Emperor Kangxi rarely ate so heartily; he was even a little full.
Especially the last piece of mutton—Kangxi swiftly snatched it from Wan Changzai's drooling mouth and put it in his mouth, the deliciousness of which lingered in his memory. He smiled smugly at Wan Changzai: "Trying to outrun me?"
Wan Anran: ...Pah!
With a perfectly measured smile on her face, she exaggeratedly clasped her hands together and exclaimed, "Your Majesty, your speed is too fast; I am ashamed of my own in comparison."
It was clearly a compliment.
Why did Wan Changzai always have such a sarcastic tone in her words? Kangxi wondered, but he was enjoying his meal and didn't bother to argue with Wan Anran. He comfortably leaned back on the soft couch.
Wan Anran: …………
Is Grandpa Kang not planning to leave yet? She looked a little confused. But Kangxi was the emperor. Not to mention her small east wing, the entire Forbidden City belonged to Kangxi. He could rest wherever he wanted, and he really didn't need her permission.
Feeling frustrated, Wan Anran stared blankly outside.
The emperor wasn't worried, but the eunuchs were; the concubines weren't worried, but the palace maids were. Liang Jiugong secretly shook his head, looking at the hopeless case—Wan Changzai was speechless. As for Haitao, Zisu, and Jubai, they were all itching with anxiety, wishing they could step forward and give their mistress a push.
At least I could talk to the Emperor a few more times!
Kangxi had no intention of leaving. He hadn't been able to control himself and had eaten quite a bit. Besides, it would be disrespectful to leave immediately after eating a meal with Consort Wan. Kangxi leaned lazily against the soft couch, leisurely surveying the entire east wing.
The furnishings in the east wing are simple yet elegant.
No! It can't be called elegant; it's more like spacious. Because there are so few decorations, the entire east wing looks simple and straightforward, and naturally, it doesn't have any luxurious or magnificent appearance... Wait a minute?
Emperor Kangxi raised an eyebrow as he looked at the items on the shelf.
His curiosity was piqued, so he stood up and strolled over, staring at the items on the shelf.
Liang Jiugong, who was filled with doubt, also craned his neck to look.
When the items on the shelf came into view, his eyes widened and he froze on the spot.
Kangxi: "Wan Changzai, what is this?"
Wan Anran glanced at it and said, "Your Majesty, this is jewelry." The Emperor is so dense he doesn't even recognize jewelry.
Don't think I didn't see through your eyes.
Kangxi glared at her with a dark face, especially at her casually tied braided hair. He had noticed Wan Changzai's casual attire when he entered, but since he had come on a whim, he turned a blind eye.
Now, he was so angry that he laughed instead.
This was the first time Kangxi had ever seen a palace concubine like Wan Changzai. Not only was she wearing a braided pigtail without a single hairpin, but she also had no makeup on her face.
Most importantly, she actually displayed the jewelry on the shelf as decoration! Kangxi's lips twitched twice, but in the end he couldn't help but say, "Of course I know these are jewelry, but why are you putting them on the display shelf instead of keeping them in your dressing case?"
Wan Anran: "These pieces of jewelry are beautiful."
She excitedly pointed to the jewelry in front of her: "Both of these sets of jewelry were bestowed upon me by Her Majesty the Empress. Look at this set, it's gilded and inlaid with kingfisher feathers, featuring a floral and butterfly design. Especially this butterfly hairpin, the head is inlaid with a ruby, and the butterfly's wings are made of gold and kingfisher feathers, further inlaid with rubies and pink tourmalines. The design is vivid and beautiful, just like a colorful butterfly fluttering in the air..."
Wan Anran spoke with great enthusiasm.
Empress Niohuru had impeccable taste, and besides, Wan Anran wouldn't normally use jewelry that would be displayed in a museum in later generations. Since the display shelf happened to be empty, she placed the jewelry on it as decoration. At the end, Wan Anran even said with a hint of pride, "Doesn't it look beautiful like this?"
She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't beautiful either.
Kangxi sighed and rubbed his forehead, secretly cursing Wan Changzai as a blockhead! No, no, no? Perhaps she just lacks knowledge? He thought for a moment and his eyes showed pity. He decided to find some more ornaments and jewelry for Wan Anran later, so that she wouldn't look so stingy.
Wan Anran looked puzzled.
Kangxi changed the subject: "Speaking of which, how is your calligraphy, which I ordered you to write?"
Wan Anran was startled.
She quickly came to her senses and instructed Haitao to fetch it: "I have been practicing diligently and have not slacked off these past two days."
Kangxi raised his eyebrows.
He didn't answer, standing there flipping through Wan Changzai's practice books. After only a couple of glances, a hint of disdain appeared in Kangxi's eyes: "This handwriting is far inferior to the Crown Prince's!"
"Wouldn't it be a real problem if the Crown Prince's handwriting were as ugly as mine?" Wan Anran thought to herself. Of course, on the surface, she remained obedient and receptive to the lesson, replying docilely and honestly, "This concubine is naturally no match for the Crown Prince."
Then the conversation shifted.
Wan Anran said with a hint of pride, "But I think I can be compared with the Ninth Prince."
Emperor Kangxi seemed to want to speak but hesitated, and hesitated but still wanted to speak.
