Qiu Ci steadily placed two bowls of candied osmanthus sweet soup in front of the two of them.
Xie Hengyi glanced at it and said, "I don't like sweets."
Li Chenjiao slowly stirred the soup with a jade spoon, and upon hearing this, she simply chuckled: "I just heard that Consort Xie said she doesn't drink green tea and doesn't like sweet or savory pastries, so I had the maid serve her sweet soup. I haven't been very hospitable to you, Consort Xie, you should go back to your own courtyard and enjoy yourself."
Xie Hengyi laughed at this moment, her beautiful eyes full of innocence: "Does Princess Li dislike me?"
Li Chenjiao stopped what she was doing. The jade spoon touched the side of the bowl and made a soft sound. She raised her head slightly and asked, "How did you know, Xie Gege?"
Xie Hengyi choked on her words: "You—"
Li Chenjiao had already given Xie Shi enough face, and since Xie Shi had clearly come to cause trouble, Li Chenjiao was no longer allowed to be polite.
"Qiuhu, bring the sweet soup down. It'll be just what you and Qiuci crave. I have other things to do in the courtyard, so I won't stay with you any longer, sister."
Li Chenjiao stood up and glanced around.
Qiu Ci then took the two bowls of sweet soup back down to the kitchen.
Li Chenjiao, with Qiu Hu's arm around her, gracefully walked out of the west wing, her demeanor exuding charm and elegance.
After everyone left, Xie Hengyi stood up and said coquettishly, "It's nothing special."
——
Qiu Ci followed behind her princess, carrying two bowls of sweet soup on a wooden tray: "That's how a princess should be. Don't leave her any tea or water. It's best to let her just be thirsty."
Qiu Hu turned around helplessly: "Silly girl, the princess asked you to take the sweet soup away because she didn't want to give Xie Gege a chance. If Xie Gege says that she felt unwell after drinking the princess's sweet soup, then there will be a lot of arguments."
Li Chenjiao was a little distracted at this moment. She walked back to the east wing, sat back in the rocking chair, and said slowly, "This Lady Xie is indeed beautiful."
Qiu Ci put down two bowls of sweet soup, pouting as if she wanted to argue.
In her heart, only her own princess was the most beautiful.
Moreover, to be fair, the Xie Gege I just met does bear a resemblance to Miss Hu from the old mansion.
She exudes a charming and alluring aura.
The only difference is that Xie Gege, whom I just saw, was more naturally charming and not as haggard as Hu Gege; she was in the prime of her youth and beauty.
Qiu Ci had known for a long time that her own princess was extremely beautiful, but after seeing Xie Gege today, she still felt that her own princess was even more beautiful.
Li Chenjiao didn't hear what the two maids said and didn't care: "Whether she's beautiful or not depends on whether Fourth Master likes her. But I do like Xie Gege when she doesn't open her mouth."
——
The Fourth Master, who was far away, sneezed for no apparent reason.
Su Peisheng quickly served hot tea: "The weather on the mountain has been very changeable these past two days. Even though you are young, you must take care of your health."
The Fourth Master took a sip of tea: "Has there been any letter from the manor?"
Su Peisheng had just returned from outside to pick up the letter delivered by his servant.
"Both the empress in the palace and Fu Lu in the mansion sent letters."
The empress in the palace naturally missed the Fourth Prince, and Fulu's letter was specially instructed by the Fourth Prince before he left the mansion. If there was any major event in the mansion, a message would be sent over.
The Fourth Prince first read the letter sent by Consort De.
Su Peisheng bowed to pour hot tea for his master, noticing that his master's brows furrowed quickly.
The letter that Consort De sent this time was not thick; the Fourth Prince quickly read through the two thin sheets of paper.
"Bring me pen and ink," the Fourth Master said in a deep voice.
Su Peisheng hurriedly agreed to prepare the writing brush and ink. While he was grinding the ink, Fourth Master also opened the letter sent by Fulu.
Fulu returned to the manor from the estate the day before the Fourth Master left. After the Fourth Master left, Fulu stayed in the front courtyard and occasionally went to Song Gege’s courtyard to see the eldest princess as instructed by his master.
However, Fu Lu was aware that after his wife entered the mansion, she had set up a courtyard in the backyard.
Fourth Master expressionlessly stuffed the two letters back into the envelope.
In her letter, Mother said that it was because the Fujin (Prince Consort) came to her and said that he was short of servants, and it was because the Fujin pleaded so earnestly that Mother made the decision first and then informed her later, choosing Xie Shi from the selection process.
However, Fu Lu's letter stated that no sooner had he left the capital than Consort De came to his residence to summon his wife to the palace.
Fourth Master rubbed his throbbing temples wearily.
He didn't like his mother's practice of sending people to his backyard. Last time, Princess Wu was supposed to enter the mansion after the New Year.
After Princess Wu entered the mansion, the Fourth Prince only stayed overnight on the first day according to the rules.
He didn't like this kind of fait accompli.
This will only make the Fourth Master hate him even more.
Fourth Master thought he had made his likes and dislikes very clear.
"Since the Fujin (principal wife) has tidied up the courtyard, why did she send Xie Shi to the estate?"
The Fourth Prince asked in a cold voice, and Su Peisheng, who was still grinding ink, almost lost his grip on the inkstone.
Su Peisheng had no idea what had happened at this moment, and hurriedly said, "Master, please calm down."
The Fourth Prince took up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write.
Fourth Master wrote quickly, but his handwriting was not messy. When he stopped writing, Fourth Master instructed Su Peisheng.
"Have someone send this letter back to Fulu immediately, and then have him tell the Fujin that it is the master's will to send Xie back to the manor. Wu Shi on the estate is pregnant and cannot tolerate any noise."
Su Peisheng bowed and carefully put away the letter. After bowing, he prepared to go out and have someone deliver the letter back to his residence.
"return."
Su Peisheng stopped in his tracks, wondering if his master had any other instructions.
But when Su Peisheng stood still, he still didn't hear his master give any instructions.
Su Peisheng cautiously raised his eyes, only to catch a glimpse of his master already bowing his head and writing something again.
Su Peisheng guessed that it was probably a letter written to the Empress.
My master seemed quite angry just now, but after all, my master and the empress are mother and son. Once his anger subsided, my master still thought about the empress.
Su Peisheng waited quietly.
"This letter should be personally delivered by Fulu to Xinlutang on the estate, and Fulu should also personally oversee the return of the Xie family from the estate to the manor."
Su Peisheng subconsciously agreed, but his mind was still a little fuzzy when he realized what was happening.
Where is it being sent? Not to the palace?
Sent to Xinlutang on the estate? That is, sent to Princess Li's place?
At that moment, Su Peisheng felt a deep respect for Li Gege, who was far away at the manor.
Even when the Fourth Prince was angry, he still remembered her; Li Gege's affection for her was genuine.
Su Peisheng carefully put the letter away. This time, he waited a little longer to make sure his master had no further instructions before heading out to deliver it.
On Mount Wutai, the princes each lived alone in a small courtyard, but there were quite a few servants on the road.
On his way down the mountain to send a message, Su Peisheng encountered Feng Zhong, the apprentice of Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch of the Emperor, who was going up the mountain.
Even the chief eunuch serving the prince had to respectfully greet the emperor's apprentice.
Feng Zhong looked extremely anxious, and saw Su Peisheng flick his whisk and disappear into the distance.
Yes, and it was a rather unseemly run.
Su Peisheng turned around and knew very well that Feng Zhong had left in the direction of the palace where the Emperor lived.
What happened?
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