The Empress Dowager laughed harder, Kangxi’s face also showing amusement.
The consorts joined in laughter.
The ignored Crown Prince and Eldest Prince forced smiles to join the merriment for the Empress Dowager’s sake. Â
After the laughter died down, Kangxi said lightly, “Regarding the bet, the court forbids gambling, and I must set an example. The imperial examinations are a matter of state and cannot be trifled with.”
Consort Yi’s heart sank.
She, along with hopeful Concubine An, Consort Jing, and several younger consorts, had tears in their eyes.
It was clear their earlier hopes were mere fantasies. Â
Fang He and Concubine Jing were unhurried, knowing Kangxi was not done.
Sure enough, Kangxi continued, “However, the selection is no different from the women’s imperial exams. Since I have decreed this, reforms beneficial to the nation and people are necessary. When the palace examinations conclude, let the selected maiden champions compete with the examination champions at a palace banquet. This will also show the Noble Consort that not all men in the world are bad losers.” Â
Fang He deliberately curled her lips, reluctantly humming a protest, then turned to the Empress Dowager.
“Though I was childish to call it a ‘bet’, it was not a quarrel of pride. I simply do not want to see women suffer in this world. Even if they cannot take the imperial exams, the selection reform must not be done carelessly. Our ancestors were once angered over foot-binding. Now that Your Majesty is the role model for women everywhere, you must stand for women’s cause!” Â
The Empress Dowager nodded, smiling, “Good. When the Emperor finalizes the regulations, I will issue an imperial edict so this matter will not cause upheaval.”
She looked at Kangxi, “Do not blame your mother for meddling. A person must keep their word. Since you have promised, carry it out well and do not disappoint.”
Kangxi’s expression remained calm, “Rest assured, Mother. I will see to it personally. When I next visit the Imperial Mother’s mausoleum, I will be able to answer to her.”
The Empress Dowager’s eyes flickered, silently praying to the Everlasting Heaven.
If the Grand Empress Dowager knew Fang He was so favored and had changed the selection rules, she might rise from her coffin in anger.
***
Others paid no mind to the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s formal exchanges.
Noble Consort Wenxi, Consort Hui, and Consort Rong all lowered their gazes, their expressions unreadable, but the consorts who had been ordered to leave the palace showed visible joy.
If the selection rules were truly changed, then the women’s academy should open soon… sooner or later it would open.
Would they then be able to leave the palace?
This thought almost made some consorts drift back to their quarters from Ruijing Pavilion.
Though the days were growing colder, Changchun Garden soon regained its lively atmosphere.
The smell of grilled skewers and spicy crayfish wafted again over the garden.
After leaving the main hall of Ruijing Pavilion, Fang He had intended to play with Jiujiu and Er Bao for a while.
Once the selection regulations were set, she expected to be busy for a while and would inevitably neglect the children somewhat.
A good Empress Dowager had to experience childhood with her children.
While Kangxi was still speaking with the Empress Dowager, she hurried to the side hall only to find that, apart from Yinhui who was sleeping soundly after feeding, both Jiujiu and Uxiha were gone.
Xinke, left to watch Yinhui, said, “Yesterday the Ninth Princess and Seventh Princess planted some sweet potatoes in the garden. They said they want to use their harvest to make candied sweet potatoes as a birthday gift for the Emperor.”
Fang He fell silent.
Don’t bully her for having little land.
After the autumn harvest, besides fast-growing greens, could they even grow grain? Â
Even if the sweet potatoes hadn’t rotted, she couldn’t imagine how beautiful the vines would be sprouting suddenly in the garden.
Then she realized a more important question: “I recall Consort Rong said they were cultivating chrysanthemums in the garden recently?”
Usually they would return to the palace by late August.
But living in Changchun Garden was more comfortable than the palace.
With earthworms in the soil, it wasn’t cold. Â
This year, Kangxi had not mentioned Consort Rong, responsible for the palace’s plants and flowers, but the Imperial Household Department had already brought in many precious chrysanthemums for the garden.
Recently, Consort Rong had busied herself for days, her face darkened by the sun, preparing for the Chrysanthemum Viewing Banquet at the Chongyang Festival.
Xinke cleared her throat softly and said, “Seventh and Ninth Princess went to Leshan Hall to find Second Princess, asking her to tell Consort Rong that moving a small patch of land wouldn’t be a problem.”
Since it was to honor the Emperor, Second Princess did not object.
Consort Rong should know this as well. Â
But Fang He looked at Xinke suspiciously, “How small a patch?”
Xinke replied, “Yesterday I saw it—it’s right on the edge of the garden.”
The little mistress worried there wouldn’t be enough food, so she brought more helpers to plant today.
