When the Third Prince's wife returned to her main courtyard, the Third Prince was still drunk and lying on her bed.

"Qiuhong, go to the kitchen and tell them to prepare a feast to be brought to the main courtyard." The Third Princess Consort walked to her bedroom and, seeing that the Third Master was still there, turned to Qiuhong and said.

After Qiu Hong left, the Third Princess said to Yancao, "Go and wake the Third Master. I have something to say to him."

Third Master was half asleep when he heard someone calling him. He struggled to open his eyes and saw that Tobacco was calling him.

"Kexin, Kexin!" the Third Master called out twice, and after a while, the Third Princess's face appeared, and then the Third Master was fully awake.

"My lord, please rise. I have prepared dinner. Please get up and wash up, and then you can have dinner," said the Third Prince Consort, Dong E.

The third master suddenly sat up. He still felt a little dizzy, shook his head and asked, "What time is it? How long have I been asleep?"

"It's already late afternoon, Your Highness, it's time for dinner," said the Third Princess Consort.

"I don't want to eat. I'm going back to the front yard." The Third Master got out of bed and was about to leave.

"My lord, I have something I'd like to discuss with you today. Please stay for dinner. With Hongwen not here, I'm dining alone." The Third Prince's wife immediately pleaded with him to stay, seeing that he was about to leave.

Except for the first and fifteenth of the month, the Third Prince was almost never in the main courtyard. He and his wife, the Third Princess, had never been on good terms. He favored Lady Tian because she resembled a woman he wanted to marry but couldn't. Secondly, Lady Tian was Han Chinese, gentle and understanding, and skilled in literature and poetry—far more charming and sophisticated than the Manchu Third Princess. How could the Third Prince possibly like his wife more than Lady Tian?

"Please speak freely, my lady. I have other matters to attend to," said the Third Master.

Seeing the Third Prince's pretentious demeanor, the Third Princess Consort was furious. She said, "Does Your Highness intend to go to the Tian family? Is it possible that Your Highness and the future of the Prince Yi's mansion are not as good as that Consort Tian?"

"What did you say?" Third Master stared at Third Princess Consort.

"Tobacco, quickly go out and fetch water to serve the master as he washes up!" said the Third Princess Consort.

After Tobacco left, Third Master asked again, "What exactly did you want to say? You can say it now."

"Your Highness, given the current political situation, you must choose a side. After all, Father is getting old, and who knows when he might pass away. If you don't plan ahead, you, Prince Yi, might not even have a position. Speaking of which, you are now a favorite of Father, and you have compiled several books, but what use is that? You are not as good as the Crown Prince, who holds the position; you are not as good as the Prince of Heshuo, who has made great military achievements; you are not as good as the Fourth Prince of Yong, who holds real power. Your Highness, what do you plan to do?" The Third Princess Consort said in one breath.

These words startled the Third Master, who looked at Dong E Shi in disbelief, for it was impossible for her to have thought of such a comprehensive plan.

"Did your family say something to you?" Third Master asked with a stern face.

"Do I need my family to say anything? It's obvious. Although you are favored by Father Emperor, you have no real power. Looking at the current situation, once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, it's uncertain whether he will settle scores with you or hold grudges. You should make plans soon. You can't rely on Prince Heshuo. Our two households are so close, yet we've never had any private dealings. This shows how narrow-minded your elder brother is." Dong Eshi spoke as if she were a different person. In fact, what she said was indeed the analysis her family had given her. They hoped that Third Master could quickly find a reliable patron, having no hope for him himself. Even Third Master himself felt that Kangxi couldn't possibly still have any feelings for him.

"Who can I rely on?" Third Master sighed. He knew he wasn't cut out to be an emperor and didn't like managing so many things.

"Who else could it be but the Crown Prince!" said Lady Dong'e. "The Crown Prince is the future heir apparent. What are we waiting for if you don't go and cultivate a good relationship with him?"

"The Crown Prince?" Third Master repeated the word. He realized with despair that he truly had no other choice but to rely on the Crown Prince.

After the maids brought up the dinner, the Third Prince's wife and the Third Prince walked to the table where they were to eat and watched as the maids brought out the steaming dishes one by one.

Third Master seemed to be pondering Dong E's words; it was indeed time for him to choose sides.

“Master, you have no other choice but to go through this. Is there any need for you to hesitate like this?” The Third Princess picked up a few more dishes with her chopsticks.

"Then how do I get on the Crown Prince's good side?" The Third Prince was still a little uncomfortable. After all, he was used to being a free and unrestrained prince, and he really couldn't bring himself to fawn over the Crown Prince.

"Then I, Your Highness, shall go to the palace to see the Crown Princess tomorrow. I'll surely bring a gift," the Third Princess said with a smile. "It's been a long time since I've visited Her Highness the Crown Princess."

"Should I just tell her directly that I want to follow the Crown Prince?" The Third Prince lowered his proud head, beginning to worry about his uncertain future.

“What else can we say? Your Highness is too thin-skinned, but if you’re too thin-skinned, you won’t have anything to eat. If Your Highness doesn’t go now, when will you?” said the Third Princess Consort.

"Alright, you can go and talk to the Crown Princess first." The Third Prince finally started picking up food. He was struggling internally, but only for a moment.

"My lord, please have your meal. After you finish, I need to wash up. I'm quite tired today," said the Third Princess Consort, seeing that the Third Prince had agreed to her request.

"I'm not going anywhere today, I'll just stay here with you," the Third Master said, a rare occurrence for him.

"Is the master really not leaving?" the Third Princess Consort asked in surprise.

"Yes, Your Highness wishes to be with the Princess Consort, but is that not possible?" the Third Master asked.

The Third Prince's wife looked at him in surprise, then smiled and said, "Since you wish to stay with me, then I will stay with you."

The two of them, unusually, slept together on a night that wasn't the first or fifteenth of the lunar month. The Third Princess Consort was actually a beauty, but unlike Lady Tian, ​​she didn't know how to flaunt herself or post short articles and pictures to express her feelings.

After chatting with the Third Prince all night about how to rely on the Crown Prince, the Third Princess Consort said, "My lord, we should also think about Hongwen's future. Perhaps we should let him have more contact with the Crown Prince's sons."

“Aren’t they all in the Imperial Study? They’re probably already familiar with each other,” Third Master said.

“But I’ve noticed that Hongwen always says that the Crown Prince’s two children bully others in the palace, and he seems very disdainful about it,” said the Third Princess Consort.

“The Crown Prince’s sons will inevitably be mindful of their status, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be approached,” the Third Master said.