"Master, please be careful. There are lamb skewers again, sauerkraut and lamb hot pot, and lamb dumplings as the main dish. Be careful not to get a sore throat," Cui Niang advised.
"Alright then, go to the kitchen and order a cooling side dish. Just stir-fried bitter melon!" Lanqin still showed no sign of stopping.
"Master, where can we find bitter melon now! Bitter melon is a summer vegetable. How about I give you some radish sprouts instead? They're good for cooling down." Cui Niang said speechlessly.
"That's good too. Go get some shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. They'll definitely taste delicious in this mutton and sauerkraut hot pot," Lanqin said. But in her heart, she was thinking that before she transmigrated, she was a typical office worker who never lifted a finger in the kitchen. How would she know what vegetables were available in each season? Besides, back then there were greenhouses, so even in winter, you could eat summer vegetables.
For three consecutive days, the Fourth Prince dined at Madam Nian's place. If Madam Nian hadn't been pregnant, he probably would have stayed at her place as well. Lanqin didn't care at all. She ate, slept, and played as usual, seemingly unconcerned that the Fourth Prince was giving her the cold shoulder.
In fact, aside from spending time with Lady Nian, the Fourth Prince spends most of his time in the front courtyard. Recently, Emperor Kangxi has been summoning him from time to time to review memorials, and one matter in particular has caught the Fourth Prince's attention. So every day upon returning to the mansion, the Fourth Prince retreats to his study in the front courtyard to read. He dine with Lady Nian.
Because the Fourth Prince had been coming for several days in a row, and knowing that Lanqin had somehow angered him, Lady Nian became even more coquettish and charming in front of him, secretly hoping to win his attention away from Lanqin.
However, the fact that the Third Prince was going to have a birthday celebration forced Lanqin to take the initiative to ask the Fourth Prince for permission.
"Cui Niang, just send it over today for the master to see. As for what gifts we should prepare and who should go, please let the master decide," Lan Qin instructed.
Seeing that Lanqin still seemed unwilling to back down, Cui Niang became a little worried.
Meanwhile, before Cui Niang even left, she heard the servants at the door greeting the master. This was the first time the Fourth Master had come to the South Courtyard since returning from Huangjue Temple; it had been almost ten days since his last visit!
Upon hearing this sound, the maids in the room became as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood.
"Master, now that the master is here, please stop putting on that icy face. Let's just call it a day," said Cui Niang, seeing that Lan Qin still had a long face.
"Yes, the master is here. If the master continues like this, it will give others an opportunity to take advantage. You don't know, the maids on Nian's side are so powerful in the kitchen now. They get everything first." Shui Ling is responsible for getting supplies for the South Courtyard from the kitchen. In the past, the South Courtyard got everything first, but now they have to consider the attitude of the maids on Nian's side.
"Alright, do you think your mistress is that stupid?" Lanqin forced a smile. She knew that women in this era lived by the whims of men, especially a prince like the Fourth Prince. Every woman in the inner quarters would rush to please him. It was indeed inappropriate for her to continue being angry, making all the maids in the room anxious, as if they were afraid she would fall out of favor.
As they were talking, the sound of Fourth Master's footsteps drew closer, and Lanqin even recognized the footsteps.
As soon as the Fourth Master appeared at the door, Lanqin had already stood up and rushed forward to greet him, quickly bowing and saying, "This concubine respectfully welcomes Your Highness!"
Fourth Master hadn't seen Lanqin for several days. Seeing the young woman so gentle and respectful, he couldn't help but think to himself: Sure enough, after a few days of coldness, her attitude has improved a lot.
"The Third Prince is holding a birthday banquet, and I've come to discuss it with you. So, ****, come with me. You decide which princess to bring." The Fourth Prince said as he walked towards the main seat.
“Girl Nian is pregnant now, so she shouldn’t go. Why not take Lady Wu instead?” Lanqin said.
"Let's go along with Consort's wishes. I've already prepared the birthday gift," said the Fourth Prince.
After saying this, the two seemed to have nothing more to say.
"Master, Master, dinner is ready. Shall we serve it?" Cui Niang said hurriedly. She could tell that the master had come to talk to her on purpose, actually wanting to reconcile. The Third Master's birthday banquet was just a pretext.
Lanqin nodded, and Fourth Master also nodded, then the two remained silent.
The maids hurriedly set up tables and laid out the food. Xicha brought a basin of water for the Fourth Master and Lanqin to wash their hands, preparing them for their meal.
"What's that on the corner of your mouth?" Fourth Master noticed that Lanqin had a few small white pimples on the corner of her mouth.
Lanqin was startled and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, saying in a coquettish voice, "Master, please don't look, I'm just feeling a bit hot!"
Cui Niang thought to herself: After eating so much mutton that day, it's no wonder he got a sore throat! The master's arrival was so sudden, otherwise I could have used some powder to cover it up.
The Fourth Prince said, "Then what should we do? We're going to the Third Prince's residence the day after tomorrow. How are you going to get there in this condition?"
Lanqin silently roared in her heart: What does a few pimples matter? Are you afraid I'll embarrass you? But she said aloud: "I'll apply some ointment and drink more chrysanthemum tea to clear your heat these few days."
When dinner was served, Fourth Master forbade Lanqin from eating any more meat, only allowing her to eat some vegetables, saying that meat was good for cooking. Lanqin silently watched Fourth Master eat a piece of beef in one hand and a bite of fish in the other, while she could only eat radishes, vegetables and tofu, and she resentfully stabbed Fourth Master in her heart for a while.
After dinner, Lanqin was expecting the Fourth Master to get up and leave, but she found that he had no intention of leaving at all.
"Master, shall we play chess?" Lanqin felt that it was awkward to remain silent like this.
"Very well, that's exactly what I was thinking," said the Fourth Master. In truth, he did want to come and play chess with Lanqin.
After the maids placed the chessboard on the table between the two men, they all quietly withdrew.
Lanqin was a little disappointed that she didn't get any meat, so she decided to vent her frustration on the chessboard. In doing so, she didn't realize that she had left Fourth Master with nowhere to retreat.
Seeing the young woman's sharp and decisive chess moves, Fourth Master also perked up to deal with her.
"Is the concubine in a bad mood?" the Fourth Prince asked with a smirk.
“When I don’t eat meat, I’m usually not in a good mood,” Lanqin said through gritted teeth.
"My concubine is a carnivore!" the Fourth Prince continued to tease Lanqin. In fact, the Fourth Prince had long since stopped being angry with Lanqin, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize to the little woman. Besides, what kind of logic is there in a man apologizing to a woman?
"I can't live without meat," Lanqin said, blinking her eyes.
"Then I'll let you eat some meat?" Fourth Master reached out and pinched Lanqin's chin.
Lanqin was startled by Fourth Master's sudden move and quickly said, "Master, can you concentrate a little when you're playing chess?"
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