Chapter 287

Chapter 287

Consort Ping, who had initially intended to dismiss the matter with a casual scolding, now found herself forced to take immediate action.

"Someone, drag this insolent servant away and slap her mouth," Consort Ping declared decisively, quickly discarding a palace maid rather than letting her drag her down at this critical moment.

Her words sent a chill down the maid’s spine. She hadn’t even served by Consort Ping’s side for long before meeting the same end as Xiu Jin.

A slap now—it was obvious she would no longer be allowed to serve Consort Ping afterward. She would be exiled to hard labor far from the inner court. The thought made the maid’s face pale, and she knelt to beg for mercy, only to be silenced by the ruthless glare in Consort Ping’s eyes before being dragged away, her mouth covered.

Consort Ping didn’t give the maid another glance. Besides, she thought herself lenient enough—just a slap, while Xiu Jin lost her life. The maid ought to be grateful.

Still, she couldn’t keep such a person by her side any longer. To avoid future resentment, she would send the maid far away, perhaps exiling her to some remote part of the palace later.

Then, turning back to Kangxi, Consort Ping lowered her head slightly, her brows furrowed, her voice gentling. "It is also my fault. I’ve never wished to be too severe with the servants, never expecting them to grow so bold and unruly. I am deeply ashamed and will ensure stricter discipline in the future."

A smooth mix of deflecting blame and feigned remorse—the fault lay entirely with the servants, with no hint that Consort Ping had any hand in it. It was all their own doing.

Her change in demeanor was quick, effortless, and seamless.

Yet, her earlier agitation had subsided slightly, and her heated emotions had cooled somewhat.

Throughout Consort Ping’s reaction, Kangxi’s face betrayed nothing. By the time she finished speaking, her heart pounded with unease, unsure of his thoughts—whether he was satisfied or displeased, what exactly he wanted her to do. The suspense was torture, and she barely dared to meet his gaze.

Kangxi gave a faint smile. "It’s good that you think this way. But don’t overexert yourself—focus on recovering your health first."

His words carried hidden meaning, and Consort Ping’s breath hitched.

"Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. I will certainly take care of myself," Consort Ping replied with a bright smile, playing oblivious to any subtext.

In truth, she suspected Kangxi was mocking her between the lines.

But reading too much into his words was risky.

Then she met Kangxi’s scrutinizing gaze—the first time since he arrived that she truly held his attention, without having to vie for it.

Yet, her nerves refused to settle, though she maintained a composed facade.

"Why does Your Majesty look at me like this?" Consort Ping asked, her voice laced with coyness, a delicate flush rising to her cheeks.

With his eyes on her, she had to respond convincingly.

"I observe that your complexion is quite healthy. The imperial physician’s diagnosis must be accurate—your condition is improving. A few more days of rest should see you fully recovered," Kangxi remarked, stating his conclusion.

The result was as sudden as if she’d seen a ghost, her face going pale in a flash.

"...Hmm?" Consort Ping let out a slow, questioning hum, her voice trembling slightly with disbelief.

She nearly blurted out—*Are you serious?!*

His words stunned her speechless.

She hadn’t even needed to apply powder earlier because her sickly pallor had been convincing enough.

And now, Kangxi was saying her complexion looked *fine*?!

But that wasn’t all—saying she would fully recover in a few days also put her on a timeline to recover quickly.

When not speaking in veiled terms, Kangxi could still catch people off guard with his straightforwardness.

Right then and there, he was twisting the truth outright.

At this point, Consort Ping wasn’t just trembling in her voice—her whole body trembled.

Kangxi didn’t give her much time to react either. Eyeing her, he asked in a seemingly casual tone, "What, don’t you want to recover quickly, Consort Ping?"

It was a loaded question.

The answer was obviously one and only.

Though his tone seemed indifferent and not the least bit pressuring, it still made her nerves coil tighter invisibly.

Of course, Consort Ping denied it. With a smile on her lips and a look of flustered delight, she feigned an overwhelmed expression. "No, Your Majesty, for you to show such care—I was momentarily overwhelmed and lost my composure."

