After returning home, Madam Song went to find Lanqin that very night. Fourth Master happened to be there as well. Seeing Madam Song looking embarrassed and about to turn away, Lanqin quickly called out, "Sister, how is Moyaqi?"

Upon hearing this, Fourth Master glanced at Lanqin in astonishment and immediately realized that it must have been this young woman who had given Song Shi permission to go out. He then asked, "Mo Yaqi is almost due to give birth now, isn't she? How is the Xu family treating her?"

Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Madam Song's eyes, prompting Fourth Master to sternly demand, "Hurry up and come in. Tell me properly how she's doing."

Madam Song dared not leave any further and immediately went inside. She took a sip of the tea that Xi Cha offered, and after feeling its warmth and fragrance, she said to Fourth Master Lan Qinhe, "Lord Xu is quite good, and Xu Shaowen is also quite attentive to the eldest princess. However, the eldest princess's mother-in-law and sister-in-law don't get along very well. You may not know, but Mo Yaqi's sister-in-law is the mother-in-law Meng's own niece, so naturally she always favors the eldest daughter-in-law. Mo Yaqi is also very gentle, so I'm afraid she won't say anything even if she's wronged."

After saying this, Madam Song removed the handkerchief from her chest and began to wipe away her tears.

Lanqin thought to herself as she read Song Shi's words: The Xu family is really something, daring to make Fourth Master's daughter suffer such injustice. They really don't know what death means.

Upon hearing this, Fourth Master frowned and said, "Did Mo Yaqi complain to you? You must explain clearly, without omitting or concealing anything."

When Fourth Master pressed her for details, Madam Song recounted her ordeal at the Xu family in great detail. Although she advised Mo Yaqi to maintain a good relationship with her mother-in-law, she insisted that she should file a complaint if necessary. Mo Yaqi was no ordinary young lady; she was the Emperor's granddaughter and the eldest daughter of the Fourth Prince. How could she tolerate such treatment?

Upon hearing this, Lanqin quickly said, "Xu Mengshi is so rude, she doesn't even respect my elder sister. Moyaqi is the current emperor's granddaughter, and marrying into the Xu family is already a marriage of convenience. How can she still look down on the eldest princess because she is not born of the legitimate wife?"

The Fourth Prince suddenly slammed his hand on the kang table, his face already grim. Although Madam Song had long since lost favor, his eldest daughter was different. He had put a lot of thought into choosing the Xu family for Mo Yaqi. It was because although Lord Xu was only a third-rank official, he was still a powerful minister, holding considerable influence with Emperor Kangxi as the Minister of the Imperial Household Department. His son was also a Jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination) and served as a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy, showing great promise in the past.

"You should go back first. I won't ignore Mo Yaqi's matter. We'll deal with it after she gives birth," Fourth Master said coldly.

Madam Song dared not say more, immediately rose and curtsied to Fourth Master Helanqin, then took her leave.

Lanqin escorted Song to the courtyard outside the gate and said to her, "Don't worry, Master won't abandon the eldest princess. The Xu family is really confused, actually wronging our eldest princess."

Moved, Madam Song held Lanqin's hand and said, "Thank you for speaking up for me in front of the Fourth Master just now. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have dared to complain about Moyaqi in front of him."

Lanqin patted Song's hand and said, "Moyaqi has suffered such humiliation. Even I, her aunt, am angry. Meng and Han have gone too far."

After exchanging a few more words with Lanqin, Song left.

Lanqin then turned and went back to the main room, where she saw that Fourth Master had already ordered water and had someone serve her to wash up. Lanqin didn't say anything and followed suit.

After the maids fumigated the quilts with incense, they removed two silver charcoal basins from the bedroom before the Fourth Master and Lanqin entered the room together.

The two got into bed together, and the bed was filled with fragrance. Fourth Master pulled Lanqin into his arms, and Lanqin remembered Fourth Master's time in London the other day. Her small body tensed up, and she thought to herself: Fourth Master is indeed very good in this area.

"How does Master plan to teach the Xu family a lesson?" Lanqin asked, trying to distract Fourth Master.

"Isn't the eldest son of the Xu family in the Ministry of Works? His wife is rude to my Mo Yaqi, so I'll be rude to her in return." Fourth Master didn't seem to feel embarrassed at all, his cunning was perfectly justified.

Lanqin sighed with pity for the Xu family's eldest son, who was about to suffer misfortune, and asked, "Lord Xu is alright, but if Master punishes their eldest son too harshly, he won't agree."

Fourth Master coldly snorted and said, "Am I the kind of person who uses public office for personal revenge? It's just that although the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins are in the dry season recently, river prevention and flood control are still the top priorities of the Ministry of Works. The eldest son of the Xu family is quite skilled in flood control. If I, Prince, am transferred there, then whether Han Shi goes with him or not, isn't it all beneficial to our Mo Yaqi?"

Lanqin clicked her tongue inwardly, expressing her utmost admiration for Fourth Master's cunning. Sending Lord Xu's eldest son to manage the Yellow River was an perfectly reasonable assignment, and a significant promotion at that, leaving the Xu family with no grounds for complaint. If Han Shi went with him, then Mo Yaqi would have a chance to get closer to her mother-in-law in the Xu household. If she gave birth to a son, then Mo Yaqi would naturally take over the household. If she didn't go, then it would be more difficult for Han Shi to have a son. If Mo Yaqi gave birth to a boy, no matter how much Meng Shi favored him, Lord Xu probably wouldn't agree.

That's truly killing several birds with one stone! Fourth Master, you're ruthless!

Lanqin pursed her lips, nestled in Fourth Master's arms, and smiled, saying, "It is a blessing for the Xu family to be able to form a marriage alliance with Fourth Master, but it may also be a curse for them."

Seeing Lanqin's words, Fourth Master reached out and gently stroked her forehead, saying, "My princess, if they dare to treat me so lightly, they don't seem to want a good life; my daughter, if they dare to mistreat me so harshly, I will not tolerate it any longer."

Looking at the Fourth Master's ambiguous smile, Lanqin said, "Fortunately, I am your woman, so Ushiha and Bechuk will no longer be afraid of being controlled by their husband's family."

Fourth Master laughed and said, "You little rascal, with a mother like you, do you really think they'll be as easily manipulated as Mo Yaqi?"

Lanqin stuck out her tongue and said, "Master, just promise me that you won't marry them off too far away in the future, and that I'll have the chance to see them often."

Fourth Master looked deeply at Lanqin, pondered for a moment, and said, "Don't worry, I love them both the most, and I won't marry them off to distant places."

Lanqin looked at the Fourth Prince, but thought to herself: When you become the emperor, will you still be so sure to protect them for life?

That night, Lanqin nestled in the Fourth Prince's arms and fell asleep, while the women in the other courtyards could only stay alone in their rooms, wondering when the Fourth Prince would come. Yehe Shi was especially worried that the Fourth Prince might find out what she had done to him, and she lived in constant fear.