Upon hearing this, Madam Liu was greatly alarmed. She knew that her daughter had always been bold and unwilling to accept her status as an illegitimate daughter. She was determined to get rid of her status as a concubine, which meant getting rid of her current situation.
However, the idea of distorting the royal bloodline is truly appalling. If the matter were exposed, given the Fourth Prince's temperament, he would certainly not let Rong Yanyu escape punishment.
"Yu'er, you're taking such a risk. If things are exposed, your life will be in danger. Even if you raise a son, without the support of the Fujin (wife), your life may not be smooth." Madam Liu was so panicked that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.
"Mother, why are you saying such discouraging things? I've already made all the preparations. I'm asking you to come and keep me company so that there will be more people to help. As long as you help bring the prepared child in, who will know about this?" Yan Yu finally revealed her true purpose in asking Liu Shi to come.
Fangyun always carried her waist token when she went out, and it was not easy for a young maid like her to bring a child into the Fourth Prince's mansion. It would be perfectly reasonable for Madam Liu to bring in some clothes or supplements for her daughter who was about to give birth.
Madam Liu waved her hand and said, "Daughter, just be a good princess. When the time comes, your elder sister will speak to the Fourth Prince and promote you. Why do such a risky thing? I can't just stand by and watch you do something."
"Mother, although you are somewhat favored by Father, you've always lived a life of misery under the watchful eyes of your stepmother. I don't want to be like you. Besides, if I have a son this time, given the Fourth Prince's current lack of heirs, he will definitely promote me without her having to say a word. Mother, just give me one answer: will you help or not?" Yan Yu wholeheartedly believed that if she had a son this time, she could rival the Fujin (Prince's wife). After all, she also came from the Ulanara family. If the Fourth Prince favored her in the future, her maternal family might not necessarily abandon her. In any case, both daughters were marrying into the prince's household, and whoever gained power would be good for the Ulanara family.
The wife had lost her son and was no longer favored by the emperor. She was still young, and if she had a son, she could rise in status through him. With the emperor's favor, she might even be able to rely on him for her future.
Yan Yu was preoccupied with this thought and couldn't listen to what Liu was saying at all. Instead, she thought Liu was just timid and cowardly, used to being a concubine.
The mother and daughter hadn't seen each other for over half a year, and they never expected things to turn out this way upon meeting again. Seeing that she couldn't persuade Yan Yu, and worried that she would suffer a setback in this matter, Liu Shi considered whether she should go and explain things to the Fujin (the wife of the deceased), since Yan Yu was, after all, her own sister, and different from the other women in the inner quarters.
However, Lady Liu worried that the Fujin (principal wife) really couldn't tolerate Yan Yu. After all, she had lived under the Fujin's mother's nose for over ten years, and the Fujin was someone who couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust in her eyes. Her eldest daughter was almost exactly like her.
Liu prayed silently that Yan Yu was carrying a boy and that there was no need to switch the babies. She was about to go back and burn incense in gratitude.
"Mother, please say something. Will you help or not?" Yan Yu saw that Madam Liu was hesitant and in a dilemma, and knew that she was also wavering.
"Fine, if you insist on taking this dangerous path, I have no choice but to help you. I hope it's a boy in your belly, so we won't have to switch. During the days after you give birth, I'll bring the child you've prepared in and secretly raise him for a few days. That shouldn't be a problem. If you give birth to a boy, I can take him out without any problem." After thinking it through, Madam Liu no longer hesitated.
“I knew Mother would help me. Mother, once I rise in rank in this household, won’t your life be easier with Father?” Yan Yu said.
Liu forced a smile and nodded.
"Since you're going to do it, Fangyun is someone you can trust. Who gave her that information?" Since Madam Liu was planning to help her daughter, she was a meticulous person.
"Mother, don't worry. She's a government slave sent by the Imperial Household Department, so she probably has no connection with anyone in this household. I've already given her a lot of benefits and promised her future favors. Right now, she's wholeheartedly helping me," Yan Yu said.
“You should have let Yun Yuan do it. After all, she knows you well, has been with you since childhood, and is someone you can trust,” Madam Liu said, still somewhat uneasy.
“Mother, Yun Yuan is too timid and not very bright. I’ve wanted to replace her for a long time. Now, Fang Yun is clever and capable, and she’s just the right helper for me.” Yan Yu completely trusted her.
Lady Liu then inquired about the other women in the Fourth Prince's harem and learned that the most favored was Lady Niohuru, the Fujin was only in name, and the other women received little favor. She then understood Yan Yu's plan.
Indeed, with Lady Li having just passed away, the position of secondary consort is vacant. Naturally, whoever can give birth to a son for the Fourth Prince will have the opportunity to take that position.
Meanwhile, the Fujin was arranging for someone to take Hongshi down for a nap, while she was preparing to go to the study to practice her calligraphy.
“Madam, Madam Liu is an outsider and it’s not appropriate for her to stay in the mansion for long. You can only allow her to stay for a day or two at most. It would be better to let her go back as soon as possible,” said Granny Li.
"Didn't you tell me that it's only been half a year since she entered the household, and it's time for her to meet her family?" The Fujin walked to the desk, picked up a brush from the pen holder, and said.
“I’m always a little worried about Princess Yan Yu’s temperament. I’m afraid something’s wrong that she let Liu Shi in at this time,” said Granny Li, observing the expression on the Princess’s face.
“No matter how much she throws a tantrum, she can’t go against the rules. Regardless of whether she gives birth or not, as a princess, she cannot raise the child on her own. This is a rule set by our ancestors,” the Fujin said.
She reached out and dipped the tip of her brush into the inkstone. The previously soft brush bristles immediately soaked up the ink like greedy leeches.
“Now, the master only has the third prince and the fourth prince left, and two princesses. This is a bit too few in the inner quarters of a prince’s residence. This old servant is afraid that the fourth prince might be so happy to see her give birth to a child that he might promote her to a higher rank. If it’s a prince, this possibility is even greater,” said Granny Li.
"If Yan Yu can be promoted to the rank of Consort just because of this pregnancy, then I, the current Consort, will really think highly of her." The Consort glanced indifferently at the small potted flower on the windowsill, then lowered her head and began to freely express her resentment and unwillingness on the clean white Xuan paper.
Seeing that the Princess Consort had already begun writing, Granny Li stopped talking, because she knew that the Princess Consort disliked being spoken to when she was writing.
The master and servant sat quietly in the study, one concentrating on writing, the other as still as a Buddha, but both their thoughts were on the person in the small courtyard next to the main courtyard.
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