Chapter 241

Chapter 241

Thus, the cat-fishing session had to come to an end. Although Kangxi's face remained unchanged, his eyes betrayed a hint of reluctance.

It was satisfying, yet not entirely so.

Perhaps this method of "fishing" for cats offered a completely different experience from the usual scenario where cats "fished" for people.

It felt incredibly gratifying that the cat, which once made people run around in circles, now had its turn.

This was precisely Kangxi's mindset.

Now, with the activity forced to stop, he was somewhat displeased, but he did not show it on his face due to the inability to continue "fishing."

He wanted to maintain his image as a steady and profound person.

However, the little kitten with the flat head no longer had to work so hard to earn its fish treats.

The fish treats and cat food arrived so quickly that the little kitten happily started gobbling them up in large bites.

Its mouth opened wide, taking huge bites despite the limited space, causing some to spill out, but even so, it didn't stop the kitten from continuing to munch away.

The kitten had been so hungry.

After waiting outside for a while, the palace attendant who came from Consort Ping was finally called in. Initially, they thought only Noble Consort Rong was present, but unexpectedly, His Majesty was there too, which was clearly...

Recalling the instructions from Consort Ping and the purpose of their visit, the attendant immediately felt that what was already a difficult task had become even more challenging.

If the attendant truly belonged to Consort Ping's palace, they would tactfully refine her words, omitting parts of her message that could be spared.

But the palace maid was not from Consort Ping's palace; she was from the Qianqing Palace. Naturally, she had no intention of covering for Consort Ping, as she wasn't under Consort Ping's jurisdiction nor assigned to her palace. Her diligence was naturally lacking.

After entering, the palace maid kept her eyes lowered, kowtowed respectfully, and remained kneeling, awaiting a response.

Su Yi said nothing, effortlessly playing the role of an uninvolved observer, poised to watch the spectacle unfold.

Of course, on the surface, she maintained a gentle and quiet demeanor, sitting politely to the side without interrupting.

Though eager for gossip, one must still keep up appearances—too obvious an interest might draw unwanted attention to herself.

Such inquiries naturally didn’t require Kangxi to speak. Liang Jiugong promptly stepped in to question the maid.

The palace maid haltingly explained her errand, "Your Majesty, Imperial Noble Consort, it's... that retrieving the garments would take considerable time. Consort Ping did not wish to keep His Majesty waiting, so she sent this servant to borrow a fresh gown from Imperial Noble Consort as an emergency measure."

Consort Ping probably never expected that after dinner, His Majesty wouldn’t wait for her but instead visit Imperial Noble Consort.

It seemed he hadn’t just arrived but had been here for some time.

Thus, Consort Ping’s excuse for sending her to borrow a gown now seemed laughable.

Before the show even started, she was caught in the middle.

Su Yi: "..."

*Quack quack quack.*

Su Yi spoke softly, "Oh, I see."

Seeing the palace maid trembling with fear, her neck hunched in tension, Su Yi wasn’t out to torment her. It was just a gown, after all.

But Su Yi had never really paid attention to her wardrobe, so if you asked her which clothes had been worn and which hadn’t, she hardly remembered. Thus, she turned to Qinxin for help.

When in trouble, ask Qinxin—she could handle it.

Qinxin understood her mistress’s intention immediately: to find a suitable, unworn outfit as a quick fix for the palace maid to take back to Consort Ping.

Though she knew Consort Ping’s request was more about making a dig than anything else—after all, the Emperor had just left her side, and now she was sending someone to borrow clothes from the Imperial Noble Consort. Truly, she was quite the schemer.

But she also knew her mistress hated hassle. If giving away a piece of clothing could resolve the matter, the Imperial Noble Consort wasn’t about to drag it out. Besides, with the Emperor present, it wasn’t the time to stir up unnecessary conflict over such a trivial matter.

Just as Qinxin was about to respond, Kangxi spoke in an offhand tone, "Consorts' attire must adhere to protocol and cannot be casually overstepped."

Technically, that made sense.

Due to differences in rank, consorts had hard rules regarding clothing and accessories—what they wore and adorned themselves with varied according to their status.

Though there was a distinction between the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Ping, in exceptional circumstances, as long as it wasn’t formal court attire like the chaogua, everyday garments would do in a pinch without excessive embellishments.

But since the Emperor had declared no overstepping was allowed, naturally, this course of action was now forbidden.

Seeing that Kangxi had spoken up, Su Yi was spared the trouble.

No need for fake pleading—no song and dance about how this was a special case, how maybe they should lend the outfit after all.

Ugh, even the thought was exhausting and troublesome. Better to cut to the chase entirely.

Doable, but why bother?

If she wasn’t even willing to take a stroll, how could she be expected to engage in verbal back-and-forth?

This wasn’t just about moving one’s lips—it required wasting energy, expending brain cells.

Not to mention organizing logical arguments, matching facial expressions, and possibly even coordinating small gestures.

