Chapter 054

Chapter 054

Su Yi, after having her fill of laughter, cleared her throat, changed her demeanor, and stealthily approached Kangxi. She lightly poked his shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Her expression was one of genuine remorse, as though she truly understood her mistake.

Kangxi, his face stern, remained silent. He was well aware that Consort Rong had her fill of laughter before approaching. Her earlier secretive laughter was quite different from this.

Su Yi waited for a while and, seeing that Kangxi didn't respond, felt somewhat fatigued from standing. She wedged herself next to him, "Scoot over, I want to sit down too." As she spoke, she had already started to act.

Initially, the seat was ample for one, but with two, it became somewhat cramped, nearly pressed against each other. Kangxi, unaccustomed to such proximity, shifted slightly to the side, only for Su Yi to promptly and unabashedly settle beside him.

Ultimately, Kangxi, the original occupant, found himself edged to the side.

Kangxi could no longer contain himself. Is this the proper demeanor for an apology?

"Consort Rong, maintain your decorum," Kangxi said with a serious face, though despite his struggle to mask the pain in his tongue, his speech remained slightly slurred.

No sooner had he spoken than Kangxi regretted it. Indeed, Consort Rong was bound to laugh once more.

To his surprise, a cool sensation brushed Kangxi's face as someone abruptly grasped his face and twisted it with force. His initial reaction was to the chill of her hands, before it dawned on him that he ought to exclaim, "How dare you!"

As he prepared to speak, the hands gripping his face abruptly pressed inward, causing the serious man to involuntarily pout. Kangxi slightly widened his eyes, his words slurred, "You... dare...!"

He reached out to grab Consort Rong's hands, trying to remove them from his face, but after a few attempts, he couldn't... couldn't pull them off?

He tried again with more force, but the hands remained firmly stuck to his face. Kangxi: ???

Kangxi, not believing it, exerted more strength, but Consort Rong just smiled and watched his efforts without moving.

Kangxi paused, then suddenly moved his hands to tickle Consort Rong. He really didn't want to be so childish, but Consort Rong was just too audacious!

Most people are ticklish, but some are not, like Su Yi. She wasn't very ticklish, just a little, but not sensitive. So when Kangxi reached out to tickle her waist, she could endure it.

"Are you playing a tickling game with me?" Su Yi smiled and said, "But I'm not ticklish."

Kangxi originally didn't believe it, but Consort Rong really showed no reaction. He had to believe it—Consort Rong really wasn't ticklish!

Kangxi wanted to show his displeasure with a cold face, but with his face still cupped by Consort Rong, his words came out nasal and slurred, and Consort Rong wasn't afraid at all.

His hand, which had been reaching for Consort Rong's waist, instead pulled her closer to him. The distance between them was now zero, with only thin clothing separating them. Kangxi lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against Consort Rong's face, his gaze becoming sharp and aggressive.

He thought Consort Rong would nervously let go of his face at this moment, but instead, she stopped squeezing his face and just held it normally. Her peach blossom eyes smiled into crescent moons, her lips slightly parted, her voice rising at the end, "Did you want to kiss me just now?"

Otherwise, why would he get so close when feeding her medicine? As soon as she sat up straight, she happened to hit his chin. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

Kangxi's eyes darkened as he looked at her without speaking, but his breathing grew heavier, his Adam's apple unconsciously moving. At this moment, being so close and not speaking, every sound was extremely clear. He didn't say anything, but it was as if he had said everything.

"Do you still want to... kiss me now?"

The rest of the words were swallowed between their lips as Kangxi leaned in and captured her soft, pink lips. His movements were slightly hurried.

His gaze was fixed on those dazed, watery peach blossom eyes, the corners slightly red, making the beauty look as if she were drunk.

He had long thought that Consort Rong had a pair of affectionate eyes. When she looked at someone intently, there was a natural three parts of affection, easily captivating.

