Liang Jiugong knew that his master’s indulgence towards Fang He was unusual, and it was not merely a matter of ambiguous affection; he found it quite puzzling.
To be honest, given their master’s temperament, if he truly favored a woman, it would be a stroke of luck, and he wouldn’t be so invested.
After pondering for several days, Liang Jiugong gradually came to understand that this was akin to how his master had summoned those from the Haha Zhu De Hall to practice the cloth library back in the day.
In fact, Fang He was not necessarily the best choice for reclaiming the Zhenglan Banner, but if she could make his master happy and engage in mutual exchanges rather than being one-sided, then she could only be the best choice.
Perhaps if others knew, they would laugh and say, isn’t this just the attitude of the cat and dog room towards their ancestors?
No matter how sweetly it was said, it was just a plaything.
But Liang Jiugong would say that in this world, those who wanted to serve the Emperor as servants would have to fight tooth and nail for the chance.
Even if she was just a plaything, if she caught the Emperor’s eye, even compared to his own children’s favor, regardless of whether she cherished it or not, as long as she hadn’t lost that favor, she was worth a glance from everyone in the imperial court.
Thus, Liang Jiugong set everything in order, having Chunlai discreetly and overtly finish all the tasks for Fang He, ensuring she was not burdened at all.
He also repeatedly pressed Li Dequan, to the point where Li Dequan nearly cried, promising that even if he had to chop off his head to serve as a stool for that ancestor, he would never dare to provoke her again.
Liang Jiugong also subtly reminded the other eunuchs and palace maids on duty, fearing that someone might harbor ill intentions and ruin his master’s hard-won enthusiasm.
In fact, everyone sent to the imperial court from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were sharp-witted individuals.
Regardless of whether they knew the reason Fang He was valued, since the Grand Steward of Qianqing Palace had already shown his stance, no one would dare to go against Fang He.
But… the most unexpected situation for Liang Jiugong occurred!
Until the dragon boat returned to the capital and passed through Qufu, three days had passed since Fang He had promised the Emperor, and on November 18th, no one in the imperial court had seen Fang He.
Kangxi personally led Suo’ertu and the other important ministers who had rushed over, along with the Crown Prince, dressed in court robes, to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows in the Great Hall of the Confucius Temple, personally writing the “Model Teacher for All Ages,” which the local governor would engrave and disseminate throughout the land.
He had already paid respects at the tomb of the Ming Taizu, and by honoring the Confucian and Daoist teachings most recognized by the literati, as the legitimate heir, it was not too surprising; it could even provide a reassurance to the literati of the Manchu Qing.
Even Suo’ertu, who looked down on the Han people, had to admit that the Emperor’s actions would not be in vain; it was likely that many good candidates would emerge in the upcoming imperial examinations.
Although he looked down on the Han people, Suo’ertu believed that preparations must be made, and he needed to secure more advisors for the Crown Prince, as he had noticed the Eldest Prince’s face darken before entering the Great Hall.
Taking advantage of the tour, he could see the Crown Prince more conveniently.
As soon as they left the Confucius Temple, just as the dragon boat was about to set sail, Suo’ertu slipped onto the Crown Prince’s boat.
Kangxi, no matter how much he valued the Crown Prince, would naturally learn of any news from the Crown Prince’s boat at the fastest speed, and neither Suo’ertu nor the Crown Prince thought otherwise.
However, Kangxi had always refrained from stopping the Crown Prince before he did anything; whether as an emperor or a father, he hoped that Yinreng could achieve something on his own.
No matter how much he loved Yinreng, there were two things he could not touch: imperial power and the imperial examinations, unless he, as the emperor, granted them.
He feared that he had given Yinreng too much in the past, and with Suo’ertu inciting him, it might cause the Crown Prince to forget his place…
And how to discipline the Crown Prince, his most beloved son, was indeed a delicate balance.
The more Kangxi thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
He glanced around the hall, not seeing the person he wanted to see, and coldly asked Liang Jiugong, “Is your skin itching again?”
