As soon as Kangxi entered the main hall of the Cining Palace, he heard the Empress Dowager, in a stern tone she hadn’t used in a long time, command-
“Kneel!”
He wasn’t entirely surprised.
A few days ago, Gu Wenxing had also been punished with a beating.
Although it wasn’t publicized, it couldn’t escape the notice of the secret guards.
Kangxi didn’t want to anger his grandmother, so he reluctantly knelt before Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
“I don’t know what this child has done wrong…”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang interrupted him, “You might as well ask yourself what you’ve done right since returning from the northern tour!”
“Do you still remember that you are the emperor of the Great Qing?”
Kangxi calmly replied, “I remember.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sneered, “It seems to me that your mind is completely occupied by a woman who is already dead. Do you still remember what you promised me before your wedding?”
Kangxi nodded, “Your grandson said that in this lifetime, I would never let women distract me from state affairs and ruin the foundation laid by our ancestors.”
The stern expression on Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang’s face didn’t soften, “Then tell me, what are you doing now?”
“I won’t even mention Consort Hui. For the sake of a child born out of wedlock, you’ve disrespected the Imperial Noble Consort and haven’t visited any of your concubines for months…”
“Are you planning to posthumously confer her as empress next? Have you considered whether the Zasihuli clan can bear such an honor?”
Suddenly, Kangxi’s mind was flooded with memories of the night he promised Fang He, ‘Your brother will take care of you,’ and the image of her holding his hand and calling him ‘brother.’
He tried to suppress these memories and explained in a deep voice, “Consort Hui and Consort Rong interfered with the affairs of the imperial guards, and Consort Jin used her father’s position in the Imperial Academy to attempt to sell official positions.”
“They violated my principles and brought this upon themselves.”
“The Tongjia clan wanted to register Yinzhen under her name, and my uncle was eager to see it happen, constantly testing the waters. He is currently responsible for negotiations with Korea and Russia alongside Suo’etu, and the Dzungars are watching closely.”
“I couldn’t embarrass my uncle, so I reminded the Tongjia clan to be mindful of their status as a warning to the entire clan.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly, but she still couldn’t fully believe Kangxi’s explanation.
Men have a natural talent for making excuses, and the emperor was no exception.
She coldly asked, “Don’t tell me that not visiting your concubines in the harem is also for the sake of the court!”
Kangxi’s mind was once again filled with the memory of that scoundrel wanting to drink with him.
Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes red, startling Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang so much that she wished she could dig up Fang He’s grave.
He had never cried since he was a child, even when injured, but for a woman…
“Grandmother, your grandson just feels ashamed. They have entrusted their entire lives’ honor and disgrace to me, but I…”
His voice was so hoarse he could hardly continue, which halted Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang’s anger.
She signaled Su Mo’er to help Kangxi up, her face full of confusion, “You are their heaven, and you have given them honor and dignity. What is there to be ashamed of?”
Kangxi wiped his face and sat down, looking somewhat dazed.
“Fang He took an arrow for me and forced me to flee with her life. I promised her I would return to save her, but when the rescue arrived, I…” Kangxi closed his eyes.
“I never intended to put myself in danger. If I had gone back the moment reinforcements arrived, perhaps she wouldn’t have died, and my mother wouldn’t have been so deeply grieved…”
“As the emperor, I have failed to keep my promise to her, and I feel ashamed before my imperial mother. As a man, I abandoned my savior and left alone. Seeing the concubines in the harem, who, like Fang He, placed their hopes in me, I… truly have no heart for it.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang scrutinized Kangxi as if she had never truly known her grandson before, feeling a mix of amusement and helplessness.
She could tell that Kangxi was speaking the truth at this moment.
She had always believed that the Emperor was more astute than the other men of the Aisin Gioro family, never expecting that he too could become so stubborn.
“I always knew that child had a clear mind,” Xiaozhuang sighed helplessly.
“If you had taken her with you into danger, and if anything had happened to you, she and everyone close to her would not have survived. She advised you to leave, ensuring your safety. You should be proud to have such a composed palace maid by your side.”
“If you had gone back then, what if… could you have faced our ancestors? Even if she had lived, I could not have allowed a woman who brings calamity to the nation to remain by your side.”
However, recalling how the Emperor had grieved for so long after the deaths of Heseri and Niohuru, Xiaozhuang realized that the problem did not lie with Fang He.
She spoke earnestly, “I have said before that an emperor is not fit to be swayed by emotions. Now, as your grandmother, I must tell you that to be a good emperor, you must learn to be ruthless. A heart too soft cannot achieve great things.”
“Go back and think carefully. It’s not that I am forcing you, but with the internal and external troubles of the Qing Dynasty still unresolved, not only do the concubines in the harem rely on you, but the people of the entire empire depend on you. There is no time for you to indulge in sentimentality.”