So… how much land was taken up, Xinke really couldn’t say. Â
Fang He turned and started to go out, intending to stop her daughter.
She feared Consort Rong’s long hard work would be in vain, and she dreaded Consort Rong wielding a knife in Jiayin Hall. Â
But after a few steps, she remembered how innocent Jiujiu looked when crying, and how Consort Rong might break down.
She stopped slowly, sternly telling Xinke, “The princess is honoring the Emperor. Though it saddens me, I cannot force her.”
Fang He pinched her forehead, silently scolding herself: letting her go was out of kindness!
“Remember, you say nothing of this to me today, and I know nothing!”
Xinke: “…I will remember.”
Fang He added, “Concubine Jing and I must carefully discuss the women’s academy regulations in advance. These days are critical; don’t bother me with trivial matters. If someone from Consort Rong’s palace comes, tell them I cannot stop the princess from honoring the Emperor. But if the princess errs, do not hesitate to report it to the Emperor.” Â
She had already gone to the heavens and owed debts she had not yet paid.
If the princess wanted to go to the heavens for someone, let them find a way to solve it.
She would pretend to know nothing. Â
Having said that, Fang He stepped into her ten-centimeter high flower-soled shoes, took Xinhua’s arm, and strode briskly toward the Yunyan Pavilion.
In truth, Second Princess Ning Chuge thought two little girls could not cultivate much land and probably treated it as a game, so she hadn’t told Consort Rong about it.
Consort Rong had barely noticed either.
Until the end of the month, when the Imperial Household Department mentioned some rare southern black chrysanthemums and asked Consort Rong to decide where to place them in the garden.
Consort Rong went to inspect the chrysanthemums at Taohua Di Garden.
Upon entering, she nearly stumbled in shock.
She had specially instructed that chrysanthemums be planted around the two sides of Taohuadian’s main hall, arranged according to the pattern of the characters ‘Yong Shou’ (Eternal Longevity).
Standing on the hall’s threshold, one could clearly see the characters, bringing joy to the Empress Dowager and Emperor.
The calligraphy for these characters had been written dozens of times by Third Prince Yinti before choosing the best.
The Imperial Household Department had carefully planted the chrysanthemums to match the characters over several days. Â
Now, it was all ruined!
The flowers, once crowded and thriving, had been moved to the corners, drooping as if dying.
The land where the chrysanthemums had been planted was full of pits.
Two children, one chubby and one thin, were squatting there, buttocks up, playing god-knows-what. Â
Consort Rong, regaining her composure, rushed forward.
She realized that the ‘Yong’ character was intact, but half of the ‘Shou’ character was missing—now it read ‘Yong Cun’ (Eternal Inch).
Consort Rong frowned darkly.
She muttered several Amida Buddha prayers to restrain her anger. Â
But seeing the two mud-covered brats, her vision darkened.
How dare they be so meddlesome!
Helpless with Fuer Guochun, Consort Rong looked at the thin Seventh Princess and lost her temper.
“Seventh Princess, do you know what you’re doing? There are plenty of places to play with mud. How did Consort Jing teach you rules?”
Uxiha instinctively stood before Jiujiu, softly saying, “We’re not playing with mud, we’re…”
“Enough! I don’t care what you’re playing!” Consort Rong pinched her temple, about to cry if she heard another word.
She didn’t want to argue with two children who didn’t understand right from wrong. Â
“Someone, go summon Consort Jing! Let her explain and properly discipline Seventh Princess!”
“Investigate who is responsible for managing this place and allowed the princess to misbehave. Send them all to the Office of Punishment and Investigation for punishment! If this delays my work, I want their heads!”
Uxiha’s face went pale.
She realized Consort Rong wanted to punish her mother. Â
Although her mother was not very affectionate, Uxiha knew she cared deeply but was ill and often taking medicine, fearing worsening her condition.
If Consort Rong made things difficult for her mother, her health would deteriorate further.
Though she wanted to explain, Uxiha’s eyes reddened as she choked on her words.
“Not like that…”
Jiujiu poked her head out from behind Uxiha, tugging her sleeve.
Seeing Uxiha’s tears and her own face so similar to Fang He’s, she immediately frowned. Â
She stepped before Uxiha and shouted, “Consort Rong, it was Fuer Guochun who played! It’s okay for princesses to play with flowers, isn’t it?”
Consort Rong gritted her teeth at Jiujiu, “Ninth Princess, there are plenty of places for you to play—Ruijing Pavilion, Jiayin Hall, Shoukang Palace, Yanxi Palace—but the garden is for all palace residents, not just princesses.” Â
“All these flowers in the garden were planted for the Chrysanthemum Viewing Banquet. I already reported to the Noble Consort. The two princesses did not inform me before destroying my arrangements. Am I not allowed to hold them accountable?”
