The Fourth Master pondered silently, then suddenly looked into the inner room.
With a screen separating us, we couldn't see anything clearly, but the fatigue from the long and arduous journey seemed to have dissipated somewhat without us even realizing it.
Back in the East Courtyard, Fourth Master felt like a traveler who had finally found his home, and was able to catch his breath and relax.
Fourth Master withdrew his gaze, and Qiu Hu quietly entered to serve tea.
However, when Qiu Hu got closer, Fourth Master smelled the aroma and realized that it was probably not tea.
"My master has recently taken a liking to pear soup, which is made with snow water. It's not too sweet and it's good for moisturizing the lungs and quenching thirst." Qiu Hu didn't say much, only that it was what his master liked to drink.
Naturally, only the Li family loved to drink all kinds of soups and broths.
After Qiu Hu left, Fourth Master did so out of courtesy and took a bite; it was indeed sweet but not cloying.
It's also like the kind of drink that the Li family likes to drink.
Fourth Master looked around again, then lowered his head and finished the bowl of pear soup.
At that moment, Su Peisheng entered carrying a stack of official documents.
Although the small kitchen had hot water, there wasn't much, and it was still boiling. Xiao Luzi cleverly went to the kitchen to ask again, and only then was the hot water prepared quickly.
The Fourth Prince glanced at the official documents in that short time. He had indeed missed quite a few things during his absence from the capital.
Perhaps it's time to find a suitable advisor. There are quite a few princes in the mansion now, and in two years it will be time for them to start their education.
But there's no rush for that.
When Su Peisheng said the hot water was ready, Fourth Master finished reviewing the official documents in his hand and then stood up to go to the bathroom to take a bath.
As he passed through the screen, the Fourth Prince muttered to himself, "I didn't hear the Second Princess crying today. When I left the mansion in October, she probably hadn't gone to sleep yet at this hour."
It's been almost two months since she left the manor, and it's hard to say whether the Second Princess has become more obedient.
Fourth Prince is clean, though not as picky as Li Chenjiao, but he is definitely one of the cleanest among all the princes.
However, during the journey, there were not many nitpicks for him. When he followed his father, the Emperor, to fight against Galdan, the Fourth Prince's clothes were covered in blood and he was covered in the smell of blood, but he didn't even blink.
She arrived at the East Courtyard but was in no hurry to go inside to see Madam Li, naturally to avoid being disliked by that delicate woman inside.
After taking a bath, Fourth Master finally understood what it meant to feel refreshed and invigorated.
After dismissing the servants, the Fourth Master first extinguished the candles outside before slowly entering the inner room.
As they approached the inner room, the Fourth Master could faintly hear some light breathing sounds. He walked to the bedside in the dark, and suddenly chuckled, as if he had thought of something.
He tugged at the brocade quilt, which was about to fall, before finally lifting it.
The next second, Fourth Master stood there stunned.
If he wasn't mistaken, Li was still carrying a lump in her arms.
The two of them, one big and one small, are sleeping quite soundly right now.
The Fourth Master gritted his teeth in anger: "Li Shi!"
But Li Chenjiao was fast asleep and couldn't hear the Fourth Master's voice at all.
Li Chenjiao even grumbled a bit because she felt a little cold after the Fourth Prince lifted the quilt, and then turned over with the Second Princess in her arms, turning her back to the Fourth Prince.
Fourth Master took a deep breath.
While he was away from the mansion, Madam Li seemed to be living a very comfortable life.
Fourth Master finally lifted the quilt and lay down. As soon as he lay down, Li Chenjiao, who had been facing away from him, seemed to sense something and began to move rustlingly.
The movements were very small.
Fourth Master closed his eyes, still annoyed and not wanting to care about Li Chenjiao's reaction at all.
But a moment later, a head suddenly popped into his arms. Without thinking, Fourth Master knew it was Li Shi, whose hair was stained with soap sachets.
Fourth Prince subconsciously lowered his eyes and stepped back to avoid squeezing the Second Princess in Li Chenjiao's arms.
As Fourth Master stepped back, Li Chenjiao became even more audacious, snuggling closer to him.
After this back and forth, the anger in Fourth Master's heart gradually subsided.
Helpless, the Fourth Prince first helped the Second Princess in the darkness. The little girl was sleeping even more soundly than her mother.
Li Chenjiao was still muttering to herself, it was unclear what she was saying.
The Fourth Prince was holding the Second Princess and Li Chenjiao in his arms, which would have been considered inappropriate by him in the past, but he didn't seem to mind at the moment.
He never thought that going into the backyard meant having sex.
There are many things going on outside, one after another, and sometimes Fourth Master really needs a place to catch his breath.
Fourth Master gazed at the canopy above his head and fell asleep without realizing when.
For Li Chenjiao, the Fourth Master came quietly and left just as quietly.
When Li Chenjiao woke up the next day, she didn't notice anything, but when she raised her hand, she could feel the lingering warmth of the pillow.
She was stunned, almost thinking she was still dreaming.
But the lingering warmth in her palms was undeniable. She propped herself up; the Second Princess was still fast asleep. The words that were about to come out of her mouth were suddenly swallowed back down.
Never mind, whether or not Fourth Master has returned, even if he has, he has already left by now.
Li Chenjiao carefully lay down again, holding the little dumpling-like Second Princess in her arms, and closed her eyes for a short rest.
During this time, the two maids, Qiu Hu and Qiu Ci, came in to check on their mistress once or twice, but seeing that she was sleeping soundly, they both fell silent and left.
Qiu Ci was the happiest: "It just so happens that Fourth Master came back just before the Lunar New Year. Now the manor can be lively again."
The girl said she was happy because the Fourth Master's return to the mansion would bring excitement, but what she really meant was something else entirely.
It was clearly implying that Princess Bai Jia had not conceived this time, and that yesterday, as soon as Fourth Master returned to the manor, he came to see his mistress first, and then went in to see her again after taking a bath—
These are clearly what makes this girl happy.
Qiu Hu saw through it but didn't say anything, only giving a hint: "It's fine in the East Courtyard, but you should be more discreet when you go outside. People who don't know better might think that we're celebrating the New Year in the East Courtyard right now."
She thought a little more deeply: "Yesterday, the master slept with the second princess."
There has never been such a principle since ancient times. A woman's bed is for serving her husband and master. This time, the Fourth Master caught her in the act. Although the Fourth Master's expression remained unchanged today, Qiu Hu was still somewhat uneasy.
In the end, it was the Second Princess's crying that temporarily put the two maids at ease.
I reckon the Second Princess is hungry.
Li Chenjiao watched as Madam Chen carried the Second Princess away. She spread her arms, sniffed, and laughed, "Look at me, I smell like milk again. Did Fourth Master come back yesterday?"
Li Chenjiao's tone was half questioning.
Qiu Hu replied, "The master had already gone to sleep at that time, and he didn't let us servants in."
Li Chenjiao said "Oh," no wonder she slept so soundly last night.
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