When the Fourth Prince learned that Consort De was ill and had already issued an edict ordering Lanqin to enter the palace to attend to her, Lanqin had already entered the palace with Nianxue and Xicha.

Because she didn't know how long she would be caring for the sick, Lanqin felt a little sad when she left, hugging Wuxiha. Xichen also smiled at her and jumped into her arms. This child had gone from being shy and timid when he first arrived to smiling and snuggling into Lanqin's arms whenever he saw her, all because Lanqin was genuinely kind to him and didn't treat him like an outsider.

"Consort, rest assured, we will take good care of the two children," the wet nurse, Granny Jiang, assured Lanqin. She saw that Lanqin was not harsh on them, was usually kind, and didn't like to be difficult. She felt she had a gentle mistress, and with the Fourth Prince's instructions, she was completely devoted to her duties.

Lanqin thought she wouldn't be attached to her child, but this forced separation made her feel a little uncomfortable.

When the carriage arrived at the Forbidden City, Lanqin finally recovered from the separation from her child after Nianxue helped her down from the carriage.

"Master, we've arrived," Nianxue said.

Lanqin looked at the magnificent palace and wanted to find the Fourth Master, but she was afraid she wouldn't be able to find him, so she had to brace herself and face whatever came next.

At this moment, the Fourth Prince was already in Yonghe Palace.

"Mother, how are you feeling now?" The Fourth Prince was sitting on a sandalwood carved round stool, looking at Consort De who was lying diagonally on the bed.

"It's an old ailment. My throat gets sore from the cold weather, but it's nothing serious. You can go back now. I've already brought your concubine in. She's just been promoted, so she should do some work, don't you think?" Once Consort De shed her usual serious and reserved demeanor, she was actually a very beautiful and dignified woman. Although over forty, she still retained a certain charm. However, at this moment, her occasional coughs gave her a somewhat sickly appearance. Coupled with the faint medicinal smell from the medicine she had been taking for several days, the room was filled with an unpleasant odor. The palace servants dared not open the windows, fearing that a cold draft would worsen Consort De's condition.

The Fourth Prince was a little worried about whether Lanqin could serve Consort De well, and he was also afraid that she might anger Consort De, so he felt uneasy. He was sure that his mother wouldn't approve of that young woman's thoughts and behavior. The Fourth Prince knew his mother well.

"What, are you worried that I will be harsh on your concubine?" Consort De asked, slightly displeased, as she looked at the Fourth Prince sitting there in silence.

"Mother, you misunderstand. I was just worried that Consort Niu wouldn't take good care of you. I was concerned about your health," the Fourth Prince said truthfully. He wasn't really worried that Consort De would be harsh on Lanqin, because he knew his mother's temperament well. At most, she would be cold towards him, but she wouldn't deliberately punish him. Moreover, the Fourth Prince had gradually figured out Lanqin's temperament; she wouldn't bully others by taking advantage of his favor, but she also wouldn't be bullied.

Consort De's complexion softened slightly. Looking at her son, with whom she had always been estranged since childhood, she was filled with mixed emotions. After the Sixth Prince's passing, she had deliberately kept her distance from the Fourth Prince for a long time. If she hadn't mistakenly given the Sixth Prince chestnut cake with peanuts in it, that tragedy wouldn't have happened. However, blame and indifference are double-edged swords; they hurt others, but also hurt oneself. As the Fourth Prince grew up, Consort De gradually forgot about the Sixth Prince's death. When she tried to rekindle her mother-son bond, she found that the obstacles between them were no longer so simple.

"Then you can go back. I promise I'll send your concubine back the same way she came in." Consort De's tone was still slightly displeased. Actually, she suddenly remembered that she summoned Lanqin to the palace not so that she could actually take care of her when she was ill, but to ask about Consort Yi's words from yesterday.

Seeing that Consort De insisted, the Fourth Prince could only offer a few words of comfort before leaving.

“Your Highness, Consort Niu has already entered the palace and is probably on her way here. Should I go and greet her? You can speak with her first.” Su Peisheng saw the Fourth Prince come out of Consort De’s palace with a gloomy expression and knew that he was worried about Lanqin.

"Alright, you head towards Jingren Palace, and I'll head this way. Let's see if we can run into her. If you do, bring her to Yangxing Gate. If I don't, I'll wait there," the Fourth Prince instructed.

Su Peisheng nodded, bowed, and immediately turned and left.

The Fourth Prince walked slowly along the passageway of Yonghe Palace, hoping to catch a glimpse of that figure. Along the way, many palace maids and eunuchs came out from various places, carrying some things, and they all bowed to the Fourth Prince when they saw him.

Fourth Master was so focused on the people coming from the front that he didn't pay much attention to those who were bowing.

In the distance, a woman wearing a moon-white cloak and with her hair styled in a large, flowing updo was gracefully walking towards them. It was none other than Lan Qin!

Lanqin also saw a man in a dark blue brocade robe looking at her from afar. They had been sharing a bed for more than a year, and she had long since engraved his appearance in her heart. How could she not recognize him?

The two quickened their pace, and as they approached, the two maids exclaimed excitedly, "Master, it's Master!!"

The Fourth Prince looked at Lanqin, who was dressed in a purple qipao, with a moon-white cloak and a hair ornament in accordance with the regulations for a secondary consort. She looked very proper.

Looking at her makeup, it was also meticulously applied. This outfit truly gave the young woman a touch of the elegance of a concubine.

"Does your scalp hurt?" Fourth Master now always likes to tease Lanqin whenever he speaks.

Lanqin almost burst out laughing, and pouted slightly as she said, "When I see Mother, I must behave properly. But since you've gone back to see Wuxiha and Xichen, I'm a little worried about the two little ones."

Fourth Master nodded, took her hand, and turned into a small path on the left. After walking for a while, they arrived at Yangxing Gate.

The two entered the pavilion inside the gate, and the two maids stood outside the pavilion without any hesitation.

"This time, Mother's sudden summons to the palace may not just be for attending to her illness; it could be related to the matter involving Consort Wang and her son. Alas, if Mother finds out about this, I'm afraid she will be very upset," the Fourth Prince said.

"Why would Mother suspect this?" Lanqin had already thought of it. On the way here, she wondered why Consort De had summoned her to the palace to serve her when she was ill. To put it bluntly, any of the palace maids in Yonghe Palace could serve her better than her. It wasn't that Lanqin didn't want to be filial, but if we only looked at serving the sick, she was indeed not as good as those well-trained palace maids.

"It seems some people deliberately leaked this information. They really aren't giving up," Fourth Master said in a deep voice.