Fourth Master raised his hand, took off his gray fox fur cloak, and handed it to Su Peisheng. He walked to Lanqin's side, and the maids tactfully stepped aside. Nianxue found the oil-paper umbrella and held it over Lanqin's head again.

Fourth Master used the snow blocks collected by the maids to fill the snowman little by little.

Lanqin watched as Fourth Master worked so diligently beside him, and the snowman, which was originally not yet formed, gradually transformed into the familiar snowman shape in Fourth Master's hands.

Sigh, this man can be so serious even when building a snowman. No wonder history praises him as the most diligent emperor of the Qing Dynasty, even more diligent than Kangxi.

"Master, can I ask you for a favor?" Lanqin walked to the Fourth Master's side, feigning pitifulness, and pulled up one side of his robe.

Fourth Master glanced at Lanqin's pitiful little face and thought to himself: It seems that deliberately ignoring her for a few days has worked quite well.

"Don't even think about leaving the house again!" Fourth Master didn't give Lanqin any chance; he wanted her to know what the consequences would be for breaking her promise.

"My lord," Lanqin said, "I wish to ask if you could release Lanqin from the confinement of the manor. I know I was wrong and will never run away again. But I'm so bored being stuck in this small south courtyard. Now that the heavy snow has arrived, if it freezes for a few more days, the lake in the garden should be frozen over. Lanqin wants to go rollerblading, is that alright?" Lanqin knew that rollerblading was a popular activity in the Qing Dynasty. She had previously viewed paintings from the Qianlong era with her tutor, including one depicting members of the imperial family performing rollerblading for Emperor Qianlong at the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

Fourth Master added the last bit of snow, and a beautiful snowman was born.

"My lord, this snowman is so well made! It's the best snowman I've ever seen!" Lanqin immediately flattered the Fourth Prince when he refused to give in.

"Come inside quickly, look at your little nose, it's almost red." After saying this coldly, Fourth Master walked past the snowman into the house.

Lanqin stuck out her tongue at his retreating figure, but she did feel a bit cold, so she immediately followed him.

"Nianxue, go and wipe an oiled paper umbrella on the snowman, otherwise the snowman will be ruined by the heavy snow later." Lanqin instructed Nianxue as she stepped over the threshold.

Fourth Master took off his hat and sat down on Lanqin's main couch. Xicha quickly moved the brazier closer to him. Lanqin, like a girl who had made a mistake, dawdled over to Fourth Master's side and brushed a few snowflakes off his clothes.

"My lord, I truly know I was wrong. I promise I will never run away again without your permission," Lanqin said, tugging at the sleeve of the Fourth Prince.

"You were just telling me you wanted to go ice skating? It's only just started freezing. Would you dare to go skating on it if it didn't freeze for ten days or so? You really have no sense of propriety." Fourth Master didn't know that this little princess could be extremely quick-witted at times, but also incredibly stupid at others.

"Oh, then I'll wait for about ten days. Master, let's have lunch here. I had Chef Niu prepare hot pot today. A mutton hot pot in the dead of winter is sure to be a delightful experience," Lanqin tempted with the food.

The Fourth Prince glanced at the little princess beside him. He hadn't come these past few days for two reasons: firstly, to discipline her, and secondly, he had indeed been very busy. These days, he and the Thirteenth Prince had been counting and storing the recovered silver, working late into the night every day. In addition, with the New Year approaching, there was even more work to be done in the palace.

Seeing that Lanqin's clothes really suited her, making her look as white as red, and seeing her big eyes blinking as she looked at him, he couldn't help but put his arm around Lanqin's shoulder, tap her nose and say, "You're such a worry. In the middle of winter, you'd better stay here quietly."

Lanqin was furious at the Fourth Master's deliberately difficult attitude, but she had no choice but to lower her demands and say, "Master, I can just wander around, otherwise Lanqin will really get sick from being cooped up."

Fourth Master flicked his finger and tapped Lanqin on the head, finally nodding and lifting the confinement order against her.

The mutton hot pot was made by Niu Baoquan at Lan Qin's suggestion, stewing it with fresh fish and adding appetizing pickled cabbage. It was indeed very tangy and refreshing. They then added tofu, vegetables, and mung bean noodles, and the two of them ate until they were so full they couldn't eat anymore before finally stopping.

"Just how many ways of cooking are hidden in your little brain? I never imagined how you were eating different dishes every day when you were at Lingzhu's residence." The mention of Lingzhu by the Fourth Master stirred Lanqin's heart. It had been a long time since she had visited her adoptive parents.

"My greatest injustice is food. Eating all the delicacies in the world is my biggest wish. My lord, aren't you enjoying your meal just as much?" Lanqin's son relaxed again this time, and the cautious demeanor he had just displayed completely disappeared.

Looking at the little princess, the Fourth Prince truly felt that this young woman was indeed like that, without any scheming, jealousy, or plotting to climb the social ladder.

However, Yan Yu of the Nara clan repeatedly crossed the line for the Fourth Prince. He learned from Wang De that Yan Yu had once excused herself from offering incense with the Fujin (Prince's wife) and went to see Xing Hui. This was an act of transgression that he absolutely could not allow. Before he could figure out the purpose of her visit to Xing Hui, the Fourth Prince did not show any displeasure. He still visited the Fujin and Yan Yu from time to time to reassure the sisters. In the Fourth Prince's inner quarters, the Ula Nara clan still held sway.

But only the Fourth Prince knew in his heart that his body and soul had long since left his wife, and only this little woman in front of him could make him feel like he was living a new life.

"Lan'er, give me a child!" Fourth Master said emotionally.

Lanqin was surprised that he would suddenly say such a thing. Her face immediately flushed red, and she pouted and said, "Master doesn't lack women to have children. If Lanqin really has a child for Master, and I can't protect her, I will be heartbroken for the rest of my life."

When she said those words, wasn't she also expressing resentment towards the Fourth Prince?

"Don't worry, I will do everything I can to protect our child." The Fourth Master stared intently at Lanqin, feeling a surge of heat in his lower abdomen, and suddenly felt the urge to make love to her in broad daylight again.

"But, with my body like this, I really want to get pregnant, so why can't I?" Lanqin was actually quite frustrated. She had served the Fourth Master the most and had been married into the household for almost a year.

When Fourth Master saw Lanqin's condition, he remembered what Doctor Bai had said before: that she had damaged her body during her miscarriage and would need to recuperate slowly if she wanted to get pregnant.