Consort Hui was wavering about whether to pledge loyalty to Fang He, but with her coal suddenly cut in Changchun Palace, she wondered if the Imperial Noble Consort was expressing her displeasure.
Consort Hui could no longer sit still.
Consort Rong suspected that after she confessed her past to the Imperial Noble Consort, Fang He was punishing her, pretending to be indifferent on the surface while making things difficult behind her back.
She sighed, thinking there were no women without grudges.
Remembering the Third Prince’s current success, she once again went to Yanxi Palace to apologize.
Other consorts, especially the less prominent ones, dared not complain even when their resources were cut.
As for Concubine Xi, Consort Ping, Tong Consort, and Consort Duan, they never dared challenge the Imperial Noble Consort.
Even with less coal, they didn’t dare go to Yanxi Palace to protest.
Only Concubine An and Concubine Jing were puzzled because they hadn’t offended Fang He, so why had their expenses suddenly been reduced?
Could something have happened in the palace?
They didn’t think too much and set out for Yanxi Palace but as Ying Tao said, they all found nothing.
Liu An and Chen Shun shivered in the cold wind, explaining to the consorts for a long time.
Yet the consorts remained confused—’what could be so urgent that the Emperor needed to leave the palace with the Imperial Noble Consort?’
If not for making mischief with Fang He, what other urgent matters could there be?
Even Fang He herself didn’t know.
On the way, she kept staring at Kangxi, deep in thought…but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t figure it out.
So she sidled up and pestered him, “Your Majesty has sent all the children to the Empress Dowager. They’re at their naughtiest age now. If you don’t tell me what this is about, I want to go back to the palace. What if we disturb the Empress Dowager’s peace?”
Three-year-old children, when they see something new, want to grab it and see if it’s a toy.
Turn your head for a second, and they’re already running off somewhere.
In this cold weather, with snow coming, not only would they disturb the Empress Dowager, but the children could catch cold.
Even Jiujiu, who had moved to Xisan Place with the Third Princess, and Er Bao, who’d moved to Dongwu Place with the Eldest Prince, had recently caught colds.
She visited them every day, and today she hadn’t been yet.
Kangxi just smiled and hugged the disgruntled Fang He, refusing to say where they were going.
“I’ve already sent Liang Jiugong and Li Dequan to watch over Fuer Guochun and Yin Hui at Xisan Place and Dongwu Place. At the Empress Dowager’s place, there’s Wuyunzhu—don’t worry. I really do have an urgent matter that needs your help.”
Fang He raised her eyebrows and hugged herself protectively by saying, “No money, no life! Don’t even think about tricking me, Your Majesty!”
In this regard, she preferred being the county magistrate rather than the commoner.
Kangxi laughed, nodding in agreement, “Fine, I won’t take your money or your life.”
The only thing he wanted had always been this troublemaker in front of him.
Fang He figured, as long as it wasn’t too complicated, she was pretty clever.
Usually, she could guess what Kangxi wanted with just a look between them but today, she couldn’t guess at all.
At Tianya Inn, Liang Madam was busy setting up a Yangsheng Club, taking Naren, Qiao Xiaoyuan, and the others to oversee Fang He’s hot spring estate at Xiao Tangshan.
Here in the capital, the selection had ended for now.
What remained was to refine the Women’s Academy rules, subtly guide women to develop in various professions, and give them more freedom.
That wasn’t something that could be done overnight; it would have to wait until the new year.
As for the court, that had even less to do with Fang He.
She’d already handed over the Gazette, so she had nothing else to do.
Watching Fang He struggle to guess, Kangxi’s eyes filled with laughter.
For once, this troublemaker was at a loss, and he couldn’t help feeling pleased.
The carriage was discreetly but finely made, not too bumpy and after two hours, they arrived at a hot spring estate at Xiao Tangshan.
As soon as Fang He got off the carriage, she paused—this wasn’t far from where Liang Madam was setting up her Yangsheng Club.
Could it be that Master Kang was taking her for a health treatment?
She couldn’t figure it out, so she just gave up thinking, lifted her skirt, and followed Kangxi inside but just after entering, she saw Liang Madam.
“Come with me.” Liang Madam curtsied lightly to Kangxi, then smiled and pulled Fang He down the right-hand corridor.
Fang He turned to look back—Kangxi was nowhere to be seen.
She: If this weren’t Liang Madam, she’d have suspected that scoundrel of selling her off!
“What’s going on? Why is everyone being so secretive?” Fang He puffed out her cheeks, linking arms with Liang Madam as they walked.
Looking up, she saw red silk tied along the eaves and snorted, “We’re not here for someone’s wedding, are we?”
Liang Madam winked and said, “You actually guessed it right, Guoguo is really clever.”
Fang He was about to speak, but suddenly stopped.
Although she always told Liang Madam and the others not to be so distant, her status in the harem had grown so high that no one called her by name anymore.
Even the eleven-year-old Fan Lianghan called her “Lady Yuan Zhen” instead of godmother but today, when Liang Madam called her by name, Fang He finally understood what Kangxi was up to.
He wanted to…
While she was still thinking, they arrived at the main courtyard.
Liang Madam gave her a push and called inside—
“Hurry, help our Guoguo get ready. Our bride can’t be married off so easily!”
Naren, Lin Chen’s wife, and several other girls Fang He knew well from Jiangnan all rushed over, swarming the dazed Fang He inside.
