Fang He scooped another spoonful and fed it to him, “Even if you don’t like it, eat some. Life is rarely all smooth sailing! If you keep frowning like this, Jiujiu and Er Bao will have to stay long-term in Ruijing Pavilion and forget what their father looks like.”
Because Kangxi’s mood was bad recently, those serving him at court were nervous.
Children were sensitive to adults’ emotions.
Whenever Jiujiu and Er Bao saw Kangxi’s dark face, they wanted to run away.
They no longer made a fuss or sought fatherly affection, instead retreating to Ruijing Pavilion.
If asked, they said it was to be filial to the Imperial Matron.
Seeing His Majesty forcing a smile to play with them twice was enough to give Jiujiu and Er Bao nightmares.
They simply didn’t want to trouble themselves.
Only Fang He never cared about his sour expression and lived life as usual.
Kangxi took another spoonful and tasted the faint bitterness of the lotus seed heart in the sweetness.
He looked up at Fang He and said softly, “I have reprimanded the Crown Prince, executed Ling Pu, and chosen the candidate you approved to replace him. Yet Imperial Noble Consort still cannot pacify the two children?”
Fang He slammed the ice bowl onto the chessboard, scattering the pieces.
“If you want to quarrel, just say it outright. No need to beat around the bush. I’m just itching to talk. Why don’t we discuss what use a father is?”
Kangxi: “….”
He thought she was being deliberately provocative.
He casually tossed the black chess piece into the box and lifted the ice bowl to feed Fang He.
“I don’t want to quarrel, it’s just…”
“You just want to be mean a little, don’t you?” Fang He puffed her cheeks, swallowing while mumbling.
She nodded knowingly.
“I get it. You’re doubting your parenting skills, don’t want to see others happy, so you want everyone to suffer with you… hmm~”
Kangxi stuffed a spoonful of crushed ice with jam into her mouth to silence her, laughing helplessly as he tapped her head.
“Why am I always so petty with you?”
Fang He rolled her eyes secretly, ‘You think differently? The Aisin Gioro family is full of sharp noses and petty hearts by tradition.’
They bantered back and forth, finishing the dessert.
Fang He leaned against Kangxi’s shoulder and asked, “Lately, I didn’t want to meddle in your or the Crown Prince’s matters, so I kept quiet. But His Majesty always looks troubled. That’s unlike your nature. How long do you intend to stay unhappy?”
Kangxi smiled and teased her, “I thought you didn’t care about my mood.”
“How could I not care!” Fang He pressed her face against his neck and whispered into his ear, “You know I’ve been active in the curtains these days!”
Kangxi: “……”
She only lasted less than an incense stick’s time before turning the tables.
But some things Kangxi had been holding in his heart a long time and wanted to talk about.
Fang He didn’t ask, recalling the situation when the Second Lady of Tongjia Clan was still alive.
He didn’t want to upset her, so he hadn’t mentioned it.
Now that it was brought up, Kangxi drew her close on the Arhat couch pillow and sighed softly.
“It’s not that I am unhappy, it’s just… afraid.”
“Afraid of what, Your Majesty?” Fang He asked, surprised.
She didn’t think the emperor shouldn’t be afraid, but this was Kangxi!
He wasn’t the type to just be afraid when trouble came; he would act.
Kangxi gently stroked her shoulder and said in a low voice, “I fear the Crown Prince will become more extreme. More than that… I fear choosing the wrong heir, becoming the Qing’s undoing.”
Fang He’s eyes flickered slightly.
She rarely understood what Kangxi meant.
His “wrong choice” wasn’t Yinreng, but that if Yinreng proved unfit, the alternative might be even worse.
Indeed, only matters of state could weigh so heavily on his heart.
Fang He had ways to solve this problem, or rather, historical methods left by Kangxi and his descendants, all well-worn by later dramas.
But the matter of deposing an heir, though Kangxi could speak of it, she dared not mention lightly.
