Chapter 036

Chapter 036

"You're here," Kangxi said, looking at her with a slight curl of his lips, casually twisting the jade ring on his thumb.

"Yes, I'm here."

Su Yi stood there, smiling shyly at him, her fair face flushed with a rosy hue, making her complexion appear radiant and healthy. Her lips, devoid of any lipstick, retained their natural color, though the maid had applied some balm to make them look moist and tender, tempting a kiss.

When she entered, her cloak had already been taken off, so she was dressed quite lightly now.

The pale pink gauze dress highlighted her fair, delicate skin, while the red inner garment and soft satin wide-leg pants emphasized her slender waist, so slim it seemed you could wrap your hand around it. Her bare feet sank into the plush carpet, revealing only the snowy white tops of her feet.

The thick carpet on the floor felt very comfortable under Su Yi's bare feet, and she thought how nice it would be if the Yonghe Palace had carpets like this. Those platform shoes were such a pain.

Kangxi held out his hand to her, signaling her to come closer. Su Yi walked over without hesitation and gently placed her hand in his. Almost instantly, Kangxi pulled her forcefully.

He expected the delicate beauty to fall into his arms, but the moment seemed to freeze.

Kangxi pulled harder, trying to draw her into his embrace, but the fragile beauty stood there, unmoving, not even swaying, much less falling into his arms.

Kangxi looked at Consort Rong, who shyly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.

'What's going on? Is this all the strength you have?'

Kangxi, determined, pulled even harder. This time, she did fall towards him, but the impact was so strong it felt like a cannonball hitting him, making Kangxi grunt involuntarily.

Su Yi fell into his arms, her face flushed with embarrassment, not daring to look up, just shrinking into his embrace, appearing very delicate. Inwardly, she was laughing, 'Hahahahaha.'

Kangxi's breathing grew heavier; the blush on her face was likely from stifling laughter. She was really something.

He reached out and gently lifted her chin, meeting her captivating peach-blossom eyes. She had a pair of affectionate eyes that, even when unintentional, seemed to convey deep emotions, as if her eyes were only for him.

What a pair of deceiving eyes.

Kangxi suddenly pressed her down onto the bed. Su Yi's jet-black hair spread out on the bright yellow bed, and the distance between them narrowed. Both were wearing only thin nightclothes, their skin almost touching, close enough to feel each other's breath mingling.

At this moment, Kangxi could not hear Consort Rong's thoughts, leaving him unable to discern her feelings.

She slightly lowered her eyes, her thick lashes casting faint shadows under her eyelids.

Seemingly surprised by Kangxi's sudden move, her petal-like lips parted slightly, tempting one to kiss them.

Kangxi's gaze became more intense, slowly moving down from Consort Rong's eyes to her fair and slender neck, about to kiss it.

Suddenly, his gaze froze. On her previously flawless neck, there were faint red marks, like red plum blossoms on snow, very noticeable.

They hadn't been there before. Just as Kangxi was puzzled, the previously silent thoughts resurfaced.

'Ouch, why does it itch?'

Consort Rong couldn't help but scratch her neck, making the redness more pronounced, with nail marks left behind.

However, Consort Rong didn't stop after scratching once; instead, she scratched again, leaving more marks on her fair skin, making them even more noticeable.

"Please don't press on me, I feel like I'm having some difficulty breathing..."

Su Yi spoke up at this moment, her breathing slightly uneven, her exhales becoming more rapid.

Kangxi was startled by the sudden incident and quickly sat up next to Consort Rong, asking, "Consort Rong, what's wrong with you?" He grabbed her hand, which was about to scratch her neck once more, as she had already left some bloody marks on her neck from scratching.

Su Yi's face gradually showed discomfort, and she began to breathe with difficulty, clutching her chest with her other hand.

At this moment, small red marks also appeared on her hand. She tightly gripped the fabric over her chest, her breathing becoming more labored, and the veins on her neck bulged.

"I don't know... my breathing... suddenly became... very hard..."

Su Yi's voice was weak and broken. She couldn't help but open her mouth to breathe, tears streaming down her face from the discomfort. Her eyes were filled with confusion and panic over the sudden situation, showing a vulnerability more pronounced than usual, like a rain-soaked flower.

"Liang Jiugong, quickly summon the imperial physician! Summon the imperial physician!"

Seeing the situation worsen, Kangxi immediately called out for Liang Jiugong, who was waiting outside.

"Hurry!"

Liang Jiugong, who had been waiting outside calmly, was suddenly startled by the Emperor's urgent call. Worried that something had happened to the Emperor, he quickly instructed someone to fetch the imperial physician and rushed inside to see what was happening.

Upon entering, he saw that Consort Rong's condition appeared very serious, as if she was gasping for breath.

