Chapter 227

Chapter 227

After that little episode, the remaining people had no mood to continue chatting and laughing as before. Everyone felt a bit disinterested.

They hadn't yet found an excuse to leave, only because Consort Ping was still present, and they didn't want to be the first to go.

However, Consort Ping obviously had no mood to engage in superficial camaraderie with them now.

She was feeling down and didn't want to continue giving pleasant looks to some insignificant people. So she said she was tired and suggested they call it a day. Without waiting to see their reactions, she left, leaning on the hand of a palace maid.

The remaining concubines bowed and respectfully saw her off. Seeing Consort Ping leave, they also went their separate ways without chatting or keeping each other company. Everyone had their own thoughts and wanted to hurry back to sort them out at their own pace.

Today marked the first meeting between Rong Noble Consort and Consort Ping. They had wanted to see how the two would interact.

Setting the stage for this wasn't easy.

Rong Noble Consort didn't often socialize with others. It wasn't that no one noticed her influence and wanted to befriend her or had ulterior motives for visiting Yonghe Palace.

Even though they weren't turned away at the door, they definitely wouldn't see Rong Noble Consort before noon.

Even if they patiently sat there drinking tea and waited for an audience, they would have already drunk a lot of tea and couldn't sit for long, fearing embarrassment, so they would hurry off.

Some timed their visit and went over, so they didn't have to wait long to see her.

They thought they could stretch out the time until the Emperor arrived, then take the opportunity to appear before him. It wasn't certain to encounter the Emperor elsewhere, but at Yonghe Palace, it was guaranteed.

But prolonging conversations with Rong Noble Consort was also quite challenging. It seemed that as long as Rong Noble Consort didn't outright kick them out, they could just stay shamelessly. But when they actually tried, they found it wasn't like that at all.

Often, after saying a lot, Rong Noble Consort would only say a few words, then adopt an attitude of 'you continue, I'm listening.' Even flattery couldn't last for two or three hours.

Casual conversation also needed substance. Even if they were bored, they would keep up a facade of patience and not directly send people away. People in the palace understood this principle; directly breaking face would offend too many. Even if they didn't like it, they had to maintain some superficial politeness.

But with Rong Noble Consort, she didn't follow these rules at all. She directly asked people to leave, not even bothering with superficial politeness.

To stay, they had to rack their brains for topics.

After a while, people were always on edge and couldn't relax. When they finally relaxed, they felt both physically and mentally exhausted. Finally, when the Emperor arrived, they thought it wasn't a waste of effort, but the Emperor didn't even give them a second glance.

They only managed to greet him before being politely asked to leave by the palace maids. No matter how many tricks they had, they couldn't use them.

After a few attempts, they were both physically and mentally exhausted. Just spending effort on pleasing Rong Noble Consort was quite draining. Talking too much made them thirsty, so they had to drink more water, which made them need to urinate, adding to their discomfort.

After all this trouble, they finally saw the Emperor but didn't leave much of an impression on him. They gained no benefits but had to invest a lot.

In the end, they spent all their effort on how to please Rong Noble Consort.

At the time, they didn't realize it, but every time they returned, they felt like they had been treated as amusing little toys.

It was clear that Rong Noble Consort saw their intentions. As long as they could amuse her, she would let them stay and try to appear before the Emperor, which was quite infuriating. Sometimes, they even encountered Imperial Noble Consort.

Rong Noble Consort's difficulty was reflected in another aspect. She appeared gentle and didn't have an oppressive presence. If they found the right method, time passed without much suffering.

But Imperial Noble Consort's difficulty was different. She made people so nervous they didn't dare to breathe, sitting as if on a cold bench. Imperial Noble Consort would coolly remark, "Weren't you just chatting and laughing? Why so quiet now?"

If they continued speaking, they would be subtly criticized, making it very painful. They wanted to leave but couldn't, hoping Rong Noble Consort would say a few words for them. After all, they had amused her, so she couldn't just turn her back on them.

But Rong Noble Consort really could!

It seemed she didn't notice Imperial Noble Consort intentionally making things difficult for them and just let it happen without saying a word!

It seemed as though all the gentle words spoken earlier had been misplaced!

