Chapter 251

Chapter 251

Su Yi chucked a vase, followed by an entire set of teacups—basically anything fragile that could make a loud noise was thrown one after the other.

Her expression was initially pissed-off, clearly irritated, but as she kept chucking things, her mental state clearly got better.

Though it was a bit wasteful, the stress relief from hurling objects around was undeniable.

Had she known it’d come to this, she should’ve thrown Kangxi’s belongings instead.

The incident started with Su Yi being woken up by Kangxi in the early hours of the morning.

Kangxi truly had no clue about his own habits, especially his waking hours.

He was someone who insisted on getting up at the crack of dawn, but not everyone—

Not. Every. One.

Back when she was cultivating immortality, sleep was optional, but now that she had quit, getting yanked awake at this insane hour made Su Yi seriously consider taking out the problem—Kangxi!

After catching her, Kangxi immediately got a kick from the visibly furious Su Yi, prompting him to clamp down immediately. "Hold on, Consort!"

He didn’t dare hold back even a fraction of his strength, especially with her legs ready to let loose another kick.

Honestly, even during wrestling matches, Kangxi had never been this serious.

That kick had landed on his leg—just a hair’s breadth away from—!

Even barefoot, her kicks hurt like hell.

Despite his mental preparation, Kangxi couldn’t help but feel a flicker of fear when actually facing her.

The consort already had legendary wake-up rage, and it was far from mild.

Add to that her already foul mood from last night, and her morning rage went nuclear. If Kangxi had reacted even a second slower, he’d have been on the receiving end of several more kicks by now.

Holding her upright, Kangxi tried to calm the pissed-off cat in his arms.

Su Yi heard him, but she chose to leave him on read.

When her legs proved ineffective, she swiftly switched tactics.

Planting her hands on Kangxi’s shoulders for leverage, she exerted force and wrenched her legs free from his grip like uprooting a stubborn radish.

With her legs now airborne, she twisted her entire body backward, still gripping his shoulders. Landing first, Su Yi executed a perfect suplex and slammed Kangxi onto the ground.

The entire sequence, though intricate, was over in a blink.

It was like a cat going full claws-out—by the time you realized what happened, it had already done its damage!

Kangxi, who had briefly considered resisting mid-process: "…"

After flooring him, Su Yi quickly got up, stomped a foot on his back, and hauled his arm toward her.

She was putting every limb to work, leaving no room for idleness.

Punching someone risked injury, but stretching ligaments? Perfectly safe.

Guaranteed to deliver a sensation so intense it shot straight to the crown of the head.

Doing some stretching exercises in the early morning is also good for your health. It's a favorite workout method among elderly folks who exercise in the morning.

"Let me ‘help’ loosen you up, Your Majesty," Su Yi teased before he got bored and started mischief.

"Stop dragging her into your early mornings!!"

She’s long since quit the ‘cultivation lifestyle’!

Su Yi’s expression screamed ‘not happy’ from every angle.

Catching the danger in her tone, Kangxi immediately admitted his mistake: "We were wrong, Consort! Let us explain first!"

He moved faster than ever—no time to think or second-guess.

Waist!

His waist was about to snap!

This hurt worse than a beating!

"The Consort is listening." Su Yi spoke faintly from behind Kangxi, her tone like the gates of hell creaking open.

But at least she let go.

Kangxi, his ‘old waist’ barely intact, broke into a cold sweat.

He could handle rough-and-tumble, but when it came to stretching, he was genuinely a little panicked.

After all, this posture wasn’t something he hadn’t used before, but he never expected it to be so… so…

Unspeakable!

It looked so easy—how could it…?

Kangxi’s usual germaphobia didn’t kick in as he lay on the carpet, resisting the urge to clutch his waist.

So uncouth.

But not like flopping on the floor was regal.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Su Yi came over with a bright smile to help him up. "It was just a little stretching. Don’t tell me you can’t even…"

She left the last three words hanging, but the implication was clear.

