"You keep a close eye on me, and we must not let such a thing happen."
Yao Huang's arms ached from being held, but seeing her mistress in such a state, she dared not struggle and quickly assured her, "Don't worry, mistress, this servant will keep a close eye on things and will never let this happen."
"Very good, you remember this, every moment that cook is in Peach Courtyard, you must not let her out of your sight."
Upon hearing this, Yao Huang hesitated, "Master, I am the only servant here. If the cook lives in Peach Courtyard and keeps an eye on things every hour of the day, it's really not feasible."
The Fujin thought this made sense. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Go and tell Gao Wuyong in the front courtyard that there's no rush to send that person to Taoyuan. Let her come to me. When Guarjia prepares the meals each day, I'll have you send her to Taoyuan."
"Madam, will the master agree? Will he think you're being petty and suspicious?" Yao Huang asked hesitantly before leaving.
"Go to the front yard and pass on my message. As for whether the master agrees or not?" The princess pursed her lips and said in a low but firm voice, "Even if the master is angry and disagrees, and his impression of me is even worse, I will still beg the master to agree for Honghui's sake, even if the master hates me."
In the front yard, in the study, Gao Wuyong walked in.
"What is it?" Fourth Master asked without looking up as he continued writing.
Gao Wuyong hesitated for a moment, then said, "My lord, the Fujin has sent someone."
Fourth Master paused, holding the calligraphy brush, looked up at Gao Wuyong, and asked, "What is it?"
Gao Wuyong lowered his head, not daring to look at the master in the upper seat, and quickly uttered a sentence.
"The Fujin instructed the servants to send the selected cook to the Duan Courtyard, saying that he would live there, and that when the Guarjia Concubine Fujin cooked, Yao Huang from the Fujin's courtyard would take him there to learn."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Wuyong felt a chill run down his spine, and he quickly glanced at his master.
Fourth Master, with a frosty expression, threw the brush in his hand onto the brush holder.
He stood up, went to the window, put his hands behind his back, and stared out the window without saying a word.
Just when Gao Wuyong thought that the master would remain silent, he suddenly heard the master's voice in his ear.
"We will do as the Princess Consort wishes."
ah?
Gao Wuyong was momentarily stunned.
Fourth Master turned around, his deep eyes fixed on Gao Wuyong.
Gao Wuyong shuddered, immediately realized what was happening, and replied, "Yes, sir!"
After watching Gao Wuyong leave and closing the study door, Fourth Master walked back to the chair he had been sitting in, lowered his eyes, fiddled with the thumb ring on his thumb, and after a long while, sighed and murmured softly.
"Hui'er, alas, Hui'er is still here, yet she is already so mad. If... alas!"
Fourth Master stayed alone in the study for a long time until Gao Wuyong returned and restored his sight.
"Sir, the matter has been taken care of."
Fourth Master looked up, but his gaze wasn't focused on Gao Wuyong. He continued to fiddle with the thumb ring on his thumb and asked, "What time is it now?"
It's almost 9 PM.
"Let's go to Peach Blossom Courtyard." Fourth Master said, standing up and walking out ahead of Gao Wuyong.
Gao Wuyong quickly followed, and after leaving the study, he gestured to a eunuch beside him to carry a lantern and follow the Fourth Master. He then closed the door himself, turned around, and hurried after the Master, who had already walked quite far away.
When they arrived at Peach Garden, the gatekeeper was about to close the door completely when he saw the Fourth Master. He immediately opened the door, bowed, and greeted the Fourth Master.
At this moment, in Taoyuan, Hongjing had already been lulled to sleep by Jiaming's storytelling. Jiaming had just come out of Hongjing's room and returned to her bedroom when she saw Fourth Master sitting imposingly in a chair in the room, frowning, as if he was bothered by something.
Jiaming was surprised. Master rarely came to her place with a frown, so she asked curiously, "Master, what's troubling you?"
As for whether the Fourth Master speaks or not, she doesn't consider it; it's up to him to decide. If he speaks, she'll listen; if he doesn't, she can pretend she never asked.
Fourth Master came here to explain the situation to Jiaming, but when he stood in front of her, looking at her delicate and innocent baby face, and at her clear eyes that reflected his own image, he fell silent for a moment.
Jiaming immediately misunderstood, "Is it inconvenient for me to listen? Yes, it is only right that Your Highness does not speak."
"No!" Fourth Master retorted, then fell silent for a moment. Just as Jiaming was about to speak, he spoke again: "Did Hongxuan tell you that he wanted to find a chef to learn cooking from you?"
"Yes." Jiaming nodded, looking at Fourth Master with a puzzled expression. "Master, you... don't agree?"
"Master agrees!" Fourth Master paused, looked at Jiaming, and a hint of apology flashed in his eyes.
Jiaming also saw it, but the speed was too fast, and she wondered if it was just her imagination.
Just then, the Fourth Prince spoke up, "Starting tomorrow, the Princess Consort will have someone bring that cook over to learn from you." After saying this, the Fourth Prince felt a little embarrassed for a moment, and his eyes became unfocused.
At first, Jiaming didn't think much of what he said, but when she saw the strange look in the Fourth Master's eyes and recalled what he had just said, she instantly figured out the deeper meaning.
In an instant, just as the Fujin and Yao Huang had predicted, Jiaming became furious.
She quickly lowered her eyes, concealing her anger, not wanting the Fourth Master to see it.
She wouldn't have bothered if her own son hadn't asked her!
Now look what's happened. This meddlesome person is doing a good deed, yet she's constantly being watched and guarded against.
For a moment, she wanted to retort, "Let someone teach me if they want," because she wouldn't put up with this attitude.
But she had promised Hongxuan, and besides, seeing how the Fourth Master avoided her gaze, she knew that both father and son wanted her to teach him.
Furthermore, when she thought about how the Fujin (Prince Consort) worried about the eldest prince Honghui almost pathologically, she worried that if she stopped teaching him, the eldest prince Honghui would continue to be unable to eat. The Fujin might then blame her, saying that she couldn't stand seeing the eldest prince doing well and deliberately didn't teach him, deliberately making him suffer from poor eating habits.
Who knows what the crazy and morbid Fujin will do then?
She could handle it herself, but thoughts of Hongxuan, Hongjing, her younger brothers Jiaheng and Erlin, her confidants Hongtao, Xiao Hezi, Lvliu, and others flashed through her mind. If the Fujin (principal wife) targeted them like madmen, she wouldn't be able to guarantee their safety.
After thinking it over, Jiaming realized that she had no choice but to compromise.
She calmed herself down and remained silent for a long time before raising her eyes and saying to the Fourth Prince, "Alright, I will only cook at noon every day."
When Fourth Master heard this, he was taken aback. He thought Ming'er would make a fuss before agreeing, but he didn't expect her to be so magnanimous. However, this was a good thing for Hui'er.
However, he still felt he was putting Jiaming in a difficult position, so he held her hand and said softly, "You've had a hard time these past few days. I know it's not right for you to do this, but you've gone a bit crazy about Hui'er. Just bear with it, things will get better after this period."
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