After resting for a while, the Fujin (principal wife) had lunch, served by Chunliu. Li Momo came out from Yan Yu's quarters and silently walked back to the main courtyard. Seeing the Fujin eating, she didn't say anything, but simply served her from the side.
"Is she happy now? Mother said she'd come to celebrate her child's one-month birthday." The Fujin said while eating.
“My lord, I’m afraid the heart of Ninth Princess is not something a mere concubine can appease,” Li Momo suddenly said.
"Hmph, wishful thinking. We'll find out what's going on with her twins once Wu Ge finds out who lives in that courtyard." The Fujin picked up a piece of eggplant with her chopsticks and slowly put it into her mouth.
“Madam, please don’t lay a hand on her this time. After all, she’s your sister, and I’m afraid the master will be displeased with you. Also, regarding the Li family matter, does the master really know nothing about it? It’s best if your hands aren’t tainted with anything bad now. Just focus on nurturing Hongshi.” Li Momo said.
"You mean you've already lost favor, so why keep humiliating yourself? It's better to have a reputation for being virtuous and kind, maintain your position as the principal wife, and you can still survive in this household." The Fujin put down her bowl, not even looking at Li Momo, and said softly.
Li Momo did not respond, but it was undoubtedly exactly what the Fujin had just said.
“I did this a long time ago, but now that Li Shi is gone, Niu Shi has come along, and on top of that, my troublesome younger sister still makes me restless and unable to eat or sleep,” the Fujin said.
“That’s because the Princess still has the Master in her heart, but the Master is now increasingly favoring the one in the South Courtyard,” Li Momo said.
"Therefore, this woman cannot be kept; she must be eliminated. I will not allow anyone like Li Shi to exist again. As long as she is not the sole favorite, I will not complain even if she does not spend the night in the main courtyard," the Fujin said.
“This old servant understands. We must wait and see what Master thinks before making arrangements for Princess Yu,” Li Momo said.
"I guess the master has no intention of promoting her rank, otherwise why wouldn't he go and see the child?" the Fujin said with a sneer.
"Let's wait for him to arrive and hear what he has to say." The Fujin thought of the tender words between the Fourth Prince and Lanqin in their letters. So this was another side of him. Why was he always so cold and aloof when he was with her?
Ever since seeing the contents of their letters, the Fujin had never felt so eager to get rid of a woman in the inner quarters.
Niohuru Lanqin, you are more despicable than Li Shi!! She only bewitched the Fourth Prince for a moment, but you bewitched his heart!!
Just then, the old woman outside came to the door and whispered inside, "Master is here!"
The princess consort immediately snapped out of her daze, like a puppet coming back to its senses, and began preparing to greet that person.
After finishing his meal at Lanqin's place, the Fourth Prince intended to take a nap there, but the young woman pushed him out, saying he had to come to the Princess Consort's place.
Well, the little princess is very sensible. She didn't pester her grandfather and even knew to let him go to the main courtyard.
"Have you had lunch?" The Fujin stood up and asked with a gentle smile. She knew she was asking a question she already knew the answer to, and that she was hypocritically flattering the Fourth Prince, but she had no choice but to do so now.
“I’ve had my fill, Consort, please continue your meal. You may sit and drink tea.” The Fourth Prince naturally moved to sit down on the other side of Consort.
"I'm full too, let's leave," the princess said lazily to Li Momo beside her.
"I heard you went to the palace today? Did Mother say anything?" The Fourth Prince had nothing to say, so he had no choice but to ask.
"Yu'er gave birth to twins, and her mother was overjoyed when she found out. She bestowed upon her two sets of gold headdresses, four pairs of hairpins, and two pairs each of jade and agate bracelets," the Fujin said softly.
"Oh, Madam, please accompany me to see those two children," said the Fourth Prince.
The princess was overjoyed and said happily, "Yu'er's childbirth was arduous; won't you go and see her alone, sir?"
The Fourth Prince glanced at his wife, feeling utterly helpless: Lanqin was the one who spoke her mind, never hiding her displeasure, and when she was happy, she was more joyful than anyone else.
"Send over the rewards for the master and the princess later," said the Fourth Prince. He wasn't in a hurry to see the two children. Perhaps his feelings for Lanqin were growing deeper, and he always felt that children born to other women would displease that young woman, which made him feel somewhat unhappy as well. Therefore, the Fourth Prince went to see Lanqin as soon as he returned, instead of the two children.
When did he become so concerned about whether a woman was happy or not? Fourth Master had been asking himself this question all along.
"Today, when I entered the palace, my mother said that it might be time to promote Yan Yu's rank. I wonder what Your Highness thinks? I believe that Yan Yu is still young and has just given birth. It would be better to let her nurse the child first, and then promote her when she is of a certain age. The two children can stay by her side and be raised, with treatment comparable to that of a concubine," the consort said.
The Fourth Prince was thinking about how to promote Yan Yu's rank, so that the little princess would have to bow to Yan Yu in the future. He felt that he was really letting Lan Qin down.
Therefore, he did not want to promote Yan Yu to a higher rank so quickly. The words of the Fujin just now were actually quite to his liking.
"Let's do everything according to the wishes of the Princess Consort," said the Fourth Prince. "Let's go see the child," said the Fourth Prince.
Yan Yu finally got to see the Fourth Prince, but his wife also came along. This made her a little unhappy: the Fourth Prince coming alone showed his affection for her, but coming with his wife meant he was considering her feelings.
As Fourth Master looked at the two infants sleeping in their swaddling clothes, a ripple of emotion stirred within him. He glanced at the children's faces, and couldn't help but wonder: which one looked more like him? It seemed to be the smaller one on the right.
"Is this a girl?" Fourth Master asked, his gaze falling on the little princess.
Yan Yu was startled, but quickly concealed her fear and said, "Yes, the girl is younger, and looks quite like you, sir!"
The Fujin stood to the side, and upon hearing Yan Yu's sweet, coquettish voice, she felt a surge of disgust.
Generosity and virtue are all meaningless! How many wives can feel good seeing the man they care about having a child with another woman?
"Let's call her Hailan, she's so small." The Fourth Prince suddenly wanted to name the little girl, but he hadn't decided on a name for the boy next to him yet. Besides, the Third and Fourth Princes had already been named after they turned one year old.
Hailan is a woman's name that means to cherish or pity.
"On behalf of Hailan, I thank her father!" Yan Yu smiled beautifully, but in her heart she felt guilty: Why didn't they name the prince before he turned one year old?
"Yan Yu, you are young, and now you have two more children. I hereby grant you special permission to raise them yourself. If there is anything you don't understand, go and talk to your sister immediately. You will be treated like a concubine. This house is a bit small. Consort, give the back courtyard to Yu'er, just open a door to it." The Fourth Prince, out of consideration for the two children, did not promote her rank, but her living space will be expanded.
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