No man could admit to that—it’d haunt him forever.

"We are fine," Kangxi ground out the words, still taking Su Yi’s hand to get up.

Then, Kangxi casually picked up an object and hurled it far away. Out of nowhere, it exploded into shards.

Enough to give a weak-hearted person a scare.

Su Yi arched a brow, smiling as she watched him, as if waiting for his next move.

Kangxi tossed her another piece. Su Yi took it and, without missing a beat, threw it to the ground as well.

Timing’s everything—sometimes you’re quick, sometimes not.

Here, her hands moved before her brain could catch up.

"How was it?" Kangxi asked, as if seeking her opinion.

"Pretty loud," Su Yi replied after a moment's thought, especially in the early morning—the crash was even louder when it hit the ground.

She kinda wanted to do it again.

Now that he'd cooled off, Kangxi picked her up, holding her upright like a kid.

This time, Su Yi stayed still, sitting quietly without moving, letting herself be carried.

Kangxi carried her back, carefully avoiding the scattered fragments. Now that the first wave of anger had faded, he seemed calm enough to talk properly.

"It was wrong of me to wake you, Imperial Noble Consort. If you're still angry, you can smash things to vent."

Su Yi studied him seriously and realized this jerk was dead serious.

Su Yi: "..."

This early? Yeah, something was wrong with him.

Did waking up this early finally break him?

Sometimes she stuck out like a sore thumb just for being sane, making it hard to blend into this abnormal atmosphere.

Sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, Su Yi immediately stretched out her hand toward Kangxi, her eyes lit up like she’d just seen candy.

Barely holding back a smirk, Kangxi handed her another item.

Su Yi immediately yeeted it, and honestly, you needed some skill to chuck it far—otherwise, it would just land nearby.

Kangxi deliberately picked larger items, guaranteed to make a bigger bang.

One passed, the other smashed.

One kept handing them over, the other kept wrecking them.

Anyway, one dared to give, the other dared to break.

After a while, Su Yi thought about half-assing it—they’d bust either way.

"Chuck it harder," Kangxi reminded her. "Shards could fly back at you."

Su Yi: "..."

Fair point. If the pieces scattered too close, they could fly everywhere and cut her.

She really couldn’t hold back—she had to put her back into it.

And honestly, the sound of stuff breaking? Loud. Weirdly satisfying.

Especially with someone acting as cheerleader for chaos, so she didn’t even have to fetch things herself.

Kangxi seemed more like the hype man for chaos than the one smashing things.

The one handing things over was way more hyped than the one throwing them.

Su Yi had been pissed about being woken up, but now, after smashing a few things, she’d gotten it out of her system.

Her visibly softened brows and eyes showed she was in a better mood and looked more refreshed.

"Done yet?" Su Yi initially found the sound of things breaking quite amusing, but after tossing a pile, she started getting tired of it.

Seeing Kangxi bring over more items, Su Yi, having already indulged in the fun, no longer wanted to continue. "I'm tired of throwing things. You do it yourself."

She pulled over a pillow from the bed, flipped it to the other side, and then plopped down.

Su Yi lounged on the pillow, propping her chin with her hand as she watched Kangxi—the one who started it—take over.

But that simple act of flipping the pillow didn’t escape Kangxi’s notice. Not only did he see it, but he also had a little complaint.

His tone was trying to sound casual, as if making an offhand remark. "That’s my pillow."

"I know. Mine’s already been thrown out," Su Yi replied with a look that said, *And?*

She draped her hair over the pillow, like she was staking her claim, covering it entirely with dark strands.

Her own pillow had been the one she’d grabbed and tossed without a second thought—Liang Jiugong had taken it out when he left earlier.

And whose idea was this anyway?!

Now she couldn’t even use his pillow?

If she’d known, she would’ve thrown *his* instead. Grabbing her own sleeping pillow without thinking—now that she reflected on it, that was kinda dumb.

