Wu entered the mansion in mid-winter. Except for the first day when the Fourth Prince went to Wu's place and the day after that when he came to Li Chenjiao's place, he stayed in the front courtyard for the next few days.
When Fulu came to the East Courtyard to deliver things, Li Chenjiao asked about the eldest princess's condition twice. She heard that the eldest princess's condition had stabilized and her cold had mostly healed, but she still needed to be carefully cared for.
Li Chenjiao was relieved.
However, Madam Song caught a cold that night. After recovering, she went to the front yard twice more, saying that she wanted to fulfill her duty as a birth mother and take good care of the eldest princess.
The Fourth Prince agreed, but it's said that Song Gege never even gets to see him when she goes back; he practically lives in his study.
As for the other people in the backyard, Madam Wu has not been idle these days. It is said that she often goes to talk to Granny Xu, and Granny Xu will occasionally go to sit in Madam Wu's courtyard.
However, after Wu Gege entered the mansion, one person's situation became particularly awkward.
Bai Jia entered the manor on the same day as Li Chenjiao. On the day Bai Jia was to serve the emperor, she accidentally fell. Later, she spent money and finally managed to wait for the Fourth Prince.
As a result, Song Gege, who was pregnant at the time, snatched the prize away. Later, in order to send Dan Gui away, he made Dan Gui act foolishly and cause her to die, but she was also confined to her quarters.
Thus, after entering the manor, Wu Gege was favored by the emperor, while Bai Jia Gege, who had entered the manor earlier, was still a virgin, which made her situation even more awkward.
Before Granny Xu entered the mansion, Bai Jia ate cold and greasy food every day. After Granny Xu took over the management of the household, she was able to have some cakes and pastries to eat.
Life became a little better, and with the arrival of Consort Wu, Lady Bai's thoughts began to wander again.
She was waiting for an opportunity.
But perhaps heaven saw that she had suffered for so long, and she soon got this opportunity.
Didn't Third Master just take in a concubine, Consort Cao, a few days ago? She must have been lucky; she became pregnant just half a month after entering the manor.
However, everyone knew that this child was probably not conceived by Cao Shi at the Third Master's residence, but rather conceived in Jiangnan.
As a concubine listed in the imperial genealogy, and perhaps because she had been demoted a few days ago, the Third Prince's mansion was celebrating this rare happy occasion with a lavish banquet.
However, the Third Prince was aware of the implications, so he invited only a few princes and their wives.
Li Chenjiao learned about this from the Fourth Prince when he came to have lunch. She wasn't stupid; she naturally connected it to the Cao family behind Consort Cao.
Third Master's intention to win him over is quite obvious.
However, Li Chenjiao could also tell that Fourth Master didn't seem too willing to go, and although she didn't know why, she still found it funny.
Fourth Master could easily see the schadenfreude in Little Princess's eyes. He didn't want to have too much contact with the Cao family, so naturally the Cao family would have to step in this time.
He could now vaguely discern his father's attitude towards the Cao family, and naturally, he was unwilling to get involved in such a dangerous situation.
"I'll come stay here tomorrow, and I'll prepare some hangover tea."
Before leaving, Fourth Master mischievously pinched Li Chenjiao's cheek.
The Fourth Prince has been busy checking the Ministry of Revenue's accounts for this year. Last time, the funds for the renovation of the Rehe Imperial Palace were misappropriated for disaster relief. If Father Emperor wants to make a southern tour next year, that's fine. But if he wants to go north, then this matter cannot be delayed.
These days, Fourth Master has been busy in the front yard, barely having time to rest.
The next day, Li Chenjiao woke up at the rare hour of Chen (7-9 AM). As she lay in bed, she suddenly remembered something.
"Is the Princess Consort also going to the Third Master's residence for a banquet with the Fourth Master today?"
Qiu Hu thought for a moment and replied, "I suppose the Princess Consort will leave the mansion later."
With the Fourth Prince and his wife both away from the mansion, there's no telling what kind of bad ideas some people might be plotting.
Li Chenjiao didn't want to get involved in this mess, so she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself: "Tell Xiao Luzi to keep our courtyard gate tightly closed and not to see anyone. Just say that I caught a chill last night and it's inconvenient for me to see anyone."
Qiu Hu immediately understood.
At present, Song Gege is running to the front yard all day long, Bai Jia Gege is still strolling in the garden every day in the freezing cold, and Wu Gege is chatting happily with Xu Mama, who is temporarily in charge of the household.
Oh, and there's also a Miss Hu singing in the garden. At least Princess Bai Jia tried to hide it, but Miss Hu didn't pretend at all.
In winter, it gets dark early; it's pitch black before 7 PM.
After having dinner, Li Chenjiao ordered the kitchen to prepare hangover soup and hangover tea.
Thinking that the days were getting colder and colder, Fourth Master, having returned from the freezing cold, simply asked Qiu Hu and Qiu Ci to brew some ginger tea to prepare.
Li Chenjiao lazily nestled on the soft couch. She had just finished reading a picture book two days ago, and had lost interest in reading anything else these past two days.
In the winter, Li Chenjiao remembered the folding fans she had acquired in the summer, so she asked Qiu Hu and Qiu Ci to find them, and also found a few round fans.
She placed them one by one on the table, and Li Chenjiao idly stamped them with her seals. Only after she finished having fun did she realize that it was really late.
Li Chenjiao tasted the ginger tea to warm her stomach, wondering if Fourth Master had once again decided to return to the front courtyard on a whim.
Li Chenjiao quickly dismissed the idea. Fourth Master was not a man of his word. Even if he returned to the front courtyard after returning to the mansion, he would have Su Peisheng or Fulu come to report.
However, Li Chenjiao was too lazy to wait any longer, so she simply washed up and went to bed to wait for the Fourth Master.
Li Chenjiao was getting drowsy when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps. Qiu Hu lifted the curtain.
"Princess, something's happened—"
Li Chenjiao let out a confused "Ah," but after she became more alert, she wasn't too confused. She simply asked, "Did something happen to Fourth Master?"
Qiu Hu also exclaimed, "Ah!": "How did Princess know?"
At this hour, the only one who could get into trouble is the Fourth Prince.
"What's wrong?"
Li Chenjiao was quite curious. She wondered why the manor was so quiet during the day. It turned out that everyone was secretly waiting for the Fourth Master to come back and cause trouble.
"Fourth Master is drunk and asked Princess Bai Jia to—"
Li Chenjiao's first reaction upon hearing this was absurdity. What were Su Peisheng and Fulu, who served by the Fourth Master's side, doing? Given Su Peisheng's level of loyalty, how could such a thing happen?
"I heard that the Fujin (princess) also got drunk. She only brought Yu Ru to serve her, so the Fourth Prince sent Eunuch Su to escort her back to the mansion."
Li Chenjiao then asked about Fulu and the other servants who were serving him.
“Fu Lu went ahead to inform the princess first, unaware that the master had informed her in advance. As for the others, it is said that they went back to the front courtyard to take care of the eldest princess. In addition, the fourth master usually does not like to have too many people serving him, which is why Princess Bai Jia got the opportunity.”
Li Chenjiao never expected that Bai Jia would have such courage. Did she really think that the Fourth Master would not care after the deed was done?
That's a bit too naive.
Li Chenjiao sighed. Her mother's words about drinking causing trouble now sounded like a warning bell in her heart.
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