Chapter 229

Chapter 229

Cultivators typically maintain youthful appearances with black hair. Even if they achieve breakthroughs at an older age, they can still restore their bodies to peak condition. Except for those who are genuinely aged, most appear as handsome youths and ethereal women. It's uncommon to see someone with white hair.

That hidden urge to pluck it out upon sight was stirring.

Su Yi crouched there, tempted to reach out and pluck it, just as Kangxi turned towards her. She wasn't startled, but Kangxi's startled reaction ended up startling her.

Then she said, "Have you already reached this stage?"

Kangxi's eyelids twitched, anticipating that the Imperial Noble Consort might say something unpleasant next.

But it seemed Kangxi was overly nervous.

Su Yi remained silent, simply gazing at him with added tenderness, gently holding his hand.

Initially, she intended to touch his face, but seeing Kangxi's still unsettled reaction, she feared he might get startled again if she reached for his face, so she opted to hold his hand instead.

Kangxi visibly relaxed a bit as the Imperial Noble Consort held his hand. Had she gone for his face at that moment, Kangxi would have been genuinely panicked.

Such sudden moves are well within the Imperial Noble Consort's capabilities.

Kangxi, clad in tattered garments, felt equally worn out in body and mind.

"I apologize, I was a bit too harsh on you earlier," Su Yi said, feeling a bit guilty. She truly shouldn't have treated him that way.

Kangxi gazed at Su Yi with hesitation, mingled with a complex sense of pleasant surprise. Had she realized she was too harsh just now?

This is highly unusual, exceedingly so!

The Imperial Noble Consort wouldn't behave this way without cause.

Kangxi steadied his thoughts, tightening his grip on Su Yi's hand. "Imperial Noble Consort, if you have something to say, speak plainly." He could endure it, better than the Imperial Noble Consort dangling a hammer over his head without letting it fall.

Kangxi, ah, what can't he get past with such an Imperial Noble Consort, sigh.

Su Yi saw Kangxi's complex psychological state, her eyes filled with even more tenderness, then used a gradual approach to pave the way before stating her intention, to be gentler.

So Su Yi spoke in a gentle tone, "You know the Imperial Noble Consort, right? The beauty recipe she uses is quite effective, from head to toe, I can provide some help, and the feedback from the Imperial Noble Consort is quite good."

Kangxi: ....

No, what does this have to do with him? He does know about the Imperial Noble Consort and the Noble Consort, because of this reason, their relationship has inexplicably become better.

But, what does this have to do with the current situation??

Seeing Kangxi not thinking in that direction, Su Yi got a bit anxious, "So you know, if you have needs, why not tell me! Would I make a fuss about such things with you?"

As she spoke, she looked like, why are you being so distant with me.

This won't do, we usually sleep in the same bed, why are you still so distant!

Would I laugh at him about such things?!

Kangxi's mind gradually became muddled, as if it was stuck with paste, not knowing what the Imperial Noble Consort was talking about.

He really wanted to know what was going on in her mind.

What on earth are you thinking about all day?

But Kangxi, valuing his pride, couldn't let it seem like he hadn't understood after listening for so long. "It's not too late now," he replied casually, hiding his confusion.

"You know it's good. Hold on, I'll jot down the hair care method for you right now. It's guaranteed to make your hair black and shiny. You've been working so hard; it's really tough. I was too harsh on you earlier; I really shouldn't have been."

Su Yi was about to get up to fetch ink and a brush.

Indeed, he should have realized it sooner. He rises in the early hours to work, with piles of memorials to read. He's not even thirty yet, but he's already sprouting white hairs.

Honestly, if his life is this long and he's already like this, what's going to happen in the future?

Kangxi: What?!

Kangxi finally grasped why the Empress's attitude had changed so suddenly. It was because she thought he was overworking and had white hair at such a young age!

It really made Kangxi laugh out of frustration.

Why does the Empress always fixate on the wrong things!

Kangxi grabbed Su Yi as she was about to get up, his face slightly pale, and said stiffly, "No need!"

"Didn't you just say it's not too late now? How come you've changed your mind in the blink of an eye? Don't you trust my method?" Su Yi fired off three questions in a row. She really had a good method for this.

Kangxi: What?!

Is that what he meant?!

If he had known she meant this, Kangxi would have answered differently. The longest path he's walked is the one paved by the Empress's words. He was too quick to respond.

Su Yi was still persistently advocating, not just advocating, but genuinely from the heart, "It really works, I'm not lying. I might deceive you in other things, but not this, I promise. It's good for your hair and tastes great. I'll eat it with you, so you can be sure."

She tried her best to show sincerity with her eyes. Usually, she doesn't maintain a good image, but now when she needs it, her credibility is really on the line.

This is how she earned all those glittering and golden things.

Even saying that she might deceive him in other things but not this, her sincerity is really there.

"I am a man, I don't need these." It's just a few white hairs, the Empress is overreacting.

This is the misconception in men's thinking. How could they think they don't need it? Because they think women wouldn't care about this?

"Your Majesty, haven't you read the storybooks I've read? Logically, you should have read them, how come you still have such thoughts?"

Su Yi pulled Kangxi up from the ground, and for once, she dragged a chair for him to sit down, looking like she was going to have a good talk with him.

Looking at Kangxi's eyes was like looking at a lost youth who didn't realize he was on the wrong path... no, barely a youth.