But right now, "Everything you’re throwing is mine, let alone the pillow," Su Yi shot back.

Kangxi, while still occasionally pausing between throws, heard her confident retort and stopped to respond, "That’s not what I meant."

Then he fell silent again, seemingly focused on scanning the room for more things to toss.

But most of the easily reachable items had already been thrown, leaving only those less convenient to grab.

Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to reply. If he wasn’t going to elaborate, she’d pretend not to hear.

"I never said you couldn’t."

Kangxi turned back and, as he approached, cheekily pointed out, "You’ve got the pillow backwards, Consort. That’s the back."

"I *like* sleeping on the back," Su Yi mumbled, lounging on the pillow.

She had no intention of flipping it back.

Kangxi: *You didn’t sleep like that last night, Consort.*

But pushing it would sound petty, and she wouldn’t change it anyway.

If he kept asking, she’d just say she didn’t want to use the side he’d slept on.

Kangxi decided to drop the subject.

"Would you like to eat breakfast before going back to sleep?" Kangxi sat down and ran his fingers through her hair, like he was soothing her.

Su Yi knew the difference between sleeping after eating versus an empty stomach.

"Yeah."

Since she was already awake, not eating would’ve been pointless.

Although she was woken up, Su Yi was now convinced that Kangxi had done it on purpose—he hadn’t even changed into his court robes yet, still dressed in casual attire.

Kangxi chuckled lightly, "Getting Consort Su to join me for breakfast is no small task." His tone carried a hint of amusement, almost like he was marveling at it.

Then he leaned down and kissed her. Su Yi didn’t resist, letting him press several kisses to her lips before wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling.

The scene reminded her of a clingy pup showering its owner with kisses at the crack of dawn.

Their lips met, first brushing gently against each other in lingering brushes.

Breaths mingled, his tongue coaxing her lips apart, and fingers intertwined tightly.

Their breathing grew increasingly ragged, warmth spreading through their bodies.

It was both tingly and dizzying.

They didn’t pull apart until after a long while, Kangxi’s breaths noticeably rough as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, then rested his own against hers.

His warm breath swallowed up Su Yi completely, as if she were enveloped by him.

The poor maids summoned inside nearly fainted when they saw the shattered fragments scattered everywhere—their knees wobbled, and they carefully stepped around the debris.

Not one dared peek to see what was happening inside.

Yet, contrary to the chaotic mess on the floor, the Emperor and Consort Su weren’t so much as scowling—in fact, they looked as if no argument had ever taken place.

Even Su Yi’s usual crankiness seemed to have vanished, though she had appeared furious when they scurried out earlier.

She had even thrown a pillow at the Emperor.

Though they hadn’t witnessed what followed—perhaps mishearing the commotion outside—the hard evidence of the shattered fragments on the floor spoke volumes.

Yet, both the Emperor and Consort Su were acting like nothing happened.

In fact, Consort Su was clearly about to have breakfast with the Emperor.

Seated at the dressing table, she was beaming, her eyes soft and radiant, clearly in great mood.

Su Yi watched the palace maids carefully sweeping up the broken pieces. Throwing things had been satisfying, but cleaning up was a pain.

She told Qinxin to hand out bonuses to the servants responsible for cleaning up the mess later.

No lip service—cold hard cash.

Qinxin nodded, indicating she’d remember.

Seeing Her Ladyship’s rosy cheeks and the storm clouds clearing from her expression lifted everyone's spirits.

The servants tasked with cleaning the debris never expected to get a bonus.

They had been walking on eggshells, relieved just to avoid punishment—who would dare hope for extra compensation?

Yet, not only were they spared reprimand, they got a bonus. Instantly, their spirits lifted, and their work became effortless.

This clearly meant everything was fine—their masters truly were unharmed.

The shattered fragments on the floor must have been just some clumsy accident!

