When Lanqin got up, Nianxue helped her change her clothes and said happily, "Master, it's snowing outside."
"Really? It's snowing. Quick, get me dressed, I want to see the snow." Lanqin immediately jumped out of bed, eager to go see it right away.
"My lady, be careful not to catch a cold. I'll help you change your clothes. The snow isn't very heavy yet; it should be white by tonight," Nianxue said happily.
Seeing that Nianxue had finally returned to her usual lively and clever self, Lanqin couldn't help but tap her little nose, and then wrapped herself up in layer after layer with her.
Thinking back to this time last year, I was confined to the South Courtyard alone, watching the snow fall all winter because of the Yin family affair. I was afraid then, worried that the Fourth Prince would never remember me again, and that I would die there. But this year, Lanqin is already the Fourth Prince's concubine, with a son and a daughter, a complete family. Now, Lanqin still enjoys the Fourth Prince's exclusive favor; even if I don't say anything, the Fourth Prince hasn't stayed overnight in any other courtyard.
“Master often discusses state affairs with Li Wei, Mr. Wei, and others, and doesn’t allow anyone to go in to serve him. Sometimes, Master visits the Third Prince and occasionally goes to Consort Wu’s place, but he never stays overnight.” Nianxue was anxious, and for this reason, she once went to Ziran in private to inquire about the Fourth Prince’s whereabouts.
"You silly girl, you've probably been going to see Zi Ran quite a bit. What's Master been busy with lately?" Lan Qin frowned. These days, Nian Xue always likes to do things on her own and only tells Lan Qin afterwards. Since Cui Niang arrived, Lan Qin has relied on her more, and Nian Xue has become secondary.
"You're not allowed to ask Zi Ran about anything anymore, understand? I don't want to be the kind of woman who keeps tabs on his whereabouts. Besides, aren't you putting Zi Ran in a difficult position by asking her like that? If Master finds out, she'll be implicated," Lan Qin said sternly to Nian Xue.
Nianxue hadn't thought that much about it at the moment. Hearing Lanqin say this, her eyes immediately reddened as she said, "This servant deserves to die. I shouldn't have inquired about these things without my master's permission."
Seeing that the little girl couldn't help but speak, Lanqin softened her tone and said, "Nianxue, I know you mean well, but you still have to tell me about everything, or at the very least discuss it with Cui Niang. She lived in the palace for so many years, she saw and heard far more than you do."
Nianxue nodded immediately, her tears turning into a smile, and said, "This servant understands, please don't be angry, Master."
Seeing that she already knew she was wrong, Lanqin didn't say anything more, and her mind immediately turned to the snowflakes falling outside.
After Lanqin finished dressing, she put on a snow-white fox fur cloak, and ran outside on her flowerpot-soled shoes. She saw that it was snowing heavily. Perhaps the temperature wasn't low enough, as the snow on the ground had already melted, leaving only a thin layer of snow on the outer coats of the cabbages in the small vegetable garden. The pines and cypresses in the yard were also covered with a white outline. The glazed tiles on the yard were also covered with a layer of white snow.
"Come on, I'm going to pick some green plums in the garden. Plum blossoms braving the snow are the most beautiful sight," Lanqin said to Nianxue.
“My lady, it’s cold outside. Wait a moment, and I’ll bring you some enamel-gilded hand warmers,” Nianxue said.
But Lanqin wouldn't listen and had already stepped outside. By the time Nianxue arrived at the front door with the oil-paper umbrella and the enamel-gilded hand warmer, she was already there.
Lanqin walked briskly, and Nianxue had to jog to catch up with her.
"Master, please hold up the umbrella. Be careful not to get your clothes wet from the snow," Nianxue said.
"It doesn't matter. It would be a waste to use an umbrella in the snow. Come on, I can't wait to see that green plum." Lanqin refused to hide under the umbrella and just ran around looking at the snowflakes falling from the sky.
When the master and servant arrived at the garden, the gatekeeper quickly opened the gate, and Lanqin went straight to the plum grove that covered several acres in the middle of the garden.
In the plum grove amidst swirling snowflakes, most of the plum blossoms had already bloomed. The dark, gnarled branches stretched wildly amidst the falling snow, with scattered plum blossoms quietly bursting forth in the cold snow.
"I'll go in and take a look. You wait here and don't follow me." Lanqin was captivated by the beautiful scenery before her and only wanted to appreciate these masterpieces of nature on her own. She didn't care about Xue's constant nagging in her ear about not getting cold.
Lanqin followed the plum blossoms on the branches, looking at this cluster and then noticing even better ones over there. Gradually, Lanqin unknowingly walked into the depths of the plum grove, and when she looked back, all she saw were identical plum trees.
Lanqin followed the green plum blossoms without paying any attention and went straight into the depths.
Suddenly, a tall, elegant man dressed in silver cloak inlaid with black sable fur stood under a plum tree.
Needless to say, how could anyone not recognize that figure from behind? It was none other than the Fourth Master.
"Master!!" Lanqin blurted out, wisps of white smoke rising from her mouth. Because she had been playing, she hadn't been holding the gilded hand warmer, and Lanqin felt a chill creeping up her spine.
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Master turned around and their eyes met. He saw that Lanqin's face, slightly tucked into her hood, was as white as the moon, though her nose was slightly red.
Fourth Master frowned!
Lanqin thought to herself: Why is she frowning again? Is she really that angry?
Fourth Master glanced at Lanqin up and down a few more times. He noticed that her hands were already slightly red, and when he looked at her feet, the edges of her Shu satin shoes were slightly damp.
"Your constitution is already cold, how could you come out in such cold weather? Come here now!!" Fourth Master almost roared. He didn't know why he couldn't control his emotions when he saw this little woman.
Lanqin felt a sudden stirring in her heart, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Although she had deliberately caused this little tiff with the Fourth Master, she still felt a sense of emptiness when he didn't come.
"What a troublesome one." Fourth Master suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Lanqin's waist, and picked her up, preventing her shoes from touching the ground.
"I'm heavy," Lanqin said playfully. When the Fourth Master pulled her into his arms, the suspicions and emptiness that had been swirling in her heart vanished instantly, like snow after a light snowfall.
"No matter how heavy you are, I can still carry you." Fourth Master picked up Lanqin and carried her away.
"Will you take me back, Master? But I still want to see the green plum blossoms!" Lanqin pouted, she really didn't want to go back.
"You're so cold, and you still dare to make demands," Fourth Master said irritably, then ignored Lanqin's dissatisfaction.
Lanqin saw that the path Fourth Master was taking was not the way back, so she could only quietly lean on Fourth Master's shoulder and let him go.
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