Kangxi wasn’t the least bit surprised by this response. He neither approved nor objected.

By now, anxiety mounted within Consort Ping. The direction of Kangxi’s visit was diverging sharply from what she had imagined.

She had initially thought Kangxi came to see her first thing after returning, still wearing his informal robes, out of genuine concern.

But now, even if she were as dull as she acted, she would sense something amiss—let alone Consort Ping, who was anything but dull.

His words spoke of concern, but strung together, they carried the weight of a rebuke for the recent turmoil she had stirred.

Somehow, she thought of the altered medicinal brew that had made her suffer so much last night. Faced with Kangxi, who had just been smiling faintly while expressing care, she barely kept her composure, nearly losing control.

She even began to hesitate over what to say next.

Just then, the 'timely' arrival of the medicine gave Consort Ping a brief moment to catch her breath.

Yes, the medicine had been ready for a while, but she had held off on summoning it, not in a hurry to drink it. But since Kangxi was here, she had arranged for it to be brought in at just the right moment, hoping to evoke some sympathy.

Now, however, it had unexpectedly bought her some breathing room.

Consort Ping knew that if she chugged the vile-tasting tonic outright, the bitterness would be over in one sharp burst—still within tolerable limits. But if she took it slowly, in slow, measured sips, the suffering would drag on.

Normally, she would choose the quicker method to spare herself the agony. But now...

She had no choice but to opt for the slow, measured sip-by-sip approach to buy herself some time.

She also had to mask her revulsion to avoid looking too miserable while dividing her attention to plan her next move.

*"Cough! Cough!"* Suddenly, Consort Ping seemed to choke, suppressing a few choked coughs before failing to hold back and breaking into a fit. It looked like she wouldn’t stop anytime soon.

A nearby maid hurriedly handed her a handkerchief. Consort Ping snatched it and covered her mouth, coughing into it with muffled sounds until her eyes reddened and teared up, looking thoroughly pitiful.

She continued coughing into the handkerchief for a while before finally suppressing the urge, the coughing gradually subsiding.

It wasn’t entirely an act—at first, it was.

But as she kept coughing, it irritated her throat, and she genuinely started feeling the urge to cough.

This made it much easier—the coughing was half-genuine, half-performance. After all, the most convincing acts borrow from truth.

When the coughing fit finally eased, Consort Ping looked toward Kangxi, her eyes red-rimmed and teary.

"For Your Majesty to see me like this is..." Consort Ping trailed off when she noticed Kangxi's current reaction.

Only when Consort Ping spoke did Kangxi finally turn his head!

Yes, before she spoke, Kangxi had been looking elsewhere.

In other words, Kangxi hadn't even been looking her way before. Otherwise, he wouldn't have turned his head only when she spoke to him.

If this alone wasn't enough to unsettle Consort Ping, she could still maintain her composure.

The wide chair brought over by the palace attendants for Kangxi to sit on still had some space left even with his tall frame seated.

Damn her keen observation—it immediately made her notice that Kangxi, who had initially been sitting properly centered, had moved from where he'd been sitting before her coughing started.

Kangxi had actually scooted away!

While she was coughing uncontrollably, not only hadn't Kangxi come closer to check on her, but he'd actually moved back?!

If that wasn't enough...

Kangxi had shifted his whole body away—in the opposite direction!

Of all times to change his position, why did he do it while she was coughing nonstop? Was he... afraid she'd get him sick?!

Earlier, Consort Ping had been coughing dryly, but now she wanted to cough up blood. She couldn't even finish the words she had prepared.

Maybe because Consort Ping's composure slipped, Kangxi also felt this wasn't quite appropriate.

Kangxi collected himself. "It's nothing serious, Consort Ping. There's no need for this." This was his response to her half-spoken words.

At this, Consort Ping truly had a lot she wanted to say. If it's nothing, then get over here! Don't say one thing and do another!

How could someone's words and actions be so completely contradictory?

Yes, while Kangxi verbally comforted her with "It's nothing serious," he sat there like a stone without moving an inch closer.

He was like those guys who, when you're on your period, just uselessly tell you to drink more water—but Kangxi was worse!

