Chapter 171

Chapter 171

Su Yi thought that it would take a few days for the little milk dragon to recover from his knee injury, but to her surprise, he showed up the next day with a sweet smile.

There was no trace of grievance at all.

He was lively and active.

When did that man become so good at comforting children?

However, Su Yi was still relieved because she didn't have to do the comforting herself.

When she asked if his knees still hurt, the little milk dragon's smile froze, as if recalling something, and then he said, "Um... it's much better, it doesn't hurt anymore," pretending to be strong.

Before coming, he had thought about what Emperor Father had said: crying yesterday wasn't very manly, and massaging to disperse the bruise was also to help him recover faster; otherwise, how could he move freely the next day?

Recovering quickly would prevent him from limping when seeing Consort Rong, and it would also help him regain some of his manly dignity in front of Consort Rong.

"Wasn't last night's hardship for this moment?" Kangxi began to persuade.

Probably because the aura of Emperor Father was too strong.

The little milk dragon felt it made perfect sense. Didn't it?

Otherwise, if he admitted that he almost cried from the pain while massaging the bruise, that wouldn't do.

That little injury couldn't affect Baocheng—Elder Brother was limping today!" The little milk dragon naturally learned to compare himself to his elder brother, his expression full of smugness.

As for the process, there was no need to mention it—it would damage his reputation to uphold in front of Consort Rong.

The little milk dragon also had a reputation to uphold.

If it weren't for the extreme distress and discomfort yesterday, he usually wouldn't be so vulnerable, hmm!

Although the little milk dragon didn't say it out loud, his face was full of "praise me" expressions, which he couldn't hide.

Su Yi understood and praised him a bit—the little one always needed to be praised to grow cuter.

However, if today was only about peaceful days, it would be too boring.

Qinxin came to tell Su Yi something, hesitating whether to say it or not because of the Crown Prince's presence. "Speak," Su Yi told her to say it directly.

Then Qinxin said that two young eunuchs from Yanxi Palace were bitten by a snake today, poisoned and died; their bodies were already cold when found.

And they were found near the Imperial Garden—the palace maids who discovered them were terrified!

The two young eunuchs' faces were purple when found!

People dying in the palace wasn't unusual, but dying so blatantly without concealment was rare.

Upon examination, they had no injuries except for puncture wounds on their hands, as if bitten by something. The nearby flesh had turned black and festered, even the blood that flowed out was toxic.

Because one of the young eunuchs fell with his hand on the grass, the black blood flowed onto the grass, and the grass that came into contact with it withered and died.

This was enough to show that the snake that bit the two young eunuchs had venom in its fangs that was not ordinary.

The snake that bit them hasn't been caught yet—if it bites again, there will be more deaths.

It's said that Consort Hui's face was very pale after hearing that the young eunuchs from her palace were bitten to death by a snake.

Then rumors started circulating: "It was the little white snake released by Consort Rong that bit someone..." Qinxin's face darkened as she spoke, knowing full well the rumors were not favorable.

"How can they blame Consort Rong for this! She didn’t even raise that snake. Besides, Consort Rong only encountered the little white snake in the imperial garden and released it back. What’s the harm in returning it to where it came from? Moreover, that snake was so small!"

Only Consort Hui and the Eldest Prince knew about this yesterday. It was late at night, with hardly any maids around. How did the rumor get out? It’s got to be Consort Hui’s doing!

She just won’t stop stirring up trouble!

"Why was it the eunuchs from Yanxi Palace who got bitten? Why did they collapse near the imperial garden? What were they doing there? Were they trying to catch the little white snake to...?" To get back at Consort Rong?!

Qinxin thought it was entirely possible. Consort Hui knew Consort Rong would release the little white snake. Plus, Consort Hui didn’t gain anything from her encounter with Consort Rong yesterday. She was even startled by the little white snake, exposing her fake foot injury.

