Bright sunlight streamed in through the large window, casting golden dapples on Wan Anran. A slight smile played on her lips as she gazed intently at the book before her, occasionally jotting down a sentence or two on the rice paper. Her entire being exuded an air of contentment.
I've seen Consort Wan so focused before.
Men who are focused on their work are particularly attractive, and the same applies to men. Kangxi stopped the palace servants from paying their respects and tiptoed to Consort Wan's side, looking with great curiosity at the book she was reading.
"A record of the customs and traditions of the southwestern barbarians? Is this what Consort Wan likes? That's quite a rare sight indeed." Kangxi said with a slight surprise and a smile.
"...Your Majesty?" Wan Anran was startled.
As she paused, the wolf-hair brush in her hand trembled slightly, causing the ink on the Xuan paper to spread instantly, leaving a deep black mark.
The entire sheet of Xuan paper is ruined.
While feeling sorry for him, Wan Anran's gaze towards Kangxi also turned sour.
Kangxi, of course, felt no embarrassment whatsoever. He even raised his eyebrows and criticized Consort Wan for not concentrating enough on her writing and not studying diligently enough, saying that doing so would only have a negative impact on the future prince.
Wan Anran laughed in exasperation: "Maybe it's a little princess."
Kangxi glanced at Wan Anran, too lazy to say anything more to her. His eyes clearly read "idiot." Kangxi had already considered it carefully. If Consort Wan's child was a princess, she would stay in Xianfu Palace; if it was a prince, she would be moved to Chuxiu Palace.
Chuxiu Palace is no longer inhabited by any imperial concubines.
If Consort Wan were to be moved to Chuxiu Palace, she would certainly need to raise the prince, and a concubine rank would be indispensable. It's just that this Consort Wan doesn't understand my thoughts at all.
Perhaps this is what puts people at ease.
Emperor Kangxi glanced lazily at Consort Wan. Seeing that her lips were pouting so much they could hang an oil bottle, he didn't continue to refute her words. Instead, he went along with her and said, "If she were a princess, she wouldn't be as impetuous as you. She should act with dignity, elegance, gentleness, and chastity, and have the demeanor of royalty."
I'm so sorry for being so clumsy!
Wan Anran's face was long and drawn. If the person in front of her wasn't the emperor, she would have given him a good beating. Her face was stern, and her stubborn temper flared, so she insisted on having a serious talk with the emperor: "If you're a princess, how can you be so gentle and virtuous? If you ask me, it's better to be a little more assertive. I've read in books that all those gentle princesses from previous dynasties were bullied to death by their husbands!"
"Then why don't you mention that in the previous dynasty, there were imperial sons-in-law who were beheaded and imprisoned?" Kangxi was both amused and exasperated.
To say that Wan Guiren is stupid is to say that he is stupid.
Look! She hasn't even given birth to a boy or a girl yet, and she's already starting to argue with me. Kangxi sighed, rubbing his forehead: "Besides, how could the consort I chose be like them?"
Wan Anran: (each)
A vein throbbed on Kangxi's forehead. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot as he carefully explained to Consort Wan, "The previous dynasty had a law: the husband of a princess was not allowed to hold an official position, and his son was not allowed to hold a high-ranking post in the capital. Putting aside everything else, this alone was enough to make any ambitious and well-mannered man unwilling to marry a princess. Even if the emperor and empress bestowed the marriage, many would still harbor resentment, making it even more difficult for the couple to be of one mind. Occasionally, an outstanding man might be promoted, but he would rarely reach a high position, which is truly regrettable, such as Princess Shunde's husband, Shi Tinggui..."
Incidentally, Emperor Kangxi also cited a few examples.
For example, it is said that in the early period of the previous dynasty, it was still common to arrange marriages with the descendants of high-ranking officials, and the status of the imperial sons-in-law was relatively high. However, when the Zhu family's position in the previous dynasty was stabilized in the middle period, the status of the imperial sons-in-law plummeted. Similarly, in the later period, the court weakened so much that the imperial sons-in-law were mostly just figureheads, without the ability or status to influence the court, and their backgrounds and talents declined further and further.
