When the book was handed to Muxue, twilight had gathered outside the palace.
The person who had written it was clearly organized, recounting general information in a steady, detailed manner.
To help her understanding, Muxue pulled over a sheet of Xuan paper and used a brush pen to sketch a map.
During her middle and high school years, she had always been the geography class representative. Aside from her nearly perfect geography grades, a major reason was her ability to sketch maps of various provinces on the blackboard by hand with chalk, with shapes so accurate they drew gasps of "wow" from her classmates.
Recalling the admiration from back then, the corners of Muxue’s mouth curled up unconsciously.
The next moment, she snapped back to reality. That was already something from a time so distant it felt like a past life. Now, she was in a cramped, dimly lit, old-style room. If anyone else saw this drawing, it wouldn't bring admiration—only trouble.
She held her wrist still for a moment, dissatisfied with what she had drawn. She tossed the paper into the charcoal brazier by her feet and started over.
Having neglected the skill for so many years, picking up the pen again was somewhat awkward. Only after burning several sheets of paper did she manage to draw one she was satisfied with. Using it to aid her understanding of the text, Muxue gradually developed a clear picture of the region in her mind.
In short, Mongolia at this time was divided into three parts: Monan (Southern), Mobei (Northern), and Moxi (Western).
Monan included regions like Khorchin and had always been on good terms with the Qing court. For instance, the former Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the current Empress Dowager both hailed from this region.
Moxi, on the other hand, frequently went to war with the Qing court. Since Kangxi’s ascension, they had fought the Dzungars three times, and this year’s campaign had finally resulted in a great victory. Their leader, Galdan, had committed suicide after his defeat.
Mobei—specifically Khalkha, where Muxue was to be sent for Fumeng—had long maintained an ambiguous stance. It wasn't until a few years ago, when they were attacked by Moxi and suffered repeated defeats, that they lowered their pride to submit to Kangxi and request reinforcements. Among the Khalkha tribes, the Tüsheet Khanate was the most prestigious, claiming to dominate Mobei.
Muxue’s prospective consort, Dondob Dorji, was the heir to the Tushiyetu Khan. He was nineteen years old, currently a Doroi Beile and the future Heshoi Chinwang.
She wondered what kind of person he was. Muxue frowned slightly, hoping he wouldn't be too much trouble.
The date for Kangxi’s return to the palace was set for July. It was the height of summer, and the dazzling sunlight turned the stone bricks on the ground white.
In such hot weather, having to wear a court robe was simply lethal. Although it was a court robe specifically for summer, made of the thinnest and most breathable kudzu gauze, it still felt stifling.
Standing among the crowd, Muxue quietly leaned toward the area where the ice containers were placed, trying to catch a bit of the cool air.
The sound of long whips cracking signaled the Emperor’s arrival. Everyone knelt in response, and Muxue knelt along with them, blending into the crowd as usual. This was how she had always acted as a background character in the past.
But this time was different. A eunuch came jogging over and said in a low voice, "Fourth Princess, please come to the front. His Majesty is asking for you."
Muxue had no choice but to stand up and head over, bracing herself.
Although she had already prepared herself mentally to curry favor with Kangxi, she still instinctively wanted to hide when it came time for the actual meeting.
Unfortunately, there was no hiding.
After all, in the eyes of people today, this was one of the few high-profile moments for a princess destined for Fumeng. Much like Wang Zhaojun departing for the frontier, it always evoked endless sentiment from poets and writers. As her Khan Father, he also had to show closeness and reluctance to let her go.
Emperor Kangxi had clearly already paid his respects to the Empress Dowager. Seeing her approach, he indeed smiled and said, "Time flies truly fast. In a flash, Fourth Lass has grown so big."
How should she respond? Say "thank you for remembering"? That felt a bit strange.
Act spoiled? She couldn't do it.
In the end, Muxue simply twitched the corners of her mouth, responding with the most foolproof smile.
Kangxi didn't seem to care much, as if it were just a matter of routine. He added, "I will have the Imperial Household Department pick an auspicious day to see you off for your marriage in grand style."
