It was another tiring night. When I got up in the morning, I washed up first, and then asked the wet nurse to feed Hongzhou before bringing him over.
Geng Youran's rank is only that of a princess, and in principle, she is not allowed to raise children.
However, because the child was too young and the wife's health had recently deteriorated, Geng Youran and Niohuru Wanru were able to see the child frequently.
In the morning, Wanru brought Hongli to see Geng Youran. By then, little Hongli was already able to sit up for a while.
"Sister, you haven't cooked anything in a long time. Have you thought of anything new lately?"
Geng Youran tapped Wanru's nose with her finger.
"You're a mother now, and you're still so greedy."
"It's all because my sister's cooking is too good."
Despite saying that, Geng Youran did miss the days before she got pregnant when she was busy in the small kitchen.
Spring has arrived, and her recent trip to Guanyun Temple sparked her interest in vegetarian food, so she tried making a few vegetarian dishes.
"I prepared it for you a long time ago, Xiao Anzi!"
Xiao Anzi led several maids to bring up several dishes one after another.
“These are ‘willow leaf chives’ and ‘jade rice porridge’ respectively.”
"Sister, where did you hear all this from? The names are quite nice."
Geng Youran raised an eyebrow, feigning mystery as she said:
As the saying goes, "In books, you'll find beauty and wealth."
Afterwards, the two ate a few more 'peach blossom pastries'.
"Wanru, you didn't come here today just to chat, did you?"
Wanru shook her head and looked around. She then told the wet nurses to take the baby out, and also told Huangli and Xinyi to go out.
"Sister, are you aware that the Crown Prince condones and indulges Lingpu, the wet nurse's husband, in extorting money from his subordinates?"
"Wanru, let me remind you, we must not discuss state affairs recklessly."
Wanru patted Geng Youran's hand.
"Actually, this is what the prince said."
"? Did the prince tell you that?"
Wanru nodded. Geng Youran thought about it carefully and realized that this might be the reason why Yinzhen had been spending more and more time in the mansion lately.
After the crown prince was reinstated, he not only failed to restrain his behavior, but became increasingly outrageous.
First, he gathered a group of ministers and officials, forming a powerful Crown Prince faction. This faction was not only influential but also involved in corruption, including embezzlement and bribery. In particular, figures like the Infantry Commander Tuoheqi became Yinreng's right-hand men.
"But what does this have to do with us?"
Geng Youran came from the modern era, and she already knew that Yinzhen was the future emperor, which is why she never invested too much emotion in him.
"Oh, sister, the Crown Prince's actions have already attracted the Emperor's attention. In order to win over others to speak on his behalf, the Crown Prince has set his sights on our Prince. I heard that He Qi has a daughter, and the Crown Prince wants her to be our Prince's concubine."
Geng Youran felt that this crown prince was courting disaster, playing a good hand badly, no wonder he didn't become emperor in the end.
"What did the prince say?"
"What else can we say? Of course, we refused. I heard that yesterday at noon, at the banquet, the Crown Prince asked Heqi's daughter to toast our Prince in public, but the Prince shoved her away."
Geng Youran then realized where the faint smell of alcohol she had detected last night had come from.
"Alright, you need to watch your mouth. Be careful, the walls may have ears."
That's what they say, but actually, neither of them is afraid.
The two were laughing and chatting happily in the inner room. Meanwhile, Consort Nian Yunrong had fallen ill again.
"Consort, please drink your medicine. Why do you keep torturing yourself like this?"
Nian Yunrong turned her face away, ignoring the maid's advice, and refused to take her medicine no matter what.
Some time ago, she accidentally discovered that the medicine she was taking contained ingredients that could prevent pregnancy, and after that, she stopped taking the medicine altogether.
No matter how the maid explained, she wouldn't listen.
In desperation, she had no choice but to send someone to the study to fetch the Fourth Prince.
"Eunuch Gao, please, go in and inform the Fourth Prince. Our princess is truly ill."
"Hey Li Zi, you've been in our Prince's mansion for quite a few years now, haven't you? What, after going to Consort Nian's courtyard, you really think you're someone special?"
"Where is this? The Prince's study. No one is allowed to enter without the Prince's permission!"
Even though the two of them lowered their voices, Yinzhen inside the room still heard them.
"Gao Wuyong, get your ass in here!"
"You servant deserves to die!"
"What happened?"
At this moment, Yinzhen was copying Buddhist scriptures in his study.
The court has been unstable recently, and since he is fond of Buddhism, he used this method to organize his thoughts.
"Little Li, who serves Consort Nian, said that Consort Nian has been neglecting to take her medicine on time lately and is in poor health. He would like to ask you to come and take a look."
Upon hearing this, Yinzhen stopped writing and pinched his tightly furrowed brows with his left hand.
This should be the third time they've let him go using this excuse.
He thought for a moment and then gave the order:
"You lead the sedan chair to the Nian residence and invite Madam Nian and Nian Gengyao here. Also, give them a heads-up."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait a minute, go to Geng Gege's courtyard and tell her that I'll be having lunch there."
"Yes, sir."
Little Li was still waiting at the door, about to take another step closer to eavesdrop, when he was bumped into by Gao Wuyong who came out.
"Little Li, did you hear that? Hurry up and go back."
Little Li shrank his neck and whispered:
"Eunuch Gao, is the Prince really not going to see our concubine?"
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