Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Consort Hui was no longer as certain as before about securing that position.

However, given the eldest prince's standing, Consort Hui wasn't concerned about being stuck in place.

For days on end, she sent handwritten Buddhist scriptures to the Qianqing Palace. Even if the Emperor didn’t examine them closely, he’d likely notice her efforts to reflect.

The Qianqing Palace accepted the scriptures, but when Consort Hui tried to discreetly find out how many copies were needed to atone, she got no clear answer.

A specific number would ease her mind; otherwise, the endless copying would be too much.

But Liang Jiugong admitted he didn’t know the Emperor’s intentions and wouldn’t guess.

What could Consort Hui do? With no clear instructions, she had no choice but to keep copying. She couldn’t stop after just one day of sending them.

With a promotion on the horizon, Consort Hui needed to repair her image with the Emperor.

She gave up meat and kept copying Buddhist scriptures, making a show of repentance in the palace.

Consort Hui could keep copying the scriptures because the Qianqing Palace incident hadn’t leaked out.

The other concubines assumed Consort Hui was reflecting because of her son, the eldest prince. As the prince's mother, it was only natural for her to reflect as well.

This saved her some face, keeping the other concubines from mocking her.

Of course, Consort Hui was also aware that the eldest prince's reputation was at stake. If the mother of the eldest prince had a tarnished reputation, it would inevitably affect him.

Being laughed at would also embarrass the eldest prince.

Consort Hui had always been in a strong position. In a palace where princes were highly valued, she was far better off than the concubines who lacked both favor and children.

But this time, she ultimately didn’t get what she wanted.

If she had just waited quietly and patiently, with Mingzhu recommending her in the court, she might have achieved her wish.

She had indeed acted a bit impulsively. Recently, she had let the flattery go to her head, abandoning her usual caution.

She thought she hadn’t taken the minor concubines’ flattery to heart, but in reality, she had grown complacent without realizing it.

So when Consort Rong slighted her, she tried to use the Crown Prince to summon the Emperor, hoping to sway him at this moment.

Who could have guessed the Crown Prince would get involved too!

In the end, things turned out the way they did.

This was a lesson, to be sure.

Consort Hui had already changed into the clothes she’d prepared earlier, though she didn’t keep looking out, which would have been unbecoming.

But the tea she sipped was flavorless, and she couldn’t settle her mind enough to enjoy it.

Her eyes were vacant, a clear sign her thoughts were elsewhere.

A maid rushed back with news, and Consort Hui almost dropped her teacup.

When she heard that Jingren Palace had arrived first, the tea in her cup spilled. Consort Hui barely managed to croak, "What?"

Jingren Palace

"The Emperor, adhering to the Five Classics with caution, values the transformation of the concubines in the palace... I hereby, in accordance with the benevolent decree of the Grand Empress Dowager, confer upon you, Consort Tongjia, the title of Imperial Noble Consort with the seal and treasure."

Even though Consort Tongjia had prepared herself for becoming the Imperial Noble Consort, she couldn't help but feel disappointed when the title was finally settled.

Being the Imperial Noble Consort, second only to the Empress, is indeed prestigious, but it still falls short of being the central palace's position. Only when one truly holds this position does one realize how much more it entails.

She finally understood how the deposed consort must have felt when she was conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Just a little bit closer, yet it feels even further away from that position.

At that time, she was both relieved and subtly mocking.

After all, she still held the palace authority.

Thinking of Consort Hui, who had made such a big fuss before, seemingly ready to ascend to the position of Empress in this conferment, but in the end, she was not as fortunate as her.

When the Imperial Noble Consort thought of what Consort Hui's reaction might be, with the comparison here, that bit of disappointment didn't matter much.

"Go and see what title Consort Hui has received," said the Imperial Noble Consort, though she had already guessed that with the eldest prince, Consort Hui would surely be granted the title of Consort.

—

Consort Hui was promoted to Consort, but she felt deeply uncomfortable.

Although promoted to Consort, the Emperor only conferred three Consorts, leaving one position unfilled.

