Wei Zhu rubbed his hands together and stepped forward, but Liang Jiugong’s heart tightened, and he instinctively moved to block him.
To open it right here in front of everyone—where would Master’s face go after that?
Fang He raised an eyebrow.
“What, Liang Anda doesn’t want me to see it?”
Liang Jiugong hurriedly bowed, saying he dared not, but after hesitating and biting his lip, he stepped aside.
This thing was prepared and sealed by the Emperor himself, and Liang Jiugong roughly guessed what was inside.
After all, when the consultant’s envoy brought the items over, their expression was so spectacular, so complicated, it made Liang Jiugong laugh all night.
But the Emperor only ordered him to deliver it personally; there was no instruction for Imperial Consort Zhao to avoid being seen.
As a servant, he naturally couldn’t act beyond his authority, could he?
Cui Wei carefully studied Liang Jiugong’s hesitation, then shook her head at Wei Zhu and gently tugged at Fang He’s sleeve, leaning close to her ear.
“Master, look at the length of that box!”
Cui Wei’s excitement was barely contained; her voice trembled slightly.
“Look, that’s just the length of a washboard at the laundry!”
Heavens, perhaps the Emperor intended to play some sort of guard-and-Imperial Consort game with Master.
If they saw it, how could they keep their appetite?
At most… when no one was around, they might sneak a peek, but openly, they had to pretend ignorance.
Fang He gave Cui Wei a somewhat speechless look.
If Kangxi were to kneel and offer her a washboard, then Emperor Wu of Han could give Wei Zifu a foot bath.
What kind of fantasy was this?
She brushed Cui Wei aside and smiled faintly at Wei Zhu.
“Open it.”
Wei Zhu glanced at Cui Wei, then at his mistress, still a bit nervous as he carefully opened the first box.
Cui Wei held her breath, quickly lowering her head, daring only to glance sideways.
Surprisingly, Liang Jiugong did the same.
The palace maids and eunuchs serving in Yanxi Palace’s main hall were inexplicably nervous and curious.
Each tried desperately to tuck their heads into their chests and only peek sideways, wondering what deadly sincerity this could possibly be.
But when the first box was opened, there were only two paintings inside.
Liang Jiugong was stunned.
This wasn’t what the consultant’s envoy had prepared.
Wei Zhu called Liu An forward, and under the afternoon’s dazzling light, they slowly unfurled the first painting.
The painting depicted a palace banquet: the Emperor seated majestically on the nine-tiered jade steps of the Dragon Throne, receiving the kneeling obeisance of princes, ministers, consorts, and heirs.
The painting’s style seemed Western; Kangxi appeared especially towering and imposing, a grand majesty radiating so powerfully that everyone present instinctively held their breath.
Cui Wei was also awed by the Emperor’s solemnity in the painting, but she felt something was off.
‘The Emperor was sending a token of sincerity… to intimidate the Master?’
Fang He’s eyes flickered, and she said lightly, “Open the other one.”
Wei Zhu and Liu An hurriedly unfurled the second painting.
It showed a Mulan autumn hunt scene.
Tens of thousands of Manchu and Mongol youths kneeled, shouting “Long live the Emperor!”
The Emperor stood high on the viewing platform, wielding a long blade, decapitating a stag’s head, blood splattering over golden armor.
The gore and killing aura in this painting made Wei Zhu and Liu An both feel their legs weaken.
For Xinhua, Xinzi, and the others who had never accompanied the northern tours, it was their first time witnessing such a scene, and they stepped back several paces, their faces paling.
Cui Wei’s scalp tingled—not from fear, but because she realized the Emperor’s meaning: besides making the Master aware of the Emperor’s celestial authority not to be offended, there was no other explanation.
Liang Jiugong shared the same thought.
Like Cui Wei, he looked at Fang He with worry.
But Fang He’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smile as she raised her chin, signaling Wei Zhu to open the second box.
In the strange atmosphere, Wei Zhu steeled himself and opened it.
He whispered, “It’s a kang screen.”
He and Liu An lifted out the kang screen.
It too bore a painting, this time much more familiar to everyone.
It depicted Changchun Garden; other scenic spots were veiled in mist and clouds, but the Jade Garden stood out clearly, so vivid it seemed close at hand, with several pomegranate trees lifelike and real.
The Emperor, clad in an agate-colored palace robe, stood with his back to the crowd, gazing at the front lake’s scenery, their hands intertwined.
In one corner was the character ‘Ye’, swirling like a startled dragon.
Cui Wei relaxed slightly and smiled.
“I think the Emperor’s meaning is that before meeting you, he sat high in the hall. After meeting you… he wishes to grow old hand in hand, enjoying this beautiful scenery with you.”
She nervously blinked at Fang He, whispering, “Master, after all, the Emperor is still the Emperor. Even when showing goodwill, he must consider the dignity of the Son of Heaven. This already expresses a great deal of sincerity. Don’t get too impulsive.”
Even Xinhua and the others thought the Emperor’s gesture, to this degree, was already a deep affection for the Master.
