While Liang Jiugong was bowing in response, Fang He grabbed Kangxi by the arm and spoke calmly.
“Wait!”
Liang Jiugong looked up at his master, who remained silent with a cold expression.
It was clear that once the emperor had spoken, there was no taking it back.
Without waiting for Liang Jiugong to turn around, Fang He calmly addressed Kangxi, “Your Majesty, whatever the reason, considering I nearly lost my life for you, let’s talk first.”
“If after our conversation, you still wish to have someone drawn and quartered or sliced into a thousand pieces, I won’t say a word-ah!”
Before she could finish, Kangxi scooped her up in his arms.
Amid her soft exclamation, Kangxi, with a stern face, uttered two words and kicked open the door to the bedroom.
“Wait!”
Liang Jiugong shuddered in fear and glanced at the sky outside.
It was almost time for dinner… which meant it was nearly dark.
Judging by the emperor’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to favor Fang He.
According to protocol, palace attendants should be present to serve.
But it was clear that these two were not in the mood for any proper interaction.
He dared not call anyone in, lest they overhear something they shouldn’t…
Gritting his teeth, Liang Jiugong made a throat-slitting gesture to Li Dequan and Wei Zhu, signaling them to guard the door and keep others away.
He himself stood at the entrance, straining his ears to listen for any movement inside, ready to call for water or a physician if needed.
Wei Zhu, who had just seen his sister return, was both happy and worried.
He wished he could attend to Fang He at all times to ask how she had been these past days, but now he quickly stepped out.
This was not the right time for a reunion; he would have to wait.
As the three of them stood on high alert, Kangxi strode to the bed and tossed Fang He onto the bright yellow bedding.
Fang He, having experienced this before, rolled over and sat against the wall, her expression full of wariness as she looked at Kangxi.
“Don’t worry, I’m not so desperate—” Kangxi began, but faltered as he gazed at Fang He’s delicate, flower-like face.
This was the first time, while sober, that Fang He had revealed her entire face, and she seemed even more beautiful than he remembered.
Just the sight of her eyes, red with anger, made it difficult for him to sustain his own fury.
He tilted his head slightly, forcing himself not to soften, and allowed a hint of mockery to show on his face.
“You wanted to talk? Has your tongue been eaten by a dog?”
Fang He took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.
“I want to know what nonsense Cao Yin has been telling you. I’ve never done anything disgraceful.”
Kangxi didn’t want to be too harsh, but the resentment in his heart couldn’t be contained.
“You haven’t done anything disgraceful? You openly shared a husband with Lady Liang and flirted with the chef in front of so many people at the inn. Do you even remember you’re a woman?”
Fang He bit the inside of her lip, continuing to suppress her anger.
She didn’t want to argue; the important thing was to let Kangxi vent and resolve the issue.
She calmly explained, “Fan Su is Lady Liang’s husband. There’s nothing between us.”
“As for the chef, since I’ve escaped death, I wanted to marry and have children. I thought it was only natural to test whether he had feelings for me.”
“What else do you want to do?” Kangxi suddenly leaned forward, pulling Fang He closer and gripping her chin, his voice barely containing his anger.
“Despite my constant thoughts of you… you “
What kind of person do you take me for!
He didn’t want to sound like a resentful husband, but his anger only grew.
“Fang He, have you been spending too much time with women of ill repute that you’ve forgotten the proper conduct of a woman?”
Whether it was Kangxi’s oppressive demeanor or his humiliating words about Liang Niangzi, Fang He could no longer suppress her temper.
Perhaps a fight was exactly what they needed…
Suddenly, she kicked out her foot, aiming straight for Kangxi’s lower abdomen, causing him to dodge in shock.
He was so startled that he almost forgot his anger.
“Do you have a death wish…?”
“Your Majesty’s thoughts of me didn’t stop another little prince from being born in the palace, did it?” Fang He coldly interrupted him.
“Oh, and I forgot about the selection of concubines. The palace must be filled with fresh, blooming beauties by now. How exactly do you manage to think of me?”
“Were you thinking of me while you were with them? Well, I must thank you for your thoughts—it’s truly nauseating!”