Wan Anran's earlier annoyance had subsided, and she listened with great interest. The content she knew was mostly what she had heard from later generations, widely circulated stories, or broadcast on television; how could it delve into the life and past of a certain prince consort?
Isn't this exactly what onlookers love?
Seeing Consort Wan resting her chin on her hand, staring intently at him, Kangxi felt quite pleased. He changed the subject: "How could I have made such a mistake!?"
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is amazing."
"Hmm..." Kangxi nodded in satisfaction, but did not continue.
Wan Anran certainly understood the Emperor's thoughts.
She quickly picked up the teapot Hai Tao had brought with both hands and poured the Emperor a glass of juice with a beaming smile: "Your Majesty, this is my favorite citrus tea lately, would you like to try some?"
Haitao hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
She watched as the emperor picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then his face scrunched up in a grimace.
Emperor Kangxi had never tasted such sour tea.
He took a deep breath: "Bring me a cup of... normal tea."
A hint of a smile flashed in Wan Anran's eyes.
She sighed with regret, "I recommended it to Your Majesty because I thought it tasted very good."
Emperor Kangxi ignored him.
You can't trust a pregnant woman's cravings!
Emperor Kangxi had originally intended to dine with Consort Wan, but after tasting the unpleasant citrus tea, he casually recounted a few amusing anecdotes and quickly made his way off. The mere thought of dinner being another string of sour dishes made Kangxi's teeth ache.
After seeing Kangxi off, Wan Anran immediately felt that the sky had brightened, the air was fresher, and the chirping of birds was no longer annoying. He felt completely comfortable.
Haitao is numb.
What else can they do? If their master doesn't care, what can they do? It's not like palace maids can force their masters to compete for the emperor's favor. They should put their hopes on the little master in their master's belly instead of on the emperor's expectations!
When Wan Anran got tired of copying the book, Haitao brought out needle and thread at the right time: "Master, let's make some clothes for the young master."
Isn't this way too early?
Wan Anran initially wanted to resist, but then she thought about her own skills... well. If she didn't start making them so far in advance, she probably wouldn't have been able to finish even one piece by the time her child was born. With that in mind, Wan Anran picked up a piece of fabric and began to work on it.
When Emperor Kangxi returned to Kunning Palace, he couldn't help but complain. Looking at the reserved and gentle eldest princess, and then at the adorable and lively third princess born to Consort Rong, he crossed his arms and snorted coldly, "What is Consort Wan thinking about all day?"
"What's wrong with Consort Wan again?"
"I've been complaining about how careless she is with her reading and writing, and she's actually starting to doubt me. What if her child turns out to be like Consort Wan, mischievous and unruly all the time?"
"...?" The Empress looked bewildered.
"Indeed, one must be like me to become a wise, quick-witted, courageous, and composed person," Kangxi boasted.
The empress's pretty face twisted in pain.
Looking at the emperor, who was boasting to her with his hands behind his back, her eyes were filled with confusion. After finding out the whole story, Empress Niohuru sighed leisurely: "If you ask me, Consort Wan is a wise woman who appears foolish."
"Your Majesty, is that a compliment?"
"Ahem, what I mean is that Consort Wan has her own ideas, which are different from others." The Empress coughed lightly, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
"I cannot see it."
“Your Majesty, what do you think?” The Empress’s expression turned serious, and her voice became deep and solemn. Kangxi was startled by her words, and his expression also turned serious. The Empress said in a deep voice, “Your Majesty, it is highly likely that the Qing princess will go to pacify Mongolia.”
Kangxi, of course, would not deny it.
If it weren't for this idea, why would he have bothered to adopt the eldest princess into the palace? Kangxi's gaze involuntarily turned to the eldest princess.
The eldest princess's face paled.
Although she was young, she had already heard about this matter; the sound of her mother crying and wailing as she held her before entering the palace still echoed in her ears...
The Empress looked at the eldest princess.
Her eyes showed pity, but she hardened her heart and continued, "Mongol princes are mostly straightforward and rough. If a princess is introverted and gentle, and thoughtful, she may find it difficult to have common ground with them. Without the support of her husband, how can they seize power from a group of strangers in Mongolia? By themselves? But how can a princess with a gentle and dignified personality rely on herself?"
