Coming out to catch the cold January wind was to prevent herself from revealing… too much, and to quickly think of a way to smooth things over.
When Fang He was invited back into the hall by Liang Jiugong with a subtle expression and resignedly knelt before Kangxi once more, the cold wind outside had indeed calmed her down significantly.
She bowed respectfully and thought of a way to cover her tracks.
“Your servant has not seen My Lord for too long. Day after day of longing caused your servant to lose her composure. Your servant is willing to accept any punishment!”
Kangxi stared at Fang He for a good while.
He rose slowly, approached her with the warm scent of wine, and lifted her up.
He gripped her chin with one hand, forcing her to look up.
As their eyes met, Kangxi’s deep Danfeng eyes revealed a cold sharpness that made one’s heart skip a beat.
He said syllable by syllable, “You are not Zashuhu Li!”
Fang He’s heart jumped, her pupils constricted slightly, and she instinctively let out an “Ah.”
“I… Your servant is not Zashuhu Li, then who could I be?”
Kangxi released her and clapped his hands.
Two Shadow Guards appeared from the corners behind Fang He and deftly seized her arms.
Kangxi looked down at Fang He and said indifferently, “Once you enter the Office Of Punishment and Investigation, you will eventually remember who you are.”
Seeing that she was about to be taken away, Fang He became frantic.
If she entered the Office Of Punishment and Investigation, it wasn’t a matter of death; it was a fate worse than death!
She hurriedly said, “Wait! Given the Emperor’s nature, from the day I arrived at the Imperial Mother’s—ahem, the Empress Dowager’s side, you must have already had Liang Jiugong investigate every detail of my life in the palace.”
“You probably even checked how many times a day I went to the latrine. I couldn’t possibly be anyone else!”
This time, it was Kangxi’s turn for his pupils to constrict imperceptibly.
In her haste, the meaning behind Fang He’s words made Kangxi even more alert, but also deeply shocked.
Did she just want to call the Empress Dowager “Imperial Mother”?
This Zashuhu Li had only provided night service once; how could she understand him so well?
Although Liang Jiugong was respectful before him, he held his head high before others.
How did Fang He, a mere Second-Class Female Attendant, dare to call the Great Steward of Qianqing by his name?
Kangxi thought for a moment, waved his hand to let the Shadow Guards release Fang He, and signaled Liang Jiugong to serve Fang He to a seat.
“We have seen Zashuhu Li. Although she looks decent, her eyes are full of fawning, and she cannot hide her thoughts. She is so stupid that We couldn’t be bothered to look at her twice.”
“Do you want to talk about which path of lonely ghost you are, or do you want to talk about who exactly that dog thing you mentioned on New Year’s Eve is?”
Fang He, sitting on the round stool still shaken, almost tumbled off of it.
So the “ghost” she bumped into that night was actually Kangxi??
The situation in the hall, from the moment she stepped in, had already deviated from her expectations by ten thousand miles.
Fang He felt that with her current emotional fluctuations and this man’s sharpness—identical to her dog thing—trying to get things back on track… would be harder than the Journey to the West.
She simply let her eyelids droop in resignation and asked listlessly, “And if the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed? What do you plan to do—”
Before she finished speaking, Liang Jiugong considerately walked to her side, bowed, and an exquisite, beautiful, yet familiar silver pot appeared before Fang He.
Oh, and a white porcelain wine cup with a cracked jade pattern.
Fang He: “…”
‘Damn, again and again and again?!’
Kangxi remained expressionless: “If you belong to the secrets of heaven, then return to the heavens. Our Great Qing has no need for those who pretend to be spirits and ghosts.”
Without waiting for Liang Jiugong to pour the wine, Fang He was suddenly amused.
She clutched her stomach and laughed until she could barely breathe.
‘Truly worthy of being the Kangxi of a parallel space-time. What kind of dog-like habit is this, loving to issue Dujin Wine warnings at every turn?’
She looked up, tilted her head, and looked at Kangxi, whose gaze remained sharp yet kept his hostility extremely well-controlled, making him look exceptionally calm.
Suddenly, she didn’t want to keep hiding.
When it came to being a dog, she really was no match for him.
What she loved wasn’t the status of Kangxi, nor was it the Sagely Ancestor Emperor who possessed the same face and character as her dog thing.
What she loved, from beginning to end, was only that one dog thing who met her in the twenty-third year of Kangxi.
“Fine, my origin is indeed unusual. Are you sure you want so many people to hear?” She pointed with a smile at the two Shadow Guards behind her, then glanced toward the beams of the Zhaoren Hall.
Kangxi raised an eyebrow and said calmly with certain confidence, “Just speak.”
Fang He smiled and said, “If I were the Emperor, I wouldn’t be so confident. Even if you’re afraid of what I might do, having Zhao Chang stand guard would be enough.”
The storm in Kangxi’s heart grew even greater.
With his shrewdness, he naturally understood what Fang He meant.
She even knew Zhao Chang’s identity… Kangxi immediately glanced at Liang Jiugong.
Liang Jiugong hurried out.
Not long after, the two Shadow Guards in the hall were taken to the Side Hall to be guarded.
Zhao Chang soon entered the hall, standing guard by Kangxi’s side with a face full of alertness.
Liang Jiugong didn’t dare to breathe loudly.
He stared at Fang He as if looking at a vengeful spirit, likewise standing guard next to Kangxi without leaving his side.
Fang He: “…”
If she were a ghost, it wouldn’t matter if Liang Jiugong sat in Kangxi’s lap!
She rolled her eyes and said, “I am the only lover of Aisinjueluo Xuan Ye from another space-time, and also the Mother of his five children.”
Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang: “…”
‘What does “only” mean???’
