"How is it?" Ulanara asked, sitting on the daybed by the window.

Lingxiu looked at the Fujin with a dejected expression and whispered, "Lord Wuge said that the disaster victims were already shouting 'Kill the demon star,' but the Fourth Prince stopped them. And then, of all people, it actually started raining! So..."

"So Lady Niohuru is alright!" The Fujin's face remained calm and composed as always, but no one knew the turmoil she was experiencing inside!

Lingxiu dared not reply. The Fujin had gone to great lengths to make the child in Niohuru's womb a "demon star," but to no avail!

"It seems even the heavens are on her side!" Ulanara sighed.

“My lady, I have some good news,” Lingxiu said.

"Does this lady have any other good news?" asked Ulanara.

"The Fourth Prince may be returning to his wife's side. Lady Song is planning to resign from her position with the master!" Lingxiu said.

"Oh? Why would she suddenly not want to raise Hongshi anymore?" The Fujin was surprised, but her eyes were filled with more doubt.

"Well, this servant doesn't know. Ever since Song was bitten by the snake, she seems different from the Song she used to be. That's what Xia said," Lingxiu said.

"Send Xia to investigate again. We must find out why Song no longer wants to raise the Fourth Prince," the Fujin said. Having failed to defeat Lanqin this time, she felt a sense of awe towards the South Courtyard. This feeling compelled her to confront the fact that some divine power seemed to be protecting Lanqin and the child in her womb. Why had she fallen into her hands? Why, after all these years, could she manage others so well, yet fail to manage this Niohuru clan member?

It turns out that the Fourth Prince's wet nurse had always been the Fujin's person. Even when she was with Lady Li, this Lady Xia had been the Fujin's spy. After Lady Li gave birth to the Fourth Prince, her favor with the emperor diminished, likely because the Fujin used the Fourth Prince to sow discord between the Fourth Prince and Lady Li.

Meanwhile, Madam Song had fully recovered, and she, supported by Qingping, headed to the south courtyard to visit Lanqin.

“Princess, it just rained heavily today, and the roads are very slippery. Why do you have to go now? It’s not too late to go when the weather is better!” Qingping said.

“I haven’t visited her in a long time. I heard that Lanqin took care of me after I was poisoned, so I should go and thank her properly,” said Madam Song.

“Consort Niu said that she and the master are like sisters, so saying thank you would be too formal,” Qingping said with a smile.

"Yes, it's my good fortune to have met Lanqin in this life, a person who is invisible. Why should I covet things that don't belong to me?" said Madam Song. Although she was much better, she had almost been on the verge of death, and her lips were still a little pale.

“Your Highness has truly come to her senses. I also feel that the Fourth Prince’s heart is not with us,” Qingping said. “Consort Niu asked him to speak to Your Highness, but he actually said he faints at the sight of blood.”

Song had always hoped to raise the Fourth Prince, so that she would have more support in the inner quarters and could see him more often. However, after this incident, she realized that the child truly had no feelings for her, and decided it was best not to force it.

Meanwhile, in the South Courtyard, a lively scene unfolded. After the heavy rain, the water in the small pond behind the courtyard had risen considerably. Lanqin had several ducks released into the pond to play. Several maids were there, teasing the ducks with water plants, while Wuxiha and Bechuk were also among them, happily frolicking with the waterfowl.

"Master, Princess Song is here!" Lanqin, heavily pregnant, was standing at the back door watching the maids playing with the ducks.

"Oh. Sister Song is here. Help me back!" Lanqin immediately said to Nianxue.

When she walked back to her main room through the covered walkway at the back, Madam Song was already sitting in the guest seat, drinking the tea that Xi Cha had served her.

"Is Sister fully recovered?" Lanqin asked, helping Nianxue sit down on the main couch.

"I'm much better now. I came here especially to thank you, sister. If it weren't for everything you did for me back then, I might not be here today." Madam Song stood up and bowed gracefully to Lanqin.

"Qingping, quickly help your master up!" Lanqin said with a smile. "There's no need for you to perform such a grand ceremony, sister. Lanqin will never abandon you, sister."

Song's eyes were misty. With Qingping's help, she sat back down and said to Lanqin, "Qin'er, I plan to tell the Fourth Master that I will no longer raise the Fourth Prince."

Lanqin was startled, but then said understandingly, "Does Sister feel that all the hard work she's put in over the past six months has been wasted on the wrong person?"

Madam Song shook her head and said, "Since that child is with me, he refuses to be truly devoted and is still having an affair with the Fujin. I'm afraid that you've raised a thankless wretch in your own room, which will not only harm you but also implicate your younger sister. It would be better to break it off as soon as possible."

Lanqin thought that if she tried to remind Song about her feelings for the Fourth Prince, she would be met with resistance. However, she did not expect that Song would understand so quickly.

“Good, I’m relieved that you think this way, sister. I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to accept the Fourth Prince’s act of recognizing a thief as his mother.” Lanqin said, “I really shouldn’t have let you raise him. I thought that as long as you treat a child well, he will eventually be warmed up. But I never expected that the Fourth Prince would be so stubborn and even cold and heartless to you.”

"Are you referring to his connection with the Fujin?" Madam Song asked. "I suspect that his wet nurse, Madam Xia, is also one of the Fujin's people. The Fourth Prince is so young; there must be someone guiding him."

“Xia was Hongshi’s wet nurse. She had been by Hongshi’s side since Li was alive. She might also know how Li died back then,” Lanqin said.

"Does my sister want Hongshi to realize that his birth mother was murdered by the Fujin?" Song asked.

“That’s right. Only when he knows who really killed Li Shi can he completely sever ties with the main courtyard,” Lan Qin said.

"Then how do we get this Xia woman under control? If she's the Fujin's woman, then she's been with her for six or seven years. To make her betray the Fujin, we'd have to offer her enough benefits to sway her," said Song.

“That’s right. As long as we offer more benefits than the Fujin (principal wife), she will consider it. My only fear is that she won’t be willing to work for me!” Lanqin said.

"Why not give it a try!" said Madam Song.

"First, we need to send someone to investigate this Xia family and find out her background. Everyone has weaknesses. Once we find her weaknesses, everything will be much easier," Lan Qin said.

"Yes, my sister's thinking is indeed thorough," said Madam Song.

Lanqin let Song have dinner in the south courtyard before letting her go back. Fourth Master was busy with the rain-praying ceremony and would definitely not be returning today.