If Su Yushan were still in the capital and willing to argue with him, why would Hongli have to do this?
With a bitter laugh, Hongli didn't reply, tilting his head back to drink the wine in his cup. In the candlelight, there was a hint of red at the corners of his eyes, whether from the strong liquor or from the unbearable bitterness in his heart that was forced out from the corners of his eyes, it was hard to tell.
In Hongzhou's memory, the fourth brother had always been a man of his word, never drinking to excess, and would confide in him when he had troubles. But what was wrong with him today? He drank one cup after another without saying a word. Hongzhou felt that something was wrong with the fourth brother. Who else could bother him so much besides that Su Gege?
After racking his brains, he couldn't help but think of another possibility: "Fourth Brother? Have you found someone new?"
A new love? He did want to find one; if someone could distract him and help him forget his troubles, it wouldn't be a bad thing. However, he couldn't muster any interest in the women in his backyard, which was truly infuriating!
Hongzhou's words always easily reminded him of someone. Hongli suddenly regretted coming to find him. "Why did you talk so much when I asked you to drink with me?"
Hongzhou neither confirmed nor denied this, and spread his hands, saying, "I've always been talkative, and you've known me for a long time. I'm your brother, so if you have any troubles, just tell me. Maybe I can help you?"
Hongli wouldn't hide anything from him, but this was the one thing he had to guard against at all costs: "You can't help me."
How do you know I can't help if you don't tell me?
No matter how Hongzhou tried to probe, he refused to tell the truth. Seeing that he couldn't get an answer, Hongzhou stopped nagging, but forbade him to continue drinking.
"Fourth Brother, you're drunk! Stop drinking. If you get sick from drinking, Fourth Sister-in-law will scold me."
Hongli didn't eat much tonight, he just drank. Right now he was feeling dizzy and his stomach was churning with acid, so he was helped out of the mansion and into the carriage by Li Yu.
After returning to the manor, he was about to go back to his own bedroom when Li Yu whispered a reminder, "Master, tonight is the fifteenth."
The fifteenth? Every time he heard that date, he felt a headache coming on. In the past, he worried that Su Yushan would be sad, and every time he went back to Lanzhao Courtyard, he felt guilty and always felt that he had let Yushan down.
Now no one cares about him anymore, but he still doesn't want to go. However, the rules are there, and he can't break them.
Who told him he was a prince? Every day he had to do things against his will, bound by tedious rules. This was his responsibility, and his destiny!
With a wry smile, Hongli finally turned and headed towards Lanzhao Courtyard.
In Fucha's memory, Hongli was always noble and dignified, and he paid attention to his appearance. Every time he came, he was elegant and dashing. But tonight, he was staggering and had no manners at all.
Seeing this, Lady Fucha quickly stepped forward to help him up, "Fourth Master, how did you get so drunk?"
Li Yu dared not say that his master had something on his mind, and only smiled and replied, "Master had dinner with Fifth Master tonight and was in a very good mood, so he drank a few more cups."
Lady Fucha helped him into the tent. Hongli was very drunk and wanted to lie down, but he forced himself to stay awake, sitting with his eyes closed against the edge of the tent.
The maidservant came to help him wash up and undress. After a lot of fuss, he finally lay down in the tent. He felt dizzy and his head was spinning. His eyelids were so heavy that he couldn't keep them open.
He knew what he should do here on the fifteenth, but he was really tired. If he was interested in the people around him, he could barely keep going, but if he wasn't interested, he wouldn't even want to keep going.
In a daze, he suddenly heard the Fujin ask, "How is Yushan's illness progressing?"
Upon hearing her name, Hongli immediately snapped back to reality, his mind racing.
He could keep it a secret from outsiders, but if people in the household couldn't see Su Yushan, they would definitely become suspicious. So, Hongli told his wife early in the morning that Su Yushan was weak and had gone to another residence to recuperate.
The Princess Consort hadn't asked about it in detail until today, when she suddenly brought it up. Hongli then realized what had happened and, feigning calmness, casually replied:
"It's nothing serious, he's still recovering."
"Why don't we bring her back? She lives alone in the villa, which must be quite boring. Back in the manor, she'll have her sisters to keep her company and distract her, right?"
These words sounded strange. Hongli slowly turned his head and stared at Fucha Shi with suspicion, wondering why she would suddenly say such a thing. Did she really want Su Yushan to come back, or was she suspicious and testing him?
However, Lady Fucha's expression remained normal, and he could not see anything strange about it. He could not show his true emotions, so he could only continue to lie, "I will go to accompany her when I have time. You don't need to worry about this matter anymore. I have my own arrangements."
"But the people below are all talking and speculating..." Fucha didn't say it explicitly, but she assumed that Hongli should understand what she meant.
Lady Fucha was only reminding him because she was concerned about his reputation. Hongli frowned in displeasure, "If anyone dares to gossip, you should use your authority as the mistress of the house to intimidate and punish them. If you are firm in your methods, they will weigh the consequences and dare not gossip anymore."
Lady Fucha was gentle by nature and only wanted to live peacefully with the women in her harem. She didn't want to punish anyone severely unless absolutely necessary. However, Hongli thought her approach was too lenient. Lady Fucha was caught in the middle, and her mood was inevitably low. She replied in a muffled voice:
"I will keep in mind Fourth Master's teachings."
Hearing the slight tremor in her voice, tinged with a hint of grievance, Hongli softened his tone and said, "I didn't mean to reprimand you. I just hope you understand that most people bully the weak and fear the strong. Those in high positions must have methods to establish their authority."
His tone softened slightly, which made Lady Fucha feel a little better. She couldn't help but reflect on her attitude towards the maids. Was it inappropriate? Being too gentle meant that no one was afraid of her. If this continued, her authority would gradually disappear, which would not be a good thing for her as a princess consort.
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