Kangxi was somewhat shocked, even pleasantly surprised. He hadn't expected Harigana to say this. Did this mean that the young girl wasn't actually indifferent to him, but had simply backed away because of her status and his harem?
"Jiaojiao!"
Kangxi's voice trembled slightly; he was overjoyed that Harigana had given him such a response. He had originally intended to roll over and pin her beneath him, but thinking of her wounds, he ended up having Harigana lie on top of him instead.
"Xuan Ye!"
Harigana never expected Kangxi to do something like this, so the only thing he had on him was a bellyband, which had now flown away to who knows where!
Emperor Kangxi had not expected that the thing would be so flimsy. Looking at the jade rabbit in front of him, his rationality almost collapsed.
However, Harigana is content with what he has said; he won't actually do anything.
Firstly, it's early morning, and they'll continue their journey after breakfast. Secondly, Harigana is a patient, and if they did *that* kind of thing, he'd definitely cry, which would damage Harigana's reputation.
Most importantly, he was afraid that he might get carried away and hurt Harigana. His arm had already cracked a little last night, and he needed to take good care of it for the next few days, making sure it didn't bleed again.
"Don't move, Jiaojiao! I won't do anything, just let me hold you for a while!"
Harigana said no more and obediently lay on Kangxi's chest.
By the time the two of them finished preparing their meal, half an hour had passed.
"Princess, are you alright?"
While Kangxi was away, Dulan quietly approached Harigana. If the occasion had allowed, she might have even touched Harigana to check for any scars.
"Don't worry, it's alright!"
Harigana knew that the little girl must have been frightened by what happened yesterday, so he gently tapped her forehead.
Kangxi returned quickly, and he didn't expect that Harigana's maid would get so close in such a short time.
Seeing Harigana poking Dulan with his hand, Kangxi's face darkened, and he went up and pulled the person into his arms.
"Xuan Ye!"
Harigana was startled, but after realizing it was Kangxi, he secretly pinched his arm to express his displeasure.
Although Emperor Kangxi was pleased by Harigana's little gesture, he still looked at Dulan kneeling to one side and said, "Go down! Don't disturb Consort Chen's rest unless necessary!"
It wasn't that Kangxi looked down on Dulan, but rather that the scene of Harigana kissing Dulan when they first met was unforgettable. Moreover, this maid was incredibly cunning; she might take advantage of his beloved at any moment.
If he weren't afraid of angering Harigana, he would have definitely gotten rid of Dulan. That way, he wouldn't have to constantly think about how to guard against her and keep her away.
Dulan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, lowered her head, and retreated. She knew her princess was sweet and gentle, but this was just too stingy!
"Yes! This servant obeys!"
After Dulan left, Kangxi felt much better. His grip on Harigana wasn't as tight as before, and his complexion improved considerably.
"Xuan Ye! She is my personal maid, why do I feel that you are so hostile towards her?"
Kangxi tightened his grip on Harigana's hand. Although jealousy was unusual for an emperor, he simply liked her and there was no point in hiding it!
Although Harigana did not spend a very long time with Emperor Kangxi, he was quite familiar with the man's micro-expressions.
Moreover, his stiffness was so obvious that it was hard for her to ignore it.
In reality, Kangxi only relaxed like this in front of Harigana. In front of outsiders, he was still the same emperor who was vindictive, petty, and power-hungry.
"Jiaojiao! Do you know where I first met you?"
Kangxi did not answer Harigana's question, but instead talked about the scene when they first met.
After a long while, Harigana regretted not staying obediently in the carriage, which would have prevented him from encountering Kangxi. However, thinking about such things now was too sentimental; he should think about the future.
"You were just lusting after her!"
Harigana muttered something under his breath, which Kangxi naturally heard, but he wasn't angry at the remark. After all, he had indeed been attracted to Harigana's appearance. He didn't deny that he was lustful at first sight.
After talking for a while, the heat in Kangxi's body had mostly dissipated. He got up, washed, ate, and then continued south.
Because of what happened last night, the atmosphere between Harigana and Kangxi seems to have changed somewhat. Although they are not exactly close and confiding in each other, it is at least much better than a few days ago.
Of course, this was just Kangxi's opinion. In Harigana's mind, he would never fully trust anything that hadn't reached its final conclusion.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had apparently discussed something with Emperor Kangxi, and although Harigana was somewhat puzzled, she didn't inquire about it. It was none of her business anyway; she knew little and didn't concern herself with it.
Kangxi wanted to talk to Harigana, but the Imperial Astronomical Bureau told him to maintain the status quo and not to cause any trouble, so he didn't say much to her.
After a long and winding journey, the Qing army finally reached the territory of Khorchin. However, it would still take them more than ten days to reach Bumbutai's hometown.
During this period, Harigana suffered many injuries on his back, and the scabs in some places have begun to fall off.
"Jiaojiao, what would you like for lunch?"
Harigana has stopped taking medication in the past few days, and the scars on her back have healed a lot, so she is not as careful about what she eats as before.
The happiest person among them was Doctor Zhao. Heaven knows how hard he had to rack his brains every day to come up with ingredients for Harigana, and he couldn't repeat the same ingredients every day.
It wasn't that he lacked knowledge or skills, but rather that there were simply too few things available on this vast grassland, and he truly had the will but not the ability!
"Can I eat anything?"
Harigana's eyes were bright, and the way he unconsciously swallowed made Kangxi's heart soften a little.
How could he not know what Harigana wanted to eat? So, although he really wanted to agree to her request, he thought of her body and the scars on her back, and said, "Anything but spicy food is fine!"
Harigana was immediately deflated. She just wanted to eat something spicy, but little did she know that Kangxi had predicted her prediction.
"Oh! Whatever you like!"
Looking at the little girl with her head down, pouting, and her face clearly showing her unhappiness, Kangxi ultimately couldn't bear to disappoint her.
"Jiaojiao! I'll have Li Dequan ask around. If the imperial physician says it's okay to eat, I'll have someone prepare a spicy dish for you, okay?"
Harigana turned around in surprise and nodded repeatedly to Kangxi. She had originally wanted to eat spicy hot pot, but judging from Kangxi's expression, she was probably not going to get her wish.
But toads are meat too, so being able to eat something spicy is enough to satisfy his craving.
"Okay! Go quickly!"
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