If it had been a real outburst of anger that caused the smashing, how could there be such a pleasant atmosphere now? The Emperor would have long left, and certainly wouldn't be having breakfast with the Empress as if nothing had happened!

Just like that, the facts seemed laid out before everyone, yet few truly believed them.

There was always room for imaginative explanations—just not very accurate ones.

But many chose to believe them. Rather than being easily convinced, it was more that they preferred to believe what suited them.

That night, many in the harem stayed up late—some truly pushing through without sleep, while others did lie down to rest.

But even those who slept might as well have not, eyes shut but minds racing, their thoughts endlessly replaying scenarios without pause.

Almost no one slept well—just like that, the night slipped away.

Damn, it was already daylight.

A restless night left their complexions dreadful, with sickly shadows under their eyes, requiring their morning routines to take longer than usual.

They caked on more powder than normal and piled on flashier makeup to conceal the exhaustion of a sleepless night, to keep anyone from noticing.

Yet, on the way to pay respects at Cining Palace, whenever they happened to cross paths with other concubines, they exchanged sugary smiles and pleasantries.

It seemed much like any other day, though cracks in their composure showed.

Their makeup was practically identical—even their lip rouge choices leaned toward the more vibrant.

All dolled up and grinning like porcelain dolls, they were locked in a silent showdown. The more they didn’t want to be seen as weary, the more they had to put on a lively front.

At first glance, it was a scene of vibrant colors.

Although Consort Ping couldn’t suddenly become more beautiful overnight due to the system's support, her looks wouldn’t easily fade.

Especially after staying up all night, her skin still looked glowing and flawless.

Thus, unlike other concubines who had to rely on heavy makeup to hide their tiredness after a sleepless night, she only needed her usual light makeup.

Her makeup wasn’t thick—though subtle, it still made her look effortlessly charming, with the teardrop mole beneath her eye being the perfect touch.

The combination of her makeup, jewelry, attire, and demeanor made sure she still stood out among the other beauties in the harem.

But this wasn’t in front of the Emperor—it was a greeting to the Grand Empress Dowager. No matter how dazzling she appeared, what good would it do?

Especially since Consort Ping’s makeup was overly alluring, almost like a seductive fox’s.

Her glow made them think she hadn’t suffered the same restless night as they had.

Of course, they would never admit that Consort Ping’s youth naturally gave her better skin than those who had been in the palace longer.

Some even began to suspect that Consort Ping had tricked them.

Could it be that she had sincerely advised the Emperor to reconcile with Rong Noble Consort, while they were the only ones who took it seriously?!

It was like eagerly awaiting a drama, thinking it would unfold that night—a show to help them sleep better.

Who knew!

Nothing happened at all.

Not a thing!

Dead quiet!

Nothing occurred, yet they stayed up all night, their eyes red from staying up.

With Rong Noble Consort out of the picture, at least there was still another protagonist present.

But she looked fresher than any of them.

Though Consort Ping didn’t know what was going through the concubines’ minds, their nearly identical thick, flashy makeup, along with the occasional resentful glances from a few, clued her in.

After all, Consort Ping had also stayed up all night, so it wasn’t hard to guess.

But she couldn’t complain either.

She hadn’t slept well either!

Even if she said she hadn’t slept well, no one would believe her.

She should’ve seen this coming before leaving her quarters.

Who could have predicted that today, everyone’s makeup would be the same heavy, overdone look?

It just made her own subtle makeup seem out of place.

Soon, concubines approached Consort Ping with smiles, though their sweet talk hid knives.

They acted all chummy, but in reality, they were throwing shade about yesterday’s events.

If it were just one person speaking this way, Consort Ping could’ve brushed it off.

As for those like Consort Hui, who could confront her directly, they merely watched coldly, keeping up appearances, barely speaking, their demeanor poised.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just one person—their words had barbs, unpleasant to hear but difficult to counter directly, leaving her scrambling.

