"So, does the Empress Dowager intend to sow discord between me and you?" Consort De demanded sternly.
Looking at Consort De's expression, Lanqin knew that she was truly angry. Coupled with the Empress Dowager's intervention, Consort De had no choice, or rather, could only blame herself. Although she understood these principles, Lanqin still felt a overwhelming sense of injustice wash over her.
"Mother, what exactly happened?" Fourth Master asked, seeing this.
"Fine, I won't say anything more. Go ask your concubine yourself." Consort De refused to say any more. She had stood firm in the palace for so many years, never uttering a single word of criticism in public, nor leaving any reason for others to speak ill of her in private. This time, however, she could only listen to the Empress Dowager's people reprimanding her, unable to utter a single word.
"Mother, I ate something cold yesterday and my stomach is a little upset, so I can't have dinner with you. I'll go back now and give Ushiha and Bechuk a good talking-to. Please forgive me, Mother!" Lanqin silently stood up from beside the Fourth Prince, walked to Consort De, and curtsied.
"Go on, I have no appetite for food anymore," Consort De said, flicking her sleeves.
Lanqin withdrew from the Fourth Prince and Consort De's presence under their watchful eyes, feeling utterly aggrieved. The comforting words she usually used to use to console herself seemed powerless and pale. In this palace with its strict rules, she was merely an outsider, unfamiliar with many customs and free from many constraints. Yet now, all of this was against the rules.
When Lanqin left, looking at the towering palaces outside, she felt a little suffocated.
Lanqin went to play with Wuxiha and Bechuk, without mentioning Consort De at all, and simply played with them. During this time, the Fourth Prince also came over, but didn't ask any questions, just watched the children and Lanqin playing hide-and-seek and tag in the house.
After they had played for a while, Si Hua noticed that Lan Qin and the Fourth Prince were not in high spirits, so she immediately had the maids lead the children to rest for lunch.
"Master, why don't we call Su Peisheng to come and take them back? They're all asleep now, otherwise they'll probably cry a lot if they go back with you tonight," Lanqin said.
"Alright. When we get back, I'm afraid they'll miss you." Fourth Prince nodded. She looked at Lanqin's slightly tired eyes, grabbed her waist and said, "Once the matter of the all-nation tribute is over, I will immediately go and tell Father Emperor to let you and your son return to the manor."
Lanqin nodded, and Fourth Master immediately ordered two sedan chairs to be carried. He then carried one of the already sleeping Ushiha and Bechuk in his arms and sat in the sedan chairs, heading towards Shenwu Gate.
After the sedan chair was carried over there, the Fourth Prince's carriage was parked in the same old spot. Su Peisheng almost burst into tears when he saw Lanqin and the Fourth Prince emerge from the sedan chair at the same time, but he hadn't seen his concubine for a long time.
"You've taken them back." Fourth Master settled Ushiha and Bechuk into his carriage before speaking to Su Peisheng.
"Yes, Su Peisheng, take good care of the two princesses on the way," Lanqin said.
"Oh, don't worry. Consort, I miss you so much. When are you going back? Consort Song and Consort Wu ask me about it every time they see me," Su Peisheng said.
"Yes, soon. I'll go back after the international pilgrimage ends. Tell Sister Song and the others that I'll be back soon," Lanqin said with a forced smile.
The Fourth Prince instructed Su Peisheng to properly escort the two princesses back. Lanqin watched the carriage slowly disappear into the distance, and tears immediately streamed down her face. It wasn't that she wouldn't see her two daughters again, but rather that so much had happened in the short two days they had been there. She hadn't even spent enough time with them, and they had been branded as ill-mannered children, while she felt utterly powerless to do anything about it.
"Qin'er, let's walk back slowly, we won't take the sedan chair." Fourth Master walked up behind Lanqin and said to her.
The two slowly turned and walked into the high walls. Lanqin looked at the layers of palaces that seemed to merge with the distant sky, as if they had no end.
"What are you looking at?" Fourth Master noticed that Lanqin's expression was slightly different from usual.
"Master, Lanqin has been living here for over a month and feels so tired. I really don't know how those women who live here every night manage to get through their lives!" Lanqin said. She knew that Fourth Master would become Emperor in the future, and that she would likely move in eventually as well.
“There are rules for life in the palace. Otherwise, in such a large palace with so many masters and servants, wouldn’t everything be in chaos without rules?” the Fourth Prince said. The Fourth Prince already knew the gist of what Consort De had said today. He felt that Lanqin’s teaching of her two daughters was too lenient. He wouldn’t mind in the Fourth Prince’s own household, but there were so many masters in the palace, all of whom had lived there for most of their lives, and they would definitely have their disagreements.
"Are you saying that I haven't taught Ushiha and Bechuk well?" Lanqin asked.
"Qin'er, we are in the palace," the Fourth Prince said.
Lanqin watched as a row of palace maids walked towards her in the distance, heads bowed and with identical steps. Judging from their attire, they were likely newly arrived palace maids.
"Your Highness is right. Qin'er is being a bit unrealistic." Lanqin knew that her thoughts were somewhat naive and incomprehensible in front of the Fourth Prince, or rather, in the palace.
"Qin'er?" Fourth Master asked hesitantly.
"What?" Lanqin turned to look at Fourth Master and asked.
"It's nothing. After the international tribute is over, come back with me," said the Fourth Master.
Lanqin nodded, and the two walked back to Yonghe Palace without saying another word. Lanqin felt that the Fourth Prince seemed to have something to say, but was unwilling to say it.
That evening, Lanqin did not dine with Consort De. Instead, she sat in her room and carefully considered the matter that Emperor Kangxi had entrusted to her. She decided that after completing this task, she would feign illness and return home.
"Your Highness, Lanqin will say that she is feeling unwell and ask Father Emperor for leave, is that alright?" Lanqin said to the Fourth Prince.
“But you’re in the palace now, how can you say you’re sick?” the Fourth Prince said.
“But I miss Wuxiha and the others very much, and I really want to go back to the manor,” Lanqin said.
"Just be patient a little longer, we'll be there soon," said Fourth Master.
"Well, let's just hope nothing else happens," Lanqin said.
The two washed their hands and faces with the help of the maid, then undressed and went to bed. In ancient times, there was little entertainment, so people had many children. Because once it got dark, the candlelight wasn't very bright, and if they didn't go to bed, there was nothing else to do.
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