Mocking Fang He would have been harmless, but now, the more she spoke, the more mistakes she might make.
As for Fang He trying to catch her in a slip-up?
A flicker of disdain flashed in Consort De’s eyes.
Did that childless woman, who only knew how to humiliate herself by flaunting imperial favor, really think she was worthy?
Kangxi knew that whenever Fang He spoke earnestly, she always had her arguments well-prepared in her mind, laid out clearly.
Hearing her reasonable words, Kangxi couldn’t openly show that he was swayed by her, lest the Noble Consort feel slighted.
He turned to the Empress Dowager instead.
“Imperial Mother, what do you think?”
The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.
“Let it be as Consort Zhao suggests.”
“The Noble Consort has been managing palace affairs for some time now. If we hastily replace her, it might only lead to more mishaps. It’s better to let her redeem herself.”
After Wuyunzhu translated, the Noble Consort clenched her teeth and forced out a grateful expression, nodding at Fang He.
“Sister Zhao, rest assured, I will get to the bottom of this!”
Li Dequan soon returned from outside, whispering into Kangxi’s ear that no anomalies had been found among the other concubines.
It was clear this had been specifically targeted at Fang He.
Having heard Consort De’s words earlier, Kangxi now also believed that someone in the rear palace must have mistakenly thought Fang He was pregnant, leading them to act out of jealousy.
He stood and announced, “All of you may leave.”
“Consort Zhao’s quarters are compromised. You shall accompany me back to Chunhui Hall for now. Once the Noble Consort and I have investigated this matter thoroughly, you may return to Yunya Pavilion.”
Apart from the Empress Dowager, the Noble Consort, Consort Yi, and Consort An, the expressions of the other concubines stiffened.
Even if Kangxi hadn’t granted Fang He’s request earlier, consulting the Empress Dowager had been nothing more than self-deception.
The Empress Dowager would never undermine Fang He’s standing.
Now, after only a few days back in Yunya Pavilion, she was being taken to Chunhui Hall again…
If this continued, would the others ever have a chance to serve the Emperor?
Forget about the mastermind behind this-even Consort Duan and the others now wished they could force a pot of safflower down Fang He’s throat to wipe that smug look off her face.
Fang He ignored the thick air of jealousy in the room.
Wasn’t being a favored consort all about attracting envy?
If she feared hatred, she shouldn’t have sought favor in the first place.
After the Empress Dowager left, she excused herself, saying she needed to oversee the packing of important belongings, and didn’t accompany Kangxi to Chunhui Hall immediately.
Once Kangxi’s procession departed, Fang He first instructed Cui Wei to find an inconspicuous palace maid to discreetly pass Zhou Quan’s information to the Noble Consort.
Cui Wei didn’t dare delay and immediately sought out Xinnan, who had a fellow villager working as a cleaner near Danning Residence, the perfect candidate.
Chunlai led Xinke and Xinhua in packing, while Fule and Xinzi checked the trunks.
Fang He, accompanied by Wei Zhu, retreated into her bedchamber.
“I know you have ways to send messages into the palace. Don’t spare any silver, send word to Uncle immediately and have him keep watch on several people outside the palace as quickly as possible!”
The palace intended to silence witnesses.
She didn’t know if those she had uncovered were all of Consort De’s operatives, so she dared not have Cui Wei monitor them too closely.
Consort De’s methods were ruthless, and she was the type to strike without warning.
What if Cui Wei inadvertently broke some fatal rule?
Fang He would never gamble with the lives of those around her.
But outside the palace was different.
There, rules were no concern.
Qiao Cheng, backed by the Imperial Household Department, had his own discreet ways-enough to uncover so many people beyond the palace walls.Â
He should be able to keep watch.
Training operatives wasn’t easy.
Consort De wouldn’t treat all her pawns as disposable.
There had to be accomplices outside the palace aiding her.
Fang He had protected the Noble Consort.
Given Consort De’s cautious nature, she would rather be on the side of excess than risk oversight.
Only after preparing for every contingency did Fang He press a hand to her pounding chest and retreat to the second floor terrace to steady herself.
Truthfully, even the most cunning schemers in her past life had never resorted to murder.
She had never witnessed such ruthless silencing before!
Hearing of deaths, knowing more would follow-her heart raced violently.
Yet she had no retreat.
Consort De had targeted her repeatedly, threatening either her life or her child’s.
Even if it clashed with her upbringing and morals, she had to be even more ruthless than her adversary.
“My lady, everything is ready. Shall I escort you to Chunhui Hall first?” Chunlai approached, noticing Fang He’s troubled expression, and spoke softly.
On the way, Fang He asked, “Have you ever killed someone?”
Chunlai nodded calmly.
“The first task for any maid entering palace service is to execute those who betray their masters.”
As for how desperately those traitors had pleaded, or how she had ended their lives in the most agonizing ways-Chunlai spared her lady such details to avoid frightening her.
But she faintly understood why her lady asked.
Gently, she added, “My lady, this world is one of kill or be killed. Even Buddhism has its wrathful deities. So long as your conscience is clear…”
Fang He gazed absently at the Jifang Pavilion separating them from Chunhui Hall before finally murmuring, “I know.”
She knew only by striking fear, by demonstrating lethal consequences, could she deter all who dared challenge her, ensuring safety for herself and her child.
She also knew the higher she climbed, the more power over life and death she would wield, and the fewer would dare cross her.
She simply needed time-to fully adapt to this world without losing herself to its brutality.
