The Fourth Master sent someone to tell him to come for dinner that evening, but he arrived before it was even dark.
However, Su Peisheng was carrying a large stack of official documents behind Fourth Master. Fourth Master's expression was still normal. After waiving Li Chenjiao's formalities, he went into the inner room to handle official business.
Li Chenjiao was just about to ask Xiao Luzi to go to the kitchen to order food.
Thinking about the fish soup base she used yesterday, Li Chenjiao suddenly missed the tender tofu.
"Tell the kitchen to make some 'Hibiscus Tofu.' Remember to boil it in chicken broth, and add shrimp when it's done. No need to add seaweed, as Fourth Master doesn't like it."
Li Chenjiao herself loves to eat seaweed.
"Tell the kitchen to make another batch of magnolia petal slices, and to make both sweet and savory versions."
Magnolia slices are made by baking slices of winter bamboo shoots; the sweet version has a little honey added. Li Chenjiao likes sweet flavors, but the Fourth Prince might not be used to them.
After ordering two vegetarian dishes, Li Chenjiao couldn't think of any good main dishes for the moment: "I'll also ask the kitchen to make a shrimp cake. The one they made last time was very much to my liking. I'll also ask the kitchen to make a steamed sea bass. As for other dishes, I'll ask the kitchen to add them as they see fit."
Xiao Luzi noted everything down and then went to the kitchen.
Qiu Hu, however, hesitated upon hearing this: "Aren't these things the princess ordered a bit too bland—"
Li Chenjiao snorted lightly: "I'm used to eating rich and heavy food every day. It's time to change things up and have something lighter to adjust my appetite."
Qiu Hu chuckled softly, feeling that her princess was implying something more.
Li Chenjiao was too lazy to go inside and serve them at the moment, so she turned around and asked, "Are the plum blossoms in the garden in bloom? Let's go pick some and bring them back."
It didn't snow today, but because of the saying "a timely snow promises a good harvest," the manor didn't bother to clear the snow from the past few days; they just cleared a road.
Li Chenjiao looked out the window and saw that everything outside was still covered in white snow.
Li Chenjiao looked for a while, sighed, and then got up and went into the inner room.
With official documents piled up like a mountain in front of Fourth Master, Li Chenjiao could no longer see his face, and the awkwardness in her heart completely dissipated.
Compared to the Third Master's indiscriminate philandering and the Fifth Master's indiscriminate acceptance of all women, the Fourth Master in front of us is actually quite good.
They are not an ordinary family after all. You have to give up something to gain something. If you try to control everything, you may end up losing everything.
Li Chenjiao is currently favored by the Fourth Prince, so it would be presumptuous of her to ask for anything more. Even if she really wanted to go further, now is not the time.
Li Chenjiao remained silent, sitting quietly in front of the dressing table reading the storybook she hadn't finished yesterday.
When the Fourth Master was handling official business, Li Chenjiao knew to keep quiet.
The room was quiet. After Qiu Hu returned from picking plum blossoms in the garden, Li Chenjiao got up and went to the outer room to tend to the plum blossoms.
After Li Chenjiao left, Fourth Master raised his eyes and curled his lips into a smile.
Before dinner, the Fourth Master had not finished his official duties. After dinner, he sat cross-legged on the small couch and continued to handle his official duties. Li Chenjiao, feeling bored, asked Qiu Hu to brew a cup of crabapple blossom tea.
The Fourth Master interrupted her when he heard her order: "If you drink it, you'll get up in the middle of the night again. You're not allowed to drink it. Come here and grind ink for me."
Qiu Hu glanced at his own princess, then at the seated Fourth Master, and finally chose to pretend he hadn't heard his princess's voice, slowly retreating to the outer room.
Li Chenjiao didn't hesitate, but muttered, "This servant is afraid I can't control my eyes."
Instead of being angry at her words, Fourth Master laughed and said, "So what if you saw them? They're all greetings from various places."
The princes received these kinds of official documents during festivals. With the festival approaching, the Fourth Prince received many in the past few days and piled them all up to deal with.
It wasn't that the Fourth Prince didn't want to deal with it, but the greetings he received from his subordinates were just too nauseating.
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao rolled up her sleeves and sat on the other side of the small couch, slowly grinding ink.
The room was filled with the fragrance of ink. Li Chenjiao would grind ink for a while and then rest for a while, as this was quite a strain on her wrists.
After the Fourth Master finished his approval, the servants prepared hot water in the clean room.
As usual, Fourth Master went into the inner room first. He had just taken off his accessories when Li Chenjiao came in.
Fourth Master frowned: "Nonsense."
Li Chenjiao knew immediately what the Fourth Master was thinking. She didn't explain, but simply said, "Your Master must be tired from reviewing official documents. Shall I give you a massage?"
Fourth Master was a very proper person at heart. In his opinion, matters of the bed should be done in the proper place. In the end, he did not lose his temper with Li Chenjiao. He just pressed his temples with a headache.
"We'll massage you after you've finished bathing and are on the couch."
Fourth Master, do you want to hear what you're saying?
Li Chenjiao stood at the door of the washroom. Before long, her eyes filled with tears, and her nose twitched: "Master, are you—disliking your servant?"
This was the first time Li Chenjiao had cried since entering the manor, and also the first time she had cried in front of the Fourth Prince.
Li Chenjiao is beautiful even when she cries, and the warmth spreading in the clean room adds to her allure.
Fourth Master didn't like others crying, but Li Chenjiao's crying was different.
She just stood there, and when she cried, she didn't bow her head or hunch her chest, nor did she cry out loud; her tears just fell in a steady stream.
The Fourth Prince didn't find it annoying; on the contrary, he felt a rare pang of heartache.
He rubbed his temples again, feeling a headache coming on, but finally gave in to the little princess: "If you're going to rub, then do it properly."
Li Chenjiao stopped sobbing, though tears were still falling, but she had already smiled.
Li Chenjiao didn't lay a hand on Fourth Master; she simply massaged his shoulders and back from behind.
Just as Fourth Master was about to get up, Li Chenjiao paused and asked, "Won't you wash up, Master?"
Fourth Master turned around and saw Li Chenjiao's gaze shift downwards to a certain spot. When she met his gaze, she smiled sweetly.
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