After a long pause, he couldn't help but ask, "How dare you compare yourself to a three-year-old?"
Wan Anran argued confidently: "I am a beginner, and so is the Ninth Prince. Beginners should be compared to each other. If I were to compare myself to Sister Nara, Consort Xuan, Consort Tong, or Her Majesty the Empress, then I would be being unrealistic!"
There seems to be some truth to that?
"Makes sense my foot!" Kangxi said, his face darkening and his eyes wide with anger. "How can you be so spineless? If you ask me..."
Once Kangxi started talking, he went on and on, showing no intention of stopping. He went on and on, blaming Wan Anran for everything from head to toe, including gluttony, laziness, and lack of ambition.
Wan Anran: …………
The point is that even though he disliked it so much, it didn't stop Kangxi from choosing to stay overnight at Wan Anran's place tonight.
Wan Anran had known this day would come, so she didn't resist. After half-heartedly agreeing, she thought that Kangxi was in good shape, with big pectoral muscles and eight-pack abs, and he was also very skilled. He truly deserved to be the number one male concubine in the harem.
As for the rest... she couldn't remember.
Anyway, when Wan Anran woke up, Kangxi, who had already gotten up, was changing and washing up surrounded by several eunuchs. Looking at Wan Anran, who was tired and yawning, he chuckled and said, "I told you you were too lazy."
The other concubines rose to attend to me at the slightest sound, afraid of missing a single step. But Consort Wan, sleeping like a log, was a different story. If her maid hadn't secretly nudged her a few times, she probably wouldn't have woken up even after I left!
Looking back, this is also my own skill.
A slight smile curved Kangxi's lips as he opened his arms to Wan Anran, who was still in a daze: "Aren't you going to come and serve me?"
Offering the belt with both hands is considered serving the emperor while he changes his clothes.
Kangxi shook his head at Wan Anran's clumsy manner. Before leaving, he glanced at her and said, "If you want to send it to me, just send it over. There's no need to hide it."
Wan Anran was puzzled for a moment.
What did that mean? She mumbled an answer, and after watching Kangxi leave, Wan Anran quickly returned to bed, pulling the blanket over her head: "I'll sleep a little longer... phew..."
When I woke up again, it was already my usual time to get up.
With beaming smiles, Haitao and Zisu helped Wan Anran wash up and change, while Wan Anran sighed inwardly—being the emperor must be a difficult job.
It's supposed to be the New Year holiday, but we still have to get up before dawn, as usual? She clicked her tongue and turned away from Kangxi: "Haitao, what's for breakfast today?"
Haitao placed the food box on the table.
Unable to hide her smile, she happily replied, "My lady, breakfast consists of red date and black rice porridge, bamboo shoot and pork shumai, shrimp and egg stew, and a six-colored dessert box."
Aside from the first time Consort Xuan bestowed a gift upon her, this was the most grand of all. No wonder Hai Tao was beaming with joy; in the palace, favor is paramount, and the favor bestowed upon Xianfu Palace was already scarce. This move by Consort Wan had stirred the hearts of many palace servants.
Wan Anran remained calm.
Hai Tao, seeing her calm demeanor, was puzzled: "Your Highness? Why are you unhappy? If things continue as they are, Your Highness will surely gain the Emperor's favor!"
Wan Anran waved her hand: "I think the Emperor might just be passing by. Who knows when he'll come again? Let's just do things the way we always have!"
Hai Tao muttered, "Your Highness should have some confidence too."
Zisu stood on Wan Changzai's side: "Your Highness is right, we should keep a low profile."
Wan Anran nodded.
Her gaze shifted to breakfast: the red date and black rice porridge was sweet and delicious, the bamboo shoot and pork shumai was juicy and chewy, the shrimp and egg stew was fresh and tender, and there were six kinds of desserts with various flavors. If you asked Wan Anran to give it a score, she would definitely give it a perfect score!
While Wan Anran was still enjoying her meal, the Emperor's reward arrived.
Consort Xuan looked quite surprised.
The rewards were much more than those given to Consort Nara in previous instances. What was even stranger was the content of the rewards: usually, the rewards given to concubines after serving the emperor were materials and jewels, but this time they were completely different. For example, there were many decorative items such as a jade double-hole bottle, a green jade painting of Wansong Mountain House, a cloisonné enamel rectangular basin with pomegranate bonsai, or the Four Treasures of the Study such as a Duan stone cat and butterfly inkstone.
Consort Xuan marveled.
Fortunately, they also gave her three sets of jewelry at the end, otherwise she would have thought that the Emperor was dissatisfied with Consort Wan... Wait a minute. Consort Xuan looked at the decorations and then at the writing implements, and her expression became a little strange again.
They might actually be somewhat dissatisfied.
She sighed and then waved her hand, instructing Granny Xia, "Quickly let Consort Wan come out to receive the reward."
Wan Anran accepted the reward and planned to return home.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree stepped forward: "Please wait, Princess Wan. His Majesty has another message for you."
Wan Anran rallied her spirits.
The next second, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree smiled and said, "Please make sure that Consort Wan puts the jewelry on the antique shelf back into the dressing box."
Wan Anran: …………Oh, this.
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