The man's eyes grew even darker, his arms tightening around the person in his embrace, as if he wanted to hold her tightly forever.

The two of them closed their eyes and kissed with complete focus, forgetting everything else.

Su Yi's hand had already slipped gently from the man's face, weakly resting on his neck, about to fall off, but the man caught it and wrapped it around his neck again.

The warmth in his palm was like fire, mirroring his current agitation, scorching hot.

Su Yi was kissed until she was breathless, gasping for air, and tried to push the man away, but her hands were too weak to do so.

However, the tightly held lips parted a little, and just as Su Yi thought the kiss was over.

The man's gentle kiss landed on her lips, much softer, his hot breath brushing against Su Yi's ears, a sensitive spot that made them itch.

Suddenly, her body was lifted, and Kangxi carried her horizontally towards the bed, his steps less steady than usual, betraying his urgency.

Just as he placed Su Yi on the bed, Kangxi immediately climbed onto the bed, turning over to press on top of Su Yi, but didn't fully rest his weight on her, supporting himself with one hand beside her face, while the other hand began to fumble with her belt.

Su Yi's hands clenched in front of her, her eyes watery, her voice trembling, her slightly swollen lips parting as she whispered, "I feel a bit uncomfortable, my chest feels tight."

Her large peach blossom eyes, with trembling lashes, looked at him, just like that, enough to evoke pity.

Kangxi's eyes were red, staring at her for a while, breathing heavily, his hand gripping the belt that could be easily undone, holding it for a while, but ultimately not pulling it open.

Kangxi suddenly fell to the side, lying next to Su Yi, turning to look at her again, his gaze still carrying the heat from before, her snow-white neck right before his eyes, tantalizing him.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his mouth opening to bite her snow-white neck, a mix of desire and restraint in his eyes.

He wanted to bite hard, to make her remember, but the skin under his mouth trembled slightly, and Kangxi ultimately didn't bite down, instead gently grinding his teeth on it.

After a while, he released her, a red mark like a plum blossom left on her snow-white neck. Kangxi held her in his arms, his voice hoarse as he whispered, "Sleep."

Su Yi's face buried in Kangxi's chest, listening to his uneven heartbeat, her lips slightly curling up then quickly flattening, as she closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.

——

After returning to the Yikun Palace, the Imperial Noble Consort held back but eventually couldn't resist smashing things in frustration. This time, she dismissed the maids and turned to the person hidden in the shadows, her voice low but unable to hide her anger.

"Why, another failure!! I should have arranged for someone underwater, to make sure Uya Clan suffocated before letting her float up!" she hissed.

That's what she should have done, considering Uya Clan's large belly made her more likely to die with the baby in the water, but who knew her life was so strong!

She still managed to give birth to the Fourth Prince!

To set up such a plan, she even cooperated with this person, to ensure nothing went wrong, but what happened!

"Why didn't the people you arranged in the shadows act!" the Imperial Noble Consort demanded in a dark tone.

Just watching as Uya Clan was rescued so quickly.

The person in the black cloak, with a wide brim hiding their face, spoke, "She was already unconscious, my people didn't need to risk exposure. Her life was strong, I didn't expect that either."

No wonder this woman was anxious, Uya Clan gave birth to a prince with imperial aura, a palace maid from a lowly background, such fortune was indeed unexpected.

"Now that Uya Clan has given birth to the Fourth Prince, this operation failed. You better make sure your people clean up well, don't let Kangxi catch any tails. I can't protect you, and don't drag me into this," the Imperial Noble Consort said coldly.

"The Imperial Noble Consort turns her back so quickly. Don't worry, the dog emperor will soon have no time to bother with us, thanks to the Hesheli family. Otherwise, we would have lost many people."

The cloaked person's voice was hoarse, with no other distinguishing features. The Imperial Noble Consort had never seen their face, even after cooperating.

This person was elusive, even the heavily guarded palace was no barrier to them.

"What do you mean by that?"

