"What do you mean by 'again'? Does Your Highness also think that Lanqin going out this morning is very improper?" Lanqin heard the word "again" in the Fourth Prince's words and knew that he actually agreed with Consort De in his heart, so she couldn't help but get angry.
"Alright, alright, I shouldn't have used 'again.' Where are you planning to go?" Fourth Master said patiently. In any case, he had completely lost his temper in front of this little woman.
"Father doesn't know that Hongli is ill yet. I must go and tell him so that he won't worry!" Lanqin said.
"Just send a servant to deliver the message, why do you need to go yourself?" Fourth Master said.
"I'm afraid the person who goes might not be able to explain things clearly. It would be better if I went myself," Lanqin insisted. She agreed to relay the message for Indar, but she couldn't tell the Fourth Prince about it yet, otherwise it would definitely cause him to misunderstand.
"Then will I go with you?" Fourth Master asked Lanqin suspiciously.
"No need, Your Highness. Go inside and keep Ushiha and Bechuk company. I'll be back in a little while," Lanqin said.
Fourth Master nodded and followed Lanqin.
"My lady, shall I help you across?" Si Hua said hurriedly.
"No need, I'll be right back. If you come along, it'll only slow things down." Lanqin waved her hand and hurriedly left Yonghe Palace.
Inside the Qianqing Palace.
When Lanqin entered, it was quiet inside. Upon seeing Liang Jiugong, Lanqin quickly curtsied and greeted him.
"Father-in-law, I have important business to discuss with His Majesty," Lanqin said.
"His Majesty is angry right now, Consort. Are you sure you want to go in now?" Liang Jiugong asked. Lanqin saw that Liang Jiugong had avoided her, so it seemed that Kangxi was indeed in a very bad mood.
"I'd still trouble you to go in and inform them, sir," Lanqin said, frowning. Since they had already come all this way, there was no reason for them to leave empty-handed.
Standing at the heavily guarded gates of the Qianqing Palace, Lanqin mentally organized how to convey her message to Emperor Kangxi. She had impulsively agreed to Indar's request. In truth, she wasn't very familiar with him, and it was inappropriate to speak so rashly to Kangxi. But changing her mind at the last minute wasn't Lanqin's style either.
"Consort, His Majesty requests your presence!" Liang Jiugong said, flicking his whisk as he came out.
Lanqin followed Liang Jiugong inside, where all the palace servants stood with their heads bowed and eyes downcast, like wooden stakes in the most secluded places in the room.
"Daughter-in-law greets Father Emperor!" Lanqin suddenly noticed that the man in bright yellow was sitting behind the imperial desk, his face very cold. The Fourth Prince said there was nothing to do at the morning court, so the Emperor quickly adjourned the court. But Kangxi was clearly in a bad mood at the moment, so it couldn't be the matter at the morning court that was bothering him.
"Hmm. Where is Hongli? Why isn't he here?" Kangxi was still writing something with his head down, without stopping his pen.
"Your Majesty, Hongli is feeling a bit lazy today and isn't feeling well. I came to inform you so that you won't worry," Lanqin said cautiously.
"What's wrong with you? Your servants are so unhelpful." Kangxi's tone rose slightly.
"Please don't worry, Father. Hongli is just feeling a little unwell and has already taken his medicine. Father seems to be in a bad mood. How about I tell you a joke?" Lanqin said.
"Alright." Kangxi's voice finally sounded noticeably gentler.
"During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Song Dynasty, Chancellor Feng Dao and He Ning both served in the Secretariat. One day, He Ning asked Feng Dao, 'Are your boots new? How much did they cost?' Feng Dao raised his left foot to show He Ning and said, '900.' He Ning, impatient, immediately glared at the clerk and said, 'How can my boots cost 1800?' He then scolded him for a long time. At this moment, Feng Dao calmly raised his right foot and said to He Ning, 'This one is also worth 900.' Everyone burst into laughter," Lan Qin recounted. She knew that the Fourth Prince had been troubled by the autumn imperial examinations, and that Emperor Kangxi must also be concerned about it. Lan Qin also knew that at such times, it was best not to scratch the surface, so she boldly told Emperor Kangxi a joke satirizing He Ning, who had obtained his position in the Secretariat through family donations.
After listening, Kangxi did not immediately comment, but remained silent for a while. Just when Lanqin was wondering if she had offended him, she heard Kangxi's voice coming from above her head: "You silly girl, you always tell me what's bothering me."
“Father is a wise and benevolent ruler throughout the ages. I know that Father is busy with countless affairs of state and works hard for the country every day. I cannot relieve Father’s burdens, so I can only try to make him smile with these trivial jokes,” Lanqin said.
"Come and grind the powder!" Kangxi said, glancing at Lanqin a few times.
Lanqin walked to Kangxi's side and glanced at what he was writing. Sure enough, it was about matters of the court. There were densely packed names listed on it, and Kangxi was using a vermilion brush to mark the names, many of which he had crossed out.
Lanqin was startled and quickly lowered her eyes, not daring to look any longer. Kangxi continued to circle and cross out those names.
"Girl, is there anything else?" Kangxi suddenly asked.
Lanqin was startled; she hadn't expected that Kangxi had seen through her thoughts. He was truly no ordinary person; such keen insight was beyond the reach of most.
"Father Emperor, you have such a keen eye for people. I wonder how you could tell that your daughter-in-law has something on her mind?" Lanqin said.
Kangxi smiled and said, "I knew it the moment you came in. In the past, if there was nothing wrong, your footsteps would always be chaotic when you came in, but today your footsteps were very orderly. Then you told me that Hongli was ill, but you didn't immediately say you were leaving. What else could it be but something important?"
Lanqin had to admire Kangxi's abilities; indeed, being an emperor was no ordinary thing. At the very least, he was capable of recognizing people and making sound judgments.
“Your Majesty is wise. I have indeed come here on a matter. Originally, this matter had nothing to do with me, but I felt that I should repay the kindness I had received,” Lanqin said.
"Speak," Kangxi said.
Lanqin then recounted everything that happened after she met Prince Indal, including how she met him in the Empress Dowager's palace and learned his identity. She told the whole story without any concealment. She knew that if she tried to outsmart Emperor Kangxi, she would suffer a terrible fate.
"You mean, Indal sent you to deliver a message to me, that he wants to see me?" Kangxi asked.
"Yes. Your daughter-in-law is just here to relay a message. Whether or not to see him is up to Father Emperor. But he said he has important matters to discuss with Father Emperor," Lanqin said.
Emperor Kangxi narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "He is Taihao's nephew. This time, he is representing the Tibetan Tusi to participate in the international tribute. If I were to meet with him alone, I'm afraid it would displease the Empress Dowager."
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