She must be harboring a grudge against Consort Rong. But Consort Hui probably didn’t dare to confront Consort Rong head-on, so she decided to target the little white snake instead. She might have secretly sent her palace eunuchs to the imperial garden to catch the snake!

Since the little white snake was released, Consort Rong wouldn’t keep an eye on it anymore. So, it’s possible Consort Hui privately told her snake-fearing eunuchs to catch and torment the little white snake.

After all, Consort Hui took a big hit because of Consort Rong and must be fuming. Unable to get back at Consort Rong, she could only go after the little white snake.

But who would’ve thought the two eunuchs would end up bitten to death by the snake?

Qinxin felt she’d figured it out and shared her theory with Consort Rong.

But, "I never expected so many snakes in the imperial garden. It's really frightening to think about. It's a good thing nothing happened before."

"Consort Rong, the guards are now inspecting the imperial garden to see if there are any hidden snake nests. They haven't found any yet, but they're practically turning the garden upside down. Until the snake nests are cleared, it's better for you to avoid the imperial garden when going out." Qinxin said with lingering fear.

Little milk dragon listened and also felt a bit scared, even stopping from petting the cat. The cat, relieved, ran off.

Cat: My job here is done, time to get some fish as a reward.

Little milk dragon came over to Su Yi's side, nervously holding her hand, "Yes, Consort Rong."

He fully agreed with Qinxin's suggestion to avoid the imperial garden recently.

"Fortunately, Consort Rong only encountered a non-aggressive little white snake yesterday. If it had been the venomous snake that bit those two eunuchs, then..." Xiao Yunzi coughed dryly to remind her not to mention such terrifying possibilities.

Qinxin quickly stopped herself, slapping her mouth lightly. Really, why did she bring that up?

"Don't say such things anymore," little milk dragon said unhappily. He didn't like hearing such talk.

But he also felt it was quite a close call. Consort Rong had passed through the imperial garden yesterday!

Thinking about it, little milk dragon's face turned pale, and he hugged Consort Rong's arm in fear.

After listening, Su Yi calmly dropped a bombshell, "That little white snake from yesterday was the snake king."

Little milk dragon: "....?!" Did he hear that correctly?

Qinxin: "!" How could that be?!

Xiao Yunzi: "?" No way!

"Didn't you notice?" Su Yi said calmly, watching their expressions of shock.

They were left speechless by Consort Rong's expression of 'Why are you so surprised?'—their emotions were a rollercoaster, and they simply didn't know what to say.

Little Milk Dragon thought about that slender and beautiful little white snake, its shiny, bead-like black eyes that initially seemed a bit scary, but later appeared somewhat clumsy and dopey.

It was impossible to match it with the snake king that Consort Rong had mentioned, and he was so shocked that he opened his small mouth, at a loss for words.

Qinxin couldn't imagine it either!

She clearly saw that the little white snake was pretty tame. When it coiled around Consort Rong's wrist, it simply nuzzled her hand gently without any other movements.

Because it was beautiful and not very big, she thought it might be a bit scared, but it seemed totally harmless! So she wasn't really afraid anymore, and since it stayed quietly without moving, it was easy to take it along.

The Emperor probably didn't want to keep it because he feared that while the little white snake might be harmless when small, it could get scarier as it grew bigger.

"But Consort Hui wasn't..." Yesterday, the little white snake crawled to Consort Hui's feet, and despite her frantic stomping, the little white snake wasn't provoked to bite her. How could that be?!

If it were any other snake, encountering such frantic stomping, it might have been stimulated to bite in self-defense.

But the little white snake was not provoked to bite Consort Hui. If it had bitten her yesterday, things wouldn't have ended so smoothly.

The advantageous position for Consort Rong would have instantly been reversed by Consort Hui.

"Yesterday, Consort Hui was so panicked, yet it wasn't frightened and just slithered away. It seemed very docile, right?" She said, then picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Qinxin and the others nodded: Yes!

