After leaving the palace and returning to the East Courtyard, Li Chenjiao asked the Second Princess Chen whose daughter she had met in the Imperial Garden that day.
As the children grew older, Li Chenjiao became even more attentive to everything.
Chen replied briskly, "It was the fourth princess of the Prince Zhi's mansion. Our princess found that princess in the Imperial Garden. Our princess heard crying and went over there."
Li Chenjiao thought carefully about the princess from the Prince Zhi's family.
Currently, there are four princesses in the Prince Zhi's mansion, all of whom are the daughters of the former primary consort, Lady Irgen Gioro.
The youngest of the four princesses is already twelve years old this year, which is quite old indeed.
Seeing that Chen was hesitant to speak, Li Chenjiao raised her hand to signal her to speak if she had something to say.
Then Madam Chen spoke again: "The fourth princess was dressed quite well, but her clothes were clearly not very fitted. Later, our princess handed her some sweet candied fruit, which the fourth princess wolfed down..."
As Chen spoke, she couldn't help but sigh. She herself had raised the Second Princess for several years and had grandchildren of her own. Back then, she treated the Princess of the Prince Zhi's family like a little beast...
Li Chenjiao frowned as she listened.
Although the current wife, Zhang Jia, is in charge of the household, isn't she afraid of giving others something to criticize by openly mistreating the children left behind by the former first wife?
Moreover, there are rumors circulating that Prince Zhi is still attached to his former wife and deeply in love with her. If that were true, why wouldn't he care about the daughters left behind by his former wife?
Li Chenjiao remembered that the eldest princess's birthday was in October, and she would be turning fifteen this year.
So, the four girls are only three years apart in age, and they had four daughters in four years...
Li Chenjiao felt a chill run down her spine just thinking about it.
She didn't ask what the two girls had said, and waved her hand to indicate that Chen could leave.
Originally, Li Chenjiao just wanted to ask Aman which sister she had met today, but she didn't expect to hear such a thing. She felt quite uncomfortable.
After Chen left, Qiu Hu brought in a bowl of honey soup a moment later: "Master, you've endured a long day, why don't you settle down soon?"
Li Chenjiao hummed in agreement, took two sips of her honey soup, and said, "That child, shouldn't he be of engagement age by now?"
Qiu Hu, who was outside, was unaware of the conversation that had just taken place inside. She asked in confusion, "Who is Master talking about?"
The princes and princesses in their household are all still very young.
Li Chenjiao made a casual remark, then quickly changed the subject: "Your master is telling you, you're old enough to be engaged."
Qiu Hu had been serving Li Chenjiao for six or seven years since she entered the manor.
I'm not young anymore.
Qiu Hu had long since become the head maid in the courtyard.
Upon hearing this, Qiu Hu knelt down with a thud: "Master, you know what I'm doing. I don't want to get married. It's terrifying to enter someone else's courtyard or mansion."
That's a childish thing to say.
Li Chenjiao helped her up and personally smoothed out the wrinkles in Qiu Hu's clothes: "Alright, it's not easy to find a good man, how many good men are there? When you have a plan in mind, come and tell me, and I'll make the decision for you."
The master and servant exchanged a glance, their eyes both glistening with tears.
Li Chenjiao was wiping her tears with a handkerchief when she suddenly heard a cough.
Immediately following was the crisp sound of the beaded curtain being lifted, and the light inside the room instantly became bright.
The master and servant both looked up at the same time, and Qiu Hu was the first to bow.
Li Chenjiao exclaimed "Oh!" in surprise, wondering to herself when Fourth Master had arrived.
She quickly stood up: "Master is here? It's so stuffy outside at night... Qiu Hu, go to the small kitchen and bring me a bowl of mung bean and lily soup."
Qiu Hu glanced at her master, naturally feeling uneasy, wondering how long her master had been standing outside. Fortunately, he hadn't said anything else to her master.
She responded, but didn't dare look at the Fourth Master, and left.
After Qiu Hu left, Li Chenjiao stepped forward and tugged at Fourth Master's wrist: "When did you arrive, Master?"
Fourth Master let Li Chenjiao pull him toward the soft couch: "For a while."
Look, how long is "a while"? Is Fourth Master playing a game of riddles with her here?
Li Chenjiao pulled the Fourth Prince to sit down on the soft couch: "The Second Princess and the Fourth Prince have both gone to sleep."
Fourth Master grunted in response, appearing to be in a bad mood.
However, when Fourth Master came in just now, he looked quite well.
Li Chenjiao waited for Qiu Hu to bring in the mung bean and lily soup, then asked the Fourth Master, "Master, is it too cold? Is it appropriate to have the kitchen prepare hot water now? Is it too hot? Would you like me to fan you?"
Li Chenjiao kept chattering away, giving the Fourth Master no time to answer or to think quietly.
"Let's ask the kitchen to prepare hot water for a shower first," Li Chenjiao decided in the end.
Fourth Master then glanced at Li Chenjiao and said, "...You should drink some first."
You're not even afraid of getting thirsty after talking so much.
Li Chenjiao obediently lowered her head and drank the bowl of mung bean and lily soup.
After this commotion, the Fourth Master's displeasure didn't dissipate, but he wasn't as bothered anymore.
"Today, Father Emperor arranged a marriage..." Fourth Prince suddenly paused.
Li Chenjiao sipped the mung bean and lily soup, finding it sweet and refreshing, and couldn't hide the smile on her face.
Upon hearing Fourth Master's words, the smile on her face faded slightly.
The arranged marriage was naturally not for the children of the household, nor for the Fourth Master's younger sister, whose marriage had already been arranged. It could only be for a child from another family.
Li Chenjiao blinked: "Since it's His Majesty who has arranged the marriage, then... it must be a good match?"
She wasn't quite sure; several people flashed through her mind, but she wasn't entirely certain.
Fourth Master didn't answer first, but raised his hand.
Li Chenjiao then pushed the half-finished mung bean and lily soup in front of Fourth Master.
Fourth Master lowered his head and took a sip, then said in a deep voice after a long while, "It's my eldest brother's eldest daughter."
Li Chenjiao opened her mouth, somewhat surprised.
Just now she was saying that the eldest princess of the Prince Zhi's mansion should be of marriageable age, but since Lady Irgen Gioro has passed away, her daughter, who has lost her mother, naturally has fewer people who care about her.
That's really...
Suffering.
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