Listening to Xiao Yanzi's words, Yongqi felt that the Xiao Yanzi before him was so unfamiliar. The Xiao Yanzi of the past was innocent, romantic, straightforward, open-minded, and loyal. But the Xiao Yanzi of now, Yongqi simply couldn't understand. He felt that the Xiao Yanzi of now was a completely different person from the Xiao Yanzi who had just entered the palace; he admired the Xiao Yanzi of the past.
Instead of the scheming women he encountered in the palace, whom he was all too familiar with—women who could be arbitrarily beating and scolding palace servants one moment, and then transform into gentle and serene figures the next, all for the sake of their father, the Emperor—he desired a woman whose values aligned with his own, with whom he could share a natural and harmonious relationship.
At that moment, Yongqi began to doubt whether his past insistence on sticking to the end was still correct.
Yongqi remained silent, Ziwei stood by with her head bowed, and even Xiaoyanzi, usually so talkative, fell silent in the atmosphere of their silence. And so, the three of them walked along the palace corridor in an eerie yet harmonious manner.
*
Hall of Mental Cultivation
"Alright, now that everyone's gone, tell me why you agreed to let Erkang go? Is there some kind of plan?" The Emperor smiled at his niece, who was definitely up to no good.
"Uncle, you've wronged me. An'an just spoke from the bottom of her heart, there was no plan at all!" An Ke pretended not to understand, twisting her handkerchief in her hands.
"Don't give me that. Don't I know you?" The Emperor narrowed his eyes, thinking himself incredibly wise and able to see right through An Ke. "Are you planning to teach him a lesson on the way?"
Before An Ke could say anything, the Emperor patted her on the shoulder. "If you need anyone, just tell me. If you want to do something, go ahead and do it. Do you think we, the Aisin Gioro family, would let a mere bondservant bully us? Be clean when you do it, and I'll cover for you."
Anke: Uncle, your logic is amazing! I can't help but admire you.
Although she found it slightly amusing that the Emperor hadn't guessed correctly, An Ke was still somewhat moved by his words. However, An Ke quickly came to her senses; if she weren't Princess Yong'an, then the Emperor's favoritism wouldn't be hers, but merely reserved for someone of that status.
"Yes, yes, if An'an really wants to teach him a lesson, she will definitely ask her imperial uncle for help." Since the emperor thought so, An'an went along with it.
The Emperor nodded amiably. "It's almost lunchtime, so you can go and speak with your grandmother. If the Empress Dowager agrees, then I agree as well."
"Yes, An'an understands."
"Does the Imperial Uncle intend to travel incognito and enjoy the scenery, or is he using this as a pretext to investigate the lives of the local people and assess the diligence of the officials?"
The Emperor hadn't expected that his own thoughts would be so clearly revealed by his niece. His younger brother had raised a wonderful daughter!
"Naturally, it's the latter. This time, I'm going to see if those officials are truly working for the happiness of the people, or if there are just many corrupt officials." Now that he had made it clear, the emperor directly brought his thoughts to the table.
"If there are corrupt officials, would Uncle Emperor reveal his identity?" According to her "childish" Uncle Emperor's thinking, such things were easily covered up. Thinking back to all those satirical stories she'd collected, which always mysteriously disappeared, only to be hidden on the bookshelves in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, An Ke couldn't help but laugh at her Uncle Emperor's childish behavior.
"This..." The emperor was speechless. He did want to do it, but when his niece said it, he felt something was off.
“If Uncle really intends to do this, we must be wary.” An Ke’s previously beaming face immediately changed to a serious expression. “If Uncle reveals his identity directly, it will no longer be a secret in the area. If those with ulterior motives find out that the Emperor is traveling incognito, those who are secretly plotting will probably not let such a good opportunity pass them by.”
Anke stopped short of making a direct point, believing that with the wisdom of her royal uncle, he wouldn't be so foolish as to entrust her life to someone else.
The Emperor was somewhat alarmed. Indeed, since the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, there had been many who opposed the Qing and sought to restore the Ming, and even the White Lotus Sect, lurking in the shadows, plotting their next move. If he were to reveal his identity, these treacherous individuals in the shadows would... Thinking of this, the Emperor couldn't help but take the matter seriously. At the same time, he looked at his niece with a sense of relief.
