Li Chenjiao pondered for a moment, then said, "Today is also the Second Princess's full moon celebration. Fourth Master will be coming over for dinner tonight. I'll mention it to him then."
When Qiu Ci saw that her master had used the phrase "took a mention," she paused for a moment, then smiled and curtsied in agreement.
The second princess's full moon celebration was not a grand affair, something Li Chenjiao had already told the fourth prince.
From the Fourth Prince's words, Li Chenjiao could tell that he didn't want the princesses in the mansion to attract too much attention, and even that he wanted outsiders to think that the princesses in the mansion were all weak.
Li Chenjiao quickly understood what the Fourth Master meant without having to think too much.
The current emperor has eight princesses. Four of them have already been sent to marry foreign rulers and befriend Mongolia. The princess who shares the same mother as the thirteenth prince will also have the same fate in two years.
There aren't any suitable proper princesses left, but aren't there still princesses in the next generation?
Li Chenjiao naturally did not want the Second Princess to be sent to Mongolia for a political marriage, and thus acquiesced to the Fourth Prince's arrangement.
However, because the Second Prince's full-moon celebration in the main courtyard was a grand affair, the Fujin (Prince's wife) was able to hold her head high once again.
"Didn't they say that Li's second daughter was very healthy? But it seems that she, like the eldest daughter, hasn't received much attention from the Fourth Prince."
Although Granny Qian didn't respond, she showed approval on her face, after all, Consort Li of the East Courtyard had only given birth to a princess.
The Fujin (principal wife) even pretended to be very virtuous and sent many gifts on the day of the second princess's full moon celebration. Li Chenjiao smiled and had them all accepted.
When Fourth Master returned at night, it was evening, and Li Chenjiao was instructing Xiao Luzi to go to the kitchen to order food.
He usually only makes soups and broths or simple meals. When it's time for a meal, Li Chenjiao will still instruct Xiao Luzi to go to the kitchen.
Currently, Li Chenjiao's small kitchen is mostly used by the two wet nurses of the Second Princess to make soups. However, the Second Princess naturally cannot eat them right now; the two wet nurses make them in advance for the imperial physician to examine.
Later, when Li Chenjiao found out, she had the two nannies bring the prepared baby food to her so she could see it.
She didn't know much about food in this area, but she was very eager to learn.
Therefore, Li Chenjiao tacitly approved of the two wet nurses entering and leaving the small kitchen.
Madam He was more outstanding at making medicinal cuisine and pastries. She had two wet nurses who came and went every day, always smiling and talking to her. Madam He dared not make the slightest move.
When Li Chenjiao ordered her meal, the Fourth Prince had already gone into the inner room to check on the Second Princess. Li Chenjiao nodded slightly, indicating her satisfaction.
"I heard from Qiu Hu that you told the two nannies that Madam He was sent from the main courtyard, and you did it very well."
When the two wet nurses first arrived, they were unaware of the situation in the east courtyard. Although they were not close to Madam He from the small kitchen, they were not particularly wary of her.
After Xiao Luzi mentioned it, the two wet nurses were quite clever. They took the opportunity to keep an eye on He Shi's actions while making baby food for the second princess.
Xiao Luzi was remembering the meal his master had ordered when he heard the voice and quickly bowed, saying, "It's all what a servant should do."
Li Chenjiao lowered her head and drank her tea. Small mint leaves floated in the warm tea, which refreshed her: "You are reliable in your work, and I have always been at ease with you."
Xiao Luzi thanked him again before leaving.
Li Chenjiao pushed the tea in front of her, clicking her tongue in disbelief. How could she have drunk Fourth Master's tea?
She sat for a while, and was just about to go in and take a look, when she suddenly heard the Second Princess crying.
Two maids standing outside peeked in, but Li Chenjiao waved her hand to indicate that there was no need to disturb them, and then stood up and went into the inner room.
Inside, Madam Chen was holding the Second Princess and gently comforting her, while the Fourth Prince stood to the side, his expression unseen.
The cries of the two princesses on the left and right were very loud.
Li Chenjiao walked closer, but did not rush to ask the reason. Instead, she reached out to Chen Shi and skillfully took the Second Princess from Chen Shi's arms.
He slowly carried the Second Princess to the edge of the couch, then gently stroked her cheek with his free hand: "Second Princess, you've gotten fatter again? What a good child."
The second princess opened her little mouth, tears still clinging to her lips, but suddenly stopped crying and just stared blankly at Li Chenjiao.
Li Chenjiao patted the Second Princess's back gently, her expression tender: "It's been so long since I've seen your father, I don't even recognize him anymore?"
The second princess didn't understand, but suddenly she grinned, which almost melted people's hearts.
Madam Chen curtsied: "Second Princess has just woken up; perhaps she hasn't seen the Consort yet—"
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao gently bounced the Second Princess: "Oh dear, does the Second Princess miss her mother? Her mother is here. Does the Second Princess miss her father?"
After Li Chenjiao finished speaking, she pointed in the direction where the Fourth Master was standing.
The second princess then looked around and exchanged a glance with the fourth prince.
Seeing this, Chen tactfully withdrew first.
Fourth Master approached and took out a three-finger-wide mutton-fat jade pendant from his pocket. Li Chenjiao saw that it was engraved with words like "peace" or "safety".
The jade pendant, made of mutton fat jade, is connected by a water-cloud-green tassel at the bottom. It is small, exquisite, and crystal clear.
Li Chenjiao then understood that this was the full moon gift that the Fourth Prince had prepared for the Second Princess.
Li Chenjiao then asked in a soft voice, "Does the Second Princess like the gift that Father prepared for her?"
The second princess couldn't speak. She blinked her eyes and after a long while, she kicked her little feet in the air, as if she wanted to touch something.
The Fourth Master then bent down, placed the jade pendant close to him, and finally had Li Chenjiao hold it.
Li Chenjiao played with the Second Princess for a while, then put it in the Second Princess's crib.
"I'll make another tassel tomorrow and hang the jade pendant by the side of the crib. I'm afraid it might hurt the Second Princess if I put it inside, or she might accidentally put it in her mouth."
However, the Second Princess didn't have the habit of putting things in her mouth at this time.
Li Chenjiao held her for a while, then thought about it and decided not to ask the Fourth Prince to hold the Second Princess.
The Fourth Prince actually visited the Second Princess quite often, but most of the time the Second Princess was asleep. It was common for her to not react to the Fourth Prince or even be afraid of him.
She had just calmed the little girl down when she put the Second Princess in the Fourth Prince's arms. The little girl was already in tears again, and Li Chenjiao felt sorry for her.
When she got tired of carrying her, she called Chen Shi from the outer room to come in. Chen Shi then carried the Second Princess to the outer room and naturally noticed that Li Chenjiao had something to say to the Fourth Master.
Li Chenjiao freed her hands and made room for the Fourth Prince to sit down. She vividly described what she and the Second Princess had done that day, and how she had teased the Second Princess. Finally, she changed the subject to the pomegranates that the Fourth Prince had sent.
So, naturally, the second princess's nickname came up.
The Fourth Prince didn't react much to this; he tapped his knee lightly with his fingers, as if he was pondering something.
"The Second Princess's nickname will be Aman. As for her name, I already have an idea."
"How about we name her Flana? What do you think?"
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