He was so angry he wanted to spank her, but he was also worried about scaring the child in her womb, his chest feeling like it might burst.
His sharp jaw tightened repeatedly, but in the end, he only sighed and led her out.
“No matter whose child it is, I will treat it as my own and let it inherit the Xu family’s legacy.”
Fang He: “…”
Stealing someone else’s wife, and you think you’re being generous?
Her eyes darted around, and she obediently followed him out, one hand resting on her belly.
As soon as they stepped outside, Fang He was startled by the tense standoff.
Naren, Yunsheng, Lin Chen, and Gu Xian were all holding blades, facing off against the equally armed guards.
Even Qiao Xiaoyuan, wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife, stood in the crowd, looking around dazedly, trying to spot Fang He.
Fang He’s nose suddenly stung.
These were her family now.
So she couldn’t let them come to harm.
“What are you all doing? Put down your weapons!” Fang He stepped forward, shielding her belly as she stood in front of Kangxi, shouting loudly.
“You scared off my noble guest, ruining our chance to feast and enjoy ourselves. I won’t let this slide!”
The crowd: “Us???”
Naren and the others, seeing Fang He’s actions, resisted the urge to look at Qiao Xiaoyuan.
Instead, they all raised their heads, mouths agape, staring dumbfounded at Fang He’s… belly.
“So, when did she get pregnant? How come we didn’t know?!”
“Ah!”
Cao Yin and Liang Jiugong’s expressions turned even more complicated.
Was His Majesty planning to bring a pregnant woman back to the palace and become a father?
Never mind whether the child’s father would agree, their ancestors would skin them alive!
Seeing everyone frozen in place, Fang He furrowed her brows.
“What, my words don’t carry weight anymore? If you don’t behave, I’ll start making a scene!”
Naren carefully observed Fang He’s expression.
Seeing her calm and not on the verge of tears, she understood that Kangxi hadn’t mistreated her.
Slowly, she sheathed her knife.
The others followed suit, putting away their weapons.
Having struggled through hardships themselves, they knew better than to fight a losing battle.
Since there was no other choice, they wouldn’t make things difficult for Fang He.
They could only watch in silence as she was carried into a grand carriage and driven away.
Only Qiao Xiaoyuan, still holding a kitchen knife, had nowhere to put it.
He awkwardly handed it over, and Lin Chen placed it in the counter.
The inn was still surrounded by soldiers, using the excuse of hunting down the assassin who had attempted to harm the emperor.
The act had to be convincing.
Cao Yin stayed behind.
He had received a glance from his master and understood.
Given His Majesty’s controlling nature, he clearly wanted to know every detail of what had happened to Fang He in the inn.
Naren and the others weren’t surprised.
They had rehearsed their lines countless times during staff meetings.
Even when to stumble over words or when to tear up had been drilled into them under the threat of losing their bonuses.
Only Qiao Xiaoyuan returned to the kitchen, remaining silent and uneasy.
Lin Chen, worried about his mood, came over to comfort him, feeling a pang of sadness.
“Brother, cheer up. The boss never gave you a formal title because she feared this day. She made this choice to protect you…”
Qiao Xiaoyuan looked puzzled.
“I know. My sister and Naren both told me.”
“Anyway, I’ll still be at the inn. Whenever she wants… or can come back, she can eat my cooking. If she misses me, I can even go to the palace.”
Lin Chen glanced at Qiao Xiaoyuan’s lower body in horror, instinctively tightening his legs, utterly impressed.
“You’re willing to castrate yourself for the boss??? Damn, how deep is your love…”
“My master said that in the art of cooking, there’s no end. Only by facing challenges can you achieve breakthroughs!”
Qiao Xiaoyuan interrupted Lin Chen’s thoughts with a serious expression.
“Besides, the boss is pregnant. I owe her. Cooking for her and helping her safely deliver the child is a promise I made.”
After all, he had never planned to marry or have children, so castration didn’t make much difference to him.
