"My lord, I would like to visit the Fourth Prince and then pay my respects to Mother, is that alright?" Lanqin thought of Cui Niang and wanted to go see her first, since the Fourth Prince might not have time to visit her after court.
The Fourth Prince didn't quite understand Lanqin's thoughts, assuming that she was afraid to see Consort De alone, so he comforted her, "Although Mother doesn't quite agree, now that you've been promoted, she won't say anything more. Go ahead and rest assured, I'll come to find you after court."
The Fourth Prince also knew that Consort De was not the kind of elder who liked to manipulate people, because she herself came from a noble family and had been mistreated in the past. Now that Consort De held a high position and Emperor Kangxi had bestowed upon her the title "De" (virtue), she was definitely not the kind of empress who would mistreat people.
Lanqin knew that the Fourth Master had misunderstood, so she quickly said, "Master, Lan'er wanted to go see Cui Niang first. When I was here, she was very attentive. After I saw her, I went to pay my respects to my mother."
Seeing that it was almost time for court, the Fourth Prince didn't say anything more after hearing Lanqin's words. He only instructed them not to wander around and to ask for directions if they got lost.
Lanqin readily agreed, thinking to herself: I've been to the Forbidden City countless times. Although the Forbidden City has changed a lot in three hundred years, I still remember its general location.
After pinching Lanqin's cheek, the Fourth Prince walked towards the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
Lanqin, Nianxue, and Xicha walked along the passageway towards the inner palace. She remembered that the Prince's residence was right next to the inner palace.
Alas, the ancient emperors were truly cruel in achieving their so-called goals. Mothers and children were forcibly separated, so close yet unable to meet. Apart from the principal wife, other concubines were unable to raise their children themselves.
Following her memory, Lanqin walked along the red palace walls toward the prince's quarters where she had once lived. As she walked, she suddenly saw several people approaching. A woman in a light green Manchu dress was sitting in a sedan chair, carried by a young eunuch who was making her move very quickly.
Lanqin and Nianxue quickly moved aside, standing facing the palace wall. Only after the hurried sedan chair passed by did they turn around and look at their backs.
"I'm afraid she's one of the Emperor's concubines. Judging from her appearance, she's probably been sent to the Qianqing Palace," Lanqin said quietly. Actually, she wasn't saying this to Nianxue and the other girl; she was just talking to herself.
The two maids were puzzled when they saw that Lanqin seemed very familiar with the palace. Lanqin had only been to the palace a few times and had never been to the Qianqing Palace. How could she be so sure that the sedan chair they had just seen was going to the Qianqing Palace?
Lanqin ignored the two maids' questioning looks and continued walking towards the Fourth Prince's residence.
When the three of them entered the princes' quarters, they saw people going in and out of the rooms specifically for princes under ten years old.
Lanqin and the other two didn't know what had happened, but they headed towards the place where the Fourth Prince had lived when the Fourth Prince was still in the palace.
The eunuch guarding the gate did not recognize the person who appeared to be a master, who was dressed in fine clothes.
"Is Cui Niang here? I am Niu Gulu, who used to live here." Lan Qin asked directly when she saw the eunuch looking at her suspiciously.
"Oh. This old servant's eyesight is failing, please come in, Princess." The old eunuch hurriedly pushed open the door and quickly let Lanqin and the others in.
Cui Niang was still living in the same house. When Lan Qin suddenly appeared at her door, she could hardly believe her eyes.
"This servant greets Your Highness!" Cui Niang threw down her embroidery frame, stood up quickly, and went to greet her.
“Niang Cui, our princess has been promoted in rank, and we’ve come today to express our gratitude,” Nianxue quickly told Niang Cui.
"Lanqin has come to see Cui Niang," Lanqin said, taking Cui Niang's hand.
"Congratulations, Princess! I think you are a blessed person. Indeed, you have been promoted to a secondary consort." Cui Niang asked. She looked at Lan Qin's clothes and accessories and was certain that it was true.
“Niang Cui, as the saying goes, the higher the rank, the greater the risk. Now that I have given birth to a princess and been promoted in rank, I fear that flaunting it will attract the jealousy of many. I would like to ask the Fourth Master for a favor, so that you, Niang Cui, can come back with me and help take care of her.” Lanqin had actually been looking for an experienced nanny to serve her ever since she gave birth to Wuxiha. Although Nianxue and the others were loyal, they were still young and had not considered many things thoroughly.
After much thought, Lanqin finally thought of Cui Niang. This woman had lived in the palace for twenty years and had served the Fourth Prince since his early years, so she knew the details of the Prince Consort's life.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion crossed Cui Niang's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by worry. The thought of facing the Fourth Prince's wife again made her feel uneasy.
"Are you afraid to see her?" Lanqin noticed Cui Niang's worry and asked. She knew that coming to Cui Niang hoping she would get out and help her was asking the impossible, but Cui Niang was the only person she could think of and was confident she could help. Since Anjia Shi was struggling to maintain her own position, Lanqin naturally wouldn't ask her for someone.
"I've just lived here for a long time and gotten used to it. I don't want to get involved in all that commotion anymore. Besides, I have to worry about my family. If she finds out I'm helping the concubine, she'll definitely target my family." Cui Niang seemed terrified of the concubine, her fear growing ever deeper.
Lanqin couldn't bear to see her like this, so she quickly said, "Don't be afraid, Aunt Cui. If you're really scared, Lanqin won't force you. Why won't you invite me in for a seat?"
"Come in quickly, look at me, I forgot to let the concubine in. Come in quickly." Cui Niang said apologetically as she ushered Lanqin and her two servants into the house.
Nianxue had no idea that Lanqin had come to see Cui Niang in order to invite her out, and Xicha was even less aware of it.
When did Gege start keeping her thoughts from her? Nianxue wondered to herself. Or rather, she felt somewhat uneasy about Lanqin's sudden assertiveness.
"The concubine looks plump. I have no idea how old the little princess is. Otherwise, I could make some little clothes to show my appreciation." Cui Niang helped Lanqin sit down and then busied herself pouring tea.
"I've been lying around eating and drinking for a month, no wonder I'm getting fat. Waaah, even Cui Niang said I've gotten fat, and Master will probably start to dislike me," Lanqin said coquettishly.
“My lord would never dislike the princess. She was too thin before, but she looks just right now,” Xicha said.
"Yes, I see that Consort Lan looks very well now. After giving birth, her whole demeanor has matured, and she has become more charming." Cui Niang brought a cup of tea and handed it to Lan Qin.
Lanqin chatted with Cui Niang for a while longer, casually inquiring about the scene she had witnessed when she first entered the Prince's residence. It turned out that the Eighteenth Prince was ill.
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