"Fifteen years have passed, and my little woman has become an indispensable support for me!" Fourth Master freed one hand and personally took a tassel hairpin from the dressing box, intending to insert it into Lanqin's hair.
Lanqin naturally wouldn't spoil the Fourth Prince's enjoyment; it had been a long time since she and the Fourth Prince had been so intimate. It seemed they didn't spend as much time together as before. In recent years, the Fourth Prince had been busy with political affairs, while Lanqin was busy with the household and business. However, the Fourth Prince's favorite place to visit was still the South Courtyard. He also went to Lady Nian's place. Since being poisoned, Lady Nian's health hadn't fully recovered, so the Fourth Prince showed her extra pity, showering her with various gifts. Gradually, people felt that the South Courtyard and the East Courtyard were now equally important in the Fourth Prince's household, and with Lady Fucha also present, just when she was about to be forgotten, the Fourth Prince would visit her to remind everyone that Lady Fucha was still there.
Lanqin and the Fourth Prince continued their tacit agreement over the years. Only Lanqin knew the meaning behind the Fourth Prince's actions. It was she herself who had suggested this idea to the Fourth Prince: a three-way power struggle to check and balance each other. However, Empress Fucha was ruthless, and the Fourth Prince likely disliked her from the bottom of his heart, so he didn't stay away much. Gradually, the three-way power struggle didn't materialize, and now the Fujin (Lady Fucha) seemed to be showing signs of a comeback.
"Your Highness, is something troubling you?" Lanqin looked at the man in the bronze mirror, a man she knew all too well. He had grown a mustache and looked more composed and experienced than before. There were crow's feet at the corners of his eyes; he was, after all, forty-one years old.
“Nothing can be hidden from you. This morning, the Fujin sent someone to say that she had something to say to the master. So the master came here first, and we agreed to have breakfast together.” The Fourth Master said as he put the tassel hairpin on Lanqin’s hair.
"Your Highness, breakfast is ready," Baoqin said from the doorway, without entering. They all knew that whenever the Fourth Prince and Lanqin were talking, they would automatically step back and not stand in front of them. Once, Lianqiu, unaware of this, massaged Lanqin's shoulders while they were talking, and was scolded by Cui Niang for it. Now, even the Fourth Prince's new maids knew that the Prince didn't like anyone standing in front of him when he and his concubine were together.
After the two sat down at their respective tables, the maids began to set out the food.
Ever since Lanqin heard what the Fourth Master said in her bedroom, she had felt uneasy. Eleven years had passed; that woman had been lying low for eleven years, and now, on the morning of the Lunar New Year's Eve, she had sent her trusted maid to speak with the Fourth Master.
Lanqin knew that Hongshi had competed for the throne in history, but that happened after the Fourth Prince became emperor. Hongshi was also quite capable, and having been raised by the Empress's side, he had the support of many ministers in the court.
Lanqin knew that her struggle with the Ulanara clan had shifted from the inner court to the imperial court, but it had come so quickly and suddenly!
The Fourth Prince understood that his wife's gesture of extending her handkerchief at this moment was not merely to reconcile with him as husband and wife, but naturally for Hongshi's sake.
“Your Highness, I’m afraid the Fourth Prince’s wife will object to this year’s ancestral worship ceremony. After all, she is the Fourth Prince’s wife. If she wants to preside over it, I can’t openly object. So this year, why don’t we let her preside over it?” Lanqin said to the Fourth Prince after thinking for a moment.
"Retreat to advance!" Lanqin decided. She couldn't afford to hold Fourth Master back at this time; the support of the Ulanara family was indispensable.
It is now the 60th year of the Kangxi reign. Kangxi passed away on the 11th day of the 11th lunar month of the 61st year of his reign, so there is still a full year and a half left.
The struggle between the Fourth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince has evolved from being subtle to being evenly matched.
Therefore, Lanqin has prepared a very impressive New Year's gift for Emperor Kangxi and Consort De this year, which will definitely attract attention. The Wanyan family's wealth is beyond question, but what Lanqin has presented this time is certainly not lacking; even the Wanyan family's treasury might not be able to produce such a gift.
“Over the years, you have been in charge of managing the household affairs. If she suddenly brings it up now, does that mean the power to manage the household will be handed over to her again? No way!” Fourth Master denied it himself.
Lanqin felt a warmth in her heart, but said, "Perhaps the Fujin is just testing the Lord's attitude. She also knows that I will not easily relinquish the power of managing the household, but it is fine for her to preside over the ancestral rites. The Ulanara family still supports the Lord because of her as their daughter. We must not embarrass them in these matters. The matter of the Second Prince Hongshi will also be a sensitive issue for them. The Lord might as well discuss his marriage with the Fujin."
The Fourth Prince frowned and said, "I have already arranged Hongshi's marriage with the second eldest daughter of the Irgen Gioro family."
"Your Highness, I've heard that the Princess Consort intends to marry her niece to the Second Prince," Lanqin said. "The fact that she's already said this shows that the Princess Consort is determined to have her."
Fourth Master frowned even more deeply. He had already made a verbal agreement with the Irgen family, and if he changed it at the last minute, it would really give others cause for gossip. Besides, he felt that Hongshi was perfectly suitable to accompany their second eldest daughter, while Yingge's daughter was said to be a spoiled and willful little girl.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. The Princess Consort is waiting for you. Why don't you go sooner?" Lanqin saw that the Fourth Prince's face was displeased after hearing the news, and she knew that he was unhappy.
My dear wife, all these years have passed, but your personality hasn't changed at all. You still like to act on your own and don't respect the prince.
After hearing Lanqin's words, Fourth Master got up, washed his hands in the basin of water carried by the maid, and then went to the main courtyard. It had been a long time since he had been there, and he was somewhat rusty.
Lanqin's attitude made the Fourth Prince feel much better. He thought she would be very excited if he told her, but she was calmer than he was. The Fourth Prince couldn't help but smile. Su Peisheng, who was following behind him, heard this and stopped in his tracks, thinking: What is the Prince thinking? Why is he laughing out loud?
The two arrived at the main courtyard in no time.
The princess had been dressed and waiting for quite some time when finally a maid ran into the room and announced that the prince had arrived.
"Lingxiu, is there anything I'm doing wrong?" Ulanara was actually a little nervous, as it had been far too long since she had spoken to the Fourth Prince like this.
But before Lingxiu could answer, Fourth Master had already stepped inside.
"This concubine greets Your Highness!" The princess immediately stood up, took a few steps to greet him, and then curtsied.
"No need for formalities, Madam. I've already had breakfast. Would you like some, Madam?" the Fourth Prince said, glancing around the room, but not seeing the food he disliked. Madam, you've learned your lesson this time, knowing what you do that's acceptable and what you do that's offensive.
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