But Consort Yi was ranked first among the Consorts!

Even Consort Xian was ranked above her!

She wasn’t the last of the Four Imperial Consorts, but only because the Emperor hadn’t filled all four positions.

Both Consort Xian and she had a prince, so she could grudgingly accept it.

But Consort Yi only had one princess, born by Le Guiren, and she was ranked above her?!

Consort Hui reacted instinctively, instructing the palace maid to distribute rewards for good fortune.

She could not show any dissatisfaction.

Upon learning that Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia was promoted and Consort Rong was conferred as Noble Consort—originally meant to be Noble Consort Niohuru but still granted her previous title—Consort Hui felt bitter.

Thus, Rong Noble Consort held a titled position, while Consort Tongjia remained a Noble Consort without a title.

The difference between a Noble Consort and a Consort is only half a rank, and in front of the Imperial Noble Consort, it’s unreachable.

But now, with Consort Rong promoted to Rong Noble Consort and the Imperial Noble Consort lacking a title, a delicate balance was achieved.

They stood a step above.

These two were on good terms, and even though the Four Imperial Consorts had the authority to assist in palace matters, as long as the Imperial Noble Consort and Rong Noble Consort held power, the Four Imperial Consorts had no say.

As long as these two remained united and the Emperor delayed formally establishing an Empress, they could heavily suppress the Four Imperial Consorts.

Not to mention the lower-ranking daying and small noble ladies.

Consort Hui gritted her teeth, unsure if she had bitten her flesh, but the metallic tang of blood filled her mouth.

Consort Hui was so furious she felt like smashing things to let out her pent-up frustration!

But as she picked them up, she hesitated and reluctantly set them back down.

Right now, if she broke anything, even the excuse of 'accidentally dropping it' wouldn’t fly.

Usually, she could brush it off as an 'accident,' but not now—not when she’d just been made a consort, with everyone in the palace watching her every move.

She should’ve been the most celebrated, but instead, she ended up as just a consort, with both Consort Yi and Consort Xian outranking her!

How could Consort Hui not be seething with resentment?

She could already picture the smirks of those lesser concubines who’d once buttered her up.

The mere thought of becoming a laughingstock made Consort Hui sick to her stomach!

All those Buddhist scriptures she’d painstakingly copied over the past few days—utterly wasted!

All that effort—copying scriptures till her hands cramped, putting on a show of repentance—had been for nothing!

Consort Hui’s heart was in agony!

If she’d just swallowed her pride that day, not stirred the pot, not riled up the Fourth Prince against Consort Rong, not spoken up or fought for her... None of this would’ve happened!

Everything was going perfectly until Consort Rong showed up and wrecked her plans!

Consort Rong, who was now aiding the Crown Prince, wasn’t even his birth mother!

Not only did she drag her own Fourth Prince into it, but she also spoke harshly in front of the Emperor, completely disregarding her.

She even brought in that little white snake to freak her out, making her lose her cool!

Even now, Consort Hui can’t believe how ridiculous Consort Rong’s actions were!

And yet, she still got promoted to Consort Rong!

If they’d been at the same rank, Consort Hui might’ve been annoyed but could’ve accepted it, since the Emperor’s favor wouldn’t have left Consort Rong stuck as a concubine forever!

She’d expected Consort Rong to be the last of the Four Imperial Consorts, but instead, the Emperor only named three, and Consort Rong jumped straight to Consort Rong!

She didn’t even have a son!

Unlike the Imperial Noble Consort, who also had no children, she was the Emperor’s cousin, part of the Tong family!

It was only right for the Emperor to favor his mother’s family, so the Tongs were bound to stay prominent.

But the Niohuru clan, though still a big name in the Bordered Yellow Banner, had lost its old prestige.

And she had no son to carry on the line!

Now, riding solely on the Emperor’s favor, she was made Imperial Noble Consort. How could Consort Hui swallow that? Her heart was drowning in bitterness she couldn’t voice.