Fang He continued nonchalantly, “Oh, right. I’ve only been the Empress Dowager for a few years. I don’t need to explain further who ‘that dog thing’ refers to, do I?”
Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang: “!!!”
Good heavens, the two of them wished they could cut off their own ears.
Is this content they are allowed to hear?!!
While the two were screaming internally, Kangxi remained quite calm.
Although Fang He’s words were unbelievable, they weren’t entirely without logic.
He only asked the most crucial question calmly: “We… when did he die?”
Fang He quickly spat a few times and replied, “Who said he’s dead? He abdicated. We are taking good care of the Imperial Mother at the Changchun Garden.”
Kangxi imperceptibly hid his hand, which was almost crushing his thumb ring, and nodded calmly.
“Fine. When did he abdicate?”
Fang He replied with a smile, “In the fifty-first year of Kangxi. We lived in the Changchun Garden for over a year. We had a fight before bed over a small matter, and when I woke up, I was here.”
Kangxi: “…”
Even so, why did the other “him” sound so pathetic!
He thought for a moment and asked again, “Why did he abdicate?”
Fang He’s words were enough to shock someone to death as she asked back bluntly, “Do you want to ask if he abdicated to Yinreng, and how the other sons, all fighting like jealous roosters, would willingly let Yinreng succeed the throne?”
Two “thuds” overlapped as Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang both knelt.
It sounded like a heavy impact, painful to hear.
Fang He couldn’t help but suck in a breath, but Kangxi released his clenched hand, his expression becoming even calmer instead.
He no longer needed Fang He to answer this question.
If Yinreng had succeeded the throne, Fang He wouldn’t have instinctively called him by the Crown Prince’s name.
“So, the one who succeeded the throne was your son. What about Yinreng?”
Fang He wasn’t at all surprised by Kangxi’s sharpness, “His rebellion failed, so he was sent overseas to be an overseas hegemon. Anyway, before I came here, he was doing quite well abroad.”
Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang pressed their heads directly against the floor tiles, feeling their hearts beating so fast they were about to jump out of their throats.
But they believed it.
This ancestor might really be the ancestor the My Lord… the My Lord of another space-time held at the tip of his heart.
After all, even someone with the guts of a bear or leopard would never dare to say such things.
Kangxi had been carefully observing Fang He’s expression, not missing the slight disdain and annoyance at her current situation in her eyes.
He suddenly asked, “Do you think we cannot compare to him?”
Fang He nodded without hesitation, “Naturally. At least my dog—ahem, my man didn’t let the Imperial Palace become a world for the bondservants. The Imperial Household Department is so greedy they’ve almost become the masters of the masters. Even the Shadow Guards and the personal attendants have had spies planted in them until they’re like sieves.”
Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang were about to faint.
‘Mercy, ancestor!’
Before taking their lives, could she at least let them leave first!!
Kangxi gave a brief glance at the two who were almost lying flat on the tiles, yet he didn’t entirely believe what Fang He said.
As an Emperor, if he trusted others so easily, he wouldn’t have lived until now.
He asked, “Is there evidence?”
Fang He asked back, “If I give evidence, can you let me live until my man wakes me up?”
Kangxi rose, walked to her, still looking down, but his expression was no longer cold as before, only carrying a hint of playfulness.
“You think this is a dream of yours?”
Fang He stood up… well, standing up was impossible.
Zha San Niu’s height wasn’t much better than her own.
She only tilted her head up to smile at Kangxi and asked, “How do you know this isn’t a dream of mine?”
Kangxi said indifferently, “Dying in a dream doesn’t hurt; more likely, one would be startled awake. We can fulfill that for you.”
Fang He shook her head,”Forget it. You Aisinjueluo men and your schemes—you know it better than anyone. I’m already old, and I really don’t want to make my man jealous of himself in another space-time, or have him be furious at your ruthlessness yet be helpless. If he gets sick from anger, I’m the one who will be heartbroken.”
Kangxi was rendered speechless by Fang He, an irrepressible curiosity flashing in his eyes.
What kind of woman was this, that the other him would indulge her to be so audacious?
Perhaps because Fang He’s attitude of pushing her luck was too natural, the killing intent that had been growing since Kangxi discovered something was wrong with her began to fade involuntarily.
If the other him could tolerate this troublemaker, it must be because this troublemaker had value worth his indulgence.
In that case, he didn’t mind letting this woman see clearly who was truly superior.
But he still felt the other him was somewhat brainless and didn’t want to let Fang He succeed easily.
“By saying these words today, even if We burned you, it wouldn’t be excessive. The palace cannot tolerate spirits and monsters. Do you think We wouldn’t dare kill you because of your identity?”
Fang He pursed her lips.
She precisely didn’t think so, which was why she hadn’t wanted to come clean like this.
But since she had, she wasn’t afraid.
The charlatan role she failed to play in her previous life was something she had personally experienced for most of a lifetime now.
Combined with the TV shows she had watched two lifetimes ago, acting up in this life wasn’t impossible.
Who knows, if she turned everything upside down, she might find the opportunity to return?
She slowly stood up, took a step back, gave Kangxi a slight bow, and smiled exceptionally brightly.
“Of course there is nothing the Emperor dares not do, but everything must be measured by whether it is worth it, right?”
“Since I believe this is a dream, who says I only dreamed of what’s before me, and haven’t dreamed of the future belonging to the Emperor’s space-time?”
“Does the Emperor not want to know how long the Great Qing’s mandate will last, and who exactly is the sinner who destroys the country?”
Kangxi’s breath hitched.
Liang Jiugong and Zhao Chang also couldn’t help but look up in shock, all of them staring blankly at Fang He.