Lanzhu looked up at her tall cousin not far away and sighed inwardly. “Cousin, do I really have to enter the palace?” After pondering for a long time, Lanzhu finally asked the question she most wanted to ask. “Aren’t we fine as we are? Why must I enter the palace? Even without me, the bond between the Tongjia clan and you is unbreakable.” Lanzhu took this opportunity to voice what she had been wanting to say. Although she knew that saying this might be somewhat rebellious, she still wanted to ask.
Kangxi heard these words and felt a bit of anger in his eyes. “Do you think I want you to enter the palace to deepen the connection between the Tongjia clan and me? Yujin, you are overestimating the importance of the Tongjia clan. The Tongjia clan was elevated by me alone. Do you think I care about that little bit of support?!” Kangxi was so angry that he felt a bit dizzy. So this is what Yujin thought of him!?
Lanzhu looked at her cousin with confusion; her eyes seemed to ask, isn’t that the case? At this moment, the perceptive Liang Jiugong had already noticed that the atmosphere between the Master and Tongjia Gege was a bit off, and he planned to lead the other three away. He thought that the Master probably didn’t want them to disturb him at this moment.
“Eunuch Liang, what are you doing?” Liu Xia, who was straightforward by nature, stiffened and refused to leave, but considering that this was someone favored by the Emperor, she didn’t use much force and just let Liang Jiugong pull her without actually leaving. “The Emperor and Tongjia Gege probably have something to discuss. Are you sure you want to stay here, Miss Liu?” Liang Jiugong said with a smile, not getting angry at the situation.
Liu Xia looked at the strange atmosphere between the Eldest Miss and the Emperor, then glanced at Liu Chun. Seeing her nod slightly, the four of them slowly retreated to the entrance of the plum grove, keeping watch from a distance.
“You really infuriate me!” Kangxi looked at Yujin’s unrepentant expression, his usually calm eyes now swirling with terrifying emotions. “Before I ascended the throne, the Tongjia clan was just a Han military banner. There are many Manchu military banner ministers in the capital. Your little bit of support is not something I would scheme for.” Kangxi looked at the young girl who only reached his chest and managed to hold back his anger.
“Then why must I enter the palace, Cousin?” Lanzhu, after all, had just turned fourteen and couldn’t quite understand the complex emotions between men and women. She had always thought that her cousin had this idea because of the Tongjia clan, but it turned out she had misunderstood him. Kangxi looked at the bewildered Yujin and didn’t know how to explain. Should he say: I have feelings for you, so I want you to enter the palace? Forget it, he couldn’t bring himself to say that. He could only respond with silence.
“Never mind, I don’t really want to know.” Seeing her cousin’s troubled expression, Lanzhu sensibly said. After all, no matter the reason, her entry into the palace was already set in stone. What difference would it make to know the reason? It wouldn’t change anything. Entering the palace it is. She didn’t want her mother and father to keep worrying. The Emperor was her cousin, so she would live better in the palace than others. As the legitimate daughter of the Tongjia clan in this generation, it was also her responsibility.
“Don’t worry, Cousin. Once you enter the palace, no one will be able to bully you.” Kangxi wanted to pat his cousin’s head but felt the gesture was a bit too forward, so he just slightly moved his fingers. Lanzhu smiled at her cousin, “I trust you, Cousin.” Since she couldn’t resist, she might as well make the best of it. “I will remember what you said, Cousin.” Lanzhu looked at her cousin with determination, her serious gaze drawing attention.
Kangxi chuckled lightly, “I am the Son of Heaven, and a ruler does not speak lightly.” As they stood for a longer time, Kangxi noticed that his cousin’s face was becoming increasingly pale. “It’s getting late, I’ll have Liang Jiugong escort you back.”
“Okay.” The hand warmer in Lanzhu’s palm had lost most of its warmth. She moved her cold hands and nodded obediently. Kangxi led Lanzhu towards the exit of the plum grove. Upon seeing the people guarding there, he said, “Liang Jiugong, make sure to escort her back properly.”
Liang Jiugong quickly stepped forward, “Yes, Your Majesty.” After watching the four leave, Kangxi slowly withdrew his gaze. “Gu Wenxing, is the Grand Empress Dowager communicating with the Khorchin again?”
“In response to Your Majesty, not long after the Golden Festival, the Grand Empress Dowager sent a message back to the Khorchin, asking them to send a noble lady to the capital.”
“Ha! Sending someone three years early, Grandmother’s schemes are not small this time.” Kangxi sneered sarcastically. But he was not like his father, who would let Grandmother manipulate him! The harem of the Great Qing was not for the Mongolians to take charge of!
“Does Your Majesty want to send someone to create some trouble?” Gu Wenxing asked.
“No need, let them come to the capital. I want to see what kind of waves they can stir up.” Kangxi was not inclined to take action; he believed in maintaining a balance. Currently, the highest-ranking consort in the harem was Consort Zhao. From what he knew of her, the Grand Empress Dowager’s plan to bring a noble lady from Khorchin into the palace would most likely make her the most anxious. He only needed to sit back and watch as Consort Zhao dealt with this Mongolian noble lady herself.
“Remember to send a reward to Consort Zhao when you return to the palace, just to say she’s been working hard lately.” Kangxi stood with his hands behind his back in the plum grove, looking up into the void.
