Chapter 30 Offering Unsolicited Favors
"It's good that you think that way, Fanghua. I'm really sorry to have wronged you. Don't worry, if the emperor treats you badly, just tell me and I'll deal with him."
The Empress Dowager's attitude changed very quickly; now it's just like a normal conversation between grandmother and grandson.
"The Emperor is the ruler of all people and the father of the world. Besides, the Emperor treats his granddaughter-in-law very well." As she spoke, her face flushed.
The news of the Emperor's favor towards the Empress last night had already spread, and now that she's acting like this, everyone knows that the Emperor and Empress have a very good relationship.
"I knew I hadn't misjudged you; you are a good person." The Empress Dowager felt somewhat uncomfortable that she hadn't achieved the effect she wanted, but given her status, she couldn't be too blatant.
"I have just selected some candidates, you can take a look."
If she's unhappy, nobody else will be happy either.
Fanghua was fine with it, but when she saw that there were several Mongolian princesses among the candidates, she secretly chuckled to herself.
The Empress Dowager might as well have a Mongolian prince.
How is that possible?
Our ancestors had long ago said that Mongolian princesses should not hold high positions in the palace, but the Empress Dowager is unaware of this matter yet.
It was also because the late emperor had foresight that he privately instructed the current emperor on this matter.
Don't ask her how she knows, she just knows.
When their feelings were deep, the Emperor often told her about his relationship with the late Emperor.
Mother and son? They're not mother and son at all; they're political enemies.
“Grandmother, aren’t these two younger sisters a bit too young?” Fanghua couldn’t help but ask, looking at the age of the Mongolian princess.
Eleven years old, ten years old, so young, I don't know how they could bear to part with them.
The Empress Dowager was aware of this, after all, one of them came from her lineage.
The Empress Dowager glanced at him, then looked away and said, "It's nothing. You were only this age when you married the Emperor. You'll be able to serve him in bed after a few years. Right now is the day the Mongols come to pay their respects. It's good to keep them here to save them the trouble of going back and forth."
Upon hearing this, Fanghua knew that these people were definitely going to stay.
But she wouldn't care.
There was one person she noticed: Zhuzhuge. If she remembered correctly, this seemed to be a princess from the Borjigit clan, which was her mother's lineage.
According to seniority, she should call herself "cousin".
Ten years old. The Empress Dowager is truly inhuman. To leave someone so young in this cannibalistic harem, doesn't she fear for his life?
It seems she needs to talk to her mother and find out which uncle's sister it is.
Using herself as a comparison, it seems the Empress Dowager is determined to keep him. Interesting, very interesting indeed.
"Then we'll do whatever Grandmother says."
She glanced at all the names written on the paper; it was truly remarkable that the Empress Dowager had managed to gather all these people.
"Good, good, good, Grandmother knew you were a good person. Then this matter will be left to you." The Empress Dowager showed a satisfied look. "Alright, you don't need to come to pay your respects every day. Just come once on the first and fifteenth of the month. At other times, you can handle the affairs of the inner palace in your Kunning Palace."
"Yes, I will do whatever my grandmother says."
Upon returning to Kunning Palace, Fanghua immediately summoned Li Changfu and asked him to tell her mother about Zhuzhuge's situation.
It seems that this was a last-minute decision made by the Empress Dowager, otherwise her mother would have told her before.
At ten years old, it's true that you don't care about children who aren't your own.
This deep palace is not such an easy place to stay.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. May I ask what your orders are?" Since Qiaoling and the others became stronger, the Empress has used him less and less. He mostly keeps an eye on news from the inner palace.
Now that the Empress has asked him for something, he naturally wants to make a good impression. He also wants to serve the Empress like Qiaoling and the others.
"Find an opportunity to leave the palace, and then give this letter to my mother. Oh, and don't rush back. Go and buy me some things before you return to the palace."
She didn't believe the Empress Dowager was unaware of Zhuzhuge's relationship with her family. Since the Empress Dowager had given her the list, she probably wanted to use her status to keep Zhuzhuge.
Unfortunately, she didn't intend to harm her own family. If her uncle's family didn't show any interest, she would have to find a way to send Zhuzhu back safely.
He handed the letter to Li Changfu, and then recited a long list of items. "After you've bought them, go back to the manor. I think my mother will ask you to deliver a message to the palace. Remember, you must not bring anything from the manor back to the palace."
Li Changfu was puzzled. Although he didn't know what had happened, the fact that the Empress had given him such instructions meant that it must be something important. He was determined not to disappoint her.
"Yes, this servant has remembered. This servant will certainly do a good job."
After Li Changfu left, Qiaoling, who was standing nearby, said indignantly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has gone too far. Your Majesty has just finished your confinement period and she is already arranging new concubines for the Emperor."
Hearing her indignant tone, Fanghua's smile became more genuine. "The Emperor is an emperor, he can't possibly spend his whole life with your concubine, me. The Emperor is still young now, but I'm afraid there will be even more people in the future, and the three palaces and six courtyards will have to be full."
Having lived a lifetime, how could she not know how much Emperor Kangxi loved beautiful women?
There is probably no emperor in history whose offspring could rival his.
If she gets any sour or vinegary taste, she'll be stuck in a vinegar vat for the rest of her life.
Besides, haven't you heard the saying, "Being jealous of an emperor?"
The most ruthless are those in the imperial family.
Whoever falls in love will die first.
"Alright, don't say such things again. Prepare some pastries for me. I will personally go to the Qianqing Palace later."
Putting aside other matters, the decision of whether or not a Mongolian princess could enter the imperial harem was not something she could make on her own.
Don't end up pleasing neither side.
She was the Empress of the Qing Dynasty, and she needed to recognize her own identity; she was not the Empress of Mongolia.
"Yes." Although Qiaoling still harbored resentment, she obediently stopped talking and went to prepare the pastries after receiving the Empress's instructions.
The Qianqing Palace.
When Fanghua arrived, she was told that the Emperor was busy with court affairs in the Imperial Study, so she didn't linger and returned to Kunning Palace after putting down the pastries.
When Kangxi returned, he learned that the Empress had brought him pastries. After eating one, he set off for Kunning Palace.
"I heard from this servant that Fang'er is looking for me. Is there something you need?" Kangxi was unaware that the Empress Dowager was going to choose a new concubine for him, but he knew that the Empress Dowager had returned the Phoenix Seal.
He thought the Queen might have come to tell him this good news.
The spring breeze and spring air last night made him linger, so he came straight over.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. You're becoming more and more unruly, not even bothering to announce your arrival." Fanghua, as always, displayed the shyness of a young woman and her dependence on her husband.
"Fortunately, I wasn't doing anything wrong, otherwise, if His Majesty found out, it would be terrible," Fanghua said sarcastically.
Emperor Kangxi enjoyed spending time with the Empress in this way, as it made him feel that he was no longer alone in facing the storms, but at least he had someone by his side to weather the storms together.
"What bad things could Fang'er possibly do? You weren't frightened, were you?" Kangxi pulled the person to sit down on the soft couch. "It's my fault. I hadn't known that Fang'er had come to see me, so I wanted to come and see her as soon as possible."
As a young couple, if there weren't too many vested interests involved, they would actually be just an ordinary couple.
It's a pity that their identities mean they'll never experience the way ordinary couples get along.
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