Upon hearing this, Nianxue and Xicha immediately and quietly withdrew, delighted. They had personally witnessed how the servants treated the princess with disdain when she was out of favor.
After Nianxue closed the door, only Lanqin and Fourth Master remained in the large main house. The two sat on the couch on either side of each other, with a small table in the middle covered with Lanqin's works from the afternoon.
"Sir, once I finish drawing this king, the deck will be complete. Would you like to wait a little while?" Lanqin said sweetly.
Fourth Master gazed at the delicate, smiling cheeks bathed in candlelight, her dark eyes sparkling like stars, her little mouth habitually pouting. He thought to himself: She can't even serve me tea properly, yet she dares to leave me hanging!
But he said, "You like Western things?"
As Lanqin sketched the "King," she said, "I love it! There isn't even a clock in this house. I don't even know what time it is all day." Lanqin was just saying it casually; she was genuinely unaccustomed to this kind of life where she didn't know the time and just sat around waiting to be fed and drunk every day.
"Then I'll give you a clock?" Fourth Master was inexplicably pleased to see that she wasn't afraid at all, but rather spoke with a calm and self-satisfied tone.
It's been a long time since anyone has spoken to him so frankly.
Whether it's his father, mother, elder brother, crown prince, or his brothers, except for the thirteenth prince, everyone else speaks in riddles, requiring people to guess what they mean. Although he is also a well-known "cold-faced prince," he often feels depressed because he lives in a constant state of guessing games.
"Really? Thank you for your kindness, Master!" Lanqin looked up at the Fourth Master, who was looking at her with a meaningful gaze, with an incredibly bright and sincere smile on her face.
Other women love jewelry, silk, fur, and all sorts of treasures, but few are interested in the Western items he prefers.
She actually liked Grandpa's grandfather clock!
"Of course it's true. I'm thirsty now, I wonder if I could ask the princess for a cup of tea?" For some reason, the Fourth Prince suddenly felt a pang of affection, and he really wanted to hold this little thing in his arms at this moment.
Lanqin gritted her teeth, immediately put down her pen, ran to the table in the middle, picked up the teapot, and poured herself a cup of tea.
Seeing her grimacing expression just now, Fourth Master secretly smiled, but immediately returned to his cold and indifferent demeanor.
"Master, please have some tea!" Lanqin walked up to Fourth Master, holding a teacup in both hands, and handed it to him.
The Fourth Prince took the tea, sipped it slowly, and then continued watching her paint.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft scratching of Lanqin's brush on the rice paper. The Fourth Master, sitting opposite her, was intently watching Lanqin.
After a while, the "King" was finally finished. Lanqin put down her brush, raised both hands, and stretched out her arms.
She noticed that the Fourth Prince didn't seem to care, which made her even more relaxed.
After much deliberation, Lanqin decided to treat Fourth Master with her true feelings.
She had been in the Fourth Master's inner quarters for almost half a month, and she had figured things out.
Every woman in this courtyard treats Fourth Master with utmost respect, fearing to offend him. They are obsequious and flattering, so he doesn't lack such women. Why should she pretend to be one? He faces so many masked people every day, so he must find it interesting to those who show genuine feelings and don't treat him like a master. That's human nature.
She wanted to live authentically. If she could attract his attention, she would be overjoyed; if not, Lanqin didn't want to go against her own heart every day, so she would stay put and wait for fate to take its course.
"Master, have you had dinner yet? Would you like to have dinner with me?" Lanqin carefully put away the "tofu blocks" of cards, then added, "After you've eaten, I'll teach you how to play cards, okay?"
What a bold girl! No one has ever offered to dine with her before. You know, whoever the master dines with is a favor from him!
"Su Peisheng!" The Fourth Master did not answer, but shouted loudly to the servant standing outside the door.
"Master, this servant is here. What are your orders?" Su Peisheng had actually overheard the whole thing outside the door and thought to himself: This Niu Gege is really bold. Or has she not learned the rules properly?
"Go to the kitchen and have them prepare a special meal for Master and Princess Niu, and bring it over," said the Fourth Master.
Hehe, it seems he really is tired of being served so carefully. He's actually happy with my little bit of 'lack of manners'! Lanqin smiled to herself.
"Master, may I order a meal? I really have no appetite for those stewed and steamed dishes every day," Lanqin said again.
Fourth Master's eyes lit up. Actually, he didn't have much of an appetite. It was almost Shenshi (3-5 PM), and he wasn't too hungry yet.
"Su Peisheng, come in and listen carefully to what Princess Niu wants to eat," the Fourth Master called out towards the door again.
Su Peisheng greeted him with a "whoosh" from outside the door and pushed it open to enter. This was the first time he had ever heard a princess order food, and his master had actually granted his request. It seemed that the winds of change were about to blow in the inner quarters.
"Eunuch Su, please write this down. This spring, let's have some seasonal vegetables. How about amaranth with minced garlic, beef tenderloin with bell peppers, steamed salmon, cauliflower with shrimp, and a hot and sour soup? For the main course, let's have some sesame cakes." Lanqin rattled off all the dishes she wanted to eat in one go. The food she had been eating for the past two weeks had really made this true "foodie" feel quite heartbroken.
Fourth Master smiled to himself, thinking: This person really knows how to eat. Amaranth, bell peppers, and cauliflower are all seasonal vegetables that have just been served during the Spring Festival. Fish, shrimp, and meat are also included, but they are not greasy. Just hearing the names makes one's appetite increase.
"Don't worry, I've got it. Master, I'll go get the food for you and Princess Niu right away." With that, he gave a deep bow and turned to head towards the kitchen.
Nianxue and Xicha, who were outside, were also hungry. Usually, the princess didn't put on airs, and the three of them often ate together. At first, Nianxue declined, but Lanqin kept nagging: "Eating alone isn't as enjoyable as eating with others! Just eat with me for my sake."
"Master, Lanqin has a favor to ask. Please have Eunuch Su and Nianxue increase my portion size so they can eat as well and don't have to stand by and serve me. Having someone standing in front of me makes me lose my appetite," Lanqin said in a coquettish tone. This was the thing she found most uncomfortable since transmigrating—having maids serving her while she ate made her feel very pressured. How could she enjoy her meal when someone was watching her eat?
"How can I eat if no one serves me? How can I clean my hands and mouth?" Ever since he was born, Fourth Master has always had someone serving him meals.
"This?" Lanqin was speechless for a moment.
“Kindness is good, but the rules cannot be broken. It is the duty of servants to serve their masters. If you let them lose their manners, this small courtyard, or even a large country, will be in chaos,” the Fourth Master said slowly.
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