The only thing that might’ve irked the Imperial Noble Consort was Consort Uya’s promotion to Consort De—someone who’d been as invisible as a ghost in Jingren Palace.

The other three empty concubine spots were filled too.

Who is this vacant consort position left for?! Just thinking about it gives Consort Hui a headache; nothing seems to be going her way!

—

"The emperor holds that the transformation of the realm begins with familial harmony, emphasizing the order within the palace... I hereby inform Lady Niohuru, who has been diligent in her duties, endowed with grace and wisdom... By the benevolent decree of the Grand Empress Dowager, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Consort, bestowed with the seal and treasures."

Joy overflowed in the Palace of Eternal Harmony. It was already a pleasant surprise that the lady could secure the position of Consort, but to be promoted to Consort was beyond all expectations!

This was nothing short of a delightful surprise!

The higher the lady's rank in the palace, the greater the emperor's favor, and the better our lives as servants will be.

Even if, in the future, the emperor's favor wanes, her life would still be better than those of the lesser concubines.

We dare not treat the Consort with anything but the utmost respect.

Qinxin, typically expressionless, seemed to glow with joy at this moment.

She was helping the lady change her attire. Liang Jiugong had just delivered the emperor's gifts and suggested that the lady wear something more suitable for travel, as the emperor awaited her.

This suggested that the emperor planned to take the lady out of the palace.

Qinxin didn't mind the hassle of re-dressing Su Yi, but Su Yi herself was growing restless.

The process of donning and removing these adornments was tedious, and Su Yi was amazed at how much could be worn on one's head.

It was beautiful, but heavy and tugged at her scalp.

Once all the hairpins and ornaments were removed, the dressing table was nearly buried under various accessories, with no sign of the usual light silk flowers.

After watching Qinxin's deft hands work through her hair, Su Yi closed her eyes to rest, oblivious to the extent of the styling, and sighed at the weight.

With so much worn, the weight was unavoidable.

This is bound to cause hair loss; I can feel my hairline rebelling.

Nowadays, a higher hairline seems desirable, which Su Yi understands but refuses to accept.

So she instructed Qinxin not to tie her hair so tightly this time.

Compared to Qinxin's outwardly stoic but inwardly joyful demeanor, Su Yi appeared less than thrilled.

Even the Consort's attire and the ceremonial robes for the investiture were merely checked for size, without a thought to trying them on.

Had it not been for Liang Jiugong's cryptic summons, Su Yi might have already washed off her makeup and changed to return to sleep.

It's all so cumbersome.

"My lady, are you... displeased?" Qinxin, having finally calmed down from her excitement, noticed that the lady seemed her usual self.

At such a moment of promotion, anyone would exude joy, and all the maids in the Palace of Eternal Harmony were elated for the lady!

Even she felt the same.

It rendered the lady's reaction somewhat indifferent.

As usual, there was a hint of nonchalance about everything.

Even now, being promoted to Consort, the lady didn't seem particularly happy, just as she was when she was first made a concubine.

But now their statuses are vastly different, how could they be the same?

"No, why would you think that? If I were really upset, it’d be pretty scary."

Su Yi smiled softly, her eyes crinkling as she spoke, like she was just teasing as usual.

Qinxin was combing Su Yi's long hair and said, "It's just that you seem no different from usual. I thought you'd be happier than usual since you've been promoted."

"It’s for my health. Don’t judge by looks, but I’m actually really happy." Su Yi began to spin a tale.

Qinxin: ??

"Too much joy hurts the heart, too much sorrow hurts the lungs. It’s all about balance for health." Su Yi said with a profound and mysterious expression.

Qinxin: "..." That kinda makes sense, but it also feels a little off.

"What you’re saying... totally makes sense." Qinxin said against her better judgment.

Then she simply shut her mouth and focused on styling Su Yi's hair.

Su Yi always had a uniquely quirky way of responding.

It was hard for regular folks to follow, and since she was just like them, she stayed quiet.

When Qinxin stopped talking, Su Yi just smiled, her eyes downcast to mask her indifference as she fiddled with her bead bracelet. There was still a difference between genuine emotions and feigned ones.

