"I'm not aggrieved. I just found myself here without even realizing it," Fourth Master said truthfully.
Lanqin gave the Fourth Prince a pleased look and pouted, saying, "Rest in peace, Your Highness is going to court tomorrow."
Although the Fourth Prince had some thoughts, he ultimately gave up on them because the mourning period for Hongjun was not yet over, and lay down to sleep beside Lanqin.
The next day, with the help of his maids, the Fourth Prince put on his court robes, wore his red-topped hat and court beads and went to carry out his duties.
When Lanqin woke up, Cui Niang helped Lanqin change her clothes while observing Lanqin's expression, as if she had something to say.
"Speak, is there something you need?" Lanqin noticed her expression.
"Yes, it's about the new bride entering the household. The Emperor has set the date for the first day of the fifth month, which is five days from now." Cui Niang lowered her head and straightened Lan Qin's horseshoe-shaped sleeves.
Lanqin hadn't really thought about this matter, but when Cui Niang suddenly brought it up, she said "Oh" and remembered it.
"Let the head maid arrange it. Do it the same as in previous years, and don't leave them out." Lanqin didn't want to deal with these newcomers. She wasn't a Fujin (princess's wife). She was thinking about how to win over the newcomers to strengthen her own position, or whether any of the newcomers might steal the Fourth Prince's favor.
“But a feast is always prepared for the newlyweds. With the Fujin (principal wife) in such a state and the Niance Fujin (secondary wife) also ill, where will the feast be set up?” Cui Niang asked.
Lanqin was stunned. From Cui Niang's words, it was clear that she was to be asked to prepare a feast and host a welcome banquet for the newlyweds. But why should she? She didn't want to see them!
Lanqin remained silent until Sihua finished combing her hair, then said, "Put it in the front yard."
“Master! Aren’t you just flattering them?” Cui Niang said. “Who holds a banquet for two princesses in the master’s courtyard? You’re probably hoping that the Fourth Master will favor them?”
“Anyway, I don’t want to put it in the South Courtyard. It can’t be put here, it can’t be put there, so where do you suggest I put it?” Lanqin said.
"Why not move them to Consort Song's place? Her place is quite large now, and Consort Song is the most senior member of the household. It wouldn't be unreasonable for her to take care of the two newcomers," said Consort Cui.
"I'll have to trouble Sister Song again. Alright, let's invite Sister Song over for lunch today and mention this matter to her while we're at it," Lanqin said.
Soon, the day arrived for the newlyweds to move in. Fourth Master simply instructed that rooms be prepared for them to move into, without saying much more, and everything was done according to the old customs.
The Fourth Prince had no objection to Lanqin's reluctance to be placed in the South Courtyard, since she was one of the concubines chosen by the palace anyway. Since Madam Song had finally found a way to help Lanqin, she naturally agreed.
At the auspicious time, the two newlyweds entered the mansion one after the other.
The newly built Chunhui Courtyard was located on the east side of the garden, quite far from other areas. Fucha and Liu moved into Chunhui Garden together, settling down on opposite sides, one to the east and one to the west. The rooms on the north side were empty, while the gatehouse was on the east side.
Chunhui Garden was newly built, and all the rooms and furnishings inside were brand new. Two maids stood on each side, waiting for their new master.
As Fucha looked at her room, she felt a sense of rebirth, as if she had finally married into the family.
“Princess, this place looks nice, everything is new,” said Yan’er, Fucha’s maid.
"Hmm, it all looks newly built." Lady Fucha was dressed in a peach-pink new outfit, her hair styled in a bun, and she wore a complete set of gold headdresses, making her look very much like a bride of the first wife.
"Princess, let them come over for questioning," Yan'er whispered to Fucha.
"Yes, let them all come over." Lady Fucha sat upright on the main couch in the room.
Two maids standing outside the house were led by Yan'er to Lady Fucha. They bowed to her and then lowered their heads as Lady Fucha gave them instructions.
"From now on, you two must serve me wholeheartedly. If I'm not good, neither of you will be. Understand?" Fucha Jinyu said.
The two maids nodded immediately, like chickens pecking at rice. They were maids who had just been assigned from the head nanny's quarters and were newly assigned to the Yong Prince's residence by the Imperial Household Department. Naturally, they were willing to follow an ambitious master, as this would give them a better chance of living.
"From now on, you'll be called Ping'er, and you'll be called Hong'er," Lady Fucha casually suggested two unremarkable names.
"Yes, Your Highness, we will serve you well from now on," the two maids curtsied.
"Isn't the woman living across the street Liu, who entered the manor with me?" Fucha asked, glancing in the opposite direction.
“Yes, I just saw her wearing a light apricot-red dress, but she doesn’t have the same grandeur as you, Princess,” Hong’er said immediately.
Lady Fucha smiled and nodded to Hong'er with great satisfaction, saying, "Go out and find out what time the master leaves the manor each day and when he returns. What places does he go to most often?"
Hong'er immediately chimed in, "There's no need to ask about that. I already know, and I'm just waiting to report to you, Gege. Master gets up at 3 AM every day and usually leaves the manor around 5 AM. He returns around 5 PM. Naturally, he goes to the South Courtyard the most."
"Is the South Courtyard the Li family's residence?" Fucha asked.
"No, it's Niohuru!" Hong'er asked Fucha in surprise. What on earth was this Li clan she was talking about?
"Niohuru clan?" Fucha repeated, racking her brain before finally remembering who Niohuru clan was. In her previous life, when she was favored by the emperor, Niohuru clan members never even saw the Fourth Prince. How did they become a favored concubine now?
“Yes, the most favored person in the master’s inner quarters right now is this Consort Niu. She has given birth to two daughters and a son for the master!” Hong’er felt extremely proud of the “useful information” she had secretly prepared, and finally she could put it to good use.
Empress Fucha stared at Hong'er with an expression as if she had seen a ghost. How could she have no recollection of Empress Niohuru being favored in her previous life?
"You said Li Shi is gone?" Fucha Shi heard Hong'er recount the situation of every woman and child in the Fourth Prince's harem. When she mentioned that Li Shi was gone, Fucha Shi suddenly interrupted her.
"Yes, she's long gone. She died in the 45th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign." Hong'er was puzzled as to why this Princess Fucha held such a grudge against a Li woman who had been dead for five years.
"Where is the Fujin?" Fucha remembered that the Fujin in her previous life was very weak and was suffocated by Li.
“Now that the Fujin (principal wife) is no longer involved in affairs, the inner quarters are managed jointly by Consort Niu and Consort Nian,” Hong’er said.
"Even Niohuru has become a secondary consort?" Fucha exclaimed in surprise.
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