Outside, Liang Jiugong shuddered, wishing he could cut off his own ears.
Even though he knew this little ancestor had a penchant for shocking remarks, he hadn’t expected that after more than a year outside the palace, she would become even more outrageous.
He quickly stepped out, instructing Li Dequan and Wei Zhu to keep people further away, fearing that someone might overhear.
In her previous life, Fang He rarely lost her temper because when she did, her words would strike at people’s most vulnerable spots.
Even someone as sharp-tongued as Geng Shuning had been left fuming and helpless.
Now, Kangxi’s face was a sight to behold-dark with a tinge of green, glaring at Fang He as if he wanted to devour her.
He wanted to explain that if he had remained chaste for Fang He, everyone she cared about in her “previous life” would have suffered unjustly, and the court would have fallen into chaos.
But his pride as an emperor wouldn’t allow him to explain.
He gritted his teeth, forcing the words out.
“You, a woman, dare to compare yourself to me?”
Fang He sneered, “Yes, I’m of lowly status. In your eyes, I’m just a servant, unworthy of comparison to Your Majesty. So why do you stoop to think of me?”
“Is the affection you claim just a last-minute regret for what you couldn’t have, or is it genuine love that you can’t let go of?”
The more Kangxi listened, the angrier and more incredulous he became.
“Is this how you see me? Was I not good enough to you before?”
No one in the imperial court had ever been like her breaking countless rules yet never truly punished…
Since they were arguing, Fang He had no intention of holding back her anger.
“Good to me? Poisoned wine, exposure to wind and rain, and not even allowing me to eat my fill-did you even see me as a human being? I was just a plaything to you!”
“I’ve been thinking, oh, I died, and your affection grew deeper by the day. Now that you see I’m alive, and I dared to marry, you probably wish I’d die again so you can continue your so-called undying love?”
Kangxi was so choked with anger that it surged straight to his head.
But as cutting as her words were, when it came to arguing… he was no match for Fang He.
“If I wanted your life, I wouldn’t need to see you. I could just have your head cut off and save myself a cup of wine!”
That one cup of wine meant to intimidate her, and that one time he restricted her meals she had held onto those grievances until now.
Yet all the good he had done for her, she seemed to have completely forgotten.
He was so furious that he suddenly calmed down, sensing something subtle, and once again closed in on Fang He.
“Are you forcing me to kill you?”
“Do you think your death will save the lives of those in the inn? Daring to abduct a palace concubine and flee the palace, and then failing to uphold womanly virtue—I’ll make sure they all die with you!”
Fang He thought to herself, I was trying to provoke you into scolding me, but unfortunately, this guy is just throwing a tantrum like a spoiled brat.
She felt his anger wasn’t quite enough, so she decided to provoke him further by kicking him.
Unfortunately, Kangxi’s reflexes were much faster than hers.
He caught her leg, dragged her forward, and pinned her down.
“No, making them die with you would be too merciful!” Kangxi grew angrier, his chest heaving, and all that rage was transferred to Fang He.
“Indulging your insolence, even allowing you to act so recklessly for the sake of a few runaway slaves-now you dare to speak so arrogantly! I should make them slaves for life, unable to live or die!”
Fang He struggled with all her might, but she couldn’t break free from Kangxi’s grip.
Her last shred of rationality vanished.
She hated being threatened!
She hated having her dreams shattered!
And she hated his arrogant assumption that his affection was some kind of privilege!
She headbutted Kangxi, making him grunt in pain.
While he clutched his nose, she scratched at him.
“Go ahead, kill me! Do you think I care? I’m already at the end of my rope. You’ve called me a scoundrel-why should I care if they live or die?”
Fang He continued to struggle, using every ounce of strength to push him away.
“Losing my head is just a small scar. I’ll repay them in the next life. If I get another chance, I’ll run for my life—it’s better than dying in your bed!”
Kangxi stiffened, allowing Fang He, her face flushed, to push him away and roll off the bed.
All his anger dissipated, but his expression turned so dark it was terrifying.
“Explain to me what do you mean by ‘dying in my bed’?”
He suddenly became calm, his voice even softening, but the murderous intent in his eyes made Fang He quickly regain her composure.