For the outing, Su Yi skipped the qipao dress for practicality. Her hair was done up in a falling horse bun, decorated with two light yellow grass flower hairpins in different shades.

One of them dangled a string of rice-sized pearl tassels. The pearls were tiny but high-quality, and finding so many of the same size was rare.

The pearl tassels hung at ear level, swaying gently as she moved, adding a playful sparkle.

Su Yi had on a moon-white blouse with subtle branch flower patterns, paired with a goose-yellow round-necked pipa-front vest.

The vest’s front had a ruyi cloud trim, and its hem matched the blouse’s branch flower pattern.

Her sky-blue moonlit skirt shimmered faintly with golden threads as she walked.

She threw on a hooded cloak and followed Liang Jiugong.

Soon, they reached Kangxi, who’d been waiting. A carriage stood nearby, ready to go.

Seeing Su Yi in her new outfit, Kangxi, used to her palace attire, was momentarily struck by the change.

Even though he often saw Rong Noble Consort and knew she was stunning, he couldn’t help but be a little awed. Kangxi stepped forward, took Su Yi’s hand, and said, “This is the first time I’ve seen you like this, and it really suits you.”

“Mmm,” Su Yi replied with a shy smile, her eyes sparkling.

Of course, a beautiful person looks good in anything. It’s not the clothes—it’s the person!

Just be straight and tell her she’s beautiful.

Well, since he’s taking her out, she might as well go along with it.

Su Yi looked at Kangxi with affection in her eyes.

Kangxi, who didn’t quite catch the compliment: "..." You really don’t hold anything back.

Kangxi, who was ignored for missing the point, could only pretend not to know and held Su Yi's hand, preparing to help her onto the carriage.

In an instant, Su Yi had already leaped onto the carriage with ease. Her movements were light and effortless.

Since her hand was being held, Su Yi turned to look at him, saying gently, "Let me help you up."

Kangxi: "...Alright." Pretending not to notice her reason for offering to help.

Then, the next moment, he was pulled up.

Finally regaining his balance, Kangxi: !

Liang Jiugong, watching from behind, saw the Emperor barely step on the stool before being pulled up by Rong Noble Consort, and he resisted the urge to wipe his sweat.

The Imperial Noble Consort is, as always, quite daring.

After Su Yi sat down, she casually pulled Kangxi to sit down too. Once Kangxi was seated, she leaned against him, clingy like a little bird.

Truthfully, she wanted to use Kangxi as a cushion.

She had just taken a look; it was spacious, but you didn’t even bother with cushions or pillows.

Sitting like this without support, with the back not touching anything, and not knowing how long the carriage ride would be, with someone to lean on, was she supposed to lean against the carriage wall?!

Of course, she chose to lean against Kangxi; it would definitely be more comfortable.

Kangxi: "..." Was taking Rong Noble Consort out today a mistake? She's even more carefree.

He thought the Noble Consort might be upset with today’s decree.

After being busy with government affairs for days, so busy that he hadn't even visited Rong Noble Consort, just to free up time today to take her out for fun.

With the lantern festival tonight, it would be bustling; going out to play for a while, they could even catch the lantern festival in the evening.

Kangxi thought the Noble Consort would enjoy the outing.

While the Noble Consort is happy, Kangxi feels like he’s just her tool.

Now, he’s even being used as a cushion.

Kangxi felt it was necessary to let Rong Noble Consort know that he wasn’t such an easy person.

"When traveling, one should still be proper." Kangxi pulled Su Yi away a bit, sitting upright himself, his expression indifferent, his eyes signaling Su Yi to sit properly as well.

Su Yi glanced at him, said nothing, and moved aside, leaning against the inner wall where a small stool was placed by the side.

Su Yi directly placed her feet on it, sitting with her knees hugged, watching the scenery passing by through the gaps in the curtains as the carriage moved.

Her slender figure, sitting quietly with her knees hugged, was hard to miss.