“Boss is getting younger every year!”
“That’s right, after all these years, only our boss stays young—it shows how happy her life is!”
“It’s all thanks to our boss’s…boss’s husband being considerate. Unlike Lin Chen and the others—just clumsy and infuriating!”
Fang He had only managed to see Naren briefly during the selection, as Li Dequan had begged her to return to the palace.
She was happy to see Naren and the others now but she couldn’t help being distracted.
Sitting in the bath, listening to everyone chattering and laughing, her eyes kept drifting to the bright red wedding dress on the bed.
The wedding ceremony was simple—no one dared give the Emperor trouble, so the customary poems and door-blocking games were just a formality.
What surprised Fang He most was that Qiao Xiaoyuan carried her on his back to the bridal sedan.
Through the veil, she could see he hadn’t aged at all, still that innocent look but compared to ten years ago, Qiao Xiaoyuan was steadier, and carrying Fang He felt especially safe.
“Boss, I’m getting married too,” Qiao Xiaoyuan said softly as he carried her step by step.
“If it weren’t for Liang Madam’s introduction, and if I hadn’t listened to your advice to go out and see the world, I never would have found a girl with a talent for cooking. I think I finally understand what you meant back then—how seeing someone makes you smile unconsciously, and when you don’t see them, you miss them.”
Fang He’s nose tingled.
Back when she thought she might be found, she’d still teased him irresponsibly—that was rather rotten of her.
At that time, Qiao Xiaoyuan blushed and treated her well, but if he didn’t see her, he’d throw himself into cooking.
Rather than say he liked her, it was more about enjoying her recipes, challenges, and her lifesaving kindness and boldness but in the end, what suited him best was a partner who could accompany him for a lifetime.
Luckily, he’d found such a person.
She inhaled lightly and said, “That’s wonderful. Now you two can work for me for a lifetime!”
Qiao Xiaoyuan: “……”
Fang He was carried to the bridal sedan.
As expected, the boss was always the boss—being a penny pincher was oddly reassuring.
The bridal sedan didn’t leave the estate but was carried from the back to the front courtyard, where a familiar hand reached in.
Kangxi had actually been nearby the whole time, listening to her talk to Qiao Xiaoyuan.
It was impressive how this jealous vinegar jar could keep his cool.
Somehow, Fang He’s eyes felt especially moist at this moment.
She sniffed and held Kangxi’s hand, stepping down from the sedan to enter the room with him.
There was no brazier, no saddle—just two scarlet prayer cushions.
Like the most ordinary couple in the world, they knelt together: first to Heaven and Earth, then to their elders, then to each other, as Liang Jiugong chanted the rites.
During the couple’s bow, Fang He’s mind wandered, ‘Heaven and earth were easy, but elders… Surely this lord wouldn’t bring the ancestral tablets of Shizong and Empress Xiaokang from Fengxian Hall, would he?’
If he did, even the ancestors in their coffins wouldn’t be able to rest.
Kangxi had been watching Fang He’s every move.
Seeing her dazed, he knew she was lost in thought again.
He reached out, lifted her to her feet, and regardless of the teasing and face-covering around them, carried his bride straight to the bridal chamber.
Lifting the bridal veil was supposed to be the work of the matchmaker, but for the Emperor to marry again outside the palace and keep it secret from everyone—this was shocking.
If news got out, Old Qin Imperial Censor might really bash his head against a pillar.
So as Liang Madam said, except for Liang Jiugong and the people from Tianya Inn, no one else was present.
Fang He had thought it would be Liang Madam chanting the names, but then she heard two voices—one lively, one sweet and childish—overlapping.
“Father is lifting the veil!”
A golden scale appeared before Fang He’s eyes, then, as the veil was lifted, she saw the smiling Empress Dowager, with Minbao in Wuyunzhu’s arms.
Turning, she saw her second son held by his younger brothers…and her most beloved, boldest, and most cunning daughter Jiujiu.
Jiujiu’s smile was so bright it made the candles seem to dim.
Seeing Fang He’s shocked face, she flashed two rows of tiny white teeth.
“I always remembered the story Mother told me about children eating wedding sweets at their parents’ wedding. Turns out it really is sweeter than eating anyone else’s!”
Fang He: “…”
She’d never thought her own children would really get to eat her wedding sweets!
She looked at Kangxi, then at the Empress Dowager, hardly daring to believe it—the Empress Dowager had actually come along to play around too.
The Empress Dowager rose with a smile and said, “The children and I used the excuse of going to the temple to pray, so it’s almost time to return. Whatever you need to say, wait until you’re back at the palace tomorrow.”
With that, the Empress Dowager called Jiujiu over.
Jiujiu winked at Fang He, then bounded over to help her grandmother, leading her siblings out together.
Liang Jiugong and Li Dequan, who was supposed to be in the palace, also withdrew, leaving behind only the dazed Fang He and a smiling Kangxi.
He stood before her, tall but softened by the bright red wedding robe, appearing especially gentle.
He reached out and gently touched Fang He’s cheek, asking softly— “Are you happy, being married to me?”
Coincidentally, Fang He had just come to her senses, she grabbed his hand, raised her head, and, almost in unison with him, blurted out: “Hey, did you bribe Jiujiu and Sister Liang with my money?!”
Kangxi: “…..”
He should have known better than to expect this troublemaker to understand romance!