"Isn't this kingly behavior? An ordinary snake wouldn't be so calm in such a situation."

This explanation... doesn't quite hold water. Do snakes even have kingly behavior??

"Don't judge a snake by its appearance," Su Yi sighed. "Why are you so shallow?"

Qinxin: "..." To say something rebellious, Your Majesty, you are usually quite superficial too. None of the maids in our palace are ugly.

Little Milk Dragon: "..." Consort Rong, you seem to have forgotten that you initially liked the little white snake because it was beautiful!

Xiao Yunzi: "..." Your Majesty, is that the point?! The point is that you dared to handle it with your hands!!

And just then, Kangxi arrived and heard Consort Rong finish her sentence, his expression quite indescribable.

After learning about the incident of two eunuchs being bitten to death by a snake near the imperial garden, Kangxi thought it over and realized that Consort Hui, dissatisfied, had ordered those two eunuchs to catch snakes in the imperial garden.

It was the same little white snake that Consort Rong had wanted to keep yesterday.

Although it was somewhat unbelievable, Consort Hui had misjudged, not realizing that the little white snake was not one to mess with, being highly venomous, and the two eunuchs dropped dead on the spot.

Consort Rong not only wanted to keep it but also dared to let it coil around her wrist. Fortunately, she wasn't bitten. Kangxi couldn't help but feel a bit scared, thinking he needed to have a word with Consort Rong about not picking up just anything next time!

And she just happened to pick up a venomous snake!

But hearing Consort Rong's tone, she already knew?!

Knowing how dangerous the little white snake was, she still dared to handle it. Consort Rong is truly, truly capable!

Kangxi walked over and made a sound, and Qinxin and the others quickly saw him and hurried to bow.

She stiffened slightly, then stood up and greeted him with a gentle smile, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?" Was it because of that little white snake?

Feeling a bit guilty, she smiled even more beautifully.

"Why, can't I come?" Kangxi said with a tight smile, taking her hand as they walked on.

"Of course she can come, there's no reason why she can't."

"Qin Xin, serve the tea quickly. While we wait for the tea, let’s have some pastries first."

"Today’s pastries are savory, so they won’t be cloying at all."

Su Yi said in a gentle tone, trying to shift the topic away from the little white snake. She had just found out that Emperor Kangxi was coming over, and he arrived so quickly.

Emperor Kangxi pulled Concubine Rong to sit down. Seeing her unusually gentle and attentive demeanor, he knew she felt guilty. He slowly said, "There’s no need to rush with the tea. I’m not thirsty. I heard you mention something shallow just now. I’d like to hear more about it."

Su Yi: There’s no way to avoid this.

The little dragon didn’t sense anything amiss, "Yes, Consort, Bao Cheng also wants to hear more."

His father had interrupted them earlier, so he had been patiently waiting for him to sit down before continuing.

Su Yi looked at the innocent little dragon and felt as if she had been subtly blackmailed.

Qin Xin silently quickened her pace, bringing the tea soon after, afraid of missing anything.

"What were we talking about just now? I seem to... forget," Su Yi tried to dodge the question.

"Judging a snake by its appearance," Emperor Kangxi reminded her, feigning concern.

All eyes turned to her.

Fine then.

Su Yi spread her hands, "Most snakes are rarely white. Such a conspicuous color, especially during the juvenile stage, is very disadvantageous for hiding and hunting. To look like this, not scrawny and with shiny scales, clearly indicates it has been well-fed. This shows that it is quite extraordinary."

Her tone was a bit dismissive.

That’s it??

This doesn’t prove a thing!!!

They figured it out yesterday, so how come they missed it??

Su Yi saw their disbelief and said confidently, "It’s so beautiful—if it weren’t venomous, it’d be a goner."

Kangxi said, "How does that make it the snake king?"

This just shows it’s dangerous and highly venomous.