The cloaked figure, however, had no intention of enlightening her and instead vanished in a flash from her sight.

The Imperial Noble Consort stared at the now empty spot, utterly baffled as to why someone with such abilities wouldn't simply sneak in and assassinate Kangxi quietly.

Wouldn't that be quicker?

Instead, they chose to collaborate with her, the Imperial Noble Consort.

——

Cining Palace

"Old Ancestor, Lady Wuyachang in waiting has safely given birth to a healthy prince. I have seen him, and he bears a striking resemblance to the Emperor."

The Imperial Noble Consort spoke gently, informing the Grand Empress Dowager of the news. The Grand Empress Dowager, though indifferent to most matters, was most concerned about the imperial lineage. The addition of a new child to the imperial family was a joyous occasion, overshadowing even the loss of the Fourth Princess.

Upon hearing this, the Grand Empress Dowager, who had been as steady as an old clock, finally showed a smile, her face revealing a satisfied expression.

"Good, this Lady Wuyachang in waiting is indeed capable. I heard she accidentally fell into the water yesterday, and my heart was in my throat. Fortunately, she has added a healthy prince for the Emperor."

Consort Tongjia, who had been a step behind in delivering the news, was displeased that the Imperial Noble Consort had beaten her to it. Lady Wuyachang in waiting was now under her wing, and she had been the one to oversee her childbirth. What business did the Imperial Noble Consort have in this matter? She was quite adept at stealing credit.

"Old Ancestor, I also found the child to be very endearing. It was worth the effort I put into caring for Lady Wuyachang in waiting until her delivery. Although yesterday was perilous, it turned out to be a close call.

Lady Wuyachang in waiting has made a significant contribution by giving birth. Perhaps we should grant her some rewards, allowing her to enjoy the benefits of a daying during her postpartum period," Consort Tongjia suggested, appearing magnanimous and seemingly advocating for Lady Wuyachang's well-being, a stark contrast to her usual disdain.

The Grand Empress Dowager nodded slightly, "Yes, let's do that. Consort Tongjia, you are thoughtful."

The Imperial Noble Consort had long anticipated Consort Tongjia's intentions, but she had also pondered this issue on her way here. Since she couldn't prevent Yinzhen's birth, why not seize control of this potential future emperor?

Even if Yinzhen were to ascend the throne in the future, as his adoptive mother, wouldn't she still be the Empress Dowager?

As long as she acted while Lady Wuyachang in waiting was still vulnerable, it would be easy for her, as the Imperial Noble Consort, to deal with a mere daying like Lady Wuyachang in waiting. Even if she didn't succeed immediately, over time, she didn't believe Lady Wuyachang in waiting could hold out until Yinzhen's ascension.

Consort Tongjia also had intentions of adopting Lady Wuyachang in waiting's child, but her motives were different. Both being childless, she was determined to compete.

"Old Ancestor, I have something to say."

Having made up her mind, the Imperial Noble Consort decided to strike first by speaking here at the Grand Empress Dowager's palace.

By doing so, Kangxi would soon be informed.

The Grand Empress Dowager glanced at the Imperial Noble Consort, vaguely guessing her intentions, and said indifferently, "What does the Imperial Noble Consort have to say to me? I am but an old woman who no longer handles affairs. Is there anything the Imperial Noble Consort cannot decide?"

The Imperial Noble Consort cursed inwardly. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was indeed sharp. She had barely begun, and Xiaozhuang had already blocked her with these words.

Consort Tongjia, standing to the side, was puzzled but pleased to see the Imperial Noble Consort at a loss.

"Old Ancestor, you jest. You are the matriarch of the harem. How could I possibly overstep you? You truly humble me."

The Grand Empress Dowager, fingering her prayer beads, smiled without speaking.

The Imperial Noble Consort's sweet words were of no use. The Grand Empress Dowager had heard all kinds of flattery and harsh words in her time.

