Upon returning to the palace, Tong Wanyan was summoned by the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager did not elaborate on what it was about, only saying that she was to meet someone.

However, judging from the tone of the old woman who came, she must be a senior figure of high status in the palace, and she should bring some things with her.

The Empress Dowager loves her so much, she would never harm her, much less allow her to see unimportant people.

Tong Wanyan mentioned it to Granny Ling, who seemed thoughtful: "It's probably because Granny Su has returned to the palace."

"Huh?" Tong Wanyan asked, puzzled.

"The Empress Dowager's attendant, Su Ma La Gu, is highly regarded by both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. The Emperor, in particular, is almost like a mother to Su Ma La Gu," Ling Ma La Gu advised.

With that thought in mind, Tong Wanyan entrusted the preparation of the gift to Granny Ling.

When she arrived at Ning Shou Palace, the Empress Dowager was sitting in the main seat as usual, and Su Ma La Gu was sitting in the first seat on the left.

"This humble servant greets the Empress Dowager," Tong Wanyan said in a clear voice as she bowed to the Empress Dowager, and then nodded slightly to Su Mala Gu.

The Empress Dowager laughed heartily; as fellow people of the grasslands, they were the closest of friends.

"Aunt Su Ma, look how adorable this child is. I'm so lonely in this palace, and her arrival has made me so happy," the Empress Dowager praised without any reservation.

Sumalagu accompanied the Empress Dowager from the grasslands all the way to Shengjing and then to the palace, experiencing the reigns of several emperors. She was full of wisdom but did not take pride in it.

She wore a cheongsam in a deep, dark shade, with subtle embroidery on the hem and cuffs, revealing her unusual status.

She had a string of prayer beads hanging from her hand, and judging by their luster, they had been worn for many years.

His gray hair was neatly combed, showing no signs of old age, and he was still full of energy.

"The Empress Dowager's judgment has always been excellent," Sumalagu said respectfully to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager smiled happily, and Su Mala Gu rose to bow to Tong Wanyan.

Tong Wanyan, suppressing the tingling sensation on her scalp, accepted the old woman's greeting. This old woman was very particular about rules and would never take advantage of the deep bond between herself and her master to act as if she were not a servant.

Granny Ling looks a lot like her.

"Xia Zhu, quickly help Granny Su up." Tong Wanyan waited for Granny Su to finish her greetings, then hurriedly told Xia Zhu to step forward and help her up, not daring to waste a single second.

Sumalagu got up with Xia Zhu's help and looked up at Xia Zhu with some surprise.

"This girl is really strong, like a calf on the grassland," Sumalagu praised.

Xia Zhu lowered her head shyly. Apart from her master, no one truly appreciated her immense strength.

This Granny Su is truly a good person!

“The Consort is a woman blessed with both fortune and longevity. This servant should have paid my respects to you a few days ago. However, the Twelfth Prince ate some ice cream earlier and caught a chill, which is why I was unable to see you in time,” said Su Ma La Gu.

Her tone and actions were humble, which made Tong Wanyan feel a little flattered.

The Empress Dowager patted her hand reassuringly and invited her to sit beside her.

"Aunt Su is always so particular about rules and etiquette, and the children all respect you. But your excessive politeness always makes the children unsure of what to do," the Empress Dowager said affectionately to Aunt Su.

Sumalagu smiled and said, "Without rules, there can be no order. It is already a great blessing for this servant to serve the Empress Dowager. I dare not take credit for it, and I dare not be ignorant of my own status. Besides, back then, when the Emperor asked this servant to take care of the Twelfth Prince, this servant still complied."

Humans are not plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? No matter how much Su Ma La Gu respected the rules, her expression was different when she mentioned the Twelfth Prince.

The Empress Dowager bluntly said, "The Emperor is clearly raising Little Twelfth for you to keep you company. I'm raising Fifth Prince, and you're raising Little Twelfth. You've both raised two good children. Isn't that wonderful?"

Sumalagu smiled faintly and did not respond. The Empress Dowager was used to her behavior and changed the subject, saying, "Anyway, you have already returned to the palace and will probably not leave again. Let me tell you, the Crown Prince's eldest son and eldest daughter are extremely cute. When the time comes, bring your twelfth son over so that the children can play together. That will make Cining Palace truly lively."

Tong Wanyan chimed in, "The Empress Dowager is right. The Twelfth Prince must be five years old this year, not much older than Hongzhao and Tana. It would be so wonderful to grow up together with him."

The uncle and nephew are about the same age, and there are even uncles younger than Hongzhao and Tana in the future, which is really a headache.

Having said that, Sumalagu had no choice but to agree.

The Empress Dowager wanted Su Mala Gu to have a better impression of Tong Wan Yan, so that if anything happened in the future, she could say a few good words for Kangxi.

The Empress Dowager has passed away, and Kangxi's filial piety is now focused on these two.

In fact, Emperor Kangxi's affection for Sumalagu was even deeper than his affection for the Empress Dowager.

Su Ma La Gu was similar to the Empress Dowager. She believed that Yinreng would inevitably ascend the throne, and by building a good relationship with Tong Wan Yan now, she could better protect the Twelfth Prince in the future.

As for the future crown princess, that's still far from certain.

When the Qing Dynasty first entered the Central Plains, how many primary consorts died peacefully? Even the Empress Dowager was once a princess.

Su Ma La Gu was getting old and had seen how important human relationships were under the rules, so she carefully paved the way for the Twelfth Prince's future.

The three of them were kindred spirits, and once they started talking, they couldn't stop.

When Tong Wanyan returned to the palace, it was already afternoon, and by the time she arrived at Ning Shou Palace, it was quite late.

After chatting for an hour or two, Yinreng waited and waited at Yuqing Palace for a long time but no one came, so he came to Ningshou Palace to pick them up in person.

When the Empress Dowager was alive, she treated Yinreng the best.

She raised Emperor Kangxi to be a ruler capable of leading armies in person, showing little affection and focusing primarily on strict discipline. Yinreng, on the other hand, was her legitimate grandson, and Empress Hesheli was her preferred granddaughter-in-law. Therefore, she poured all her affection into this grandson who had lost his mother at birth.

Sumalagu and the Empress Dowager were always of one mind, so they also doted on Yinreng.

When Yinreng saw Sumalagu, his eyes lit up.

He ran in, first bowing to the Empress Dowager, then burying his head in Sumalagu's arms.

"Granny Su has finally decided to return to the palace. Bao Cheng thought that now that you have your twelfth brother, you don't care about Bao Cheng anymore," Yinreng said coquettishly.

At this time, he shed his lofty status as crown prince and became like a teenager.

Sumalagu touched his smooth forehead: "It's been a few years since I last saw you, Your Highness. You've grown taller and look even more like the late Empress."

Emperor Kangxi was dignified and could hardly be considered handsome.

Yinreng's handsome face, which was praised by Manchus, Han Chinese, and even foreigners, was entirely thanks to Empress Hesheli.

Yinreng proudly raised his head: "Father Emperor said so too."

"Grandmother, I've been waiting at Yuqing Palace for a long time, but you haven't sent anyone to bring Xiaoyan back. So, I had no choice but to come and fetch my wife myself." Yinreng got up from Sumalagu's arms and said to the Empress Dowager.

The more intimate the words, the more the Empress Dowager's wrinkles around her eyes piled up.

"Aunt Su, look, this child has grown up and knows how to find a wife to come home to," the Empress Dowager teased.

Su Mala Gu laughed along, saying, "The Crown Prince and his concubine are a perfect match; it's a wonderful marriage."