The Song family's courtyard was quite quiet. There were only two eunuchs standing outside. When they saw the Fourth Master, they hurriedly greeted him loudly.
Hearing the commotion, the people inside all came out to pay their respects.
After exchanging greetings, Fourth Master glanced at Madam Song and walked inside, with Madam Song quickly following him.
"Where is the eldest princess?" Fourth Master looked around.
Madam Song lowered her head meekly and replied, "You've already retired for the night. Are you going to take a look?" Her voice was flat and indifferent.
The Fourth Prince frowned slightly: "No need. Since she's already asleep, let's not disturb her. How is the First Princess now?"
Madam Song replied matter-of-factly, "Yes, he has been much better these past two days, but the weather is getting colder, and I'm afraid the child won't be able to handle it."
"Use charcoal when it gets cold. The eldest princess is frail; don't make her suffer," the Fourth Prince said.
Ms. Song nodded as instructed, her expression calm.
Fourth Master frowned again as he looked at Madam Song, who was standing still. "Sit down, you're not well."
Madam Song said yes and slowly sat down.
The conversation between the two was inexplicably awkward, too cold and rigid.
After a long while, Madam Song finally managed a smile and said, "It's almost Master's birthday, so let's have a lively celebration at the manor."
This is just making conversation for the sake of it.
Fourth Master gave a soft "hmm," feeling inexplicably irritated: "It's getting late, you should rest well, I'll be leaving now."
Madam Song bit her lip and forced a smile as she saw Fourth Master off.
After the Fourth Prince left, the maidservant beside Madam Song stepped forward to support her, saying, "Princess, why must you do this?"
Madam Song chuckled foolishly: "I was overthinking it. The position of concubine isn't so easy to obtain..."
The girl paused for a moment, then said, "Princess, don't worry, the eldest princess is doing well."
“What good is it if he’s not a prince? Why… why isn’t he a prince? I thought… Fourth Master came today… to mention requesting a title… Ah…” Madam Song was stunned, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Princess! Try to think more positively. Luckily, you're a princess. If you were a prince, would the princess's wife have let you off the hook?" the maid advised.
Madam Song just smiled, but then she started to cry: "Never mind, help me go see the eldest princess."
The girl should be.
...
When Fourth Master came out of Madam Song's place, his face was also not good. He was not stupid; he could tell that Madam Song was unhappy about mentioning the eldest princess.
How can you hate your own child?
Su Peisheng could naturally see his master's displeasure, and asked cautiously, "Master, are you... going back to the front yard?"
Fourth Master rubbed his forehead with his fingers: "Is the light off at Li's place?"
Su Peisheng quickly replied that there was no.
Fourth Master strode forward.
The lights were off in Li Chenjiao's room in the East Courtyard, but after sleeping for a while, she got hungry and got up to call someone to go to the kitchen.
Then, after ordering her meal, Li Chenjiao saw Fourth Master stride in.
"Master?" The voice was soft and gentle.
Fourth Master looked at the young girl in the lamplight, momentarily lost in thought, then his mood suddenly improved: "Still not resting at this hour?"
Li Chenjiao stood up to greet him, her sweet voice slow and gentle: "You were hungry, so you got up. What brings you here, sir?"
Fourth Master walked over and sat down: "Come and see you."
Li Chenjiao rolled her eyes at Fourth Master, "Don't you know where you came from?"
"What did you order?" Fourth Master looked at Li Chenjiao with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
Upon hearing this, Li Chenjiao tilted her head and slowly announced, "Sugar-coated glutinous rice cakes and shredded chicken noodles." She paused slightly, then turned to look at Fourth Master, "Would you like to try some, Your Highness?"
Fourth Master looked at the little girl's appearance and nodded slightly.
Li Chenjiao then waved and ordered someone to go to the kitchen to add another serving of shredded chicken noodles.
The kitchen staff were very efficient; the food arrived in no time, piping hot, and the aroma of the sugar-coated glutinous rice cakes could be smelled right from the doorway.
The noodles were served in a small soup bowl, which looked quite elegant.
Fourth Master hadn't eaten much dinner in the front yard, but now the aroma was making him hungry.
Li Chenjiao didn't eat much of the noodles, but she finished the plate of sugar-coated glutinous rice cakes, which cost four or five yuan, all by herself.
After having a late-night snack, Li Chenjiao lazily yawned twice: "Does Master want to rest now?"
Although she asked that question, the little girl had already gotten up and walked inside, clearly exhausted.
"No manners." Fourth Master said coldly, but he didn't stop walking and strode forward.
After the lights were turned off, the Fourth Prince listened to the soft breathing inside and suddenly asked, "Which is better, the prince or the princess?"
That's a bit too blunt.
The Fourth Master regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth.
After waiting for a while, but not hearing a reply, I turned around and saw that the little girl was sleeping so soundly, how could she have heard what the Fourth Master had just said?
“I like them all… I like them all. When the prince grows up, he can protect me, and the princess can dress her up beautifully.”
The little girl suddenly spoke, her words soft and sweet.
Fourth Master lowered his head, a smile playing on his lips, and reached out to pat the little girl's head, chuckling softly, "She really is a little girl..." He himself was still a little girl.
Under the moonlight, the Fourth Master bent down and kissed her face. The little girl was actually not that young, but she was delicate and charming, which made people happy to see her.
Seeing it brought me joy and a sense of relief.
As the sunlight fell and the radiance poured down, he let out a cryptic laugh.
...
The next day, when Li Chenjiao got up, she didn't see Fourth Master again. Well, he was probably out on business again.
"Is the princess awake?" Qiu Ci came in to serve her.
After Li Chenjiao finished washing up and getting ready, she suddenly asked during the meal, "Did Fourth Master come from Consort Song's place yesterday?"
Qiu Ci paused for a moment, then nodded.
Li Chenjiao nodded as well.
No wonder. Although I was very sleepy yesterday, I still heard what the Fourth Prince asked. He must have been unhappy with Song Gege.
Because of the prince and the princess?
The idea of favoring sons over daughters is really something... I used to hear my mother complain about this so-called preference for sons when I was still a young girl.
Over time, through constant exposure, Li Chenjiao developed a preference for boys over girls.
But it seems that Fourth Master doesn't care about this, which is good.
Having just woken up, her mind was slow to process things. By the time she finished thinking about all this, Li Chenjiao was already having her meal.
Qiu Hu, who was serving nearby, was stunned when she saw her princess put a plate in her mouth. She quickly reached out to stop her, saying, "Princess? Princess?"
Li Chenjiao came to her senses and laughed: "Really... being treated like a child by Fourth Master, I really am becoming more and more like a child, so silly."
Qiu Hu put down the plate and just smiled: "Gege is like this in the East Courtyard, but outside she's incredibly clever."
Li Chenjiao laughed and said, "I'll take it as a compliment."
Just then, Qiu Ci came in, looking rather unwell: "Princess, Miss Hu is here."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Hu subconsciously frowned.
Li Chenjiao put down her chopsticks and smiled gently: "I'm having breakfast right now, so it's not appropriate for me to see her. Please ask her to go back." This person is like a leech.
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