When Madam Wu entered, the Fujin had already instructed Granny Li to remove the chessboard and was now sitting in the main seat drinking tea. Madam Wu looked exhausted, and the makeup she had carefully applied was now washed away by sweat, making it look somewhat gaudy.
The princess glanced at her, a smile curving her lips, and said slowly, "What brings you here to the main courtyard today, Sister Wu? I was just writing and kept you waiting for so long. I hope you won't blame me."
Although Wu Shi guessed that this was the Fujin's excuse, she still said respectfully, "This servant has always been favored by the Fujin, and I have no way to repay her. Let alone waiting for a while, even if this servant has to wait for a whole day, it would be a blessing for this servant. How could I blame the Fujin?"
The smile on the Fujin's face deepened, seemingly quite pleased with Wu's words. She raised her hand to stroke the cloud pattern embroidered with gold thread on her sleeve and said, "I've always felt bad for not being able to let Sister Wu go out to serve the Fourth Prince last time. This time, the Fourth Prince sent a letter saying that he has already arrived in Chengde Prefecture and should be able to return to the capital in about a month."
The Fujin knew that she had come to pay her respects only to find out about the Fourth Prince's letter. What an arrogant and ignorant girl!
Because Geng, who lived in the same courtyard, was not there, Wu saw that Yin, who had entered the mansion later than her, was pregnant with the Fourth Prince's child. She had nowhere to vent her anger. When she heard that the Fourth Prince had sent a letter, she came to pay her respects to the Princess Consort and also to inquire about the Fourth Prince's whereabouts.
"I heard that Lady Niu in the South Courtyard also received a letter from the Master?" Lady Wu was extremely jealous when she heard that, apart from the Fujin, only Lanqin Ling had received a letter. Consort Li was so angry that she smashed a set of fine blue and white teacups to pieces.
Upon hearing this, the cold smile on the Fujin's face vanished instantly.
When Wu saw the Fujin's reaction, she knew that the First Wife was also unhappy about this matter. She was secretly pleased and said, "I am really indignant. That Niu has only been here for a few days, yet she dares to go to the front yard. I heard that she even brought the First Prince and the Third Prince's children to play in her own yard. She has no manners at all."
Hearing Wu's words, the Fujin inwardly snorted, but her face remained impassive. She said, "Speaking of which, the imperial concubines of the 43rd year of Kangxi's reign are truly extraordinary. Of the two who entered, one is greatly favored by the Fourth Prince, and the other is already pregnant. On the contrary, you, sister, and Wang and Geng have been here for two or three years, yet we haven't been able to send any good news. It really worries me. Now that Wang and Geng have gone with the Fourth Prince, perhaps they will bring good news when they return. The Fourth Prince doesn't have many children, and whenever the ladies in the palace mention it, it makes me feel ashamed. I hope they can send more good news. Sister, don't you think so?"
Wu Shi understood the meaning behind the Fujin's words perfectly, and her face immediately became a little uncomfortable, but she had no choice but to reply, "What Fujin said is very true. This servant also hopes that the younger sisters can bear children for the master."
Just then, Chunliu came in with an invitation. Li Mama immediately went to greet her and took it, then went to the Fujin and handed it to her. The Fujin didn't hesitate, opened the envelope, and carefully read through its contents.
Wu stood up, waved her handkerchief at the Fujin (principal wife), and said, "Fujin, this servant will take her leave."
The princess said, "Sister, please sit for a while. There is something I want to tell you."
Upon hearing this, Wu Shi stopped in her tracks, her movements halting abruptly. She looked curiously at the Fujin and the letter in her hand.
"The Third Prince's wife invited me to her residence, and in her letter she specifically mentioned that I could bring a few more sisters along, as it would be more lively with more people. I was wondering if my sister could accompany me to the Third Prince's residence." The invitation in the Third Prince's wife's hand was handed to her by the Third Prince's wife, Dong E Shi.
Upon hearing this, Wu felt a tremor in her heart. She suddenly recalled the time a few months ago when she went to congratulate Princess Tian in the Third Prince's residence. The Fujin had already hinted at it to her, but in the end, it was Geng who went. Now, the one accompanying the Fourth Prince to serve him was still that Geng who was inferior to her in every way.
Instantly, the fire of jealousy and hatred completely engulfed the last bit of effort that Wu had been suppressing in her heart.
“Since Your Highness has given the order, this servant will naturally accompany Your Highness to the Third Prince’s residence. May I ask, Your Highness, which other sisters do you intend to take with you?” Wu Shi couldn’t help but ask.
The Fujin stood up, strolled to the long table in front of the octagonal window, looked at the two pots of beautifully pruned roses, and said casually, "Mrs. Yin's pregnancy is stable now. Going out for a walk will actually be good for the baby. Don't you think so, sister?"
With her back to the Fujin (principal wife), Wu Shi looked down on the meaning behind the Fujin's words and quickly chimed in, "That's right, going out more often will be very beneficial for Sister Yin. Fujin, why don't you also invite Sister Song and Sister Niu to come along? There are only a few of them in this household, so we shouldn't leave anyone out."
She certainly wouldn't dare to mention Consort Li. She wasn't a princess, and she and Consort Li were already at odds. Except for necessary occasions, they never saw each other at all.
“What you say is very true, sister. That’s exactly what I was thinking.” The Fujin turned to Wu and said, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, which made Wu shiver. But then, the Fujin regained her usual gentle and amiable demeanor and said to Li Mama, “Go and pack a pound of my newly acquired pre-Qingming Longjing tea for Wu Gege to take back and drink.”
Wu immediately curtsied respectfully and said, "This servant thanks the Princess for the reward."
After Lady Wu and her maid Hongqian walked out of the main courtyard gate, the Fujin turned around and went to the study in the side room. She picked up the brush that was placed next to the inkstone, and after it was dipped in thick ink, she began to draw a large "quiet" character on a large sheet of paper.
Following behind, Granny Li silently watched the obviously flustered movements of the Princess Consort's hands, and sighed helplessly in her heart, saying, "Princess, this old servant still thinks it's too early to take action against them now."
When Gege was still Fujin (a high-ranking official) at Ula's place, Li Mama would only call her Gege when there was no one else around.
“Granny, what other way out do I have? What I just said to Lady Wu, wasn't it also true for myself? Since she's here, I'll give her a chance.” The Fujin forcefully tore off a piece of paper in front of her and casually threw it on the ground. “Granny, do you know what I saw on Dai Zhuzhe's table?”
Granny Li walked behind the Fujin and asked hesitantly, "Is it a letter from Lady Niu?"
The Fujin (principal wife) didn't answer for a long time before finally letting out a sigh, clearly harboring an unyielding resentment that she finally released: "She's asking the Fourth Prince whether or not to go to Consort De's birthday celebration. Nanny, do you think I can tolerate this?"
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