"I'm afraid the concubine doesn't know yet, but I heard that Lingxiu has already left the manor. She must be going to the Unara manor," Wu said quickly when she saw Lanqin's expression turn sharp.

"It seems you know quite a bit about the whereabouts of the Fujin (princess) in her courtyard?" Lanqin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Wu remained in a squatting position because Lanqin hadn't called for her to get up, so she kept that position, and by now she was starting to feel a bit sore from squatting.

“Hongying in Ruyi’s room and Mei Ruo, who stays in Fujin’s courtyard to serve, are from the same hometown. They often talk together in private,” Wu said.

"Nianxue, help Princess Wu to her feet!" Lanqin finally understood how Wu knew so much about the Fujin's movements.

"Thank you, Consort!" Madam Wu knew that Lanqin had accepted her.

"You only said this to me because you didn't want the Fujin to take the Third Princess away?" Lanqin said, holding her belly.

"No, Ruyi thinks the Consort is truly kind and gentle. Although she enjoys the Prince's favor, she never acts arrogantly or makes things difficult for us. Ruyi sincerely doesn't want to be enemies with the Consort anymore, but rather wants to be friends with Sister Song's side, so that she can live a peaceful life under the Consort's protection and watch Namin grow up and get married," said Wu Shi. She already had little left in the Fourth Prince's heart, and could never surpass Lanqin. When she learned that the Consort had designs on the Third Princess again, she resolutely decided to side with Lanqin.

Lanqin found Wu's praise of her somewhat amusing. In truth, she had never considered how to cultivate a certain image among these women in public; she simply couldn't be bothered with them. When necessary, she provided them with everything they needed. Unexpectedly, in their eyes, she had become gentle and kind.

"Why is Consort Lanqin laughing? Is Ruyi wrong?" Wu asked, noticing Lanqin's somewhat embarrassed expression.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little embarrassed because it's the first time I've heard someone else's impression of me." Lanqin felt that although Wu Shi was not as sincere as Song Shi, she had still turned over a new leaf. At least she wouldn't be as vicious as the Fujin, who would force people to get rid of the concubines she didn't like; nor would she be as spoiled as Li Shi, who would treat them as pawns.

"Consort, from now on, Ruyi will be on the same side as you?" Wu asked.

Lanqin glanced at Wu Shi and nodded.

When Lady Wu saw that Lanqin had agreed, she smiled happily and said, "Judging from how Consort Song and the others treat her, I no longer have to worry about being schemed against."

Lanqin smiled and said, "Sister Song and Sister Geng truly believe in me and help me. This is how we can unite and fight against those who are against us. If Sister Wu can be of one mind, we can naturally help each other in the future."

After a moment's thought, Consort Wu said, "Consort, the First Lady is still not giving up, so you must not let your guard down!"

Lanqin touched her belly and said, "Actually, I was just thinking of sending someone over there to keep an eye on things. Now that you mention it, it's perfect timing to find a suitable person."

"Are you talking about Mei Ruo?" Madam Wu asked immediately.

“Yes, she’s perfect!” Lanqin said.

"Well, she only met and chatted with Hongying privately because they are from the same hometown. If we really asked her to keep an eye on the Fujin (principal wife), I'm afraid she might not agree," Wu Shi said truthfully.

"Is Mei Ruo still willing to stay there?" Lan Qin asked. "Now that the Fujin has lost power, many of her people have either left or died. I doubt many would want to stay with her. If someone were willing to take Mei Ruo away, do you think she would agree?"

"The concubine's idea is not bad, so Ruyi will give it a try." Wu Shi said with determination. She also knew that the first step to gaining Lanqin's trust was to do something for her.

"Excellent! If Sister Wu's Red Cherry can persuade Mei Ruo to become our spy for the Fujin, that would be wonderful," Lan Qin said. Although she didn't want to become a ruthless and vicious woman like the Fujin, she was now a mother of four and had to make plans for her children's sake.

After speaking with Madam Wu, Lanqin felt a bit tired and didn't want to go for a walk in the courtyard anymore. She took Nianxue's hand and went back.

After returning home, Wu summoned Hongying to speak with her.

"What position does Mei Ruo hold in the main courtyard? When did she join?" Madam Wu asked.

“Mei Ruo is only a third-class maid in the main courtyard. Her daily duties include washing the Fujin’s clothes and doing odd jobs in the courtyard. She doesn’t serve in the Fujin’s room. She has been working there for five or six years. Because she is honest, she is not favored by the Fujin, so she has always been a third-class maid,” Hong Ying said. “She and I entered the palace at the same time. I was fortunate enough to be able to serve by the Gege’s side. Although I didn’t have a better place than Mei Ruo did back then, my treatment and expenses are better than hers now.”

Madam Wu understood the implication in Hongying's words and raised an eyebrow, saying, "So, this Mei Ruo is quite envious of you? That's why she often complains about not being valued in the main courtyard when she meets you?"

Hongying nodded and said, "Yes, Meiruo is so envious of me now. She says that being in the main courtyard is like being in prison, and she has no motivation at all."

"Hongying, do you have a way to bring Meiruo to me?" Madam Wu asked with a smirk. She wanted to see Meiruo's unwillingness to give up.

“That’s not difficult. Next time I see her, I’ll bring her to see the Princess. She’s just a third-class maid, and she’s not valued much by the Princess Consort,” Hongying said.

"Alright, do you know what Mei Ruo's greatest wish is?" Wu asked again.

"Her biggest wish is to marry in style. But her family is poor, and they've never visited her. She's a young woman, and no one is helping her find a suitable husband," Hongying said. The maids in the Fourth Prince's mansion are generally divided into two categories: those assigned by the Imperial Household Department, who are bondservants and can usually be released to marry at the age of 20; and those who sold themselves into slavery. Their contracts are held by their masters, and if they don't have relatives or earn enough money to redeem themselves, they are destined to be slaves for life. Mei Ruo belongs to the second category, so her wish is unlikely to be fulfilled. Her family may have long forgotten her; otherwise, they wouldn't have sold her in the first place. However, a third-class maid's allowance is only a dozen taels of silver a year, and without a master's reward, they cannot redeem themselves.

"Alright, Hongying, find a way to bring her to see me as soon as possible," Wu said.