On the way to Shoukang Palace, Fang He was still a bit confused.
The Empress Dowager!
Although she was the most low-key of the three major powers in the Forbidden City, she wouldn’t pay attention to a small palace maid from Qianqing Palace like her.
If it were for the Fifth Prince, she would have to express her gratitude for any reward given, no matter how trivial.
Or perhaps it was because she had been too noticeable during the southern tour, and they feared she might charm the Emperor?
That was even less likely!
The reason she had darkened her face powder was, first, to align with the reason she had given to Kangxi, and second, to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from thinking that the Emperor had a peculiar interest in her.
With her current appearance, and considering that she had been eating and sleeping poorly while traveling, still as thin as her original self, no one would suspect that Kangxi had any thoughts about her.
After all, while the Emperor might have peculiar interests, he wasn’t blind.
She wouldn’t sully herself for nothing; with twelve months left until she put down her pen, she could gradually adjust her complexion back to normal.
Those who saw her regularly wouldn’t pay much attention, but she wanted to minimize the chances of her betrothed seeing her.
No matter when they met, the difference would be significant, wouldn’t it be stunning?
No matter who she was betrothed to, if she wanted to live a good life, at least the harmonious and happy atmosphere had to be cultivated from before the marriage!
So… why did the Empress Dowager summon her?
Until she entered the main hall of Shoukang Palace with her head bowed and eyes lowered, Fang He still hadn’t figured out the answer to that question, but she first heard the excited laughter of the Fifth Prince, Yinqi.
“Is it Fang He, the maid? I can already teach her three hundred characters! Father must be very pleased with my performance, that’s why he called me to be her teacher!”
Fang He:
..”Little brother, you really have no idea at all.”
However, seeing Yifei and the Fifth Prince Yinqi sitting on the side, smiling and holding their bellies to thank the Empress Dowager for her reward, even though she was puzzled, Fang He had to believe that she was indeed called over for the Fifth Prince.
She followed the proper etiquette to greet the dignitaries, smiling as she glanced at the Fifth Prince.
“I heard from Vice Attendant Li that the Fifth Prince had a fever last night, and the Emperor is worried, asking the Fifth Prince to go to the study later. May I ask if the Fifth Prince is feeling better?”
Yifei’s eyes brightened.
Yinqi had indeed shown his face in front of the Emperor during the southern tour, but he couldn’t afford to lose the favor from the Empress Dowager.
The news of her pregnancy had already spread in Cining Palace, and to protect the baby in her belly, she couldn’t pay too much attention to Yinqi for now; she was relying on the Empress Dowager’s protection.
Now, not having to rush to the study was wonderful.
Without waiting for the Empress Dowager to respond, she repeatedly instructed the maid Cherry beside her, “Although the Imperial Physician said that the Fifth Prince is strong, he still can’t be exposed to the wind. Quickly take the Fifth Prince inside to rest more and prepare the medicinal soup.”
“Let him recover early so he can properly honor the Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace!”
Upon hearing that he didn’t have to go to the study, Yinqi grinned, but when he heard about the medicinal soup, his smile froze, and with a face that was both comical and pitiful, he looked at Fang He, being pulled away.
Wuwu, he had been good to this old student; why did she always repay kindness with malice!
Fang He: “…………” Well, she was just trying to help by using news from the Emperor to do a favor, telling the Fifth Prince not to act recklessly and embarrass the Emperor!
She knelt on the ground, glancing worriedly at the Empress Dowager and Yifei, wondering why they hadn’t let her get up yet.
She was just an old black girl in Cuiwei’s mouth; what was there to show her authority over?
Yifei noticed the Empress Dowager, who was lost in thought, resting her chin on her hand, and felt a bit strange.
Although she was more comfortable in Shoukang Palace than others, she couldn’t take the liberty to call someone up in such a disrespectful manner on behalf of the Empress Dowager.
But she had called Fang He over, not to offend anyone.
