"What's wrong?"

After settling in, Harigana gently patted Kangxi's back, as if coaxing a child.

"Jiaojiao, it's okay, just let me hug you."

I didn't want to tell Harigana about Yinreng's affairs. Although she wouldn't mind, I still didn't want to upset her.

Since Kangxi didn't want to talk about it, she didn't ask any further. She figured it must be one of his sons who had upset him and he had come to her for comfort.

Although she was the empress, she still wouldn't interfere in the affairs of those troublesome people.

I held her for a while to help her recover, then let go of her because I was worried she would feel uncomfortable if she sat for too long.

"alright?"

Harigana looked at Kangxi with concern on his face.

"Okay! Just hold Jiaojiao for a while."

I sat down next to her and held her hand, playing with it.

"Oh, right, Jiaojiao!"

Kangxi suddenly said, "Today I had the Imperial Astronomical Bureau calculate again, and they said that ten days from now is an auspicious day, just as predicted before."

The Imperial Household Department will return this afternoon to sew your court robes. You'll have to work hard for another day for the coronation ceremony in ten days.

Harigana opened his mouth, as if to ask if he could omit it, but ultimately didn't say it, afraid of being scolded.

But the thought of the heavy court robes and the phoenix crown that was so heavy she might not be able to lift her neck made her feel uncomfortable.

"Jiaojiao, I will always be with you, don't worry."

Emperor Kangxi knew what she wanted to say, and he was actually heartbroken, but the ceremony for her investiture as empress had to take place.

Even with an imperial decree and a wedding banquet, the marriage was still illegitimate without ancestral worship.

Therefore, the coronation ceremony had to be held.

"Okay! You have to stay with me, I'm really heavy!"

Harigana pouted, then took off her shoes and lay down on his lap: "No, no, I need to start conserving my energy now, so I won't complain about being tired when the day comes."

When I saw her suddenly take off her shoes, I thought something had happened. But after hearing what she said, I couldn't help but laugh.

There are still ten days left. Should she start conserving her energy now?

"Jiaojiao, are you sure you can handle being lazy for ten days straight without any exercise, and then suddenly having to wear heavy court robes?"

Harigana's face stiffened. Kangxi seemed to be right; she should exercise more.

If I lie here for ten days, won't I become useless?

"Xuan Ye, that's why I say you're the emperor!"

She sat up, put on her shoes, and said, "Come on, come with me for a walk."

He hurriedly dragged Kangxi to the Imperial Garden, but once they reached the entrance, he didn't want to continue.

It's not that I'm tired, but I feel a bit cold.

"Jiaojiao!"

Kangxi looked at her helplessly, took the cloak from Dulan's hand and tied it for her: "Why are you acting like a child, hmm?"

He pinched her cheek: "Let's go!"

Harigana blushed slightly and walked with him around the Imperial Garden.

"Xuan Ye, it's hot!"

A few beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and she wanted to take off her cloak.

"no!"

He grabbed her hand and said, "If you get hot, go back and wash it off. You're sweating right now, what if you catch a cold if you take it off?"

Do you want to drink bitter medicine?

Liu Dequan, who was following behind, could hardly bear to look.

It was fine when it was just the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort, but now that it's the Emperor and the Empress, it feels even more cloying.

Look at the tone of his voice, how is it any different from coaxing a child?

Most importantly, it seems the emperor has never coaxed a child.

Even though the deposed crown prince was raised by the emperor, he was mostly cared for by wet nurses, and they never really coaxed him with gentle words.

I glanced at it secretly, then lowered my head and muttered to myself.

She used to be a cold and aloof emperor, but now she's practically a gossipy old woman.

Unlike Li Dequan, Dulan didn't grumble. Seeing how meticulously Kangxi took care of her beautiful eldest princess, she felt that only such a man was worthy of her eldest princess.

"Oh! Shall we go back then?"

Harigana didn't want to take the medicine; she felt sticky and uncomfortable all over, and wanted to go back and take a shower.

Kangxi followed her, saying, "Let's go!"

He knelt down in front of her, intending to carry her back on his back.

If he weren't worried about the cloak letting in drafts, he would have preferred to hold it.

"good!"

She nestled against Kangxi's back, hugging his neck tightly and pressing her face against his shoulder: "Let's go!"

Li Dequan felt that the two of them were simply unbearable to look at now. Their child was already so big, yet the two of them were becoming increasingly estranged.

Since Seneja arrived, the Empress Dowager has been like someone who has opened a blind box. She leaves the palace every few days, and even takes the baby and Beibei out of the palace to play.

Sometimes, he won't come back for three days.

This made things much easier for Emperor Kangxi, as he could stay in the Qianqing Palace or return to the Qingxi Palace whenever he wanted with Harigana.

In short, she was only allowed to get a good night's sleep the day before her coronation ceremony.

The protest in Harigana was met with a very good excuse: "Exercise."

"emperor!"

As Emperor Kangxi was preparing to attend court, he had just stood up when he saw Li Dequan standing at the door with a grim expression.

"What is it?"

Li Dequan dared not delay and knelt on the ground, saying in a deep voice, "News has come from outside the palace that the Lady of the Tong family has passed away."

Kangxi was taken aback, then sighed: "Tell Tong Guowei to send another message in three days!"

After thinking for a moment, he finally said, "I will bestow upon the honors of Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia and instruct her to keep a close eye on the people in her household."

Li Dequan responded and summoned Xiao Lizi to serve Kangxi, while he himself jogged out of the palace to the Tong residence.

It was that person who wasn't in a hurry; of all times, why did he have to die today?

The Empress's coronation ceremony is coming up soon. Even if the Emperor no longer has feelings for her, it won't interfere with the Emperor's important business.

In the Tong residence, Tong Guowei sat in his study with a grim expression, while Madam Tong sat beside him, hesitant to cry out loud.

"Master, should we send a message to Longkodo?"

He spoke cautiously, explaining that the siblings had a very good relationship, and that the Emperor would likely allow him to return for such an important matter.

Moreover, if Tong Guowei could plead with the Emperor, her son wouldn't have to go to the border anymore.

Tong Guowei's face grew even uglier: "You are not allowed to make decisions on your own. Without the Emperor's order, if you dare to leak even a word of it, I will divorce you immediately."

Madam Tong covered her mouth, not daring to speak again, and sat obediently in her seat.

She didn't understand that no matter what, the dead should always be the most important thing.

I know today is that vile woman's coronation ceremony, but her daughter is the Empress Dowager's own niece.

Does the Emperor not even care about his maternal family?

Tong Guowei could tell from Madam Tong's expression that she was resentful and was afraid she would cause trouble, so he continued, "You are just an outsider. I am not dead yet, and it is not your place to make decisions about the Tong family."

If you do anything to harm the Tongjia clan, I will not only divorce you, but also withdraw all the support I have given to your maternal clan.

I'm warning you you'd better behave yourself, or don't blame me for being ruthless.

"Master, Eunuch Li has arrived."