Wan Anran has been acting strangely lately.
Usually, when Emperor Kangxi came to visit me, it was for three reasons: first, to eat; second, to eat; and third, to... oh, occasionally he would also come to check on Yinzhen, who would be starting school the following spring, and to see how he was progressing with his studies.
In any case, things will never be like they are now.
In a good mood, Emperor Kangxi pulled Wan Anran aside and recounted in detail the events that had occurred outside that day.
The team is currently in Jinan, Shandong.
Today, accompanied by Shandong officials, the emperor visited Baotu Spring and inscribed the words "Jituan" (meaning "turbulent rapids"). The spring is located south of Thousand Buddha Mountain and north of Daming Lake, making it an exceptionally beautiful place.
What Kangxi said filled Wan Anran with both longing and frustration. As a concubine, Wan Anran not only couldn't go, but she had also been accompanying the Empress to receive many wives and noblewomen since early this morning. She was laughing so hard that her lips twitched, and she had a headache and felt annoyed. Looking in the mirror, she felt like she was about to get another wrinkle.
Listening to Kangxi's pleasant descriptions of sightseeing, Wan Anran felt no joy whatsoever. She listened listlessly to the Emperor's ramblings, gradually hearing his resentful words: "I originally intended to ascend Mount Tai and perform the Fengshan ceremony..."
Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai?
This was arguably the ultimate dream of emperors; only those who achieved unparalleled feats could perform the Fengshan ceremony. Wan Anran truly hadn't expected that Kangxi would have such thoughts. However, considering the records of later generations, Kangxi's name was not among the six emperors who performed the Fengshan ceremony, suggesting that Kangxi ultimately did not go.
Wan Anran secretly glanced at Kangxi.
How should Wan Anran answer this question? Should she say that the Emperor is not qualified? Well, Wan Anran doesn't know anything else, but she's certain she'll fall out of favor, and besides giving birth to a baby girl, she might just disappear from the harem altogether. :)
But is it just praising the emperor?
Emperor Kangxi was not someone to be boasted about. He had clear goals, was self-disciplined and diligent, and was by no means the kind of person who would become arrogant and complacent because of others' praise.
Moreover, there was Emperor Zhenzong of Song, who was encouraged by officials to ascend Mount Tai and perform the Fengshan ceremony. He was ridiculed by scholars and literati for generations. In addition, there was the relationship between the Manchus and Han Chinese... It would be a miracle if an emperor dared to perform the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Tai and wasn't cursed to death by scholars.
It's obvious that if your boasting is untrue, you'll be in big trouble; if you boast too much, you'll also be in big trouble.
Wan Anran pondered for a moment, then replied, "The pacification of the Three Feudatories is a great achievement for the Emperor, a feat that will last for generations. However, the world is not yet at peace, and the people are not yet well-fed and clothed. Wouldn't it be too hasty to ascend Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony at this moment?"
Emperor Kangxi remained silent.
Seeing his reaction, Wan Anran calmed down. She held Kangxi's hand tightly and stared intently at the emperor's face: "Your Majesty, I believe you will surely become a ruler of a prosperous era, so that foreign countries will write words of praise about you, and the people of the world will live in peace and prosperity, and voluntarily invite you to climb Mount Tai."
Emperor Kangxi chuckled to himself.
He grasped Qi Fei's hand in return: "This is a very difficult task..."
Wan Anran smiled gently.
A huge weight lifted from her heart; she had finally gotten through this ordeal! When they went back to bed, Wan Anran was still puzzled. Why was the emperor talking about this in front of her? But the waves of sensation pulled her into a fog, her thoughts soaring into the sky, leaving her mind blank.
Nine days later, Emperor Kangxi walked more than forty miles to the top of Mount Tai to hold a sacrificial ceremony. Afterwards, the group traveled by carriage through Jiangsu. Just then, Wan Anran heard a series of wailing sounds outside the carriage. He secretly lifted the curtain and saw people kneeling along the street, holding up petitions.
His eyes were lifeless, his clothes were tattered, and he was emaciated.
These people told Wan Anran what this era truly looked like.
Wan Anran felt depressed.
The carriage continued its journey, and even in the prosperous Jiangnan region, refugees and beggars were a common sight. The journey continued intermittently until they reached Jiangning, where they finally received word from the emperor that they would be staying there for a few more days.
Wan Anran had a good night's sleep.
