The Song family was overjoyed to welcome the Fourth Master.
Since Fourth Master returned, she had only visited the East Courtyard and the Main Courtyard in the backyard. She had privately talked about it countless times with Liu Xu.
But since the Fourth Prince doesn't come to her, she can't force him to come.
Madam Song still cared about her reputation; she was unwilling to resort to those despicable tactics to win favor.
Today, the eldest princess went to the palace again, and Madam Song couldn't help but feel sad and didn't really want to see her.
However, Song's attitude towards the eldest princess has indeed improved a lot recently, so it cannot be said that she has suddenly realized her mistake.
However, seeing such a well-behaved little girl every day, and considering she was her own flesh and blood, Song couldn't bring herself to be cold towards her.
Although she wasn't exactly favored, Song Shi started visiting the eldest princess's room more frequently, and would often sit there when she had nothing else to do.
However, since the birth of the eldest princess, the care given by Madam Song has been pitifully little. Even though Madam Wang spoke to her softly many times, the eldest princess still didn't like to talk to Madam Song much.
Madam Song wasn't drunk today; she was quite sober: "If—if I hadn't injured my body, if I had given birth to a prince, perhaps I could have accompanied my child to the palace every year—"
People always regret what has already happened, yet they also have hopes and fantasize about what might happen.
Song was that kind of person, and she had thought about it countless times ever since the birth of the eldest princess.
A tear rolled down her cheek. Seeing this, Liu Xu couldn't bear it. She was about to say something comforting when she heard a voice outside announcing that the Fourth Master had arrived.
Song quickly raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and fearing that the tears would smudge her makeup, she stood up and asked Liu Xu to take a look at her.
Song was only twenty years old, the prime of her life, but the melancholy that had lingered in her eyes since the birth of the eldest princess added a touch of sorrow to her appearance, though she was still beautiful.
However, when Madam Song went out to greet him, she did not see the Fourth Prince. It was Fulu, who was by the Fourth Prince's side, who said that the Fourth Prince had gone to see the First Princess first.
After a long silence, Song Shi, unsure whether to be happy or worried, finally managed a smile: "It's kind of you, Master, to think of me. Let's go, I'll go see the eldest princess too."
Song's feelings were complicated. On the one hand, she felt that if it weren't for the eldest princess, the fourth prince would never have come to visit her again.
But then she couldn't help wondering, if it weren't for this child, would the Fourth Prince still have come? Did he only come to her because of the First Princess?
With her mind full of thoughts, Madam Song arrived at the eldest princess's room. She hesitated at the door for a long time before Su Peisheng, with his sharp eyes, spotted her and invited her in.
The eldest princess was still asleep when the kitchen staff served her yam soup, made by simmering millet and mashed yam together. The eldest princess loved this soup.
Just as the wet nurse was feeding her, the Fourth Prince arrived. After sitting down by the bed, he personally took the small bowl and fed the eldest princess.
The Fourth Prince had seen the eldest princess more often and was less afraid of her than the Third Prince, but the young girl seemed a little embarrassed by it.
Standing at a distance, Song found the scene jarring.
How could someone as pampered and noble as the Fourth Prince know these things?
Did she learn it while feeding the Second Prince in the main courtyard? Or while feeding the Second Princess in the east courtyard? For Madam Song, this was the first time she had ever seen it.
Feeling a pang of jealousy, Madam Song quietly approached and bowed to the Fourth Master.
When the eldest princess saw her, she suddenly snapped at her, whether out of fright or something else, it was unclear.
Song was both angry and helpless. She forced a smile and tried to pat the eldest princess on the back to calm her down, but before she could even touch her, the eldest princess started trembling like a leaf.
Song looked embarrassed and was speechless.
Fourth Master wasn't blind; he could see everything clearly.
However, the Fourth Prince did not say anything to reprimand the eldest princess in front of her, but his expression was noticeably colder.
"You must be tired today, so go and rest early."
Song bit her lip, a mix of indescribable feelings swirling in her heart. She didn't know if it was resentment or heartache, and tears slowly welled up in her eyes. She said "yes" in a trembling voice, and then quietly withdrew as she had come.
She was unwilling to give up, and as she left, she couldn't help but look back, but no one in the room paid any attention to her.
The Fourth Prince fed her a small half bowl of food, then asked in a low voice if the eldest princess was full. He then had Wang Shi rub the eldest princess's stomach.
Madam Wang couldn't help but say, "Master is so thoughtful, Eldest Princess, please thank your father."
The Fourth Prince seemed somewhat dazed upon hearing this. He was not someone who knew how to get close to his children. He spent a lot of time with the young princes, but he rarely even had time to talk to them.
These meticulous skills were all learned by watching Li Shi do them in the East Courtyard, and gradually memorized.
Fourth Master took the handkerchief handed to him by Su Peisheng and gently wiped the eldest princess's mouth: "Take good care of the eldest princess."
Suddenly, Fourth Master wanted to go to the East Courtyard to see Madam Li again, not to see Second Princess, but to see Madam Li.
However, by this time, the mother and daughter had probably already rested.
Fourth Master shook his head inwardly, and waited until Madam Wang had coaxed the eldest princess to sleep before getting up and leaving.
Fourth Master then remembered the faint smell of alcohol on his body. He frowned, and as soon as he left the room, he kicked Su Peisheng.
Su Peisheng quickly said, "Hot water has been prepared in the washroom. Why don't you take a bath first, sir?"
When the Fourth Master came out of the bath, Madam Song was already lying on the outside of the bed, her satin-like hair hanging down a little, making her profile look very serene and beautiful.
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