"Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"

Consort Ma Jia learned that Emperor Kangxi was strolling in the Imperial Garden, so she brought Siyu with her.

"Is Huan'er here to admire the flowers too?"

Looking at Consort Ma Jia, who had borne him the most children, Kangxi felt a pang of guilt as he recalled the things he had discovered a few days earlier.

"Greetings, Sister Ma Jia!" Wan Yi bowed slightly to Consort Ma Jia from behind Emperor Kangxi.

"Sister Suo Zhuolun, what a coincidence to meet the Emperor and your sister in the Imperial Garden. I wonder if we have disturbed you?"

When Consort Ma saw the red peony in Wanyi's hair, she secretly laughed at Consort Suo Zhuolun's foolishness in wearing such a bright red hairpin in front of the Emperor. However, she wouldn't kindly remind her, since there were too many concubines and not enough emperors. If one concubine was favored, then she might have a better chance of gaining more favor.

"No need to disturb you. Huan'er, you've arrived just in time. We can go admire the flowers together. These flowers are at their most delicate now."

Emperor Kangxi felt guilty and naturally wanted to make amends to Consort Ma Jia, so he immediately invited her to go on an outing.

"Then, this servant will obey."

Consort Ma Jia immediately gave a beautiful smile and walked to the right rear of Emperor Kangxi, while Consort Wanyi stood to the left rear.

"I still don't know what flowers Huan'er likes. Could you please tell me?"

Kangxi wasn't interested in knowing Consort Ma Jia's preferences; rather, he was thinking that if he came across a flower she liked, he would adorn her hair with one.

"Your Majesty, this concubine likes hydrangeas."

As Consort Ma Jia spoke, she touched a white chrysanthemum beside her, as if recalling something sad, and her whole being exuded sorrow.

"I remember this hydrangea; it's shaped like a ball."

Emperor Kangxi tried hard to recall, and felt that Consort Ma Jia's preferences were somewhat peculiar, but he also respected other people's preferences.

"The Emperor's Eight-Hydrangea Flower is a ball."

Seeing that Consort Ma Jia was still in a daze, Wan Yi took over the conversation for her, reaching out to tug at Consort Ma Jia's sleeve, thinking to herself, "This attendant is still daydreaming. If you want to die, don't drag me down with you, okay?"

"Yes, I love how it stands tall and straight in the cold wind, all huddled together, it's quite beautiful." Consort Ma Jia smiled gratefully at Wan Yi, having regained her senses.

"It's a round ball, and it looks festive." Emperor Kangxi also thought the hydrangea was quite nice.

"I've heard that the hydrangea has another meaning. Would Your Majesty like to know?" Wanyi said, keeping everyone in suspense.

"Oh, it has a symbolic meaning? I didn't know that. Wan'er, tell me."

Emperor Kangxi was surprised that Wanyi seemed to know a lot about flowers; she had introduced many flowers along the way.

"It signifies happiness, reunion, fidelity, and eternity."

This is actually a modern floral ball, which in traditional Chinese culture is a symbol of reunion.

"Really? Reunion." Will she be reunited with her children? Now she only has Rongxian.

"Yes! Sister Ma Jia, this hydrangea is round, and its appearance looks like a symbol of reunion."

Wanyi didn't know what she was thinking about again, feeling melancholic and sentimental, but since Kangxi hadn't said anything, she decided to pretend she didn't know!

"Huan'er, the dead are gone, look forward. You are still young, you will have more." Kangxi knew that Consort Ma was thinking of her children who died young. He didn't have much affection for those children except for Chengrui. Chengrui was his first child, and he had poured a lot of affection into him. He was busy with court affairs, so he rarely saw the others.

"Your Majesty is right. It was I who disturbed Your Majesty's refined taste."

Consort Ma knew she couldn't control her emotions; she just really missed her children.

"It's alright, let's go take a look ahead." Kangxi pointed to a spot ahead and then stepped forward.

“This is a mimosa flower,” Wanyi said to Kangxi and the others, standing under the mimosa tree.

"Wan'er is right, this is a mimosa flower."

Emperor Kangxi looked at the mimosa flower in front of him, its pink petals perfectly matching the pink qipao he was wearing today, so he picked it and placed it on Consort Ma Jia's head.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Does this look good?" Consort Ma Jia said, turning around in full twilight.

"It looks good." Kangxi naturally agreed with Consort Ma Jia.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

Consort Tong, who had just returned to Chengqian Palace, heard that the Emperor had gone to the Imperial Garden, so she immediately rushed over. On her way, she also encountered other concubines who had the same purpose.

"Greetings, Consort Tong!" Consort Ma Jia and Consort Wan bowed to Consort Tong.

"Get up! Why are you all here?" Kangxi walked up to Consort Tong and gently helped her up.

"I've been feeling a bit down lately, so I thought I'd come to the Imperial Garden to clear my head. I never expected to run into my sisters here, and even more unexpectedly, I met Your Majesty," Consort Tong said softly, her voice carrying a hint of fragility as she recovered from her illness.

"You've just recovered, so don't catch a cold again."

Kangxi gestured to Liang Jiugong, who was beside him, to take his cloak and drape it over Consort Tong.

"I will be careful."

Consort Tong thought smugly, "Look, as long as I appear, all the other concubines in the harem have to step aside and play second fiddle."

"Wow! The bright red peony flower on Sister Suo Zhuolun's head is so beautiful."

Consort Wuya seemed to see the flower in Wanyi's hair and said in surprise.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sister Wuya."

Wanyi knew that Wuya was going to cause trouble again, but since these flowers weren't her own, she wasn't afraid.

"This, bright red is something only the principal wife can use! Sister Suo Zhuolun, not that I'm criticizing you, but it's best to avoid bringing such inappropriate things." Consort Hesheli said disdainfully. Her cousin was Empress Xiaochengren, who was the principal wife. Although she didn't like this cousin, they were both from the Hesheli clan, so she naturally had to protect the Hesheli clan.

"Your Majesty, I believe that Consort Suo Zhuolun acted unintentionally. A minor punishment will suffice."

When Consort Wuya saw that it was Empress Xiaochengren's cousin who stepped forward, she was overjoyed, as if she saw that Consort Wan was about to be punished.

"Your Majesty, this..."

Wanyi glanced at Kangxi with a troubled expression. She didn't know whether to remove it or not. This was the flower that Kangxi had put in his hair! If she removed it, wouldn't she offend him? But if she didn't remove it, it would be against etiquette. What should she do?

"It's just a flower, it doesn't mean anything, but I have given my permission."

Emperor Kangxi never imagined that such a small flower could have so many intricacies. In his eyes, it was just a small flower, but this flower could stir up waves in the harem.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I was being nosy."

Uya was startled; she hadn't expected that Emperor Kangxi would wear this flower.

Consort Tong was initially furious when she saw Wanyi wearing bright red peony flowers, but since her cousin had only put them on on a whim, she was relieved.

"Consort Ma Jia looks very beautiful wearing this mimosa flower, which complements her qipao and makes her even more beautiful than the flower!"

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat tense, Consort Dong noticed the mimosa flower on Consort Ma Jia's head and used it to change the subject.