"Because when I saw it, it was descending from the head of a large snake, and they were clearly not the same species." Su Yi dropped another bombshell of information!

Qinxin: What?! She missed that?!

At that time, Her Ladyship was enjoying the view in the imperial garden when she suddenly told everyone to stop. The little white snake happened to crawl out of the grass, and because it was white, it was very conspicuous and was immediately spotted. They were startled and were about to have the maids shoo it away, since it’d usually run off if it were scared.

But then Her Ladyship just scooped it up.

She was so focused on the little white snake that she didn’t notice another snake lurking!

Xiao Yunzi too!

Now that Her Ladyship brought it up, they felt a shiver—where on earth did these snakes come from in the palace?!

The little milk dragon looked worried and said, "Consort Rong, Baocheng’s really concerned about you."

He came over and hugged Su Yi, genuinely frightened by how dangerous it sounded.

What if Consort Rong had been bitten by the snake? Remembering those two eunuchs who died after being bitten by the snake.

The little milk dragon shuddered at the thought of Consort Rong being bitten, his body trembling slightly, and only holding her made him feel somewhat better.

Kangxi's face darkened, "Why didn’t you mention it then? And you even dared to pick it up—you’re really..." He hadn’t expected her to be more reckless than Baocheng.

Su Yi, bold as ever, retorted, "Why wouldn’t I? I’m not scared of snakes. Look, it likes me, and none of you even noticed."

She patted the little milk dragon’s head, reassuring him, "Don’t worry, it’s a well-behaved little white snake—it lets you touch and hold it without resisting, just like a docile cat."

If she could have kept it, she would have brought it back; letting it go was hard, as it was truly stunning—a beauty among snakes.

It had been a beautiful snake since birth, and Su Yi mused that even snakes have their standards of beauty.

Little milk dragon: Really?? But the bowl-cut cat isn’t poisonous!!

Qinxin watched the Emperor’s face darken while Consort Rong remained defiant, and she couldn’t help but worry for her.

Su Yi wasn’t oblivious; seeing Kangxi’s expression darken, she thought of the two eunuchs and softened her tone, "A gentle nature doesn’t mean it won’t bite. I didn’t tell the eunuchs to catch it."

Why not go to Consort Hui instead of glaring at me?

As Kangxi’s face darkened further, Su Yi retorted defiantly, "Besides, I handled it myself—I didn’t involve the maids."

She didn’t send anyone to their death.

She added, "It’s not that I didn’t mention it—it just looked so harmless, and I was about to release it. Who knew this would happen?"

Deliberately catching it was just asking for trouble—there’s no avoiding that.

Who’d believe such a small, sweet-looking thing is actually a snake king? One bite, and you’re done.

And that’s it—you’re finished.

It’s unfair to blame her now.

Kangxi tried to hold back but couldn’t resist; he pulled her up and headed toward the inner chamber.

Su Yi, caught off guard, stumbled as he pulled her up—she was wearing platform shoes! Was he trying to make her trip?!

Kangxi let go, turned, and swept her up in his long arms, carrying her off.

Su Yi felt her feet leave the ground and looked down—it was true!

The little milk dragon had been holding Consort Rong, but when he turned around, she was gone—where did she go?!

Why is the Emperor so irritating? Didn’t he say he’d return for dinner?

Liang Jiugong swiftly cleared the area, showcasing his impeccable professionalism.

As Su Yi was carried off, she wondered what he was planning—was he really going to do something in broad daylight?

At first, she was a little panicked, but then Su Yi decided it was rather nice to be carried instead of walking.

The jerk wasn’t embarrassed, so neither was she. As long as she stayed unbothered, no one could make her feel awkward.

Damn it!

She had seriously underestimated just how much of a jerk he could be.

Su Yi buried her face, playing dead, her cheeks flushed with a thin layer of sweat, her hair already disheveled.