"I have been in the palace for many years, and there is something that has been weighing on my heart. I have never been able to bear a child for His Majesty, and it has been a source of great sorrow for me.

If it weren't for my frail health, I would have wished to bear a child for the Emperor. Now that Lady Wuyachang in waiting has given birth to the Fourth Prince, given her status, she cannot raise the child herself. I couldn't help but entertain the thought of caring for this child, so that I wouldn't be left childless in the future."

The Imperial Noble Consort played the emotional card, her face filled with regret and sorrow, revealing her own shortcomings. She spoke of her many years in the palace without conceiving, watching others bear children while her own womb remained barren. It was only natural for her to desire to adopt a child.

Before the Grand Empress Dowager could speak, Consort Tongjia understood that the Imperial Noble Consort was aiming to compete with her for the Fourth Prince!

Although she did not like the child born by Uya, if the Imperial Noble Consort wanted to compete with her, Consort Tongjia would not agree!

She endured her discomfort and took care of Uya until the birth, wasn't it just to adopt Uya's child?!

The Imperial Noble Consort did nothing and now wants to snatch him?!

Where does such a good thing come from?!

Consort Tongjia immediately followed up, "What a coincidence, Imperial Noble Consort sister, you actually have the same thoughts as I do.

When His Majesty asked me to take extra care of Uya's pregnancy, I had already thought about treating Uya's child as my own.

Watching Uya carry the child for ten months, I also looked forward to the day I would officially become the child's mother. I didn't expect Imperial Noble Consort sister to have the same thoughts. Sister, you are still young, why the hurry?"

She said without yielding, if it weren't for such thoughts, why would Uya be placed in her Jingren Palace side hall? She held her nose and endured for ten months, and now the Imperial Noble Consort wants to directly snatch him, how could she be willing?!

Even if it's the Imperial Noble Consort, she has to fight for him.

An Imperial Noble Consort with a child and one without are different. Even if not biological, if raised by the Imperial Noble Consort from a young age, it would be as good as biological.

The prince born from a Baoyi banner is the son of a vice-queen, and when it comes to the throne, one can also compete. Consort Tongjia is unwilling to let the Imperial Noble Consort have her way.

The Imperial Noble Consort had long anticipated Consort Tongjia's reaction and said unhurriedly,

"Sister has only been in the palace for three years, I entered the palace with the late Empress, and to this day have no children of my own, how can sister understand the anxiety in my heart? Sister is in the prime of her youth, there's no reason why she can't have her own children in the future. If sister becomes pregnant in the future and has no time to take care of the Fourth Prince, wouldn't it be..."

Consort Tongjia would indeed become pregnant later, but even with careful pregnancy care, she only gave birth to a princess, who was sickly and did not live long.

But it was true that after Consort Tongjia became pregnant, she began to fear the Fourth Prince, as she could have her own prince in the future and no longer needed the Fourth Prince as an extra.

"Imperial Noble Consort sister, why do you say such things to me? After all, Imperial Noble Consort sister just wants to adopt the Fourth Prince, but I have taken care of Uya for so long.

Day by day, watching Uya's belly grow, it's like being a mother myself. The Fourth Prince was finally born, I pity him and will naturally take good care of him. Imperial Noble Consort sister should not compete with me."

She would not yield, why should the Imperial Noble Consort make her back down? The tension between the two grew, the atmosphere stiffened.

The Grand Empress Dowager, who had been silent, frowned and said displeased, "Enough, one Imperial Noble Consort, one Consort, making such a scene in front of me, if it gets out, wouldn't it be a joke?"

Seeing the Grand Empress Dowager's anger, the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Tongjia both bowed and apologized.

"Grandmother, please calm your anger, your servant was momentarily anxious and forgot her manners, please forgive me." The Imperial Noble Consort was the first to apologize, without excuses, her attitude sincere.