All talk, no action.

"The medicine is getting cold," Kangxi said, pretending to care.

A token concern, really.

With great difficulty, Consort Ping bit back the urge to spit blood. "Thank you for Your Majesty's concern."

Even to her own ears, the words sounded hollow. She wondered how Kangxi perceived them.

But outwardly, Kangxi seemed perfectly accepting—as if this were entirely natural.

This wasn't her first romantic setback. What kind of backwards man was this? Consort Ping needed to calm down.

The bitterness of the medicine in her mouth now seemed insignificant.

She remained quiet until she finished the medicine, making no further movements.

After nibbling on a candied date to suppress the lingering bitterness, Consort Ping rinsed her mouth with the assistance of the palace attendants and wiped her lips with a clean handkerchief, completing the routine.

After a brief intermission, with the satisfactory service of the palace maids, Consort Ping managed to compose her tangled emotions—there was simply no other choice.

Otherwise, could she rely on Kangxi?

This man hadn’t even given her a tiny boost in his favor.

When it dropped, it was sudden and unexpected, but hoping for it to rise again was tougher than scaling Mount Tai!

It was the kind of stubbornness that could stop a heart.

If only it had dipped gradually—but a whole five points?! Seriously?!

To think it wasn’t even hitting the baseline to begin with!

And now, five points gone!

Before the drop, it was only twenty-five!

Now it’s down to twenty—practically back to square one.

This pathetic favor rating was enough to make Consort Ping’s heart ache.

She scrambled for a new subject, flashing a sweet smile, her eyes glistening as she looked at Kangxi.

"Would Your Majesty join this consort for dinner? The small kitchen has prepared several new dishes. Even on days I had no appetite, I found myself eating more—they’re quite appetizing. Your Majesty might enjoy trying them."

A meal would, of course, lead to him staying over.

In any case, though it was disheartening, with his favor so pitifully low, she couldn’t expect too much. She had to make a move—no move, no chance.

With initiative, things could slowly develop, couldn’t they?

Consort Ping turned up the charm, the beauty mark beneath her eye enhancing her allure.

"No need." Kangxi shut her down flat, ending the conversation with just two words.

Consort Ping had seen it coming, of course, but she wasn’t about to give up so easily.

Then Kangxi added, "We still have to visit Noble Consort Rong later."

How was she supposed to respond to that?

Not only was he refusing to stay for a meal, he couldn’t even be bothered with a polite excuse. Instead, he outright stated he was going to see Rong Noble Consort—making it clear he wasn’t coming back afterward.

So, he was just stopping by her place briefly before moving on to Rong Noble Consort’s.

In modern times, this would’ve gotten him called out as a total jerk—and that would’ve been from the more polite critics.

Hotter heads might’ve slapped him then and there.

But here, he was eyeing the next dish while still at her table—and Consort Ping couldn’t even lose her temper. It was truly testing her patience.

She kept her smile plastered on, keeping her composure as she spoke softly,

"Your Majesty should indeed visit Noble Consort Rong. I’m much better now, but I don’t know how Noble Consort Rong is faring. Today, I had intended to apologize to her, but due to my own discomfort, I had to return early and didn’t get the chance to see her."

Her voice softened, tinged with melancholy. "I’m so grateful that Your Majesty came to see me first. In principle, I shouldn’t feel jealous that Your Majesty will visit Noble Consort Rong later."

Her delicate brow furrowed with a hint of sadness as she lifted her gaze to Kangxi. "But could Your Majesty stay with me just a little longer?" She reached out and took his hand.

First, delay and keep him here, then figure out the rest later.

Openly snapping with resentful words won’t work—it would only push Kangxi away. But expressing this mix of resentment and disappointment while still showing concern for him is different.

Even if a man isn’t particularly fond of a woman, seeing her like this usually flatters him somewhat.

This aligns perfectly with the behavior of men who recognize a woman’s scheming tactics but never call them out, never refuse, and simply play along, pretending not to notice.

The pattern is unmistakable.

