The death of Princess Guren Shuhui greatly affected the Empress Dowager's mental state.
The Empress Dowager forced herself to stay cheerful until the eighth day of the new year, after which she issued a decree forbidding anyone from disturbing her at the Palace of Tranquil Longevity.
The noblewomen of the imperial family who entered the palace to pay their respects could only pay their respects to the Imperial Concubine and the Crown Princess; they could not see the Empress Dowager.
There are always exceptions, and Tong Wanyan is one of them.
The Empress Dowager simply disliked seeing outsiders; she did not desire a life of quiet solitude.
Shi Xiuzhu was in charge of managing affairs at Yuqing Palace, and Tong Wanyan was already bored.
The classes in the Imperial Study wouldn't start until after the Lantern Festival, so Tong Wanyan decided to bring her three little ones to add some liveliness to the Ning Shou Palace.
The Empress Dowager was in a good mood whenever she saw Tong Wanyan, and the addition of Tana made her smile from ear to ear.
Tana is eloquent and knows how to charm her parents with her colorful clothes.
When Emperor Kangxi had some free time to visit the Empress Dowager, she showed no signs of sadness.
"With Yuanbao accompanying the Empress Dowager, I am at ease. My aunt's age is a time for a happy death; Rongxian said that she passed away peacefully in her dream with a smile on her face," Kangxi comforted the Empress Dowager.
"It's not entirely because of the Princess. After all, we don't live together year-round, so why would Your Majesty worry about that? I'm just thinking that the climate in Mongolia isn't as good as in the capital, and I'm worried about what will happen to Tana in the future. As I get older, thinking too much makes me unable to sleep, and I don't want to see anyone during the day," the Empress Dowager explained.
Emperor Kangxi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. The Empress Dowager's dislike of crowds had been consistent since the time of the late Emperor.
Tana was unaware that this matter concerned her. Upon hearing the Empress Dowager speak her mind, she immediately nestled sweetly into the Empress Dowager's arms.
"It's Tana's fault for worrying you. Don't let my appearance fool you; I can actually beat up a white tiger with my bare hands and run half a mountain without breaking a sweat." Tana shook her small, white fist, speaking as if it were a joke.
Over the years, Tana has concealed her extraordinary strength well, and the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi have gradually forgotten about her, treating her only as a delicate young girl.
With such good-looking parents as Yinreng and Tong Wanyan, Tana was already showing her beauty at a young age, like a lotus emerging from the water.
"Don't you believe me? I'll show you right now!" Tana said anxiously, her brows furrowed, trying to reassure the Empress Dowager.
Her little head darted around, trying to find something in the main hall that could prove her strength.
Tong Wanyan deliberately waited until Xia Zhu was pacing anxiously before asking her to take a pebble from the daffodil pot by the window.
"Thank you, Aunt Xia Zhu." Tana smiled, her eyes sparkling, as she watched Xia Zhu approach with the pebbles.
Taking the cleaned pebbles, Tana proudly raised her chin: "Your Majesty, please see clearly. These are genuine pebbles, not the flour buns I secretly swapped."
"I see it, it is indeed a pebble," the Empress Dowager said with great interest.
Tana chuckled as a smooth, round gray pebble lay in her palm.
She gently clenched her fist, then opened it again, revealing shattered pieces of pebble lying in her palm.
"I only used seven-tenths of my strength, Your Majesty, you can rest assured now. I'm still growing, and in a few years I'll definitely be even stronger than I am now," Tana said confidently.
The Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
"I remember now. When Hongzhao and Tana celebrated their one-month birthday, I went to see them. At that time, there was a small copper basin next to them that had been smashed flat. It seems that the culprit is here," Kangxi said belatedly.
Tana shook the pebbles out of her hands, leaned against the Empress Dowager, and hugged her waist.
"It would be good if you could keep me here for a few more years, but please don't keep me for too long. Danjin is so handsome, I can't let him go to someone else." Tana was still thinking about her fiancé who had been stranded in Mongolia.
A handsome and clean-cut young man is never easy to forget.
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