Kangxi expected her to lean over again, unfazed by his attitude, and he’d reluctantly go along.

But this time, Rong Noble Consort was much more obedient, actually sitting alone on one side, not leaning over again.

And her heart was also captivated by the outside scenery, only thinking one word: drama queen.

She was completely absorbed by the outside scenery.

Kangxi sat there and coughed lightly, but Su Yi showed no reaction, as if she hadn’t heard it, not even turning her head toward Kangxi.

Since they were already out, Su Yi didn’t have the time to pay attention to him.

As they passed through the palace gates, the guards standing along the way were all dressed in their uniforms, standing straight and upright. Su Yi glanced over and indeed saw one or two who were quite attractive, her eyes lighting up a bit.

The carriage passed by in just a few moments, and if it weren’t for the fact that they were heading out now, any delay would have been a shame.

Besides, the attractive young guards would still be there when they returned. They weren’t going anywhere, so she could look later.

Otherwise, Su Yi would have loved to find an excuse to stop and look for a bit.

Why hadn’t she seen many attractive guards patrolling near her palace lately? There used to be a few at least.

Somehow, the newer ones were all more ordinary, not even as cute as the young eunuchs in her palace. But seeing the same faces every day got boring; there was no variety.

The coughing beside her seemed more deliberate and noticeable, and Su Yi couldn’t pretend not to hear it anymore. She turned her head, concerned, and asked, "What’s wrong, Your Majesty?"

Was he really unwell? Su Yi was genuinely a bit worried.

Kangxi had only coughed lightly at first. Usually, Liang Jiugong would have caught on quickly.

But with Rong Noble Consort, she really played dumb when it came to certain matters.

Seeing Rong Noble Consort almost mesmerized by the 'scenery' along the way, Kangxi had no choice but to cough deliberately again. This little troublemaker finally turned back and asked what was wrong.

But even then, Kangxi didn’t feel any better. Instead, he felt frustrated, which was quite annoying.

Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to suggest she lean on him.

Having just said that, Kangxi couldn’t very well go back on his word now. Finally, he just cleared his throat and said, "My throat just felt a bit itchy, but it’s fine now."

Su Yi nodded, understanding, "Then I’m relieved." Her concern was genuine.

Otherwise, she was really worried Kangxi might feel unwell and decide to turn back.

Heaven knows, when he coughed earlier, she was genuinely afraid he’d say his throat was bothering him and suggest postponing the trip.

That’s why Su Yi pretended not to hear it.

Who knew Kangxi would cough a few more times, getting more deliberate? With only the two of them in the carriage, she couldn’t keep pretending not to hear.

When she asked what was wrong, she was truly on edge.

Now that she knew he was fine, Su Yi was genuinely relieved. It seemed the outing plan wouldn’t be changed.

Kangxi, who knew her thoughts: !?

Kangxi was waiting for Su Yi to continue the conversation, but she didn’t.

Then the carriage fell into silence.

After passing through the palace gates, there wasn’t much to see anymore, and they still had a stretch of road to cover. Su Yi simply leaned back and closed her eyes to rest for a while, conserving her energy.

She didn’t plan on talking to Kangxi anyway.

Kangxi had thought that once they passed the palace gates, Su Yi would stop looking outside since there wasn’t much to see.

The carriage still had some distance to cover, and with nothing interesting along the way, Kangxi figured Su Yi would likely get bored and end up talking to him during the journey.

This way, he could casually bring it up, suggesting that if leaning on one side was too uncomfortable, she could come over and lean on him for a while, as the carriage still had a distance to go. She could lean on him and nap, and he would wake her when they arrived.

But she seemed quite comfortable leaning on her own side.

(Su Yi: The carriage doesn’t jolt, and upon leaning, I discovered there’s an extra layer underneath. Truly understated luxury and comfort, befitting the Emperor’s carriage. The shock absorption is excellent, making it worth leaning on.)

During this time, Kangxi reached out towards Su Yi, who was asleep leaning on one side, but paused mid-air, his hand retracting in frustration.