Kangxi, just as disheveled, lay beside her, catching his breath, with two fresh scratches on his neck, looking quite disheveled as well.

Un-freaking-believable!

He actually went and spanked her.

I can't freaking believe you're such a jerk!!

She finally got why he suddenly turned and carried her off with one hand.

He sat down, casually plopped her over his lap, ready for a spanking.

Su Yi was totally stunned by the first spank, in complete disbelief.

After the initial shock, she got a few more smacks.

It didn’t hurt much, but man, was it humiliating.

Then, snapping out of it, Su Yi angrily flipped over and started wrestling with Kangxi.

At first, Kangxi barked, "How dare you!" but soon found himself pinned down.

"Consort Rong!! How dare you!" Kangxi’s voice boomed with imperial authority.

"Hmph." Su Yi sneered, and with a sharp slap, a loud crack echoed.

She showed him she dared, just like he did.

But the sensation wasn’t half bad, something she hadn’t noticed before, so she pinched him a few more times.

"Consort Rong!" This time, Kangxi was the one stunned, realizing this little rascal was even more outrageous than him.

Su Yi didn’t just slap—she pinched too.

Kangxi was first stunned, then in disbelief, and then his face and neck flushed red.

Then, every so often, roars and sharp slapping sounds echoed from the room.

Liang Jiugong scratched his ear—it wasn’t even dark yet.

Finally, the battle ended when Kangxi backed down first.

By then, his clothes were a mess, with two scratches on his neck, panting heavily, looking way worse than when he arrived.

Su Yi wasn’t much better, her neatly combed hair now a mess, lying there catching her breath just like Kangxi.

But aside from a flushed face and messy clothes, she was fine.

Unlike Kangxi, who had scratches on his neck, a wet patch on his shoulder, and a faint tooth mark on the fabric.

The sting on his shoulder and the scratches on his neck had Kangxi gritting his teeth, "Who said you can’t hit the face in a fight?"

If he hadn’t been quick, it wouldn’t just be his neck—those claws would’ve gone straight for his face.

How could she still say yesterday that you shouldn’t hit the face in a fight?

She didn’t hold back at all.

Not only did she scratch, but she also bit!

"It wasn’t me, I didn’t say that—don’t make things up!" Su Yi said with righteous indignation.

That was yesterday’s her—what does it have to do with today’s her?

Kangxi suddenly reached out and pinched her cheek. "Really? Should we let Baocheng come and tell us?" The kid’s face is still bruised. Yesterday, she constantly criticized him for not remembering to protect his face during a fight—it seems like he was the only one who really took it to heart!

"Don’t touch my face! You’re going to ruin my skin!" Su Yi quickly tried to save her face. "Let’s talk this out properly." Her words were a bit slurred.

Didn’t we already call a truce? This is so unfair!

"Do you know what you did wrong?"

"I’m wrong, I’m wrong."

"What did you do wrong?"

"Wrong.." Huh?! Why does this sound so familiar... Before Su Yi could think it through, the grip on her face tightened. "No, no, no! I was just figuring out how to apologize sincerely."

"Hmm?" Kangxi dragged out the word.

Su Yi cautiously said, "I should’ve warned you it was venomous beforehand." Otherwise, none of this would’ve happened.

Seeing that Kangxi’s expression didn’t improve, "Isn’t that it?" Su Yi said uncertainly.

"It was fine when I had it—you can’t blame me now that I don’t keep it."

Su Yi couldn’t help but think. If she had just brought it back, would Consort Hui have to send someone to Yonghe Palace to catch the snake? Then none of this would’ve happened.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was. Just as she was about to argue with Kangxi, she heard him sigh and let go. Su Yi quickly covered her face.

Covering most of her face, only her eyes peeked out.

Kangxi’s expression softened, a mix of helplessness and other emotions. "Do you really think I’m blaming you for this?"

"Then what?" Su Yi mumbled, her face still covered.

