The joy of the Empress's awakening spread throughout the entire palace.
Especially after several imperial physicians took turns examining the empress and confirmed that she would recover as long as she rested properly, the shadow that had been hanging over the emperor's heart finally dissipated.
Emperor Kangxi was pleased and bestowed various rewards upon the emperor.
First, he rewarded the imperial physicians who had worked hard for most of the month. Then, he chatted with the Empress and the eldest princess for a while. Seeing that the Empress looked tired, Kangxi quietly left, deciding to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden to express his excitement before returning to the Qianqing Palace to handle state affairs.
The Imperial Garden was lush with foliage, and the apricot, plum, and peach trees that heralded spring were in full bloom, creating a vibrant and flourishing scene that exuded vitality.
This is truly a good omen.
Kangxi's mood improved even more. Just then, he felt a rumbling in his stomach and suddenly remembered that after receiving the news from Kunning Palace that morning, he had only eaten two snacks and rushed there. Now he was so hungry that his stomach was sticking to his back.
Kangxi touched his belly with an embarrassed expression.
Liang Jiugong quickly sent someone to fetch some snacks from the kitchen, but before he could speak, Kangxi interrupted him: "Let's go to Xianfu Palace."
When talking about food, he also thought of Xianfu Palace.
If Wan Changzai happens to figure something out, he can try it himself.
Emperor Kangxi thought that he could taste some new food every time he returned to Xianfu Palace, and immediately felt that his idea was brilliant and worthy of praise.
Liang Jiugong could only gasp in astonishment.
To be able to attract the Emperor with food... no, Consort Wan of Xianfu Palace has certainly forged her own path. He sighed inwardly and bowed slightly: "Yes, this servant will immediately have someone inform him—"
Before he could finish speaking...
A sound came from not far away.
"That Consort Wan is really... Her Majesty the Empress is still seriously ill, yet she has already begun drinking and making merry." A slightly raised female voice entered Kangxi's ears, and Kangxi's relaxed face froze for a moment, his thick eyebrows furrowing tightly.
Liang Jiugong's voice also stopped abruptly.
He lowered his head slightly, holding his breath and listening intently to the conversation not far away.
"Hiss... No way? I heard that Her Majesty the Empress treats Consort Wan quite well."
"I heard it from the new Consort Xu. Didn't they used to live in the same palace? I heard they secretly drank and made merry...tsk tsk!"
"Wow...that really is!"
"Right? And I told you about what happened in Chengqian Palace before..."
The two female voices faded into the distance, their volume gradually decreasing until they disappeared. Hiding behind the tree, Kangxi looked up and saw only the backs of two women in light green palace attire. He narrowed his eyes; the chill emanating from them made Liang Jiugong's mouth taste bitter, and his heart trembled.
"Your Majesty, shall I allow these two palace maids to return?"
"No... go and find out where they are from?" Kangxi remained noncommittal.
He didn't suspect Consort Wan, but rather the two palace maids who were chatting idly—how did they happen to appear just when I was taking a stroll in the Imperial Garden, and why did they have to speak ill of Consort Wan here? Was it really a coincidence? Kangxi didn't believe in coincidences.
Investigating the two palace maids was a piece of cake, and soon Liang Jiugong received the news: "Your Majesty, the identities of these two palace maids have been confirmed. One is a maid from Yongshou Palace, and the other is a maid from the needlework room."
After a pause, Liang Jiugong added, "This palace maid from Yongshou Palace used to be by Consort Wan's side. After Consort Wan fell ill, she was transferred to work at Yongshou Palace."
Kangxi snorted.
He had previously investigated Consort Wan. When she was seriously ill, the entire harem avoided her, except for Consort Xuan, who showed her kindness. Otherwise, she would probably have been abandoned in some deserted corner to fend for herself.
As for Yongshou Palace.
Instead of Consort Wan, why take the palace maids who served Consort Wan? A cold glint flashed in Kangxi's eyes: "What about Consort Xu?"
"Xu Changzai also moved to Yongshou Palace a few days ago."
"...What are Consort An and Consort Jing up to? They're stuffing all sorts of random things into the palace!" Kangxi immediately frowned.
Who couldn't see what Xu Chang was thinking?
Well... thinking about the silly Wan Changzai, maybe she didn't even realize it.
Emperor Kangxi shook his head.
Seeing that the Emperor hadn't taken the two palace maids' words to heart at all, Liang Jiugong smiled and said, "If you ask me, perhaps Consort Wan is celebrating the Empress's awakening!"
Emperor Kangxi's eyebrows and eyes relaxed.
He nodded, agreeing with Liang Jiugong's opinion: "I think so too. Let's go and take a look at Xianfu Palace."
Before even reaching the entrance of Xianfu Palace, he heard a series of chaotic noises inside. The huge Xianfu Palace didn't even have a single eunuch guarding the gate. As Kangxi stepped inside, he saw a group of people huddled together in a mess, with Consort Xuan and others prominently featured in the center.
Emperor Kangxi looked bewildered.
