Whether or not to bring it up was a difficult decision for Hongli.
Just as he hesitated, Li Yu's voice came from outside the door, "Master, Fifth Master is here."
"Please let him in."
After Hongli gave the order, Li Yu pushed the door open. As soon as Hongzhou entered, he saw Su Yushan and greeted her with a smile, "Oh! My little sister-in-law is here too!"
Su Yushan nodded in response, greeted him, and then said to Hongli, "You two chat, I'll go back first."
With the fifth prince arriving, Hongli couldn't say much. "Alright, you go back first, we'll talk tonight."
Hearing this, Hongzhou suddenly sensed something was wrong. "I think I've come at the wrong time? Should I excuse myself for a moment?"
Su Yushan simply said it was nothing serious, "Fifth Master, please don't worry about it. Please have a seat, I'll head back now."
After saying this, Su Yushan curtsied and took her leave, returning to Huatang Pavilion.
On the way back, Yunfang thought about it more and more and felt that it was not normal. "Hey---don't you guys think that the Fourth Prince's treatment of that concubine is quite unusual?"
Chang Yue asked curiously, "I didn't notice! I felt like Fourth Master didn't really pay attention to her."
Yunfang shook her head, because she had observed very carefully today. "Fourth Master doesn't like other women being too intimate with him. If it were Princess Fucha helping him adjust the tassel on his jade pendant, he would definitely scold her and order her to leave. But today he didn't refuse!"
At the banquet, the concubine mentioned wanting to learn cooking from Sister Yu. The Fourth Prince had always disliked other women disturbing Sister Yu at Huatang Pavilion; logically, he should have stopped her immediately and dissuaded her. Why didn't he say anything?
Hearing her say that, Chang Yue felt uneasy, but then she thought of a possibility: "Perhaps it was because she was a concubine that the Fourth Prince gave her some face?"
Yunfang had also considered this possibility, but this assumption was not valid. "This is Fourth Master's territory, not the palace. Fourth Master dares to talk back to even his primary wife, so why would he be afraid of a mere secondary wife?"
In fact, what Yunfang said was exactly what Yushan was wondering about. A woman's intuition told her that Hongli's feelings for Nara were indeed very special.
Although Hongli didn't pay much attention to Nara, Nara's behavior was not shy and reserved like a newlywed woman. Instead, she was poised and generous, and very intimate with Hongli. The feeling was like that of an old married couple who had been together for many years.
Just now in the study, Hongli was lost in thought and seemed hesitant to speak. It was probably because of Empress Nara.
However, she was just guessing. She would have to wait until tonight to find out what it was about, and see if he was willing to tell her.
After Hongli left, the women in Lanzhao Courtyard lost interest.
They had dressed up carefully today to see the Fourth Master, but he left after only a short while. What was the point of leaving them here?
Feeling aggrieved, Gao Xiuwen couldn't sit still any longer and made an excuse to get up and leave. Xi Lan, who didn't get along with them, also took her leave.
Chen Gege ate her food silently. To her, those disputes were unimportant; she was just there to make up the numbers.
Princess Fucha didn't move; she had to stay and keep the Fujin company, and couldn't embarrass her. Only Lan Rong and the Fujin remained at the table. Lan Rong showed no intention of leaving, continuing to talk with the Fujin and savor the food on the table.
After the banquet ended, Lan Rong drank another cup of tea before taking his leave.
After returning to her room, she felt extremely tired and planned to take a nap. Her maid, Qiucha, removed the jewelry from her hair.
Recalling what she had seen and heard today, Lan Rong silently sorted it out in her mind.
Looking at all the women in the backyard, the Fujin was gentle and dignified, but she was too dignified. Gao Shi's face was more plump, but her features were very dignified, giving her a sense of elegance and nobility. However, it was unknown how the Fourth Prince treated her.
Lan Gege was all smiles and laughter, clearly without any guile, while Chen Gege was practically invisible, seemingly just an embellishment.
Princess Fucha was slender, with small, somewhat listless eyes. Her cherry-like lips were delicate and charming, but her cheekbones were slightly high, making her appearance somewhat unapproachable. Lan Rong needed to observe her further and dared not draw any conclusions too early, only instructing Qiu Cha...
"With so many women around, there will be a lot of trouble. Entering the prince's residence is not the same as staying at your parents' home. You must be careful in your actions and words, and never be careless, lest you get into trouble."
Qiu Cha smiled and said, "You are Fourth Master's savior. Fourth Master's feelings for you must be extraordinary. With Fourth Master's protection, your life will surely be smooth and worry-free."
This girl's thinking is far too simplistic. Looking at herself in the mirror, Lan Rong sighed deeply. She originally thought her appearance was already outstanding, but after seeing Su Shi, she realized that there was always someone better.
Among Manchu women, she was indeed outstanding, but Su came from Jiangnan, where women are naturally gentle and elegant, a quality that others could only envy.
"So what if I'm his benefactor? You don't know, our Fourth Master is a man of deep feelings. I saved his life, that's why he remembered me for so long. But in the years I was away, so many women have appeared around him, especially Consort Su. For her sake, the Fourth Master even reprimanded Lady Gao and subtly criticized the Fujin. This shows that she holds an extraordinary position in the Fourth Master's heart!"
Qiu Cha nodded knowingly. "So she is your greatest enemy?"
Shaking her head, Lan Rong corrected, "How can I treat the person Fourth Master likes as an enemy? I should become good sisters with her. You should also interact more with the servants of Huatang Pavilion and get along well with them."
Qiu Cha nodded and noted everything down. "This servant will follow your instructions and will never cause you any trouble."
After Su Yushan returned to her room, she stayed with Yan Yan. That evening, Hongli did not come over. He sent Li Yu to tell her that the fifth prince was still there and that she should eat by herself and not wait for him.
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