Looked at this way, wasn’t it a whole production?

Not exactly a walk in the park.

Well, let’s skip the niceties, then.

Once Kangxi had spoken, no one dared push back, much less persist further.

The palace maid, having received her answer, was promptly dismissed—not only without pressing the matter but practically bolting like a spooked rabbit, afraid that lingering might land her in trouble.

She still had to face Consort Ping upon returning!

If this had been one of Consort Ping’s own maids, she might’ve gone to bat for her mistress—to avoid punishment upon returning empty-handed.

But as it happened, Consort Ping had sent her own attendants back to fetch clothes, instead borrowing a servant from the Qianqing Palace.

Even if the task wasn’t accomplished, could Consort Ping really lash out and punish a Qianqing Palace servant at will?

If she tried, word would spread immediately—Consort Ping throwing a tantrum, berating and striking Qianqing Palace servants.

And as for the servant—she *did* her job. What more could Ping want?

There was naturally no chance of borrowing it with the Emperor present and having spoken.

Upon learning this, however displeased she might be at failing the task, Consort Ping wouldn't show it now. Otherwise, it would appear as dissatisfaction with the Emperor's words.

By now, Consort Ping had already changed into a fresh qipao brought by her maid.

Clearly, the maid sent back to fetch the dress was swift, getting it back in no time—barely any time lost on the way.

After all, she knew not to keep her mistress waiting. She wouldn't dare dawdle; she practically flew back, as if she had wheels on her feet, arriving in an instant.

Now in a clean new qipao, Consort Ping got herself ready once more. Seeing that her makeup and jewelry matched her outfit perfectly without clashing, she was somewhat pleased.

She had sent her own maid back to fetch the dress precisely to avoid having another servant carelessly bring one that didn't match her current attire.

Matching one's outfit was crucial, whether in this era or the next—it wasn't something to brush off. One wrong choice could undo all her careful preparation.

By sending her own maid, she ensured these things were taken care of, and the right dress would be chosen.

Just as Consort Ping finished getting ready, the servant she had sent to Rong Noble Consort returned with a reply.

A faint, mocking glint appeared in her eyes.

Her slender fingers, adorned with exquisitely crafted nail guards, absentmindedly smoothed the soft fabric of her dress, leaving not a single wrinkle.

Only after this deliberate gesture did she turn her gaze to the messenger.

Seeing the servant return empty-handed, she wasn't surprised at all.

This was exactly what she had expected. In fact, she actually preferred that the request had been denied.

After all, Consort Ping had never truly intended to borrow a dress.

She merely wanted to use this excuse to annoy Rong Noble Consort, making sure that woman wouldn't be too at ease.

By having her dress soiled in the Qianqing Palace and then sending someone to borrow from Rong Noble Consort, she wanted the other woman to fixate on the idea—that any dress lent would be worn by her, and she would still appear before the Emperor in it.

Women tended to obsess over the littlest things, even if it only brought them discomfort—yet they couldn't help themselves.

Even if her maid hadn't been so quick to return, even if she had dawdled and actually managed to borrow a barely suitable dress from Rong Noble Consort, Consort Ping would never have truly worn it.

Who knew if the other woman might have tampered with it?

Though such a clumsy scheme would be easily exposed, and Rong Noble Consort might not resort to such methods, Consort Ping wasn't willing to take unnecessary chances. She had no desire to suffer.

Now was not the time for mistakes—lest she give others the advantage and fulfill their wishes.

In the end, failing to borrow was just as well. There'd be plenty to talk about later.

Still, Consort Ping feigned ignorance and asked,

"I had hoped to borrow a dress from Noble Consort Rong in this emergency, but it seems my maid was quicker to fetch one. Had I known, I wouldn’t have troubled her."

Her tone carried a hint of apology, as if she truly regretted the inconvenience, making it seem entirely unintentional.

As she spoke, she began walking.

She couldn’t afford to linger any longer—the Emperor must not be kept waiting.

Consort Ping knew full well that men had little patience for women primping and preening. Even if they didn’t voice it, waiting too long would inevitably test their nerves.

A little waiting could be sweet, but dragging it out would ruin the mood.

The maid following behind her heard Consort Ping’s words and thought to herself, “Wasn’t that the truth?”

Had she known Consort Ping’s attendants could fetch the clothes so quickly, why would Consort Ping have gone out of her way to pester Noble Consort Rong in the first place?

Consort Ping's words were nothing more than a half-hearted act.

After all, she had originally sent someone to borrow clothes, only to change into the ones fetched from her own palace shortly after. What was the point of asking Noble Consort Rong then?

But to keep tongues from wagging, she had to offer some explanation.

The maid kept her head bowed, not about to speak out of turn.

Not that Consort Ping needed her to respond—she wasn’t truly explaining herself to a servant.

Since when did a mistress explain herself to a servant?