Then she muttered, "Your face is practically screaming that I messed up again. Why don’t you say that Consort Hui is being unreasonable about the snake? Did I tell her to send someone to catch it?"

"I’m not even the one who’s wronged here—I’m the one having a hard time!" Su Yi’s voice choked up as she spoke. Her eyes reddened, and she really played up the wronged act.

But she was all talk and no action, occasionally stealing glances at Kangxi’s reaction.

Seeing him just watching, even catching her peeking, his eyes seemed to be wondering how long she could keep up the act.

"I’m exhausted—let’s take a break." Su Yi put down her hands and gave up.

Not pretending anymore—it’s useless anyway.

This jerk’s heart is as cold as a fishmonger’s.

Kangxi’s mouth twitched: ‘...’

In the end, he pulled her into his arms and spoke earnestly,

"I'm angry because you knew that snake was poisonous and dangerous, yet you still dared to pick it up, not understanding the gravity of the situation."

Can you just pick up a venomous snake like that? Even if it weren't poisonous, you shouldn't just pick it up.

"But..." Su Yi wanted to say she was confident it wouldn't bite her, and that it wasn't her who didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

"What if something had happened? What would happen to... Baocheng?" Kangxi paused almost imperceptibly in the middle of his sentence.

If she had been bitten, she could have died before the imperial physician even got there.

Kangxi reached out and gently stroked her hair, comforting her softly, "Don't make everyone worry so much. Baocheng is much more sensible than you."

The concern in his words was genuine, though his words weren't exactly kind. Was she really such a troublemaker?

But Su Yi didn't argue further. This time, she obediently nodded and sweetly said, "But I have you, and you're the best."

Kangxi: "..." That's not what you were thinking when you called me a jerk in your head.

But Kangxi was still quite pleased at the moment.

This little troublemaker was all talk. She admitted her mistake but would probably dare to do it again next time.

Kangxi was starting to see things differently. Thinking about it, it wasn't such a big deal. The problem wasn't too severe. It was just that this time, she acted recklessly, daring to do anything.

Yet, she had the nerve to tell Baocheng to learn from her and not be impulsive, when she herself was the most impulsive one.

——

Yanxi Palace

When Consort Hui learned that the two eunuchs had been bitten by the snake and died near the imperial garden, she felt a chill run through her body. She slumped into her seat, nearly losing her balance.

Fortunately, her maid reacted quickly and kept Consort Hui from making a scene.

"How could this happen?!" Consort Hui recalled the description she had heard, and her back still felt cold.

She had privately instructed the two eunuchs to search the imperial garden to see if they could catch the little white snake that had been released.

If it hadn't been for that little white snake, she wouldn't have lost her composure in front of the Emperor!

Consort Rong had brought that creature without permission, frightening her, yet the Emperor had simply asked Consort Rong to release the little white snake!

Although Consort Hui had voluntarily punished herself by copying Buddhist scriptures, since Consort Rong had already released the little white snake, she had secretly ordered the eunuchs to catch it, skin it, and kill it slowly to vent her anger.

It was just a little white snake, but it had humiliated her. Let's see if Consort Rong could protect it now.

Consort Hui, worried one eunuch would take too long, sent two instead, thinking two could find it faster without drawing attention.

But they were bitten by the snake and died.

How could Consort Hui not be terrified?

If there were other venomous snakes in the imperial garden, they would have to be eradicated, even if it meant digging three feet into the ground.

If the snake that bit them was the little white snake, Consort Hui thought back to yesterday when it had been so close to her feet. At such a close distance, it could have bitten her with just a snap of its jaws, and she couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

She didn't want to suspect this, but Consort Rong had released the little white snake in the imperial garden, and the two eunuchs she had sent out had been bitten by a snake and died nearby.

This made it hard for Consort Hui not to suspect whether it was the little white snake that bit them.

