Chapter 043

Chapter 043

Liang Jiugong felt a bit conflicted, but he quickly replied as usual, "I'll go and check it out." After saying that, he was about to leave to calm down.

"Wait a minute," Kangxi called out to Liang Jiugong again.

Liang Jiugong turned around and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, anything else you need?"

"Did I tell you to go ask? Come back here." After saying that, Kangxi lowered his head and started reviewing the memorials again.

Liang Jiugong was puzzled. But Your Majesty, that's not what you said earlier. Didn't you bring it up first?!

Now you don't need me to check anymore, so don't ask me again later.

Liang Jiugong couldn't help but grumble to himself.

After a while, Kangxi suddenly cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. The tea had just been replaced and was now at the perfect temperature. Kangxi's throat was dry, but he hadn't taken a sip of the tea beside him to soothe it. What was it doing there?

Suddenly, Liang Jiugong seemed to catch on and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, is your throat uncomfortable? I'll get you a fresh cup of tea, one that clears heat and detoxifies. What do you think?"

"That'll do," Kangxi nodded.

Liang Jiugong quickly stepped forward to take the teacup. The tea needed to be brewed fresh in the tea room, but Liang Jiugong used this opportunity to send a young eunuch to check on Yonghe Palace.

The young eunuch thought Liang Jiugong had made a mistake. "Eunuch Liang..."

Liang Jiugong thought to himself, see, it's not just him who didn't react quickly, and immediately squinted his eyes and said, "What are you staring at? Get moving!"

"Right away, sir!" Seeing that Eunuch Liang was somewhat unhappy, the young eunuch didn't dare to delay and immediately ran off.

As the young eunuch hurried off, Liang Jiugong shook his head, thinking, Your Majesty's mind is truly hard to read.

Yesterday, everyone was scared, weren't they? After Your Majesty left Yonghe Palace, Consort Rong would likely be ignored for some time, and it was still unknown when Your Majesty's anger would subside.

But just the next day, Your Majesty casually asked how Consort Rong was doing.

At first, Liang Jiugong thought there'd be no need to keep tabs on Yonghe Palace.

Who knew he'd be caught off guard again?

Just as Liang Jiugong was about to send someone, Your Majesty said it wasn't necessary—he was just asking.

But not long after, he started finding excuses to send him away.

Wasn't it just to give him a chance to instruct the young eunuch to inquire about the news?

Liang Jiugong sighed wearily.

He thought about how he would find an opportunity to casually mention a few words in front of Your Majesty after he learned the news from Yonghe Palace, so that Your Majesty could hear what he wanted to know, but it wouldn't seem too deliberate, preserving Your Majesty's dignity.

Being a eunuch is tough, but being the chief eunuch by Your Majesty's side is even tougher.

Not only must one be observant, but one must also know how to give Your Majesty a way out, preserving Your Majesty's dignity.

This job is indeed not something just anyone can do well.

After the tea was brewed, Liang Jiugong brought the freshly brewed tea back to Kangxi's side and stood guard. Kangxi also took the opportunity to take a few sips before putting it down.

After that, there were no further issues with throat discomfort. The freshly brewed tea worked better than any medicine.

Soon, the little eunuch who went to inquire about the news returned.

It didn’t take much effort; news from Yonghe Palace was easy to come by.

Consort Rong didn’t leave Yonghe Palace; her routine was quite simple.

From yesterday until now, she had been staying inside Yonghe Palace, apparently unwell and sleeping all day.

During this time, the Imperial Noble Consort sent someone with some top-notch medicinal supplements. Consort Rong only woke up briefly to say a few words before lying down again, too exhausted to even have lunch.

However, at dinner, Consort Rong did get up to eat a bit.

Afterwards, she even ordered the palace gates closed early to rest.

If one were to say Yonghe Palace was in a tough spot, especially now, it would be quite unfavorable.

Having angered the emperor, it’s likely that other palaces would keep their distance.