Though ordinary in appearance, the carriage moved exceptionally smoothly, showing no signs of jolting. The seats were padded with several thick layers, and the driver was extremely cautious, paying close attention to the road conditions to ensure the horses wouldn’t be startled, lest they disturb the noble passengers.

(Kangxi: Do I look happy?)

So, Su Yi slept soundly on her side, and Kangxi had no chance to use the excuse of the carriage jolting to bring her back, especially since he had made that unnecessary comment earlier.

When the carriage stopped, Su Yi opened her eyes without Kangxi’s reminder, then glanced outside to see they had reached the street.

Liang Jiugong waited outside, the carriage door open for them to descend.

Rong Noble Consort was the first to step down, needing no assistance.

Captivated by the street, Su Yi took a deep breath—the air outside the palace smelled no different.

Kangxi followed her down, refusing Liang Jiugong’s offer to assist, and stepped down on his own. His expression seemed normal, but he was slightly displeased.

But this little rascal was out now, not even glancing his way.

Kangxi wanted to sneer, but it would be undignified.

Su Yi, like a freed bird, was captivated by her surroundings, her radiant smile revealing pearly white teeth.

In those days, women often smiled without showing teeth, to appear reserved.

But Su Yi’s toothy smile seemed even more dazzling.

The sun shone on her, making her glow, her gentle features hard to look away from.

She seemed truly happy.

Kangxi rarely saw her smile so brightly, except when angry.

After all, today’s outing was meant to make her happy.

But then, Kangxi couldn’t feel at ease.

The sudden appearance of a beauty drew most people’s attention, and faint gasps were heard.

It grew, not diminishing.

They rarely had the chance to see such a beauty.

The concubines in the harem were all beauties, without exception.

Even those considered average in the harem would be rare beauties outside.

Average was only in comparison to the many beauties in the harem.

Not to mention Su Yi, who could outshine most, with only a few who could rival her.

Even new maids needed time to adjust, to avoid being mesmerized. Only by seeing Su Yi every day could they barely build some immunity.

It was nearly impossible for the people on the street not to be drawn in at that moment.

At first, just a couple of people glanced over, but their gazes lingered so long that others naturally followed suit.

Once they looked, they too were spellbound, unable to tear their eyes away.

To them, it was like catching a glimpse of a heavenly being.

They’d seen beautiful women before, but never one like this—someone who seemed almost otherworldly.

Even though the entourage accompanying her, judging by their attire, appeared to be the attendants of someone of high status—armed with swords and clearly untouchable.

They couldn’t risk offending the nobleman, but surely, they could steal a glance or two.

That’s what everyone thought, but together, there were just too many of them.

Kangxi’s expression darkened; he hadn’t expected this when they stepped out.

Kangxi stepped forward, pulling the hood over Su Yi’s head, and then wrapped an arm around her waist.

At the same time, his gaze turned icy as he scanned the crowd. Those who met his eyes flinched, quickly looking away.

This beauty was already claimed.

Some couldn’t help feeling disappointed; such a stunning beauty was already taken, and the man seemed anything but ordinary.

His glare was downright menacing, as if he wanted to pluck out their eyes.

But some were too entranced to notice, staring blankly until others nudged them.

Despite all the stares, Su Yi remained unfazed.

She was used to this kind of attention and didn’t let it bother her.

Whether in the past or present, she’d long grown accustomed to it, so Su Yi didn’t feel the least bit awkward under their stares.

Suddenly, her view was obscured, as if something had blocked her sight.

"Hmm?" Once she realized, it was her hood.

Why wear a hood in broad daylight? It hid her hair bun.

Su Yi was about to push it back and reveal her hair bun again.

Then Kangxi’s deep voice cut in, "Keep the hood on. If you don’t, we’re going back now." His tone left no room for argument.

The plainclothes guards, already catching on, fanned out around them, shielding Su Yi from most of the onlookers.

With the hood up, Su Yi was far less noticeable.

The onlookers, seeing the entourage armed with swords, knew they were out of their league.