Even those who had their eyes on Yonghe Palace, hoping to slowly wear her down, found that few could persist for long.

In their conversations, they hinted at their desire to align with Rong Noble Consort, to follow her wishes, hoping that she might grant them some favor. Yet, despite her seemingly gentle and approachable demeanor, Rong Noble Consort was a master at shutting down conversations, capable of abruptly bringing any discussion to a halt.

Each time, they would see her with that soft, gentle face, speaking in a tender, soothing tone, like a gentle breeze, only to have her words render them speechless. They would struggle to keep the conversation going, but no matter how eloquent they were, they couldn't withstand her ability to bring the conversation to a halt. After a few such encounters, even the most articulate would struggle to keep up.

She acted entirely according to her whims, depending on her mood at the moment.

Moreover, there were things Rong Noble Consort could say that they simply couldn't emulate, leading many who had hoped to align with her to leave disappointed.

Even when she was recuperating from illness, it wasn't certain that visitors could see her. There was no chance to show concern and curry favor while she was weak.

What seemed like a potential breakthrough through persistence was actually like a turtle's shell—impenetrable and hard to crack, leaving them at a loss.

When Rong Noble Consort fell ill, coinciding with the grand selection of new palace ladies, some thought to take advantage of her illness to advance. However, it was the newly entered Consort Ping, leveraging the late Empress's influence, who managed to gain favor and come out on top.

At that time, many secretly resented their lack of a good family background or a late elder sister who could have helped them.

Just by being from the Hesheli clan, she was immediately elevated to the rank of Consort.

While they toiled and struggled, unsure of how long it would take, and not even certain of attaining the concubine rank, someone else could enter the palace and be immediately elevated to Consort—it felt incredibly unfair.

Although Consort Ping had taken the lead, thereby sharing some of Rong Noble Consort's favor and ending her exclusive favor, few felt truly satisfied.

Not only those who entered the palace with Consort Ping, but even the veteran palace ladies couldn't help but feel envious.

Originally, many had hoped to compete for the vacant Consort position, but it was taken by a newcomer. The three existing Consorts—Consort Yi, Consort Hui, and Consort Xian—found it particularly bitter that someone new could be on equal terms with them.

Consort Yi, even without children, had ascended from the rank of Noble Lady to Consort. Consort Hui and Consort Xian had similarly worked their way up. Now, sitting in the Consort position, they had finally achieved their position, though they still had someone above them. Despite their dissatisfaction and ambitions for the Empress's position, they knew that overcoming the obstacles above them wouldn't be an overnight task.

One was the Emperor's cousin; as long as Imperial Noble Consort didn't make critical errors, she would remain firmly in her position.

The other was a formidable opponent; as long as the Emperor favored her, anyone who crossed her would come out worse. Though they were discontent, they had no immediate way to challenge her and could only wait for another 'Rong Noble Consort' to replace her.

But what was Consort Ping, to be on equal terms with them?

Though they quietly observed whether she could replace Rong Noble Consort, it didn't mean they would let Consort Ping live comfortably.

Taking advantage of her unstable footing, they created minor inconveniences to make her life less comfortable, though they hadn't yet made any serious moves.

They had expected Consort Ping to rise high, even hoping she would compete with Rong Noble Consort. But now, after just one encounter, she had already lost without offering any resistance—it was truly disappointing.

They had hoped to see a good show, but Consort Ping turned out to be nothing special.

Perhaps Rong Noble Consort hadn't been ill enough; she recovered too quickly.

Otherwise, given more time, perhaps today's outcome would have been different.

News in the palace spread quickly, and what happened here soon reached many ears, leading to some reconsideration among those who were watching.

After Rong Noble Consort's recovery, it was only a matter of time before she and Consort Ping would clash.

Now, in their first encounter, though it seemed insignificant, even just a small episode, much had already been revealed.

The stage was set, but the play hadn't even begun. If the Emperor hadn't suddenly appeared today, there might have been a real spectacle.

But with the Emperor's sudden appearance, Rong Noble Consort didn't need to do anything—she had already won, effortlessly.

Consort Ping didn't dare to confront the Rong Noble Consort directly, lacking confidence.