Things she hadn't even considered, things even her beloved son hadn't thought of, were pointed out by her niece at a glance. Truly, women are just as capable as men!
"I understand. I will make the necessary arrangements," the Emperor said softly.
"Uncle, you've thought it through. An'an only raised a small question. I'm sure even if An'an didn't say it, with Uncle's wisdom, you'll figure it out in no time." It's always good to flatter the Emperor, isn't it? An'an knew this all too well. She couldn't let the Emperor think he wasn't as smart as her. "Then An'an will go to Cining Palace to talk to the Empress Dowager about Qing'er."
The Emperor waved his hand benevolently, and An Ke bowed before turning to leave. After An Ke left, the Emperor's expression changed drastically, like a face-changing act in Sichuan opera, his expression immediately darkening. "Li Yu, summon Fu Heng to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see me."
Li Yu, who was about to serve tea to the Emperor at the door, hurriedly stepped forward and placed the tea beside the Emperor. "Yes, this servant will go right away." He backed away and walked directly out of the palace after reaching the door.
The Emperor picked up his teacup, gazing at the steaming tea. But in his heart, he was thinking that this time, he would wipe out all those lurking in the shadows.
*
Cining Palace
Qing'er was playing chess with the Empress Dowager, but her mind wasn't on the game, and she lost as the game progressed.
The Empress Dowager saw through her intentions but didn't expose her. She only subtly reminded Qing'er when she was distracted. "Ahem, Qing'er, you've played eight games of chess with me today, and you were distracted seven times. Are you sure you want to place this white piece here now?"
Looking at the chessboard in front of her, Qing'er finally came to her senses. If she had placed her white piece in the position she was about to place, she would have lost the entire game. "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Qing'er did lose focus a few times."
"Get up. I know you and An'an are close. I'm overjoyed, how could I blame you?" The Empress Dowager extended her hand, and Qing'er took it. The Empress Dowager stood up, ceasing her chess game. Qing'er also stood up. "I'm thinking of taking you along on this incognito trip. It will be good for you and An'an to look after each other. If anything happens that An'an can't see, write it down carefully and tell me when we return to the palace." The Empress Dowager patted Qing'er's hands.
"This..." Qing'er hesitated. If it were up to her, she definitely wanted to go, but thinking of the Empress Dowager, she was conflicted. If she and An'an both left, then the Empress Dowager would be all alone in the Cining Palace. "If Qing'er and An'an both leave, then Your Majesty..." Qing'er's eyes and tone were filled with worry.
Before Qing'er could finish speaking, the Empress Dowager knew she was hesitating and considering her. Both of her granddaughters were dutiful and good children. The Empress Dowager said with relief, "How could anything happen to me? There are so many servants in Cining Palace; surely they can serve me alone? You can come along without worry. Are you only worried about me and not about An'an?"
The Empress Dowager knew how to manipulate people's hearts, and she knew that Qing'er couldn't bear to part with herself and An'an.
"Alright, then in a little while, Qing'er will go and tell the Empress Dowager's personal maid some things." When An'an was mentioned, Qing'er was just as worried, so she made up her mind.
"Good, good." The Empress Dowager patted Qing'er happily.
"Your Majesty, lunch has been prepared. Please come in." Granny Gui came forward to inform the Empress Dowager that lunch was ready.
"Hmm, do you have the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish that An'an likes today?" the old lady asked as she walked.
"Your Majesty, yes. Not only is there the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish that Princess Yong'an likes, but also the lotus seed soup that Princess Qing likes. They are all prepared." Granny Gui respectfully followed behind the Empress Dowager and reported to her.
Qing'er was deeply moved. If it weren't for the Empress Dowager, she would just be an orphan girl from a royal family. How could she have been personally taken in and raised by the Empress Dowager? How could she have met An Ke, who was so sunny and like a little sun? The Empress Dowager even remembered her preferences. She was so moved that she almost cried. But then she remembered how much the Empress Dowager cared for her and thought about the past, so she forcibly held back her tears.
After serving the Empress Dowager to her seat, Qing'er also took her seat.
"Granny Gui, go to the palace gate and see if An'an has returned?" The Empress Dowager looked at the table full of dishes, but had no appetite to eat a bite.
"Yes, this old servant will go and see." Granny Gui had been by the Empress Dowager's side for a long time, so she could naturally understand the Empress Dowager's thoughts to some extent. It was probably because she was a little upset and couldn't eat because the Princess wasn't around.