I fear that in the end, she can only barely protect herself by using the princess's residence. But wouldn't that be the same as being a widow living away from home? The Empress thought to herself, and then couldn't help but glance at the eldest princess.
The eldest princess is gentle and mild-mannered, upright in her conduct, and kind and lenient in managing her subordinates. Her progress in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting is even more remarkable than in riding, archery, and social interactions. If this continues...
The Empress understood after a moment's thought.
After marrying into Mongolia, her husband was away fighting and hunting, while the princess could only stay at home doing chores. Where could they find common ground? At best, they became just an ordinary couple.
It wouldn't matter if I married into an ordinary family.
However, the emperor's decision to marry off the princess to Mongolia was not merely for the sake of marrying off his daughter. Rather, it was to bridge the gap between the court and the Mongolian tribes. Whether the princess could participate in the affairs of the various tribes also became a crucial step.
The Empress could think of this, and of course, Emperor Kangxi could too; otherwise, he wouldn't have had the princess learn Mongolian and horsemanship from a young age. The Empress's words simply offered a deeper analysis.
Kangxi seemed to be deep in thought, and other ideas began to form in his mind. Of course, he didn't think it was Consort Wan's idea—how could that idiot come up with such a thing? Looking at the Empress, who was looking at the eldest princess with a face full of worry, and then thinking about Consort Wan, who looked resentful, Kangxi felt that all of this was just a mother's instinct.
He smiled at the Empress and said, "I understand, Your Majesty, please rest assured."
---
Days passed by one by one.
Xianfu Palace returned to its usual leisurely state, but what Wan Anran was dissatisfied with was the increasingly hot weather.
The Forbidden City may look magnificent, but it's not a pleasant place. It's bitterly cold in winter and unbearably hot in summer. Even with bowls of ice brought to her, Wan Anran was drenched in sweat and lay there, not wanting to move at all.
But she had to move.
In an era where there are no obstetrics and gynecology clinics and one has to rely on natural childbirth, Wan Anran has to find ways to keep herself healthy and successfully survive the ordeal if she wants to live peacefully to the age of one hundred.
Daily exercise is essential.
Wan Anran walked around Xianfu Palace three times, feeling as if she had been pulled out of the water.
It was Lady Nara who came up with a solution.
They arrived at Jingyang Palace in sedan chairs. Compared to the Imperial Garden and Cining Palace Garden, where the imperial concubines gathered, Jingyang Palace was as quiet as ever.
The apricot tree in the backyard of Jingyang Palace was their target.
Tie hemp ropes to thick tree branches and lay down wooden planks to make a simple swing. Wan Anran sat on the swing and swayed her body. Under the shade of the tree, she could only hear the chirping of cicadas and the chattering of birds. The restlessness and annoyance caused by the excessive heat dissipated without her realizing it.
There is one problem.
Wan Anran scratched the mosquito bites on her arm, her face scrunched up: "There are so many mosquitoes!"
People like cool places, and so do mosquitoes.
Wan Anran and Nara Guiren were bitten all over, especially Wan Anran, whose eyelids were bitten so badly that she ended up with a funny look with one eye bigger than the other.
Those pesky mosquitoes.
I will never let you get away with this!!!
The palace had insect-repelling incense made from mugwort and wormwood, as well as sachets to carry around. The next day, Wan Anran and Consort Nara went to Jingyang Palace again, and then...
They were defeated by mosquitoes again!
The mosquitoes aren't afraid of this mere insect repellent.
The eunuch Shi Shun looked embarrassed.
He patted his chest and said he would definitely ask the Imperial Household Department to place mosquito-killing tanks, mosquito-killing lamps, and even stronger incense to get rid of the mosquitoes in the backyard as soon as possible.
Wan Anran suffered a severe mosquito attack.
She felt that she couldn't place her hopes on the Imperial Household Department; instead, she should find a solution herself.
Mosquitoes, just you wait!
When I come again, it will be your death day.
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