again, but still could not allow Jingren Palace to be left alone, so he once more reminded Liang Jiugong, “Tell Wei Zhu to do his duty carefully, and check every servant attending in Jingren Palace.”
“Understood.”
Taking the black cloak Kangxi had removed, Liang Jiugong watched Kangxi enter Zhaoren Hall, then went to the tea room beside Zhaoren Hall to slack off for a bit. Once the emperor started inquiring about the crown prince’s studies, it would not be over in less than an hour.
Wei Zhu received the oral order Liang Jiugong had someone relay to him, and since it was already a matter he had been taking to heart, he poured all his effort into it. Together with Anshun, he sent back to Jingshifang any servant in Jingren Palace who seemed even slightly improper, then personally went to Jingshifang and filled in the missing people.
Wei Zhu made such a big commotion that the Imperial Noble Consort almost received the news at the first possible moment.
As Xia Lan had predicted, she got upset for quite a while.
Listening to the Imperial Noble Consort’s muffled coughing, Xia Lan quickly had someone bring over the white fungus and snow pear from the small kitchen. “Please have a few mouthfuls, Your Highness. The imperial physician said white fungus and snow pear can moisten the throat and stop coughing, much better than drinking those bitter medicinal decoctions.”
After drinking two mouthfuls from Xia Lan’s hand, the Imperial Noble Consort did not want any more. Xia Lan knew that persuasion would be useless, so she simply did not try. She served the Imperial Noble Consort as she wiped the corner of her lips, then said tactfully, “Your Highness still needs to take care of your body. Noble Consort Zhao is a newcomer, so the emperor inevitably finds her fresh for a couple of days. It is not worth you taking it to heart. Besides, Your Highness and the emperor have known each other since childhood. Noble Consort Zhao can never compare to that, no matter what.”
The Imperial Noble Consort tightly clutched her handkerchief, her voice a little weak, yet carrying a trace of unwillingness. “How could I not know that? It’s just that I have never seen Cousin show such interest in anyone before. Cousin is busy with affairs from morning till night, yet he still has the energy to interfere in Jingren Palace’s matters.”
The servants in Jingren Palace were arranged by her. Cousin’s order like this clearly meant he was slapping her in the face.
Xia Lan was momentarily at a loss for words. No matter how eloquent her lotus-like tongue was, no matter how smooth-tongued she was, she could not open her eyes and turn black into white.
After thinking about it, Xia Lan suddenly remembered the one in Cining Palace, and lowered her voice to say mysteriously, “This servant knows that Your Highness dislikes Noble Consort Zhao, but in this servant’s opinion, there is no need for us to worry about this matter. If Noble Consort Zhao’s favor becomes too great, the Grand Empress Dowager alone will not spare her. We just need to watch Noble Consort Zhao dig her own grave.”
As soon as the Grand Empress Dowager was mentioned, the Imperial Noble Consort’s eyes brightened. “That’s right. The Grand Empress Dowager does not like those coy and affected women who only know how to put on airs and act pitiful to seduce men.”
With the Grand Empress Dowager’s dislike for Consort Chen and Dong E-shi, if she added a little fuel to the fire among the harem concubines, Noble Consort Zhao would not have good fruit to eat.
Seeing the Imperial Noble Consort’s mood improve, Xia Lan also breathed a sigh of relief. “Your Highness, what you should be putting your mind on right now is the emperor. Today is the emperor’s first day back in the palace. In a bit, he may come to our Chengqian Palace for dinner. This servant has already instructed the small kitchen to prepare the dishes the emperor likes. While there is still some time now, why don’t I serve Your Highness and help you dress?”
The Imperial Noble Consort hurried to the bronze mirror to look at her makeup. In the morning, when receiving the concubines’ greetings, she usually made herself up in a way that was opulent and dignified. Such makeup was not suitable for seeing Cousin.
She sat before the bronze mirror and kept urging Xia Lan to wash her face and apply her makeup.
It was the beginning of the You hour when the palace used to eat dinner. After inquiring about the crown prince’s studies, Kangxi went to the Study Hall, and after also examining the studies of the remaining sons, he did not even have time to see the ministers. He directly led people toward Chengqian Palace.
From Qianqing Palace to Chengqian Palace, if one took the shortest route, one would inevitably pass by Jingren Palace.
At this time, it was also just the dinner hour. Kangxi had just passed Jingren Palace when he saw the servants of Jingren Palace carrying dinner back from the Imperial Kitchen.
The three huge redwood food boxes were covered tightly, but Kangxi still smelled the fragrance of the dishes. That domineering fragrance could only come from meat dishes.
Kangxi stopped and, looking at the Jingren Palace servants kneeling by the wall around him, frowned. “Jingren Palace does not have a small kitchen?”
The question was asked in such a baffling way that no one knew who it was directed at. Liang Jiugong quickly stepped forward and knocked one of the Jingren Palace meal carriers on the head. “His Majesty is asking you a question. Have you gone mute?”
The little eunuch carrying the meal did not have a high position in the palace, and he had never served a master before. Suddenly having to answer the emperor face to face, he stammered so badly that he could not get a single word out.
Kangxi had no patience, however, and lifted his foot to enter Jingren Palace.
At this moment, Jingren Palace was still in complete disarray. Wei Zhu had gone to Jingshifang and had not returned yet. Anshun was taking people to tidy the storeroom in the rear hall. Anping was wandering around Jingren Palace, checking what else should not be there. So at this moment, only Cao Yue and An Ning were in the main hall.
Because of this, when Kangxi came in, the front courtyard was empty, and no one was there to greet him.