Lost youth Kangxi: .....

"I haven't read them, I don't know what you're talking about," Kangxi, who had read them but refused to admit it.

Su Yi glanced at him, probably meaning 'don't play dumb with me.'

Whether he read them or not, he should know. Those cheesy storybooks changed their style overnight, it was really something, not only extremely tacky but also very dull. One might think those who wrote serious ancient books had changed careers.

Kangxi coughed unnaturally, absolutely refusing to admit it.

Su Yi started giving him examples, what can't be understood with examples? If one doesn't work, then two.

"Those storybooks depict how a demoness, having been saved by a scholar, comes to repay the favor, thus forming a bond. However, there are many ways to repay a favor, like offering oneself in marriage, but that's only if the scholar is somewhat attractive.

If the scholar is just an ugly fellow, even if the demon lady wants to repay the favor, she, though not human, doesn't have such a strong preference and can't bring herself to do it. At most, she might offer some financial aid or other material support."

Su Yi said, revealing a very subtle and meaningful smile.

In short, an ugly guy dreaming of a beautiful demoness repaying a favor by offering herself is purely wishful thinking.

Kangxi was momentarily speechless upon hearing this, but quickly,

"These are just some useless, bitter scholars writing about supernatural romances, which hold no real significance," Kangxi still tried to argue.

Su Yi was not fazed at all; her repertoire was rich, and she immediately continued,

"Then there's the story of the pure white flower who sells herself to bury her father, caught the eye of a portly, oily, wealthy young master who offers money to make her his concubine. The white flower refuses to the death, saying she would rather work as a servant.

Finally, she is heroically saved by another man, who is of higher status and handsome and graceful.

Just moments ago, she was refusing to the death, but now it's a matter of being unable to repay the life-saving favor except by offering herself. Tell me, when these two are put together, anyone with eyes would know how to choose."

Su Yi emphasized the phrases 'portly, oily, wealthy young master' and 'handsome and graceful.'

"Everyone has at least a basic, normal sense of aesthetics; one can tell the difference between a pig's head and a human, it's not like they're really blind.

If they are truly blind, then they've paid too much, and the wealth and honor gained after blindness—what does it count as greed for vanity? It's just the compensation they deserve for their psychological harm."

Su Yi, fearing Kangxi might not understand what psychological harm is, switched to a more colloquial explanation, "It's compensation for physical and mental harm."

Then she couldn't help but shiver, her tone deep, "This is truly terrifying."

Not everyone can receive such compensation for harm.

"Anyway, Your Majesty, I just can't do it." Su Yi's smile was bright, but there was an invisible dark vibe lurking behind it.

She was just that shallow; she cared about looks, and if someone was ugly, she simply wouldn't like them.

"Looks are only temporary. Even the most handsome person will eventually grow old." Kangxi tried to say something to change the Consort's overly superficial mindset.

"You're right, people do age, but how does that clash with my wish to enjoy them at their most handsome?" Su Yi was utterly confused. Was there any direct contradiction here?

She wanted someone young and good-looking; who’d want some old geezer?

Even if they would grow old, at least she would have had their youthful beauty.

To just toss an ugly person her way and say, "Even if you find someone handsome, they'll grow old and ugly, so just settle and don't focus too much on looks," is no different from pushing someone off a cliff. That's unacceptable.

Kangxi paused, not sure how to counter the Consort's bold argument, which had escalated to the point of forcing someone off a cliff.

Su Yi even earnestly corrected one point: "Starting with an ugly person aging is not the same as a handsome young man aging. Your Majesty, search your heart and tell me, is it the same?!" She placed her hand on his chest.

Kangxi didn’t have much of a conscience, if he even had one. If he did, it was certainly not abundant.

But if he were to say that, his chest might not handle the weight of the metaphorical boulder crushing it, a burden even an Emperor couldn't withstand.

He calmly shook his head.

He sort of realized that sometimes it’s best not to argue with his Consort.

"The former, when old, will only have a lingering greasiness, as disgusting as rancid water, while the latter, even when old, will still be a handsome man, like fine wine that matures with age, becoming richer and more mellow."

Su Yi said as she leaned closer to Kangxi, kissing the corner of his mouth. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, as if he were a priceless treasure, her tone turning sweet. "And I think Your Majesty is the latter."

Kangxi found this statement somewhat credible, given the concubine's emphasis on looks, it was temporarily impossible to change her mind.

After all, the concubine thought he was the latter.

He certainly couldn't be compared to the former.

Kangxi's confidence wavered slightly.

Su Yi's tone shifted again, tinged with sadness. "If I misjudge, it would truly break my heart." This was a bit of a dilemma.

Her eyes brimmed with affection, as if gazing at a lover. "So, Your Majesty, will you let me down?"

According to Kangxi's experience, this was no less than the concubine's 'friendly' confirmation before a potential fallout, on the brink.

Kangxi pretended to be calm, though his tone was a bit shaky. "Does it really work?"

Su Yi also nodded solemnly.

"Well... alright then." He said with some difficulty, but once the words were out, Kangxi felt at ease. After all, he had already used the beauty cream, and the concubine didn't know about it, so it didn't hurt his dignity.

Just like some things, before you say them, you feel it's too hard to say or do.

But once you actually say them, there's a sense of relief in letting go, even a curiosity to see how much worse it can get, a sort of serene acceptance.