The Virtuous Concubine

Aunt Shuyu was also a little confused when she heard this. What was the emperor going to do? But she looked at Kangxi's expression and found that he did not show anger or dissatisfaction, so she felt that it was not a bad thing. She cleared her throat and prepared to answer the emperor's question.

"Your Majesty, since entering the palace, you can see that Concubine De is smart and quick-witted. She is different from other girls of her age. She is also gentle and kind to others, and never argues with others." Aunt Shu Yu recalled, with a hint of nostalgia in her voice, "And she is very serious about her work. Whether it is learning palace rules or tea art, she strives for excellence and strives to do her best... If it weren't for Your Majesty's wisdom and wisdom in picking her out from me first, I would have thought of letting her take care of the tea room."

Kangxi listened to Aunt Shuyu's narration, nodded slightly, and looked very reserved, motioning her to continue. But Aunt Shuyu could see that the emperor was leaning forward slightly at this moment, and he must be very interested in this topic. Seeing this, Aunt Shuyu had a clue in her mind, and described it in more detail: "Empress Depin is not only of outstanding character and appearance, but most importantly, she is very clever. But she is too stubborn. I remember that she once went to the imperial kitchen four or five times to make a dessert, and finally she had to go all over the palace to find the ingredients."

Aunt Shu Yu deliberately mentioned some shortcomings, which was actually a veiled criticism but a hidden compliment, which made it sound more credible. Her words were clever, showing Depin's seriousness and cleverly highlighting her loveliness and authenticity. Unexpectedly, Kangxi laughed when he heard this: "I remember that she was really brave and ran to pick crabapple fruits in the palace. The dessert was beautiful, but sour." The smile showed pampering and appreciation that he himself did not notice.

Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, Aunt Shu Yu also echoed softly, "That's right, Concubine De's boldness is indeed impressive and unforgettable. Her appearance is the least noteworthy advantage of Concubine De. Although I didn't contact her later, I occasionally heard about the affairs of the harem. I feel that even in such a complicated environment as the harem, Concubine De has never changed her nature. But the emperor remembered this snack, which shows that this snack is really sour."

Kangxi laughed softly when he heard this: "It's not that sour, it's still edible. I ran into her the other day, carrying a small basket, strolling leisurely in the corridor. I was wondering which palace maid was lazying here, and when I got closer, I saw it was her. She was not afraid at all, and she was so confident. She is really tricky."

Aunt Shuyu couldn't help but smile when she saw that the emperor was in a good mood and was even willing to share such private anecdotes with her: "Empress Depin is always like this, she seems to be doing things slowly. When she was still in the tea room, there were a few people below who were impatient and always worried about her. But every time, Empress Depin could actually finish ahead of schedule, and did a good job."

Kangxi clapped his hands gently and said, "It is rare for Depin to have such talent and temperament. Shuyu, from your description, it seems that you have a good relationship. Why don't you contact her after she entered the harem?"

Aunt Shu Yu bowed her head slightly and answered respectfully, "Your Majesty, after entering the harem, Concubine De will naturally have to abide by the rules of the harem and keep a proper distance from those of us who walk in front of the emperor, so as not to cause criticism from the harem. Although we no longer interact and talk like before, I always miss you in my heart."

Emperor Kang nodded, expressing his understanding: "There are rules to follow. You are worthy of being taught by me. You know the limits. But I don't want you to break off your friendship because of this. It is a blessing for Depin to have such an elder in the harem. I allow you to visit her more often and take care of her recent situation. If she has any difficulties or problems in the harem, please tell me."

Aunt Shu Yu bowed her head humbly: "Your Majesty is overpraising me. I am only speaking the truth. The character and talent of Concubine De are obvious to all in the harem. Moreover, Your Majesty is magnanimous. I would like to thank Your Majesty for his consideration on behalf of Concubine De."

Seeing that Shu Yu understood what he meant, Kangxi continued to ask, "Depin is also a versatile person. I wonder if she had any special hobbies or preferences when she was a palace maid?"

Aunt Shu Yu pondered for a moment, then carefully picked up some of the information and answered, "Your Majesty, compared to tea art and cooking, Concubine De spends most of her free time writing and embroidering. According to my observation, Concubine De is particularly fond of studying gardening and cultivating various flowers and plants. She often said that if she had the chance, she would like to be a maid in the Imperial Garden to plant flowers, so that she could enjoy the scenery of the four seasons while on duty. Unfortunately, the conditions were limited at that time, and the maids could not grow flowers and plants. I wonder if Concubine De is now growing the potted plants she used to covet."

Kangxi laughed loudly after hearing this and felt that Malu was really loyal and had never changed: "Raise them! Why not? There are flowers and plants in Yonghe Palace. She even asked me for a piece of land in the imperial garden to grow crops. This is the first time I have met such a concubine. The minister in charge of agronomy in the Ministry of Industry is not as serious as she is. I rarely see those rare seeds either. When they bloom and bear fruit, she wishes she could live in the fields!"

Aunt Shu Yu heard this and was happy that Concubine De was so favored: "The emperor is so gracious and considerate. It is a blessing for Concubine De. If Concubine De can really develop some new and improved varieties, it will also be a blessing for the people of the Qing Dynasty. With Concubine De's intelligence and seriousness, she will surely bring benefits to the harem and even the entire Qing Dynasty."

Kangxi chatted with Shuyu for a while, and he wanted to see Malu even more urgently. He looked at the Western clock in front of him and waved his hand: "Okay, Shuyu, you can leave now."

Aunt Shu Yu bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty is wise. I will take my leave." Before Aunt Shu Yu walked out of the door of the South Study, she heard Kangxi asking Wei Zhu to prepare the sedan chair and set off for Yonghe Palace immediately.