The head nanny ordered people to collect the wet nurse's body and put it in the woodshed in the front yard.
After learning that the Fourth Prince and his wet nurse had fallen into the water, the Princess Consort pondered for a moment and then ordered Li Mama to go and check on the Fourth Prince.
Wu and Wang, who were acquainted with Li, came to the East Courtyard to visit Li, who was in great shock, and the Fourth Prince, who was still running a fever.
Yan Yu followed Granny Li to the East Courtyard, and the once quiet East Courtyard suddenly became lively.
"Consort, how did the Fourth Prince and his wet nurse fall into the Reed Pond?" After Yan Yu and Granny Li had seen the Fourth Prince, they came to Li's main courtyard to drink tea and talk. Wu and Wang had already seen the situation and were now on the verge of tears.
"It must have been because the stones by the reed pond were too slippery. The wet nurse was leading the Fourth Prince to see the tadpoles when she accidentally slipped into the pond," said Madam Li. Then she sighed and added, "Luckily, I noticed in time and managed to pull the Fourth Prince out. The wet nurse, however, was..."
"Sister can swim?" Madam Wang asked in surprise. Normally, women wouldn't know how to swim. In short, for young ladies from respectable families like them, swimming wasn't a required subject. And they didn't need to know how to swim.
“Yes, before I entered the palace, my father taught me to swim,” Li said.
"That wet nurse really deserves to die. How could she be so careless as to take the Fourth Prince to play by the reed pond? Luckily, the concubine can swim, otherwise even the Fourth Prince would have met with misfortune," said Granny Li suddenly.
"Alas, though that's true, it was still a life, and the Fourth Prince's wet nurse at that. Alas! Mingyan, take some of my monthly allowance and send it to that wet nurse's family," Madam Li instructed Mingyan. Since the wet nurse had already drowned, no matter what she said, the dead would not speak.
Since I can win the favor of a wise man, then wet nurse, let me take advantage of your death one more time!
Li pretended to wipe the corner of her eye with the handkerchief in her hand.
"Sister is so kind-hearted, she even gave her family money. If she hadn't taken the Fourth Prince to the Jianjia Pond, he would have fallen into the water. He still has a fever now. When I saw his little face was so red just now, my heart ached!" Wu Shi said, wiping her nose with a handkerchief.
Just as the women were asking each other questions, a figure in a royal blue robe walked in.
When Li saw the Fourth Master, she immediately curtsied and greeted him. Everyone else who saw the Fourth Master showed joy and followed Li in curtsying as well.
"How is the Fourth Prince?" The Fourth Prince walked up to Madam Li with his long legs, eagerly took her hand, and asked her to take him to see the Fourth Prince.
“The Fourth Prince is out of danger, but he still has a fever, and I’m truly terrified. My lord, I can’t live without the Fourth Prince!” Madam Li cried as she led the Fourth Prince toward his room. Several women who were unwilling to leave followed behind them, but Granny Li did not go in with them.
The group arrived once again at the room where the Fourth Prince was recuperating. When the Fourth Prince saw the small body lying on the bed, his heart tightened. He had neglected this child far too little over the past six months. Because of Li Shi, the Fourth Prince had also been neglected by the Fourth Prince.
Thinking of this, the Fourth Prince felt even more guilty. He walked to the Fourth Prince's bedside, stroked his little crescent-shaped head for a while, then turned to Li Shi, who was standing beside him, and said, "The Fourth Prince is almost a year old, and still doesn't have a name. I've already thought of a name on the way back, so let's use that as the Fourth Prince's name."
Upon hearing this, Lady Li said with delight, "On behalf of the Fourth Prince, I thank Your Highness for bestowing this name upon me."
The Fourth Prince's expression brightened as he said, "Hongshi! This is the name I've come up with for the Fourth Prince. What do you all think?"
Everyone praised her, doing their utmost to please her, but Yan Yu remained silent.
After leaving Hongshi's room, the Fourth Prince instructed Li to take good care of his son, and then left with Su Peisheng. Seeing that the Fourth Prince had left, the women lingered for a while before taking their leave.
Finally, the once bustling room fell silent, except for the ticking of the clock.
"Madam, they've all left!" Que'er reminded her from the side.
"Wu and Wang are dressed quite conspicuously today, coming here to seduce Fourth Master. They're two shameless women," Li said angrily.
"Madam, the Master hasn't regained his trust in you yet, and these two are already harboring their own thoughts. I can't stand it anymore." Que'er knew that Wu Shi and Wang Shi had always revered Li Shi, and now that Li Shi was gradually losing the Master's favor, they both had other ideas. In truth, their alliance was never strong; they were each acting in their own self-interest. What loyalty could such an alliance possibly have?
"So you mean you're completely loyal to me, the Princess Consort?" Madam Li glanced at Que'er beside her and said in a cold voice.
"I have always regarded the Fujin as my family, and every single thing I have done for the Fujin has been done at the risk of my life. It is heartbreaking that the Fujin still does not trust me!" Que'er had long harbored feelings for the Fourth Prince, and she was not one to be a servant. Seeing that Li Shi was beginning to lose favor with the Fourth Prince and urgently needed someone to help her regain his favor, she could no longer bear it.
Madam Li stared at Que'er for a long time without saying a word. She had been thinking about what Que'er had just said for a long time, and then said leisurely, "Now that the master has not yet gotten rid of his suspicions about me, how can I recommend you to the fourth master? Que'er, you should help me regain my former favor first."
Que'er thought for a moment and said, "I saw that Master was very concerned about the Fourth Prince today and even gave him a name. If you make good use of this, you might be able to win back Master's heart."
Li's eyes flashed, and she said softly, "Then tell me, how do you intend to bring Fourth Master back to my side?"
Que'er looked around and then tried to get Li to dismiss the people in the room.
"You may all leave. I will be content with being served by Que'er." Madam Li gestured for everyone in the room to leave, then said to Que'er, "Now, you can speak."
“Madam, if you are ruthless enough, you might as well make a good use of the Fourth Prince’s illness. What you just said about giving the wet nurse her monthly allowance is a good start. You can slowly change the master’s misunderstanding of you, and then his former favor will naturally return.” Que’er said with a smile.
"As expected of my trusted confidante, you actually thought the same thing as me. Tomorrow, you will give a hundred carriages to that wet nurse's family, and of course, you must find a way to let the Fourth Prince know. Understand?" A hint of smugness returned to Li's beautiful face.
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