Seeing this, many who’d been disappointed that the beauty was hidden quickly came to their senses and looked away.

Su Yi got the message—it was best to listen to Kangxi. She glanced at his tense face; he wasn’t kidding.

Su Yi was sensible enough to keep the hood on. It could block the sun, after all. With that in mind, she lowered her hand, leaving the hood in place.

It's just a hood, after all.

But isn't that jerk's grip a bit too tight? Is he trying to break her waist?!

Su Yi kept her smile and patted the back of his hand, signaling him to loosen his grip a bit, not to treat her like a pillow he can just squeeze.

However, to get back at him for his rough handling, Su Yi gave his hand a firm pat, and Kangxi's hand reddened instantly.

But Kangxi acted like nothing had happened, not letting go, just loosening his grip a little, finally easing up on the pressure.

Luckily, after the group entered the restaurant and got a private room, even the few lingering stares were completely blocked.

After all, not just anyone can get a private room at the top restaurant.

Inside the private room, Kangxi's face stayed cold, and he sat down without saying a word.

Su Yi glanced at him but stayed quiet, thinking he'd probably calm down on his own soon.

Meanwhile, a waiter came in, and Su Yi flipped through the simple menu, ordering all the dishes that caught her eye, and all the signature dishes.

Then, remembering Kangxi hadn't ordered yet, she passed him the menu. "See what you want to eat? The dish names are pretty elegant."

The dish names on the menu were very fancy, but it wasn't clear what they were or how they'd taste, just something new to try out.

The imperial kitchen's culinary skills were good, but since it's rare to come out, the chef here should be decent, and Su Yi was quite looking forward to it.

Thinking this, her smile deepened a bit.

When the waiter first came in, he already knew that the nobles sitting there couldn't be offended, as some nobles dislike being looked at directly.

So, the waiter kept his head down and didn't dare to look around, which fortunately kept him from stepping on any landmines.

"No need," Kangxi pushed the menu aside without a glance, showing no interest in eating anything, and having no appetite at the moment.

While the Imperial Noble Consort had too good an appetite!

Seeing this, Su Yi said, "Alright," and put the menu down.

After the waiter left, the room fell back into silence, a kind of oppressive quiet.

Liang Jiugong and Qinxin stood by without saying a word, afraid to provoke any misfortune.

The atmosphere since entering the private room had not been good, and it was getting even more oppressive, yet the Imperial Noble Consort remained composed.

Heaven knows, they were all suffering, as if the Imperial Noble Consort didn't feel it at all.

Earlier, when the waiter took the menu, the Imperial Noble Consort ordered a lot of dishes, seemingly very interested, completely unaware that the Emperor's reaction was off.

Since Kangxi didn't speak, Su Yi also sat there without saying anything.

He'll be fine in a while, she thought, so she didn't disturb him, propping her chin with her hands, waiting to see what the dishes she ordered would look like when they arrived.

Then she thought about going to browse the nearby vendors after eating.

To see if there were any interesting items, and buy some to take back to the palace.

Wait, Su Yi realized, she didn't bring the little milk dragon out with her.

(The little milk dragon was miserably doing the homework assigned by his royal father.)

I'll buy more later and send some to Little Milk Dragon.

Lost in thought, Su Yi didn't notice that Kangxi beside her had almost become a vacuum zone.

The restaurant served dishes quickly, especially for the VIPs in the private room, naturally not daring to keep them waiting, so they sped up the service.

The dishes were served quickly, and they all looked delicious.

Liang Jiugong tested each dish with a silver needle, confirming they were safe to eat.

People had been watching from the kitchen, and the silver needle test was an extra precaution.

Seeing the food was safe, the impatient Su Yi picked up her chopsticks and chose the most appetizing dish.

After tasting it, she commented, "Hmm... it's pretty good."

Though not as refined as the imperial kitchen's dishes, it had its own unique flavor.

However,

"Why aren't you eating?" she asked, giving Kangxi a strange look.

