Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

That night, Emperor Kangxi dreamed of Liu Yunshu again.

In her dream, it was the same artificial hill from the daytime. Liu Yunshu held his face in her hands, her eyes filled with tears. "Sanlang, is my appearance merely ordinary?"

Kangxi's heart tightened, and he reached out to pull her into his arms, his tone more urgent than during the day: "Nonsense! You are as elegant as the moon, how could you be mediocre in the slightest?"

Liu Yunshu, however, refused to give in, gently nuzzling against him, her tears wetting his clothes: "But he never sees me, he only protects others..."

"His blindness is his fault." Kangxi raised his hand and stroked her long hair, his fingertips gently brushing the top of her head. "From now on, I'll take care of you and never let you suffer again."

These words seemed to comfort her. Liu Yunshu raised her head, her eyes still glistening with tears, but she smiled faintly at him.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed the corner of his lips. "Sanlang, you're so good to me."

This time, she didn't mistake the person.

Kangxi felt a surge of warmth in his heart, wrapped his arms around her waist, and deepened the kiss.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted in from outside the artificial hill, mingling with the subtle scent of her hair, making it more intoxicating than ever before.

He closed his eyes, feeling the soft warmth of her lips, and thought that it would be wonderful if this dream could continue forever.

But before he could linger for even a moment longer, a soft voice suddenly called out in his ear, "Your Majesty? Your Majesty, wake up!"

Kangxi suddenly opened his eyes, and the bright yellow dragon pattern on the top of the tent was unfamiliar to him.

There were no artificial mountains or fragrant osmanthus trees, only flickering candlelight inside the hall and the figure of Li Dequan holding a mouthwash cup.

Li Dequan glanced cautiously at his face and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, it's time for the morning court session."

The tenderness in Kangxi's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by annoyance at being disturbed.

He raised his hand to rub his temples, his voice hoarse from just waking up: "I know, step back and let the palace servants come in to attend to you."

"Yes, sir." Li Dequan dared not say more and quietly retreated, muttering to himself.

His Majesty has been having many dreams lately, and his face always looks so pale when he wakes up. Could it be that he has something on his mind?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Tong Mansion.

Longkodo, who had been reprimanded by Tong Guowei, walked toward the main courtyard with a sullen face. His feet pounded on the bluestone slabs, and he had nowhere to vent his anger.

Then I remembered what he said a few days ago: if he stepped into the main courtyard again, he would no longer be surnamed Tong!

Isn't this a slap in the face for him?

Just as he was hesitating, Li Si'er walked over from a distance and saw Longkodo standing at the entrance of the main courtyard.

A ruthless glint flashed in her eyes: No one can take Fourth Master away from me!

She immediately adopted a weak and vulnerable demeanor, clutching her chest, and staggered towards Longkodo, her eyes instantly reddening: "Master! What are you doing here? Are you going to find my sister?"

Upon seeing her like this, Longkodo couldn't care less about anything else and immediately cried out in alarm.

"My darling, what brings you here? Don't stand in the wind, you'll catch a cold."

Longkodo instantly forgot his earlier hesitation and quickly stepped forward to support Li Si'er, his tone full of heartache. His earlier wariness of Tong Guowei had also largely dissipated.

Li Si'er leaned against him, her fingers secretly clenching the handkerchief, her voice trembling with tears.

"I heard that you were scolded by the master, and I was worried, so I came to find you. Master, did my sister say something to the master?"

Upon hearing this, Longkodo immediately frowned.

He already harbored resentment towards Liu Yunshu, and after Li Si'er provoked him, he became even more convinced that Tong Guowei's reprimand must be due to Liu Yunshu spreading rumors.

He patted Li Si'er on the back to comfort her: "Don't overthink it, it has nothing to do with her, it's just that your father is being paranoid."

Although he said that, he was already convinced that Liu Yunshu had complained.

He snorted coldly, helped Li Si'er turn around and left: "Go, go back to your courtyard, don't stay here at the main gate, it's bad luck."

Li Si'er leaned against Longkodo's chest, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes, but she still pretended to be aggrieved.

"Sir, but my sister is, after all, the legal wife. If you never visit her, people will start gossiping."

"What gossip? With me here, who dares to say a word!" Longkodo was so pleased with her that he completely forgot Tong Guowei's warning.

"From now on, you can stay in the courtyard with peace of mind. I'll take care of things in the manor, so you don't need to worry about her."

The two had only walked a few steps when Qiu Shuang came out from the main courtyard and stopped.

His cold gaze swept over the backs of Longkodo and Li Si'er.

Just now in the main room, she saw the lady sitting by the window, looking in the direction where Longkodo was lingering, her fingertips repeatedly stroking the mutton-fat jade hairpin, her eyes full of loneliness.

Now it seems that Longkodo is indeed still protecting his concubine and has not taken the emperor's reprimand to heart at all.

Inside the main courtyard, Liu Yunshu was still sitting by the window, holding the mutton-fat jade hairpin in her hand.

Biyu walked in carrying freshly warmed tea. Seeing her like this, she couldn't help but sigh, "Miss, please don't think about it anymore. Master... he's just bewitched by Li Si'er."

Liu Yunshu raised her eyes, gently placed the jade hairpin on the dressing table, and ran her fingertips along the cool hairpin: "I'm not thinking about him."

She was just thinking about the kiss behind the artificial hill yesterday, and Kangxi's words "Longkodo is blind," and a warm feeling inexplicably rose in her heart.

The warmth of Kangxi's palm, the touch of his lips, and the strength with which he wrapped his arms around her waist yesterday kept replaying in her mind, making her cheeks burn.

