Chapter 213 Timely Rain - Jiang Nan

The following morning, the sleeping quarters of Kunning Palace were warm and inviting.

Jiang Nan leaned lazily against the soft couch, squinting as if dozing, seemingly relaxed, but her mind was as clear as a mirror.

She was waiting for Emperor Kangxi to arrive.

Ma Jia was brutally murdered last night, and the murderer is suspected to be from the Hesheli family.

This concerns the imperial heir, palace regulations, and even more so, the emperor's reputation.

Emperor Kangxi could never pretend nothing had happened; he needed an explanation.

There is also a need for a way to deal with the Hesheri family in a way that can both put pressure on them and prevent a major upheaval in the court.

Sure enough, not long after, probably shortly after the court session ended, the sound of eunuchs announcing their greetings could be heard outside the palace.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Jiang Nan didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, she just lazily adjusted her posture.

Kangxi strode in and, seeing Nannan's lazy and indifferent appearance, felt somewhat at ease.

If she were to actually call for war and bloodshed over what happened yesterday, he, the emperor, would be in for a real headache.

He plopped down on the edge of the phoenix couch, sighed, and began to speak.

"Nannan, I have something to discuss with you."

Jiang Nan slowly sat up straight, raised her hand to tidy her temples, and spoke in a calm tone.

"Your Majesty, please speak."

Kangxi looked at her, his brows slightly furrowed, revealing a genuine sense of worry and probing.

"The Hesheli family... After much deliberation, although the midwife implicated them before she died, there is no way to verify her claims, so it doesn't constitute solid evidence. If we were to launch a major attack based solely on this, I'm afraid it would be difficult to convince the public and would destabilize the court. Do you have any thoughts?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan smiled slightly and looked at Kangxi with clear eyes.

"Your Majesty already did not want to investigate this matter further last night, so why are you asking me about it now? Does Your Majesty think that I, Sister Niohuru, and Sister Tongjia are talking about you in private... that you are timid and hesitant in the face of trouble?"

She paused, then, with a hint of understanding in her voice, began to comfort Kangxi.

"Your Majesty, you are overthinking it. I understand. The Hesheli family is a powerful and influential clan with deep roots. Many ministers of the previous dynasty have close ties with them. It is normal that you have reservations and cannot punish them severely immediately. I will not look down on you because of this."

Her words, seemingly considerate, actually hit Kangxi's weak points with every single one.

Face, prestige, and image in the eyes of the empresses and concubines.

Kangxi looked somewhat embarrassed and insisted.

"Nan Nan! I am not being timid, but I need to weigh the pros and cons. You have always been quick-witted, so give me some advice on how to handle this matter in a way that can both reprimand them and prevent unrest?"

Jiang Nan felt she had teased him enough, and to be honest, watching Kangxi get embarrassed and humiliated had become a source of amusement for her daily life.

She knew when to stop, pondered for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"Since Your Majesty has asked, then I will speak frankly. I think there is a perfect representative in the palace right now to put the Hesheli family in check."

Emperor Kangxi was taken aback.

"Spokesperson?"

Jiang Nan spoke in a relaxed and calm tone.

"That concubine Hesheli in Changchun Palace. Although she is not born of the principal wife, she still bears the Hesheli surname and is currently the most prominent figure of the Hesheli family in the palace. To harm her is to harm the face of the Hesheli family."

Kangxi's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood Jiang Nan's intention.

"I understand! I can use the pretext of the murder of Lady Magiya to summon Gabula and Soetu to the palace, and in front of them, severely punish Lady Hesheli and give the Hesheli family a good lesson!"

"Your Majesty is wise."

Jiang Nan first offered a compliment, then changed the subject, her tone turning cold.

"However, I believe that merely punishing or executing an insignificant concubine will not be enough for the Hesheli family. After all, if one dies, they can find a way to send another into the palace. To truly inflict pain on them, we must strike where they care most."

Emperor Kangxi leaned forward slightly, his interest piqued.

"Oh? Nan Nan, what do you mean?"

Jiang Nan smiled slightly, her eyes revealing a clear understanding of human weaknesses.