The crease between Kangxi’s brows deepened even further, but now was not the time to care about that. Liang Jiugong lifted the thick curtain at the doorway, Kangxi stepped inside, and then he vaguely heard voices coming from the west side room.
“Your Highness, please wait a little longer. This servant has already told someone to fetch the dinner. It should be back in a moment.”
Cao Yue’s voice was somewhat tired. “No need. I do not have much appetite.”
An Ning seemed anxious. “How can that do? You have not slept all night, and for breakfast you only ate a piece of pastry. If you do not even eat dinner, how can your body take it?”
Before An Ning could continue, Kangxi lifted the curtain of the west side room and sternly rebuked, “Nonsense.”
There was just the right amount of surprise in Cao Yue’s eyes as she stood up to welcome him. “Why has Your Majesty come?”
Kangxi lowered his gaze and looked at the woman before him. Seeing that she had not even been in the palace for a full day and already looked so haggard, with even the pink of her lips turning pale, a burst of anger rose in his heart and went straight toward An Ning. “How are you serving her? When the master is unwell, you do absolutely nothing?”
An Ning knelt down by habit, even her pleas for mercy unchanged. “This servant deserves death. This servant did not serve the master well.”
Cao Yue was startled and could not bear to see An Ning punished, so she tugged at Kangxi’s sleeve. “Your Majesty, it is not her fault. I just am not very used to it yet. After some days, once I get used to it, it will be fine.”
By Kangxi’s judgment, servants who failed to serve their master properly ought to be beaten to death. But this maid had served Noble Consort Zhao since childhood, and Noble Consort Zhao protected her tightly, so he could not easily punish her. He could only turn a blind eye and be done with it. “Get out.”
An Ning lowered her head, quickly got up from the floor, and swiftly disappeared from the west side room.
With no one else present, Kangxi wrapped an arm around Cao Yue’s waist. Whether it was an illusion or not, it seemed even thinner than before.
He sighed lightly, then sat down with her on the heated couch. “Just now I heard that you did not sleep all night?”
Cao Yue lowered her head, like a child who had done something wrong. “I feel unfamiliar with everything in the palace, and with Your Majesty not staying by my side, I was afraid.”
If listened to carefully, Kangxi could even hear the grievance in her words. That bit of grievance involuntarily stirred a feeling of heartache in him.
Noble Consort Zhao had entered the palace with him alone. Aside from those two servants, the only familiar person by her side was him.
He gently stroked Cao Yue’s back in a reassuring manner and explained, “The palace is not like outside the palace. I cannot watch over you every moment, and I cannot accompany you to sleep every night like I did outside. If you want to live well in the palace, you have to stand on your own.”
The Cao family’s inner residence was clean, and Noble Consort Zhao had indeed been raised a little too innocently.
Kangxi’s voice was exceptionally gentle. Cao Yue’s nose stung, and tears fell uncontrollably. “I understand, but I…”
Cao Yue’s voice choked up so badly that she could not even finish her sentence. Kangxi was startled, and quickly lifted Cao Yue’s chin, only to see that her face was already streaked with tears. “Don’t cry. My Yue’er is not a crybaby, hmm?”
Kangxi coaxed her softly. After a long while, Cao Yue finally stopped crying. She awkwardly wiped at her tears, forcing herself to hide it. “I did not want to cry either. It was the tears themselves that wanted to come out.”
Kangxi could not help laughing. “Fine, fine, it’s all their fault. I’ll punish them later.”
Being teased by him like that, Cao Yue could not help laughing too.
Seeing this, the furrow between Kangxi’s brows relaxed. “Even if I am not around, Yue’er still has to eat properly. Don’t let me worry.”
Mentioning eating, Cao Yue restrained her smile, looking very troubled. “But Your Majesty, it’s not that I’m being fussy, it’s just that I truly cannot handle meat…”
These words made Kangxi recall the fragrance of the dishes he had just smelled outside Jingren Palace. “Can’t the small kitchen in Jingren Palace be used?”
“I heard from An Ning that there is nothing in the small kitchen.”
With that honest answer, Kangxi instantly thought of many things in his mind. Was it the people from the Internal Affairs Office deliberately neglecting them, or was the time too rushed and they had not yet managed to arrange and tidy everything properly?
However, Kangxi did not let a single bit of his emotions show. He only smiled and said, “It’s fine. Later I’ll assign you a cook from Qianqing Palace who can make vegetarian dishes, so you won’t even be unhappy when eating a meal.”
Having achieved her goal, Cao Yue was satisfied, and her smile gained a bit more radiance. “Mm.”
Kangxi stayed in Jingren Palace and comforted Cao Yue for a while, when Liang Jiugong quietly lifted the curtain and looked inside with a bitter face.
Kangxi naturally understood Liang Jiugong’s meaning. After giving Cao Yue a couple more instructions, he then went to Chengqian Palace.
An Ning sent Kangxi off, then turned around and entered the main hall. “The emperor stayed in Jingren Palace for quite a while. I’m afraid the news has already spread everywhere by now.”
Cao Yue smiled. “Then the Imperial Noble Consort must be very angry. It’s a pity the emperor came here on his own. I never had anyone go invite him. Even if the Imperial Noble Consort gets even angrier, she still can’t do anything to me.”
As for the Imperial Noble Consort, that was one thing. But the Grand Empress Dowager alone, even if she did not intend to curry favor with her, she could not let her become disgusted with her. It would be best if they could remain mutually peaceful.
With still two days left until the first day of the month, she really had to think carefully about what to do.