"Master, someone from Song Gege's side has arrived, saying that she has woken up." Cui Niang hurriedly entered the room and said to Lan Qin, who had just gotten up.
"That's wonderful! Sister Song is awake!" Lanqin quickly gestured for Sihua to comb her hair, a relieved smile appearing on her lips. These past few days, she had been worried that Song Shi wouldn't wake up, but she hadn't expected her to pull through. After all, Song Shi had entered the palace and been granted the rank of concubine; she wouldn't be so unlucky.
“Your Majesty need not worry, Consort Song is truly blessed. However, Your Majesty, shouldn’t we investigate the matter of Lady Wuya suddenly asking the head nanny for realgar?” Cui Niang asked.
“Aside from knowing that she asked for realgar, we know nothing else. If we ask her, she can say that she only asked for it because she found a snake. That doesn’t prove anything,” Lanqin said.
“But Wu Gege said that they didn’t see any black snakes at all. According to the old woman guarding the main courtyard, there was no trace of black snakes either, and they weren’t found in the front courtyard either. From now on, it seems that only our south courtyard and Song Gege’s place have seen them. Afterwards, these snakes seemed to have disappeared into thin air, and we can’t find a single one. This is too strange,” Cui Niang said.
Lanqin sat for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, and then asked, "Niang Cui, have you reported anything to the people we placed over there?"
Cui Niang shook her head and said, "That Mei Ruo only said that Wu Ya often goes to the Fujin's place, but she can't hear what they are talking about because she can't serve her closely."
Lanqin said, "It seems the problem lies with this Wuya woman. I can't bring her up in front of Fourth Master right now, understand?"
Cui Niang nodded and said, "Yes, Wuya's position in the master's heart is different from that of other princesses. Although she is only a concubine, she is obviously enjoying the treatment of a princess."
Lanqin picked up a jade hairpin and played with it in her hand, saying calmly, "If I tell the master, I don't know what he will think of me. He might not be able to tolerate Wuya. So we can't easily touch Wuya. If we do, we must have confirmed evidence."
After Lanqin finished getting ready, she took Cui Niang's hand and went to the North Courtyard to visit Song Shi.
"Sister looks much better!" Lanqin said to Song Shi, sitting on an embroidered stool beside her bed. Song Shi was already awake and sitting on the bed with a large cushion behind her, though her lips were a little pale. Fourth Master specially brought over an ice basin from the front yard for her to use, while Lanqin's was sent to the south courtyard.
"I heard from Qingping that thanks to you, sister, I'm afraid I wouldn't have woken up," said Madam Song, holding Lanqin's hand gratefully.
“Sister is very fortunate. However, this matter is probably not as simple as it seems on the surface; it must be man-made,” Lanqin said. She originally wanted to talk to Madam Song about the Fourth Prince, but considering that Madam Song had just woken up and should not be stimulated, she held back.
"Man-made? You mean someone deliberately let the venomous snake in?" Mrs. Song asked in surprise.
“That’s right, and they can even control those venomous snakes. The venomous snakes that my sister saw that day were the same ones that attacked the South Courtyard,” Lanqin said.
"Qin'er, are you saying that someone is deliberately controlling these venomous snakes? They can assign these snakes to bite whomever they want?" Madam Song stared at Lan Qin in disbelief.
"That seems to be the case for now. Sister, you must be careful in the future. Snakes are afraid of fire and realgar. I don't know when that person hiding in the shadows will send out these snakes to hurt people again," Lanqin said angrily.
"This is terrifying, Qin'er. Who is so heartless as to control snakes to attack people? It's impossible to guard against them!" Song said in fear.
"Sister, don't be afraid. The more you fear, the more you please them. As long as we take precautions, those things can't hurt us," Lanqin said encouragingly, patting Song's hand.
"Does my sister have anyone she suspects? Is it the head of the household?" Madam Song nodded and asked.
“There’s no confirmed diagnosis yet. The investigation is ongoing, and so is your father’s. Sister, you don’t need to worry for now. I’ve already had realgar sprinkled all around your house,” Lanqin said.
Meanwhile, Lady Wuya had been feeling rather down these past few days. The Fourth Master hadn't come to see her since his return, and Lanqin hadn't been bitten by the snake, so she was even more restless.
“Madam, why doesn’t the Fourth Prince come to visit us? He’s been gone for five months now,” Cuiyun sighed.
"I'm back. I only went to the South Courtyard and then looked around the East Courtyard. Cuiyun, does he even have feelings for me?" Wuya was a little sad. She thought she held a special place in the Fourth Prince's heart, but he had completely forgotten about her.
“Madam, aren’t all men greedy, wanting more and more after getting what they want? In my opinion, the Fourth Prince still has a place for you in his heart, but there are too many women in the inner quarters, and they all have their own abilities. Isn’t it because of her pregnancy that the Fourth Prince has been able to visit her so many times in the South Courtyard? The woman in the East Courtyard has also given birth to a prince. So, the most important thing is for you to find a way to have a child yourself,” Cuiyun said.
“I know all that you’re saying, but the key is that no one else is coming. How am I supposed to give birth alone?” said Uya.
“My lord, why don’t you try to lure him here? I think the key is that you can’t even show your face in front of the Fourth Prince. If he sees you, he might come,” Cuiyun said.
“That’s right. But he’s in the front yard. Every day when he comes back, he’s either in the front yard or the south courtyard,” sighed Madam Wuya.
"My lord, isn't the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner? Why don't you think about how to take advantage of this opportunity to see the Fourth Prince?" Cuiyun reminded him.
"Hmm. We can't just wait around like this. We have to think of something. I wonder how things are going outside, why hasn't it happened yet?" Wuya couldn't help but complain again. She had always felt that Lanqin was blocking her path to reconciliation with the Fourth Prince, but little did she know that it was just wishful thinking on her part.
“Madam, go and take some food to the master. As long as you are often around him, he will inevitably think of you, and that will give you a chance,” Cuiyun said.
“Hmm. Only if he sees things I make for him often will he remember me. Let’s make him a set of autumn clothes, some from the fabrics my aunt gave me. I remember there was a batch of brown satin wool. It would be perfect for a cloak,” said Uya.
"Yes. This servant will go and get it for you, Madam." Cuiyun said with a smile.
Wuya sat by the window, gazing absently at a banana tree beside the black and white wall opposite. She thought about the things she had done with the Fourth Prince more than ten years ago.
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