Thinking about the close contact with the little white snake just yesterday, if she had been bitten... the more she thought about it, the more fear and anger Consort Hui felt, and her resentment towards Consort Rong deepened even more!

Consort Hui couldn't find the little white snake, and now two of her palace eunuchs had died. Whether it was the little white snake that bit them or not, this would ultimately be blamed on Consort Rong.

If it weren't for Consort Rong's interference, none of this would have happened!

But she also knew that the death of two palace eunuchs in her palace had caused unease throughout the palace. Once the Emperor found out, he might guess her intentions and be even more displeased with her. Her image in front of the Emperor had been completely ruined by Consort Rong!

How could she swallow her anger!

Originally, she had planned to have the palace eunuchs secretly capture the little white snake and torture it, never expecting things to escalate like this.

Consort Hui secretly cursed the two palace eunuchs for being useless, not only failing to catch the little white snake but also getting bitten by a snake.

So useless, yet they dared to tell her they could catch snakes, otherwise she wouldn't have sent them!

In the end, they were so useless and even caused her trouble.

Consort Hui had no choice; things had already developed this way. She could only divert everyone's attention to Consort Rong.

She spread the word that Consort Rong had released a snake in the imperial garden, and the maids who happened to pass by were bitten, coincidentally being the palace eunuchs from her palace.

After all, only a handful of people knew about the conflict between Consort Hui and the little white snake.

Moreover, even if it was just the little white snake, rumors would eventually turn it into a vicious venomous snake!

Since the snake had bitten someone, it had to die. For safety reasons, any snakes found would be killed without question, and the snake's nest would be destroyed. The little white snake might even be caught and wiped out in the process!

What could Consort Rong do even if she knew? Could she possibly feel sorry for that little white snake!

Consort Hui acted swiftly, ordering the guards to scour the imperial garden thoroughly, determined to find and eliminate the venomous snake.

After relentless searching, they indeed found a snake's nest, and along with it, they finally captured and dealt with the venomous snake. They meticulously cleaned the area and spread snake-repellent powder, ensuring it was safe and would not disturb the consorts.

Just as Consort Hui was about to smile at the news that the venomous snake had been eliminated, she was informed that the captured snake was not white but brown, and her smile instantly faded.

"Are you sure it's brown, not white?"

Consort Hui asked again in disbelief, and upon receiving the same answer, her face darkened, and she laughed in extreme anger, "Fine, just fine!"

It’s probably just any venomous snake they found to complete the task!

Even if the two eunuchs were bitten by the brown venomous snake, couldn’t they find the little white snake?!

"Only one was caught?!" Consort Hui asked.

"Yes, Your Highness, only one brown venomous snake was found."

The maids dared not lie; they had confirmed that there was only one snake. The nest had been cleared, and only that one venomous snake was found, with no sign of the little white snake.

The maids couldn’t understand why Consort Hui was unhappy upon hearing that the venomous snake had been captured.

With the venomous snake caught, there was no longer any need to worry about it harming anyone. The bite marks on the deceased eunuchs matched those of the brown venomous snake—it was indeed the culprit!

But Consort Hui was clearly in a foul mood now, and the maids dared not speak further, quietly fading into the background.

"Is this really going to work?" Kangxi frowned, looking somewhat reluctant.

Su Yi held a makeup-like brush with a freshly mixed skin-toned cream that included cosmetic powder.

"Maybe we should try it?" Su Yi also sounded a bit uncertain.

Kangxi didn’t like the idea of using women’s makeup. He was a grown man—what would he be doing with that stuff?

But he reluctantly nodded, letting Consort Rong try to cover the scratches on his neck.

Luckily, Consort Rong kept her nails short and rounded, so there were just marks, no broken skin, and it wasn’t as bad as the bite on his shoulder.

But the scratches on his neck stuck out like a sore thumb. Kangxi could just picture the stares if he went out with those scratches. No one would dare stare openly, but the sneaky looks would still bug him.