She slept until noon before getting up. Wan Anran stretched lazily, had her maid tie her hair into a braid, and then strolled around the courtyard in an apricot-white palace dress.
They stayed at the Cao family's villa.
At present, the Cao family has not yet reached its later peak. Although the villa is lush with flowers and trees, and the pavilions, terraces and towers are exquisitely decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, it is still far inferior to the Forbidden City or even the Western Garden, let alone comparable to the one described in Dream of the Red Chamber.
Wan Anran strolled leisurely in the garden.
The maids who saw her approaching from afar held their breath, bowed their heads and raised their hands, not daring to breathe loudly. They were even more terrified to ask her a question. This made Wan Anran secretly touch her cheek, unable to help but feel suspicious.
I am clearly such a kind person.
How come she looked like a demon in the eyes of these maids? With this thought, Wan Anran lost her interest in strolling through the garden and turned to walk towards the courtyard where the Empress was staying.
The Queen is entertaining an old lady.
The old lady's surname was Sun, and she was Kangxi's wet nurse. Any other bondservant would never have been able to become a guest of honor of the Empress. Only this old lady Sun, whom the Emperor called the elder of the family, was able to have such a status.
Grandma Sun was very cautious.
She was familiar with the late Empress, but this was her first meeting with Empress Niohuru. Unsure of her temperament, she dared not say much, much less become arrogant because of a single word from the Emperor. She spoke gently with the Empress about family matters, mostly about the interesting things that happened when raising children, and occasionally mentioned the Emperor's childhood anecdotes, thus trying to build a closer relationship with the Empress.
The Empress was happy to hear it.
As she listened, she couldn't help but think of the eldest princess and Wen Xian, who were far away in the capital, and wondered how they were doing lately.
Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation, Old Madam Sun heard a commotion outside. Then, without being announced, the door was pushed open. She looked over in surprise and saw a beautiful woman with her hair tied up in a bun and no makeup stepping into the hall.
Wan Anran was startled by Grandma Sun.
She looked embarrassed: "Her Majesty the Empress is entertaining...?"
The Empress called out to Consort Qi, who was about to leave.
She called Qi Fei over and introduced her to Old Madam Sun: "Old Madam Sun, this is Qi Fei."
Aside from the Empress, the highest-ranking person in the entourage was Consort Qi. Old Madam Sun had heard of her even though she hadn't seen her, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly curtsied and said, "This servant greets Consort Qi."
Wan Anran pulled Grandma Sun back.
She smiled and said, "You are an elder in the Emperor's family, so aren't you also an elder in our family? There's no need for such formalities among family members."
That's what she said, but if Old Madam Sun agreed, she'd be a fool. Feeling she wasn't foolish at all, she was respectful and cautious, carefully observing Qi Fei as she spoke.
This famous favored concubine... doesn't seem like a favored concubine at all.
Grandma Sun thought to herself, if she saw her elsewhere, she might think she was a simple, frugal, and dignified noblewoman, and would have no connection with the gorgeous concubine.
Grandma Sun's mind was racing.
The Empress then turned her attention to Consort Qi: "Why have you come here? Are you bored?"
Wan Anran hummed in response.
She pouted slightly: "It was indeed a bit boring, completely different from what I had imagined for the southern tour."
Wan Anran sighed.
She can't even go out, and she thought she could go out for a stroll!
How could the Empress not see through Consort Qi's little scheme?
Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she gently soothed, "How about I play mahjong with our Consort Qi?"
Grandma Sun gasped.
She stared in astonishment, glancing at Consort Qi and then at the Empress, her thoughts racing.
Wan Anran didn't notice Grandma Sun's gaze.
She nodded in a good mood, probably because she hadn't played it in a long time.
Two people are definitely not enough.
The Empress's gaze fell on Old Madam Sun. Not long after, Old Madam Sun called her daughter-in-law over, and the four of them got together for a rare game of mahjong.
They rubbed it from noon until sunset.
I must say, they pick up mahjong tiles pretty quickly. Grandma Sun and her daughter-in-law can keep up with the pace. It's just that their tendency to pass tiles to others is too obvious, which is kind of fun, but not quite fun.
After seeing off Old Madam Sun and her daughter-in-law, Wan Anran finally came to her senses. She rested her chin on her hand and grumbled, "Did I, Your Majesty, get in the way of Your Majesty's work?"
"No, he actually helped me a lot."
