"I came in to tell you that I have to leave first. I'll find someone to help you bathe Fu Bao after I'm done." Fourth Master looked at Lan Qin and said casually, as if such a conversation was commonplace between them. Su Peisheng stood behind Fourth Master, bowing slightly. Hearing this, he couldn't help but secretly admire the man in the room.

"Okay, Fu Bao, say 'goodbye' to Daddy!" Although Lan Qin was increasingly reluctant to see Fourth Master leave, hearing his words still warmed her heart.

Seeing the little princess raise her puppy paw and wave at him, the Fourth Prince etched this scene into his heart. As he turned to leave, the smile on his lips never faded.

Meanwhile, the Li family and their servants had already started their journey back. The evening glow was no longer as intense as the midday sun; it spread across the sky like a brocade, exceptionally beautiful and magnificent.

"Master, I can't understand what you mean. Does he not quite believe what you say?" Que'er helped Li Shi walk back slowly.

“You’ve been by my side for three or four years now, haven’t you figured out Fourth Master’s temper yet? His unpredictability is his usual way of getting things done. If you, a little girl, could figure him out so easily, how could he be called the ‘Cold-Faced King’?” Madam Li said thoughtfully, glancing at the red glow on the horizon.

"Consort Li, please wait!" Suddenly, Su Peisheng's voice came from behind. Consort Li was overjoyed and immediately turned around, holding Que'er's hand, only to see Su Peisheng jogging up, while the Fourth Prince was strolling behind him.

"This concubine greets Fourth Master!" Lady Li gave a slight curtsy and bowed to the Fourth Master. She suppressed her joy and tried her best to keep her expression dignified and composed. After more than half a year of neglect, Lady Li had come to understand what the Fourth Master wanted from her: to be a dutiful and obedient Consort Li and not to think about anything else. He was ultimately her everything, and she couldn't change his mind, so she had no choice but to obey.

After understanding this, Lady Li changed her attitude towards the Prince Consort. She arrived on time for every greeting, and on various occasions, she no longer wore colors that surpassed the Prince Consort's. She always consulted the Prince Consort first when faced with a matter. However, this did not mean that she became obedient and stopped trying to gain more for the Third and Fourth Princes. On the contrary, she was constantly thinking about how to remove obstacles in the Third and Fourth Princes' path to advancement. She simply learned to conceal her abilities and not show her emotions.

"Let's go see what Yan Yu has to say?" Fourth Master walked to Li Shi's side and then walked alongside her.

"I have a suggestion, but I don't know if Your Highness would agree!" Madam Li said, carefully observing the Fourth Prince's expression.

"Tell me, when did Canlian become so cautious?" Fourth Master said gently, then took her hand on this side and held it lightly in his palm.

Seeing the Fourth Master's actions, knowing that he was satisfied with her recent behavior, she spoke even more gently: "My lord, I would like to put on a play with Que'er, so that Yan Yu will reveal a secret she has been keeping hidden in her heart. This secret may be related to the rumor you have heard outside recently. I hope you will just stand outside the window and listen. No matter what I say, please don't come in, so that Yan Yu can see you. Is that alright?"

The Fourth Master remained silent for a moment, then nodded and tightened his grip on Madam Li's hand slightly.

The two remained silent as they walked towards the east courtyard.

After the Fujin left, Yun Yuan secretly ran out of the main courtyard when no one was paying attention. Knowing that her princess must be with Madam Li, she went to Madam Li's east courtyard without thinking. Ming Yan knew that she was Yan Yu's maid, and since Madam Li was not there, she saw Yun Yuan lead her to the room where Madam Li was keeping Yan Yu.

"Princess, I've finally found you! The Princess Consort has been sending people everywhere to look for you!" Yun Yuan saw that Yan Yu was indeed inside, and she ran over immediately, wiping away her tears in front of Yan Yu.

"Why are you here too? Does the Fujin know you've come here?" Yan Yu stared at Yun Yuan, afraid that she would attract the Fujin's attention.

"Princess, I am your maid. Wherever you go, I will follow. Don't worry, I wasn't discovered by anyone when I came," Yun Yuan said confidently. "Princess, hiding here isn't a long-term solution. Will Consort Li always help you?"

"I don't know either, but I don't want to go back like this. Sister Li said she'd help me find my brother-in-law," Yan Yu said stubbornly. She was currently focused on marrying into the family and seemed oblivious to Li's ill intentions. However, Yun Yuan saw through her and said worriedly, "Princess, do you really trust this Consort Li so much? She and the First Lady are like oil and water!"

Yan Yu glanced at Yun Yuan warily, suspecting that Yun Yuan had been bribed by the Fujin to speak on her behalf. So, she said coldly, "Yun Yuan, I see very clearly who is helping me and who is forcing me. When did it become your place to speak?"

Yun Yuan immediately became so anxious that tears were about to flow. She quickly explained, "Princess, this servant had no other intentions. I was just worried about you. Please don't misunderstand!"

Just as the master and servant were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of a flowerpot being stepped on blue bricks outside. Yan Yu made a shushing gesture to Yun Yuan and then walked towards the door.

Before she could even reach the door, Madam Li helped Xiangqiao step inside.

"So it's my sister!" Yan Yu rushed forward as if she had seen a savior, grasped Li's hands, and asked anxiously, "How is it? Have you seen your brother-in-law? What does he think of your sister?"

Li's face showed no joy. She looked at Yan Yu with a hesitant expression, as if she wanted to say something but was afraid that what she said would be unacceptable to Yan Yu. So she said regretfully, "Good sister, it's not that I don't want to help you, but it is fate. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do!"

Seeing that Li Shi's words were evasive and that she seemed to have many things left to say, Yan Yu eagerly grabbed Li Shi's hand and refused to let go, saying, "What exactly do you mean by 'it is the will of Heaven' that you are, sister?"

Yan Yu knew that the so-called "divine will" was nothing more than something created by her elder sister and Wu Ge. Since it was possible for people to create divine will, she believed that as long as she created the divine will that Fourth Master desired, she would still have a chance to achieve her wish.

"Alas!" Madam Li sighed and said, "Alright, I'll tell you now. My husband told me that he has found the woman whose five elements are all water, but it's not you, sister. He said he will choose a day to marry her, so you, sister, will probably have to disappoint him." After saying that, Madam Li sighed heavily again, looking as if she was very regretful.

"How is that possible! My brother-in-law really found a woman with the water element in her five-square grid?" Yan Yu asked incredulously.