"If Lanqin does anything wrong, please enlighten her, Your Highness. I only have one daughter, and she has been spoiled since childhood. Now, thanks to Your Highness's virtuous and generous nature, I will definitely copy scriptures a hundred times for Your Highness when I return, praying for the Fourth Prince and Your Highness's boundless happiness and well-being." Anjia spoke sincerely, not daring to be careless in front of a woman almost twenty years younger than herself. Her daughter's life was in this woman's hands; even if she were asked to kneel before her right now, she probably would.
"Madam is too polite. Lanqin is kind and intelligent, and she does everything very well. A few days ago, my sister accompanied Master to the estate, and I was quite envious of her. It is truly a blessing for Master and me that Madam has raised such a good daughter." The Fujin's words were not entirely sincere, and she regretted them as soon as she said them, but since she had already spoken them, she could not take them back.
Anjia was startled. As the principal wife herself, how could she not hear the sour undertone in the Fujin's words? For a moment, the scene became quite awkward.
Hearing this from the room on the left, Granny Li had no choice but to come out and interject, "Madam, it's time for you to copy the scriptures."
Lady Anjia immediately stood up, curtsied again, and said, "This humble woman takes her leave. I will trouble Lady Anjia to take care of Lanqin."
After Anjia left, Granny Li and Xinghui came out from the left room.
"Why worry so much about a lowly fourth-rank ceremonial official, sister?" Xinghui said nonchalantly.
"Master, you may not know this, but the Fujin was confined to her quarters by the master because of this Niu Gege." Granny Li walked behind the Fujin and rubbed the back of her neck.
"She's not Aling'a's daughter, so why does the Fourth Prince value her so much?" Xinghui asked, puzzled.
"Who the Fourth Prince likes or dislikes is entirely up to him. However, I will protect Honghui's position with my life," the Fujin said.
After seeing Xinghui and the others off, the Fujin went to the left-hand room to practice calligraphy. She was currently under house arrest and could not move around.
"Madam, I have already informed Granny Liu's family. They were originally servants, but now, as long as Granny Liu helps you achieve your wish, they can escape their fate of being slaves." Granny Li walked in and whispered behind her.
The Princess Consort was writing the character "静" (quiet), but she couldn't quite get the final hook right. Then, upon hearing Li Mama's report, she stopped writing, and a blob of ink immediately dripped down, spreading like plum blossoms on the pristine white Xuan paper.
The mistress and servant stood quietly in front of the desk when Xia He suddenly came to the door to announce, "Madam, Consort Song and Consort Wang have come to pay their respects to you."
"It seems there are quite a few people who can't sit still," said Granny Li.
"Let them wait in the room on the right!" the Fujin said in a deep voice.
Madam Song and Madam Wang were drinking tea in the room on the right. The two of them lived in a small courtyard behind the East Courtyard, and Fourth Master could hardly remember them.
Speaking of which, Madam Song was the first woman to bear a child for the Fourth Prince, but her womb just wouldn't cooperate. Her first child, a prince, died shortly after birth, and her second, the current eldest princess, was also sickly. The Fourth Prince rarely visited her courtyard anymore, and she was only 26 years old! Thinking of this, Madam Song blew on the tea leaves floating on her teacup, releasing a trace of resentment from her heart.
Wang Shi, even younger, was only 18 this year, a blossoming and dreamlike age, yet she was already sidelined by the Fourth Master. She entered the palace with Wu Shi, but now, Wu Shi still gets to be favored by the Fourth Master several times a month, while Wang Shi is practically treated the same as Song Shi. Among the women in the harem, Wang Shi is considered exceptionally beautiful, but why can't she catch the Fourth Master's eye? She herself can never understand it.
Now, of the two new princesses, one is already pregnant with the Fourth Prince's child, and the other is beginning to show signs of being the sole recipient of his favor. Previously, when Lady Li was favored, they could at least share in his affections, but now many of them can't even get a glimpse of the Fourth Prince.
After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the princess was helped by Granny Li to the right side room of the main hall.
"Greetings to the Princess Consort!" Madam Song and Madam Wang rose together and quickly curtsied.
"Get up, all of you," the princess said.
"Madam, I am clumsy, but I have embroidered a few pairs of socks for you and the eldest princess. Please do not find them offensive." Madam Song took out several pairs of socks with very good embroidery from her wide sleeves.
"Thank you for your kindness. The eldest princess is ten years old now, and in a few years she'll be of marriageable age. Don't put any pressure on her." The Fujin (principal wife) didn't accept the socks. Song Shi had long since fallen out of favor. Although the eldest princess knew of her existence, she had grown up with the Fujin. There was no need for her to be on good terms with Song Shi anymore. The Fourth Prince wouldn't favor her anymore, and the eldest princess already only recognized her as her mother, so Song Shi was basically just a figurehead.
"This servant dares not have any other intentions, but only wants to express my gratitude to the Fujin. If these few pairs of socks can be worn by the eldest princess, I will be satisfied. After returning, this servant will burn incense and bathe, and then transcribe scriptures for you to pray for your blessings, to commemorate your kindness." Song silently knelt down, then raised her hands high, holding the socks in her palms.
The princess stared at her for a long while before ordering Granny Li to take the socks.
"Get up. The eldest princess is doing very well now. My husband and I will find her a good family in the future, so you don't need to worry." After knocking, the princess's voice softened considerably.
Looking at all this, Wang felt increasingly cold inside. Song had given birth to a princess, and now she was in this state; while she herself had no children. How was she going to live in the future? Could she really watch her beautiful face wither away?
"Princess Wang, what is it?" The Fujin frowned and asked when she saw that Madam Wang was in a daze.
"This humble servant wishes to ask the Prince Consort for a few books to read," said Madam Wang. She was so lonely; the days of simply waiting to be fed and clothed were truly unbearable. She remembered how the Fourth Prince used to come to her room with a book in his hand. She wanted to read more, hoping to understand the books he held. Perhaps then, the Fourth Prince would look upon her differently.
"That's not difficult. What book would you like to read?" The Fujin was surprised, but she was happy to grant such a small request. After all, she didn't need to be too harsh on a princess who was not favored by the emperor, and it wouldn't be good for her to be known as someone who didn't understand human relationships.
"Your Highness, Tang and Song dynasty poems, and perhaps some play scripts would be even better." Lady Wang came from the Han Banner, and had been a precious treasure to her parents since childhood. While she wasn't an expert in reading, writing, drawing, or embroidery, she was quite capable. She dared not ask for books like the *Records of the Grand Historian* or the *Twenty-Four Histories*, which were books men preferred to read—that would be tantamount to discussing the past with men from the previous dynasties!
Upon hearing this, Song felt envious of Wang. Wang was literate and could read to pass the time, while Song herself barely knew any characters.
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