Princess Wu already knew about the mistreatment of Princess Li by the kitchen when the prince went to fetch her food the day before.
However, Princess Wu pretended not to know.
Arriving at the manor should have been a happy occasion, but after Wu Gege found out about the accommodations arranged for her, her smile faded.
The Dongfeng Courtyard where Wu Gege lived was very close to the garden, and it was also larger than the courtyard where Wu Gege lived in the mansion.
The furnishings in the courtyard were naturally carefully decorated by the servants of the estate.
It's just not nearly as nice as the new Green Hall where Li Gege lives.
Princess Wu had secretly asked her confidants to find out that Xinlutang was the largest and most exquisite courtyard in the entire backyard, apart from the main courtyard reserved for the Fujin (princess).
Moreover, Shin-Ryūdo is the closest courtyard to the front yard, separated from it by only a small path.
Moreover, I heard that this new Green Hall was specially built by the newly enthroned prince for his most beloved concubine, and he specially chose the courtyard closest to the front yard.
Princess Wu can disregard Princess Li's favor.
However, when Wu Gege entered the Fourth Prince's mansion, she was aiming to become his concubine.
Right now, Li Gege's favor is clearly threatening Wu Gege's.
So when she heard that Li Chenjiao was strolling in the garden, Wu Gege stroked her still not very noticeable belly.
"Help me to go for a walk in the garden."
However, when Princess Wu arrived at the garden, she found nothing.
"Didn't they say that Princess Li was feeding the fish in the garden? Where is she?" Princess Wu's emotions remained relatively calm.
Dongfeng Courtyard is indeed quite close to the garden. In just a short while, even Wu Gege's maid was a little confused as to why Li Gege had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Princess Wu sat down in a pavilion not far away: "Have someone go and look for it."
However, when the maid returned from finding Li Gege and reported back to Wu Gege, Wu Gege almost couldn't believe her ears: "What did you just say?"
"Your Highness, I saw Princess Li and her maid watching the tenant farmers on the estate digging for wild vegetables."
Wu Gege's expression also became somewhat indescribable.
Could it be that Princess Li won the Fourth Prince's favor through these means?
Wu believed that she could not and was incapable of doing it.
Wu Gege looked into the garden and said, "Help me walk around in the garden."
This time, we simply took a walk in the garden.
As for Li Chenjiao...
Li Chenjiao naturally wouldn't go down to the fields to dig for wild vegetables herself.
Although Li Chenjiao used to often fool around with her brother in the streets and alleys while she was in her boudoir, and had done things like climbing trees and catching fish, she had never actually done anything like planting or digging vegetables in the fields.
Li Chenjiao's mother, Lady Jueluo, was a typical Manchu aunt, with a straightforward and outspoken personality. She did not restrict her daughter from a young age, but she still spoiled her.
You can let your daughter see poverty, but you can't let her experience poverty.
Li Chenjiao simply noticed that many wild vegetables looked fresh, and while watching the farm women pick them, she chatted with them.
For example, last year's harvest, the agricultural taxes from the village, and other expenses from the village.
When the sun was high in the sky, Li Chenjiao used her silver coins to exchange for some wild vegetables with the peasant women before going for a stroll in the woods.
There were guards in the woods, and Fulu was also with Li Chenjiao in the front yard.
Li Chenjiao didn't go deeper into the forest. She didn't know how to hunt or anything like that. She just found a shady spot on the outskirts of the forest and had Xiao Luzi run over to bring the rocking chair over.
This rocking chair was found among the miscellaneous items on the estate these past two days.
Li Chenjiao leaned back in her rocking chair, enjoying the pleasant spring weather, and spent half the day in the garden.
So when Fourth Master returned to the estate in the evening and went to Xinlutang, he found it empty.
The entire New Green Hall was completely silent.
Seeing that his master had sat down, Su Peisheng served tea to the Fourth Master: "This servant will send someone to look for him?"
Fourth Prince guessed that the little princess had probably gone somewhere to play: "Go and look for her in the garden."
Su Peisheng had just agreed to leave Xinlutang when he heard a lively commotion. Who else could it be but Li Gege coming towards him?
Su Peisheng also saw his good apprentice, Fulu.
Su Peisheng first greeted Li Chenjiao: "Princess is back! Fourth Master is waiting inside."
Li Chen smiled and thanked Su Peisheng for his advice before walking from the covered walkway into the room.
Su Peisheng grabbed Fulu: "Where did you go?"
Fu Lu spent half the day serving Li Gege and is now very envious of Xiao Lu, who works for Li Gege.
"After lunch, Consort Li went into the woods. The master had instructed that if Consort Li entered the woods, someone should follow her, so the apprentice followed. I saw Consort Li playing cards with the servants in her courtyard, and she even had dinner in the woods."
Su Peisheng clicked his tongue in amazement after hearing this, and glanced at his apprentice: "You're eating with your mouth all greasy, aren't you?"
Fu Lu subconsciously wiped his mouth, then smiled after realizing what he had done: "This servant couldn't refuse, so Xiao Lu and I also had a couple of bites."
Those two maids are truly comfortable serving Princess Li.
Meanwhile, Li Chenjiao slowly entered the room: "Master, you're back so early today?"
Li Chenjiao returned at the appointed time.
Li Chenjiao quickly replied, "Has Your Highness had dinner yet? I was just about to go outside to wait for Fourth Master to return. I'm a little hungry, so I'll have the kitchen prepare a big dish for you to try."
Fourth Master was already used to Li Chenjiao's mouth, and at this moment he just looked at Li Chenjiao and said: "You can still eat."
Li Chenjiao then touched her belly and said, "I'll risk my life to accompany you."
Fourth Master could no longer hide the smile in his eyes: "Since you didn't wait for me, today I'll punish you by making you serve the dishes."
Li Chenjiao blinked and bargained, "Shall we sit down to serve the food?"
Fourth Master lowered his head and drank his tea, without saying whether it was okay or not.
Li Chenjiao then went to the outer room to ask Xiao Luzi to go to the kitchen to order food.
"Tell the kitchen to make a dish of braised bamboo shoots with ham, and remember to ask them to add less rock sugar. Also, make a dish of sliced chicken. Today I got a basket of wormwood from the estate. Tell the kitchen to pick out the tender tips, blanch them in oil until wilted, and then put them into chicken broth to simmer. When it's done, add some matsutake mushrooms to enhance the flavor."
"I remember there was also a small half basket of Taiwanese vegetables. I asked the kitchen to select some Taiwanese bok choy hearts and stir-fry them with shrimp. I told the kitchen to add the rest as needed, but not to make them too oily."
During dinner, Li Chenjiao sat down in front of the Fourth Master and served him food.
Fourth Master naturally noticed the two vegetarian dishes, which were the first time he had ever seen them before.
Li Chenjiao didn't intend to hide it from the Fourth Master: "At noon, I asked the farm women on the estate for some vegetables. I tasted some earlier and found them to be very refreshing. I thought that since the Fourth Master has been busy lately, it would be good for him to try something new."
The Fourth Prince didn't think much of it when he heard this, and simply said, "Don't order these things in the kitchen when you get back to the manor."
With so many people in the mansion, it's easy for anyone to find fault with anything.
Li Chenjiao smiled and nodded in agreement.
Fourth Master is indeed a very good master.
He wouldn't look down on his concubines for eating wild vegetables and their meager diet, and he was quite tolerant of them.
Of course, the latter's tolerance is based on the fact that Li Chenjiao is favored.
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