Kangxi absolutely cannot admit defeat here.

He secretly switched to using rice dumplings to fish, a little trick that was noticed by young Wen Xian. Wen Xian stared at Kangxi's every move, then turned and ran to Wan Anran's side: "Mother Consort Qi."

"What's wrong, Wen Xian?"

"Father, you're cheating!" Wen Xian said sternly, pointing at Emperor Kangxi. "Your subject saw that Father also used rice dumplings."

Emperor Kangxi coughed violently.

Amidst the disdainful looks of the crowd, he shamelessly replied, "It's not like I can't use a different bait, besides—"

Kangxi looked at the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager beside him: "Grandma Empress and Mother Empress, they were just changed!"

The two also managed to catch several fish.

A moment of silence fell over everyone. No one knew who spoke first, but soon the bait was all replaced with rice balls.

But then Wan Anran suddenly stopped moving.

She stared intently at the three buckets full of crucian carp, lost in thought: "Actually, I've already won this competition, haven't I?"

Kangxi stubbornly insisted, "This is just the beginning."

Wan Anran glanced at the darkening sky and rubbed her rumbling stomach: "The problem is... I'm hungry."

Just as Kangxi was about to retort, his stomach growled with hunger.

Wan Anran heard it too, her eyes sparkling: "Your Majesty?"

Kangxi: …………

The Empress Dowager shook her head helplessly and sat up. "Speaking of which, I'm also a little hungry."

It was like handing the emperor a ladder.

Wan Anran smiled, then turned and walked to the side, instructing everyone to prepare grilled fish.

Get the charcoal grill ready.

The eunuch quickly removed the fish scales and gutted it, then skewered the fish with long bamboo sticks and placed it on the grill.

It's a little different from the grilled fish that Wan Anran is preparing.

Wan Anran had someone bring over the lid of the roasting pot. After brushing it with oil and heating it up, he placed the fresh fish, which had been marinated for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, on it.

With a sizzling sound, the fish skin is roasted to a crisp on the iron plate, filling the air with aroma. On the other side, a deeper iron plate, similar to the one used for roasting lamb chops at noon, is brought out. The side dishes and sauces are stewed in the plate to infuse them with flavor, and finally, the fresh fish roasted to the crisp is placed on top.

This is a completely different aroma from ordinary grilled fish.

The rich aroma danced on everyone's tongues, making their mouths water and their appetites surge.

The grilled fish in my hand suddenly didn't taste so good anymore :)

The palace maid Ding Lan took out long chopsticks and poked at the crispy fish meat a couple of times, revealing the snow-white fish meat inside. Ding Lan took a small piece of fish meat, placed it on a plate, and presented it to Consort Qi with both hands.

Wan Anran took a taste.

The fish skin was crispy, and the fish meat was tender and flavorful, melting in her mouth. She squinted her eyes and exclaimed, "Delicious!"

A commotion arose among the crowd.

Wan Anran also presented it with a smile, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager were the first to take a bite.

The concubines looked on with curiosity.

Then, seeing the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager take a second bite, a third bite... everyone knew without guessing that it must taste delicious.

This method of grilling fish doesn't seem too troublesome?

In no time, the concubines made their petitions, and the palace servants came and went in a hurry. After a while, small iron plates were placed on the charcoal stove. If there were no iron plates, iron pots or hot pot stoves were used instead. In short, all sorts of things were used.

The grilled fish that was skewered earlier wasn't wasted.

Cut it in half with a large knife, roast it for a while, and then pour on the prepared side dishes and sauce for a different taste.

Different sauces also have different flavors.

The concubines had all sorts of ideas, sometimes creating brand-new flavors that were eye-catching, and sometimes creating bizarre dishes that made people want to run away, which always brought a lot of laughter.

Of course, the skateboard was also returned the next day.

The skateboard that the emperor confiscated last time was just a piece of raw wood with only a few minor polishing touches, but the skateboard in front of me is like a work of art. The yellow and red paint is solemn and grand, and the dragon pattern is beautiful and stunning... Looking at it from left to right, this is clearly not the one I started with.

really……

Wan Anran became increasingly certain that the Emperor must have secretly done it behind her back.

