Su Peisheng was surprised that the first person his master asked about after waking up was Master Li of the East Courtyard. He was stunned for a moment, but still hurriedly answered.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Master Li kept watch until midnight last night, only going to his room to rest around dawn. Now—would Your Majesty like to see Master Li?"
Fourth Master waved his hand: "Let her rest. Help me up."
Su Peisheng hurriedly helped the Fourth Master up and said, "Fu Lu has already gone to fetch the imperial physician. Your Highness should rest well for a while."
Su Peisheng was unusually talkative only because the Fourth Master was ill.
Fourth Master gave a faint "hmm," indicating that he was feeling much better.
"Later, you will personally escort your master Li back."
Su Peisheng bowed in agreement.
In winter, dawn always comes late. When the Fourth Prince woke up, although it was already daylight, the sky was still shrouded in a hazy mist. Fortunately, the weather was fine today, and the late-rising red sun dispelled the thick clouds.
When Fourth Master finished his breakfast, Li Chenjiao also got up. She naturally didn't plan to have breakfast in the front yard, but she still went to see Fourth Master before leaving the front yard.
Li Chenjiao didn't sleep very well yesterday. The dark circles under her eyes were impossible to hide, and her face naturally showed signs of fatigue.
The Fourth Master couldn't help but frown when Li Chenjiao came in, but any words of concern that came out of his mouth sounded stiff.
What are you doing here at this time?
Li Chenjiao curtsied and said, "I heard from Qiu Hu that you have gotten up. I was really worried about you and wanted to come and see you to put my mind at ease."
Li Chenjiao's words were straightforward, and her concern was clearly stated.
The servants standing in the room lowered their heads slightly.
The words of reprimand from the Fourth Master were on the tip of his tongue, but looking at Li Chenjiao, he couldn't bring himself to say them.
Fourth Master once again experienced the feeling of having something stuck in his throat.
After a while, as if he didn't want to see her, he suddenly waved his hand and urged Li Chenjiao to go back to her east courtyard.
Li Chen smiled sweetly and curtsied again: "Then this concubine will wait in the east courtyard for Master to recover."
You can't hit someone who's smiling.
Fourth Master was truly helpless in the face of Li Chenjiao's behavior. He waved his hand again and said, "I will come to see you again in a few days."
The "some time later" naturally refers to the day when the Fourth Prince recovers from his illness.
Li Chenjiao couldn't help but yawn again as she left.
After Li Chenjiao finished yawning, she saw Su Peisheng leading the imperial physician toward her.
Li Chenjiao nodded politely to Su Peisheng.
Su Peisheng quickly waved his hand, telling his foolish apprentice to take the imperial physician in to check the Fourth Prince's pulse, and then bowed to Li Chenjiao.
"Is Consort Fu going back to the East Courtyard? His master repeatedly instructed me to personally escort you back. Please come this way."
He turned around nimbly and led the way.
Li Chenjiao didn't stand on ceremony and chatted as they walked: "Master has been ill lately, and Eunuch Su has been taking good care of him. It's cold and dry in winter. Yesterday, I saw that they were using snow pear soup in the front yard. It's good for clearing heat, soothing the throat, reducing internal heat, and clearing phlegm. However, since Master doesn't like sweets, you can use snow water to reduce the amount when making it."
Su Peisheng nodded and made a mental note of it, saying sincerely, "In the end, Master Li is indeed very meticulous. I will instruct them to do as you say in the future."
Li Chenjiao smiled but remained silent.
She had just stepped out of the front yard when she ran into someone again.
The morning wind was chilly, and Li Chenjiao pulled her cloak tighter around herself, not in a hurry to speak.
Su Peisheng and Qiu Hu, who were standing beside Li Chenjiao, first politely bowed to the newcomer, saying, "Greetings to Princess Wu."
Wu waved her hand, her gaze falling on Li Chenjiao, and first curtsied, saying, "Greetings to Consort Li."
Li Chenjiao cried out, not wanting to say more, but only glancing at the eldest prince being led by Wu Shi.
However, at this moment, Wu seemed to want to strike up a conversation with Li Chenjiao.
"Has the concubine gone back?"
Li Chenjiao hummed in agreement: "Master prefers quiet, and I don't want to disturb his peaceful recuperation. I have other matters to attend to in the courtyard, so I'll head back now."
At this moment, Lady Wu brought the eldest prince to the front yard. Even a hair's breadth could tell what Lady Wu was planning to do.
Wu Shi didn't seem to mind at all; instead, she brought the matter to the forefront.
"It was all because the eldest prince was very worried when he heard that his father was ill, and he kept insisting on coming to visit his father. This servant really couldn't persuade the child otherwise, so I dared to bring the eldest prince here."
As she spoke, she turned to look at Su Peisheng: "When I came yesterday, Master was still asleep. I wonder how Master is feeling. Is Master awake now?"
Upon hearing this, Su Peisheng glanced at Li Chenjiao with a troubled expression.
Not just anyone can enter the master's front yard.
He quickly looked away, his face still bearing the sly smile of an old fox: "Oh dear, the master has instructed me to send the concubine first. When Consort Wu arrives at the front courtyard, I will deliver a message for you."
Yesterday, it would have been fine if it was just Lady Wu alone, but now that Princess Wu has brought the eldest prince with her, Su Peisheng can't just refuse outright.
After saying this, Su Peisheng was also troubled. How could Consort Li be able to see her master and even stay overnight in the front courtyard to care for him while he was ill?
Does everyone in the backyard have to be like Master Li?
Ha, still don't understand?
Su Peisheng bowed again: "Please, Consort."
Li Chenjiao glanced at Su Peisheng, and how could she not understand that this old fox was trying to pull her out of trouble? She took a step forward and passed by Wu Gege with a meaningful gesture.
"It's freezing cold, be careful not to let the eldest prince get too cold."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wu gave her a wary look.
Li Chenjiao immediately looked away, feeling bored.
She was too tired to keep up with Wu Shi's witty banter.
Qiu Hu supported her master, and after a while, she couldn't help but turn back.
Wu Gege's words were beautiful, but the eldest prince she was holding was clearly timid and silent.
This was nothing like the description given by Wu Gege of how much the eldest prince was concerned about his master's health.
Su Peisheng escorted Li Chenjiao back to the East Courtyard. Xiao Luzi, being very perceptive, stepped forward to see her off and then bowed as Su Peisheng left.
As soon as Li Chenjiao returned to the East Courtyard, she couldn't stop yawning. She yawned incessantly, and Qiu Ci almost couldn't hold back her laughter.
Li Chenjiao noticed this with her sharp eyes, snorted, and stretched: "Next time, I'll have you accompany me on this errand. Alright, your master is sleepy and needs some rest."
Li Chenjiao's use of "quiet down, quiet down" was naturally also implied.
The entire capital was quiet because of this unsettling New Year.
As a result, the capital city remained relatively quiet until the 30th of the twelfth lunar month.
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