Dulan was closest and immediately helped her up, and then Kangxi walked over to her and picked her up.

"Get out! Go back to your palaces. Without my order, you are not to step out of the palace gates!"

Clearly, Kangxi was referring to Consort Hui and a few others, as well as the other concubines standing outside.

The Empress Dowager wanted to keep them, but ultimately stopped making a scene under Kangxi's murderous gaze.

"Xuan Ye, I'm fine, don't worry!"

With Consort Hui and the others gone, it's no longer appropriate for Dulan and the others to stay here.

Harigana whispered words of comfort to him, then turned around and told Dulan and the others to leave as well.

To the Empress Dowager, this seemingly understanding demeanor appeared cunning, pretentious, and a deliberate attempt to provoke her.

"Borchijin, I am not dead yet, so stop using those seductive tricks to seduce the emperor."

"The women of the grasslands are all beautiful; how could such a vixen like you have bewitched the emperor to the point that even I must disobey him."

Bumbutai's words were extremely harsh.

Harigana doesn't care; let them criticize. Most people don't have the ability or looks to become a vixen.

She can take it as a compliment; there will be absolutely no internal conflict.

Moreover, with Kangxi standing there, it wasn't her place to stand up for herself.

"Royal Grandmother!"

Kangxi's voice was tinged with restraint, and he held Harigana tightly, his hands aching slightly.

The Empress Dowager's expression was also unpleasant; she wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

He watched as the person was being well protected by Kangxi and remained silent.

"Xuan Ye, put me down, I'm really fine."

"The Empress Dowager is getting old, please calm down."

Harigana's voice was very soft, only loud enough for Emperor Kangxi to hear, while the Empress Dowager and the others could only see her mouth moving.

Kangxi did not speak, but placed her on a chair to the side. He then stood beside her, took her hand, and looked at Bumbutai: "Grandmother, this matter has nothing to do with the Imperial Noble Consort. Let her go back first, and I will explain it to you."

But how could Bumbutai, who had already given up all hope, let it go? Not only did she refuse, she even shouted, "Xuan Ye, if it weren't for her, do you dare say you would still be so disregarding the people and the court, and would you still be so reckless?"

Harigana's heart tightened; her premonition was right, it seemed she couldn't let things go today.

Even without Consort Hui's instigation, the Empress Dowager would still not have let her go.

Even today, when she said she felt unwell, the imperial physician was summoned just so she could come to Cining Palace.

With that thought, she understood.

It seems that yesterday's events dealt her a fatal blow.

Although Emperor Kangxi did not tell her Borjigit Manau's final fate yesterday, with the charge of having an affair with a concubine weighing on her shoulders, her chances of survival are slim.

"Grandmother, the people are at peace and the court is stable. Which of your worries has come to pass?"

Kangxi's voice was restrained, and his gaze towards the Empress Dowager carried a hint of unspoken meaning.

Only Harigana knew that he was very angry and was gripping her hand very tightly.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of sympathy for Kangxi, not out of love, but because she felt that being an emperor was truly not an easy task.

Especially when there are conflicts of interest, the relationship between the emperor and those around him is like a blank sheet of paper, which can be ruined if not handled carefully.

"You must consider the consequences before doing anything. Do you want me to teach you again?"

As an emperor, one needs to think deeply and consider things carefully before making a decision. Have you forgotten all of this?

It has to be said that the Empress Dowager is indeed the Empress Dowager; even Harigana wanted to applaud and cheer her on for what she said.

The saying "to stir up trouble even when one is right" is perfectly embodied in her.

"Grandmother, how do you know that I haven't thought it over carefully?"

The tension between the two grew increasingly intense, and not only Harigana but also the Empress Dowager felt that the situation was unlikely to end easily.

He glanced at Harigana, expecting her to be afraid, but she sat calmly beside Kangxi, not even sparing the Empress Dowager a glance.

“Grandmother, these are things that I, the Emperor, should be thinking about, not you.”

Some things are understood by everyone; this matter ends here, let's not continue.

After Kangxi finished speaking, he wanted to take Harigana back, but before she could stand up, Kangxi protected her behind him.

"Um!"

After a muffled groan, came the sound of porcelain falling to the ground and shattering.

"Xuan Ye!"

Harigana struggled to stand up, but Kangxi held her tightly and refused to let go.

"I'm fine!"

The Empress Dowager was still not satisfied. Seeing how Kangxi was protecting Harigana, she was trembling with anger.

The Empress Dowager was also frightened by the Grand Empress Dowager's behavior. She stood up and walked over to the two of them to check if Kangxi was injured.

Ultimately, men and women are different, and she wasn't Kangxi's biological mother, so she couldn't actually check on him and could only stand by anxiously.

"Xuan Ye, let me go first!"

Harigana was angry. She could have kept quiet, but since they had already bullied her, it would have been cowardly of her not to say anything.

Kangxi obediently released her, but turned his back away so she wouldn't see his back.

There won't be any open wounds, but bruising is definitely possible.

"Jiaojiao!"

Seeing the dark expressions on the faces of those around him, Kangxi felt a pang of sympathy.

Harigana withdrew his hand, took two steps toward the Empress Dowager, and respectfully bowed.

However, after performing a half-squatting salute, he stood up on his own.

"Empress Dowager, now that I am standing here, you may speak directly to me if you have anything to say. Please do not make things difficult for His Majesty."

Neither the Empress Dowager nor Emperor Kangxi expected Harigana to directly confront the Grand Empress Dowager, but they felt that such a personality was worthy of the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Bumbutai was stunned for a moment; it was the first time she had seen Harigana with such a stern face up close.

In just a moment, her expression returned to normal.

"I thought you would stay hidden behind the emperor your whole life, never stepping forward, and be a seductive concubine who only bewitches the monarch."

Kangxi wanted to step forward, but Harigana spoke first, so he could only stand behind her to prevent the Empress Dowager from hurting her.

"Empress Dowager, in principle, since my relationship with Xuan Ye is so good, I should call you Imperial Grandmother just like he does."

I once thought that one day you would accept me and our family could live happily together.

But now it seems that my idea was too naive, and such a situation is simply impossible.

If I had known you were so stubborn, I should have shown those people back on the grasslands just how their revered Empress Dowager forced her grandson, making things difficult for him at every turn, and even resorting to poisoning him.

"I wish you would address me as Imperial Grandmother, though I know you would disdain it, I feel you are unworthy!"