Sumalagu stood behind the Empress Dowager, her gaze calm as still water. "This servant believes that it is best to follow one's heart."
Sometimes, as a servant, no matter how good your relationship with your master is, you must always be mindful of your boundaries.
The reason why Su Ma La Gu was able to live well in the harem after the death of the Empress Dowager was because she was rational and clear-headed enough.
At this moment, Sumalagu may seem to have said something pointless, but it is exactly what the Empress Dowager wanted to hear.
Whether as Empress Dowager or Grand Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang held a high position for a long time. Her thinking was not one that allowed people to discuss things from her perspective. She was naturally inclined to make decisions for others, whether it was the late Emperor Shunzhi or the current Emperor Kangxi.
“Su Ma, sometimes I envy you. You are all alone and have no worries, unlike me, who always has to worry about so many things.”
With a wry smile, the Empress Dowager shook her head. She turned around, holding the Buddhist prayer beads she had taken off in her hand. "Find an opportunity to invite the Emperor over."
Sumalagu bowed her head and replied, "This servant understands."
...
"Is the Empress Dowager inviting me over?"
Emperor Kangxi sat in a chair, with Su Ma La Gu, who had come to invite someone, standing directly in front of him.
"It concerns the investiture ceremony during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Empress Dowager wishes to have a brief discussion with the Emperor," Su Ma La Gu said respectfully, bowing deeply.
After listening to this, Kangxi pondered for a moment and then nodded, "I understand. Please ask Aunt Su Ma to convey my message to my grandmother. I will go there as soon as I finish my current affairs."
He waved to Su Peisheng, who was waiting nearby, to see Su Mala Gu off. Kangxi stroked his chin and once again pulled out a book of imperial edicts from his side. The edicts contained a list of outrageous acts committed by some Mongol princes during the recent rebellion of the princes, including disobeying military orders, taking women with them without permission, and disturbing the people. In short, a whole bunch of things, big and small, were now being brought to his attention.
The memorial had already been processed by Kangxi, but he felt that since the Empress Dowager had come to him now, he might as well let her take a look herself.
Reaching out, Kangxi casually picked out two more memorials from the table, both criticizing the Mongols. He set them aside for later use. It wasn't that he was preparing in advance; he simply didn't know what the Empress Dowager wanted to say to him. If it was something that would put him in a difficult position, he might as well use these memorials to silence her.
Emperor Kangxi, who was well aware of the greater good, did not rush to Cining Palace with his entourage until the sun was setting.
The Empress Dowager hadn't even had dinner yet, waiting for Emperor Kangxi to arrive.
"Perfect timing, have a meal with me."
The Empress Dowager had a favor to ask of Emperor Kangxi, and given the existing bond between them, her words could greatly improve the atmosphere.
Kangxi smiled and nodded. As he sat down, he remarked that it had been a while since he had come to Cining Palace to pay his respects.
“You’re always so busy, what’s it like to keep running to Cining Palace?” the Empress Dowager said, as she handed the soup that Su Ma La Gu had prepared to Kangxi. “Try it, this is your favorite old duck soup.”
"I'm sorry to trouble my grandmother to prepare this for me," Kangxi said, picking up a spoon and scooping a spoonful into his mouth. "It still tastes the same as before. I remember when I was a child, I never liked to eat. My grandmother would always put this soup after the meal. If I wanted to drink the soup, I had to eat first."
"Yes, back then you were very picky about food. You would throw a tantrum if the taste wasn't right, but your mother couldn't bear to discipline you," the Empress Dowager said with a sigh. "Now time flies, and she has been gone for more than ten years. You have grown from a child who would throw a tantrum into a qualified emperor. It's really unexpected."
Looking back, Shunzhi ascended the throne at the age of six and Kangxi at the age of eight. Both of them were young emperors and certainly did not have the ability to control the government at the beginning. Therefore, the Empress Dowager always had a lot to worry about.
The difference between Kangxi and Shunzhi lies in Kangxi's grasp of timing and control of personal abilities. This is why Shunzhi died young while Kangxi was able to seize power at a young age.
At the dinner table, the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi talked mostly about their childhood.
In retrospect, that period was the most carefree time for Kangxi. Although his father was a scoundrel, he was still normal. His mother was alive, and he was one of the few princes in the harem, receiving love and attention from all sorts of people.
If given the chance, Kangxi would even like to go back and experience it again. His childhood was too short, and after ascending the throne, he faced a series of hardships, which made his youthful years all the more precious.
When the grandfather and grandson reminisced about the past, they talked most about the Empress Dowager.
After all, women are more emotional than men, regardless of their age.
Kangxi sat to the side listening, occasionally finishing a bowl of soup and then having the palace servants around him refill it.
The Empress Dowager sighed, "Xuan Ye, I am getting old."
Emperor Kangxi was taken aback, then put down his chopsticks and bowl. “In my heart, you are still the same Empress Dowager I remember.”
The Empress Dowager sighed upon hearing this. Back then, she was saying that she had been too autocratic and was using this opportunity to teach her a lesson.
Dinner was coming to an end, and the two had no appetite to continue eating. They got up, and Kangxi helped the Empress Dowager to her feet, and they went to the couch.
Tea and water for rinsing the mouth were already prepared in the tatami room, and desserts were also ready.
Seeing this, Kangxi felt that, unsurprisingly, the Empress Dowager was about to make a move.
"Xuan Ye, your original plan for this Mid-Autumn Festival investiture ceremony was to bestow titles upon the Seven Concubines."
"I'm not trying to stop anything. Although the seven people you've chosen each have their own merits, we can't completely ignore the situation with the Mongols."
Ultimately, the Empress Dowager still wanted to fight for Mongolia and Khorchin.
Kangxi did not answer immediately. He first swallowed the tea in his mouth, then beckoned to Liang Jiugong to bring over the memorials he had brought.
"Grandmother, these are all memorials concerning Mongolia."
Um?
The Empress Dowager calmly picked up the top book and started flipping through it. She then saw the four large characters "Disobeying Military Orders" circled in vermilion by Emperor Kangxi.
Empress Dowager: ...So disappointing!
“Grandmother, it’s not that I don’t want to take care of them, but I’ve gone too far. The borders have finally stabilized, and if they get chaotic again, it won’t be good for the Qing Dynasty.”
After finishing his speech, Kangxi continued to use the remaining memorials as examples.
It's no wonder Kangxi didn't give them face. The Mongols had too many weaknesses and weren't very smart. How could they be the same as when they first entered the pass? Instead of being discreet, they were deliberately offending both Manchu and Han officials. Even Kangxi found it unbelievable.
“Xuan Ye, Mongolia is too big. There will always be a few ignorant people who will cause trouble. You don’t need to pay attention to them.”
The Empress Dowager tried her best to find excuses to cover up her grievances, but unfortunately, her excuses were so lame that even she herself couldn't accept them.
Empress Dowager: ...This is terrible!
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