That night, Fang He startled awake repeatedly, disturbing even Kangxi’s sleep.
He had thought this little troublemaker knew no fear.
During the day, her quick tongue had defended the Noble Consort so fiercely.
Yet at night, she could only torment him.
By the small hours, after being roused yet again by Fang He’s restless whimpers, Kangxi’s last thread of restraint snapped.
Still unaware, Fang He wiped her brow and hesitantly suggested, “Perhaps I should sleep in the side chamber…”
Hugging in midsummer was unbearably hot.
Even with Chunhui Hall cooler than most places, and ice basins placed by the bedchamber entrance, the man radiated heat like a furnace— worse than a hotpot feast in summer.
So she kept having nightmares of wielding a blade to kill-it was probably because of this lord.
Might as well go to the side chamber…
“Mmm…” Before she could finish speaking, a dark shadow flipped over and enveloped her, sealing her lips with a gritted, breathless intensity.
“Since you can’t sleep, then don’t sleep at all!”
Kangxi yanked off her thin robe, gripping her slender waist and pressing her upward.
During the day, Fang He was fair and vibrant, like an immortal stepping out of a painting.
Even her affectations carried an air of innocent purity, making it impossible not to soften toward her again and again.
But the Fang He of the night, with candlelight casting hazy shadows through the bed curtains, revealed her alluring figure.
Though her lotus-like face was obscured, everywhere his palm traveled was soft and fragrant, as if she had transformed under the moonlight into a bewitching lotus spirit.
That innocent yet seductive whisper always made him want to be rougher, even rougher.
With no support for her back, Fang He could only cling tightly to the man before her, feeling the sway and flutter of the bed curtains, barely able to suppress the urge to scream.
Him-how could he bully her like this, even his hands bullying her pearls…!
The manuals didn’t have this kind of trick either!!
No matter how hard she pushed with both hands, she couldn’t break free from the restraint of a single arm.
Unable to move at all, she could only whimper as tears soaked the square pillow, even drenching their waists and stomachs.
Fang He bit him, her face burning.
If this went on, would she turn into… a tear-leaking mess before she even got old?!
Kangxi noticed her trembling sobs and swiftly flipped her over, sitting her against the pillow while continuing his own efforts and coaxing her.
“It’s not the first time anyway. No one would dare say anything. Be good-isn’t this just to help you sleep well?”
Fang He: “……”
Please, have some shame!
She whimpered and whined about returning to Yunya Pavilion.
“At least let me go serve the Dowager at Ruijing Pavilion for a while… Ah!”
A sudden surge of irritation rose in Kangxi’s chest-he’d held back too many times already!
For the sake of their child, she had been meticulous, even cautious in front of him.
When she came to Chunhui Hall earlier, her expression had been off.
He had probed repeatedly, but this little wretch refused to say a word, deflecting with jokes.
At night, her restless sleep told him she was hiding something.
Now, with the two of them closer than ever, she’d rather serve the Dowager, trust the Empress Dowager, than trust him!
Fang He suddenly stiffened as if struck by an arrow; some word must have ignited Kangxi’s fury—and hurriedly begged for mercy.
But Kangxi only pressed his thin lips together in silence, answering her with rough breaths.
And it wasn’t just his breathing that was rough…
Fang He didn’t even know how she fell asleep, only that she didn’t dream at all and woke up nearly at lunchtime.
When she sat up, she couldn’t help but hiss softly.
The marks on her body were nothing new-Kangxi had always been mindful of his strength, never deliberately cruel.
But before, he would always coax her gently, even teasingly, applying medicine to her other lips.
Today, though her body felt relatively clean, a certain place ached faintly with a lingering discomfort, as if something foreign remained, making it painful to walk.
That bastard went at it so fiercely later and didn’t even apply medicine for her afterward?
Leaning back in the bathtub, she angrily slapped the water’s surface.
This was outright domestic abuse!
Is this how a favored consort should be treated?
Her heart was burning with anger.
By the time lunch was served, Fang He puffed her cheeks and glared at him, determined to get an explanation.
Yet Kangxi, unusually, ignored her and simply ordered the meal to be served with an impassive expression.
When the eunuchs arrived with the dishes, Fang He froze in surprise.
The small low table she hadn’t seen in the emperor’s presence for so long had reappeared beside Kangxi’s dining table.
There was no small stool beside the low table, but rather a child-sized round backed chair placed there instead.
She raised a brow slightly, giving Kangxi a strange look-neither sitting down nor speaking.
Kangxi said coolly, “Haven’t you always wished for a little prince? You even spread rumors about it all over Changchun Garden before you were even pregnant.”
“Rather than letting others laugh at you, why not indulge yourself as a child in front of me first?”
Fang He: “……”
Then what were you doing with a “child” last night?!
If she still couldn’t tell Kangxi was angry, she’d be doing a disservice to all the bedsheets they’d tangled in these past months.
Right?
She didn’t argue with him.
Right now, she was hungry.
Whoever wanted to quarrel could go ahead-nothing mattered until after she’d eaten.
She lifted the hem of her qipao and decisively sat in the child’s chair.
Honestly, though it was meant for a child… she only sat a little lower than usual.
With a cushion, it fit snugly, almost like sitting on a sofa to eat.
She immediately instructed Chunlai to fetch a few soft cushions, making the chair as comfortable as possible, then lowered her head and started eating without the slightest intention of speaking to Kangxi.