Lanzhu was well aware of the origin of the glass hairpin her brother brought. It seemed he had once again taken advantage of the Golden Festival yesterday to trade with Cousin! However, Lanzhu wasn’t angry with her brother. After all, her brother meant well, and as the recipient of the gift, how could she be angry with him? But her brother’s boldness was truly a headache! She would have to have a good talk with him another day.
A month later, the palace held the formal ceremony for the Crown Prince’s investiture. It was on the day after the investiture ceremony that Lanzhu, accompanying her mother to Baoguo Temple to offer incense, once again encountered her cousin. In the same spot, a year later, Lanzhu met her cousin again in the plum blossom grove.
“This servant greets Your Majesty.” Kangxi looked at his cousin, who was bowing gracefully not far away, and a faint gleam flashed in his eyes. “I’ve told you, we’re outside the palace, Cousin, there’s no need for such formalities.” The last time they were this close was last year. After a year, his cousin’s appearance had matured, more dazzling than the blooming plum blossoms in the grove.
“Is Cousin here to offer incense as well?” After the greeting, Lanzhu spoke to her cousin from a respectful distance. Her attitude was the same as last year, neither overly flattering nor excessively distant. It was as if the person before her was not the Emperor Cousin, but just an ordinary cousin.
“No.” “I’m waiting for you,” Kangxi said seriously, looking into his cousin’s eyes. He had wanted to visit the Tongjia Residence to see his cousin, but that wouldn’t be good for her. Today, he had quietly left the palace, and besides a few trusted aides, probably only the Grand Empress Dowager knew he was out.
Lanzhu was momentarily stunned by her cousin’s direct words, then quickly reacted. “Cousin…” “I just wanted to see you.” Lanzhu looked at her cousin’s handsome and deep features, and for some reason, her face began to slowly turn red, more beautiful than the evening glow.
Kangxi’s eyes brightened slightly. “Did you receive the peach blossom hairpin last time?” “Do you like it?” Hearing her cousin admit it personally, Lanzhu felt a moment of confusion in her heart. As expected, it was her brother who traded with her cousin. “I like it.”
Kangxi chuckled softly, his usually cold face showing a hint of emotion different from usual. “As long as you like it.” “Since my brother gave it to me, of course I like it,” Lanzhu thought her cousin seemed a bit off and said this without thinking. She then noticed that her cousin, who had been quite pleased, seemed to have a slightly darker expression?
“That is…” “Forget it.” “As long as you like it, that’s all that matters.” Kangxi thought for a moment and decided not to say the rest. Forget it, he was magnanimous and wouldn’t hold it against these siblings. Anyway, in the future, Lanzhu would personally admit that the things he gave her were to her liking.
“Is it a bit cold?” Last year, Kangxi had noticed that Lanzhu was somewhat sensitive to the cold. So this time, when he left the palace, he was well prepared. “Liang Jiugong, bring the items over.” Kangxi called out to Liang Jiugong in the distance. Soon, Liang Jiugong came running over, and from the box he was carrying, he took out two palm-sized hand warmers.
Kangxi took them and handed them directly to Lanzhu. “Take them.” Lanzhu stared at the hand warmers in a daze, then for the first time, looked up seriously at her tall cousin. “Why did Cousin bring these?” These hand warmers were clearly designed for women. As the Emperor, her cousin couldn’t possibly lack other hand warmers, so the only explanation was that he brought them specifically for her.
“Ahem!” “To warm your hands.” “Don’t catch a cold.” This was the first time Kangxi spoke so gently and awkwardly. His relationship with Empress Xiaocheng was more of mutual support, like close friends, at least that’s how he saw it. Comforting a girl, this was his first time!
Lanzhu suddenly smiled. “Thank you, Cousin.” “No need to be polite.” After receiving the hand warmers, Lanzhu stood for a while longer, then bid farewell to her cousin. “I’ve been out long enough. If I don’t return soon, Mother will be worried.” Although Kangxi wanted to spend more time with Lanzhu, he knew he should return as well.
As Lanzhu was about to leave, Kangxi took out a light blue pouch from his pocket and handed it to her. “An early New Year’s gift for you.” Lanzhu looked at her cousin’s long, distinct fingers. After he extended his hand, she slowly raised her hand and took it from his palm. In the process, her warm fingertips lightly brushed against his hot palm.
The heat made her fingers shrink back, and she quickly took the item. In her haste, she only felt a smooth, hard object, not knowing exactly what it was. “Cousin, I’ll be going now.” Without waiting for her cousin to respond, Lanzhu hurriedly turned and left.
Kangxi watched Lanzhu’s departing figure with dark eyes, feeling as if her gentle touch still lingered in his palm, making it itch even more. He had noticed earlier that his cousin’s fingertips were an enticing pink, perfectly fitting in his palm!
Kangxi’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, and then he said in a somewhat hoarse voice, “Return to the palace.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” Liang Jiugong followed silently behind his master like a wooden post. Not listening, not thinking, not looking—this was the most basic duty of a servant.
…
Lanzhu quickly returned to the room where her mother was, where Hesheli Shi, having finished reciting scriptures, was sitting at the table drinking tea. Today’s outing was at the master’s request, and Hesheli Shi naturally knew the reason. Wasn’t it for that person in the palace! Hmph! If it weren’t for the Emperor’s attention to Yujin over the past two years, she wouldn’t care about any orders for her outstanding daughter. Let him wait alone!