Kangxi, with a complex expression, stood up and said: “Your grandson has taken note. Your grandson… will become a good emperor.”
When he stepped out of the grand hall, Liang Jiugong had already been punished with the rod and was carried back to the Qianqing Palace by two eunuchs.
Li Dequan, suppressing his panic, waited nearby.
After returning to the Qianqing Palace, Kangxi personally visited Liang Jiugong’s room.
Liang Jiugong, startled, nearly fell off the bed.
“Oh my, this humble servant’s place is filthy. Why has Your Majesty come here?”
Kangxi, unfazed, sat on the stool Li Dequan had prepared, avoiding Liang Jiugong’s attempts to cover himself, and lifted his clothes to inspect the wounds.
The flesh was mangled and looked terrifying, but judging by Liang Jiugong’s demeanor, no bones or tendons had been injured.
Kangxi sighed, “You’ve suffered. I will have Imperial Physician Qin come to examine you. For now…”
Liang Jiugong suddenly scrambled up, interrupting Kangxi, and despite the pain that made him break out in a cold sweat, he knelt on the bed and kowtowed.
“Your Majesty, it is this humble servant’s fault for not serving you well. The Empress Dowager was right to punish me. I am not suffering at all! If you speak like this, it is like stabbing a knife into my heart. I would have no face to continue serving you!”
Kangxi tried to laugh, but the corners of his mouth only twitched, and he couldn’t manage a smile.
He simply nodded faintly and stood up by saying: “Very well, then remember this lesson and rest well.”
Liang Jiugong responded loudly, “This humble servant respectfully sees off Your Majesty!”
As Kangxi stepped into the Hongde Hall, his peripheral vision caught the screen still placed in the corner of the grand hall, and the mockery in his eyes deepened.
Look, even Liang Jiugong knew that the Empress Dowager had punished him and Gu Wenxing because they had failed in their duty to advise, merely indulging him and accompanying him in his recklessness.
He refused to admit that he couldn’t let go of that scoundrel, but everyone in the court knew that he had even lost control to the point of being unreasonable.
The emptiness and hidden pain that had been suppressed in his heart, accompanied by an indescribable discomfort, fermented by resentment, gave rise to an even more ineffable rage within him.
He must have been blinded by stupidity to be so melancholic over a woman who was unworthy, utterly shaming the dragon robe he wore!
What was there to be sad about?
That scoundrel never spoke a word of truth!
She claimed loyalty, yet when he told her to shut up, she dared to threaten him with death!
She said she would drink with him, sounding so sweet, yet in the woods, her words were full of vulgarity, showing no respect for him as the emperor!
He had granted her request, taking the lead himself, but she refused to hide properly.
She promised to stay with him for a lifetime, yet she broke her word.
Is this how she repays him?!
Kangxi suddenly grabbed the teacup from the imperial desk and hurled it at the screen.
The loud crash startled Wei Zhu and the palace servants, who knelt on the ground, not daring to move.
Suppressing his anger, he coldly ordered, “Have someone remove this eyesore! Chop it up for firewood!”
Wei Zhu’s throat tightened, but he didn’t dare say more.
He softly acknowledged the order and quickly called for people to carry it away.
However, unable to bear parting with something his sister had used, Wei Zhu slipped some silver to the eunuchs, instructing them to secretly take it to the outer storeroom for Qiao Cheng to keep.
When Wei Zhu returned to the emperor’s presence, the Crown Prince, who had already begun his studies, arrived.
Kangxi, as if nothing had happened, calmly reviewed memorials with the Crown Prince.
Kangxi knew all too well that as the emperor, there were times when he could let everyone know he was furious, putting on a show like a monkey for others to see.
But more often, even if he was so angry he could spit blood, he was no different from the palace servants and eunuchs who dared not cry out loud, still having to maintain a facade of peace.
Wei Zhu and Li Dequan exchanged a glance, both breathing a sigh of relief.
Earlier, when the emperor had raged at the screen, his gritted teeth had made it seem like he might kill someone at any moment.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince had arrived, and now the emperor was calmly discussing court matters with him, appearing particularly composed.
It seemed… it was over, right?
By evening, Gu Wenxing arrived with the palace maid Li Momo and a young maid, asking Li Dequan how the emperor’s mood was.
Li Dequan hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly, indicating it was manageable.
Although he had been scolded by the Empress Dowager in the Cining Palace, after the Crown Prince returned to the Yiqing Palace, the emperor had been calmly practicing calligraphy, showing no signs of a bad mood.
Gu Wenxing felt slightly relieved and entered with a tray, his steps not entirely steady.
“Your servant greets His Majesty. Your Majesty, it is time.”
Kangxi didn’t even look up, merely uttering a dismissive “Go.”
