In the afternoon, Jiaming practiced fingering techniques for playing the guzheng.

Near the end, the Fourth Master arrived. After arriving, he did not allow the servants to remind Jiaming, thus interrupting her practice.

It wasn't until Jiaming finished practicing that Fourth Master spoke up, "You've improved!"

Upon hearing this, Jiaming turned her head and looked at the Fourth Prince, saying, "Your Highness, you've been here for a while now, why didn't you remind me?" After all, only by listening to her practice for a while could he know whether she had made any progress.

Then, she gestured to Green Willow beside her to put away the guzheng, stood up, and sat down next to Fourth Master.

At the same time, the Fourth Master said calmly, "You are practicing and will be finishing soon. You also have servants to serve you. It's alright to wait a bit."

"Master, you're so kind!" Jiaming immediately expressed her gratitude, and then happily responded to what the Fourth Master had just said, "Master, you just said that I have improved, thank you for your praise!"

Seeing how happy she was, the Fourth Master feared she might become arrogant, so he reminded her, "You still need to keep working hard!"

Even so, Jiaming smiled and nodded happily in agreement. Then, she poured herself a cup of tea, picked up a pastry, and ate it. After taking a bite, she felt her mouth was a little dry, so she picked up her teacup and prepared to drink some tea.

Seeing this, Fourth Master said nothing more, but instead voiced his doubts, "You, are you very happy today?"

Jiaming quickly stopped drinking her tea, her hand holding the teacup paused, and she asked with surprise and doubt, "Master, how did you know?"

Fourth Master looked at Jiaming and answered seriously, "Although it was just practicing fingering, the emotion in the music was obvious."

"Is there emotion in the music?" Jiaming murmured thoughtfully.

Fourth Master looked at Jiaming and thought to himself: This child is teachable!

After a short while, Jiaming came to her senses and looked at Fourth Master with bright eyes, "Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

"Hmm!" Fourth Master nodded in agreement, then said calmly, "It's one thing for you to understand, but how to put it into practice is what you'll have to do from now on."

Jiaming replied earnestly, "Knowing is easy, doing is hard. I understand."

"Knowing is easy, doing is hard!" Fourth Master repeated these four words with his eyes lowered. Then, he looked up at Jiaming and praised her, "Many things in this world are easy to know but hard to do. Learning the guzheng is the same. It's good that you understand."

Jiaming nodded, and then she naturally changed the subject, returning to the question that Fourth Master had just asked.

"My lord, are you curious as to why I'm in such a good mood?" Jiaming said, then continued drinking her tea.

Fourth Master glanced at Jiaming, who was drinking tea, and said nothing, calmly sipping his tea before saying, "I'm not really curious."

Jiaming: "..." Now she understood how Li Shi felt when she was speechless by her words this morning! Somewhat depressed and dejected, she put down the teacup she was holding, took a bite of pastry listlessly, and almost choked.

She quickly picked up her teacup and took a sip, which made her feel a little better. Then, she put the teacup down again.

Seeing Jiaming choke on her words, and then witnessing her subsequent actions and expressions, the Fourth Master slightly raised the corner of his mouth, which was hidden behind the teacup. He then said, "However, if you have something to say, then I will listen!"

This familiar routine is clearly the same way she treated Li this morning.

Ah, karma!

Jiaming felt even more dejected inside, but she didn't pretend on the surface. However, she still told her why she was happy.

She spoke objectively, and after listening to her, the Fourth Prince did not feel at all that Lady Guarjia was criticizing the women who were targeting her today!

Even Su Peisheng, who was by the Fourth Master's side, didn't think she was complaining.

Clearly, this is expressing, "Today, the Li family and others are targeting her, trying to make her uncomfortable, so she'll make them uncomfortable! Then, she'll be very happy and in a good mood. That's why she's happy eating, drinking tea, and doing everything. For example, just now, she was playing the guzheng."

So, Fourth Master and Su Peisheng: "..."

Seeing that the Fourth Master remained silent, Jiaming's eyes gleamed, and she pressed him for an answer, "Master, don't you think what I'm doing is wrong?"

Just as the Fourth Prince was about to say something, Jiaming continued, "However, I learned all of this from you, Your Highness."

Su Peisheng looked at Jiaming with immense admiration. She dared to tease him, even claiming she'd learned it from him, subtly implying he was petty. However, the concubine Guarjia was right; the master was indeed petty, and indeed, if someone made him unhappy, he would make them unhappy in return.

Hmm, perhaps, the fact that Consort Guarjia became involved with the master is indeed due to her influence; one is influenced by one's surroundings.

The Fourth Prince was taken aback; he hadn't expected Lady Guarjia to tease him like that. However, considering Lady Guarjia's personality, he wasn't surprised. She certainly had the guts, and besides, she had already done it.

Fourth Master didn't take it to heart; on the contrary, he found it quite amusing.

"Guarjia clan, you've got some nerve, daring to even joke about your master."

Jiaming smiled and said, "Isn't it because you are so magnanimous and didn't blame me? Otherwise, how would I have dared to do that?"

"A magnanimous man?" Fourth Master said, looking at Jiaming with a half-smile, and continued, "Who was it that just hinted that I was petty?"

Jiaming blinked innocently and said, "Really? But the Chinese language is profound and complex. A single word or sentence can have many meanings. Perhaps you've misunderstood, sir."

Su Peisheng continued to look at Jiaming with admiration, thinking to himself: Guarjia concubine is indeed bold, she actually dares to pretend to be innocent in front of the master and say that the master has misunderstood.

Fourth Master's face remained expressionless, his eyes fixed on Jiaming, then a smile flashed across his face, which Jiaming would not have noticed if she hadn't had sharp eyes.

Upon discovering the fine tea, a bad feeling immediately arose.

Sure enough, the Fourth Master said calmly, "But I don't think I've misunderstood. I am quite petty, so..."

Jiaming immediately felt tears welling up in her eyes, realizing the unspoken meaning in Fourth Master's words—that the matter of being magnanimous could be omitted.

Sure enough, the Fourth Prince said with ill intent, "How dare you joke with me, Guarjia clan? Are you prepared to be punished by me?"

Jiaming looked at the Fourth Master with a mournful expression, "Master, really, I was just teasing you! Did you have to treat me like this? How boring!"

The Fourth Master's lips curled up, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He said, "But I find you quite amusing to look at you like this."

"..." Jiaming asked the Fourth Master, feeling frustrated, "Master, how are you going to punish me?"

Fourth Master put down his teacup and said immediately, "Hmm, I'll punish you by making you cook a few dishes for me!"

Upon hearing this, Jiaming knew that Fourth Master was just teasing her with his punishment; he wasn't angry at all that she was teasing him.

However, she still cooperated and continued to act, so she replied listlessly, "I understand, sir. Please order!"

Fourth Master immediately ordered several dishes, including sweet and sour pork ribs and braised pork.

Upon hearing this, Jiaming knew that these two dishes were specially prepared for Hongjing by the master.