"Grandmother, please calm your anger." Consort Tongjia said with her head down, glancing at the Imperial Noble Consort with anger in her eyes, always so good at pretending, she had said everything, leaving her with nothing to say.

The Grand Empress Dowager closed her eyes, pretending not to see the small actions between the two, slowly twirling her prayer beads, and said slowly,

"The matter of the Fourth Prince will be decided by the Emperor, I am old and do not want to get involved in these matters. Whoever ends up raising the prince is a good thing, no matter who raises the Fourth Prince, you must not let this matter harm the harmony between sisters, understand?"

Although she said so, there was no harmony between the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Tongjia to begin with, now both have the intention to adopt the Fourth Prince, how could they possibly speak nicely.

But in front of the Grand Empress Dowager, both had to maintain appearances and said in unison, "Yes, Grandmother, your servant understands."

Then they bowed to the Grand Empress Dowager and took their leave, exiting the Cining Palace one after the other.

As Consort Tongjia passed by the Imperial Noble Consort, she couldn't help but snort coldly.

The Imperial Noble Consort remained composed, even more so in response to Consort Tongjia's attitude, "Sister, as Grandmother said, we must not let this matter harm the harmony between us sisters."

Such magnanimity and composure made Consort Tongjia appear even more impetuous.

"Sister Imperial Noble Consort, I hope that if things don’t go your way, you’ll stay as composed as you are now."

This isn’t their decision to make; it’s His Majesty’s call.

The Imperial Noble Consort shouldn’t act so confidently; it’s quite irritating. If His Majesty lets her raise the Fourth Prince, it’d be hilarious if she ends up embarrassing herself.

With this thought, Consort Tongjia’s anger subsided.

She was sure His Majesty wouldn’t skip over her and let the Imperial Noble Consort raise the Fourth Prince.

The Imperial Noble Consort was already the second-in-command to the empress. Even if the child wasn’t hers, the Fourth Prince, as the son of the second-in-command, could rival the Crown Prince. That would be a serious threat.

She was certain His Majesty wouldn’t let the Imperial Noble Consort take the Fourth Prince.

Consort Tongjia’s hunch was spot on.

Despite her calm demeanor and scheming, the Imperial Noble Consort was really just gambling, testing Kangxi’s feelings toward her.

The Fourth Prince, born to a low-ranking consort, was less noble and even inferior in status compared to the other princes.

By wanting to raise him, she was clearly boosting his standing.

If Kangxi let her raise the Fourth Prince, it’d mean he didn’t see her as a threat and still allowed her to have a child. It was just her own failure to conceive all these years.

If Kangxi gave the Fourth Prince to Consort Tongjia instead, it’d mean he truly feared her and deliberately kept her from becoming empress.

She’d need Consort Rong’s help to get a child.

If she raised the Fourth Prince, Consort Rong would become irrelevant.

But what did the cloaked figure mean by saying Kangxi would soon be too preoccupied to care? What did it have to do with the Hesheri family? Was Suo’etu also tied to this cloaked figure?

How could he be so sure?

——

Qianqing Palace

Liang Jiugong brought news that Consort Wuyachang had given birth to a prince. Kangxi said, "Reward."

He went back to discussing state affairs with his ministers. After the meeting, word of the Cining Palace incident reached Kangxi.

The Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Tongjia had clashed over who’d raise the Fourth Prince in the Cining Palace.

Kangxi’s expression turned icy. “I see,” he said.

He’d expected Consort Tongjia to want the Fourth Prince all along. Assigning Consort Wuyashi to the Jingren Palace had been part of his strategy.

Why had the Imperial Noble Consort gotten involved?

Wasn’t this Imperial Noble Consort willing to ruin her own grand banquet to prevent Consort Wuyashi from giving birth?

Why did she now want to raise the Fourth Prince born to Consort Wuyashi?

Interesting, interesting.

"I will have lunch at the Cining Palace. It has been some time since I last paid my respects to the Empress Dowager."

"Yes, Your Majesty."