“This servant will remember.”
“Let’s return to the palace.” The purpose of today’s visit had been achieved. Although not perfectly, Yujin’s attitude had softened considerably.
“Yes.”
After Lanzhu returned to the main hall where her mother was, her mother had already finished her inquiries, but her expression didn’t look good. Lanzhu called out sweetly, “Mother.” Hesheli Shi snapped back to reality and naturally showed a loving smile upon seeing her daughter, “You’re back? Was it fun outside?”
“It was okay.”
“Why is your face so pale?” After glancing at her daughter, Hesheli Shi noticed something was wrong and quickly took her daughter’s hand. “Why are your hands so cold?” Then she turned her head and spoke sternly, “Didn’t you prepare a hand warmer for the Gege?”
“In response to Madam, we did.” Lanzhu held her mother’s hand, “Mother, don’t blame them. I just lost track of time looking at the plum blossoms and stayed outside a bit too long, so my hands are a little cold. They’ll warm up soon.”
“You, you.” Hesheli Shi lightly tapped her daughter’s forehead.
On the way back, Lanzhu didn’t share a carriage with her mother, so she didn’t see the worried look in her mother’s eyes after getting into the carriage. “Madam, don’t worry too much. The Eldest Miss has a noble fate and will surely turn misfortune into fortune.” Nanny Yun had also heard the abbot’s words at Baoguo Temple today, but she didn’t fully believe them. So what if Abbot Liaoyuan was spiritually insightful! How could her Eldest Miss possibly have a sign of early death? He must have been mistaken.
“Nanny, Master Liaoyuan said that Yujin’s future status would be beyond words, which just confirms that she will enter the palace.”
“Nanny, I’m scared!” How could she accept the fact that the child she carried for ten months would leave before her? So, no matter how difficult, she had to fight for it.
“Madam, the master only said there would be a life-threatening calamity, but he didn’t definitively say the Eldest Miss would…”
“The Gege has always been smooth and successful, so she will surely get through this calamity safely.” Nanny Yun comforted her mistress slowly. Such a well-behaved and sensible Eldest Miss, how could Heaven bear to take her away? The calamity was still far off. As long as they accumulated blessings and did good deeds for the Eldest Miss, she would surely be safe.
“I hope so.” After crying for a while, Hesheli Shi wiped her tears. She couldn’t let Yujin notice anything later. She still needed to explain this to her husband and see if they could fight for it.
At the entrance of the Tongjia Residence, after getting off the carriage, Lanzhu felt something was off the moment she saw her mother. Had her mother… been crying? Her eyes were slightly red, and there were faint traces on her face. But with people coming and going at the entrance, Lanzhu didn’t ask. Following her mother, Lanzhu went all the way to the main courtyard. Before she could sit down, her mother uncharacteristically told her to go back first.
“You’ve been running around for so long, Lanzhu, go back and rest.”
“Mother, are you hiding something from me?” Lanzhu’s clear eyes looked at her mother, filled with concern. Seeing this, Hesheli Shi’s eyes couldn’t help but well up again, but she managed to hold back her emotions and forced a smile, “There’s nothing, Mother is just a bit tired.”
“Alright then.”
“Since Mother is tired, you should rest early.” It was clear her mother wasn’t telling the truth, but Lanzhu didn’t press further. Since her mother didn’t want to say, she wouldn’t ask. Her mother would never harm her.
Back at Fuchun Courtyard, Liu Chun saw the Eldest Miss looking gloomy and asked, “Eldest Miss, should I go find out what’s going on?”
Lanzhu shook her head slightly, “No need.”
“Even if you ask, you probably won’t find out anything.” Lanzhu knew her mother’s mood must be related to Master Liaoyuan from Baoguo Temple. Her mother must have asked about her, and the result was probably not satisfactory, which is why she was like this. Such a secret matter, only Nanny Yun by her mother’s side would know. Liu Chun would only return empty-handed if she tried to find out.
“Go find the embroidery pouch I was working on yesterday. I might as well finish it now, or else Third Brother will pester me again tomorrow.”
“Yes, Gege.”
“Should I light two more braziers?” Liu Qiu asked, looking at the Eldest Miss’s perpetually pale cheeks.
“It’s warm enough, Liu Qiu.”
“I’m just not easily warmed, not cold.” Lanzhu laughed, seeing how Liu Qiu and the others treated her like a fragile porcelain doll, afraid she might get hurt or catch a cold.
Liu Chun: “The winter weather is unpredictable, Gege, you mustn’t be careless.”
“Got it.”
In the evening, after Hesheli Shi recounted the day’s events to her husband, he remained silent for a long time. “Madam, things that haven’t happened yet can’t be counted. Yujin is blessed and will surely turn misfortune into fortune.” He had heard of Master Liaoyuan’s profound abilities. But at this moment, Tong Guowei didn’t want to believe this prediction. What “the phoenix flies high, prosperity must decline,” he didn’t believe a word of it!
“Master, you know Master Liaoyuan’s abilities. We should rather believe it than not.”
“At least… at least find a time to discreetly ask the Emperor.” How could Hesheli Shi easily let go when it concerned her daughter?
“Understood.”
“I will ask.” If possible, Tong Guowei didn’t want Yujin to enter the palace. But ruler and minister, ruler first, minister second, he was a minister first, then an uncle.