Kangxi responded, and seeing that Harigana's face was still pale, he ordered some bird's nest to be brought over.
Just as he finished giving the instructions, Su Mala Gu appeared at the door. Kangxi already had a guess in his mind, but he still needed to make things clear to the Empress Dowager.
Su Ma La Gu entered without looking around. After bowing, she lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty! This servant is ordered by the Empress Dowager to request your immediate presence!"
Emperor Kangxi was a shrewd man. Judging from Su Mala Gu's appearance and what Li Dequan said that morning, he knew that the Empress Dowager might have found out about Harigana's affairs.
"You go back first, I'll be there right away!"
Sumalagu glanced at the girl lying on the bed. Her face was pale, and the imperial tent was filled with a pungent smell. Thinking of the maid carrying the emperor's washbasin out just now, she was even more shocked.
[I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse!] Sumalagu sighed inwardly, thinking of Hesheli before her, and felt a little pity for Harigana.
"yes!"
After waiting for Dulan to return, Kangxi instructed Li Dequan to personally guard the place and prevent anyone from disturbing Harigana's rest before going to the Empress Dowager's tent.
Harigana is having a dream again, just like last time, all foggy and you can't see anything.
"Royal Grandmother!"
After Kangxi entered and bowed to Bumbutai, he sat down to the side, drinking tea and waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak first.
Bumbutai looked at Kangxi, expecting him to explain himself upon his arrival. But to her surprise, he simply sat there and began drinking tea.
"Xuan Ye! I've thought about it for the past two days. That Harigana isn't a noblewoman from Khorchin, so let's just leave it at that! You're an emperor; you can have any woman you want in the future!"
Seeing that Kangxi remained silent, Bumbutai had no choice but to speak first!
Kangxi remained silent, his expression unchanged, but he looked at Bumbutai with a somewhat unfamiliar gaze and said, "Yes, Grandmother, I am the Emperor. What kind of woman can't I have?"
These words were spoken without any particular tone, yet Bumbutai's expression instantly turned grim! She had raised Kangxi, and no matter how much he had changed, she still understood the meaning behind those words!
"Your Majesty! Is it absolutely necessary for you to take this with you?"
Sumalagu stood to the side, very anxious. The Empress Dowager was also quite anxious. How could such a thing be said!
"Grandmother! You must have heard that I have just brought him to the Imperial Tent. Now, not only you, but probably everyone on the entire grassland knows about this. You said you wouldn't let Harigana enter the palace, so tell me, how should Harigana conduct himself from now on?"
Bumbutai almost said that she was just a woman who had shaved her head and become a nun, but seeing Kangxi's unfamiliar expression, she didn't say the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
"Taking her away isn't impossible, but it can only be a concubine!"
Kangxi's mind grew increasingly heavy. He seemed to understand his father's feelings back then! None of the women in the palace were what they wanted. Later, when they finally found one they liked, their grandmother kept dissuading them.
"Grandmother! Harigana is also a member of a grassland tribe, and I must treat them all equally!"
"Xuan Ye!"
Bumbutai shouted!
Bumbutai never expected that Kangxi would use this matter to talk to her. What use could that Harigana be besides being good-looking?
She's already won the emperor's favor even before entering the palace. If she does enter, what chance will the other concubines have?
Emperor Kangxi did not intend to speak to the Empress Dowager in this way, but how could the rebellious Aisin Gioro Emperor be controlled by a woman!
Even if this person is his imperial grandmother, it doesn't matter! He is the emperor, and everything should be based on his wishes!
"Grandmother! Harigana is a very good person, you'll see later! She's still unconscious. If Grandmother has nothing else to say, I'll head back now!"
After Kangxi finished speaking, he put down his teacup and waited for Bumbutai to speak.
However, this was the first time the Empress Dowager had been spoken to like this by the grandson she had raised. Even though she had previously wanted him to take two more concubines from Khorchin with him, he had only sulked with a sullen face, but still complied with her wishes.
Now that she's being treated like this because of Harigana, it's no wonder she can't utter a single word!
"emperor!"
Sumalagu looked at Bumbutai, whose face was ashen, and was afraid that she would faint from anger. She wanted to say something, but Bumbutai raised her hand to stop her!
"Your Majesty! Are you determined to do things your own way?"
Emperor Kangxi neither said it was good nor bad! But this attitude was tantamount to acquiescence!
He had considered having a proper talk with the Empress Dowager on the way, but it now seemed that his grandmother had a great prejudice against Harigana!
Moreover, if the Empress Dowager knew that Harigana originally did not want to enter the palace and that it was he who insisted on it, she might have even more objections to Harigana.
But things have already come to this, so he can only try to take better care of Harigana in the future to prevent the Empress Dowager from tormenting her.
"Your Majesty, you have truly grown up!" After saying this, Bumbutai stood up and went behind the screen.
Kangxi felt a pang of pity for the Empress Dowager, who was walking with difficulty, but he also thought of how she had pressured him before because of the Khorchin incident and now wanted to control him because of the Harigana incident, so he hardened his heart.
"Sumalagu, take good care of the Empress Dowager! I'm heading back now! There are still memorials to review!"
Sumalagu bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will take good care of the Empress Dowager!"
After Kangxi left, Bumbutai said, "Sumalagu, have I lost even my only grandson?"
Sumalagu hesitated, remembering how the Empress Dowager had scolded her several times before, so she didn't say much. After all, it was a matter between the grandmother and granddaughter, and she, a mere servant, would still be scolded in the end!
"Empress Dowager, His Majesty is almost thirty years old. He must have his own considerations. You should take care of your health."
Sumalagu really didn't want to say anything, but she couldn't ignore what the Empress Dowager had said, so she could only give such an ambiguous answer.
Bumbutai didn't argue with her about it; things were already like this, so they could only take it one step at a time.
The Empress Dowager truly lived up to her reputation as a champion of palace intrigue; in just a short while, she had already devised how to deal with Harigana after arriving in the capital.
"Alright! You've learned to be perfunctory too!" The Empress Dowager finished speaking and, without waiting for Su Ma La Gu to say anything, continued, "We'll see what kind of trouble she can stir up then."
Sumalagu's heart skipped a beat. Bumbutai's meaning was too obvious; it was clear that she wanted to deal with Princess Harigana in the palace.
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