The next day, Lanqin didn't stay cooped up in the courtyard as usual. Instead, she took some pastries made by Old Man Niu and went to the west courtyard. She hadn't seen Madam Geng for a long time. It seemed like Madam Geng hadn't come since she returned from the palace.

As Lanqin walked into the west courtyard, she saw Madam Wu supporting Hongqian as they walked out. Seeing Lanqin's calm expression and learning that the Fourth Prince had visited her courtyard the day before, she was very unhappy. She had been waiting for so long, and finally Lanqin showed some signs of falling out of favor. But she never expected that in less than half a month, Lanqin would regain the Fourth Prince's favor.

"Oh, what brings you to our West Courtyard today, Princess Niu?" Wu said, still unwilling to give up.

"Why can't I come?" Lanqin found it genuinely amusing to see Wu Shi looking like she'd defeated a rooster. She and Wu Shi had never actually had any real conflict, but this woman always treated her like a thorn in her side, as if she couldn't be comfortable without making sarcastic remarks whenever they met.

"Now that Princess Niu has regained favor, she's naturally become arrogant and wouldn't remember the gate of our West Courtyard," Wu said sarcastically.

"Sister Wu, you seem surprised. Lanqin is amused. She's never fallen out of favor, has she? It's just that Sister Wu is presumptuous. Several sisters live in the West Courtyard; it's not just you living here alone. Lanqin, do you think it's gotten to the point where you won't let me in?" Lanqin retorted without any politeness.

"You!" Wu snorted angrily, but Lanqin ignored her and walked straight past her.

"What are you so smug about? You'll be crying one day. Go away!" Wu flung her sleeves, stomped her foot, and stormed off in a huff.

As soon as she entered the East Courtyard, she saw Li helping the Fourth Prince Hongshi walk. She then said in a low voice, sounding aggrieved, "Your Highness, that Lady Niu is really too infuriating. She almost bullied me to the doorstep."

Lady Li glanced indifferently at Lady Wu, causing the latter to immediately shut up. After walking with the Fourth Prince for a while, she then asked Mingyan to take the Fourth Prince out to see the flowers.

"What's wrong?" Li asked, flicking her fingernails.

"Madam, Lady Niu just received the Fourth Prince's favor yesterday, and today she's showing off to me at the entrance of the West Courtyard. It's infuriating!" Lady Wu wished Lady Li would intervene, so she added fuel to the fire.

"With her temper, she'd actively pick on you, wouldn't she?" Li glanced at Wu.

"My lady, what do you mean by that? It's as if I'm causing trouble again. I'm only thinking of you. Since this Lady Niu came, haven't we had fewer opportunities to serve the Fourth Prince?" Lady Wu said hastily.

"So, I should thank you!" Li's gaze immediately turned cold.

“That’s not what I meant, please understand, Madam. I just feel that if Niohuru isn’t eliminated, none of us sisters in the inner quarters will have a chance to rise in society. Moreover, you have repeatedly shown her goodwill, Madam, but she is neither grateful nor attentive, which shows that her heart is not the same as ours.” Madam Wu felt a surge of hatred whenever she thought of Lanqin’s flowers. She was known for her vindictive nature and never forgiving when she was in the right.

"Then tell me, how do you get rid of this Niohuru clan?" Madam Li squinted her eyes, seemingly looking into the distance, the turmoil in her eyes well concealed.

"It would be best to kill two birds with one stone and get rid of her with someone else's hands," Wu said in a deep voice, seeing that Li was finally willing to take her advice.

"Oh, do you have a detailed plan?" Li asked.

"I haven't decided yet, but my initial idea is to use the flesh inside Yan Yu's belly to put Niu Shi inside. This will cause them to lose both of them and prevent them from turning the tables," Wu Shi said.

Li's eyelids flickered, and she said, "Then go back and think it over carefully, and come back to tell your older sister when you've made up your mind. I promise I will support you."

Upon hearing this, Wu knew that Li wanted to use her to eliminate Niu. She felt some resentment, but since she depended on Li, she had no choice but to listen to her most of the time.

"I'm afraid my considerations are not as thorough as yours, Your Highness's. Please enlighten me." Wu was not stupid, so she threw the ball back to Li.

"Hehe, I've had people keeping an eye on Yan Yu for a long time. You guessed right this time. I'm also planning how to use her to get rid of some people." Li Shi touched the nail guards on her hands and said casually, as if she were eliminating some flowers and plants, rather than lives.

"Your Highness is wise. As long as we get rid of Lady Niu and Yan Yu, this inner quarters will still be yours. The First Prince is gone, how can the one in the main courtyard compare to you? The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince are both your sons." Lady Wu continued to flatter her.

"Hmph, you may leave. I am tired and wish to rest. Go back and think this matter over carefully," Li Shi dismissed him.

After Lady Wu withdrew as instructed, Que'er walked to Lady Li's side, placed her hand on Lady Li's shoulder, and whispered, "Lady Wu's temperament is something we can make use of. There are many things that don't need the Fujin to handle; letting her do it is enough."

Li squinted and said, "She's been with me for several years now. Don't touch her unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, she might do something desperate, and we'll be in big trouble."

It wasn't that Li had any sisterly affection for Wu, but rather that Wu knew some of her secrets, and Li was just afraid that Wu would implicate her if her life was in danger.

As for Yan Yu, since she was pregnant, everyone in the manor sent her congratulatory gifts, including Lan Qin.

She gave a wild ginseng root and some white bird's nest. These were both relatively precious tonic herbs, perfect for pregnant women—not particularly outstanding, but unlikely to be a mistake. Lanqin had no feelings for Yan Yu to begin with, so naturally she followed the crowd when it came to gifts, letting Nianxue make the decision.

"Princess, I heard that Lady Niu has regained favor!" Fangyun tidied Yan Yu's hair, gesturing with the items sent by the Fujin and others on her head.

"Hmph, if she can fall out of favor once, she can do it again. Go and find out why Lady Niu fell out of favor with the master before." Yan Yu had already felt the movement of the little life in her belly for the first time. She could not serve the Fourth Master at the moment, but she was well aware of the situation in the inner quarters.

Lanqin was always considered her number one enemy. Although the Fujin was her elder sister, she was also one of the obstacles that prevented her from moving up the social ladder. Li's attitude was still unclear, but the others were not a threat.

If she can give birth to this child and convince the Fourth Prince that he is a noble person with extraordinary signs, then she may be able to break the current pattern and stand out from the princesses.

My child, you must make me proud, and your mother will surely give you the best things in the world.

Yan Yu stroked her belly and silently told the child in her womb that she believed in the connection between mother and child, and that the little life inside her would surely hear her prayers.