After taking a bath in the clean room, Li Chenjiao returned to her room. It was past the time to heat the kang (a heated brick bed), and there was a small amount of charcoal fire in the room; too much would have made it stuffy.
When she went in, the Fourth Prince was sitting on the couch reading a book. Li Chenjiao didn't disturb him and quietly went to the dressing table to fix her hair.
Only after hearing the Fourth Master's footsteps did Li Chenjiao put down the comb in her hand, get up, and go into the inner room.
The Fourth Prince was a little impatient tonight. Li Chenjiao was distracted for a moment and vaguely heard him ask her how she slept last night.
Li Chenjiao slept most of the day today. She was confused about whether she slept well yesterday, and then blinked and nodded slowly.
She exhaled in a fine, rapid breath, unable to speak clearly.
The candlelight illuminated the tent, casting incredibly alluring shadows on the figures within.
Li Chenjiao didn't dare to look, but she couldn't understand anything; her mind was like mush.
People are like fish in a lake, bobbing up and down, desperately thirsting for water.
After everything was over, Li Chenjiao's legs were still a little weak when she came out of the clean room after taking a bath. She was also very sleepy, and when she lay back on the bed, she could barely keep her eyes open.
The maids outside quietly extinguished the candles, and Li Chenjiao pulled the quilt tighter and shrank further inside.
Fourth Master slowly lay down, and by the time he did, all that could be heard was Li Shi's soft breathing beside him.
Fourth Master was stunned for a moment, and all the words he was about to say were now left unsaid.
Fourth Master naturally still felt that Madam Li hadn't slept well last night, but if he really wanted an explanation, the only one that came up was the upcoming general election.
This cannot be considered jealousy.
However, Fourth Master naturally couldn't say anything else. At this moment, Li Chenjiao was asleep, and Fourth Master slowly closed his eyes as well.
Mrs. Li didn't sleep well yesterday—
Let her get a good night's sleep today.
Fourth Master himself is only one person, but he has more than one woman in his backyard. He can often come to Li's east courtyard, but he cannot easily make promises to Li.
Fourth Master was pleased with Lady Li, so he was happy to come to the East Courtyard often, where he himself was also very comfortable.
However, he cannot give Li Chenjiao exclusive favor, otherwise the Fourth Prince would be blinded by lust. The Fourth Prince can be biased in his affections, but he cannot break the rules set by the ancestors.
Fourth Master lowered his head. He couldn't give Li the promises he had made elsewhere, so he could only give her more in other ways.
The Fourth Prince, with his eyes half-closed, suddenly felt a warm embrace. He skillfully pulled the person closer and then tugged at the brocade quilt that was slipping down.
Li Chenjiao had a good night's sleep, at least that's how it was for her.
The next morning, before dawn, Fourth Master got up and gave instructions as he left the East Courtyard.
"Keep an eye out and look for chefs in the capital who come from Sichuan, Yangzhou, or Jiangnan, and who know a lot of dishes. It would be best if they were female chefs."
Once Fourth Master uttered those last words, Su Peisheng could easily understand what he meant.
However, after giving this instruction, the Fourth Prince added, "The same applies. Find one for the main wife as well, preferably one who can cook medicinal cuisine."
The principal wife's household actually had a cook who knew how to make medicinal cuisine, but the Fourth Prince still gave the order.
Su Peisheng was taken aback, but he didn't show any of his inner thoughts on his face. He respectfully agreed.
"Also, send the Western pocket watch that Master recently acquired to your Master Li in the East Courtyard. Also, go to Liulichang and ask if they have any larger ones."
Because of his master's earlier statement, Su Peisheng agreed, but then cautiously asked, "Will you send it to the main wife?"
Fourth Master gave him a cold glance: "You're quite clever. Send it to your Master Li as well."
The matter of the cook couldn't be kept secret. After all, another person had been added to the East Courtyard out of nowhere, and the Fourth Master naturally couldn't show favoritism.
The rest of the backyard was occupied by princesses and concubines, none of whom were entitled to a small kitchen, so the Fourth Prince didn't need to worry about it.
As for pocket watches and clocks, they are not large items. They are just ordinary rewards that are sent to the East Courtyard and will not attract much attention.
In the end, the Fourth Master was thinking those high-sounding words with absolute certainty before going to bed last night, but in the end, his heart had already strayed to who knows where.
However, finding a cook is not urgent; it's not something that can be done in a short time. We need to find a good excuse.
Su Peisheng understood his master's meaning and wrote it all down.
On the last day of February, His Majesty suddenly remembered to test the princes' studies.
The Fourth Prince didn't even have time for lunch at the Ministry of Revenue before rushing off to the palace.
The Third Prince, the Fifth Prince, and others also didn't have time to eat, and their expressions weren't very good when they arrived at the drill ground.
It wasn't dissatisfaction, it was hunger.
In terms of studies, the tutors examined the children from the tenth prince onwards, while the emperor himself examined the older princes' riding and archery skills at the drill ground.
The Manchus valued martial prowess. Although His Majesty favored Han Chinese and hoped that his princes would be proficient in both literature and martial arts, in serious examinations, His Majesty inevitably favored horsemanship and archery.
Of the first few princes, only the Seventh Prince was exempted due to his health condition, and the Tenth Prince was also ill.
However, the Tenth Prince had been ill ever since he returned from the north. At first, His Majesty had the imperial physician visit him every day, and tonics were sent to the Tenth Prince's residence in Ganxi Sisuo like a flowing stream.
However, after hearing from the imperial physician that the Tenth Prince's illness was a mental one, His Majesty gradually stopped paying attention to it, although he never stopped giving him tonics.
Those who are smarter understand that His Majesty feels guilty.
However, for Prince Dun, if things continue like this, he will inevitably exhaust the already limited amount of guilt the Emperor has.
Just like the thirteenth prince before him, he was burdened with the pain of losing his mother and the suffering of his younger sister being married off to a distant land. However, he could not complain too much. If he could not stand up for himself, who knew what kind of life his sister would have after being married off to a distant land.
Those who understand the times are wise.
However, the Fourth Prince could enlighten the Thirteenth Prince, but not the Prince Dun.
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