Just as I reached the palace gate, I saw Princess Yong'an leading Xingxing back.
"This servant greets Princess Yong'an. May Princess Yong'an be blessed." Granny Gui bowed respectfully upon seeing Princess Yong'an. "The Empress Dowager is waiting for you in the dining hall."
Upon seeing Granny Gui, An Ke quickly helped her up. Regardless, Granny Gui had been implicated in what happened that day. "Has the Empress Dowager not yet started her lunch?" Thinking that her grandmother might still be waiting for her, An Ke hurried back with Xingxing.
"Yes, the Empress Dowager didn't see the Princess at the dining table, nor did she touch her chopsticks," Granny Gui replied respectfully, while also expressing concern for Princess Yong'an. "Princess, please be careful."
Knowing that the Empress Dowager was waiting for her, An Ke couldn't possibly slow down. Of course, she wouldn't blame the palace maids serving her. After all, An Ke knew her grandmother's temper perfectly well. Sometimes even she and Qing'er couldn't get her advice, let alone others.
"Grandmother, why are you waiting for An'an again?" An Ke entered the dining hall and saw the Empress Dowager sitting quietly at the head of the table. She quickly ran over. "Your health is the most important thing. You can't do this again. The imperial physician has already instructed you to eat on time and take care of your stomach. In An'an's opinion, you've completely forgotten what the imperial physician said." An Ke puffed out her cheeks angrily, looking like a round pufferfish.
"I know, I know, I know. I've heard that imperial physician's words so many times I'm sick of them." The Empress Dowager looked at her granddaughter with a smile.
"Anyway, you can't do this again next time," Anke said earnestly.
"I understand. Please sit down and have your meal." The Empress Dowager's eyes were now fixed on An Ke, and seeing the beads of sweat on An Ke's forehead, she quickly called to the maid beside her. "Didn't you see the beads of sweat on Princess Yong'an's forehead? Quickly, bring her a handkerchief."
An Ke took the handkerchief handed to her by a maid and casually wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Your Majesty, please try this shredded mutton. It's really not gamey at all. It's delicious, please try it." Before the Empress Dowager could act, An Ke took the serving chopsticks and picked up some for her.
How could the food in the palace have a muttony smell? It was just a topic Anke casually changed. This prevented the young palace maid from being harassed and also diverted the Empress Dowager's attention to lunch.
How could the Empress Dowager not understand An Ke's little scheme? She simply shook her head slightly and dismissed the little palace maid kneeling beside her.
After lunch, the Empress Dowager, Anke, and Qing'er gathered together for tea. If not now, when?
Anke sat down next to the Empress Dowager, affectionately took her arm, and said in a sweet voice, "Empress Dowager, An'an wants to make a request of you. Will you grant An'an's request?" Anke pouted coquettishly beside her.
Normally, you wouldn't see Princess Yong'an acting coquettish.
"Oh? You have something to ask of me?" The Empress Dowager looked at her with interest, at this granddaughter who had never come to her for anything before. "Tell me, if it were easy, you wouldn't have come to me for help. It must not be an easy matter."
“Grandmother, you are truly wise.” Anke tugged at the Empress Dowager’s sleeve and shook it gently. “An’an hasn’t even said anything yet, and you already know. It’s clear…”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager quickly stopped her. "Stop, don't flatter me. What is it? Just say it."
"Could Qing'er come along on this incognito trip?" An Ke sat next to the Empress Dowager, pursing her lips and feigning nervousness.
In the drama, Qing'er went along as a spy to gather information for the Empress Dowager. Now that this task has fallen to her, will Qing'er be able to go on this incognito trip as she did in the drama?
"You mean this?" The Empress Dowager said mysteriously, drawing out her words. "Well, you'll have to ask Qing'er if she'd like to go with you."
An Ke crossed her arms over her chest and said with a haughty expression, "Qing'er will definitely be happy to go with An'an. As long as you agree, Uncle Huang will agree too." After saying that, she massaged the Empress Dowager's shoulders in a flattering manner.
Qing'er then lowered her hand covering the handkerchief, almost bursting out laughing. "The Empress Dowager is just teasing you. Didn't you realize? Before you even returned, the Empress Dowager had already agreed to let me go with you."
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