They had thought she was quite capable, considering her previous grand gestures.

Who knew that at their first encounter, she would be so useless?

They had such high hopes for Consort Ping.

When the Imperial Noble Consort found out, she even ate half a bowl more rice than usual at her meal.

How could Consort Ping not know that she would be mocked by the women in the inner palace this time?

Many had been envious before, and though she seemed unaffected, she was actually quite embarrassed, both internally and externally.

Kangxi's favor even dropped, which was like a stab to Consort Ping's heart. It was already hard to gain, and now it had dropped. She didn't know when she could earn it back.

She had already set her sights on something, hoping to exchange it for favor, but now she couldn't even manage the basics, let alone think about rewards!

She didn't know when this would all end.

The task was hellishly difficult, progressing very slowly. Kangxi's fickleness was driving Consort Ping to the brink of a breakdown. It would be better if he were just a lust-driven emperor!

Not to mention this system, which inexplicably warned her not to get too close to the Rong Noble Consort, shaking her confidence and making her overthink, leading to that move.

As soon as she returned, Consort Ping tried to ask the system for an explanation, but it gave no response or explanation at that time.

It seemed like it was just adding to her troubles. Was it really on her side?

At least tell her why this happened!

In her anger, Consort Ping became disillusioned with the system. It failed her at a critical moment, and the system wasn't as reliable as she had thought.

Many things were within her grasp but just out of reach. Even when Kangxi suddenly appeared today, the system didn't give her a warning.

If it had warned her, she definitely wouldn't have made that move, and her favor wouldn't have dropped.

It didn't help at all; instead, it only held her back.

If it weren't for the system's meddling, giving sudden warnings without explanations, affecting her state of mind and making her too cautious to perform well, would this have happened?!

Thinking about how long it would take to regain the lost favor, Consort Ping became even angrier and couldn't help but curse a few times. After all, she had sent the palace maids away, so no one could hear her.

Just after speaking, Consort Ping began to convulse uncontrollably, her eyes rolling back, her face full of pain, her mouth open as if to shout something, but no sound came out.

After a while, Consort Ping stopped convulsing but lay on the ground, completely drained of strength, unable to move, breathing laboriously, as if she had just endured a torment, almost circling the gates of the underworld.

Consort Ping could scarcely believe what had just happened.

Her whole body felt as if it had been electrocuted, the pain uncontrollable, and she couldn't even make a sound for help. Consort Ping almost thought she was going to die like this!

Now that the electric-like torment was over, she didn't even have the strength to get up from the ground.

And the palace maids had been sent away by Consort Ping earlier, so no one was there to help her up.

Consort Ping even had to be grateful that she had sent the palace maids away early, otherwise, if someone had seen her like this, who knows what rumors would have spread.

And the system's voice echoed in her mind, this was the punishment for her disrespect.

If it were usual times, Consort Ping might still have some strength left to resent.

After enduring such an ordeal, Consort Ping was left too weak to resist or harbor resentment, filled only with fear and dread.

She was terrified of facing another punishment like the one before.

Had it not been for this incident, Consort Ping would never have known the system had such punitive measures.

Previously, the worst outcome was having to return the exchanged items. If the items were intangible, they would be taken back from her, reverting her to her original state, or even leaving her worse off than before.

Anyone who has enjoyed becoming more beautiful would fear losing it and reverting to their original appearance, or even becoming uglier due to punishment. The more you fear losing something, the more likely you are to lose it.

And now, she discovered that the system had other punitive measures!

This immediately filled Consort Ping with fear.

She had thought it would be a golden opportunity, but now she realized that even golden opportunities could burn.

But for now, Consort Ping had no choice but to beg for mercy, admitting that she had been momentarily misguided and harbored disrespectful thoughts, promising never to do so again.

The system seemed pleased with Consort Ping's obedience after she learned her lesson. It had its reasons for keeping her at a distance from Rong Noble Consort, but there was no need to dwell on it. It was just to avoid certain troubles, and she should avoid overreacting in the future to prevent arousing suspicion.

Consort Ping readily agreed. No matter what happened next, she had just suffered and dared not voice any objections. This was when she was most afraid and deeply fearful of the system.

