"It's alright! She's just like my third princess, straightforward and outspoken, which I like!" Kangxi said.

Lanqin immediately felt relieved. After Consort De's shout, she really regretted it. What if Kangxi really started to challenge her?

"Why don't I serve the dishes to Father Emperor and Mother?" Lanqin thought, deciding to fulfill her duties as a daughter-in-law. After all, Emperor Kangxi had always treated her well, saying she resembled his most beloved princess, which meant he treated her like a daughter. Consort De had also been quite good to her, though she used a combination of kindness and strictness; at least she was a reasonable mother-in-law.

"Alright, you serve me the food," Kangxi said. He looked at Lanqin, then at Hongli, truly enjoying the feeling of having his daughter-in-law and grandson around him.

Lanqin stepped forward and served the dishes to the two elders one by one with utmost reverence, after all, these two parents-in-law were the most honored parents-in-law in the world.

"Girl, I've noticed you don't smile as much as before," Kangxi said jokingly, finding Lanqin's quiet demeanor somewhat unusual.

"I was afraid of offending Your Majesty," Lanqin quickly said with a slight smile.

"I like your unrestrained speech in front of me. Don't be afraid, my beloved consort likes it too, doesn't she?" Kangxi said to Consort De.

Lanqin clearly saw a hint of embarrassment flash across Consort De's face. She felt truly sorry for Consort De, who had just been so stern and ruthless, but now had to be all smiles and pleasantries in front of Emperor Kangxi.

"Actually, I was thinking of a joke, which is why I didn't laugh at Father and Mother for a moment," Lanqin quickly said to smooth things over.

"Oh, have you thought of it?" Kangxi asked with great interest.

"I have thought of it, but I'm afraid it might offend Father Emperor's ears and disgrace His Majesty," Lanqin said, deliberately feigning fear.

"Since your imperial father has asked you to speak, then speak," Consort De, true to her background in the palace, immediately changed her attitude.

"Yes. Then I will tell you. Actually, I saw this joke in an old storybook. Once upon a time, there was a courtesan who was invited to a banquet hosted by a wealthy man. This wealthy man was entertaining a powerful figure. The courtesan, unaware of this, arrived a little late and was punished by the wealthy man to tell a joke. So the courtesan said: 'In Henan, there was a wealthy man who had a good-for-nothing son. The wealthy man said the first line of a couplet: "A stream flows away in front of the door." The son replied: "A high mountain jumps out of the house." This was illogical and angered the wealthy man, who scolded his son severely. One day, the father and son went to a Taoist temple to visit a guest. A Taoist priest came out to greet them. The wealthy man laughed and said: "I wronged my son. A high mountain jumps out of the house, indeed!" It turned out that this Taoist priest's name was "High Mountain," and he was a cripple.' Unexpectedly, the powerful figure the wealthy man was entertaining was a slightly lame prince of the court, which terrified the wealthy man."

After Lanqin finished speaking, she stopped talking. Kangxi was slightly stunned after hearing the joke, while Consort De felt that the joke was a bit vulgar and looked at Kangxi nervously.

"Haha, you little rascal, you're really quite clever. That's a good joke. Here, I have a reward for you!" Kangxi suddenly burst into laughter again, took a jade thumb ring off his hand, and handed it to Lanqin.

"Your Majesty! This is—" Consort De looked at Kangxi with wide surprise, "Your Majesty, this jade thumb ring has been with you for more than ten years!"

Lanqin paused upon hearing this, no wonder Consort De's eyes flashed with surprise and confusion.

"It's just an object. This girl amused me today, so I'm bestowing it upon her," Kangxi said.

Lanqin quickly curtsied and said, "This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the reward!"

A young eunuch quickly took the jade thumb ring and presented it to Lanqin. Lanqin held it in her hand and felt a cool, smooth sensation against her skin.

"Haha, girl, this is an antique that has been with me for over ten years. Take good care of it!" Kangxi said, looking at Lanqin with a touch of doting affection. His expression was quite like that of a father showing love to his daughter.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Father Emperor. I will take good care of it," Lanqin said excitedly.

"Hmm, you may kneel and take your leave. Take Hongli away as well; he should rest for the afternoon. Starting tomorrow, every day after I finish the morning court session, you will carry Hongli from your mother's place to the Qianqing Palace. I want to personally teach Hongli some things," Kangxi said.

"Yes, daughter-in-law obeys!" Lanqin bowed respectfully to Consort Kangxi, then carried Hongli out.

After they left, Consort De noticed that Emperor Kangxi had lost his appetite, so she signaled to the people around her that they could leave.

“Your Majesty, you have used much less,” Consort De said.

"Hmm, I haven't had a good appetite lately. Nothing tastes good to me," Kangxi said.

"Your Majesty, that jade thumb ring was your favorite thing. How could you give it to a concubine?" Consort De couldn't help but ask.

"So be it. She is Hongli's biological mother. I like Hongli very much. This child is intelligent and will surely become..." Kangxi suddenly stopped speaking.

"Become what?" Consort De asked.

"He will become a pillar of the Qing Dynasty. It's no big deal if I bestow more gifts upon his mother," Kangxi said.

"Yes, Your Majesty is far-sighted, while I am short-sighted," said Consort De.

"I've always thought this girl and the fourth prince got along very well, but this time she seems a little unhappy," Kangxi asked.

"Oh, they just threw a little tantrum. Let's not worry about them. Your Majesty, I've made some chrysanthemum-scented soup. Would you like to try some?" Consort De said.

"Alright, then let's try it," Kangxi said.

Consort De gestured for a palace servant to fetch it, and then saw that Kangxi's face instantly darkened again, so she knew that he had something on his mind.

"Your Majesty, I see you seem unhappy about something," Consort De said with concern.

"Alas, how could I have chosen such an incompetent and unfilial son as the crown prince!" Kangxi cursed.

Consort De was startled and quickly said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is still young and may not handle many things properly. Please give him some pointers."

“He’s over thirty, and he still calls himself young? When I was his age, I did everything I could,” Kangxi said indignantly.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is just being mischievous. Please teach him a little and don't upset yourself." Consort De quickly patted Emperor Kangxi's back.

"Not just unruly, she's downright absurd! If it weren't for Hesheli's sake, I would have already..." In the end, Kangxi didn't say those words to Consort De. After accompanying Consort De to use some chrysanthemum-scented dew, he left.

"Your Majesty, does His Majesty have some ulterior motive in suddenly revealing these things to you?" asked Granny De.