But Consort Ping was not some doormat. Did these lower-ranking concubines think they could gang up on her like ants taking down an elephant?

After appearing to struggle for a while, she allowed those who had initially been cautious to get cocky, until they slipped and gave her ammo.

Seizing the moment, Consort Ping singled out the most aggressive one and put her in her place. Though she didn’t crush her completely, she needed to be taught a lesson.

Otherwise, they’d think she was easy to bully!

Immediately, she punished the offender for disrespect and insolence, first ordering her to kneel. Palace maids forced the woman down, and then another was sent to slap her, ensuring she would watch her mouth from now on and keep her sharp tongue from landing her in trouble.

Of course, Consort Ping wasn’t just venting—she was making an example of her to scare the rest.

She wouldn’t tolerate anyone getting too big for their britches or forgetting their place in front of her.

The other three consorts who had been silently observing finally spoke up, with Consort Yi smirking as she said,

"Sister Consort Ping, what such authority! It was merely an unintentional remark, yet you’ve blown it out of proportion. Isn’t this a bit of an overreaction?"

Consort Ping responded with a smile of her own, "Sister Consort Yi, you jest. Loose lips are a serious offense in the imperial harem. We cannot simply let it slide just because it was unintentional."

Earlier, they had been waiting for her to stumble. Now that she was making an example of the lower-ranking concubines to curb their insolence, Consort Yi had the audacity to step forward and act all righteous.

Back when Consort Yi was favored, her arrogance was notorious. And now she had the nerve to pretend to be noble in front of her?

They held the same rank as consorts—Consort Ping wasn’t about to back down from Consort Yi.

Had Consort Yi, like Consort Hui and Consort Xian, borne a prince, Consort Ping might have shown her some deference.

But Consort Yi was just like her—a fading beauty despite having entered the palace long ago. She was practically yesterday’s flower.

In terms of family background, Consort Ping was just as well-connected. She was even the aunt of the Crown Prince.

With that alone, Consort Ping wasn’t about to back down from Consort Yi. She continued unhurriedly,

"Even if I wished to let it go and overlook this ‘unintentional remark,’ I can’t let it slide."

Consort Ping spoke lightly, casually tucking a loose strand of hair with a finger adorned by a protective nail sheath, her gaze drifting to the terrified concubine.

"But since she addresses me as ‘elder sister,’ I cannot stand by and watch her commit such ‘unintentional remarks’ in the future—whether disrespecting the Grand Empress Dowager or even disrespecting the Emperor. That would invite disaster."

By dragging the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor into it, she raised the stakes to a far graver level.

If Consort Yi wanted to accuse her of pettiness, Consort Ping had already dragged it to the level of the Grand Empress Dowager and Kangxi.

The implication was clear: even if she could overlook it, would the Grand Empress Dowager or the Emperor tolerate such frivolity?

This made it difficult for anyone to argue further.

Consort Yi snorted coldly and averted her gaze, unwilling to watch Consort Ping’s holier-than-thou act.

Only then did Consort Ping turn back to the terrified concubine.

"Little sister, this is for your own good. If I don’t teach you a lesson now, and you repeat this mistake in the future, it would make me look bad as your elder sister—as if I failed to guide you properly."

As she spoke, Consort Ping wore an expression of fake sympathy, dramatically dabbing fake tears with a handkerchief for show.

She made it seem as though punishing the girl pained her just as much, her act of compassion convincing.

Had Consort Ping maintained a high-and-mighty attitude, the rumors afterward would have painted her as domineering and unforgiving—especially once gossip blew her actions out of proportion.

If such tales reached Kangxi’s ears, who knew how distorted they might become? It would only ruin her reputation.

So Consort Ping deliberately adopted the posture of teaching a lesson—asserting her authority while avoiding malicious gossip.

Even when ordering the palace maid to deliver the punishment, she whispered a few words before sending her over.