Hesheli Shi had just put down her teacup when she saw her daughter rushing in, her head ornaments jingling, somewhat disregarding her image. “What’s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?” After entering the room, Lanzhu took a moment to catch her breath. “It’s nothing, Mother, it’s just a bit cold outside.”
“This winter is indeed much colder than previous years,” Hesheli Shi said, tightening the scarf around her neck. “The sky looks ominously dark. We should return home early.” “I’ll listen to Mother.” Lanzhu clenched her hand, calming herself from everything that had just happened.
Sure enough, as soon as Lanzhu and her group returned to the Tongjia Residence, snow began to fall from the sky, large and fluffy like white flowers floating down. After returning to her courtyard, Lanzhu dismissed everyone, then took out the warm pouch she had been holding. It was an ordinary light blue pouch, embroidered with half-open bright yellow peonies, not something her cousin would typically carry.
After looking at it for a while, Lanzhu opened the pouch and took out a jade pendant carved with a crane stepping on clouds. The jade was warm to the touch, its color like solidified mutton fat. This was clearly not ordinary mutton fat white jade, but extremely rare warm jade.
Lanzhu looked at it for a while and inexplicably smiled. “The crane is carved quite elegantly.” “This jade pendant is plain. Why don’t you make a tassel for it yourself, Gege?” Liu Chun suggested, seeing that Gege liked it for once.
“We’ll see.” Hearing Liu Chun’s words, Lanzhu lost some interest. “Put it at the bottom of the jewelry box for now.” Lanzhu placed the jade pendant back into the pouch and handed it to Liu Chun.
“Yes, Gege.”
…
The snow in the capital city fell continuously. In the first two days, Lanzhu went to the main courtyard daily to pay respects to her mother, but after the third day, her mother wouldn’t let her go anymore. The temperature outside dropped sharply, and the snow kept falling. It was said that many places in the capital had collapsed under the weight.
In Fuchun Courtyard, the main room where Lanzhu stayed was heated with charcoal, making the whole room warm. The windows were all closed by Liu Chun and the others, leaving only a small gap in the door. Everyone in the room stood quietly. At this moment, the door creaked open, and Liu Dong, with cheeks red from the cold, walked in with her neck shrunk.
She first removed the cold from her body at the charcoal basin by the door, then walked in small steps to Gege. “Gege, this servant has returned.” “How is Mother?” This was Lanzhu’s tenth day in the room, and the continuous snow in the capital had lasted for ten days as well. Even though the servants at the Tongjia Residence kept clearing the roads, they couldn’t keep up with the snow’s accumulation. Not to mention, in this weather, it wasn’t reasonable to have people constantly sweeping.
“Madam is well.” “Madam asked this servant to take good care of you, Gege.” “I understand. Go change your clothes and shoes, be careful not to catch a cold.” Lanzhu lowered her head, noticing that Liu Dong’s embroidered shoes had darkened significantly.
“This servant will go now.” Liu Dong naturally didn’t dare to resist. If she got sick, it was a small matter, but if she passed the illness to Gege, she would be to blame. Watching Liu Dong leave, Lanzhu put down the needle and thread in her hand with some worry. “It’s almost New Year’s Eve. If the snow doesn’t stop, the New Year’s Eve banquet in the palace might not happen this year.”
“Father still has to get up early every day for court. I wonder if his body can handle it?” Liu Chun comforted her. “Gege, don’t worry. Master has always been strong and will be fine.” “I hope so.” “I wonder if it’s just the capital or if other places are the same.” In this weather, her room needed six pots of charcoal burning day and night to stay warm. How could the poor people survive?
“Liu Xia, find someone to inquire about the situation in the capital. If it’s really bad, I’ll ask Mother to step in and provide relief.” She couldn’t manage places too far away, but within the capital, she could help a little.
“This servant will go now.”
Palace of Heavenly Purity
The charcoal in the main hall was burning abundantly, but because the hall doors were open, cold wind kept blowing in. The ministers standing at the front were fine, as there were people blocking the wind behind them. But those standing at the back suffered, feeling their hands and feet stiffen and almost lose sensation after standing for a short time.
Kangxi sat on the dragon throne, his bright yellow dragon robe making him even more imposing. Moreover, his expression was not pleasant, making him even more intimidating. All the ministers below kept their heads down, not daring to speak lightly at this time.
“I’m asking you a question!” “Who do you think is most suitable to handle the snow disaster around the capital this time?” This unprecedented snow disaster was right around the capital, and it wasn’t a good task. Which of the shrewd ministers would want to take it on? After all, the national treasury wasn’t rich, and such a large disaster relief expenditure couldn’t be fully covered by the Emperor immediately. Who would cover the shortfall? Wouldn’t it be up to the person taking on the task to figure it out?
Spending money was easy, but getting others to spend money for you wasn’t. Taking on the task might earn a good reputation, but it was clearly a money-draining and offending task.
“Great!” “When there’s a benefit, you all run faster than anyone else. Now that you need to do something, you all shrink back!” “You are truly my good ministers!” Kangxi laughed in anger, especially at the few ministers in front who wished they could lower their heads even further, fueling his anger.
“Gabula, what do you think?” Kangxi’s gaze shifted to the person at the front. Gabula stood out unhurriedly. “I should help relieve the Emperor’s worries and difficulties, but as you know, my health might hold me back.” Gabula’s poor health was well-known in the court, often falling ill, but whether it was true or not, no one knew.
Beside Gabula, Tong Guowei silently mocked. Poor health? He ran faster than anyone once outside the palace, yet claimed poor health to him. Ha!
Author’s Note: Ah, it’s so quiet today. Have all the cuties gone to celebrate the festival?