Chapter 17 – A Good Idea.

The next second, Wan Anran resumed her usual calm and composed expression. She smiled and acknowledged the command, quietly retreating while Consort Xuan was still in a daze.

If she didn’t slip away now, when would she?

By the time Consort Xuan came back to her senses, there was no trace of Wan Changzai left in the hall. Both amused and annoyed, she couldn’t help complaining to Nanny Xia, “Tell me, what is that Wan Changzai thinking? How could she just place her jewelry on the display shelf?”

Nanny Xia stifled a laugh. “This servant wouldn’t have thought of it either!”

Consort Xuan clicked her tongue in disbelief for a while, then turned around and instructed, “Later, go check the east wing room to see whether Wan Changzai properly arranged the Emperor’s rewards.”

If this had been a private instruction from the Emperor, the eunuch who delivered the decree wouldn’t have said anything in front of her. Consort Xuan figured that most likely the Emperor wasn’t at ease and wanted her to keep an eye on Wan Changzai.

Nanny Xia accepted the order.

This time, Wan Anran did arrange everything properly — after all, even the landlord of the Forbidden City, Lord Kang, had spoken up. How could she not comply? Not to mention Haitao and Zisu.

The two of them were fiercely debating inside the east wing room, determined to place every decorative item in the most perfect position. Honestly, Wan Anran watched them for a while and couldn’t really see the difference.

She glanced at Haitao and Zisu.

In the end, Wan Anran decided to quietly shut her mouth and fully hand over the task to the two of them.

As for herself, she began to ponder the Emperor’s words.

Let her present something personally? But present what? Wan Anran sat upright on the soft couch, thinking this way and that, but couldn’t figure out anything: should she give him a sachet? Or maybe sew an undershirt for him?

The ever-resourceful Jubaibai immediately provided a long list of suggestions.

Almost every consort in the palace would make something for the Emperor, such as sachets, fan covers, watch covers, thumb ring pouches… these were the most common. There were even inner garments and boots — all sorts of things.

Of course, pleasing the Emperor was no easy feat.

If a consort’s handmade gift could end up hanging from the Emperor’s waist or be worn by him, that would be an honor talked about for a whole month. Because of that, the consorts competed fiercely, sending things to the Emperor almost daily, and he probably couldn’t finish rotating through them all even in a year.

Just hearing this made Wan Anran wrinkle her face into a frown.

With her level of skill, wasn’t this like an amateur being compared to professional masters? And yet Kangxi even brought it up directly, which only made Wan Anran feel even more uneasy.

By the time Haitao and Zisu finished arranging the decorations, Wan Anran and Jubaibai still hadn’t come to a conclusion. The most important question remained — what exactly did the Emperor take a liking to? The four of them wore expressions of confusion, wandering around the room, circling back and forth for a long time with no results.

When Nanny Xia arrived, she saw exactly this scene.

Her face went blank — she almost thought she had walked into the wrong place and stumbled upon a séance. Nanny Xia instinctively stepped back, looked closely around the room to confirm she hadn’t made a mistake, and only then walked into the east wing again. “This servant greets Young Mistress Wan.”

Wan Anran’s eyes lit up at the sight of her.

She happily walked forward to greet her, and the first thing she said was, “Nanny Xia! You’ve come at just the right time!”

Nanny Xia’s words stopped at the tip of her tongue and were swallowed back down. “…Eh?”

Haitao was a little confused. “Young Mistress, if even we don’t know, how would Nanny Xia know?”

There was one more thing Haitao didn’t say aloud.

If the three of them had spent all this time and still couldn’t come up with an idea, but Nanny Xia did, then they might as well dig a hole and jump in on the spot! Although Zisu and Jubaibai didn’t say anything, they clearly shared the same thought — their gazes toward Nanny Xia even carried a bit of hostility.

Nanny Xia was innocent and bewildered.

Wan Anran shook her head. “That’s not right. As the saying goes, the onlooker sees clearly while those involved are confused. We’re too deep in this to see the full picture, but Nanny Xia might spot the answer with just a glance!”

Ah, that makes sense!

Haitao, Zisu, and Jubaibai instantly looked enlightened. The hostility vanished, replaced with hopeful anticipation as they raised their heads in unison to look at Nanny Xia.

Nanny Xia: ………

She felt weak inside but forced a smile on her face. “I wonder what the Young Mistress would like this servant’s help with?”

“Nanny, the Emperor said I should give him something…”

Wan Anran blushed a little. “But I really don’t know what to give!”

What was so strange about that?

Nanny Xia instinctively responded, “Young Mistress could make something simple — like a fan cover, watch pouch, thumb ring sleeve, glasses case, sachet, head wrap, or key pouch…”

Isn’t that exactly what we said earlier?!

Haitao, Zisu, and Jubaibai didn’t voice their thoughts, but the expectation in their eyes instantly vanished.

So in the end, hoping in Nanny Xia was pointless?

But right at that moment, Nanny Xia’s fighting spirit was sparked. After thinking for a bit, she asked, “Young Mistress Wan, was the idea of giving a gift something the Emperor suggested himself?”

Wan Anran nodded.

Nanny Xia paced three circles around the room. Her eyes landed on a messy pile of fur scraps in a bamboo basket. Though the fur had only been halfway cut, the general shape was visible… Nanny Xia’s eyes lit up. “Young Mistress, is this for insoles?”

Wan Anran nodded again.

That fur was meant to be made into insoles last time, but she had only cut halfway before getting distracted by something else. After that, she completely forgot about it, and the pieces had been sitting in the basket for several days now.