He stopped Liang Jiugong, who was about to reprimand him, and peeked inside.
Consort Xuan was both annoyed and amused.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead: "Can any of you tell me what's going on?"
A dignified imperial concubine got drunk in the palace!
If word gets out, will the entire Xianfu Palace lose all its dignity? Consort Xuan reached out and rubbed Consort Wan's flushed face, and seeing her whimpering, she became even angrier.
"Your Highness just fetched some apricot blossom wine..."
"Don't try to fool me!" Consort Xuan glanced at Hai Tao: "I've had apricot blossom wine before, and you're already this drunk from just a little bit of rice wine?"
They drank together last time.
He clearly drank less this time than last time!
Hai Tao looked embarrassed.
She knelt down on the bluestone slab with a thud and kowtowed twice, her head hitting the ground hard: "This servant deserves to die, it's all this servant's fault!"
What happened?
"The first pot of wine Your Highness drank was indeed apricot blossom wine, but the second pot was mixed with the wine sent from the kitchen for cooking... We made a mistake." Hai Tao was sweating profusely, and her voice grew softer and softer under Consort Xuan's shocked gaze: "The wine Your Highness drank after that was spirits!"
It would be strange if he didn't get drunk!
Consort Xuan looked exasperated, while Emperor Kangxi, who was listening with great interest, burst out laughing.
His smile immediately drew attention.
First, the young eunuchs who were huddled together noticed something was wrong. After one or two of them knelt down with a thud, Consort Xuan and the others also noticed that something was amiss.
The apricot-yellow robe made their vision go black.
The Emperor arrived as soon as he was mentioned, but what about this drunken cat behind him?
Kangxi stepped inside.
Wan Changzai's face was flushed, without any makeup. Her usually sparse eyebrows and eyes were now vibrant and beautiful, full of spring-like charm. She rubbed her head against Xuan Pin like a puppy, mumbling, "Happy, happy, keep drinking!"
They're still drinking!
She had made a mistake in front of the Emperor and didn't even realize it! Consort Xuan was sweating profusely. She used the corner of her eye to signal the palace servants to help Consort Wan up—unexpectedly, before Zisu and Jubai could step forward, Kangxi swiftly helped her up.
Everyone in the courtyard was speechless, as if their throats had been choked. Consort Xuan and the others stared in disbelief as Kangxi carried Consort Wan into the east wing like a cat.
Liang Jiugong's heart skipped a beat.
He remained outwardly calm, instead instructing the palace servants to fetch hangover soup and snacks.
Xuan Bin was in a trance for a moment.
She then waved her hand, instructing Granny Xia to make the arrangements immediately.
Wan Anran was completely bewildered.
The alcohol was making her head spin, and she felt her cheeks, hands, and feet were all hot. The large hand pressed against her body was also burning hot. Wan Anran involuntarily pouted and reached out to try to push away the rough palm.
This was the first time Emperor Kangxi had ever seen a concubine so drunk.
A little wine can be enjoyable. For example, when Wan Changzai and the other two got slightly tipsy, it added to the charm. But if someone got so drunk that they made a fool of themselves and lost face in front of you, that wouldn't be charming, it would be foolish.
But isn't Wan Changzai just such a fool?
Kangxi chuckled and poked Wan Changzai's doughy cheek with his finger.
"Hot... Ugh, so hot!" Wan Anran shook her head unhappily. What could she do if it was so hot? Wan Anran tilted her head and stared blankly for a while, then began to take off her coat—wouldn't it be cooler if she took off all her clothes?
Liang Jiugong and the eunuchs lowered their heads abruptly, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads.
Emperor Kangxi was terrified by Consort Wan's audacious behavior. Fortunately, Zisu and Jubai were quick-witted and grabbed the young lady, but she still kept grumbling and making a fuss.
"Where's the hangover soup?"
"Your Majesty, the hangover soup will take some more time to cook."
That's the only way to control her.
While Kangxi was holding down Wan Changzai's wrist, he was also thinking about what to do when Wan Changzai regained consciousness.
Give him a good beating...?
Suddenly, a tear fell on Kangxi's fingertip. Kangxi's mind went blank for a moment, then he looked up slightly in a daze.
Wan Changzai, who was just smiling, suddenly burst into tears.
There was no trace of tears or pitiful charm; instead, large tears streamed haphazardly down her scrunched-up cheeks, a sight far from beautiful, bordering on comical. She sobbed, "Thank goodness...it's all good...the Empress is awake...sob...sob..."
Wan Anran cried for a while and then jumped up.
She smiled foolishly, spun around on one foot with her toes touching the ground, and raised her hands in a flower-scattering gesture.
He's as silly and naive as you can imagine.
Kangxi's heart softened; he could feel Wan Changzai's joy at the Empress's awakening and her burning, innocent heart.
The Empress was right about him.
I didn't misjudge him.
Liang Jiugong secretly groaned in despair.
He glanced at Wan Changzai, who was drunk and acting crazy, out of the corner of his eye. What a hopeless case!
