Fourth Master has indeed been quite busy lately, somewhat like he used to shuttle between the manor and the capital every day in March.
Normally, there aren't many matters at the Ministry of Revenue that require the Fourth Prince's attention these days.
These busy activities were naturally arranged for the Fourth Master by someone.
Ever since the Crown Prince was summoned back to the capital by an urgent imperial edict from his father, the eldest brother, Prince Zhi, has become increasingly unrestrained in his actions in the capital.
Perhaps because the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince have been getting closer lately, the Prince of Zhi has been secretly finding fault with the Fourth Prince.
It was one thing for them to cause him trouble, but even the seventh prince, who was in charge of the Imperial Household Department, was given some trouble, which annoyed the Fourth Prince.
He saw the Eighth Prince at the Imperial Household Department on several occasions when he went there.
Eighth Prince was also calm when he saw Fourth Prince. Eighth Prince hadn't exhausted his excuse of choosing a well-behaved pet for his soon-to-be primary wife.
Fourth Master was displeased when he saw Eighth Master's smooth and worldly face.
All we can do is make more trips to the Imperial Household Department to try and support the seventh prince.
However, these matters seemed insignificant compared to the urgent report that arrived on the eighth day of the sixth month.
The sixteenth prince has gone.
When Consort Mi, the birth mother of the Sixteenth Prince, received the news, she fainted immediately.
Soon after, rumors began to circulate that the death of the Sixteenth Prince was related to the Crown Prince.
They even made it sound very convincing, saying that after the Crown Prince was summoned to His Majesty's presence by an urgent imperial edict, he knelt before the Emperor for half the night, but His Majesty still did not see him.
Amidst the confusion of truth and falsehood, the Prime Minister of the capital, Suo, fell ill and secluded himself at home. The纨绔 (wan ku, spoiled brats) of the Hesheli clan, who were previously known for their cockfighting and dog racing, seemed to have become much more restrained.
Over the years, the younger members of the Hesheli clan have often committed atrocities by taking advantage of the Crown Prince and the deceased Empress Hesheli.
In the eyes of the Fourth Master, this was a good thing.
However, the once arrogant Prince Zhi has become quite well-behaved, whether because he was taught a lesson by Prime Minister Ming or something else.
The capital city seemed to have finally calmed down.
But anyone with eyes can see clearly that the brewing storm has been building for quite some time.
Without the Prince Zhi's targeting, the Fourth Prince simply followed the example of the Prime Minister Suo after returning to his estate, claiming illness and naturally not even going to the Ministry of Revenue for his shift the next day.
The fact that the Fourth Master was ill was naturally a major event in the backyard.
Upon receiving the news, the lady of the manor sent many precious medicinal herbs to the estate, and Madam Song even came to Xinlutang in person to visit the Fourth Prince.
Fourth Master fell ill after returning to Xinlutang.
When Li Chenjiao came out of the inner room, she couldn't help but twitch her lips. She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but she felt that she saw a sense of familiarity in the Fourth Master inside.
After Su Peisheng finished dealing with Song Shi, someone from Wu Gege's place came to deliver nourishing soup and medicine.
Princess Wu is almost seven months pregnant now. The maid who brought her nourishing soup said that Princess Wu misses the Fourth Prince, but her body is not cooperating.
Li Chenjiao sat in the outer room, still smiling as Su Peisheng brought in the nourishing medicine: "Master is inside, Eunuch Su, please take it in quickly."
Seeing Su Peisheng go inside, Li Chenjiao lowered her head and tasted the lotus seeds that the kitchen had sent.
These are lotus seeds that have just sprouted from the lotus pond in the garden. The kitchen staff peeled them and sent them over; they are fresh and tender at this time.
There was only so much food, and Li Chenjiao herself felt it wasn't enough, so naturally she wouldn't bring it in. But she figured Fourth Master probably wouldn't have time right now either.
Li Chenjiao had previously heard Su Peisheng say, "It's a letter sent back by the Thirteenth Prince."
Li Chenjiao wasn't really sure which princes had accompanied the Emperor on his southern tour, but she could guess that they were the younger princes.
Given that Su Peisheng used the phrase "sent back," it's not hard to guess that the letter was sent from the south.
Li Chenjiao ate the lotus seeds, showing little curiosity.
Why be so curious about what's going on above?
However, unexpectedly, Fourth Master brought it up late at night.
It can't be said that Fourth Master brought it up on his own initiative; rather, Li Chenjiao guessed it as soon as she heard him say that.
"Are you the only child in your family?"
“I have an older brother at home,” Li Chenjiao said truthfully.
Fourth Master seemed to turn over in the darkness to face Li Chenjiao.
"When you were at home, did your father treat your brother any differently than you?"
As soon as she heard this, Li Chenjiao vaguely understood something. She considered it for a moment and said, "This servant is younger and a girl, so Father dotes on her more."
The Fourth Master remained silent for a while, then suddenly asked another question.
"If you have children in the future, and they are all princes, how will you face the consequences if the master treats them with favoritism?"
"What do you mean by biased, sir? Is it the pampering you received since childhood, or—the family fortune?"
The so-called family property in the Heavenly Family is naturally not just a simple family property.
"Yes, we have them all," Fourth Master mumbled.
"The family fortune is all in the hands of the Fourth Prince. Both princes are equally dear to him. Can a servant really influence the Fourth Prince's mind by speaking on his behalf? It all depends on which prince the Fourth Prince wants to give it to."
"Then you can't do nothing at all?" Fourth Master asked again.
Li Chenjiao smiled charmingly in the darkness: "What the prince wants, the servants may not be able to give him, so it's better to ask for more for yourself."
It's better to take more for yourself—
Fourth Master was not surprised that Li Chenjiao could guess something. After a long while, he said, "I understand."
Li Chenjiao also turned over, and the two faced each other in the darkness: "This servant has a request now."
In the darkness, Fourth Master traced Li Chenjiao's features with his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily: "What do you want?"
"This servant wants a child."
Fourth Master rolled over and pressed himself against him.
Afterwards, Li Chenjiao's loose hair was damp with sweat, and her whole body was covered in fragrant sweat.
"Whether you have children or not, your grandfather will protect you."
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao paused to catch her breath, her voice still slightly breathless: "Your Highness wouldn't be biased towards the princes or the princesses, would you?"
That was just a joke.
The Fourth Prince was certainly not that kind of person: "I wouldn't. Whether it's a prince or a princess, I will treat them all equally."
Li Chenjiao believed this.
After that night, Fourth Master was "sick" for several days in Li Chenjiao's New Green Hall, and it was difficult for Li Chenjiao to find a time when Fourth Master was not around to copy Buddhist scriptures.
She decided to secretly praise herself, saying that she only wanted to contribute to Consort De's birthday celebration, making it sound like she was doing it voluntarily.
Even if the Fourth Prince found out later, she wasn't worried. After all, she wasn't wrong. She did want to contribute to Consort De's birthday celebration, but it was at the request of the Fujin (the Prince's wife).
The Fourth Prince glanced at it a few more times after hearing this: "Your mother will see all of this you're doing."
Li Chenjiao didn't take those words to heart.
Since Consort De is far away in the palace, it's uncertain whether the Princess Consort will even deliver these copied Buddhist scriptures to her.
However, when Li Chenjiao lowered her head, she still quietly made her handwriting even better.
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