The maid raised her hand high—when it landed, it would surely leave her face bruised. Twenty strikes would leave her unfit to be seen for days.

And if the nails deliberately scratched her skin, the scars might never fade.

It was hard to watch.

Yet to everyone’s surprise, the high-raised palm landed with surprising lightness.

It touched the face without even making a sound.

What kind of punishment was this? Hell, even fifty wouldn’t leave a bruise!

The next several slaps followed the same pattern—grandly raised but gently landed—and sure enough, the junior concubine’s face showed no marks.

Was Consort Ping actually being merciful?

At this point, it wasn’t just a matter of going easy—it looked downright ridiculous.

Perhaps Consort Ping hadn’t been feigning earlier. Maybe she truly meant what she said—only wanting to teach her junior a lesson without actually harming her, merely putting on a show.

Some concubines couldn’t help but whisper among themselves or trade knowing looks.

Even the concubine being slapped was floored—had Consort Ping really shown mercy?

Yet in Consort Hui’s eyes, watching this display, there was a flicker of cold amusement.

This wasn’t mercy—it was a scheme to silence everyone, especially that junior concubine, making her eat the humiliation.

Just as Consort Hui expected, the charade took a sharp turn!

The next high-raised slap didn’t land gently.

A sharp, crisp sound rang out. The face, untouched by the previous slaps, now bore angry red welts, the entire side flushing red.

The sudden shift made everyone jump.

The slapped concubine was stunned stupid, shock melting into rage—but before she could speak, another heavy blow silenced her.

Only then did Consort Ping speak, cooing with false concern, "Though twenty slaps are the palace rule, as your elder sister, I can’t bear to ruin your beauty. Twenty full strikes might break you."

Her words were underscored by the brutal smacks, her tone almost tender.

"So I devised this method—twenty slaps in total, but going easy on you."

Gradually, the onlookers understood.

This wasn’t kindness—it was a well-rehearsed performance. Consort Ping wanted both to punish and to come off as merciful, forcing the girl to suffer in silence.

After all, the first ten slaps had been just for show—only the last ten were real.

Even if word spread, Consort Ping would be praised for cutting the punishment in half.

Should the punished concubine later protest, she’d only look like a whiner—too stubborn to learn despite Consort Ping’s leniency.

Not only refusing to learn her lesson but daring to complain? The nerve!

In the end, Consort Ping would emerge unscathed, her image shining brighter.

Classic—she got everything: punishment delivered, virtue claimed, and not a hair out of place.

Those who realized what was happening felt a cold dread settle in their hearts.

Consort Ping observed everyone's reactions and felt she had achieved the desired effect.

The face-slapping had concluded, and the last ten strikes on the junior concubine were delivered without any leniency—both cheeks were thoroughly struck instead of just one side.

After all, if only one cheek was struck, the contrast between the swollen and unharmed sides would be too jarring.

But if both cheeks were equally red and swollen, there would be no stark contrast, wouldn’t there?

So by the end, both cheeks were uniformly swollen, perfectly symmetrical. Without an unharmed side for comparison, the damage didn’t seem too severe.

Just a little swollen—not even broken skin, see?

Only then did Consort Ping step forward, lifting the other’s chin with her fingers as she said,

"This was all for your own good, dear sister. I believe you’re clever enough to take this lesson to heart and not repeat your mistakes. Don’t you all think so?"

The last remark was directed at the few who had earlier joined the junior concubine in their smiling knives.

Had the junior concubine not been the first to be caught in her words, it could have been any one of them.

Now, under Consort Ping’s sweeping gaze, those who had witnessed her methods couldn’t help but shudder, their backs slick with cold sweat.

They were relieved it hadn’t been them made an example of.

Quickly, they plastered on smiles and echoed, "Yes, Elder Sister Consort Ping is absolutely right."

Too afraid to provoke trouble, they had no choice but to mumble agreement.

