Even the longest scriptures eventually come to an end. After a long while, Kangxi pushed open the door with a sense of loss.
A screen adorned with peonies, symbolizing wealth and prosperity, stood in the middle, separating the Imperial Concubine and Emperor Kangxi.
"Is that His Majesty? Please forgive me, I am not in good health and cannot see His Majesty."
Tong Wanyan helped the Imperial Noble Consort to kneel on the bed to perform the courtesies, and then she knelt down on the ground with a thud.
Having not knelt many times before, Tong Wanyan found it difficult to control the sound of her knees hitting the ground when she knelt, which was truly due to her lack of experience.
Yinreng's heart trembled; he was certain that when Tong Wanyan returned, her knees would be covered in bruises.
He doesn't cherish his unruly child; just wait and see how he punishes her when he gets home.
Yinreng knew who was behind the screen, but Kangxi did not.
The Imperial Noble Consort looked at Tong Wanyan with a reproachful expression, knowing that the child had done something foolish again.
She had to say, "Your Majesty, Consort Tong stayed with me for a long time this morning; she's a very filial child. If you don't wake her up soon, she'll be kneeling forever."
The Imperial Noble Consort joked, which made Emperor Kangxi laugh as well.
Especially that crisp sound just now made Kangxi feel even more that Tong Wanyan was honest and not a vixen.
"What the palace lacks most are truly virtuous people. Rise, all of you," Kangxi said.
Tong Wanyan responded pitifully, stood up despite her aching knees, and obediently supported the Imperial Noble Consort without moving.
“Your Majesty, perhaps it would be better to let the Crown Prince and Consort Tong return first. My frail body is too weak to even see you. I appreciate their filial piety.”
Emperor Kangxi thought about it and agreed. With the Crown Prince present, there were some things the Imperial Noble Consort probably couldn't say.
He looked at Yinreng and said, "Your Highness, take your concubine back with you. Concubine Tongjia is very filial to the Imperial Noble Consort, which pleases me greatly. Therefore, I bestow upon you two pairs of jade ruyi and one pair of five-colored phoenix-tail vases."
Tong Wanyan followed Yinreng away like a submissive wife, and Kangxi felt inexplicably lost.
He originally thought the Imperial Noble Consort had arranged someone for him, but he never expected it would be his own son's concubine.
The Imperial Noble Consort coldly observed Kangxi's expression, inwardly mocking him.
Yinreng and Tong Wanyan returned to Yuqing Palace with serious expressions, but secretly holding hands.
The twitching on the faces of the servants in Yuqing Palace clearly indicated something was wrong.
Yinreng's eyes were sharp: "Deshun, go and find out what happened in Yuqing Palace after I and my concubine left."
De Shun, whisking his whisk, beckoned his young apprentice forward to inquire.
The young eunuch looked worried and gloomy. He was inexperienced and his legs trembled like a leaf in front of the two masters of Yuqing Palace.
"After the concubine was summoned by the Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Tang and Consort Fan went to the South Courtyard to pay their respects. Miss Chunque told the two consorts that the concubine had gone to Chengqian Palace, and Consort Tang cried and said that the concubine looked down on her and deliberately avoided her. Although Consort Fan did not express her opinion, she had the same idea as Consort Tang."
"Right now, the two princesses are kneeling in the south courtyard, saying that even if they kneel until the end of time, they will wait for the concubine to complete this ceremony."
After the young eunuch finished his report, he dared not even breathe loudly.
Tong Wanyan looked up at Yinreng with a half-smile: "Your Majesty, they're trying to trick me."
Yinreng's disgust for Tang and Fan reached its peak: "Let them continue kneeling. It won't last forever, just until nightfall. What kind of etiquette could they possibly have with the concubine? They're completely unrelated."
Tong Wanyan couldn't stop chuckling to herself; she understood what the Imperial Noble Consort had told her.
These two are truly patheticly stupid, the kind of stupid that thinks it's clever, utterly hopeless.
"They think I'm an unfavored person, and that I went to Chengqian Palace today to avoid them and give them a hard time?" Tong Wanyan asked the little eunuch.
The young eunuch replied tremblingly, "That should be true."
De Shun closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight. This stupid apprentice! How could a servant say such unsubstantiated things?
Tong Wanyan, on the contrary, found the young eunuch quite agreeable. She tugged at Yinreng's sleeve and said sweetly, "Your Highness, this servant seems quite clever. Why don't you give him to me? The South Courtyard is short of a head eunuch, so it shouldn't be a problem for him to fill the vacancy."
Yinreng put his arm around her waist and kissed her intimately without any hesitation: "I think you've taken a fancy to Deshun!"
Tong Wanyan nodded and said, "Of course, a good teacher produces good students. I don't want useless people. With Deshun keeping an eye on him, this little eunuch can't do anything wrong."
De Shun's eyes lit up; he was happy for his little apprentice.
"Su Jixiang, come over here and kowtow to the concubine. You've really hit the jackpot!" De Shun kicked the little eunuch in the buttocks with feigned disgust.
The little eunuch's silly appearance amused everyone.
Su Jixiang never expected that a pie would fall from the sky and hit him. He eagerly bowed to Tong Wanyan.
"Su Jixiang greets Consort, thank you for your high regard. This servant will definitely work hard in the future and never bring shame to you!"
"Get up, and go to the South Courtyard to find Chunque in a little while," Tong Wanyan said.
Yuqing Palace is only so big. Once the main person returned, Tang and Fan knew about it in no time.
The two men, their eyes swirling with unspoken tension, exchanged a glance and knelt in various poses.
One has an alluringly concave back, the other reveals a slender neck; they are truly vying for attention.
Not only that, their tears came easily, and their sobs were all different.
When Su Jixiang received the order and secretly ran over, he was shocked to see this scene.
Wow, you're all experts!
Tong Wanyan followed Yinreng to the study and comfortably lay down on the chaise longue. This was specially arranged for her by Yinreng.
While Tong Wanyan might not be able to provide the comforts of a beautiful woman, she could certainly enjoy the company of a beautiful companion.
Holding the bowl of crushed ice and lychees in her hands, Tong Wanyan happily devoured her treat.
Yinreng scolded her for being useless and handed her his share as well.
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