After all, she didn’t urgently need them.

But why was Nanny Xia bringing them up now? Just as this question surfaced, she heard Nanny Xia’s firm voice in her ear: “That’s it! The Emperor must have seen that you were halfway through making these insoles. If this servant’s guess is correct, this is exactly what the Emperor meant!”

Haitao, Zisu, and Jubaibai all gasped in unison.

Why hadn’t they thought of this? Haitao’s eyes turned red as she covered her mouth and whispered, “It’s all this servant’s fault. Just look — those insoles clearly aren’t even cut to the Young Mistress’s size!”

Wan Anran was speechless.

Of course, the size was off. That’s because it was her first time making them, and she’d cut it wrong!

Zisu also lowered her head. “This servant… this servant didn’t even realize that the Young Mistress had been thinking about His Majesty so deeply and earnestly. This servant is… truly unworthy of serving you.”

Wan Anran’s face was blank.

I’m not. I didn’t. Don’t make things up.

Jubaibai clenched her fists tightly.

She spoke firmly, “It’s alright! His Majesty has already seen our lady’s sincerity. What we need to do is serve her well and let her focus wholeheartedly on making the insoles!”

Everyone nodded vigorously.

Even Nanny Xia looked at the three of them with a gratified expression, “Exactly, exactly!”

Wan Anran glanced at the lively scene in front of her, a trace of confusion appearing on her face—was she really the only one who thought His Majesty wasn’t talking about the insoles? But as she looked around, she couldn’t find anything else that might have caught His Majesty’s eye. In the end, she chose to nod as well. “Alright, then let’s work hard and try to finish it as soon as possible!”

That’s what she said.

But after sending off Nanny Xia, Wan Anran went to the study to practice calligraphy.

Also in the room with her was the Ninth Prince, Wan Fu.

Wan Fu had his little head resting on the desk, looking as droopy as a cabbage in winter. Ever since Wan Anran entered, he had been sighing endlessly.

Calligraphy was something that required full concentration.

Especially for a beginner like Wan Anran. She didn’t last even the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense before she threw down the brush. With a face full of frustration, she asked, “Wan Fu, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. Why are you sighing like that?”

“Wan Changzai, are you going to the New Year banquet?”

“No,” Wan Anran answered calmly.

Wan Fu’s eyes lit up. “Then do you want to go?”

Wan Anran gave him a sideways glance. “That’s not something I can go to just because I want to!”

Only those ranked Noble Lady or higher were allowed to attend the New Year banquet.

As for those ranked Second Class Attendant or First Class Attendant, unless granted special permission by the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, or the Empress, they could only stay in their own palaces and wait for the evening family banquet.

Wan Fu chuckled mischievously.

He jumped off his stool and bounced over to Wan Anran. “Wan Changzai, then I’ll give you my spot. You can go instead, how about it?”

The corners of Wan Anran’s mouth twitched.

This kid really had wild ideas! She reached out and pinched Wan Fu’s soft cheeks, which felt like dough. “You! Always talking nonsense. Be careful or I’ll tell your mother!”

Wan Fu panicked. “Fine, fine, I won’t go. But tattling is what bad people do!”

Wan Anran dragged out her words teasingly, “Oh—really?”

She bent down and stared at Wan Fu. “Why don’t you want to go all of a sudden? Just a few days ago, you looked really excited.”

Wan Fu grew sulky.

He lowered his head, his voice getting quieter and quieter as he spoke. “Anyway, I’m not good at talking, not smart either. I can’t remember all the rules. If I mess up, my mother will scold me again, and she’ll compare me to the Crown Prince… I don’t want to go!”

He mumbled to himself.

For instance, when they went to the Cining Palace to greet the Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager, everyone was always so distant. Especially a few consorts, who would praise him a little, only to immediately start boasting about how outstanding the Crown Prince was.

To prepare for the palace banquet, Consort Xuan and his mother even had nannies teach him how to kowtow properly. Don’t underestimate kowtowing—it had its own technique. How to make it sound loud and clear, how to make it look graceful… not to mention how every movement had to embody the demeanor of a prince!

Wan Fu huffed, “I don’t understand a single thing they’re saying!”

Wan Anran gently rubbed his little head.

Wan Fu was lively, romantic, and innocent by nature. Because of the palace staff’s flattery, he was slightly spoiled, but never arrogant or bullying. All in all, he fit the standard of a cute little child—a type that would be adored in modern times.

But unfortunately, Wan Fu was born in the Qing palace.

What the palace valued was maturity and intelligence. Because of that, an ordinary and simple child like Wan Fu seemed rather unimpressive.

Especially when compared to the Crown Prince.

Squatting on the ground, Wan Fu grew more fearful and more discouraged the more he thought about it. “If I make a mistake, everyone will laugh at me… and they’ll laugh at Consort Xuan and my mother too…”

Wan Anran thought for a moment and then crouched down beside him. “How about this? If you come across something you don’t understand, just turn to the Crown Prince and say—”

Wan Fu looked at her expectantly.

She cupped her hands over her lips, crossed them dramatically, and spoke in a deliberately delicate voice, “Big Brother~ Help me~!”

Wan Fu’s hair practically stood on end in fright.

He stared at her in disbelief, unable to hold back his look of disgust. “Like that? Will it really work? I won’t get laughed at?”

Wan Anran patted her chest.

She nodded with confidence. “Trust me! This move is guaranteed to work!