Just as she was lost in thought, Qiu Shuang walked in from outside. Seeing her staring blankly out the window, she said softly.

"Madam, just now when I went to the kitchen, I saw the maids in Concubine Li's courtyard distributing newly acquired silks, saying that Longkodo had just found them for her in the style of Jiangnan brocade."

Liu Yunshu paused in her grip on the jade hairpin, then said calmly, "I understand."

Looking at her calm profile, Qiu Shuang hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "Madam, aren't you angry that Longkodo is so biased?"

"I was angry." Liu Yunshu gently stroked the chrysanthemum pattern on the jade hairpin with her fingertips. "But what good was being angry? That Li Si'er was my father's concubine, but Longkodo took a liking to her..."

At this point, she looked at Qiu Shuang with a faint expression, "It's absurd that my son-in-law has taken a liking to my father-in-law's concubine, but my father agreed to it in order to curry favor with the Tong family."

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, her tone flat, "Even if I'm angry, who will stand up for me?"

Qiu Shuang was shocked. She only knew that Li Si'er was Longkodo's concubine, but she did not know that she had such an absurd past.

Biyu's eyes reddened, and she clutched her handkerchief, choking back tears as she said, "Miss! Then from now on..."

"It's fine to live like this from now on." Liu Yunshu interrupted her, tapping the dressing table lightly with her fingertips, her gaze falling on the book "Elements of Geometry".

"Reading books and solving math problems is always better than getting angry over trivial matters."

Qiu Shuang stood aside, listening to these words, and her heart ached even more.

She quietly clenched the corner of her sleeve, secretly making up her mind.

Today's events must be made known to that person in the palace. The lady has been wronged so much; we cannot let this go unpunished.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Kangxi had just finished the morning court session and sat behind his desk to review the memorials, but his gaze kept drifting to the window.

The image of Liu Yunshu's smile, the softness of her lips, and the faint fragrance of her hair from my dream yesterday still lingers in my mind.

Li Dequan tiptoed in, holding a freshly brewed teacup. Seeing that the emperor seemed dazed, he hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Your Majesty, news has come from the Tong residence."

Kangxi paused in his grip on the vermilion brush, raised his eyes, and said, "Speak."

"The guards reported that Longkodo still didn't enter the main courtyard yesterday. Instead, he found some Jiangnan brocade for Li Si'er and said at the main courtyard gate that the main courtyard was 'unlucky'." Li Dequan lowered his head, not daring to look at his face.

"Bad luck?" Kangxi repeated the two words.

His knuckles turned white from gripping the vermilion brush so tightly that ink smeared a large black stain on the memorial, but he was completely unaware of it.

The tenderness in his eyes vanished completely, leaving only a bone-chilling cold.

He had just given Longkodo a warning yesterday, but Longkodo dared to outwardly comply while inwardly defying him!

Thinking of that lonely, cold moon, if it was like this even after he struck it, what must have happened before...?

Kangxi closed his eyes, his heart aching with even more tenderness.

He just wanted to protect her from any further grievances.

"Li Dequan, convey my imperial edict: please invite Empress Hesheli to the palace for a few days to keep the Empress Dowager company."

Li Dequan was startled and quickly bowed, replying, "Yes, Your Majesty! This servant will take care of it immediately."

Tong Mansion.

After receiving the imperial decree, Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, a hint of a smile flashing in them.

Xiao Ba excitedly thought to himself, "Your Majesty, it seems Kangxi has truly taken a liking to you!"

"This is just the beginning, don't get too excited."

Looking at his calm and composed host, Xiao Ba was extremely impressed!

Biyu happily went to pack her luggage.

Seeing the faint smile that Liu Yunshu couldn't hide in her eyes, Qiu Shuang's heart finally settled down, and she also curved her lips into a smile.

The entire Tong family was overjoyed to learn that Liu Yunshu was going to the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager, believing that the palace valued the Tong family.

Besides Li Si'er, she smashed three teacups in the room.

No matter how dissatisfied Li Si'er was, she couldn't stop Liu Yunshu from entering the palace.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager carefully examined Liu Yunshu, noticing that she was wearing a moon-white qipao embroidered with magnolia flowers.

She wore her hair in two small buns, adorned only with a simple and elegant mutton-fat jade hairpin. Her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, and her temperament was serene.

I recalled that yesterday the emperor had come to Cining Palace, saying that Hesheli was quiet and good at mathematics, and that he wanted her to come to the palace to keep him company.

Seeing Hesheli's beautiful appearance again, how could one not see the emperor's thoughts?

However, she never interfered in affairs and only followed Kangxi's wishes.

The Empress Dowager looked at Liu Yunshu with some difficulty. She only knew Mongolian, and usually, the palace was filled with Mongolian-speaking nannies who kept her company.

Liu Yunshu sat upright at the lower end of the table. Seeing that the Empress Dowager had not spoken for a long time, a knowing look flashed across her eyes.

She rose gently, curtsied slightly, and then spoke softly in fluent Mongolian.

"May Your Majesty be well. When I was young, I learned some Mongolian from my grandmother. Although I am not fluent, I can still keep Your Majesty company by talking with you."

A look of surprise flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. Her hand holding the prayer beads paused slightly, and then she smiled and patted the brocade stool beside her.

"Come and sit down! I didn't know you could speak Mongolian; it saves me a lot of trouble."

Liu Yunshu sat down as instructed, gently smoothing her skirt with her fingertips, and began to talk about the customs and culture of the grasslands, following the Empress Dowager's lead.

The Empress Dowager listened intently, and her gaze towards her became more affectionate.

As the two were talking, a eunuch suddenly announced from outside the hall: "His Majesty has arrived!"