The next day, the Fourth Prince and his wife returned to the mansion early in the morning. The Third Prince was also conscious and could even sit up to eat. As soon as the Fourth Prince arrived, he ordered that the Third Prince be moved to the front courtyard, with Qingdai and Qingmo going to serve him, while Cui Niang returned to the south courtyard.
When the Third Prince was moved out, nothing in the house was taken; everything was sealed off, and not a single thing was to be touched. Madam Yin watched helplessly as the Third Prince was carried away, and the room he had lived in was sealed off. The Fourth Prince didn't send anyone to inform her, which showed that he didn't trust her and suspected her, so there was no need for a greeting or explanation.
"Princess, please don't go out. Stay inside. This is the master's order." Madam Yin wanted to go sit with Madam Wu across the street. She hadn't opened the door when Madam Wu came yesterday, so she had slept there all night. But just as she was about to lift the flowerpot, Yu Lu suddenly spoke up from behind her.
Today, Madam Yin wore a light purple cheongsam inlaid with white velvet, and her hair was adorned with some red agate and green jadeite pearl flowers, making her look elegant and refined. However, her slightly haggard and pale complexion made her look quite pitiful.
"When did the master give you this decree?" Madam Yin couldn't help but turn around abruptly, staring intently at Yuhen and Yulu, the lake-blue tassel hairpin inserted in her temple snapping against her snow-white cheek.
"Your Highness, this morning, Eunuch Su from the Master's residence sent someone to deliver a message, ordering that Madam Yin be confined to her room and not allowed to go anywhere or allow anyone to visit her. Your Highness, please go back to your room." Yuhen gestured for her to return, but the two maids did not show the slightest respect.
Meanwhile, Lanqin had already gotten up and was having breakfast with Wuxiha and Xichen. The two children were old enough to eat some thin porridge, so Lanqin asked the kitchen staff to prepare egg custard for Wuxiha and shrimp and vegetable porridge for Xichen.
"Xichen, eat slowly. Chew the porridge in your mouth before swallowing, otherwise the dried shrimp will be hard to digest," Lanqin said gently to Xichen, who had just turned one year old. Although little Xichen couldn't understand Lanqin's meaning yet, he knew to listen to her.
Ushiha gurgled and gurgled, as if it was protesting because it was unhappy that its mother was only talking to its brother.
"Oh, Wuxiha, you want your mother to talk to you too, right? Is the steamed egg custard delicious?" Lanqin turned to Wuxiha and asked.
As if she understood, Ushiha indeed hummed twice, which amused her wet nurse and the maids beside her, making them laugh heartily.
"Father, Father!!" Xi Chen, who was standing to the side, seemed unwilling to let Lan Qin go and talk to Wu Xi Ha, and called out anxiously.
When Lanqin heard Xichen finally speak, she was so surprised that she asked repeatedly, "Xichen, say it again, didn't you just call me 'Dad'?" But in her heart she thought: You little ingrate, I've heard that children always call their father first and their mother second. Even children from three hundred years ago did this, no wonder, "Dad" is easier to pronounce than "Mom".
Xi Chen was no longer going to listen to Lan Qin and shout whatever she told him to shout; he simply wouldn't cooperate and refused to shout.
“Master, the young master was calling out ‘Father, Father’ just now,” said the wet nurse who was holding Xichen.
“Yes, I also heard the young master calling out ‘Father, Father’,” Nianxue said, standing to the side.
"Little one, you've finally started talking! Let's teach you to say 'Father, Father' first. You can't learn to say 'Mother' all at once, so let's start with 'Father'," Lanqin said happily. Although this child wasn't her own, she had been raising him for half a year, and he was indeed an extremely handsome and adorable child.
"Master, the master has arrived." Si Hua, who was standing at the door, said to the inside, and then saw that she was already paying her respects to the Fourth Master.
They're finally back! Lanqin had known all along that the Fourth Prince and his wife had returned, which put her at ease. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been chatting and laughing with the two children so enthusiastically just now.
"Your Majesty, I wish you a happy and healthy New Year!" Lanqin immediately put down her leg, slipped on her shoes, and took a few steps to greet him. When she saw the Fourth Master step in, she bowed first.
The others in the room also bowed.
"When did you start liking this kind of thing?" Fourth Master took three steps in two and walked over to Lanqin, helping her up.
"It's the New Year, after all. I, as the principal wife, have only paid my respects to you a few times," Lanqin said with a smile.
The Fourth Prince was dressed in a dark blue prince's cotton robe, and his handsome face showed signs of fatigue, clearly indicating that he had not rested well in the palace.
"Has Your Highness had breakfast yet?" Lanqin raised her hand to stroke the Fourth Master's cheek, her eyes full of tenderness.
"No, I just came here to have breakfast here." Fourth Master's voice was slightly hoarse, which made Lanqin's heart flutter.
"Cui Niang, go and tell Niu Baoquan to quickly prepare a bowl of noodles for the master, and also get a few of those well-made sauerkraut pancakes," Lan Qin instructed.
When Fourth Master saw the two children, he said to the wet nurse, "Give me Wuxiha."
Fourth Master took Wuxiha and sat cross-legged on the warm couch. Xichen, sitting opposite him, saw his sister sitting in the arms of a strange man and, for some reason, suddenly called out, "Father, Father."
"Master, Xichen is already calling you Father." Lanqin quickly took Xichen from the wet nurse's arms and sat down opposite the Fourth Master. The two of them each held one of Xichen in their arms.
"He called him 'Father,' not 'Father.'" Fourth Master glanced at Xichen, his coldness gradually fading as he looked at the child who had been brought in. He knew the child was innocent, but his identity would definitely be a problem in the future.
“Grandpa, Father is also Father’s idea. Look how much Xichen likes you, the first thing he calls you is Grandpa.” Lanqin pouted deliberately.
Fourth Master couldn't help but glance at Xichen a few more times; he was indeed a cute and pretty child.
When the Fourth Master's breakfast was brought over, the two little ones had already been taken away by the wet nurses. In order to give the Fourth Master and Lanqin a private dining environment, Cui Niang specially asked the maids to wait outside the room, while she herself stood by the door.
In an instant, the once lively room fell silent.
Lanqin watched as Fourth Master ate his noodles meticulously, wondering why he didn't ask any questions.
"How is the Third Prince?" Lanqin had heard a little about the Fourth Prince's actions upon his return.
"Hongjun is already able to get out of bed and move around. Fortunately, Judge Yang arrived in time. It's also fortunate that you sent Thirteen in to deliver the message. Otherwise, I don't know if my Third Prince would have survived the New Year," the Fourth Prince said coldly.
“Hongjun has had so many hardships at such a young age; he’s such a pitiful child,” Lanqin said with a touch of sadness.
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