No matter how good Kangxi was to her, she would never gamble her feelings against the fate of the empire.
She simply rolled over in front of him and gently smoothed the crease in his brow.
“As the saying goes, ‘the cart will find a way when it reaches the mountain.’ You have overcome so many hardships already. If the path ahead is unclear, why not leave it to time?”
She pressed her chin rhythmically against Kangxi’s chest.
“Also, allow this humble consort to be presumptuous and speak for Er Bao — wait until he grows up. When your sons line up, there will surely be a tall one to choose!”
Kangxi laughed.
He wasn’t as bothered by her mention of succession struggles as she thought; otherwise, he would have made it clear the first time.
He teasingly patted Fang He’s head and said, “They say sons take after their mothers. With your height… it’s hard for Er Bao to grow tall.”
Fang He fell silent, thinking of which brothers were tall and the heights of Consort Hui, Consort Rong, and Consort Yi.
She angrily smacked Kangxi once.
Damn, why take so many tall concubines!
Could she let her child lose at the starting line?
She sat up seriously and said, “If Er Bao takes after me, then Your Majesty can’t doubt your own eye for talent. You favored me for a reason — I’m the essence distilled!”
Kangxi: “…..”
‘Of course you’re always right.’
Still, Fang He’s words comforted him.
Rather than worrying endlessly, it was better to let time decide the road ahead.
He embraced the delicate and fragrant consort, nuzzling her ear, biting her earlobe softly.
“Imperial Noble Consort’s words are wise. I should thank you properly. Tonight, I’ll do the honors, no need to tire you.”
Fang He: “….”
That means she will be even more tired!
‘Ungrateful dog!’
Outside, Liang Jiugong heard the bickering inside and then the emperor’s low laughter, finally sighing in relief.
He understood why the Imperial Noble Consort had not spoken earlier.
She did not want to stir trouble, so she didn’t comfort His Majesty.
Now that the Crown Princess had acted— or at least spoken — they no longer needed to serve in fear.
When the court recovered, news arrived that the palace final selection was complete.
They awaited the return of the emperor, empress dowager, and Imperial Noble Consort to proceed.
The princes were grown: sixteen-year-old Yinxi and fifteen-year-old Yinzhen were both to choose wives.
Though the Crown Princess was preselected, the ritual needed to be observed, and with the selection reforms, Kangxi, the empress dowager, and the harem watched closely.
The return date was promptly set.
As for Eldest Prince Yinzhi, Kangxi heard from Fang He that his primary consort needed years of rest to preserve her health, so they planned to find a capable side consort for him.
On the journey back, Fang He objected immediately.
“Your Majesty should ask Eldest Prince’s opinion first.”
“Besides, Yinxi and Yinzhen are still in middle school. Isn’t this too soon for this round?”
Before Fang He could say more, Kangxi waved her off.
“He’s already twenty. Without heirs, it’s a laughingstock.”
Fang He glanced at Kangxi and raised an eyebrow.
“Does Your Majesty mean that daughters and princesses don’t count as heirs? Or are you thinking ahead to picking a few more from the harem if there’s no news?”
The heat suddenly turned on himself. Kangxi was helpless.
“That’s not what I mean. Eventually, Eldest Prince’s title must be inherited.”
He looked at Jiujiu and Er Bao playing inside the imperial carriage and pointed at Fang He.
“Watch your words in front of the children. Don’t be careless.”
Fang He was holding building blocks freshly made by the Zaoban Office.
Jiujiu and Er Bao were engrossed, building a palace for Jiujiu, paying no attention to the adults.
She tugged Kangxi’s ear, mumbling softly, “If there are no male heirs, why not have a daughter inherit? You just look down on women! The Eldest Prince and his primary consort are deeply devoted. You want to send someone over to be a lonely little maiden like the other concubines?”
Kangxi disliked Fang He’s tendency to challenge societal norms, especially when he sensed she genuinely wanted to disrupt the harem.
It gave him a headache.
He didn’t despise women, nor did he oppose her moving in the harem.
