"The two young masters are finally feeling better, Master!" Si Hua and Lan Qin walked side by side behind Wu Xiha and Bechuk. Hongli was just recovering, so they didn't bring him out and left him in the care of Aunt An and the others.

"Sigh, I always teach them not to rely too much on those who serve them, and to be independent. But in my eyes, that's probably all heresy," Lanqin said, feeling quite frustrated. How could she help her two daughters develop good habits of independence without attracting unwanted attention?

Upon arriving at the Imperial Garden, the two children were noticeably in much better spirits. They chased and played among the flowers, quickly forgetting Consort De's scolding. Lanqin and Sihua stood to the side, watching their two daughters with smiles on their faces, seemingly having also forgotten the unpleasantness of the morning.

"Master, shall we go back after the Golden Festival?" Si Hua asked.

"Yes, it's time to go back. After the pilgrimage to all nations ends, I'll go and resign from my post with Father Emperor," Lanqin said. After this experience, she shouldn't mind so much anymore, and Fourth Prince has promised to trust her completely, which is a small gain for her.

“Master has been completely different these days. When you return, things should be even better,” Si Hua said.

“Days just keep going. The infighting in the inner quarters will probably never end. This time, Wuya has been eliminated, but what about the people behind her?” Lanqin felt heavy-hearted as she recalled the Fourth Master’s words. Those people in the inner quarters who couldn’t be touched would never be satisfied; they would always try to scheme against the South Courtyard and her children. Thinking of all this, Lanqin felt heavy and tired, wondering when it would all end.

“As long as Master is on Master’s side, Master will definitely be able to handle it,” Si Hua said.

"Oh dear! Where did this little wild girl come from!" A sharp cry interrupted Lanqin and Sihua's conversation. Before Lanqin could answer Sihua, she had already looked in the direction of the cry and heard Bechuk crying.

“You’re the wild girl! My sister isn’t a wild girl.” Ushiha’s voice followed immediately.

"Where did you girls come from? Not only did you bump into this princess, but you also dared to talk back! You have absolutely no manners!" A woman's shrill voice rang out, followed by her sudden, strange cry: "You actually dared to bite me, you wild girl!"

Lanqin quickened her pace and rushed over, only to see Ushiha and Bechuk standing there with a woman in a pink palace dress grabbing their ears. Upon closer inspection, Lanqin realized that the woman was none other than the Sixteenth Princess.

"Stop!" Lanqin was so anxious that she forgot all about manners.

"Mother!" Ushiha turned around and saw that Lanqin and Sihua had already walked over. He quickly pulled Bechuk towards Lanqin.

"Oh, I thought it was some wild girl from somewhere, but it's yours!" The Sixteenth Princess looked at Lanqin with disdain and contempt.

Lanqin quickly squatted down to comfort Wuxiha and Bechuk, who had rushed over, and asked them what had happened, completely ignoring the Sixteenth Princess.

“Mother, just now, Bechuk was catching butterflies over there and accidentally bumped into her. It wasn’t on purpose at all. She immediately started yelling at my sister, calling her a wild girl,” Ushiha said.

"Yes, you're both fine now. It's alright. She was being rude by swearing, you know?" Lanqin comforted her two daughters.

"What did you say? Who are you calling rude!" The Sixteenth Princess was even angrier when she heard Lanqin's words and saw that she was being ignored.

"I told my daughter that anyone who swears at others for no reason is impolite," Lanqin said. She didn't have a good impression of this sixteenth princess either.

"Your daughter bumped into me, so what if I called her a wild girl? A noble princess wouldn't run around in the Imperial Garden like that. Calling her a wild girl isn't an exaggeration." The Sixteenth Princess's face twisted instantly. She hated being ignored the most. Because her birth mother, Consort Shu, was someone who was neglected and ignored, she was also disregarded. Only after getting close to the Empress Dowager did she gradually appear more often in front of Emperor Kangxi. In addition, she was good at flattering and ingratiating herself, which won her some favor.

"Beichuk is only three years old. Does the princess really intend to argue with a three-year-old child?" Lanqin said. "The princess is very polite. She shouldn't hold a grudge against a three-year-old, right? But why did the princess just pinch Wuxiha's ear? Is this something a noble princess would do?"

"Who told her to insult me? I was just teaching her a lesson. How dare she speak to a princess like that!" The Sixteenth Princess was taken aback by Lanqin's questions, her face turning red instantly. After all, Bechuk had only bumped into her; he was just a child. Her overreaction and reprimand were clearly unbecoming of a princess.

"How did she insult you?" Lan Qin demanded.

“Mother, I didn’t scold her. She called us wild girls. I told her not to scold my sister. You’re the wild girl,” Ushiha quickly said.

“Did you hear that? Ushiha didn’t insult you; she was just throwing the princess’s foul language back at her,” Lanqin said.

"You, do you think you're so great just because you were granted a county post by Father Emperor? I am a princess, why don't you bow to me?" the Sixteenth Princess said.

"This humble servant greets the princess! Shouldn't the princess also pay her respects to this county magistrate? After all, we are of the same rank, and I am also your fourth brother's concubine," Lanqin said immediately.

"Fourth brother's sister-in-law? This princess only recognizes the Fourth Prince's wife. Where did this so-called concubine come from?" The Sixteenth Princess waved her handkerchief and said haughtily.

"You!" Si Hua couldn't help but exclaim.

"Who do you think you are, daring to be rude to this princess! Chunying, teach this unruly brat a lesson!" The Sixteenth Princess shouted sternly as soon as she saw Sihua speak.

"Yes!" Chunying stepped out from behind Shi Liu, walked up to Si Hua, and said to Lan Qin, "County Magistrate, I am acting on the princess's orders. Please do not make things difficult for me."

Having said that, she raised her hand to hit Si Hua.

"Si Hua, take Wuxiha and Bechuk back immediately." Lanqin rushed forward and blocked Chunying's path.

"Master! This servant cannot abandon you!" Si Hua said, seeing Lan Qin defending her.

“Go back. This is nothing.” Lanqin said, turning her head.

"Don't leave! You dare to leave when I say I'm going to beat you!" The Sixteenth Princess clearly wasn't going to let Si Hua leave just like that.

However, seeing that Lanqin was determined, Sihua took Wuxiha and Bechuk's hands and walked back.

"Mother!" Ushiha cried out worriedly.

"Be good, go back with Si Hua first. Your mother is fine." Lan Qin said, staring at the Sixteenth Princess.