Only one thing still had Qiao Xiaoyuan clutching his head, crouching in frustration by the stove.
“No one told me that kissing could get someone pregnant!”
Lin Chen: “…”
Brother, kissing doesn’t cause pregnancy.
You just got taken advantage of.
“How do I remember hearing that London isn’t that simple? Unfortunately, I spent all my time reading cookbooks and didn’t pay much attention.”
Lin Chen sighed, squatting beside Qiao Xiaoyuan, trying to dissuade him from his impulsive decision to castrate himself.
Once certain things are lost, they can never be put back.
“Listen carefully, little brother, there are many pleasures between men and women that you don’t know about…”
While the two were whispering, Fang He had already boarded the ship from the dock and was led into Kangxi’s cabin.
She stood by the window, gazing in the direction of the inn, absentmindedly touching her belly, her face filled with distress.
Kangxi found her actions particularly irritating and coldly asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“…Thinking about my wife,” Fang He replied naturally.
“She’s still pregnant. When she and my substitute return and find me gone, they can rightfully inherit her property. Even so, Sister Liang still scolds me for being heartless. It’s so frustrating.”
Kangxi: “…………..”
This scoundrel and her… wife are pregnant?
And there’s a substitute?
What kind of mess is this!
The throbbing pain in his temples slowly returned.
He really didn’t know what to say to Fang He, and he didn’t even want to see her worried expression.
He took a deep breath and got up, leaving on his own.
After returning to Jiangning, Fang He still followed Kangxi and naturally entered his residence.
Since this scoundrel thought she was pregnant, he couldn’t fire her.
What was there to fear!
If a royal physician came to check her pulse, she would use Qin Xinrong’s matter as an excuse, expressing distrust and delaying for a few days until Sister Liang sent her a safe message.
So as soon as she entered, she stroked her belly and sat down on the soft couch, smiling brightly at Liang Jiugong.
“Liang Ande, I’m thirsty, you understand, right?”
Liang Jiugong glanced at Kangxi, who was left behind, stifled a laugh, bowed, and hurried out to fetch tea.
Kangxi took another deep breath, suppressing his anger, and sat down beside Fang He, feeling uncomfortable looking at her androgynous appearance.
“Go clean yourself up first. I’ll talk to you slowly when I have time.”
Fang He wished he would never have time.
Hearing this, she pouted.
After getting up, she didn’t bow, only asked, “Where should I go to wash?”
“Chunlai,” Kangxi calmly ordered, “take your master to the bathroom to wash up.”
A familiar figure stepped out from the corner, respectfully squatting, “Yes.”
Fang He was much more affectionate towards Chunlai than towards Kangxi.
She immediately pulled Chunlai out to wash up, taking the opportunity to ask if there were any new gossip in the palace.
After washing up and changing into the brand-new agate-colored qipao that Liang Jiugong had sent along with warm water, Chunlai looked up and was stunned.
Without her disguise, Fang He’s skin was as fair as a freshly peeled egg, with only a slight redness near her ears, as if she had applied too much rouge, making her look particularly pitiful.
With her bangs combed up, Fang He’s forehead was full, and she had a widow’s peak, accentuating her clear, sparkling eyes like a mountain spring.
When she smiled and looked over, Chunlai felt half of her body go soft, and her voice unconsciously became much quieter.
“Master”
“Just call me Miss. My identity is unclear. If we really get into it, I’m a dead person. What kind of master am I?”
Fang He interrupted.
Her words carried Chunlai out the door.
She planned to ask Kangxi for permission to rest in the room arranged for her.
Every moment after meeting Kangxi, she had been racking her brains.
The jar couldn’t be shattered too much, nor could she appear too soft.
She had to repeatedly consider her lines for any loopholes, feeling more exhausted than after running a marathon.
Just then, Fang He encountered a graceful lady slowly approaching, supported by a palace maid.
She looked noble and somewhat familiar, but Fang He couldn’t quite place her.
Then she remembered this was the one she had interacted with the least, Consort De.