Gu Wenxing hesitated, “Your Majesty, if there is no one in the harem who can serve to your satisfaction, I have specially selected someone from the Imperial Household Department who is skilled in serving. Would you like to see her?”
Kangxi’s brush paused slightly, a drop of ink falling on the paper, ruining the copy of the “Sutra of Rebirth” he had painstakingly written.
He casually crumpled the paper into a ball and said indifferently, “Then let’s see.”
Gu Wenxing clapped his hands toward the outside.
Li Momo entered with a young maid, one squatting and the other kneeling to pay their respects.
Adviser Gu, noticing Kangxi’s half-lowered gaze, whispered to the palace maid, “Lift your head, let His Majesty have a good look.”
The young maid obediently raised her head, her newly trimmed bangs neatly covering her brows, making her slightly timid, round eyes appear even more delicate.
Her fair, lotus-like face, with its delicate nose and cherry lips, and her picturesque brows and eyes, looked so familiar that Kangxi was momentarily dazed, the paper ball in his hand falling to the ground.
But in the next instant, he grabbed an inkstone nearby and hurled it at Adviser Gu, roaring, “Adviser Gu, do you have a death wish?!”
The furious shout startled Adviser Gu and the other palace attendants, who all knelt down in shock.
Only Wei Zhu was a step slower, retreating a few paces and kneeling in a spot where the maid was out of sight, lowering his head to hide the anger that mirrored Kangxi’s.
This maid bore a striking resemblance to Fang He.
Wei Zhu, who had always been grateful for Adviser Gu’s promotion, now cursed him in his heart for the first time.
Adviser Gu was trying to transfer the Emperor’s affection for his sister onto this maid!
That affection was earned by his sister taking an arrow and leaving no remains.
How dare Adviser Gu!
Kangxi’s chest heaved violently.
He had spent the entire day trying to suppress his anger, but upon seeing the maid who so resembled Fang He, even with all his strength, he could no longer contain the overwhelming rage, directing it all at Adviser Gu.
“You must be tired of living! Do you think I can’t let go of a scoundrel who abandoned me?!”
Wei Zhu: “……”
Huh?
Wasn’t it you who was looking for her earlier?
Kangxi: “Open your dog eyes and look carefully! There are so many palace attendants here, all of whom serve me better and are more loyal. What is there to miss about her that you’ve lost your mind and brought a fake before me?!”
Though Adviser Gu was trembling inside, he felt more helpless than anything.
If it weren’t for the Emperor’s refusal to favor any concubines, why would he resort to such a desperate move?
If not for Fang He, could it be that the Emperor himself was too frightened?
Kangxi grew angrier as he spoke: “Are you afraid that others won’t know your master is sentimental and indecisive, so you can let the whole world laugh at him?”
“For the sake of the people’s peace and prosperity, I can endure some grievances, but for a treacherous scoundrel who only thought of escaping from my side, who are you mocking?!”
At this point, his heart suddenly stirred, and a more terrifying fury flashed in his eyes.
“That’s right, that scoundrel is most skilled at deceit and evasion. How could she have just died? She must have taken the chance to flee the palace!”
Everyone present was shocked, but only Wei Zhu’s eyes lit up with intense hope.
How could His Majesty have such a thought…
Could there be evidence?
Adviser Gu shuddered, desperately signaling to Lady Li to quickly take the maid away.
Li Dequan also hurriedly pulled Wei Zhu and led the other attendants out.
What was said next must not be spread.
Kangxi became more convinced as he spoke, “No, I can’t let that scoundrel deceive me like this…”
Adviser Gu pleaded softly, “Your Majesty…”
“Silence! Summon Zhao Chang and Alan Tai. I want every inch of the Mulan Hunting Grounds searched…”
“Your Majesty!” Adviser Gu crawled forward on his knees, “You…”
Kangxi kicked him on the shoulder, “Whoever dares to stop me, I will kill them!”
“Send someone to the imperial mausoleum immediately. I don’t believe that scoundrel is dead. Open the coffin and examine the body. If I find out she deceived me, I will make her “
“Your Majesty!!” Advisor Gu desperately crawled back, kowtowing with a heart ready to die, and shouted in a suppressed voice, “Fang He is dead! She’s dead!! It was Prince Gong himself who collected her remains!”
“Please calm down, a palace maid is not worth such a fuss! She was just a girl with no family left!”
If today’s words were to spread, letting people know that the Emperor was going mad over a palace maid, then the families of that maid, Qiao Cheng, Wei Zhu, and even Cui Wei, would all be doomed.
By then, His Majesty would truly become the laughingstock of the world.
Kangxi’s words of “better off dead” were swallowed back in his throat by the sight of the blood on Advisor Gu’s head.
He instinctively turned to look at where the screen used to be, his eyes suddenly filled with confusion.
Right, he was the Emperor of the Great Qing, how could he be so concerned over a palace maid.