As Wanyi heard the sound of Kangxi's footsteps fading into the distance, she could no longer stay awake and fell asleep.
"Greetings, Eunuch Wei. May I ask what brings you here?" Xiao Dengzi had just finished putting away the osmanthus flowers when he turned around and saw the deputy chief eunuch from the Emperor's side arrive, accompanied by two other eunuchs.
“We’re here on behalf of Consort Suo Zhuolun. Are you tidying up osmanthus flowers? Why are there so many?” Wei Zhu asked, looking at the several jars of dried osmanthus flowers in front of her.
"There, our young master especially loves osmanthus cake and osmanthus tea. He's been going to the osmanthus garden to pick osmanthus flowers these past few days and even said he wanted to make osmanthus wine."
Xiao Dengzi was acting on Wanyi's orders, so it was easy for Wei Zhu to get information out of him. If Wanyi hadn't given the orders, he wouldn't have revealed a single word, even if she killed him.
"So that's how it is! Consort Suo Zhuolun has such refined tastes. His Majesty heard that Consort Suo Zhuolun's osmanthus cakes are very delicious, and sent me to ask Miss Tianxiang for some. I wonder if you could make a batch?" Wei Zhu explained the purpose of her visit.
"Oh, so that's what it is! When the young mistress went out today, she instructed Tianxiang to prepare a couple of pieces for her dinner. It was just in time, Eunuch Wei. Tianxiang had just finished making one batch. I'll take you to get it. We'll have Tianxiang make another batch for the young mistress later." After saying this, Xiao Dengzi walked inside, and Wei Zhu called for the people behind him to follow.
"That's good!" Wei Zhu was very happy to have found out the information she wanted. After all, this matter was neither too big nor too small. If it was not handled properly, she might lose her head.
"Liang Jiugong!" Kangxi passed through the dining table area and then went to the main hall. Because the main hall connected to the dining table was to the left of the Mingyaxuan bedroom, and the side room was to the right of the bedroom, Kangxi went to the wrong place. The main bed in the bedroom faced the side door, and Liang Jiugong was guarding outside. Helpless, Kangxi walked back to the outside of the screen and called out to Liang Jiugong.
"Your servant is here." Liang Jiugong hurriedly entered, his attitude extremely respectful, with a fawning smile on his face.
"Prepare a bath for me!" Kangxi complained, feeling uncomfortable and sticky all over.
“It’s all ready, in this side room.” Liang Jiugong led Kangxi to the side room.
"Tell me about what happened today!" Kangxi took off his clothes, sat in the bathtub, sighed comfortably, and then asked in a low voice about what had happened that day.
"Your Majesty, this servant has discovered that the palace maid Luan Xue, who served tea, put a love potion in your tea. It's a powerful aphrodisiac, and only the act of consummating the marriage can neutralize it." After saying this, Liang Jiugong looked up at Kangxi and found that Kangxi had his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep.
"That's it? Hmm." This steward is becoming increasingly useless, Liang Jiugong was startled and quickly said.
"According to the palace maid Luan Xue, she once went out to buy things with the purchasing eunuch with the permission of the head maid. She bought this aphrodisiac from the peddler. Because Your Majesty has favored Luan Xue once and has not shown any favor since, she used such a method."
"I have favored her? Aren't they all kept in the back hall? How come she is in front of me?" Kangxi was puzzled. The palace maids he had favored were all arranged in a pavilion next to the back hall of the Qianqing Palace, and they were not allowed to move around freely unless necessary.
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? It was after you favored her that you said you liked the tea she ordered, and then she went to serve as a tea-serving maid in front of the Emperor, receiving a first-class allowance." Liang Jiugong was on the verge of tears. It seemed His Majesty had completely forgotten about this!
"Where does that palace maid work?" Kangxi asked Wanyi, while Liang Jiugong looked completely bewildered and could only wipe the sweat from his forehead before cautiously asking.
"Which one is Your Majesty referring to?"
"The one who gave me the antidote," Kangxi said irritably.
"Your Majesty, she is Consort Wanyi of the Suozhuolun clan, residing in the East Annex of Yongshou Palace." Liang Jiugong slapped his forehead inwardly, wondering what he was thinking at a time like this.
"Yongshou Palace is far from here, how did she end up here?" And what a coincidence that she appeared here, is it really a coincidence? Or was it orchestrated by someone? At this moment, Kangxi expressed deep suspicion.
“Your Majesty, I have investigated and it is indeed a coincidence. Consort Suo Zhuolun came to the Osmanthus Garden here to pick osmanthus flowers. She has been picking for three days, and today is the fourth day. According to Hongxiu, a maidservant of Consort Suo Zhuolun, she improved the osmanthus cake, which is very delicious. She also made a lot of osmanthus tea. She said that she had picked enough for today and planned not to come again tomorrow.” Liang Jiugong reported what he had found to Kangxi.
"Is it really a coincidence?" Where do so many coincidences come from in the harem?
"Your Majesty, this servant didn't believe it at first either, but I've verified it many times and the result is still the same, so it really is a coincidence. Also, Wei Zhu went to Yongshou Palace to ask for some osmanthus cakes. Would Your Majesty like to try some?"
"Bring it in!" Liang Jiugong quickly went out and brought it in. Kangxi looked at the osmanthus cake, which was no different from ordinary osmanthus cake, but it was a bit smaller, so he could eat it in one bite.
"Your Majesty, please try it. I've already tried it, and there's no problem." They dared not let anything go wrong, or their lives would be in danger!
"Go back and accept your punishment. And don't let it happen again! Otherwise, you won't be serving me anymore."
After Kangxi finished speaking, he picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and put it in his mouth. The fragrance of osmanthus filled his mouth. It melted in his mouth, sweet and delicious, but not greasy.
"Not bad," Emperor Kangxi commented after eating it.
Liang Jiugong was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that such a small piece of osmanthus cake would receive such high praise from His Majesty. It seemed that Consort Suo Zhuolun had been favored for some time. Kangxi's "good" meant "very good."
"Your Majesty, will Consort Suo Zhuolun stay today?" Liang Jiugong asked while helping Kangxi tidy his clothes.
"Today, Lady Suozhuolun has also suffered an undeserved calamity. Let her stay! When she wakes up, find a sedan chair to send her back to Yongshou Palace. Tell the public that she saved me, and that I have granted her the privilege of being given the treatment of a Noble Lady!" Kangxi thought that he had gone too far in his treatment of Wanyi just now, so he would use this to make up for it!
"Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Lu is already waiting. Shall we summon him to examine Your Majesty's health?"
"Um."
"Your Majesty, there is nothing seriously wrong with Your Majesty's health. You are just a little weak. You will be fine after eating more nourishing food." After taking Kangxi's pulse, Physician Lu found that it was not a big problem and breathed a sigh of relief.
"I understand. What did the Empress Dowager say?"
"His Majesty is in good health and there is nothing wrong with him."
"Yes, you may step aside!"
"Your humble servant takes his leave."
"Is His Majesty going back to the Qianqing Palace?" Liang Jiugong asked after Physician Lu left.
"No, I'm going to pay my respects to my mothers." He needed to tell his mother about what had happened today; she had so many eyes and ears, what could possibly be hidden from her?
"Yes, Your Majesty! The Emperor is departing." Liang Jiugong announced loudly to the outside world, flicking his whisk.
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