Su Yi first suggested pinning it on the cat, Pothead, saying he did it.

(Pothead: Meow, I haven’t done anything to anyone!)

"Blaming the cat? That’s rich. When you scratched me, you had more guts than that fat cat has flab. Now you’re thinking of blaming the cat?" Kangxi sat while Consort Rong stood, giving him a sense of authority.

After that whole thing with the little white snake, if he blamed the cat, the Empress Dowager might flip out, causing a whole mess. Pothead might even get punished.

Consort Rong mostly stayed put in the palace. She loved that fat cat—it kept her busy, so she wouldn’t get bored and start bugging him. Consort Rong had raised the cat for years and was attached to it. If anything happened to the cat, she’d be upset.

So Kangxi shot down Consort Rong’s idea. She probably didn’t think about what would happen if the cat had actually hurt him.

Su Yi, scolded, lost her nerve and mumbled, "Okay, okay, I said I was wrong. What’s wrong with Pothead being fat? It’s all because of the fish snacks I’ve been feeding him."

"What are you mumbling about?" Kangxi glanced over.

"I was saying, maybe we could add a collar to cover it?" Su Yi quickly changed the subject.

Su Yi gestured, thinking it was a good idea. This way, Pothead wouldn’t have to take the blame.

"That would only make it more obvious. I’ve never used such things before, and besides, it’s not cold. Why add a collar?" It would probably look even stranger and might even cause heat rash.

Su Yi’s mouth twitched, wanting to retort but holding back. "Then how about using some powder to cover it?"

This stuff can even cover dark circles, so these scratches shouldn’t be a problem.

Then, before Kangxi could disagree again, she added, "If that doesn’t work, you come up with something."

Kangxi: "...Fine."

And that’s how they ended up with the scene just now. Kangxi watched as Consort Rong mixed and adjusted, already starting to regret it.

Wouldn’t it have been better to just have the imperial physician prescribe a medicinal patch? Using the excuse of a stiff neck would have been better than applying makeup like a woman.

But Consort Rong worked quickly and had already prepared the mixture to try covering the scratches.

Kangxi thought about it. It was rare for Consort Rong to take the initiative to do something herself without involving the maids. If he rejected her now, it would waste all the effort she had just put in. Next time, she might not be so willing to do anything. So he agreed.

As the brush swept over his neck, it felt a bit itchy. Kangxi’s Adam’s apple moved, and Consort Rong immediately stopped him, "Don’t move! It’s hard to cover if you do."

Kangxi stiffened his neck and waited, glancing at Consort Rong, who was unusually focused and not trying to tease him.

"Done, you can’t see it anymore," Su Yi said with satisfaction.

Kangxi looked in the bronze mirror, and indeed, it was hardly noticeable.

"Well done," Kangxi nodded approvingly.

Su Yi was about to boast about her miraculous hand when she heard Kangxi holding her hand tenderly and saying, "You’ll have to put in the effort again tomorrow morning."

Su Yi froze. Tomorrow morning?!

That guy gets up at the crack of dawn!

Does he mean for her to get up with him?!

"Your Majesty, I think..." Su Yi wanted to say something, but Kangxi cut her off, "Don’t you want to take care of me?"

Su Yi: Listen to what you’re saying?!

She was thinking of prying Kangxi's hand off, but Kangxi held on firmly, "Ah!" The movement seemed to aggravate the injury on his shoulder, "This shoulder of mine, I wonder when it will heal."

Kangxi glanced meaningfully at Consort Rong, as if hinting at something.

Su Yi felt like she had gotten herself into a huge predicament. Why did she have to be so impulsive? Impulsiveness is truly the devil.

Su Yi forced a smile and said, "Fine, I’ll get up."

Kangxi was satisfied, he lowered his head and kissed her hand, "Consort Rong is so thoughtful, I am truly delighted."

Su Yi: "...." I’ll give you a good smack, just you wait.