After half a day of activities, the boys were all exhausted and went back to rest.

In the evening, Lanqin and the Fourth Master had dinner together, and then took a walk together to digest their food. They deliberately dismissed the eunuchs and maids who were serving them, and the two of them strolled alone in the south courtyard.

Seeing Lanqin silently tugging at his arm, her usual chatterbox gone, Fourth Master asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy because you couldn't beat me today?"

“My lord, it’s perfectly normal that I can’t win. I’m not upset at all,” Lanqin said. “I was just thinking about the eldest prince. He’s actually a very self-disciplined child.”

Lanqin's interactions with the eldest prince, Honghui, these past few days have left her feeling that the boy is overly self-protective and overly sentimental. Logically, someone of his birth should be like Da and Ana, but he is always too self-restrained. Another reason Lanqin can't help but think of Honghui is the historical record: the eldest prince Honghui died young, officially passing away in the forty-third year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

"I've been trying to change the eldest prince's temperament. Today, he almost shot Hongjun before I could. His changes over this period have really pleased me. Lan'er, this is all thanks to you," the Fourth Prince said.

"Master, perhaps you've placed too many expectations on the eldest prince, making him feel too much pressure." Lanqin thought about the amount of homework Honghui and the others had to learn each day, which was no less than her own workload in high school. When she was Honghui's age, she was still in elementary school, while Honghui and Hongjun had already started learning the classical Chinese she had studied in high school.

Wow, the ancients were incredibly advanced in their learning!

"As the eldest son of the master, he naturally bears extraordinary responsibilities. This is his mission, and also his glory. In fact, every descendant of the Aisin Gioro clan is destined to bear more than ordinary children from the moment of birth," the Fourth Master murmured.

“Hongjun isn’t like Honghui. He’s not the eldest son, so he doesn’t have that much pressure,” Lanqin said.

"If nothing unexpected happens, Honghui will be my heir in the future. As for Hongjun's personality, I only hope that he grows up safely and has a smooth life." The Fourth Prince rarely spoke his mind like this. Even with his wife, he had never been able to speak his mind so freely.

Fourth Master, you will be the Emperor in the future, and Honghui is definitely not your heir. The real heir hasn't been born yet! Lanqin thought to herself.

"My lord, in a few days, I will be going to the palace with you and the Fujin. I still haven't thought of what kind of birthday gift to prepare for Consort De. Does Your Highness have any ideas?" Lanqin felt a little uneasy thinking about celebrating Consort De's birthday.

"Last time we captured a white deer that symbolizes good fortune, didn't we? In a few days, I'll have someone send the deer to the palace first. You don't need to prepare anything special; the Princess Consort will take care of it." The Fourth Prince recalled the scene last year when he celebrated Consort De's birthday, and how his carefully prepared gift ultimately lost to the Fourteenth Prince's string of Buddhist prayer beads.

“That won’t do. The Fujin is the Fujin, and I am I. How can we let the Fujin handle everything?” Lanqin said.

"Your mother has everything she needs; just express your feelings." The Fourth Prince knew exactly what he had given Lanqin, and after thinking about it, there wasn't anything particularly suitable to give to Consort De. In truth, someone of Consort De's age had seen all sorts of rare treasures and no longer cared about gold and silver; what mattered was simply the sentiment behind it.

"I'll think about it carefully." Lanqin paced back and forth in the bright moonlight, her hands behind her back.

"Alright, go back to your room and rest. I probably won't have time like this again. Just thinking about the Ministry of Revenue gives me a headache. The country's salary is practically feeding a bunch of parasites who line their own pockets all day long." Fourth Master couldn't help but complain as he thought about the things at the Ministry of Revenue.

"Master, the problem of corrupt officials has existed since ancient times, and there has never been a way to completely eliminate corruption. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish." Lanqin thought for a long time before she came up with this sentence to comfort the Fourth Master.

"If the water is clear, there will be no fish. This saying truly captures the essence of officialdom. Lan'er, you're practically a mind reader." Fourth Master pulled Lanqin into his arms and held her tightly in his embrace.

"My lord, if I ever make a mistake, could you forgive me just this once?" Lanqin found herself becoming more and more dependent on this man. She was afraid that one day she would become like Madam Yin, jealous of every woman by the Fourth Prince's side. She was also afraid that one day the Fourth Prince would no longer favor her, and then she might do something that she herself would be ashamed of.

"Haven't you made enough mistakes? When have I ever punished you?" The Fourth Prince looked at Lanqin with doting eyes, his affection for this little princess growing stronger every day. He knew that his exclusive favor towards Lanqin had already aroused the dissatisfaction of the Fujin (principal wife) and the other women in the harem, but he just couldn't help but continue to treat each woman's feelings equally, just like before.

Suddenly, the stars shifted, the clouds dispersed, and the bright moon hid behind a layer of dark clouds. The entire sky turned black.

Fourth Master pulled Lanqin back to the house. With Nianxue and Su Peisheng serving them, the two washed up and changed clothes. Then, the room was filled with spring colors and a scene of romance.

In the main courtyard, under the same moon, stood another person. This person was Ulanara, who stood alone in the courtyard, looking up at the moon, her heart filled with unease and fear.

Honghui ignored her words and continued to get close to the South Courtyard. It is said that even the Fourth Master participated in the "CS" activity she designed.

The princess looked up at the moon, her eyes filled with loneliness. The fourth prince hadn't spent the night in the main courtyard for a long time.

"Madam, it's late, go back to your room and rest," said Granny Li, standing behind Madam.

"She must be removed, Granny. Now even Honghui is going to listen to her, which I absolutely cannot allow," Ulanara said coldly. If it were just that the Fourth Prince favored Niu Shi, she wouldn't be so agitated, because before Niu Shi, Li Shi had also enjoyed the Emperor's favor for seven or eight years. But now, she felt that her son was drifting further and further away from her, all because of Niu Shi's usual methods, which had not only bewitched the Fourth Prince but also Honghui.

"Madam, this matter cannot be rushed. She is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor; you cannot confront her directly," sighed Granny Li. Any madam in any household would likely have trouble sleeping if she encountered a concubine like Lanqin. Granny Li had witnessed the situation clearly over the past six months. The Fourth Prince had been completely won over by this unassuming Lady Niu.