Li Wei pondered, "If Lord Ling hasn't offended anyone, yet he's suddenly impeached over a case from over a decade ago, it must be someone targeting him. The Prince's current position is sensitive; could it be that someone is using this to attack the Prince?"
Lanqin was startled. Li Wei's words struck her like a lightning bolt. She thought someone might be trying to frame her father, but it was also possible someone was trying to frame the Fourth Prince. At this time, Kangxi's paranoia was growing stronger. What would he think if he knew that the father of one of his sons' concubines had been disrespectful to the late Empress Dowager?
“You’re right. This matter must be resolved as soon as possible. We absolutely cannot let that impeachment memorial reach Changchun Garden. Fortunately, it’s the New Year now, so all memorials will be kept in the cabinet until the New Year is over, and those things will be sent to Changchun Garden then,” Lanqin said.
Li Wei said, "We can only tell the Prince about this matter first."
Lanqin nodded. She hadn't wanted to trouble Fourth Master with her family affairs, but given the current situation, she feared they would have difficulty resolving it themselves. There was Sihua's matter, and now her father's problem; it seemed every single one of these issues was aimed at Lanqin.
After Li Wei left, Lanqin lay alone on the warm couch, lost in thought. She knew she was a thorn in the side of the Fujin and Nian Shi, both of whom had powerful families backing them. Could it be one of them?
When Fourth Master returned, Lanqin had already sent the children to rest. Lanqin herself hadn't slept much because she was worried about Lingzhu. She wondered how she should tell Fourth Master about these things since he would be returning tomorrow. Two seemingly unrelated matters, Lanqin felt were connected.
"Where is the concubine?" As the Fourth Prince entered the room, Shui Ling, who was on night duty, quickly lit the candles and helped him take off his outer robe. It turned out that the Fourth Prince was still wearing his court robes; it seemed he had come directly from the palace banquet.
"They've already retired for the night. Consort Lan went back to the Ling residence and returned overnight. She also met with Li Wei. From what I can tell, Consort Lan seemed very preoccupied." Shui Ling quickly recounted everything Lan Qin had done that day to the Fourth Prince.
"I know, no need to serve me anymore. I'll go in myself. You can go and rest." The Fourth Prince said after washing his face and hands with Shui Ling's help. His two days in the palace had been anything but easy. The first day, he led the imperial relatives to the Fengxian Hall to pay respects to their ancestors. Just listening to the Ministry of Rites read the eulogy took an hour. Then came the three kneelings and nine kowtows to the ancestral tablets, followed by leading the relatives to a high vantage point to read the "annual summary and vision" prepared by Emperor Kangxi. The entire day was exhausting, and he was practically falling apart. The next day, which was today, he also got up early to handle daily affairs, receive congratulations from officials, and then attend the palace banquet for the court officials in the afternoon. The Fourth Prince was so tired he didn't want to move. So, as soon as he came down, he returned immediately, wanting only to sleep soundly beside Lan Qin.
A white candle burned in Lanqin's bedroom, its dim light casting a faint glow on Fourth Master, making his figure appear somewhat austere. The red charcoal in the copper basin crackled and popped, its glow flickering red threads within the water.
The Fourth Prince watched as the figure inside the bed curtains turned slightly, then tiptoed to the bedside, took off his cotton robe, kicked off his shoes, and got into bed.
These past two days, Ulanara stood beside the Fourth Prince, making him somewhat relieved. He wondered if Lanqin would be upset again, since even if he were to ascend the throne, he might not be able to give her the proper position. Ulanara behaved very dignifiedly and appropriately, handling the relatives and officials with ease, which made the Fourth Prince feel much more relaxed.
However, the Fourth Prince knew in his heart that the person he most wanted to stand by his side was not her, but Niohuru Lanqin. Therefore, after the palace banquet, he immediately rushed back, eager to be by Lanqin's side.
In the dim candlelight, Lanqin's sleeping face was beautiful. Her black hair was like clouds, her cheeks and neck were as white as jade, and her long eyelashes lay on her lower eyelids. She was as quiet as a baby's breathing.
Fourth Master raised his hand and gently stroked Lanqin's forehead, along her nose, then her lips, then her chest, and finally slid his hand into her underwear, caressing Lanqin's soft waist.
Lanqin seemed to sense someone touching her, and shifted her body slightly, but still didn't wake up. The Fourth Prince smiled faintly, his hand continuing to roam over her body. Perhaps the idea that Ulanara was still the primary wife in public made the Fourth Prince uncomfortable, so he was eager to prove to Lanqin that she was the only one he cared about.
Lanqin didn't sleep well; she was still dreaming even in her sleep. She dreamt that Lingzhu had been imprisoned, and her elder brother had been implicated as well, with the women of her family weeping bitterly. Lanqin couldn't help but frown as well, and even began to sob in her dream.
Her action slightly surprised the Fourth Master. He stared at the little woman's furrowed brows and downturned lips, and said with heartache, "Qin'er, wake up, I'm here!"
However, Lanqin was clearly gripped by a nightmare. The Fourth Master called out to her several times, but she still did not wake up.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
