Wu felt a pang of guilt, like a rabbit being cooked after its hunt is over. She had once been on good terms with Lanqin, but in the struggle for power, she had been forced to submit to the Fujin (the Princess Consort). Now, seeing Yin's predicament, was she really going to follow in her footsteps?
"Don't worry, sister, I'll go and talk to the Fujin. But she's already been suspected by the master, so I'm afraid she's in trouble herself." Wu suddenly felt as if she had been enlightened.
What makes them think they can compete with the Niu family? Just these underhanded tactics? Not only will they lose, but they'll also ruin themselves; they're digging their own graves.
After a moment of silence, Madam Yin said, "Sister, if I cannot escape this calamity, I will bury something under the third red maple tree in the backyard. If you need anything, just go there." After saying this, Madam Yin raised her hand and closed the window.
Wu felt a little sad. It wasn't that she sympathized with or liked Yin, but she wondered if Yin's current situation would be her own fate in the future.
With these questions in mind, Wu returned to her room, where her dinner had already been brought back. However, after a day of commotion, Wu had no appetite whatsoever.
However, on the other side, the dining table in the South Courtyard was filled with Lanqin's favorite delicacies: sauerkraut soup with fish, salt and pepper shrimp, yam stewed with pork ribs, and stir-fried young chicken, which made Lanqin's appetite soar.
Lanqin had experienced many ups and downs that day, and only had a light lunch. Things finally took a turn for the better, much to the delight of the maids in the south courtyard. Niu Baoquan had prepared a delicious meal, waiting for Lanqin and the others to return.
Lanqin couldn't help but hug and kiss Wuxiha again and again, partly because she was in a really good mood. Now that they just needed to find the problematic pillow, they could practically convict the Fujin and the others. This time, she would have no way to refute it.
What made Lanqin even happier was that the person who went out to investigate the hidden pottery jar returned and said that they had indeed found the kiln that made the pottery jar, and brought back the person who had met the buyer.
This is the message from Su Peisheng. Lanqin is now basically certain that the Yin family will definitely be involved in this matter.
"Both of the little ones are doing well. I haven't been able to take care of them these past few days." Lanqin handed Wuxiha to the wet nurse, then washed her hands in the copper basin brought by Xicha before preparing to eat.
"Cui Niang, you don't need to serve here anymore. Nianxue and the others, go and have your meal. I can eat by myself." Lanqin said to them.
"Then I'll come and dine with you." The Fourth Master did come after all. He had originally wanted to dine alone in the front yard, at least under these circumstances, he preferred not to see anyone. However, every evening, the Fourth Master had gotten into the habit of coming to dine with Lanqin.
"This servant greets Master." A room full of servants immediately paid their respects.
"You may all leave. There's no need to serve you here. Su Peisheng, you can go down with them for your meal too," Fourth Master said, waving his hand.
Lanqin immediately got off the bed and walked a few steps to the Fourth Master. She grabbed his arm and said softly, "This concubine will accompany you for your meal."
Everyone immediately lowered their heads and tiptoed out, even the two children remained silent.
Fourth Master wanted to hug Wuxiha, but then he remembered that he had something to say to Lanqin, so he stopped himself.
After Lanqin helped Fourth Master to his seat, she began to serve him food.
The two of them ate their dinner as naturally and comfortably as ever, as if nothing had happened in the past few days.
"The head nanny just came to say that nothing was found in Madam Yin's room. That pillow is really strange. The master has already ordered the head nanny to identify the pillow. She said that the fabric of that pillow was originally only given to Madam Yin. It seems that she really did switch the one that the Fujin gave her." The Fourth Master scooped a spoonful of pickled fish soup into his bowl and then mixed it with rice. This was taught to him by Lanqin, and it was indeed delicious after trying it.
Lanqin listened silently, and when the Fourth Prince finished speaking, she sighed and said, "Yin Shi is not repentant and even uses the Third Prince to compete for favor, which is really too much. But the Princess Consort's original pillow must have been taken by her. If she doesn't hand it over, what do you think it is?"
The Fourth Prince paused for a moment, then looked up at Lanqin and said, "Qin'er, the Fourth Prince's wife, as I know her, has always been a gentle, virtuous, dignified, and kind woman. So I think we should leave it at that. Whether the pillow has been found or not, I don't want to look for it anymore. I believe that whether it's the pottery jar or the lily of the valley pollen, it was all done by Lady Yin. The Fourth Prince's wife is still the Fourth Prince's wife."
Upon hearing this, Lanqin froze in shock. She seemed somewhat incredulous, looking up at Fourth Master as if trying to see into his heart.
"Does Your Highness think you can just bury your head in the sand?" Lanqin said disappointedly. She still couldn't believe that the Fourth Prince had just said those words to her. How could the Aisin Gioro Yinzhen she knew and believed in be a man who could compromise? Shouldn't he be ruthless and cold-blooded? Shouldn't he be intolerant of any wrongdoing? Shouldn't he be clear about right and wrong and vengeful? But what about the Fourth Prince in front of her? He clearly knew that his wife was no longer so pure, yet he preferred to believe the wife he thought she was.
"What ostrich?" Fourth Master frowned slightly.
"Did you come to discuss this with me, or to tell me directly?" Lanqin sighed.
Fourth Master looked at Lanqin, feeling uneasy, but his pride wouldn't allow his woman to speak to him in such a tone, so he coldly asked, "What's the difference between the two?"
Lanqin could no longer hold back and said, "Ostriches are animals that bury their heads in the sand when they can't overcome external difficulties and dangers, thinking that if they can't see, those dangers and difficulties won't exist. Isn't what you're doing now just like an ostrich? You clearly know who's behind all this, yet you only want one woman, Lady Yin, to take all the blame. So, Master, Lanqin wants to ask, do you even care about these children? Because you've placed them under the control of a woman who could take their lives at any moment. This time it's the Third Prince, next time it'll be the Fourth Prince, or my Ushiha?"
Lanqin became more and more agitated as she spoke, and although Fourth Master's expression grew increasingly grim, she simply couldn't hold back her emotions.
"Is it because I spoil you too much that you dare to speak to me so presumptuously?" The Fourth Master's gaze was as cold as the snow outside.
Lanqin felt a chill run down her spine when she saw the coldness emanating from the Fourth Master. She thought she could be so frank with him about the injustice, but it was clear she had been overthinking things.
He will always be the most noble prince in the world, while she is merely his concubine, one of his many women.
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