The eunuch serving Hongli was quite attentive, removing all the fish bones from the jade slice before feeding it to him little by little. The little guy seemed to really enjoy the fish, his face turning rosy as he ate, and he even made some strange noises.
It's possible that Emperor Kangxi had never dined at the same table with a child like this before. Seeing that Hongli was enjoying his meal, he even instructed the eunuch to feed Hongli.
Lanqin watched as Kangxi served his grandson with great joy, and then she felt at ease and began to eat by herself.
Before long, a pile of food bones and other debris appeared next to Lanqin. She didn't care, nor did she look at Kangxi or the Fourth Prince. She just kept eating and enjoying herself!
"Look at you, Fourth Prince, your concubine really has a big appetite. Why haven't you eaten much?" Kangxi said with a smile as he watched Lanqin working hard with her head down.
"Your Majesty, I ate too much this morning, and my stomach is a little full now." The Fourth Prince had no choice but to tell a white lie; he no longer dared to look at Lanqin's eating manners. Although Lanqin had never shown such manners when he dined with her in the South Courtyard, this was in front of Emperor Kangxi.
As Lanqin ate with her head down, she felt the gaze directed at her from across the table. She knew it was the Fourth Prince's gaze, but Lanqin didn't want to pay it any mind. She'd never bothered with such formalities anyway, and Kangxi didn't seem to mind, so why be so reserved? Why should she, as her father-in-law, have to be so obsequious with the usual courtesies? What "your subject," what "your good fortune"? It all sounded like empty pleasantries; where was the affection between father and son? Kangxi had said he treated him like any other father-in-law—wasn't that just a way of saying he disapproved of their excessive formalities?
"Father, your daughter-in-law thought these imperial dishes were so delicious that she couldn't resist having some. I hope you won't blame me, Father." Lanqin picked up a handkerchief from the side, wiped her mouth, and then turned to Kangxi to say.
"Haha, I really enjoy it when you eat so freely. If you like it, come and dine here more often in the future." Kangxi was very pleased with Lanqin's frankness and ate a few more bites himself.
Lanqin smiled gently, then turned to give Fourth Master a smile before continuing to eat.
"..." Fourth Master felt a tremendous unease... This woman...
It was intentional! Lanqin just said it on purpose for the Fourth Prince to hear! So, after Kangxi said those words, Lanqin gave the Fourth Prince a smug smile!
After lunch, Lanqin and her son Hongli were both stuffed!
belch--
Hongli started hiccuping.
belch--
Lanqin also started hiccuping.
An unseemly sound suddenly rang out in Kangxi's left side room, and immediately all the eunuchs in the room silently lowered their heads to hide. They dared not utter a single fart in front of Kangxi, for fear of offending the emperor.
At this moment, Fourth Master wished he could find a hole to crawl into. This pair of lovable fools, mother and son, had completely humiliated him.
When Kangxi heard Hongli and Lanqin, one big and one small, hiccuping, he quickly said to the eunuch, "Bring them some water; water can cure hiccups."
After a flurry of activity, Hongli and Lanqin's hiccups were finally stopped.
"Thank you, Father! I used to get hiccups easily when I ate too fast. Today, Hongli also ate a little too fast, please forgive me, Father." Lanqin was genuinely embarrassed this time.
"He still knows how to be embarrassed!" Fourth Master muttered to himself.
"It's alright, it's normal to hiccup when you eat too fast. Haha. It's been a long time since my palace has been this lively!" Kangxi still had the kind demeanor of a benevolent father-in-law, and was not at all bothered by Lanqin and Hongli's hiccups.
Therefore, our Comrade Lanqin became even more relaxed, and she discovered that Kangxi quite enjoyed this situation. Indeed, it's lonely at the top; how lonely one must feel when so many people, even one's own wife and children, treat one with utmost deference!
“Father, Hongli is tired. Your daughter-in-law wants to take him back for a midday rest. Father should also take a midday rest,” Lanqin said.
"Hmm, good. I should take my afternoon nap. Liang Jiugong, send someone to escort them back," Kangxi said.
"Father, I will escort them back," the Fourth Prince said promptly.
"Oh, good. How could I have forgotten you? It's your turn to see them off. I separated you so that you would have more time and opportunities to get together," Kangxi said, as if he knew everything.
Lanqin remained noncommittal, seeing that Kangxi had already spoken, she felt it was inappropriate to refuse.
After the Fourth Prince led Lanqin and the others out of the Qianqing Palace, Lanqin said to Lanqi, "You carry the Sixth Prince and walk quickly. I think he's not feeling well and is about to fall asleep."
Lan Qi nodded and, together with another palace maid sent from Consort De's palace, carried Hongli forward.
Fourth Master and Lanqin lagged behind, and Sihua took the opportunity to follow behind Lanqi, deliberately giving the two of them some time together.
The Fourth Prince silently followed beside Lanqin, speechless for the moment, or rather, unsure of what to say. Today, he seemed to see the same lively Lanqin before Kangxi, a different Lanqin than she had been in his presence.
"Qin'er, I have something to say to you," the Fourth Prince said, mustering his courage. This feeling made him very uncomfortable; the dignified Prince Yong couldn't even muster the courage to speak to his concubine.
“Master, Lanqin is listening,” Lanqin said.
"I don't think you did that. I was a bit confused at the time." The Fourth Prince finally managed to say these words, suppressing the immense discomfort in his heart. This was the first time in his life that he had admitted his mistake in front of a woman.
Lanqin, however, was unconvinced and said calmly, "What's wrong with it?"
She wanted him to say it out loud, to admit his bias and his confusion about Uya.
The Fourth Prince's tongue seemed to have been cut off, feeling both painful and astringent. Finally, he said, "I thought you didn't like Lady Wuya, and besides, she always seemed so gentle and delicate. I misjudged her!"
Lanqin stopped in her tracks and looked at the Fourth Prince, saying, "I may not like Wuya, but does disliking someone mean I should harm her? Is that the kind of person you think I am?"
Before the Fourth Prince could speak again, Lanqin turned around and chased after Hongli, almost running.
Fourth Master stared blankly at Lanqin's retreating figure, feeling as if his heart was stuffed with cotton. He clearly had so much to say to her, but he couldn't bring himself to utter a word in front of her.
Just as Fourth Master was in a daze, a muffled clap of thunder suddenly sounded in the sky!
Thunder rumbled, signaling that rain was coming. Before Fourth Master could react, large raindrops began to fall. They say summer rain comes quickly, but this autumn rain came just as fast.
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