On the other side,

Although the father and son shared many common interests when discussing certain matters on their way back, it didn't prevent Kangxi from taking little milk dragon away as soon as they returned.

What a touching display of fatherly love and filial piety, truly moving to witness.

Before leaving, Kangxi instructed Su Yi to stay put, as he would return later to discuss matters with her.

His expression was serious and stern, as if he meant to have a proper talk. He left with the little one in hand, as if to address the smaller issue first before turning to her.

Su Yi, who hadn't returned to Yonghe Palace, felt a bit rebellious.

But the pot-head incident made her feel a bit guilty and unable to stand tall.

When little milk dragon came to see Su Yi, she wasn't idle.

With the cat and the cub around, she left without hesitation.

She seemed to be going out for a stroll, but in reality, her destination was Yonghe Palace.

She strolled all the way back to Yonghe Palace.

Packing up and returning?

Those things could be left behind.

It was like staying in a hotel; you could leave without taking your belongings, but you had to leave.

There was no way to stop her, as if stopping her would really prevent her from leaving.

Yes, Su Yi was just that determined.

She wanted to go out for some fresh air, straight back to Yonghe Palace.

There were too many hidden eyes here, and Su Yi's overly sensitive spirit was not good.

Sure enough, she left smoothly and calmly, without any hindrance.

But halfway through, she thought of Consort Ping, and what a coincidence, Consort Ping was also out for a breath of fresh air.

She really wanted to know if that system was still with Consort Ping, so she decided to get a closer look.

Although it wasn't necessary to meet her today, it was convenient to check now, rather than having to make a special trip another day.

Comparing the two options, she suddenly felt lazy, thinking it was too troublesome, so she decided to seize the opportunity and just go over there, just for a quick look.

Of course, at such times, it's not very appropriate to have the kid around, as it would make everyone on edge, which is no fun at all.

So, it was time to put the cat she had raised for a thousand days to work.

Let the cat go out for a run, it would be good for it to move around and shed a few pounds.

The cat was really obedient, it ran off in a flash and quickly disappeared, with its agile and flexible figure, it could easily dodge a few pursuers.

Su Yi looked worried and nervous, putting on a show of wanting to take someone to chase after the cat.

Of course, she wasn't really going to chase, she was just putting on a show.

It was just to temporarily distract the kid.

Before she could move, she was stopped by the little milk dragon, who told her to wait here, and that he would take care of it, then he took the palace servants to chase the cat.

Su Yi, of course, wasn't just waiting idly, she casually walked around and ended up at the gathering organized by Consort Ping.

Although they were some distance apart, when the other party saw her, in that brief moment of eye contact, Su Yi could see that the other party still had a gleam of eagerness in their eyes, as if they couldn't wait to confront her directly.

But when they got close, just a short distance away, it seemed like their demeanor shifted.

Su Yi wanted to probe, but the other party's reaction was a bit baffling, and she really didn't have time, then Kangxi appeared.

At that time, the people present might have thought that Kangxi had come with her, perhaps passing by, and seeing Consort Ping there, he decided to drop by and say hello, Kangxi saw her greeting and not returning, so he came over to look for her.

After all, they came almost back-to-back.

In fact, Kangxi really didn't come with Su Yi.

Later, the cat went too far, and when they set out to chase the cat, the little milk dragon was still neat and tidy, but came back all dirty, and now he had to be given a talking-to.

Ah, what a mess.

Along the way, the two were still chatting away, Su Yi didn't even get a chance to interject, she was very quiet along the way, and didn't dare to make a sound when she saw that the path wasn't leading back to Yonghe Palace.

Ah, let's just call it a day.

Now Su Yi was sitting and fidgeting, she was really curious.

Listening to the conversation between Kangxi and his son along the way, she couldn't help but be curious, letting her mind wander, but when Kangxi's gaze swept over, it was chilly, and Su Yi had to restrain herself from thinking too much, which was quite hard.

Now that Kangxi was not around, busy being a loving father to the little milk dragon, Su Yi, of course, couldn't sit still.

She headed straight for the cat.

Of course, on the surface, she still looked like she was going to give the cat a talking-to to make it realize its mistake.