Even if they did interact, it would probably be to throw a few mocking words.

But Consort Rong still has her sister, the Imperial Noble Consort, to rely on. Even if Consort Rong fell out of favor, she could still count on the Imperial Noble Consort. Those opportunistic eunuchs wouldn’t dare act out of line, out of respect for the Imperial Noble Consort.

However, Consort Rong rose later and retired earlier than anyone else.

The maids of Yonghe Palace could rest early, while those in other palaces were still hard at work.

This made those who often pulled night shifts and had to rise early to serve feel envious.

Not only did the little eunuch feel a twinge of envy, but even Liang Jiugong, who was on call around the clock without a break, felt a bit envious.

Liang Jiugong had no downtime; whenever the emperor needed him, he had to be there at once!

Sigh, such is the life of a busy man.

When the emperor dined, he only picked at his food, having no appetite. Liang Jiugong gently urged, “Your Majesty, you’ve barely eaten. Please have a bit more; it’s important to look after your health.”

Though the imperial kitchen’s fare was exquisite, eating the same dishes day in and day out had grown tiresome.

But Consort Rong ate heartily, nearly polishing off everything herself, and even Kangxi managed to eat quite a bit alongside her.

“I have no appetite. I’m not like someone who, despite a poor appetite, can still eat as if nothing’s amiss, even devouring a whole cow.” Kangxi’s eyes turned cold, showing displeasure, as if he didn’t even want to mention the name, deliberately referring to “someone.”

Liang Jiugong thought to himself: Here we go.

He chose his words carefully, “Actually, it’s quite a coincidence. Consort Rong’s appetite today was quite poor. I heard that at dinner, she only nibbled a bit, like Your Majesty, and had the meal cleared. It seems she didn’t even rise for lunch.”

After saying this, Liang Jiugong looked at Kangxi, who simply gave him a quiet glance, making Liang Jiugong’s heart race. Huh?

Did he misunderstand again?

“When did I mention Consort Rong just now, Liang Jiugong? Why did you bring up Consort Rong?”

Liang Jiugong: !!

Your Majesty, who else could “someone” refer to just now?! It’s not that this old servant is making excuses! You really can’t do this!

He was about to tremble and kneel down to ask for forgiveness when he heard the emperor’s tone change, “Since Liang Jiugong you brought up Consort Rong, I’ll just listen casually.”

The longest road Liang Jiugong has ever walked is the winding road of the Emperor's heart!

With its twists and turns, one wrong move could mean disaster.

Liang Jiugong kept a straight face as he reported to the Emperor, careful and precise.

Luckily, he caught the Emperor's drift early and sent a young eunuch to snoop around beforehand.

Otherwise, he'd be clueless again, and his spot as the Emperor's top eunuch would be on the line.

Turns out, experience pays off—he really had a knack for seeing things coming.

"The master slept all day, and not one maid thought to call a physician? What’s wrong with them?"

Have the maids completely forgotten their jobs?

Liang Jiugong quickly explained, "Consort Rong stopped them, saying it’s an old issue that comes and goes, and the physicians can’t fix it."

Hearing this, Kangxi snorted coldly, "I bet she just finds the medicine too bitter and refuses to drink it. Even if it’s brewed, she’ll find some sneaky way to dump it."

Liang Jiugong lowered his head and remained silent; there was no need for him to respond.

You’ve said it all—what’s left for this servant to add?

"Fine, it’s not my problem. If Consort Rong wants to tough it out, let her. Clear the table."

Kangxi’s voice turned icy as he spoke, then he stood up suddenly, hands clasped behind his back, and walked away from the table.

He left the maids confused, completely in the dark.

Liang Jiugong, who was nearby, tapped a young eunuch on the forehead, "What are you all standing around for? Clear the table, now!"

With a flick of his whisk, he dashed after the Emperor.

When the Emperor picked up the pace, it was hell on his old legs—he had to push himself to keep up.

