However, the wife in the mansion did feel a pang of resentment upon hearing the news.
However, she was currently in the manor, and although she could send someone to the estate to warn Li Shi, she was also well aware that the Fourth Master often spent time at the estate these days.
If she doesn't anger the Fourth Master, she'll still be the one who makes a fool of herself.
So the princess finally gave up.
It was just a dinner arrangement for the Dragon Boat Festival—what's the big deal?
In truth, Princess Wu from Zhuangzi was probably even more anxious than her.
The Fujin (principal wife) did indeed dislike Li Shi for being favored and power-hungry—but she knew even better that the pregnant Wu Gege (princess Wu) was her biggest worry.
She wasn't in a hurry to make a move. She preferred to let them fight it out on the estate first. If things really escalated, she, as the primary wife, could then step in and pretend to be the wise and magnanimous primary wife.
However, she was not idle during her time in the mansion.
She knew of the Fourth Prince's filial piety and remembered the previous times when Consort De had implied that she would only visit the Three Treasures Hall if there was nothing important to discuss.
So these days he often went to the palace to accompany Consort De.
After visiting many times, Consort De's attitude towards her became similar to that of her when she and the Fourth Prince had just gotten married.
The Fujin (wife of the emperor) did not show anything, but went to the palace every two days to accompany Consort De. When Consort De asked, she said that she was free at home anyway, so she might as well come to the palace to keep her mother company.
This also implies that Consort De and the Fourth Prince had been staying at the estate for quite some time.
Consort De had just received some gifts from her fourth son, who had sent them from the estate a few days ago. Right now, the white porcelain bowl with a blue and white background, with its wide mouth and round belly, was still filled with lotus flowers and lotus leaves.
The lotus leaves were naturally sent by the fourth son of the manor, while the bowl lotuses were carefully cultivated in the palace.
Consort De then pointed to the lotus in the bowl: "That lotus in the bowl is very good. It is cleansed by the clear ripples and is not seductive. It is pleasing to the eye and heart. It is indeed the fourth prince who put his heart into it."
The princess then continued, "When the master was at home, he often talked about his mother." She emphasized the words "at home" as if to stress something.
Consort De's opinion of the Fujin has diminished somewhat these days.
She knew her son's temperament well enough that if she asked him to move back to the manor from the estate, he probably wouldn't object.
However, Consort De was well aware that doing so would only further weaken the bond between the fourth prince and her son.
Whether it's a daughter-in-law or a son, Consort De wasn't so confused that she couldn't tell the difference.
She was actually happy to see her son living a more comfortable life.
Therefore, he became even colder towards his wife.
——
Meanwhile, the Emperor, who was on his southern tour, received a letter from the capital delivered by fast horse.
When His Majesty saw the line, "The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince drank together on the Dragon Boat Festival. The next day, the Crown Prince rode with the Fourth Prince on horseback at the estate. The Fourth Prince was a little lacking in riding and archery, so the Crown Prince slowed down to accompany him," a smile of satisfaction appeared on His Majesty's face.
"Baocheng is a good kid, and so is the fourth one."
Now that he was middle-aged, the Emperor naturally began to reminisce about the deep brotherhood he shared with Prince Fuquan when he was young.
The emperor began ruling at the age of eight, and there wasn't much infighting among his brothers. He was also very happy to see his sons and brothers sharing a deep bond.
Whether it was genuine brotherly affection or factionalism, His Majesty could see clearly.
His Majesty remained silent for a long time, it was unclear whether he was thinking of Prince Zhi, the Eighth Prince, or the Third Prince who was often by his side now.
"Is the Sixteenth still ill?" After having the letter put away, the Emperor asked about other things.
"I initially thought it was just a case of acclimatization issues, but the imperial physician says the illness seems to be getting worse." Liang Jiugong knew that His Majesty had been worried about this for the past two days.
The birth mothers of the Fifteenth Prince and the Sixteenth Prince were both Consort Mi, Lady Wang. The fact that His Majesty brought both princes along on this southern tour is enough to show His Majesty's favor towards them.
The fifteenth prince was only five years old, and the sixteenth prince was only three years old.
It's inevitable that the princes are young and frail, but these two princes are the youngest, so His Majesty is naturally more concerned about them now.
"Tell the imperial physicians to be more thorough—let's stop for a few days, I'll take the opportunity to inspect the area along the way."
Liang Jiugong agreed, and seeing that His Majesty seemed to have forgotten something these days, he whispered, "It seems that the Seventh Prince's wedding is just around the corner. His Majesty previously said that the Crown Prince should keep an eye on things, but the imperial edict has not yet been drafted—"
His Majesty had truly forgotten about this matter. He paused for a moment, then said, "Have Fourth Prince and Bao Cheng keep an eye on things together. I trust Fourth Prince to handle things. In the end, I have wronged Seventh Prince. On the day of Seventh Prince's wedding, I will select some good items from my private treasury to add to the wedding gifts. Although I am not in the capital, I cannot neglect this matter."
Liang Jiugong should be the one.
——
Seventh Master's wedding is on May 28th, which means there are only about 20 days left.
Emperor Kangxi's imperial edict was delivered back to the capital on May 12th.
When the Fourth Prince received the news, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was truly afraid that his father, the Emperor, had forgotten about this incident.
However, for the first time, the Fourth Prince understood the resentful look in the little princess's eyes when she made arrangements for her during the Dragon Boat Festival, regarding the Emperor's decree that he should assist the Crown Prince in managing affairs.
This is a really tough time.
Sure enough, the next day when the Fourth Prince came out of the Ministry of Revenue, he ran into Prince Zhi, who also gave him a cold look.
Fourth Master didn't mind, and simply called out "Big Brother" in a respectful but not arrogant manner.
Just as Seventh Master's wedding was approaching, Fourth Master received a letter from Thirteenth Master, saying that Sixteenth Master had fallen seriously ill and the Emperor's entourage had to stay in Yong'an.
Fourth Master felt a vague unease, as if he could see the impending storm brewing in the thin sheet of paper.
Fortunately, the seventh prince's wedding was completed smoothly on May 28th. With the Emperor bestowing a continuous stream of gifts on the day, the court officials, who were initially somewhat perfunctory because the Emperor was not in the capital, did not become too presumptuous.
The very next day, an urgent imperial edict arrived from Jiangnan, ordering the Crown Prince to rush to the Emperor's presence.
No one knew what had happened, but the Crown Prince calmly packed his bags and headed south.
He naturally knew exactly what had happened.
It's just that the sixteenth prince died suddenly, and then that idiot third prince slandered him, the crown prince, for harming his younger brother.
The Emperor was so angry that he fell ill.
The so-called evidence that the third brother presented was simply laughable.
The Crown Prince was well prepared for all of this and showed no sign of panic when he left the capital.
When the Fourth Prince came to see him off, the Crown Prince was still able to smile and pat the Fourth Prince on the shoulder: "When I come back, the two of us brothers will drink together again, and maybe we can even make it to the Mid-Autumn Festival."
When the Fourth Prince returned to the estate, he was in a rather depressed mood, and he vaguely guessed that it was related to the seriously ill Sixteenth Prince.
The sixteenth prince's mother, Lady Wang, gave birth to the fifteenth prince the following year. The sixteenth prince was born with a deficiency, just like the eldest princess in the mansion.
It's actually a bit illogical that the Emperor took the Sixteenth Prince on a southern tour this time.
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