Fortunately, Changchun Garden had ample space, so Wan Anran found a flat spot and began practicing again. Last time, she had only tried it roughly, going back and forth in Chuxiu Palace; this time, Wan Anran planned to try a few more tricks.

She smiled at Yin Tao: "Wanzi, watch carefully."

Yin Tao clapped his chubby hands and grinned foolishly.

Wan Anran, full of confidence, stepped onto the board again.

Forget about doing any fancy tricks, when she stepped onto the board to make a smooth turn, Wan Anran lost her balance and fell straight out.

The palace women around her turned pale.

They rushed forward, supporting Consort Qi in alarm: "My lady! My lady! Are you alright?"

Or they might call for the imperial physician.

Only Yin Tao was unaware of what had happened, puffing out his cheeks and giggling.

Wan Anran waved her hand.

With a serious expression, she picked up the skateboard and pondered the problem. After just one glance, she immediately discovered the issue: the skateboard wheels were mounted on the bottom of the board, meaning the entire skateboard could only go straight and couldn't turn, lacking any agile movement.

Wan Anran: …………

She finally understood why the emperor had fallen.

How could it not fall?

Wan Anran patted her knees and got up from the ground. She led her son's walker back to the courtyard and drew up a new design for the Imperial Household Department to review and revise.

Wan Anran was unaware that this design would cause quite a stir. What was originally just a small toy, after being made by the craftsman, was inspired and sent to Wan Liuha Tuoerbi through various channels.

Finally, it was sent to Emperor Kangxi.

Emperor Kangxi asked incredulously, "This is a design drawing made by Consort Qi...?"

Törby replied with a serious expression.

Not to mention the Emperor's shock, he was also stunned. Tuoerbi smiled helplessly: "After receiving the news, this servant inquired repeatedly, and the craftsmen below said that Consort Qi provided this drawing for the purpose of making toys..."

It's just for fun...

Turbi's deeply lined face was scrunched up, making him look even more miserable.

Emperor Kangxi's lips twitched.

He examined the blueprints carefully and then came to his senses. Emperor Kangxi had also tried the skateboard, but after a few tries, he found it uninteresting and abandoned it. When Consort Qi wanted it, he gave it to her.

But what if we follow Qi Fei's suggestion for this improvement?

Emperor Kangxi frowned and ordered someone to bring out the newly made skateboard for him to try out.

The feeling of stepping on it is completely different.

This skateboard lacked the original stability but increased flexibility. Even though Kangxi had good balance, it took him a while to steady himself, and he even managed to turn a corner on it.

Emperor Kangxi stood on the ground, picked up his skateboard, and pondered deeply.

After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief and instructed Torbi: "Do it the way the craftsmen want! If successful, it will be of great use in transporting heavy artillery and provisions."

Tuo Erbi responded respectfully.

He hurriedly withdrew, leaving Kangxi alone to stroke the newly made skateboard, chuckling to himself: "Consort Qi, oh Consort Qi, what exactly is stored in her little brain?"

Just then, someone came from outside to report that the Crown Prince had arrived.

Kangxi smiled and let him in, proudly showing the newly made skateboard to the Crown Prince.

Moving forward on a skateboard? Spinning?

The Crown Prince thought using this item was a bit too dignified, perhaps even detrimental to royal dignity…? He showed little interest, and seeing his father's obvious delight in it, his doubts deepened: "It's just a toy, isn't it? Even if it could be converted into a four-wheeled carriage, so what? We have those now…"

Kangxi's voice abruptly stopped.

He then glanced helplessly at the Crown Prince and patiently explained, "Why do you think we use two-wheeled carriages instead of four-wheeled ones? Modern four-wheeled carriages can't turn; they can only go straight. Even though they have a strong load-bearing capacity and high stability, they're not as convenient as two-wheeled carriages. If four-wheeled carriages could change this, not only would the speed of transporting provisions increase, but it would also be able to transport soldiers and heavier turrets more quickly, making them invaluable in military matters, not to mention in civilian life."