Liang Jiugong hurriedly smiled and explained, “Oh, my master, I am wronged! A few days ago, you were focused on the important matters of the previous dynasty; how could we servants dare to trouble you with trivial matters? We must certainly behave ourselves, right?”
“Just now, Miss Fang He requested to see you. I hadn’t even had the chance to bring you a cup of tea to moisten your throat before you asked about her. It’s truly my fault, not that Miss Fang He didn’t come to serve.”
Kangxi was amused by Liang Jiugong’s antics and, with a playful expression, tossed the half-peeled walnut he had been holding into Liang Jiugong’s arms.
“How come you dare to accept money from the palace maids? Sweet words galore… Let her in!”
Liang Jiugong didn’t explain; he found an excuse for Fang He not for personal gain.
What good would it do to punish Fang He? The main thing was to show her to make his master happy.
He chuckled as he held the walnut and stepped outside, “Thank you for your reward, my master!”
Kangxi: “…………” The craftsman that Cao Yin had finally found carved an entire Jiangnan courtyard onto the walnut; it was quite rare.
There were only two pairs in total, and Liang Jiugong’s eyes were indeed sharp!
When Fang He entered, Kangxi half-lowered his cold Danfeng eyes, tossed aside his dragon robe, and leaned back on the soft couch, sizing up the silent kneeling girl.
Fang He knelt in silence, offering her respects without uttering a word.
This made Kangxi chuckle, half in anger and half in amusement.
“Your spirit of seeking death is more and more eye-opening for me. Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?”
Fang He softly replied that she didn’t dare, lifting her gaze to glance at Kangxi, then lowering her eyes like a wronged wife.
“I learned from Chunlai that you do not care for my loyalty, treating me like a cat or dog to toy with. It truly hurts my heart, making it hard for me to sleep at night; I can hardly eat my meals…”
Kangxi’s expression was flat: “Speak properly to me. If you can’t eat, how come your face is round again… Have you gotten darker?”
He was genuinely curious; originally, the powder Fang He used was already quite fair.
Kangxi had even been curious enough to have his secret guards approach Fang He to buy that powder recipe.
Upon learning that the powder could indeed nourish the skin, the secret guards altered the recipe, and Fang He took the opportunity to create several shades of different depths.
Kangxi remained silent and allowed the secret guards to facilitate it.
He was actually looking forward to seeing her true complexion later on, to see if she could resemble that old noble lady even a little.
But why was she even darker now?
What was going on?
Wasn’t it enough to have a bunch of ungrateful sons?
Now this girl was also rebelling against him?
Moreover, this little dark girl dared to mimic others with a resentful tone, speaking in a sour manner.
He truly did not want to strain his eyes and ears, and his gaze gradually became more serious.
Fang He secretly pouted and honestly replied, “I accompanied the southern tour, and upon returning to the palace, I couldn’t let others think I was slacking off every day. To serve my master diligently, I must endure the wind and sun, and I will definitely get darker; I am just being realistic.” Kangxi: “…………” It actually sounded quite reasonable?
“As for my round face…” Fang He looked particularly innocent, glancing at Liang Jiugong with a hint of sorrow.
“I didn’t handle my tasks well, which made me anxious and unable to eat. Liang An Da was worried sick, feeding me five snacks a day plus a late- night snack; even a pig would get fat…”
Of course, Liang Jiugong did urge her to hurry to the imperial court, and she had perfunctorily returned the favor, but the late-night snacks from the imperial kitchen were indeed delicious!
Kangxi chuckled ambiguously, his emerald ring on his thumb tapping lightly on the low table, and the cabin fell silent for a moment.
Liang Jiugong’s heart couldn’t help but tighten for Fang He’s boldness; his master seemed somewhat angry at this girl’s impudence.
Being late was one thing; it was merely playful teasing.Â
If she could amaze his master even more, it would clearly be a win-win situation.
But this girl seemed truly clueless; even at this point, she still had her long… yet darkened neck lowered, not even lifting her head, claiming she hadn’t handled her tasks well.
No, what good was her obedience at this moment?
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