“…Huh?” Wan Anran looked completely bewildered.
The Empress smiled, but did not continue speaking.
This only piqued Wan Anran's curiosity further, and she clung to the Empress's arm, acting all coquettish. The Empress, who had initially been reluctant to speak, couldn't resist and replied with a smile, "What do you think Old Madam Sun came for?"
"To build rapport."
"Who was that contact for?"
This problem stumped Wan Anran.
She had no idea who Old Mrs. Sun had contacted her for. Wan Anran racked her brains, and after a long while hesitantly asked, "Old Mrs. Sun's children?"
The Empress chuckled softly: "Yes and no."
Her gaze was deep as she sighed softly, "Do you know the Imperial Guard Cao who serves the Emperor?"
"Of course I know, and isn't he Grandma Sun's child?" Wan Anran became even more puzzled.
"No, Guard Cao is Cao Xi's eldest son born out of wedlock, and his mother was a maid who accompanied the principal wife during her dowry. As for Old Madam Sun, she is the second wife, and her son is Cao Quan." The Empress explained carefully, "The daughter-in-law just now is her daughter-in-law, Cao Quan's wife. As for Cao Xi, he does have a daughter, but she is already married and is also a daughter born out of wedlock. She did not come to pay her respects this time."
The Empress was very familiar with these family relationships, and she casually pointed out the unrest in the Cao family's inner court. She picked up her teacup and took a sip: "It seems that with Guard Cao being increasingly valued, Old Madam Sun is getting a little anxious."
Wan Anran suddenly realized.
Isn't that right? She seemed to recall that after Cao Xi passed away, Guard Cao became the Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jiangning, right? As for Cao Quan, Wan Anran didn't remember such a person at all.
The Empress changed the subject: "Speaking of which, what about Yinzhen?"
Wan Anran replied, "Your Majesty, I let him go with the Cao family's children to see the pony. That child will be studying in the Imperial Study after the New Year, so he should relax a bit. What's the point of him staying cooped up in his room all day?"
After a pause, Wan Anran suddenly realized.
She winked at the Empress: "Does Your Majesty miss the Eldest Princess and Wen Xian?"
The empress's cheeks flushed slightly.
She murmured softly, "After all, Wen Xian is still young."
Wan Anran blinked: "I didn't say I couldn't think about it."
She covered her mouth and chuckled, "It's only human nature, after all!"
Your words are clearly sarcastic.
The Empress gave a light snort, but Wan Anran smiled and comforted her, "With Sister Xuan in the palace, and the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager there, Your Majesty, you can rest assured!"
The Empress sighed, "I know, but..." She couldn't help but worry about him. If she could, the Empress would rather stay in the palace to take care of Wen Xian; she would have no desire to come out with the Emperor.
However, last time she went to Mount Wutai, Consort Tong accompanied her, and last time she went to the hot spring resort, Consort Qi accompanied her. If she doesn't go this time, rumors will spread again. The Empress felt sullen when she thought of this.
Wan Anran immediately broke out in a sweat.
She quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, we can finally try some local specialties today. I've heard that salted duck is a specialty of Jiangning. I wonder if it really tastes that good?"
The later book *Jinling Suozhi* records: Freshly sold in the markets, it is called "Crystal Duck"; roasted over a fire with a fork until the skin is red but not burnt, it is called "Roasted Duck"; coated with soy sauce and boiled until the flavor is fully developed, it is called "Soy Sauce Duck"; but none of these can compare to the supreme quality of "Salted Duck," which is light yet flavorful, fatty yet not cloying; in winter, it is preserved in salt, and after a long time, it is called "Braised Duck." ①
Furthermore, Nanjing duck is renowned as the finest delicacy in the world, demonstrating the high status of salted duck in Jiangning. Wan Anran, cupping her cheeks and swallowing hard, her eyes sparkling, stirred the Empress's appetite.
However, even ordering food required waiting for the Emperor and the princes to return.
After a moment's thought, the Empress instructed Lian Nan, "Have the kitchen send over some snacks."
Turning back, she instructed Consort Qi, "Yinzhen and the others haven't returned yet, so let's wait a little longer."
In response, Wan Anran feigned concern, saying, "Look at what the Empress is saying, do you think I'm such a glutton?"
Not only did the Empress burst into laughter, but even Lian Nan, who had just reached the door, stumbled and nearly tripped over the threshold.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