The cat had just gotten rid of the burrs stuck to its body and was taking a bath, its fur wet, it still looked solid, not just fluff.

Even while bathing, the cat still had the demeanor of a feline overlord, still meowing loudly, looking very unhappy. Ah, today just wasn't her day.

The servants occasionally coaxed a few words, but it was of no use. Although the cat didn’t run away, it kept chattering, refusing to back down.

When Su Yi saw it, it immediately switched to a high-pitched, cutesy tone, still acting like a clean and tidy cat, dripping wet and trying to come over, which was a bit terrifying.

Su Yi reacted extremely quickly. Before her footsteps could fully land, she smoothly turned and retreated without hesitation.

She had arrived a bit early, so she decided to go back for some tea first.

The previously loud and scolding cat suddenly became subdued, much more cooperative than before. It seemed its little cat heart had been deeply hurt, shattered into pieces.

The servants took advantage of its current docility and worked more quickly, quickly finishing the bath for this little rascal.

After drying it halfway, they placed the cat near the stove to fully dry its still-damp fur. Only then did they return the warm, fluffy, and fragrant furball to Su Yi.

It was as if they had finally completed a challenging task, and they breathed a sigh of relief.

When it was brought back, the cat still held a bit of a grudge because Su Yi had slipped away too quickly earlier, hurting its little cat heart!

It decided to ignore this human for now.

"Come here," Su Yi beckoned to it.

"Meow~" Alright, got it.

The cat, which had been facing away from Su Yi, rolled over and tumbled directly into her arms.

What a coincidence, indeed.

It's not that the cat's will is weak; it's just a little kitten after all. What's the point of having a strong will anyway?

Su Yi held the chubby cat, feeling as though she was holding a warm, fluffy ball. Moreover, after the bath, its fur was not only fragrant but also incredibly fluffy and smooth to the touch. Su Yi couldn't resist giving it a little sniff.

After a quick sniff, Su Yi's expression immediately changed.

She pinched the cat's chubby cheeks and said sternly, "Little troublemaker, were you deliberately bullying others today, huh?!"

I told you to play around a bit, not to go overboard like that. That's a bit too much.

The big-faced cat with its little bangs looked utterly innocent, as if it didn't understand what Su Yi was saying. But its eyes narrowed, and its ears pressed back, performing an 'ear disappearance' act, trying to act clueless.

Su Yi, still pinching its cheeks, remained unyielding. "And you even went and got stuck in a small tunnel entrance, needing someone to rescue you. Aren't you embarrassed, huh?"

It really lacks self-awareness as a cat.

The chubby cat tried to shrink its body, attempting to curl up into a ball, but it was no use.

It could only meow softly, trying to soften hearts with its high-pitched voice. Who could really resist that?

But no, it needed to be scolded properly.

After all, it's a long-term meal ticket. If it bullies too much, it might just quit, and that wouldn't be good.

Besides, bullying the little ones is not very cat-like.

As a cat with proper cat ethics, it should respect the old and love the young, and it can mess around with the middle-aged—yes, she's talking about Kangxi, the middle layer.

The cat was completely defeated, looking dejected. Its face clearly showed it was a cat with worries, very melancholic.

"Next time, don't bully others too much, okay?"

Guo Gai Tou meowed in agreement.

Su Yi held out her hand, "Deal." Guo Gai Tou placed its paw on her hand and gave it a little press.

Only then did Su Yi finally smile gently, cradling the sulky big cat back into her arms and stroking its fur. The big cat, looking all sulky, plopped its head on her shoulder, like it needed some comforting.

Su Yi kept her hand on its head, giving it the occasional scratch. The chubby cat squinted, looking like it was about to nap.

After the training, it was time to satisfy her curiosity.

Had Kangxi ever been walked like this? She was dying to find out!

How could she miss such an embarrassing moment?

She just had to see it for herself.

Soon, Su Yi withdrew her hand and sharply inhaled.

Then, she quickly picked up the big cat, which was squinting in enjoyment, looking at its bewildered little expression as if asking, "What's wrong now, meow?"

Su Yi leaned in and smothered its big head with kisses, like a total cat addict, maybe even a little over the top. The scene was gradually getting out of control.

