"Your Highness, this peony is completely dried out." Ningdong presented the dried pink peony to Consort Tong.

"Hmm, let's put it on the dressing table! Put it in the most conspicuous place, I'll be happy just to see it."

She was initially angry at Consort Ma Jia, that vixen, but after Kangxi put a peony flower in her hair, all her anger disappeared. It was as if her cousin was telling her that she, Tong Yuzhu, was the Empress he, Xuan Ye, had chosen. How could she be unhappy?

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, your wish will soon be fulfilled."

Ningdong was also very happy, after all, the servants of the concubines were different from those of the empress; the empress's servants were of much higher rank than the concubines' servants.

"It's too early to congratulate her now. We can congratulate her when she dons the imperial robes in Japan." Consort Tong became happier and happier as she thought about it. She could almost see Consort Zhao bowing down to her as Empress, and she felt extremely pleased.

"It's getting late. When His Majesty gave the peony to the Empress, everyone in the harem treated our Chengqian Palace with utmost respect and tried their best to please her."

Ning Dong smiled as she thought of how the steward of the Imperial Household Department bowed and scraped to her.

"We don't need to pay attention to those sycophantic servants. Once I sit in that position, they will only fawn over us even more," Consort Tong said smugly, her smile never fading.

"My lady, Eunuch Liang has arrived." Hongxiu said with a smile, followed by Liang Jiugong as they entered.

"This servant greets Consort Suo Zhuolun." Liang Jiugong swung a swing at Wanyi.

"I wonder why His Majesty summoned Eunuch Liang here?"

Wanyi put down the book of poems in her hand. Emperor Kangxi said that there would be a spot check on these books next time, so she was thinking of memorizing them as soon as possible.

"Your Highness, His Majesty is in Cining Palace. The Empress Dowager heard that Your Highness's pastries are very delicious, so she sent this old servant to fetch some. In addition, His Majesty also bestowed a dish upon you."

Liang Jiugong handed a food box to Hongxiu, but this was just an excuse; there was nothing inside. It was just to make it easier to take out some snacks.

"I wonder if Your Majesty is in a hurry? I would like to personally make a fresh dessert for the Empress Dowager. It won't take long, just two cups of tea will suffice."

Wanyi had some pastries in her space, made by Tianxiang. She put them in her space thinking she could eat them when she got hungry at night. There were quite a few of them.

"Then please, Consort, hurry up."

Liang Jiugong thought that Kangxi would also be dining in Cining Palace, and since it was still early, there shouldn't be any major problems.

"Then I'll have to trouble Eunuch Liang to wait."

After Wanyi finished speaking, she went out and asked Tianxiang to help her. However, it was just for show. At the end, she sent Tianxiang away, took out some pastries from her space, put them on a plate, and then put them in a box. She also took some other pastries.

"Eunuch Liang, it's ready. We were in a rush, so the taste might not be perfect, but it's not bad either," Wanyi said modestly.

“I have tasted it there, and I trust your cooking skills, young master.”

Liang Jiugong simply couldn't believe that Consort Suo Zhuolun would dare to give the Empress Dowager anything inferior; wouldn't that be courting death?

"Take care, Eunuch Liang!" Wanyi smiled as she saw Liang Jiugong off.

"My lady, why does the Empress Dowager suddenly want to eat your snacks?" Hongxiu asked Wanyi in confusion.

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?!"

Wanyi said something in an annoyed tone, then returned to the couch, looked at the books of poetry on the coffee table, picked them up helplessly and began to recite them silently. Luckily, she had a good memory, otherwise she didn't know how long it would have taken her to memorize them.

"Ah! Your Highness doesn't know either. Then this servant will go prepare dinner for Your Highness!" Hongxiu saw Wanyi continuing to read and remembered that Wanyi had mentioned wanting to eat stir-fried pork at noon. She had to hurry up and get some money to queue up at the Imperial Kitchen, otherwise she would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Isn't that Eunuch Liang, who serves the Emperor?"

Consort Zhang had just come out of Yuhua Pavilion, followed by two eunuchs, each carrying two pots of flowers.

"Judging from the direction, it should be heading towards Cining Palace."

Yu Ling looked closely, but because there were two eunuchs following behind Liang Jiugong, they didn't see the food box he was carrying.

"Could it be that the Emperor is in the Cining Palace?"

Consort Zhang guessed that, after all, Liang Jiugong rarely left Kangxi's side, and Wei Zhu usually handled the simpler errands.

"His Majesty has been busy recently and has not had the chance to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. It is not surprising that he is here now."

Yu Ling spoke boldly, and Consort Zhang was not angry. Yu Ling was her capable assistant, and she listened to Yu Ling on many things, so she did not blame her for being somewhat unruly.

"If I happen to run into the Emperor, may I wait for him to come out?"

Consort Zhang's idea was simple: as long as she waited for Kangxi to come out, she could pretend to bump into him by chance, thus drawing Kangxi's attention to herself.

"My lady, have you ever considered that this is the territory of Cining Palace? How can you so blatantly seduce the Emperor? Do you think the Empress Dowager will let you off the hook?"

Yu Ling rubbed her forehead and said wearily, "Consort Zhang is usually very shrewd, but when she's with Kangxi, her IQ is questionable!"

"I understand. Let's go back!"

Consort Zhang's daydream was interrupted, and she pouted unhappily before walking towards Yanxi Palace.

Upon entering Cining Palace, Liang Jiugong examined the poison with Su Mala Gu before personally presenting it to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, please try some. I think these are quite good." Kangxi picked up a white pastry and handed it to Bumbutai.

"Delicious." Borjigit Consort, who was bored out of her mind, had been listening to Kangxi and Bumbutai chatting. She was about to fall asleep when Liang Jiugong brought in some snacks, which woke her up. She picked up the snacks placed next to her and tasted them.

"Oh, really? For Guozhen to say it's delicious, it must really be delicious."

Bumbutai was startled. She hadn't expected that Consort Suozhuolun was actually quite capable. Guozhen was from Khorchin, so naturally she couldn't get used to the local snacks.

"It's really good. It has a faint milky taste, but no fishy smell at all. No wonder Xuan Ye and Guo Zhen both like this dessert so much." Bumbutai didn't expect that Consort Suozhuolun could remove the fishy smell of goat milk.

"Empress Dowager, please take this concubine with you! That way, I can enjoy some delicious snacks."

Borjigit Consort disregarded all decorum and etiquette, and went straight up to act coquettishly, just like she did at home with her grandfather, who would then grant her every wish. Actually, according to seniority, Guozhen should call Bumbutai her great-aunt father, as she was the daughter of Wu Keshan's son.

"Didn't Your Majesty say you were going to bring Consort Suozhuolun along? Why are you saying this? That's rude." Bumbutai wasn't really saying Guozhen was rude; he even affectionately pinched Guozhen's nose.

"Yes, I was rude. Perhaps I should go back first! I haven't packed my things for Jade Spring Mountain yet!"