Before answering, Qiu Ci glanced outside: "Reporting to Master, no one left the East Courtyard last night."
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao was taken aback for a moment, but quickly lowered her head and smiled with relief: "It was I who was too impatient."
Qiu Hu pondered for a moment: "I don't think that person is that bold. It's just that Xiao Luzi and Dong Sheng will have to work harder these days, keeping watch at night and listening for any unusual noises."
Li Chenjiao glanced at her: "Well, you should take on more of the daytime work. There's no rush."
It's nothing more than a tip-off; for now, it's just a tip-off. Li Chenjiao can still wait for the right opportunity to strike a fatal blow, but it's only emboldening the person behind it.
Li Chenjiao will find out who betrayed her master before that happens.
Human greed is insatiable, and it's not surprising that some people have ulterior motives; after all, not everyone can remain unmoved by a great reward.
However, it seemed that Fourth Master wanted to say something to her last night, but then he probably forgot and didn't say it again, which made Li Chenjiao a little worried.
After all, the Ban Jin Festival is approaching, which is a major festival. It's inevitable that we'll have to go to the palace again, and who knows what kind of excitement and trouble it will be.
Fourth Master only remembered that he had forgotten about this matter when he arrived at the Ministry of Revenue. He originally wanted to tell Li Chenjiao in person, but he forgot about it yesterday.
Fourth Master touched the back of his neck.
However, he was busy for several days afterward, even busier than before. After careful consideration, Fourth Master still sent Su Peisheng on this trip again.
However, the Fourth Prince only allowed Su Peisheng to return to the mansion after lunch, and also to pick up some things from the front yard.
Li Chenjiao had just finished lunch and was unusually not sleepy. When Su Peisheng arrived, she was just about to take a short nap.
As Qiu Ci greeted Su Peisheng as he entered, she couldn't help but purse her lips as she left. Don't think she didn't see the way Lü Lan looked around while tending to the flowers and plants outside when she greeted Su Peisheng.
Being so young, she can't hide anything she does.
However, Li Chenjiao was surprised to hear Su Peisheng's message inside.
She subconsciously glanced at the second princess's room in the next wing, and when she turned back, she sighed, as if she were confiding in her.
"To tell Eunuch Su the truth, the Second Princess is still so young. Although serving and taking care of the Fourth Master is her duty, I really can't help but worry about her because she is so young."
She choked up as she spoke.
Su Peisheng was both surprised and astonished by what he heard.
After all, being able to accompany the master north is a rare opportunity. Moreover, the women in the inner quarters are usually confined to the mansion. If they knew that others knew they could accompany His Majesty north, they would be overjoyed.
Right now, Master Li is doing something wrong. He's facing such a great opportunity, yet he's thinking of pushing it away.
Judging from what Master Li just said, wasn't he trying to get him to speak on his behalf to the master?
However, what Master Li said was indeed reasonable. The Second Princess was indeed a bit younger, but after all, the East Courtyard was not without servants, so why would Master Li need to stay?
From Su Peisheng's own perspective, it didn't seem like a very worthwhile investment.
Moreover, next year will be the time for new concubines to enter the household. Although the current concubine is highly favored, it is not a lifelong commitment.
It is precisely because a new person is about to enter the household that we should strengthen our favor and affection.
Su Peisheng was genuinely afraid that his concubine would make a foolish mistake and anger the Fourth Prince, after all, he had also received a lot of benefits from the East Courtyard, so he still offered a word of advice.
"Don't worry, Consort. His master is thinking of the Second Princess, and he will naturally arrange for people to take good care of her."
Li Chenjiao nodded: "I understand what Eunuch Su means, and I thank you for your kindness. However, as a parent, I hope you can understand my feelings. I will also trouble you to convey my words to Fourth Master truthfully."
Su Peisheng sighed and agreed anyway. As he left the East Courtyard, the clever Xiao Luzi slipped him a purse.
Su Peisheng didn't even need to think it over. He patted Xiao Luzi on the shoulder and said, "Take good care of your master and be careful not to anger him."
The favors bestowed upon one's family in the backyard are all fleeting and illusory, so Su Peisheng's thinking is perfectly reasonable.
Xiao Luzi just smiled and said, "Well, as servants, we naturally do whatever our masters tell us to do."
He himself wasn't sure what his master was thinking, but at the moment he felt relatively calm and at ease.
The current emperor loves to tour the country, and every year he will make a southern tour and a northern tour to Mount Wutai, so it's not a big deal if he does it once or twice.
However, he was naturally worried that his master's actions might anger the Fourth Master.
He wasn't the only one worried; the two maids who had been quietly listening to their master's conversation with Su Peisheng inside were also on tenterhooks.
Qiu Ci asked first, "What if someone else uses this opportunity to get there first—"
This year, when His Majesty went on his southern tour, the older princes all stayed in the capital. This time, he took the older princes with him on his northern trip.
This is the first time in the manor that someone has accompanied the Fourth Master on his journey north. Needless to say, it is a rare and excellent opportunity.
Li Chenjiao closed her eyes for a few breaths, and when she opened them again, she smiled gently.
"I want to spend more time with Second Princess. If it's just ten days or half a month, that's fine, but it's only two months. By the time I come back, Second Princess might already be crawling—"
"Furthermore, no matter how beautiful a woman you like, if you see her every day, you'll eventually get tired of her, won't you? Whether Fourth Master gets tired of her or not, I'm afraid I'll grow old and lose my beauty."
Li Chenjiao's last sentence, which had a slightly joking tone, made the two girls anxious first.
"My lord, please don't say that. What are you saying? If my lord is old and faded, what are we servants?"
Both girls were older than Li Chenjiao.
Li Chenjiao couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, and said slyly in a soft voice, "Alright, alright, even the most favorite food will eventually become tasteless if you eat it for too long. You have to change the dishes you eat, and the same goes for people."
For Li Chenjiao, it's good to be a little cold sometimes.
The Fourth Prince himself was a cold-hearted and indifferent person, so the little bit of favor he showed was indeed considered a great favor by everyone in the inner courtyard.
That was all because Li Chenjiao was "understanding," knew what to say and what not to say, and knew how to appease and please the Fourth Master.
However, all this favor was earned by Li Chenjiao, not by the Fourth Prince himself.
These days, it's become a habit for Fourth Master to come to the East Courtyard.
But what about the future?
What Li Chenjiao wants right now is for the Fourth Master to remember her.
Besides, what's wrong with staying for the sake of my daughter?
Fourth Master is not such an unreasonable person.
However, Li Chenjiao's move was indeed risky, and even she herself was unsure whether the Fourth Master would blame her for it.
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