Guo Gai Tou was a bit dazed by the sudden kisses, leaving the poor kitty somewhat at a loss.

"What are you doing?!" A voice full of shock and anger burst out from behind Su Yi.

Then, someone rushed over so fast it created a gust of wind, snatching the dazed Guo Gai Tou away.

Su Yi remained in her previous posture, but the big cat in her arms was gone.

Kangxi, holding the cat, gave her a look full of mixed emotions, as if he couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. He asked again, "What were you doing just now?"

He sounded like she'd committed a crime.

Su Yi was even more confused than he was, "Kissing it," she pointed at Guo Gai Tou, what's the big deal?

Okay, she might have gone a little overboard, but isn't that what happens when you're addicted to cats? It's hard not to get carried away.

And it was so sweet—what's the harm in a few kisses? Su Yi opened her arms to the little cat again.

Guo Gai Tou snapped out of it and tried to leap from the stiff arms of the two-legged creature, wanting to return to the soft, fragrant embrace.

It was fast, but Kangxi was faster.

Just as it leaped into the air, it was caught by a pair of hands again. It tried once more, only to be caught again.

Watching Kangxi's ninja-like cat-catching skills, Su Yi's feelings became even more complicated.

Who knew? Kangxi was such a tsundere—acting all annoyed but secretly caring. Saying he hated cats, but secretly practicing his moves so many times to become this skilled.

Half of Guo Gai Tou's upbringing was thanks to Kangxi.

It might look chubby, but it was all muscle from all that jumping...

But Kangxi was done playing around with the cat.

With a stern face, he handed the cat to a daying to be taken away.

Only after ensuring the cat was taken away did he turn back to Su Yi, who was sitting there, and asked for a handkerchief. Su Yi fished out her own handkerchief and handed it to Kangxi. With all those pouches on his waist, he didn't even have a handkerchief...

So fussy about touching a cat that you need a handkerchief to wipe your hands afterward.

Then Kangxi turned Su Yi's face toward him and used the handkerchief he had just grabbed to wipe her face.

Su Yi, her face smothered by the handkerchief: ?!

What the hell are you doing, dude?!

How can you pull such a suffocatingly clueless move?!

If I were wearing makeup, wouldn’t my face be a total mess if you wiped it like that?!

"It's so gross," Kangxi said as he wiped, his tone even more annoyed than Su Yi's frustration at having her face wiped.

Finally, it clicked—he was grossed out because she’d kissed the cat earlier.

But.

"Pot Lid has someone who specially buries his poop every day!" Su Yi, with her face covered, managed to twist her face and blurt out this sentence during a gap.

He doesn’t even have to bury his own poop, and even though his fur gets groomed regularly, it’s nowhere near the poop zone!

Kissing him isn’t gonna hurt anyone!

Hearing this, Kangxi froze, as if he couldn’t believe she’d say something like that.

"Pot Lid just had a bath—he’s clean!" This statement was very confident—fresh-smelling little piggy!

But he still caught her and wiped her mouth again.

Totally ridiculous!

Then, to make it even more absurd, he made her brush her teeth and rinse her mouth.

Su Yi refused, and Kangxi even thought about doing it himself.

Su Yi had no choice but to brush her teeth herself—this jerk had no sense of gentleness earlier when wiping her mouth.

It was like a mom washing your face, saying, ‘Is it too rough? Nah, it’s fine,’ while scrubbing harder and harder.

She’d let Kangxi brush her teeth, but she didn’t trust him—wouldn’t he just jab her throat?

No wonder Pot Lid hates brushing his teeth—who would like this?!

Su Yi, knowing when to give in, brushed her teeth herself while Kangxi stood there with a cold expression, making sure she didn’t just brush half-heartedly.

Jerk, did you hear that, jerk?!

Then the jerk made her brush her teeth three times.

In fact, after watching her brush three times, Kangxi seemed to want her to go for a fourth round.

But after brushing three times, Su Yi snapped, even broke the toothbrush, grabbed him, and planted a kiss right on his mouth.

His cleanliness obsession can’t just focus on her all the time—poor guy, he even lay on the ground digging for cats, so how can he still hate on a clean cat?

Pot Lid’s mouth has never touched poop, no way!