Oh no, I’ve gone too far.
Men in her past life couldn’t handle such humiliation, let alone this emperor.
With her rationality returning, Fang He touched her neck and, still furious… knelt back on the bed.
Her voice softened.
“Has anyone ever walked out on their own after serving you in bed? Don’t tell me you think your skills are that good?”
“Madam Li taught me how to please you, but I’ve never seen you put in any effort to make your concubines feel at ease. With your rough approach, how could anyone with a weak constitution endure it?”
Kangxi’s face alternated between green and black.
He closed his eyes and let out a soft scoff.
He felt like he was insane to tolerate such heartless insults from a scoundrel.
“Come ” Kangxi wanted to call Liang Jiugong in to drag Fang He away and make her disappear.
But Fang He thought Kangxi was so angry he would kill everyone in the inn.
She had indeed intended to provoke him, but she had planned to argue first, then soften up, and finally use her own suffering as leverage to negotiate.
Unfortunately, she had lost her temper.
Gritting her teeth, she rushed forward and threw herself into Kangxi’s arms, cutting him off.
“You killing them won’t be enough to vent your anger. Why don’t you just have me torn apart by five horses instead!”
Kangxi lowered his eyes, the irony in his heart fueling his anger once more.
“Are you really willing to threaten death for that cook?”
“I’m talking about Sister Naren and the others. They were only caught up in this disaster because of me!”
Fang He glared up at him.
“What does the cook have to do with this? I kissed him because his cooking was good. When my stomach is full, I don’t dream as often about a certain scoundrel. Anyway, if I’m going to marry someone, it’s better to marry someone who’s bound by a contract and obedient than to marry someone else!”
Kangxi no longer believed her sweet talk.
“Dreaming about the scoundrel who’d make you die in bed? Fang He, the only truthful thing you’ve said in front of me was just now.”
Fang He stared at him without blinking.
“If I’ve lied even half a word, may I die a horrible death, struck by—”
Kangxi, recalling what he had said in the Jingren Palace, couldn’t bear it any longer.
He tore Fang He away from him, pressed her over his knee, and with a loud smack, interrupted her nonsense.
“Your Majesty!” Fang He felt the sting on her bottom and, in disbelief, flailed like a little turtle trying to get up.
He hadn’t laid a hand on her earlier, so why was he going crazy now?
“Shut up!” Kangxi slapped her again, not holding back in the slightest.
He found that this kind of conversation, without facing each other, was far more satisfying.
“It seems you’ve been out for too long, and your heart has grown wild, forgetting all sense of propriety!”
Smack.
“If even a single word of what you just said gets out, none of you will survive!”
“I might as well beat you to death, so I won’t have to worry about you anymore and forget my duties as the emperor!”
Fang He bit her lip hard and didn’t make another sound.
If this was how he vented his anger… maybe she could rely on the pain to earn his pity.
After all, who told her to act so recklessly in front of the emperor?
Kangxi glanced down and saw the tears falling onto the bedding.
His heart suddenly felt as if it had been stung, and he couldn’t bring himself to hit her again.
They had argued, and he had punished her, but the torment and coldness in Kangxi’s heart didn’t lessen in the slightest.
He even began to suspect that Fang He was right-that he didn’t actually love her as much as he thought, and it was only because he couldn’t have her that she had become so important to him.
But he couldn’t accept it.
In this world, there was nothing he desired that he couldn’t obtain, and that should include a person’s heart!
She admitted she was a scoundrel, and as the emperor, he wasn’t a good person either.
Even if she was like tasteless food to him, he couldn’t let her go off and live freely.
Kangxi pushed Fang He aside in frustration.
“Since you’ve admitted that Xu Fang He is dead, you have no further connection to the Xu family.”
“After the southern tour, I’ll send you to the Zasihuli family in Shengjing. From now on, you’ll be their third daughter, widowed and living back at her maiden home.”
“Once you’ve learned the proper etiquette, you’ll enter the palace as a widow, which should fulfill your wish.”
Fang He had already stabbed him with her words, willing to take the beating to ensure he wouldn’t have any interest in her for a while.
But she wasn’t willing to become a widow so ambiguously.