After the Emperor circled Qianqing Palace and headed back to the Western Warm Pavilion, Liang Jiugong’s legs were about to give out. Why go in circles just for a walk?

Why not just head to the Imperial Garden?

He was sure the Emperor was going to Yonghe Palace, but instead, he just circled Qianqing Palace.

Liang Jiugong was baffled and utterly stunned.

They could’ve been at Yonghe Palace ages ago with all that circling.

Never, ever try to figure out an emperor’s mind!

The Office of Imperial Household Affairs showed up for their usual routine. Liang Jiugong said, "If you want to ask the Emperor if he’ll flip the plaque, go ahead—but remember, life and death are in fate’s hands."

The young eunuch from the Office of Imperial Household Affairs stammered, "I’m not exactly a scholar, Eunuch Liang—don’t set me up."

Liang Jiugong smirked, "I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I kind of want to see someone else get into trouble."

Liang Jiugong stared at the sky, exasperated, as if to say, "If you’re going in, stop dawdling!"

The eunuch from the Office of Imperial Household Affairs, holding the green plaques, trembled slightly, his legs shaking too.

He really wanted to go back, but he was just a low-ranking eunuch. Originally, a eunuch of higher rank was supposed to lead him, but everyone was afraid of encountering the Emperor's bad mood and getting into trouble, so they pushed this task onto him.

The eunuch had a bitter look and cautiously entered.

Liang Jiugong stuck out his little finger to pick his ear, gazing silently at the sky, "Get out!"

It was not surprising at all.

Because tonight, after circling the Qianqing Palace without leaving, the Emperor was probably in a bad mood.

Then, the eunuch, disheveled and clutching the green plaques, nearly tripped and fell flat on his face at the doorway.

"Whew!" The eunuch looked as if he had narrowly escaped disaster, holding the tray with one hand and wiping his forehead with his sleeve.

He was terrified; no one wanted to come at this time, so he was stuck with it.

He was almost scared to death by the Emperor's gaze.

Liang Jiugong could very much understand, as he had been living like this for the past two days, afraid of misunderstanding the Emperor's intentions, and also afraid of not understanding them.

Toggling between life and death, he felt his inner strength had grown.

The eunuch said with a grimace,

"Liang Jiugong, could you give us a heads-up next time? We're nowhere near as steady and capable as you."

Liang Jiugong glanced at him, as if he had any good solutions; he didn't have any good solutions either, he also wanted to ask someone!

"Fine, fine, get out of here, you're a pain to look at," Liang Jiugong impatiently replied.

Even so, the eunuch from the Office of Imperial Household Affairs left feeling slightly reassured, as if he had received some kind of guarantee.

Liang Jiugong couldn't help but laugh and curse as he watched the eunuch's retreating figure, "You little scamp."

After this sigh of relief, the following days, Liang Jiugong's life became quite chaotic.

Who could tell him how to get Consort Rong to come and bow to the Emperor, ahhhh!

The Emperor was busy with state affairs every day, but that didn't stop him from starting to pester Liang Jiugong after finishing his duties.

Liang Jiugong was suffering inside, but he couldn't say anything.

He truly didn't get it.

The Emperor was unhappy if he didn't ask about Consort Rong.

He wasn't any happier when he asked what Consort Rong had done today.

In short, nothing pleased him.

The Yonghe Palace wasn't far, but the Emperor started to enjoy taking a long walk around the Qianqing Palace every evening after dinner before returning to the West Warm Pavilion to rest.

Life in the Yonghe Palace was very laid-back, with almost no movement for several days, mostly repeating the same activities. As for Consort Rong, not only did she not come out to the Qianqing Palace to reconcile with the Emperor, she didn't even send a maid over with some pastries or soup.

She claimed to be unwell and inconvenient to see anyone. The Yonghe Palace was closed, and every day was spent either eating or sleeping. Occasionally, when the afternoon sun was good, she would have someone bring out a soft couch to lie in the sun, and she would listen to someone telling stories, often dozing off for the entire afternoon.