"Your Majesty, what happened? Why has Consort Rong suddenly become like this?"

"If I knew, would I need to summon the imperial physician?!" Kangxi replied impatiently, his tone urgent.

Due to her difficulty breathing, Consort Rong, who had been lying flat, began to struggle like a fish out of water, trying to turn over for a more comfortable position.

But she was too weak to muster any strength. In just a short time, Consort Rong was soaked in cold sweat, her lips pale and tinged with purple. Small red marks also appeared on her exposed skin.

"Liang Jiugong, send a fast-footed guard to bring the imperial physician here quickly. Consort Rong's condition cannot be delayed. We need someone to bring the physician here as soon as possible."

Liang Jiugong hesitated, "But Your Majesty, you cannot be left without attendants."

"Go! Why are you still dawdling here?!" Kangxi replied coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Clearly, the Emperor was also angry, and Liang Jiugong dared not delay any further. He hurried off to find a guard, also calling for some people to come and attend to the Emperor in the meantime, so that His Majesty wouldn't be left alone.

By now, Su Yi's cold sweat had soaked the strands of hair on her forehead and cheeks. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, her eyes blurred and unfocused, her vulnerability reaching its peak.

Even Kangxi, who was often frustrated by her usual antics, couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh at this moment.

Kangxi glanced around, picked up a prepared handkerchief, and began to gently wipe her tears, whispering soothingly, "Don't be afraid, the imperial physician will be here soon. Once the physician arrives, everything will be fine."

But his words offered little comfort, as she was still in immense pain.

"Come here." Seeing that lying flat made it difficult for her to breathe, and that her hands kept trying to scratch her skin, Kangxi lifted her into his arms, holding her close so that she could lean against him. This position allowed her to breathe more easily.

By now, Su Yi's struggles had caused her gauzy robe to come undone, revealing the undergarment beneath and large patches of her skin. But in her current state of discomfort, any sense of intimacy was far from her mind.

The imperial physician was practically carried by the guards all the way to the Qianqing Palace, his feet barely touching the ground. Being of advanced age, he couldn't walk fast, so the guards had to carry him to speed things up.

The imperial physician wore a numb expression, consoling himself inwardly that at least he didn't have to run himself ragged. Well, this would have to do.

He had initially thought that the urgent summons meant that the Emperor was unwell again, but upon arrival, he realized it was a familiar face—Consort Rong, whom he had just seen the day before.

However, Consort Rong's condition was clearly serious. There were small red marks on her neck, and she was breathing heavily and rapidly, drenched in cold sweat. The situation looked dire, so he quickly stepped forward, about to bow.

But Kangxi interrupted, "No need for formalities. Just see what's wrong with Consort Rong."

The imperial physician hurried over. By now, Consort Rong had been changed into a plain white sleeping robe and was lying there with her eyes closed, unconscious.

Her exposed neck and hands were dotted with small red marks. The imperial physician had already surmised the likely cause. Consort Rong must have encountered something that triggered these symptoms.

After taking her pulse, the imperial physician began to retrieve golden needles from his medicine box. "This old servant will now perform acupuncture on Consort Rong. We need a maid to hold her still to prevent any movement during the procedure."

If she moved and the needles were misplaced, it could lead to serious complications.

A nearby maid was about to assist the imperial physician when she saw Kangxi himself step in to hold Consort Rong, suppressing her struggles. The maid was momentarily stunned but quickly stepped back.

In fact, Consort Rong was quite strong. Kangxi thought an ordinary maid might not be able to hold her down, so he took it upon himself to do so.

As the imperial physician inserted each needle, Consort Rong started to squirm in pain. Kangxi held her down, saying, "Don't move." But it was no use; she wouldn't listen. Kangxi kept trying to calm her.

Fortunately, as the acupuncture proceeded, Consort Rong's condition began to improve. Her breathing became less strained, gradually calming down.

After the needles were removed, Consort Rong's condition had noticeably improved. Kangxi, looking stern, covered her with a blanket and turned to the imperial physician, his brow slightly furrowed. Though he spoke softly, his tone was firm. "What happened to Consort Rong?"

"Your Majesty, it seems Her Ladyship encountered something that triggered this reaction. Just as some people are allergic to certain flowers or foods, we should find out what Her Ladyship came into contact with today to determine the cause," the imperial physician replied, bowing.

The prompt intervention had saved her life, and the red marks on her body would fade over time. If no scars remained, it would be fine, but scars would be unfortunate for a palace concubine.

The imperial physician thought that Consort Rong was truly unlucky. She had just recovered from her illness and was about to serve the Emperor when this situation arose at such a critical moment.