——

Yonghe Palace

Breakfast featured crabmeat soup dumplings—clearly a favorite of Su Yi’s. The table was piled high with her favorite dishes, accompanied by a variety of dips: spicy, sour-spicy, and even one with sesame paste.

Though Kangxi also partook in the morning meal, he preferred plainer dishes.

By the time Su Yi rose, it was almost time for lunch, so she just picked at a few bites to tide herself over before the main meal.

With such a lavish spread now, her mood improved—good food lifted her spirits more than she expected.

At least she wasn’t in one of her picky, sulky moods.

With the attendants dismissed, the two ate in relaxed privacy.

Kangxi finished quickly and, rather than idling, started hand-feeding her instead.

Su Yi’s chopsticks only needed to shuttle between her bowl and plate—she hardly needed to lift a hand.

After the meal, she looped an arm around him, half-leaning against his side as she gave a sugary smile.

She really didn’t want to sit up straight after eating.

What a hassle. Leaning against him was much better.

No one would guess she was just being a lazybones.

While the beginning was a bit rocky, the process and outcome turned out quite well.

With the atmosphere now relaxed after a satisfying meal, Su Yi looped her arm through his, chatting away, her cheerfulness growing along with her chatter.

The contrast in effect was like the difference between free-to-play and pay-to-win in games—night and day.

"Did you hurt yourself anywhere from the fall earlier?" Su Yi asked with a hint of concern, recalling how she had given Kangxi a tackle-hug that morning.

Though some time had passed since then, when Su Yi brought it up, Kangxi visibly relaxed, though his expression remained neutral.

"No, the rug broke my fall," Kangxi replied, taking hold of Su Yi's hand.

Su Yi's voice was tender and relieved. "That's good. I’m glad you weren’t hurt."

He's surprisingly durable—not so easily broken, huh?

Su Yi smiled dazzlingly, but Kangxi, who had been about to smile back, found his smile freezing.

He felt an odd chill run down his spine.

Kangxi's gaze drifted unconsciously to the carpet on the floor, as if judging if it was thick enough—perhaps another layer would make it even more cushioned.

Su Yi nestled into his arms, and Kangxi wrapped his around her in return. Her head, not yet done up in her usual hairstyle, rested against his shoulder, her hair soft against his skin.

Her fingers traced lightly over his palm, brushing against the calluses there, coarse under her fingers.

She then spread her own palm against his—soft and unblemished, still delicate.

Pressing her palm to his, Su Yi seemed amused by the contrast and teased, "So rough."

Kangxi chuckled lowly, his low chuckle vibrating through her, the rumble of his chest sending a tingling sensation through her.

He closed his hand, swallowing her hand whole. "So small," he echoed playfully.

After breakfast, the two cozied up together, speaking in hushed tones. With their heads nearly touching, even whispers were easily heard, deepening their sense of closeness.

It was a scene so tender and affectionate that breaking in would feel like a crime.

Liang Jiugong already felt guilty enough at the thought of disturbing His Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort.

Yet, he knew he would soon have to be the one to do just that.

Sigh.

After all, it was his duty to remind the Emperor when it was time to make morning court. Any later would make him late.

But Liang Jiugong's worries ended quickly.

A palace attendant announced the arrival of the Crown Prince.

Had the Imperial Noble Consort still been asleep, the Crown Prince would likely have peeked in before leaving.

But today, as luck would have it, she had risen unusually early.

It must be said—the little milk dragon swung by before his lessons, though it wasn't much of a detour and wouldn't make him late.

Given how early the imperial princes began their lessons, it was no surprise that Su Yi was usually still asleep when he passed by. Thus, the little milk dragon would just peek in before leaving.

But on the rare occasion when Su Yi was awake, he got to actually visit—though he knew it was a long shot, so he often left quickly without entering.

Yet, the little milk dragon never gave up.

And today—jackpot!

Little milk dragon: Happy!