The Emperor was still circling the Qianqing Palace, while the Yonghe Palace closed its gates early, never delaying if it could be helped. Despite the Emperor's neglect, the Yonghe Palace had an oddly serene atmosphere, unlike a cold palace.

The maids had been sleeping soundly for many nights, and their complexions had improved. Even with the same meals, they seemed to have put on a bit of weight.

They didn’t look anxious at all; in fact, their faces were much rosier than those of maids from other palaces.

The maids of Yonghe Palace were initially a bit nervous, but as their mistress, Consort Rong, spent her days eating, drinking, and sleeping, living as carefree as a little fish, they gradually relaxed.

Yonghe Palace only had Consort Rong as its mistress, with no other concubines to serve.

After finishing their daily tasks, they could even sit together, listen to storytelling, and chat. Occasionally, Consort Rong would join in their conversations, making their days quite pleasant.

Even though the Emperor no longer visited, Consort Rong still held the rank of a concubine, and with the Imperial Noble Consort above her, no one dared to mistreat her. The imperial kitchen continued to provide her meals according to her rank, not daring to overstep.

The Imperial Noble Consort occasionally sent her chief maid to deliver items to Yonghe Palace, hinting that Consort Rong should visit Yikun Palace for a chat once she felt better.

Consort Rong would always respond with, "Yes, I understand."

But after taking a few steps, she would clutch her chest, claiming discomfort, as if she needed to lie down immediately or risk fainting.

The imperial physicians would come, adjust her medications, and change prescriptions, but no one had ever seen a concubine with as many minor ailments as Consort Rong. She wasn’t seriously ill or on the verge of death, but she wasn’t entirely healthy either.

Her condition wasn’t severe, but it wasn’t trivial either. She could manage with rest, but any stress would make her appear sickly.

She was as delicate as glass, constantly testing the patience of the physicians. Even the imperial physician admitted he couldn’t fully cure her.

Consort Tongjia wanted to mock her but didn’t want to lower herself by visiting.

However, summoning Consort Rong was risky. Consort Tongjia was afraid Consort Rong might collapse on the way, and instead of enjoying the spectacle, she might end up with a bad reputation for mistreating a concubine.

If the Imperial Noble Consort seized the opportunity to strike, Consort Tongjia would suffer a loss to Niohuru.

So, she decided to avoid the trouble altogether. Dealing with Uya was enough of a headache; adding Consort Rong to the mix was unnecessary. Uya was the one she truly despised.

Lower-ranking concubines who wanted to mock Consort Rong had to consider their own positions. Since Consort Rong hadn’t been demoted, low-ranking concubines like daying didn’t dare to provoke her, afraid of being accused of disrespect.

Among the concubines, some wanted to ridicule Consort Rong, but Rongpin was busy taking care of the Third Prince and had no time to spare. Anpin and Xipin preferred to stay out of such matters.

Huipin, whose eldest son was raised outside the palace, was too preoccupied with thoughts of him to bother with Consort Rong.

Duanpin was like a reed swaying with the wind, waiting for someone else to make the first move before joining in.

Duanpin was eager but remembered how Consort Rong seemed oblivious to sarcasm, which had frustrated her in the past. She decided to wait and see how things unfolded before acting.

Among them, Yipin was the only one who could challenge Consort Rong.

But Consort Rong was hard to encounter. She rarely left Yonghe Palace, making it impossible to "accidentally" run into her.

Without even seeing Consort Rong, how could one think of mocking her?

Visiting Yonghe Palace meant entering Consort Rong’s territory, and even with maids and eunuchs in tow, one would still be at a disadvantage.

As for inviting Consort Rong to visit other palaces, as mentioned earlier, she hardly ever left Yonghe Palace. Even when the Imperial Noble Consort sent her chief maid to invite Consort Rong to Yikun Palace for a chat, she rarely accepted.