Although the red marks only reached her neck and her face was clear, the patches on her body were enough to alarm the Emperor.

This incident was likely to leave a negative impression on the Emperor.

However, during the emergency, there had been no time for such thoughts. Now that the situation had stabilized, the imperial physician recalled how the Emperor had stayed by Consort Rong's side the entire time, seemingly deeply concerned for her.

"Liang Jiugong, summon all the maids who had contact with Consort Rong today, especially her personal maid. Find out exactly what caused this," Kangxi ordered calmly.

Soon, with the imperial physician listening in, they quickly identified the cause of Consort Rong's reaction: the flower petals prepared for her bath. Among them, the acacia flowers were the culprit.

Yun Hua had mentioned that when Consort Rong was in Yonghe Palace, she rarely used flower petals for her baths, usually opting for roses, jasmine, or gardenias.

The petals prepared for Consort Rong in Qianqing Palace were almost identical.

Since she could bathe with flower petals, the petals themselves were likely not the issue. They then began to investigate the incense and the fabric of her clothes. Suddenly, Kangxi spoke up, "Acacia flowers. Consort Rong cannot eat pastries made with acacia flowers."

The imperial physician was momentarily puzzled as to how the Emperor knew that Consort Rong couldn't eat acacia flower pastries, but he quickly realized and immediately checked the flower petals prepared for her bath.

Indeed, there were traces of acacia flowers mixed in. Since there were also jasmine petals, which looked somewhat similar, along with other petals, the acacia flowers were not easily noticeable unless one looked closely.

"There are indeed acacia flowers," the imperial physician confirmed.

If she couldn't eat pastries made with acacia flowers, naturally, she couldn't come into contact with acacia flowers either. Even if the petals had been washed beforehand, any remaining pollen could still cause discomfort for someone with a sensitive constitution. The reaction might be slow to manifest, but once it did, it could lead to not only red marks on the skin but also difficulty breathing.

If the reaction had been delayed further, it could have been fatal.

But how did the Emperor know?

Even Consort Rong's personal maid didn't know that she couldn't touch acacia flowers.

The matron who had prepared the bath immediately collapsed in fear. She had prepared everything as usual, never imagining that Consort Rong couldn't tolerate acacia flowers.

Kangxi knew because he had ordered an investigation into Consort Rong before she entered the palace.

It was mentioned earlier that when Consort Rong was very young, she once got sick from eating locust flower pastries, and since then, she had never eaten them again. The servants also made sure to keep Consort Rong away from them.

At first, Emperor Kangxi didn't pay much attention to this, but he only remembered it just now.

Whether it was a coincidence or someone had meddled, Emperor Kangxi didn't quite believe in coincidences.

The Qianqing Palace was in chaos that night, and by the time everything settled, it was already late.

Consort Rong still hadn't woken up, but in her current state, it was neither appropriate to keep her in the Qianqing Palace nor to move her back to the Yonghe Palace.

Liang Jiugong carefully inquired, "Your Majesty, should we arrange a sedan chair to send Consort Rong back to the Yonghe Palace?" This way, she'd be shielded from the wind, and if told to go slow, it'd be fine.

After such a tumultuous night, Emperor Kangxi was somewhat tired. "No need, let it be," he said, then lay down directly beside Consort Rong.

There were just some red marks, not contagious, and sending her back would be too troublesome.

Seeing that Emperor Kangxi had already lain down, he looked somewhat tired, and closed his eyes to sleep, Liang Jiugong didn't dare disturb him further.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liang Jiugong responded, then quietly left.

As he passed through the beaded curtain into the outer room, Liang Jiugong couldn't resist a glance back, his eyes widening in surprise, then quickly looked away as if he hadn't seen anything, and retreated to stand guard in the outer room.

Consort Rong's sudden illness that night had thrown the Qianqing Palace into chaos.

Consort Rong's body was covered in red marks, enough to scare anyone. Among the harem concubines, even if they didn't realize it at the time, they would surely regret appearing so unseemly before the Emperor, fearing they'd lose favor and never be called upon again, as the memory of their illness would linger, leading to the loss of the Emperor's favor.

But Consort Rong didn't seem to worry about this.

Just before leaving, Liang Jiugong had quickly glanced and saw that the Emperor, lying down with his eyes closed, had reached out and pulled Consort Rong and the blanket into his arms.

In the quiet night, Su Yi, unconscious in Emperor Kangxi's arms, now had skin that seemed to glow faintly.

The red marks that had appeared on Su Yi's body gradually faded, but only for a moment, before they returned to their original state, and the faint glow on her skin disappeared, as if it had been an illusion.

Throughout, she never opened her eyes, but her lips seemed to curve slightly upwards at first glance, then returned to their straight line upon closer inspection.