Surprisingly, the Emperor was neither frightened nor angry. Instead, he smiled and put his arm around Consort Wan, who was dizzy from spinning around and had stopped walking unsteadily. He even patted Consort Wan's back gently and comforted her, saying, "It's alright, Your Majesty, it's alright. You'll be able to see Your Majesty in a couple of days."
Liang Jiugong's jaw almost dropped.
Wan Chang grumbled, "Of course! When I see the Empress, I'm going to complain about you!"
"...Tell someone a complaint? Tell someone what?"
“…I won’t tell you.” Wan Anran tilted her head and looked at him for a long time: “Telling you won’t do any good, you’re not the empress.”
"Then what am I?"
"Bald?" Wan Anran tilted her head and stared at Kangxi's forehead: "Hmm... no! You're bald!"
Liang Jiugong and the palace servants around him all shuddered.
They silently minimized their presence, not daring to look at the emperor's pale face.
“That’s not right,” Wan Changzai said again.
She cupped Kangxi's chin in her hands, looking him up and down, rubbing and pinching it: "You don't have a frown line...you're not balding from old age?"
Wan Anran stared at Kangxi for a long time, then shook her head.
She patted Kangxi's shoulder with pity: "You're so young and you're already bald. You should eat more black sesame seeds to nourish yourself."
Haitao nearly tripped and fell flat on her face as she walked in.
Fortunately, she remembered the hangover soup she was holding. It took a lot of effort to steady herself and deliver the hangover soup to the emperor.
The hangover soup has a sweet taste.
Upon smelling the sweet aroma, Wan Anran immediately reverted to her obedient demeanor—except for her mouth agape, eagerly awaiting milk. Hai Tao, enduring the Emperor's astonished gaze, spoon-fed the young mistress her medicine, inwardly groaning with bitterness.
My lady has woken up...
I'm afraid I'd have to dig a hole in the east wing and crawl right there and then!
After we finished the hangover soup, desserts and dishes were served.
Emperor Kangxi raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Is this all that Consort Wan usually eats?"
A small dish of stir-fried bean sprouts, a small dish of cucumber salad, a dish of eggplant with minced garlic, and only one meat dish of yam and meatball soup—it was simple and plain to the extreme.
Emperor Kangxi looked suspicious.
He strongly suspected that the palace maids were trying to save face for Consort Wan. Putting everything else aside, just the way she fought with him for food last time, he felt that Consort Wan's appetite must have at least doubled... well, maybe even tripled.
Haitao blushed.
Zisu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, the young lady has not had a good appetite lately and has been eating bland food."
But this is too bland.
Kangxi instructed Liang Jiugong to add two more main dishes, and then glanced at Haitao: "Tell me, what complaint does your young mistress want to file?"
Hai Tao shuddered.
Her knees buckled, and she instinctively knelt down on the ground with a thud.
The Emperor's cold, deep gaze was fixed on her back. Hai Tao's throat bobbed, and she quickly spoke the truth: "Your Majesty, actually..."
Before Hai Tao could finish speaking, Wan Anran raised her hand high: "I...I...I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Is he now awake?
Kangxi raised his eyes and glanced at Wan Anran's flushed cheeks and bright, bewildered eyes. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Wan Anran was unhappy when she didn't get a reply from Kangxi.
She snuggled up to Kangxi's arm and pleaded, "I'll talk, I'll talk, I'm going to talk!!!"
What's the point of arguing with a drunkard?
Kangxi pushed Wan Changzai's head away with his palm: "Alright, alright, you speak, you speak!"
When drunk, Wan Anran is very talkative.
She chattered on and on, almost as if she needed a clapper to accompany her: "When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king! When the queen falls ill, the whole harem suffers! If you don't believe me, let me tell you: Today there's no cloth, tomorrow there are no pearls, and the day after tomorrow I'll tell you straight, there's nothing left! If you go to urge them, they'll cry and beg for mercy. Ask them when exactly? Say it with me: Tomorrow and tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow, tomorrow has no end..."
A clear and loud sound came from the east wing.
Consort Xuan, who was worried that Consort Wan might offend the Emperor and had people waiting outside to put out the fire at any time, was stunned when she received the news.
Granny Xia swallowed hard.
She had never encountered anything so absurd in her life. Granny Xia cried out, her face contorted with grief, "Master, what...what...what are we going to do?"
Should we really try to dissuade them?
Won't the Emperor drag me out and behead me on the spot?
But if we don't go in and try to persuade them...
After much deliberation, both paths seemed to lead to certain death! Granny Xia, her face clouded with worry, turned her expectant gaze towards Consort Xuan.
"I am truly disappointed..."
"...Huh?" Granny Xia looked completely bewildered.
Consort Xuan, who was usually so reserved and elegant, had a distorted expression.
Her shoulders heaved faster and faster, until finally she gave in. Consort Xuan clutched her stomach and bent over deeply: "Pfft, hahahaha—! I truly regret it! How wonderful it would have been to see the Emperor's expression right there! Hahahahaha!"
Granny Xia: …………
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