He just didn’t want her targeted by the censors and suffer a bad reputation.
Throughout history, emperors could control all ministers except the censors.
It wasn’t that censors couldn’t be struck down; emperors who did so left no good reputation.
Kangxi didn’t want to be remembered as a tyrant.
He raised an eyebrow and grabbed Fang He’s small hand mockingly.
“Are you trying to get me to favor them?”
Fang He smiled slyly, “Go ahead, it’ll stop me feeling guilty all the time.”
She sneered. “I’ll have the Imperial Household Department find some handsome little eunuchs to serve in my palace. No need to always please His Majesty. I can relax too. That’s the best of both worlds — woohoo!”
Kangxi bit her lip, and through a semi-transparent screen, Fang He didn’t want the children to see.
She pushed Kangxi’s chest hard, glaring at him, “You brought this up yourself. If you want to light a fire, I’ll light the lamp!”
Perhaps the more they understood each other, the more their usually gentle days lacked passion.
Occasionally stirring things up, Kangxi found himself interested — in settling scores.
He grabbed Fang He’s waist and pulled her close and asked, “You’ve been meaning to say this for a long time, haven’t you? Before, a few pretty eunuchs appeared in Consort Yi’s palace. Was that your doing? What else do you want? Are you still thinking of the son-in-law Qiao Cheng found for you? Or the chef from Jiangnan?”
“Oh, I forgot. Our Imperial Noble Consort cares about watching the hand dance. The beauties from Jiangnan sent before me all went to Yanxi Palace. You’re indiscriminate with flesh and vegetables, yet I can’t even mention it to please you?”
Who was really the magistrate here?
Fang He was energized.
When it came to quarrels, she could even make Kangxi cry.
“Compared to Your Majesty, I have far less skill. I only have one person lying in my curtains. Want me to count how many have lain in Your Majesty’s dragon bed? Say whatever you want. I only got to watch, but Your Majesty can’t and won’t. Meanwhile, you enjoy your beauties as you please. Who’s indiscriminate now?”
Kangxi coolly pointed out her misuse of words.
“By your reckoning, even I know of Xiao Yezi, General Ye, and Xuan Zhuangyuan in your curtains, not to mention Jiujiu and Er Bao — more than one. I haven’t seen those beauties, and whenever I visit Ruijing Pavilion, you scatter. Must be you who sees more. If Imperial Noble Consort thinks the concubines are idle and intolerant, why not have them learn to dance? That would be the best of both worlds.”
Fang He: “……”
‘True. Next time, don’t say that. It’s too heart-fluttering.’
But if she said this and no one was chosen, the concubines might kill her for real.
Their eyes met.
Fang He was about to speak when Kangxi swiftly covered her mouth and said, “Save those harsh words for the concubines. I don’t like to see them; I only like to see you. I’ll get a new dragon bed soon, so you won’t have to count anymore.”
Fang He was forced to pout.
They fell silent for a moment, then suddenly both burst into laughter.
Occasional quarrels were indeed more fun than constant clinging.
Just as Kangxi was about to say he’d ask Yinzhi, it wouldn’t hurt to ask around — there were people in his rear palace.
If Yinzhi himself wasn’t eager for heirs, Kangxi’s worry was pointless.
But before he spoke, he caught a glimpse from the side of the screen — two wide-eyed little balls of fluff eagerly watching them, hands over their mouths.
Kangxi: “…..”
Seeing their father had noticed, Jiujiu quickly released her hands and grinned, raising her pudgy little hand.
“Papa, Mama, Jiujiu wants to eat the fat one! Yan Yan won’t eat it, too small. Eat pigeon instead!”
Er Bao nodded vigorously, though he didn’t quite understand the adults’ words.
He did understand “eat.”
“Eat, yum! Want general, fight, fight!”
Fang He: “……”
Both fell silent, their minds in sync, pondering that the children needed to be enlightened — or rather, to suffer the discipline of kindergarten.