As for Madam Xu, who was overlooked by everyone, she was the one who kept to herself the most in the entire Fourth Prince's mansion. Except for paying respects or attending various festivals, she was rarely seen.
At this moment, Madam Xu was instructing the maid who served her to burn the little clothes and tiger-head shoes that she had embroidered a few days ago.
She does have things that the Empress bestowed upon her in the past, as well as things that the Fourth Prince has given her during festivals in recent years, so she is not lacking.
However, they are not very suitable as gifts for children.
Because of her past health issues, Consort De in the palace wouldn't rub salt into her wounds.
However, Madam Xu adored children. Whether it was Consort Song giving birth to the eldest princess, Consort Wu giving birth to the eldest prince, or the current Fujin and Consort Li giving birth to the second prince and the second princess...
Madam Xu personally embroidered all sorts of clothes and such, and to avoid causing trouble, she would only take a peek from afar during the baby's third-day celebration.
Recently, when the eldest princess was learning to walk, she often practiced walking in the garden. Occasionally, when Xu heard the noise, she would only peek at her from afar through the courtyard gate.
Xu did not go to Xie's courtyard to join in the commotion that night after learning that Xie had a difficult childbirth.
Madam Xu stayed up all night, using the finest fabric to embroider a small garment. Because she was in such a hurry, the needle pricks on her fingers hadn't healed yet.
Everyone else was trying to get closer to the Fourth Master, but Madam Xu was doing something else. Instead, she ordered the maid to burn the two little clothes.
"The Third Prince has lost his birth mother. If we send these clothes now, won't it cause controversy? Have they all been burned?"
The maidservant knew her mistress's cautious nature, but she was still heartbroken that her young lady had spent so much time embroidering only to have it all go to waste.
Madam Xu shook her head: "What do I have to do with all this? The Third Prince is all alone right now. If he were with Consort Li, he might have a better life."
Both Xu and Wu were cautious, but Wu's caution stemmed from her own plans to avoid doing anything without certainty, while Xu's caution was more out of a desire to avoid making mistakes and getting involved in the intricacies of the household.
In the nights of May, it seems one can already hear the cicadas chirping.
Li Chenjiao wasn't woken up by the cicadas' chirping, but by the Second Princess's crying.
She naturally wouldn't let anyone go to the front courtyard anymore. After waking up, she instructed the servants to keep the courtyard gate tightly closed, and then, still half asleep, she asked Granny Chen to bring the Second Princess to her side.
The little girl was quite obedient; her crying stopped shortly after being held in Li Chenjiao's arms. Even Granny Chen was secretly surprised, but wisely refrained from offering any flattering words.
She had been living in the East Courtyard since before Consort Li gave birth, and had been there for some time now. She had also figured out some of Consort Li's temperament; she didn't like flattery.
Early in the morning, the Fourth Master left the mansion from the East Courtyard. The backyard seemed calm and peaceful, at least on the surface.
For the first time ever, Fourth Master returned to the manor at lunchtime. Li Chenjiao was quite surprised to hear the news. Yesterday, when Fourth Master was resting in the East Courtyard, even though it was the Dragon Boat Festival, he was drunk and spent most of his time thinking about something.
Li Chenjiao didn't think that the Fourth Prince was only worried about the Third Prince's affairs. He probably already had a plan in mind. Maybe when he talked to Li Chenjiao yesterday, he mentioned that he would write her as his adoptive mother in the imperial genealogy for the Third Prince.
The wife was in the wrong no matter what, and how good could the Fourth Prince be to the children left behind by Xie?
The Princess Consort dared to say that she would raise the Third Prince well, but would the Fourth Prince believe her?
However, Li Chenjiao still couldn't figure out why the Fourth Prince had returned so early today, but it was probably related to matters outside the palace.
Li Chenjiao glanced at the latticed window from the small couch in the inner room, her expression enigmatic: "It's the beginning of summer, everything's starting to get lively."
No sooner had Li Chenjiao finished speaking than Qiu Hu, whose expression was unusually rich, came in to deliver a message.
"My lord, Consort Song has arrived, and she's brought the eldest princess with her. She said she brought the eldest princess to see the second princess."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