Though Masters bickered and quarrelled, it was like walking on a tiger’s back in the palace.
Now Master had the Nine Princess, and more little Masters would come.
She mustn’t offend the Emperor like before; what if she really fell out of favor?
Fang He glanced at Cui Wei and frowned slightly but said nothing.
Liang Jiugong also bit his lip.
He thought the Master was unwilling to lose face and replaced terrifying tactics with a balance of kindness and severity to scare this ancestor.
Seeing Fang He frown, he hurried forward with a smile.
“Imperial Consort Zhao, your servant thinks—”
Fang He pressed her lips tighter and lowered her eyes to cut off Liang Jiugong’s words.
“I guess the third box contains gold, silver, and jewels?”
Liang Jiugong: “…………”
This is bad; Imperial Consort Zhao is about to lose it.
First a blow, then a sweet plum—too much like the Master’s style.
But when Wei Zhu opened the box with bated breath, there were no gold or jewels, only a stack of land deeds.
Fang He took a look.
“Changping Hot Springs Manor, Shunyi Retreat, Southern Imperial Manor…”
Liang Jiugong twitched inwardly.
Same road, different destination, but this time the sweet plum was particularly sweet.
The question was: was Imperial Consort Zhao scared?
Yet when he looked up, he saw Fang He’s bright smile and was stunned, utterly confused.
What, could it be that this sweet plum actually struck Imperial Consort Zhao’s heart?
Impossible!
Earlier gifts delivered to Yanxi Palace and Jade Garden were rare treasures, no less valuable than these deeds.
But Fang He couldn’t hold back her joy.
Her lips stretched wildly upward, even baring a neat row of white teeth.
Others didn’t understand Kangxi’s meaning, but she fully comprehended the man’s intent.
The steps in the painting were very familiar, resembling the wooden teeth marks on a washboard.
The pattern on the kang screen’s lower right corner matched perfectly with the pattern on the Green Plaque.
Those two paintings said that the world belonged to him, but he belonged to the master of Jade Garden.
He was telling her: power, dignity, wealth… the entire realm and mountains are mine, and I am yours.
This was the most beautiful love confession she had ever heard from Kangxi.
In a way, their personalities were similar, which was why there were so many conflicts.
This man, like her, did not understand love, nor did he have much romantic sentiment or trust in intangible feelings, yet he was willing to use everything he had to prove love’s existence.
While everyone else was puzzled, she covered her face, laughing so hard it hurt her cheeks, and told Liang Jiugong, “Tell the Emperor for me that I want to take back the New Year gift and exchange it for something else.”
Liang Jiugong was stunned for a moment, then immediately beamed and agreed.
“Your servant will go at once! Your servant takes his leave!”
He dashed off at once.
They didn’t understand, and it didn’t matter; the two ancestors understood the secret.
Imperial Consort Zhao was about to overturn the Master’s cards—finally, after the storm comes sunshine!
Fang He ordered Wei Zhu to move the items into the bedchamber.
“Swap out my current kang screen, and put these two paintings in the bedchamber as well.”
“Keep the land deeds, Cui Wei. Later, we’ll ask the Emperor how to manage them.”
Cui Wei watched Master practically dancing in the hall, stunned.
“Master, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you…”
Fang He laughed and covered her mouth, teasing, “Don’t steal Wei Zhu’s job. You said you hadn’t seen me smile in a long time—what day have I not smiled that it’s fresh?”
Wei Zhu, coming out of the bedchamber, muttered, “How did that steal my job?”
Cui Wei didn’t understand the teasing and helplessly grabbed Master’s hand.
“I meant that you’re becoming more and more dignified, like a palace mistress. But right now, I remember the first time I saw you in the Imperial Teahouse…”
Cui Wei wasn’t talking about when they first entered Qianqing Palace, when nobody paid any attention to the almost invisible Fang He.
She meant the first time their eyes met, eating pumpkin seeds and chatting casually.
Back then, the light in Fang He’s eyes was dazzling, unrestrained, and carried a freshness that made people smile unconsciously.
Not like now—calmer, colder.
Cui Wei wanted to say that the sharper one’s edge, the harder it is to live well in the palace; perhaps being less fierce is better.
But recalling Fang He’s earlier frown, Cui Wei hesitated and swallowed the advice.
Fang He tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Probably because I care more and have grown wiser. The more you care, the more rules you understand. Because there are more people you care about, even if favored, you know every gift has a price, every advance has conditions. I can only be swept up in this world, struggling within its rules. What glory can a corporate drone have?”
“Then why have you changed back now?” Cui Wei was curious.
Xinhua pushed a bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds toward Fang He.
Fang He solemnly cracked a seed, “I calculated my current value. I rank only behind the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. If I don’t act tough, then who will?”
The chains binding her were finally broken.
The world had given itself to her.
She couldn’t change the world, but she could change the rules.
No need to be sensible anymore!
Cui Wei: “…”
‘Please be serious!’
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