Since Sander took over the management of the Household Department, not only have expenses been reduced by more than ten or twenty times, but even the accounting books have become much simpler.

It's all the same stuff over and over again. Apart from the monthly allowances for the concubines and servants, there aren't any complicated accounts to check.

ah!

And porcelain!

Since Emperor Kangxi decreed that broken porcelain must be purchased with one's own money, the Imperial Household Department's expenses have decreased by nearly one million taels of silver per year.

This million taels of silver is enough to provide the imperial concubines and servants with their stipends for more than ten years.

As envoys began arriving in Beijing, Emperor Kangxi was busy meeting with different envoys every day and reviewing memorials, so he could only return to the Qianqing Palace at night.

"Jiaojiao!"

That day, Harigana had just played with her two children for a while when they got sleepy, and she was also a little sleepy. Just as she was dozing off, she heard Kangxi's voice.

"Hmm? Xuan Ye?"

I groggily opened my eyes and made sure it was him who had returned.

"Jiaojiao, are you sleepy?"

She shook her head, trying hard to wake up, but she was really sleepy.

Kangxi came home late last night and kept her occupied for a long time, so she didn't get enough sleep.

"You go to sleep first, I'll talk to you when you wake up."

Seeing how exhausted she was, he felt a pang of sympathy, but there was nothing he could do.

He comes every three days; if he doesn't come on time, you have to wait three more days.

"Go ahead and say it, I'm listening."

With her eyes closed, she reached out and touched him for a while, finally finding the location of his thigh before leaning over and hugging his waist, responding softly.

"Jiaojiao, you should go to sleep first, I'm afraid you'll wake up angry."

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because after he said it, Harigana really did become a little more aware.

"explain!"

The word was uttered with a huff, but Kangxi detected a hint of coquetry in it.

He touched his nose, feeling a little guilty.

"Jiaojiao, let me make this clear first, you can't be angry with me."

Harigana looked up at him, his dazed eyes filled with confusion.

In a flash, her mind clicked, and she blurted out, "No one's sending you women, is that it?"

Such plots are often found in storybooks, and envoys often send princesses to marry foreign rulers in order to maintain stable relations between the two countries.

She still remembers Xiang Fei to this day.

It turned into a butterfly and flew away. How ridiculous!

Kangxi was taken aback, and Harigana's drowsiness vanished instantly.

She sat up, moved far away, and looked at him with disgust.

"explain!"

Seeing her wary look, Kangxi was secretly delighted.

His sweetheart is jealous!

However, knowing that she cared was enough, so he dared not continue to test her.

If things go wrong and you anger someone, it's a small matter of appeasing them, but if you extend their stay by another day, they'll feel like they want to die.

"Jiaojiao, what kind of look is that? Don't you trust me at all?"

Upon hearing Kangxi's words, Harigana immediately rolled his eyes.

If you want to turn the tables on her, you'll have to see if she'll take the bait.

"explain!"

It all boils down to one word, leaving Kangxi speechless.

Isn't this the same method that Harigana used before?

Could it be that he didn't learn it?

"Tsarist Russia, Tsarist Russia didn't lose a battle and then send a princess over."

Harigana stood up abruptly, hands on her hips, and looked at him: "Where is he?"

Kangxi reached out to support her, afraid she would fall, but his hand was slapped away as soon as he did: "Stop dawdling, speak up!"

She's not someone to be trifled with now. Some people might say it's just a matter of keeping a woman; she can enter the palace, so be it, as long as Kangxi doesn't go there.

But she didn't want to, and she wouldn't allow it.

The harem has only been quiet for a short time. If someone is brought in, who knows what will happen?

Furthermore, women in Tsarist Russia naturally held a higher status than many others, and were not to be beaten or scolded.

If she were to cause any trouble, she would be furious.

"At the post station, at the post station."

Kangxi dared not hide it any longer: "Jiaojiao, I didn't intend to take it in, don't worry."

I didn't know about this beforehand; if I had, I would have refused long ago.

Don't worry, don't be angry, sweetie, come down!

Harigana's arrogance subsided somewhat, and she sat on Kangxi's lap as he pulled her along.

Have you ever seen it before? Isn't it beautiful?

I've seen Russians on the steppes before, and they were indeed quite good-looking.

"Would you like to meet him? What if you fall in love at first sight?"

The anger subsided, but the fire was still burning.

Emperor Kangxi has been keeping her company alone for over a year.

Even the Russians would not have failed to gather information beforehand and understand Emperor Kangxi's preferences before sending gifts.

The way things are now is clearly a sign that they don't take her seriously.

If she didn't stir things up, she would be unworthy of the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

"Jiaojiao!"

Upon hearing the news of love at first sight, Kangxi's expression became somewhat unnatural.

Damn Tsarist Russia, instead of staying put after suffering a defeat, they're doing all this.

"What? Trying to out-shout me?"