"Father, since my birth mother is here, why was I given to my stepmother so soon after my birth?" Moyaqi rarely spoke to the Fourth Prince because he rarely visited his wife and thus seldom saw the two sisters. Whenever the Fourth Prince had his wife bring her and Erlinzhu before him for questioning, they almost always gave pre-prepared answers.
For a moment, the Fourth Prince didn't know how to answer the eldest princess's question. Should he tell her that her mother's status was too low, so she wasn't qualified to raise her? The Fourth Prince felt as if he had a marshmallow stuck in his throat, but seeing Moyaqi's innocent eyes, he could only say, "When your mother gave birth to you, she was very weak, so your father had the Fujin take you away to raise. Later, seeing that the Fujin raised you very well and that you had developed a mother-daughter relationship with her, she continued to raise you there."
Moyaqi's eyes flickered slightly, and she couldn't help but ask again, "Father, can I really come to Mother's place to learn needlework in the future?"
Knowing that the eldest princess was concerned about the Fujin (principal wife), the Fourth Prince said confidently, "Father will speak to your stepmother. Just come. But you must not neglect your stepmother in any way. You should pay your respects to her morning and evening. Although she did not give birth to you, she has raised you for eleven years."
Moyaqi squeezed the handkerchief in her hand and couldn't help but say, "Father, it was my stepmother who told me and Erlinzhu that we didn't need to go to pay our respects. It's not that we didn't want to go."
Fourth Prince was taken aback, and his brows furrowed slightly. But seeing the main courtyard already in front of him, he said, "Father understands. Just do as Father instructs. Father will discuss the rest with the Princess Consort."
Moya nodded, and the two of them had already arrived at the main courtyard. When Li Mama saw that the Fourth Master had returned with the Eldest Princess, she immediately bowed and went to greet the Eldest Princess, asking her about her well-being. The Fourth Master then walked alone towards the main house, while Su Peisheng remained outside waiting as usual.
"Is the Fujin in the small Buddhist hall?" As soon as the Fourth Prince entered the room, he found that only Chunliu was there, but the Fujin was nowhere to be seen.
"Yes, this servant will go and summon the Princess Consort right away," Chunliu said, bowing slightly.
"No need, I have nothing to do anyway. She'll come back after she finishes her Buddhist prayers. Su Peisheng, go and bring my invitation here. I'll read it in the Fujin's study." The Fourth Prince suddenly spoke to Su Peisheng, who was waiting outside.
Upon hearing this, Chunliu immediately understood that the Fourth Master intended to stay here tonight. After the Fourth Master entered the study, she took the opportunity of making tea to say to Qiuchan, who was resting in the side room, "Go quickly to the Buddhist hall and ask the Princess Consort to return. Tell her that the Master intends to stay in the main courtyard tonight."
Su Peisheng quickly brought over everything the Fourth Prince wanted to see. At that moment, the Fourth Prince was sitting in his wife's study, drinking the pre-rain Longjing tea that Chunliu had presented. After Su Peisheng placed a bundle of invitations on the desk in front of the Fourth Prince, the Fourth Prince picked them up and began to read them one by one.
Meanwhile, when Qiu Chan arrived, the Fujin was reciting the "Brahmajala Sutra" with Xia He by her side. After hearing Qiu Chan's report, the Fujin slowly opened her eyes.
"You mean, Your Highness is going to stay overnight?" The Fujin's face showed no joy, remaining as calm as ever.
"Yes, that's what Sister Chunliu said. She said that the master had Eunuch Su move all the invitations from the front courtyard over there. It seems he plans to read them in the Fujin's study," Qiu Chan reported.
After listening, the princess pondered for a while, then closed her eyes and said, "I understand. You may leave now. Let me finish reading this scroll and then I will go back."
"Madam, the master..." Qiu Chan said anxiously. She and her maids knew how much the madam had hoped the master would stay.
"Didn't you hear me? Get out!" the princess consort shouted sternly.
Qiu Chan immediately retreated timidly, leaving only Ulanara's low murmurs in the small Buddhist hall, and the half-foot-tall clay-sculpted golden Bodhisattva sitting high on the altar.
After the chanting of the sutras was finished, the princess bowed three times to the Buddha statue before standing up with Xia He's help.
When the two emerged from the West Small Buddhist Hall, the crescent moon had already disappeared into layers of clouds. Xia He, carrying the flaming lamp, walked ahead of the Fujin, guiding her back to the main house in the main courtyard.
When the Fujin reached the door, she saw Granny Li waiting anxiously. Seeing the Fujin finally strolling over, Granny Li immediately went up to her and whispered, "Your Highness, it's not good to keep the Fourth Master waiting."
The Fujin (principal wife) wouldn't listen to any of this. She raised her hand to touch the cloth on her chest and said softly, "The fact that Master sent Su Peisheng with the invitation means he doesn't have anything very important to tell me. Besides, I'm chanting sutras for the whole household in the small Buddhist hall, so I'm sure he'll understand. Granny, there's no need to worry too much."
"Your Highness has arrived. Why didn't you send someone to fetch me?" The Fujin dismissed the two men and went into the study alone. Su Peisheng bowed to the Fujin as she entered and then got up to leave.
"It's nothing serious for you, Master. It's not too late after you've finished your prayers," Fourth Master said gently.
"Is Your Highness hungry? Would you like me to send someone to bring you a midnight snack?" The Fujin glanced at the invitation on the desk and asked with concern.
"No need, I'm a little tired. Let someone come in to wash up, I want to rest early." The Fourth Prince stood up and stretched. This was the first time he had said he wanted to rest early in front of his wife.
While Chunliu brought water for the two to wash up, the Fujin was letting Xiahe sit in front of the dressing table to take off her hair. The Fourth Prince took the wrung-out towel from Chunliu and wiped his head and face. After removing her headdress, the Fujin walked behind the Fourth Prince and waved to the two maids.
"My lord, let me help you undress." The princess's eyes flickered slightly.
"My lady, I'd like Moyaqi to learn needlework from Madam Song in the future. What do you think?" The Fourth Prince turned around and began to unbutton the top button himself.
The Fujin was slightly taken aback. She sensed that the Fourth Prince would definitely have something to say tonight, but she didn't expect it to be about the Eldest Princess again. Ever since she said those words last time, which displeased the Fourth Prince, the Fujin felt she hadn't said anything wrong. Hearing the Fourth Prince say this now, she was even more puzzled: from the day the Fourth Prince uttered those words to now proposing that the Eldest Princess learn needlework from Song Shi, the Fujin, who always thought she understood the Fourth Prince, was suddenly completely unable to figure out what he was thinking.
"My lord," the Fujin said, "since I spoke to you last time, I've felt somewhat guilty towards the First and Second Princesses. But their fate was sealed from birth. I was just a bit too blunt then, and I hope you'll take it to heart." Hoping to dispel the Fourth Prince's impression that she neglected her illegitimate daughters, the Fujin continued, "When you entrusted Moyaqi and Erlinzhu to me, I've always treated them as my own, never neglecting them. Now that you suddenly want the First Princess to contact Song Shi, it's not that I disagree, but I'm afraid it will upset her. She grew up with me since childhood, and suddenly having to accept Song Shi might not be a good thing for her."
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