This left many concubines grumbling in frustration, wondering if Consort Rong was a turtle hiding in its shell, planning to stay in Yonghe Palace forever.

One day, Consort Rong woke up naturally, stretched lazily, and someone entered with washing supplies upon hearing the movement.

The person who entered was Qinxin.

"It's Qinxin. Why isn't Yun Hua here?"

Usually, it was Yun Hua who brought the toiletries, so Su Yi asked.

Qinxin's face showed no expression, but Su Yi keenly sensed Qinxin's hesitation. "Tell the truth."

Qinxin then stopped hesitating and explained why Yun Hua wasn't there.

Today at the imperial kitchens, Yipin's maid came to fetch the stewed broth. Yun Hua was also waiting there for the red date and lotus seed congee, intending to bring it back to Su Yi to warm her stomach after she woke up.

But as Yipin's maid passed by with the food box, she bumped into Yun Hua, who was standing nearby.

Originally, after being bumped, Yun Hua staggered but managed to steady herself. However, Yipin's maid not only bumped into her but also stuck out her foot to trip Yun Hua up.

This caused Yun Hua to fall directly onto the still-simmering red date and lotus seed congee, spilling the hot congee all over her hands, instantly scalding them. The maid who was with Yun Hua wanted to confront Yipin's maid.

But Yipin's maid was very arrogant, claiming it was an accident and blaming Yun Hua for not watching her step and standing unsteadily.

She then mocked further, saying that Consort Rong had angered the Emperor and didn't know how to reflect and restrain her behavior, even allowing her palace maids to act arrogantly. She also threatened that the stewed broth she was carrying was to be delivered to the Qianqing Palace later, and if it was spilled, could they bear the responsibility?

After this outburst, she laughed triumphantly and walked away, leaving the maid, who was unable to argue back, in tears, only able to help Yun Hua back.

Yun Hua didn't want to burden Consort Rong with this matter, and considering how arrogant Yipin's maid was, it was likely on Yipin's orders that she acted so deliberately.

Knowing that the Consort was usually physically weak and couldn't handle stress, Yun Hua thought to quietly recover on her own. Today, her hand was in real pain, so she asked Qinxin to take her place.

If the Consort asked, she was to say that Yun Hua was on her monthly leave and would be back to serve in a few days, and not to worry the Consort.

That's why Qinxin came instead.

But Consort Rong was so perceptive that Qinxin realized it was impossible to hide and just told the truth, feeling that Consort Rong was not truly weak or easy to bully.

After listening quietly, Su Yi only said, "Later, look for any burn ointment from my place. If there isn't any, send someone to the imperial hospital to fetch some and assign someone to take care of Yun Hua."

Then, as usual, she began her morning routine, seemingly unaffected by whether Yun Hua was there to serve her or not.

After the midday meal, Su Yi wiped her mouth and called a young eunuch, speaking softly, "Xiao Tianzi, go see if Yipin is at the Qianqing Palace or her own palace."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will go right away."

Xiao Tianzi was a very young eunuch, with a boyish voice and a very pleasing smile. Hearing the Consort's order, he realized what she intended to do and ran off very quickly.

"The weather is so nice, it's time to go out for a walk." Su Yi looked at the bright sun outside, as if she could feel the scorching heat even through the house, and squinted her eyes to feel it.

"Qinxin, come and do my makeup."

Qinxin was startled, then quickly replied with some urgency, "Yes, Your Highness."

Qinxin was skilled at hairstyling and even more proficient at makeup. But usually, Consort Rong often went bare-faced in Yonghe Palace, saying it was comfortable and there was no need to go out, so it was more comfortable in the palace. Thus, Qinxin rarely had the chance to show her skills.

Now, she finally had the opportunity to showcase her abilities, having long admired the Consort's face.

This fulfilled wish made Qinxin's usually calm eyes sparkle with excitement.

Su Yi saw the usually indifferent Qinxin, whose excitement was barely containable.

Su Yi: There's no need to be so excited.