The prince suddenly realized.

His cheeks flushed slightly, and he lowered his head, saying, "Your subject's thinking was inappropriate."

Emperor Kangxi instructed: "You should listen more, think more, and ponder more."

He not only recited it, but also demonstrated it in front of the Crown Prince. Only at the end, after being reminded by Liang Jiugong, did he stop with lingering enthusiasm and call the Crown Prince to come inside and review the memorials.

The crown prince suppressed his displeasure.

He listened to his father's earnest teachings, his eyes cold and impatient as he looked at the memorials. Most of the memorials handed to him for review were greetings, and aside from some nonsense, they were still nonsense. The Crown Prince read them quickly, skimming through them.

That sounds so nice...

If you really want to cultivate me, why not give me some other memorials? The Crown Prince raised his head slightly and glanced longingly at the memorials on the table. His movements were so subtle that they went unnoticed by Kangxi.

I reviewed them from dawn till sunset.

After reviewing most of the important memorials, Kangxi finally stopped what he was doing and instructed the Crown Prince to stay for a meal, so that he could take the opportunity to test him a little more.

The new skateboard was delivered to Wan Anran the next day.

She tried it out outside and immediately felt the difference. At first, the feel under her feet was a little unfamiliar, but as Wan Anran practiced and relaxed her body, the skateboard quickly became like her hands and feet, allowing her to control it at will.

It can even jump up and spin the board.

The thrilling stunts not only made the palace servants gasp, but also drew the attention of the princesses who had heard the commotion. Seeing Consort Qi's agile movements, they couldn't help but applaud, praising her in unison, "Consort Qi, you're amazing!"

Wan Anran stopped with a smile.

Her bright eyes and brows, with a bead of sweat on her forehead, made her look exceptionally radiant. Her heroic and spirited demeanor was completely different from the other concubines, leaving the princesses in awe.

The princesses' eyes lit up.

The eldest princess couldn't find the right words to describe it, but in the future she would definitely say that Consort Qi was simply too handsome!

Wan Anran stepped onto the skateboard.

She tossed her long hair and asked the princesses with a smile, "Would you like to try it too?"

The princesses' faces were filled with excitement.

They nodded simultaneously and answered in unison, "We want to give it a try!"

The palace servants were startled.

They wanted to step forward to dissuade them, but Qi Fei beat them to it before they could speak. Wan Anran smiled and waved her hand: "Then let's give it a try~ But we'll need to put on some more makeup first."

First, change into flat cloth shoes, then remove the beaded hairpins from your head, and finally put on protective gear.

Safety first, avoid injury.

In this era, appearance is still highly valued, and Wan Anran didn't want to cause any accidents that would harm others or herself.

The princesses weren't afraid at all.

It's like riding a horse; everyone has to try it out little by little. Even the eldest princess fell off her horse once.

The eldest princess led the way.

She held her breath and stepped onto the skateboard, only to find that although it looked simple and ordinary, it was not as easy to control as she had thought.

It's common to slip and fall on your butt.

At the same time, Wan Anran had to admit that for the princesses in the palace who were skilled in riding and archery and were by no means weak, riding a skateboard was a very simple matter. They could basically do the actions of getting on and off the board perfectly in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. The fastest among them was the Fourth Princess.

She could even slide back and forth on the sled.

Wen Xian clapped his hands until they were almost red, and Yin Tao, watching with envy, hurriedly shouted from the side, "Try it, try it!"

My one-and-a-half-year-old daughter wants to try this?

Wan Anran pushed away his walker and cruelly mocked, "Wait until you can walk steadily on your own before we talk about it."

Yin Tang and Yin E nodded simultaneously: "That's right!"

The two young princes were at that age where everyone disliked them, and they were always present at any lively place.

For example, right now.

The two little ones threw a tantrum, insisting on trying out the skateboard too.