Seeing that Kangxi didn’t immediately reject her and instead seemed hesitant as he watched her in silence, Consort Ping decided to push her advantage. "Your Majesty, if you dine with me before visiting Noble Consort Rong, I would be content."

Then, she could prolong the meal, and when it grew late, she could remark that Noble Consort Rong would surely have retired for the night. It wouldn’t be right to disturb her now—better to wait until tomorrow rather than exhaust her with unnecessary back-and-forth.

It was a sound plan.

Of course, whether Noble Consort Rong would actually rest early knowing Kangxi was with her was another matter entirely. But in Consort Ping’s words, she would—men seldom dwell on such details.

Kangxi had come to her first, so Noble Consort Rong must already know. Who knew how her heart must ache right now?

If Kangxi left for Noble Consort Rong’s palace now, it would be Consort Ping’s turn to feel the pinch.

And who knew how triumphant Noble Consort Rong would feel, thinking she couldn’t even keep Kangxi by her side?

Not to mention the other women in the entourage—who knew what they’d say about her foolishness, her inability to hold his attention!

"I’m still worried about Noble Consort. She had just started recovering, but today she developed a fever again. Unlike you, who are hardy and quick to recover even when ill." Kangxi’s tone carried a hint of concern.

When he mentioned her being "hardy," Consort Ping went rigid.

Kangxi actually said that compared to Noble Consort Rong, she was obviously heartier and bounced back quicker from illness?!

What kind of tone-deaf, galling comment was that?!

Consort Ping was seething with rage. This was the conclusion Kangxi had drawn while looking at her?!

How was this any different from the most maddening, tone-deaf remarks?!

For a moment, she didn’t even know how to respond without suffocating on her fury.

But Kangxi didn’t wait for her reply before continuing,

"Though your visit to Noble Consort today was well-intentioned, you’ve only just started recovering. There’s no need to rush to apologize to her. If you trade illnesses between you, it’ll be harder to recuperate." His expression was serious as he spoke.

Consort Ping’s smile grew tighter. She understood—Kangxi claimed he was worried about them infecting each other, but what he really meant was that she’d infect Noble Consort Rong!

Combined with his earlier remark about her being "hardy," it wasn’t hard to decipher.

Truly, the fact that Consort Ping hadn’t vomited blood from rage yet was a testament to her resilience.

Then, Kangxi pivoted. "A lowly servant—Noble Consort wouldn’t hold such a grudge. But I cannot tolerate it. A lowly servant daring to insult their master."

Consort Ping’s heart sank. The fragile rapport from before had long dissipated, replaced by a growing tension in the wake of Kangxi’s words.

She had a feeling—the moment had come.

Kangxi hadn’t come to inquire after her health alone.

No wonder he had mentioned, not long after arriving, that she needed to rein in her servants.

"After all, they are the ones serving by your side. Any misstep is bound to raise suspicions and invite gossip, making people question your integrity. As a consort, you must weigh these matters carefully. Do you understand my concern?"

Kangxi's tone was not overly cold, his words more instructive than accusatory.

Yet Consort Ping could no longer maintain her composure, her expression cracking to reveal her distress despite her efforts to conceal it.

Kangxi's gaze rested on her—not sharp, yet it made her skin crawl.

"This concubine... understands," Consort Ping attempted to keep her smile, but it was strained, leaving her looking wan and drained.

And Kangxi had not even dismissed the palace maids when he spoke!

Though most were her own attendants, none dared so much as breathe at this moment, their heads bowed so deeply they refused to look up. Still, Consort Ping felt utterly humiliated!

She just knew these servants were laughing at her inwardly!

The thought of Kangxi's words spreading beyond today made her breath come in quick, shallow bursts.

"It would be best if you truly understood." Kangxi's tone carried a hint of deeper meaning as he withdrew his hand from hers, giving her chilled fingers two light pats—part comfort, part warning.

Pretending not to notice her ashen face and strained smile, Kangxi retracted his hand and rose to leave. "Since the new dishes suit your taste, you should eat more. There’s no need to see me off."

As Kangxi departed, the palace maids seemed to snap out of their daze, hurriedly bowing in unison, "We bid farewell to Your Majesty."