"Jiaojiao, I have a surprise for you in a few days."

Kangxi hadn't originally intended to speak, but seeing the woman eating snacks in front of him, he was so smitten that he couldn't resist greeting her first.

"Why in a few days? Can't you say it now?"

Harigana put down what she was holding and wanted to wipe her hands with a handkerchief, but Kangxi took his silk handkerchief first and wiped her hands clean one by one.

He even ate up the leftovers on the corners of his mouth.

"You don't mind the dirt!"

Seeing her disdainful expression, Kangxi smiled but said nothing.

He couldn't say that an otherwise ordinary pastry would taste exceptionally delicious after being tasted by her, because he might never be able to eat it again.

"Xuan Ye, just tell me! I want to know now!"

Harigana clung to Kangxi's arm and shook it back and forth, but nothing she did worked; that scoundrel wouldn't let go.

"Jiaojiao, wait a moment, it won't be long, you'll be happy then."

Even if I were to tell you now, you can't see or touch it, can you?

"But what if I can't see or touch it anymore by then?"

Harigana spoke too quickly and regretted it as soon as she finished. She glanced cautiously at Kangxi and found him staring at her with a gloomy face, not saying a word.

His tightly pursed lips and clenched fists clearly indicated that he was angry.

Kangxi was indeed angry. These past few days, he had felt uneasy, and even after sleeping in Harigana at night, he would nervously check her breathing several times throughout the night, fearing that something might have happened.

But the more he fears something, the more the woman he spoils says.

He vividly remembered the difficult childbirth that had happened to Hesheli. Although he hadn't gone in to see her, he could tell from the sounds of her labor that she was in great distress.

But this woman, whom he loved so much, actually said it out loud without any restraint.

"Xuan Ye, I was wrong. I shouldn't have said those things. Please don't be angry!"

Harigana quietly apologized and reached out to hug his neck, but Kangxi dodged him.

"Jiaojiao, I've really spoiled you too much. Now you dare to say anything, don't you?"

Kangxi was angry at her nonsense, angry that she didn't value her own life and spoke so casually.

Harigana stared at him blankly, knowing that he was worried about her, so she endured the grievance after being yelled at, reached out and grabbed his hair and tugged at it, trying to coax him again.

"Xuan Ye, I was really wrong, please don't be angry, I—" Before he could finish speaking, Kangxi interrupted him.

"Jiaojiao, I'm in a bad mood and I'm afraid I'll say something hurtful to you. I'll go back to the Imperial Study first and come back tonight."

After Kangxi finished speaking, he pulled the braid out of Harigana's hand, then turned and left, leaving her alone, holding her belly and sitting helplessly on the stool.

Seeing the man turn and leave, Harigana felt a slight pang in his heart, then forced a smile and slowly stood up and walked towards the bed.

She was right at the beginning: you must love yourself first, and love yourself the most, no matter who else you love.

Fortunately, she was able to control herself; otherwise, the sight of her turning away with a flick of her sleeve might have shattered her on the spot.

When Dulan came in, she saw that Harigana was already asleep, so she didn't disturb her and carefully withdrew.

"Wei Qi!"

After Dulan left, Harigana suddenly called Wei Qi, and the next second, Wei Qi appeared in the room.

"Your Majesty!"

Wei Qi knelt on the ground, his eyes not daring to look around.

"You've been with me for almost a year now, haven't you?"

Harigana suddenly asked a question, and Wei Qi was stunned for a moment before nodding quickly: "Yes, Your Majesty, it's been ten months."

From the eighth day of the seventh month of the twentieth year of the Kangxi reign to the thirtieth day of the fourth month of the twenty-first year of the Kangxi reign, it has actually been almost eleven months.

"Okay, I understand. You may leave now! But don't tell the Emperor about what happened at Qingxi Palace recently, understand?"

Harigana originally wanted to ask Wei Qi, since Kangxi had asked him about his daily life several times over such a long period of time, but after thinking about it, he decided not to.

Although Wei Qi was following her, his master was still Kangxi. She didn't even know if he would tell her the truth, so why bother making a fool of herself?

"Yes! This servant obeys!"

Wei Qi was probably the person who knew this empress best, after all, he had been by her side for so long, so he always felt that something was not right.

But he was just a servant, so he dared not say anything and quietly withdrew.

Harigana closed his eyes, rubbed his abdomen back and forth with his hands, and finally laughed out loud at his own self-deprecation.

Kangxi was actually in a very difficult situation. He was genuinely afraid that his temper would affect Harigana, so he essentially fled in disarray.

During this period, he gradually discovered that many people, including the Empress Dowager, had stirred up a lot of trouble in the former harem.

Even he, the emperor, almost lost his life when he was accidentally poisoned by the Empress Dowager when she tried to get rid of the Hesheli clan.

So during this period he was also a frightened bird, but when he heard Harigana say it so naturally, he was filled with fear and panic, so he came out immediately.

In the Imperial Study, Emperor Kangxi was lost in thought.

He stared at the air in front of him for an hour until Li Dequan reminded him that the Minister of War had something to report. Only then did he compose himself and let him in with a gloomy face.

When he returned home that evening, Harigana was already asleep. Kangxi had no one to confide in, so he had to wait until the next day to say what he wanted to say.

This was one of the few times the two of them had a cold war, which lasted for two days.

The fourth day of the fifth lunar month is Emperor Kangxi's birthday, and envoys from various countries began to arrive in Beijing one after another.

When Kangxi returned, Harigana was already asleep, and he was still asleep when he left.

So, for two days, the two of them, though living in the same bedchamber, did not speak to each other.

Harigana did it on purpose. She had hoped to leave a good impression on Kangxi so that if something unexpected happened, he would treat her children better out of consideration for their past good relationship.

But now she has changed her mind. Isn't the thing you can never forget the most important thing to lose at the best time?

Granny Hu had said long ago that her due date was in the next few days, and it would be considered very good if the twins could stay in her belly for nine months.

Harigana originally intended to discuss this matter with him that day, but wasn't Kangxi going to throw a tantrum? Well then, let him throw a tantrum!

If nothing goes wrong, everything will be fine. As long as the child is born, she can give Kangxi a way out and he will obediently admit his mistake.

But if something were to happen to her, it would be a pain that Kangxi would never forget, and he would live in regret for the rest of his life.