Yifei smiled and reminded the Empress Dowager in Mongolian, “Did Your Majesty suddenly remember something? Could it be that upon seeing Fang He, you feel she looks familiar, just like the Emperor?”
Earlier, Liang Jiugong had given Fang He an identity as a person from the past at the Wangjiang Tower in Jiangning, and those who should know already knew.
The information that Xu Jiashi could find had been quietly erased, and such a decisive and powerful method could only be attributed to the Emperor.
The previous dynasty and the harem were sometimes one and the same; Hui Fei and the others would definitely find ways to inquire about Fang He’s identity to see if there was anything they could exploit.
Yifei wouldn’t miss such an opportunity either; who better than the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager to understand the Emperor’s acquaintances?
The Empress Dowager, awakened from her reverie, lazily said, “I suddenly remembered a letter sent from the northern Mongols a few days ago. What looks familiar?”
Yifei didn’t dare to inquire too obviously, smiling as she pointed at Fang He, “Please let this girl get up first. The Emperor said she is a person from the past, and I’m just curious, that’s all.”
The two were conversing in Mongolian, which Fang He couldn’t understand.
She only heard them chattering and felt a bit helpless, secretly shifting her feet, kneeling on the ground and silently shouting—
Is the Chinese version of “Ingrid” okay?!
The Empress Dowager looked at Fang He with great interest, her eyes flickering, and suddenly laughed.
She smiled at the matron beside her, “She’s really quite dark, like a girl raised on our grasslands; it’s quite festive.”
Yifei: “………… That didn’t sound like a compliment at all; fortunately, Fang He couldn’t understand.
The Empress Dowager then pointed at Yifei and laughed, “This mischievous monkey said she would call someone over to thank her for taking care of Yinqi, so let’s reward her generously… fifty taels of silver.”
Yifei: “……” Wait, which good family’s master thanks someone with silver?
At least reward her with a pearl or a hairpin; it’s not that insulting.
From the moment Fang He entered until she was sent out by the matron beside the Empress Dowager, including her greetings, she had only said four sentences, and then she was handed a small box made of huanghuali wood and politely sent out of Shoukang Palace.
She was left in a fog, as if a rainstorm was about to break.
What on earth did they call her here for-oh!
While still confused, she casually opened the huanghuali box and saw five neatly arranged silver ingots with plum blossom patterns inside, and she immediately stopped being confused.
Who cares what the old man is up to today?
As long as this reward is substantial, who needs a bicycle, right?
The silver was just right, no need to hand it over to the stingy boss, haha!
Fang He was so stunned that she almost jumped for joy on her way back.
Meanwhile, inside Shoukang Palace, Yifei could see that the Empress Dowager seemed to lack energy, thinking it was because of Yinqi’s antics, so she didn’t dare to linger too long and soon had to excuse herself due to morning sickness, not managing to gather any information.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she left, the nearly fifty-year-old Empress Dowager jumped up like a young girl, pulling her matron along and laughing.
“Wuyun Zhu, did you see that?!
“That must be the bloodline of Ulin Zhu! I won’t mistake it; does she like the rewards she receives?”
Wuyun Zhu also nodded with a smile, “When she walked out, she looked so wronged, those eyes are just like Ulin Zhu’s, so endearing.”
“Changmao said that when the box was opened under the corridor, the girl revealed two rows of white teeth, and because she’s dark, it was all the more obvious.”
The Empress Dowager laughed heartily, delighted, “No wonder she’s Ulin Zhu’s bloodline; her temperament is just like Ulin Zhu’s.”
She spun around three times in place and suddenly dashed toward the inner chamber.
Wuyun Zhu understood and blocked her, “Your Highness, what are you going to do?”
The Empress Dowager spoke a string of Mongolian, “I want to tell my aunt! If it weren’t for Ulin Zhu standing in front of me, blocking Fulin from going mad several times, perhaps I would have ended up like Meng Guqing and been discarded…”
Stop!
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