"Your Majesty, you may tell the head of the family, Gabula, that because Hesheli of Changchun Palace was malicious and harmed the concubines, she should have been executed. However, considering the past merits of Sony of the Hesheli family, you have made an exception and granted her the privilege of never bearing any imperial offspring. Furthermore, you should clearly inform the Hesheli family that the harem no longer needs to send members of their family into the palace."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi carefully considered these words.

Cutting off Hesheli's ability to have children is tantamount to cutting off the Hesheli family's greatest hope of continuing its glory through the bloodline of the harem!

This was undoubtedly a fatal blow to a noble family that longed to be closely tied to the royal family.

It was far more heart-wrenching than killing a concubine.

This is indeed an extremely ruthless and precise method.

Seeing that Kangxi was interested, Jiang Nan continued to add slowly and deliberately.

"Of course, after the beating, remember to give them a sweet treat. Your Majesty can also warn Gabula to keep his family in check. If the Hesheli family behaves themselves and serves the court diligently in the future, perhaps... there will still be room for maneuver. Leave them with a vague hope, and they will be even more apprehensive about serving Your Majesty."

Emperor Kangxi listened to what Nan Nan said and his eyes showed appreciation.

He did not give the order immediately, but pondered for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of guidance and probing.

“Nannan, what you say makes perfect sense. The Hesheli clan of Changchun Palace is indeed the best pawn to put pressure on their family. However…”

He changed the subject slightly, revealing his difficulty.

"If I were to issue a decree directly, making a big fuss over a mere concubine and publicly expounding her crimes, it would seem like making a mountain out of a molehill. It would also easily arouse suspicion among the officials of the previous dynasty who were on good terms with the Hesheli family, and thus cause more trouble."

He observed Jiang Nan's expression and spoke slowly.

"The root of this matter lies in the power struggles within the harem. Harming concubines and imperial offspring is precisely your duty as Empress. It is perfectly justifiable and more... prudent for you to handle it. What do you think?"

Jiang Nan was quick-witted and immediately understood Kangxi's intention.

The emperor didn't want to personally step forward and play the villain.

At least they didn't want to tear apart the last shred of civil relations between the royal family and the Hesheri family through an explicit decree.

I hope she will be the one to carry out this ruthless sterilization procedure.

Kangxi, on the other hand, remained firmly behind the scenes, achieving his goals while maintaining the appearance of a benevolent emperor.

She scoffed inwardly, but on her face, she showed just the right amount of reluctance.

"Does Your Majesty want me to play the villain? Fine, since I am the Empress, I have no choice. Such a terrible thing has happened in the harem, and I am indeed at fault for my oversight. It is my duty to clean up the palace and set things right."

She slightly raised her chin, her eyes sharpening.

"Moreover, the Hesheli family has extended their reach so far that they dared to kill Lady Magia right under my nose, almost jeopardizing the Emperor's heir. This is not only a slap in the face to the Emperor, but also a trampling of my dignity as Empress. If they are not severely punished, won't everyone in the harem follow suit in the future?"

Seeing that Jiang Nan was so cooperative, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Kangxi's eyes, and his tone became more relaxed.

"It's good that Nannan understands my difficulties. I've always trusted you with your work. How can I cooperate with you?"

Jiang Nan pondered for a moment, then revealed a cold smile.

"Your Majesty only needs to summon Gabula to the palace as usual, mention that the death of Lady Magia in childbirth was actually the work of Lady Hesheli, and warn him to properly restrain his clansmen. Otherwise, if they are all such unvirtuous and incompetent women from his clan, you will not dare to have any more women in your harem in the future. You should also make it clear that the affairs of the harem have been fully entrusted to me, the Empress, and I will handle the rest myself."

Jiang Nan simply omitted the argument that would bring Kangxi a bad reputation.

She directly arranged for Hesheli to be forbidden from having any imperial offspring for the rest of her life.

Thinking of the injustice Niohuru's sister suffered yesterday when the Hesheli family threw mud at her.

Now is the perfect opportunity for her to vent her anger herself.

This timely opportunity to repay kindness will surely make Sister Niohuru even more grateful to her in the future!