Jiujiu was still young.
Consort Rong’s words about ‘Yong Cun’ confused her.
Speaking quickly and angrily, she didn’t understand and hadn’t told her second sister about the matter. Â
But she knew she and Uxiha had made a mistake and that Consort Rong was not afraid of her mother and intended to punish the children.
Uxiha panicked, fidgeting nervously.
Jiujiu puffed out her cheeks, eyes darting black and shiny. Â
Her mother said as long as she struck first and had sufficient justification, the blame wouldn’t be hers!
Jiujiu immediately ordered Xinnan, “Go fetch mother! Jiujiu is hurt! Consort Rong hurt me!”
Xinnan bowed and quickly left.
The young mistress had repeatedly ordered that no one interfere with the Ninth Princess outside; if she needed help, she would ask.
No one was to take charge of the Ninth Princess. Â
Though the princess seemed fine, the flowers had been uprooted by the Ninth and Seventh Princesses.
Consort Rong’s eyes were already red with anger.
It was unlikely this would end well, so they hurried to fetch Fang He to resolve the matter. Â
Consort Rong frowned as she looked at the dying chrysanthemums, wondering how to save them.
Though she had no mind for the children, she laughed bitterly at Jiujiu’s outrageous lie. Â
Truly, she was Fang He’s child—lying was second nature.
The princess was no ordinary young consort.
Though she had brothers and sisters and a noble consort title, even as a princess born to a consort, though her rank as Heshuo princess was more honorable than consorts, she was the one most exasperated. Â
Even with the Emperor present, she was unafraid.
If it weren’t for not wanting to provoke Noble Consort Zhaoyuan, the name of a Heshuo princess openly bullying a consort-ranked foster mother would be notorious.
And now the little brat had the nerve to say she was hurt?
Consort Rong wanted to see how Fang He planned to explain this!
Consort Rong sat sternly in the pavilion, afraid of being accused of bullying children, and had Baishao bring two plates of snacks for the girls.
As for drinks, Chunlai carried milk tea and didn’t want outside refreshments.
Consort Rong didn’t bother worrying about that. Â
Noble Consort Zhaoyuan naturally wouldn’t come.
Xinnan couldn’t find the mistress in Jiayin Hall and ran into Li Dequan on the way to Yunyan Guan. Â
When Li Dequan heard the Ninth Princess claimed Consort Rong had injured her, he was alarmed.
He quickly took Xinnan toward Chunhui Hall.
Kangxi, reviewing memorials with the Crown Prince, heard this and abandoned his papers to rush to the garden.
Yinreng followed quietly behind the imperial procession as they hastened to the garden.
When Kangxi arrived, Consort Rong was already avoiding Uxiha and Jiujiu, wiping away tears.
The chrysanthemums forming the ‘Yong Shou’ characters were rare jade-white jia chrysanthemums from Shandong.
The Manchus favored white, and such translucent white chrysanthemums were rare.
Now a third had died, and even if the Imperial Household Department hurried to Shandong for more, they wouldn’t arrive before the Chongyang Festival. Â
They had no choice but to uproot and replant, wasting her painstaking efforts.
It might also cost her face with the Empress Dowager and Emperor. Â
Already lacking favor, this was her only chance to regain dignity and strategize for her son through palace affairs—and now the children had messed it up.
She could neither beat them nor scold them.
One didn’t understand, the other was fragile and had no way to vent. Â
She saw Jiujiu sitting on the ground with a sulky face, and Uxiha with red swollen eyes.
Kangxi reached Taoyuan Pavilion and was greeted by Consort Rong, who was nearly choking on anger and on the verge of tears.
Where was the injury?
She was the most injured! Â
How disgraceful was she in the Emperor’s eyes to resort to handling two children like this?
Jiujiu shamelessly jumped up, clutching her chest, crying as she threw herself into Kangxi’s arms.
“Father, Jiujiu’s heart is hurt~~”
She cried loudly but spoke clearly.
“Jiujiu is filial, planting surprises. Wuwu, Consort Rong, don’t stop Jiujiu being filial, wuwu…”
“Jiujiu’s heart really hurts, it’s broken in eight pieces, wuwuwu… Father, make it right~”
Crown Prince and Consort Rong: “…”
At that moment, they seemed to see a mini version of the Noble Consort.
At only three years old, she was already shameless.
When she grew up… how would life in the palace continue? Â
Kangxi’s expression was subtle.
That last phrase… sounded familiar. Â
It was like when he played roughly with Fang He, and she had grabbed her backside and said that.
How did Jiujiu know that?
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