If he didn't want to eat, fine, but his gaze when she moved her chopsticks was hard to ignore.

Then she served him a dish she had just tasted and said, "Hurry up and eat before it gets cold." Cold food isn't as good.

But Kangxi still didn't move his chopsticks, saying coldly, "I'm not hungry."

Su Yi: ...

Su Yi looked around; it was just her, him, Liang Jiugong, and Qinxin. The guards were all outside the door.

Su Yi glanced at Kangxi, who sat there with a cold face, as if someone owed him money.

She looked at Kangxi with a mix of uncertainty and conviction and said, "Are you giving me the cold shoulder?"

Now it was just the few of them. Kangxi hadn't spoken, and she thought he'd lighten up, but instead, his face seemed even more sour.

She couldn't help but think that.

Liang Jiugong and Qinxin both wanted to wipe their brows.

Your Majesty, what you said is like adding fuel to the fire. The Emperor is in a bad mood.

"What do you think?" Kangxi asked with a subtle tone. His expression softened, but his gaze was unsettling.

He tossed the question back to her.

For a moment, silence filled the private room.

Liang Jiugong and Qinxin sensed something was wrong and exchanged uneasy glances.

Qinxin: "What should we do, Liang Gong?"

The atmosphere is tense. What should we do?

Liang Jiugong returned a panicked look; he didn't know either.

He just wanted to hide; it was agonizing for him to be there.

He could tell that His Majesty was upset because so many people had been ogling the Noble Consort earlier, and his jealousy had kicked in.

But His Majesty, being a proud man, didn’t want to admit to the Noble Consort that he was jealous and upset about all the attention she’d gotten earlier.

If the Noble Consort had just sweet-talked His Majesty a bit, his jealousy would’ve melted away.

But instead, this was how things unfolded.

He was freaking out too!

He even thought about asking Qinxin for advice, since she served the Noble Consort. At this moment, he wanted to ask her what to do!

Su Yi’s smile faded a little, and she said softly, "I guess so." As if she had understood something.

Then she stood up and said thoughtfully, "Well then, I’ll just move to the next room. We can each have our own space, so you won’t have to deal with me."

It wasn’t like she couldn’t afford another room. Su Yi was pretty chill about it.

She shot Qinxin a look, signaling her to come along.

Qinxin kept her face blank, but inside, she was halfway out the door, just going through the motions of following the Noble Consort. She didn’t have the guts to stick around any longer.

The Noble Consort wasn’t about to wait for her, and if she didn’t follow, she’d be left behind.

Liang Jiugong was ready to drop to his knees in front of the Rong Noble Consort.

"My Noble Consort, how could you just walk out like that? And suggest getting another room to eat separately—are you trying to make His Majesty blow his top?"

Liang Jiugong peeked at His Majesty’s face and saw he was shaking, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Kangxi glared at Su Yi’s back as she walked out like it was no big deal, then suddenly slammed the table.

The crash made the bowls and chopsticks rattle, showing how hard he’d hit it.

Liang Jiugong saw His Majesty was furious, and his legs gave out. He and Qinxin both dropped to their knees.

Hearing the commotion, the guards outside thought something was wrong and burst in, ready to draw their swords and protect His Majesty.

They found the Noble Consort standing in the doorway and nearly ran into her as they rushed in, but managed to dodge her at the last second.

But they quickly realized nothing was actually wrong.

"Get out!" His Majesty barked.

The guards realized they’d jumped the gun and quickly backed out, shutting the door behind them.

It hit them that His Majesty and the Noble Consort were having a spat, and His Majesty was blowing off steam, while they’d thought it was an assassination attempt.

The guards exchanged awkward looks after stepping out. They’d rushed in fast, but they rushed out even faster.

In a flash, the door was shut again.

Liang Jiugong, who’d wanted to sneak out with the guards, couldn’t keep up and could only silently curse his luck.

As for Qinxin, her Noble Consort was still there, so she didn’t dare make a run for it.

Su Yi, unfazed, walked up and was about to open the door.

"Who said you could leave?!"