Meanwhile, Xueying was reading a storybook with Wuxiha. It was "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that Xueying had brought. Wuxiha was so engrossed in the book that he didn't want to sleep or eat, and he spent all his time reading it.
"Xueying, who do you think is the true hero of the Three Kingdoms?" Wuxiha asked Xueying, who was standing to the side feeding the fish, as he sat on the long railing of the railing.
The two of them were outside Lanxingju at that moment, one holding a book and the other feeding the fish.
"I admire Cao Cao! He rose rapidly from the son of a eunuch, defeated Lü Bu, fought Yuan Shao, pacified the north, commanded a million-strong army, and used the emperor to command the other lords." Xueying sprinkled some rice grains into the pool with her slender white fingers.
Ushiha stared intently at the fish tails swaying in the water for a while, then at the several osmanthus trees planted under the covered walkway opposite. A gentle breeze blew, and the tiny, yellow blossoms fell like rain, floating on the water's surface.
“You like Cao Cao too? I like Cao Cao very much too. He is the real hero. Eastern Wu is a fence-sitter, relying only on its navy to maintain its precarious position, while Liu Bei is a hypocrite and a villain.” Ushiha said.
"Oh, for example?" Xueying handed the fish plate in her hand to Alu, took the handkerchief Alu handed her and wiped her hands, then walked over to Wuxiha and sat down as well.
“Although Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang three times, he never truly trusted him. Guan Yu lost Jingzhou because of Liu Bei’s poor judgment in choosing his advisors. Later, when Liu Bei entrusted his son to Zhuge Liang at Baidi City, although he spoke frankly with Zhuge Liang, I felt it was more like a test,” Wuxiha said. “This man is cunning, yet he always pretends to be a virtuous gentleman; I really don’t like him.”
Xueying raised a small face and started reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms with Wuxiha. The two girls were together, and the maids did not dare to approach and disturb them.
At the same time, Bechuk received an invitation from Fucha Mingyu, inviting her to her residence to admire the flowers. She had also invited Ushiha to come along, but Ushiha had Bechuk deliver a message saying that she had caught a cold and could not go.
Seeing that Ushiha really didn't want to go, Bechuk didn't force her. He informed Lanqin and took his maid with him in a carriage.
"Why didn't I see Bechuk today?" Xueying asked casually after looking for a while.
“She went to the Fucha family. Fucha Mingyu is engaged to my fourth brother, so she started sending us invitations. I really don’t want to go,” Wuxiha said without looking up.
“Then Miss Fucha Mingyu should think twice,” Xueying said.
“I don’t live for other people’s opinions,” Ushiha said.
Xueying turned her head and looked at Wuxiha curiously, thinking to herself: How exactly did the concubine raise this fourth princess? How could she be so different from others?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ushiha asked.
"It's nothing, I just feel that you're different from other princesses," Xueying said with a smile.
“You’re not ordinary either. Everyone knows your aunt and my mother don’t get along, yet you often come to visit me? Is there some other purpose behind it?” Wuxiha turned his head and stared at Xueying as he asked.
Although Ushiha usually seemed carefree and nonchalant, she wasn't actually confused; she just didn't care. Asking this question now was something she'd been keeping to herself. Ulanara Xueying had come to befriend her, but she wasn't foolish enough to think that Xueying only came because she liked her.
"If I said that I like the Fourth Princess and want to befriend her, would you believe me?" Xueying asked, looking at Wuxiha.
"I don't believe it!" Ushiha raised his head, closed the book in his hand, and said firmly.
Xueying's heart skipped a beat. Her reason for trying to get close to the Fourth Princess wasn't what she had just said, but she said aloud, "I just like the Fourth Princess's straightforwardness and easygoing nature. I'm the Fujin's niece, that's common knowledge, but I still don't want to let that status prevent me from befriending the Fourth Princess. Must the grudges of the previous generation be passed down to the next? Can't Xueying befriend the Fourth Princess?"
Upon hearing these words, Ushiha grew to like Xueying even more, because her ability to utter such "unconventional" words was enough to prove that she and he were indeed compatible in temperament.
From then on, Ulanara Xueying and Wuxiha became close friends, just like Bechuk and Fucha Mingyu. People choose to associate with different people because of their different personalities.
Lanqin also knew that Ulanara Xueying often went to Lanxingju, but she did not stop her because she did not dislike Xueying. She thought it better to let them befriend each other.
Now, the Fourth Prince returned and, having heard that Lanqin had news of Hongli, immediately strode towards the South Courtyard.
Lanqin had already arranged for a meal to be prepared. As soon as Fourth Master entered the courtyard of the South Courtyard, he saw Lanqin standing under the eaves of the main house, gazing into the distance.
"What are you looking at!" Fourth Master walked along the veranda to Lanqin's side and asked.
"Look at the clouds on the horizon. Master, look, the clouds are getting thicker and thicker. I'm afraid it will rain in a few days," Lanqin said.
"Are you worried that Hongli and Hongzhou are suffering outside?" Fourth Master looked in the direction Lanqin was looking.
“Hongli sent a letter. It seems those people can’t even read many words. The ransom note was even written by Hongli himself.” Lanqin took the letter out of her sleeve and handed it to the Fourth Master beside her. “That child is always clever. There must be something hidden in this letter. It’s just that I’m too dull to see the secret.”
The Fourth Prince unfolded the letter and read it carefully. The two of them stood silently under the eaves, reading Hongli's letter. The maids inside had already prepared dinner, but seeing their two masters standing there without saying a word, none of them dared to disturb them.
After a short while, the Fourth Prince laughed and said, "This lad's skills have improved. It took me this long to figure out what he meant by hiding inside. He said we don't need to worry. Those people are just notorious bandits with no background. They're trapped in a farmhouse in a dense forest, but we don't know their exact location yet. Their lives aren't in danger for now. He told us to prepare five thousand taels of silver to cooperate with them."
Lan Qin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Master, let's go in and have dinner."
The Fourth Prince nodded and followed Lanqin inside for dinner. They talked for a while, mostly about the situation in the palace. According to the Fourth Prince, Kangxi's health was deteriorating.
Lanqin naturally knew that Kangxi was only half a year away from his death, and she felt quite sad, but she couldn't say it out loud.
"Master, the Fourteenth Prince is still stationed in the Northwest. Father and Mother have no intention of calling him back, have they?" Lanqin asked.
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