It was only after stepping out the door that she recalled having seen her a few times before.
Fang He hesitated for a moment, then simply stood and smiled at her.
She briefly wondered whether she should pay her respects to Consort De, but considering she hadn’t even bowed to Kangxi and had no particular fondness for kneeling, she decided against it.
Consort De was slightly surprised.
When had such a strikingly beautiful woman appeared in the imperial presence?
Was she sent by Cao Yin?
She instinctively glanced at Chunlai and asked, “And this is…?”
Chunlai curtsied and replied, “Your Highness, His Majesty has not given any instructions, so this servant dares not speak out of turn.”
Consort De’s handkerchief tightened slightly in her hand, but she offered Fang He a kind smile.
“Then I won’t pry further. I assume this young lady has just arrived in the imperial presence? If there’s anything you need, feel free to send someone to inform me.”
Fang He couldn’t help but chuckle.
Consort Hui was arrogant, Consort Rong was domineering, and Consort Yi was flamboyant.
It was said that Consort De was universally acknowledged as the most gentle and understanding, as soft as water…
Now it seemed her level of skill was indeed not low.
By offering kindness, she had clearly demonstrated her authority over Kangxi’s concubines.
In modern terms, she would undoubtedly be considered a high-level “green tea” manipulator.
Unfortunately, in this place, Consort De had no room to breathe, forced to play this role her entire life.
Perhaps that was why, after Kangxi’s death, she suddenly went mad and clashed with her eldest son, ultimately starving herself to death.
Thinking about having to deal with these concubines again, and even outmaneuvering them, Fang He, who had enjoyed over a year of freedom, felt an inexplicable sense of impatience rising in her heart.
She gave Consort De a perfunctory smile, said nothing, and turned to enter the room.
If she hadn’t been unsure of where she was supposed to stay, Fang He might have even considered running away, out of sight, out of mind.
But for some reason, Consort De didn’t have anyone announce her presence and quietly returned to her own courtyard.
Instead, it was Cao Yin, who had rushed back on horseback, who sent someone to request an audience.
Kangxi went to his study to meet Cao Yin.
Whatever Cao Yin had uncovered, by the time Fang He was growing increasingly impatient, Kangxi stormed into the room with a dark expression, his anger palpable.
“I’ve underestimated you!” he barked.
“Not only did you choose a husband for your so-called wife and yourself, but you also bought people back, flaunting your affection in public. Do you really think of yourself as a man?”
“Dog!”
A big question mark popped up in Fang He’s head.
Had the inn’s staff overacted?
She patiently explained, “Let’s be reasonable. As a fake phoenix, I can’t exactly stop the woman who’s been acting alongside me from marrying and having children, can I?”
“So the pregnancy is real, but it’s not yours,” Kangxi said sharply, his eyes piercing as he stared at Fang He.
“You’ve just been keeping a chef as your lover, planning to enjoy the benefits of both worlds, haven’t you?”
If Fang He had truly been pregnant, no matter how angry he was, he would have had to suppress his temper to avoid harming her body.
But not a single word from her mouth was truthful!
Cao Yin sent someone to intercept Lady Liang and her husband, who were returning from visiting friends in Suzhou.
The stand-in accidentally revealed the truth.
Upon learning that Fang He was not actually pregnant, he grabbed her and dragged her towards the bedroom, intending to settle the score with her properly.
“What are you going to do?” Fang He widened her eyes in terror, struggling to pull back.
If she went in under these circumstances, would she even be able to walk out?
Kangxi’s entire body radiated a murderous intent as he sneered and retorted, “What am I going to do? You’ve just reminded me.”
“Guards!” he roared.
Liang Jiugong quickly entered the room, only to hear Kangxi bark out a stern order, “Tell Cao Yin to capture the chef from Tianya Inn, have him torn apart by five horses, and feed him to “
Fang He’s struggles suddenly ceased, and her face turned cold.
The thread of reason in her mind snapped with an audible ‘snap’.
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