She only spoke this way to avoid gossip.

This wasn’t some private path with just one maid around, and these words weren’t meant for just one pair of ears.

Then she cut to the chase: "Is Noble Consort Rong well? If I interrupted her rest, I’d be to blame."

Now for the real question—she was probing for Noble Consort Rong’s reaction.

The maid behind her lowered her head and gave a careful answer,

"Reporting to Consort Ping, Noble Consort Rong was not resting. Upon learning of Your Ladyship’s request, she just waved me off without a word."

This was truly a masterclass in careful wording.

Everything sounded correct, yet the most crucial detail was omitted.

Noble Consort Rong indeed hadn’t said anything. When she heard the request, she looked completely unbothered, showing no displeasure.

In fact, had His Majesty not spoken up, Noble Consort Rong would have already instructed Qinxin to fetch a suitable qipao dress.

Hearing this, Consort Ping was somewhat dissatisfied. That was it? Noble Consort Rong just let the maid leave without a word?

What was wrong with this maid? It seemed she hadn’t revealed anything important—was she afraid that speaking ill of Noble Consort Rong might reach her ears?

What a coward.

But as they were nearing their destination, Consort Ping’s eyes gleamed, and she raised her voice slightly. "Oh? Is that so? I suppose it was my mistake. When I next see Noble Consort Rong, I must apologize and hope she won’t hold it against me."

She timed her steps so that the last words were spoken just as she entered, ensuring they reached the ears of those inside.

This way, if someone inside later asked about the reason, Consort Ping could smoothly bring up the slight she had gotten from Noble Consort Rong.

But Consort Ping failed to notice the absence of the person who should have been there, leaving her momentarily stunned.

All that talking for nothing!

"Where’s His Majesty?" Consort Ping quickly plastered on a smile, asking.

She wondered if she had indeed kept Kangxi waiting too long, trying his patience.

At this thought, Consort Ping felt unsettled. Since she hadn't received any alert about losing favor, she assumed everything was fine and that Kangxi would still be waiting for her.

The moment she spoke, a palace attendant stepped forward to respond.

A eunuch approached immediately, bowing his head as he replied, "Your Highness Consort Ping, His Majesty had urgent matters to attend to and has already left. He instructed us to escort Your Highness back once you had changed." Then, he gestured politely.

Though the gesture appeared respectful, the words hit Consort Ping like a slap in the face.

She almost snapped—hadn’t she clearly stated she would return after changing?

Hadn’t Kangxi agreed at the time?

And now, after she had changed into a new qipao, he was gone again?!

Consort Ping was instantly boiling with rage, having prepared so meticulously only to be stood up. She was practically fuming.

Suppressing her anger, she asked again, "Aside from this, did His Majesty leave any other message?"

Perhaps sensing the barely contained anger beneath her composed exterior, the eunuch grew even more cautious. "Your Highness, no, he did not." He dared not say more, fearing any slip of the tongue.

"Is that so?" Consort Ping let out a light laugh, but the two short words were spoken through gritted teeth, betraying her forced calm.

Why hadn’t they sent word earlier?!

Making her come all this way for nothing!

Her earlier composure had faltered, but now, having regained her bearings, she quickly devised a countermeasure.

"It’s all my fault for losing track of time and causing such a delay. I was worried I had kept His Majesty waiting—truly, this is my oversight," Consort Ping pretended to apologize.

She wouldn’t leave so easily. Otherwise, this whole trip would've been pointless.

She had gained nothing, only suffered nothing but humiliations.

First, she had waited endlessly just to see him, then waited on him through the meal.

If not for the setup that made her excuse herself to avoid embarrassing herself before the Emperor, why would she have left midway using changing as an excuse?!

Now, having changed and returned, Kangxi had vanished again—and she was just dismissed like this? What a joke!

"Might His Majesty still be available now? Before I leave, I wish to speak with him. After all, my behavior during the evening meal was most improper—not only did I disrupt His Majesty’s dining, but now, to depart without a word would leave me uneasy. Might this humble one trouble you to pass along my message?"

Her 'request' left no room for refusal.

The eunuch hesitated. "This late? That wouldn't be proper."

Seeing his reluctance, Consort Ping’s expression darkened, her voice turning icy, all fake politeness dropped. "What? Am I no longer worthy of your service?"

Realizing she was angered, the attendants hastily knelt, pleading, "This servant wouldn’t dare!"

Their panicked denials did nothing to soothe her. If anything, their murmurs only fueled her anger further.

"Wouldn’t dare?" Her expression remained cold. They claimed they wouldn’t dare, but in their heads, they were probably mocking her!

Not only had Kangxi stood her up, but she had also lost face before these worthless servants. The shame burned through her like wildfire.

"All I ask is for you to pass along my message to His Majesty, yet you hesitate and make excuses. It seems you don't respect this consort at all!" The angrier she grew, the frostier her gaze became as she glared at the attendants.