Chapter 6 Transition

It's all just infighting in the palace.

Even Liang Jiugong couldn't discern any emotion in his ordinary movements, but when Chen Guanxue met his eyes, she clearly saw joy within them.

Anything she liked, whether it was her appearance or her low status, made him happy. What made him even happier was that she told the truth.

He was happy, but because of her gaze, he couldn't lie still. He kept changing positions, like a pancake being roasted over a raging fire, which would burn if he wasn't turned over quickly.

It's unbearable to look at.

But seeing his lively spirit, she didn't look away, but watched with a smile as he repeatedly flipped the paper over.

If she remembered correctly, he would have to personally lead the expedition in a while, so she should take a good look at things now, because she would have to rely on how he looked now to get through the long months ahead.

She would never go. Going out for fun means being surrounded by a large entourage, and while a royal expedition might be grand, it also involves hardship. Besides, the cold winds from the north feel like bone-scraping knives, so she's not going.

Before Liang Jiugong returned, they were sitting and lying down, their eyes only on each other.

When Consort Yi went to the Qianqing Palace, some people naturally wanted to find out what was going on, but they were turned away when they arrived.

"Consort Yi will be confined to her quarters for the next two weeks, so I'm afraid Consort Hui won't be able to come in and sit down."

Since the imperial edict for confining Consort Yi to her quarters had not yet been issued, it wouldn't matter if someone went in to see her. However, Consort Yi didn't want to suffer this hardship herself, so she wanted to make a big fuss about it.

Even if this gets out of hand, it won't reach Emperor Kangxi's ears. It will only let the other women in the harem know that the one in the Qianqing Palace is no pushover.

Consort Hui glanced at the maid who delivered the message and said, "In that case, I will return. Consort Yi will not leave the palace or meet with outsiders. Let Chengqian Palace take care of the matters she is handling."

The Chengqian Palace she mentioned refers to Consort Tong, the half-sister of Empress Xiaoyiren who entered the palace in the 29th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. Over the years, under the Kangxi Emperor's guidance, she has become very adept at handling palace affairs. Even without children, she has subtly surpassed them in seniority.

"It is entirely up to Consort Hui to decide."

The messenger remained calm, but Consort Yi was extremely agitated inside the room.

Having held power for years, being suddenly stripped of it for half a month evoked not only resentment but also fear.

As soon as the palace maid entered the room, she saw her tearing up books in anger. She bowed and waited for the maid to speak before getting up.

"Your Highness, I have already spoken to Consort Hui. It was Chengqian Palace that took over the matter."

Consort Yi hadn't put down the book in her hand yet, but she was no longer in a hurry. After hearing what she said, she smiled instead, "Alright, since it's going to be given to Chengqian Palace anyway, it doesn't matter if it's given now."

Consort Tong was brought into the palace with the rank of Consort, and with an older sister who had been Empress, it was only a matter of time before she became Imperial Noble Consort.

The four concubines had been managing the harem for quite some time, and in a few years, someone else would take over. That person was Consort Tong.

It's good that they fell into her hands; at least she doesn't have to worry about blinding the eyes she sent out. Considering the nature of Consort Hui and the others, and with her as a precedent, even if they don't openly provoke her, they will still do some small things in secret.

Ha, she was confined to her quarters after just asking one question. I wonder how Kangxi will punish her for those little tricks.

She was pushed to be the first to stick her neck out, and they have to pay a price for it.

There are no fools in the palace. Anyone who is foolish could never rise to a high position. Even Consort Yi, who always seems brainless, has the right to manage palace affairs. Such a person is not foolish; she knows that the others are using her.

Being pushed out wasn't without its advantages; at least it gave them a chance to learn about Kangxi's attitude, and they knew more than others.

He considered this Miss Chen his Achilles' heel, so naturally she wouldn't touch her. She would just watch others touch her, and after being confined for half a month, she would reap the benefits. This deal seemed incredibly profitable.

Unaware that she was being regarded as Kangxi's Achilles' heel, Chen Guanxue looked at the newcomers and asked Kangxi to give her a head nanny.

Runxi is someone who serves her. Although they are closer, she doesn't know how to manage things. Even if she needs to manage things in the future, she needs to find someone she can truly trust to manage and teach her now.

"The old nanny Chana by my side is quite good. She was brought into the palace by the Empress Dowager. She's perfect for you."

Chen Guanxue had never seen this person before; he must have been gone before she appeared. Then she smiled again, showing that he was truly unafraid to expose his weaknesses.

She is very confident, both now and in the future, and can protect herself even if her weaknesses are exposed to everyone.

"Then thank you very much, Your Majesty."

When Kangxi saw her smile, he stared at her intently, wanting to etch her smile into his mind so that he could savor it before going to sleep and fall asleep with her smile in his heart.

He couldn't get enough of looking at her, but he still looked away. He simply got up and walked to her side, whispering in her ear, "If you're going to thank me, you can't just say it."

My skin is itchy again.

She tilted her head slightly, following his gaze, which finally landed on her neck, which was covered by her clothes, as if that patch of skin was starting to heat up from his burning gaze.

"Does Your Majesty want this child?"

Chen Guanxue's sudden question caught him off guard. Of course, he wanted it; otherwise, he wouldn't have let her take over the identity of that person from the Chen family.

She raised her head slightly, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Does Your Majesty know how I got here?"

Yes, as for where the person in his dream came from, before she asked, he simply considered her a gift from heaven. He was well aware of his own feelings and didn't delve into it further.

She became somewhat curious when she asked.

"I can't guarantee that my child and I will be fine after I get close to the Emperor." She just loved seeing him starving but unable to get any meat.

It wasn't that she really wanted to tease him; she just wasn't sure if a wolf that had eaten meat could still control its urge to eat. Occasionally it was fine, but if it came day and night, even if the child in her belly could handle it, she herself couldn't.

With just one sentence, he stopped his burning gaze, looked up sharply at the intricate murals on the roof, and then looked down at the top of her head.

"This is so torturous." After saying that, she dragged herself back to her bed and lay down again, rolling around as if only in this way could she vent her frustration.

Chen Guanxue first looked at Runxi and found that she had already buried her head before smiling at him.

Being younger means you can do things more freely and know how to vent, which is good. It's better than bottling up your anger and pretending nothing's wrong.

Kangxi was not without incident either. After calming down, he went back to read the memorials. She ate lunch alone, and Runxi witnessed what true pomp and circumstance was.

A large, square table was piled high with dishes and soup bowls. The palace maids who came today were all doing their jobs properly. From washing their hands to serving the dishes, there was no panic or mistake. She stood behind Chen Guanxue and watched, learning a lot from her.

By evening, the investigation into the Chen family's affairs had been nearly completed. Runxi and Liang Jiugong were left to serve the dishes, and Kangxi took the opportunity to speak with her.

[Author's Note]

The next chapter will be at 12:00. If it's not there by 12:00, please try again in 10 minutes!