"If I'm not mistaken, perhaps Lady Yin's pregnancy was already doomed. That's why they thought of framing Sister Niu." Lady Li had been with the Fujin for almost ten years and knew her inside and out. She realized that what she had fought for for seven or eight years, Lanqin had obtained in just six months. Although this made her extremely jealous, she thought that the person who was even more jealous at the moment was the Fujin. So she suppressed her deep jealousy towards Lanqin and came here to form an alliance with Lanqin.
Just as I thought! Sure enough, there's not a single innocent soul in the Fourth Prince's inner quarters! All the conspiracies are hidden beneath a gentle and kind facade; the terrifying nature of their hearts is truly chilling.
Well, what's coming will come eventually! Lanqin thought to herself, momentarily lost in thought.
Li and Wu observed her expression and assumed that Lanqin was shocked that she had already offended the Fujin (the principal wife), and was currently undergoing an internal struggle before finally having no choice but to submit to them. How deep could the mind of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl be? Like Yin, she was ultimately just a pawn in the Fujin's hands.
"If it was the Fujin's doing, why hasn't she attacked me yet? Isn't Lady Yin supposed to have woken up and is recuperating?" Although Lanqin disliked Lady Li, she was currently confined by the Fujin and needed some help; Lady Li's arrival was a timely boon. However, Lanqin understood that Lady Li was definitely not there to be a good Samaritan; she must have her own motives.
“Sister, the person who can handle this matter hasn’t returned yet, so she’s naturally in no hurry. Do you mean we should just sit here and wait to die, or do you already have a way to break this deadlock?” Madam Li asked.
“The one who can break this deadlock is naturally Doctor Bai, who treated Lady Yin before. If we can get his testimony, this matter will be easily resolved. However, I am currently confined here, and summoning Doctor Bai to the South Courtyard will surely alarm the Princess Consort,” Lanqin said.
“That’s easy. I’ve been feeling unwell these past few days. I’ll go back later and ask him to come and take my pulse.” As a secondary consort, Lady Li didn’t need to report to the primary consort.
"Then I really have to thank you, sister. I don't know what I can do for you to repay your kindness in my time of need?" Lanqin had already made up her mind: if what Li wanted was the Fourth Master, she didn't intend to make this deal with her; if what she wanted was something else, then she could make a deal with her.
Perhaps surprised by Lanqin's directness, Madam Li touched the pearl hairpin at her temple and stroked a forsythia bush on the table before slowly saying, "Sister, you are indeed quick-witted. However, I haven't asked you to do anything yet. Otherwise, I'll tell you when I think of something, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Wu couldn't understand what Li was really up to. Of course, she was sending Lanqin to deal with the Fujin.
Lanqin understood Li's meaning. She did not expect Li to make such a request today. This was even more demanding than asking her to share the Fourth Prince's favor. In other words, no matter what Li asked for, she had to agree.
"Sister trusts me so much, if Lanqin doesn't agree, she'll be letting down your kindness," Lanqin said, but inwardly she thought: If your request is too unreasonable, even if I renege, what can you do to me!
Li's giggles, as sweet as nightingales, filled the air. When she and Wu came out, Lanqin personally escorted them to the porch.
After they had walked away, Nianxue, who had been following Lanqin, said, "You have already written to the master, so why accept Consort Li's 'help'? Princess, Consort Li is clearly not a kind person. I'm afraid you will suffer if you cooperate with her."
Lanqin raised her hand to shield her eyes, looked at the cicadas chirping in the big tree outside the door, and said something that was very inconsistent with her "age": "Knowing that there is a tiger ahead, I still insist on going into the tiger's den."
Nianxue was taken aback. Although she had never heard Lanqin say that before, she seemed to understand some of the reasoning behind it.
As soon as Madam Li returned to the East Courtyard, she immediately sent Xiangqiao to invite Doctor Bai from the manor. Madam Wu was about to leave when Madam Li called her back.
"Madam, I've been running around with you and I'm quite tired. I'd like to go back and rest. Is there anything else you need?" Wu suppressed her dissatisfaction and tried to make her words as tactful as possible.
"Don't think that helping Niu break this deadlock won't benefit you. Do you really think the Fujin is helping you? Then why haven't you had a child in all these years?" Li knew that Wu had always been jealous of Yin, who had gotten pregnant just a few months after arriving in the same courtyard.
Li's words immediately pulled Wu back from leaving. Wu stared at Li in surprise, because that question also troubled her: why couldn't she conceive? Before Niu and Yin arrived, Wu was the one who received the most favor in the inner courtyard. Because of Li's patronage, Wu was the one who served the Fourth Prince the most when Li gave birth to him.
"Consort, do you know?" Wu stared at Li with a murderous gaze, and for a moment she even wondered if this woman in front of her had done something to her.
“Blame it on your desire to please both sides. I suspect there are her people in your house, and your infertility is largely due to her.” Madam Li picked up a handkerchief, sniffed it, then tossed it aside and turned to walk into the inner room.
"Consort, please finish what you have to say." This time, Lady Wu was not in a hurry to leave. She followed Lady Li into the inner room.
Madam Li waved to the maid standing in the inner room, dismissing everyone else. Then she walked to her dressing table and opened the jewelry inside to look through it.
Suddenly, she took out a red coral necklace and held it up to her chest. The red coral beads were all the same size and the color was extremely vibrant; it was truly a rare treasure. However, Wu's eyes had been fixed on this necklace ever since she saw it, because it was almost identical to the red coral bead necklace she was currently wearing.
"Madam, your necklace looks exactly the same as mine?" Wu knew in her heart that she could not possibly know everything about Consort Li's possessions. Even the necklace she was wearing was a gift from Consort Li.
Li picked up the necklace and played with it in her hand, saying slowly, "This is called a red musk bead necklace. It is very similar to red coral beads, and most people can't tell the difference."
Upon hearing this, Wu stood frozen in shock, as if struck by lightning. Her hands trembled as she slowly touched the string of beads around her neck. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, the small red beads scattered like petals on the ground, rolling everywhere.
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