Then he turned his head toward the Crown Prince, who had remained in the Forbidden City to oversee the government. He smiled and said, "Baocheng, that fat rabbit I mentioned in my last letter? I brought it back. I’ll show you."
Crown Prince Yinzhen was surprised. "Khan Father really brought it back?"
"Of course. I had to make up for your regret."
Father and son chatted enthusiastically, and Muxue silently retreated to the side. She had no idea what they were talking about—likely things mentioned in their correspondence.
It was said that Kangxi frequently wrote letters to the Crown Prince, describing the wonders he saw while on the march. Because he was away from his child for so long, he had even specifically asked the Crown Prince to send him his worn clothes so that when Kangxi missed him, he could wear the Crown Prince's clothes for comfort.
Muxue had never received such a letter, but that was only natural. After all, affection was always mutual.
She raised her eyes to look at this pair of deeply bonded father and son. Thinking about the Crown Prince's ultimate fate in history, she arched an eyebrow.
The emotions between people were truly strange.
There was a banquet that night. Nanny Wu, the wet nurse, ordered the palace maids to open all the jewelry boxes for Muxue to choose from. "This set of gold hair ornaments was given by Lady Yi for your last birthday. Wear this one; it’s beautiful."
The palace maid holding the cosmetics case was also beaming with smiles.
Muxue knew why they were so eager. For such a grand banquet, aside from the imperial clan, Mongolian nobles and princes would also be in attendance.
She picked up the gold hairpin, slowly turned it around, but said, "No, I’ll wear the pearl hairpin as usual."
"Princess—" Nanny Wu tried to persuade her.
Muxue glanced at her. "I won't wear anything else. Just do a braided bun."
…
In the end, as usual, she had her hair styled in a braided bun with a pearl hairpin.
In this era, the Dalachi, high buns, and frame styles commonly seen in later-period Qing dramas didn't even exist yet. Even the Empress Dowager usually wore a braided bun, which, as the name suggested, involved coiling braids on the head and wearing simple ornaments or decorative flowers.
At the night banquet, some consorts did have their hair styled in a "small Liangbatou" to make it easier to wear gold and silver hair ornaments. Yi Fei was dressed like that.
So when she saw Muxue still in her casual attire, she felt somewhat helpless. "You, really…"
Muxue just smiled and didn't say a word.
The banquet hadn't officially begun yet, and various snacks were laid out on the tables. Muxue scanned the pastries placed nearby and picked up a piece of Fuling cake, preparing to eat.
Suddenly, she heard a small commotion.
Before she could react, her arm was pulled by the Fifth Prince. "Sister, come here. Come on."
Inevitably, a circle of people clustered around Muxue, each wearing a smile as if they were watching a show. She didn't even have time to put down the Fuling cake before she was pushed forward.
Many voices chattered in her ears in a light tone: "The little Prince is here."
Being crowded by the people, Muxue felt secretly annoyed and turned her face away.
The people beside her grew anxious. While pushing her, they called out to the other side: "The Fourth Princess is so beautiful today."
What blatant lies! Muxue was truly becoming irritated, her brows furrowing.
She must be very close to that Dorji person now—thanks to the people who were egging them on.
The person opposite seemed to say something in Mongolian. He spoke quickly, and Muxue didn't understand at all.
Behind her, the Fifth Prince and the others burst into laughter.
Muxue remained turned away, asking dissatisfiedly, "What are you laughing at?"
The Fifth Prince laughed. "He said—the Fourth Princess looks very beautiful when she frowns."
How hateful, to tease someone so casually!
Muxue finally turned around, her almond eyes glaring at the culprit.
In the brilliant, flickering light of the palace lanterns, stood a tall and upright youth. He wore a dark red Mongolian robe. His complexion was slightly dark, with a long face, sword-like eyebrows, thin lips, and a straight nose. He had a pair of clear, bright phoenix eyes and an unusual aura that combined wildness and frankness. He was like a satiated snow leopard in the snow-capped mountains, tilting his head to curiously observe a human for the first time.
She glared at him for a while, then turned and pushed through the crowd, forcing her way out. However, the anger in her heart had already halfway dissipated.