Nanny Gui’s prayers had worked—Fourth Master was indeed in a good mood today.
At the Shangshufang, his policy essays had improved significantly, earning praise from the Emperor for their practicality.
Remembering that the Princess Consort had claimed illness for several days, he decided to go and check on her.
Entering the courtyard, he hurried under the blazing sun and finally reached the main courtyard.
But the Princess Consort was nowhere to be seen.
Fourth Master narrowed his eyes. “Is the Princess Consort busy?”
As soon as he spoke, all the servants in the room knelt in unison.
Nanny Gui replied tremblingly, “Master, the Princess Consort hasn’t been feeling well these past few days…”
She was truly sweating bullets, never expecting the Princess Consort to actually dare not show her face while claiming illness!
This… this wasn’t…
Oh, this was her way of mocking him for not coming to see her!
All the good mood Fourth Master had built up that morning vanished in an instant!
Still, he held back his temper, stood up, and walked toward the inner room. “It’s my fault. Let me go see the Princess Consort.”
Inside the room, the Princess Consort lay on the Baibu Bed, looking genuinely haggard.
Fourth Master wondered if he had overthought things—perhaps the Princess Consort truly was too ill to get up?
He kicked Su Peisheng squarely. “Why didn’t you report to me that the Princess Consort was this ill?”
“Where’s the Imperial Physician? Why hasn’t one been summoned yet?!”
Su Peisheng took the kick solidly, immediately dropping to his knees and loudly admitting his negligence.
Inwardly, he cursed the main courtyard’s head eunuch, Liu Deju, half to death: That damned eunuch, next time he’d better not fall into my hands!
Seeing Su Peisheng take the kick, Nanny Gui broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly helped the Princess Consort sit up, apologizing profusely.
Knowing she couldn’t avoid it any longer, the Princess Consort opened her eyes and said, “Ye is here. I’m fine, just a bit more tired than usual.”
“Then rest well. I’ll stay here with you,” Fourth Master said, patting her hand.
But the Princess Consort pulled her hand away, speaking sweetly, “I wouldn’t want to pass my illness to Ye. That would be my fault.”
Fourth Master was about to say he wasn’t made of paper and wasn’t afraid of such things.
But the Princess Consort spoke first, “Today, Lady Zhang and Lin Shi are entering the residence. Ye should go see them.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Su Peisheng glanced at Fourth Master’s face—his concern had frozen into a rigid expression.
Even as a servant, he felt anxious for the Princess Consort.
Why, in such a good situation, would she do something so thoughtless?
If she wanted the master to go to the newcomers, couldn’t she have just said so properly over a meal?
Why did she have to make such a scene!
Fourth Master shot to his feet, his voice icy. “Then the Princess Consort should rest well.”
Without waiting for anyone’s reaction, he swept out of the room, his robes billowing behind him.
Nanny Gui was so frightened she collapsed to the floor, crawling over to grab the Princess Consort’s hand. “Oh, my Gege, what… what have you done?”
In her panic, she even blurted out the title used at home.
The Princess Consort comforted her, “It’s fine. No matter what, I am still the Princess Consort!”
In truth, when Fourth Master stormed out in anger, she felt a faint sense of satisfaction.
This time, it was finally his turn to be angry!
Nanny Gui didn’t cry out loud, but her heart was already filled with despair.
Outside, Su Peisheng was even more miserable.
His knee still throbbed from the kick, and the master was walking so fast he could barely keep up.
Fourth Master, having calmed down slightly, noticed this and stopped.
Su Peisheng quickly caught up and asked, “Ye, where would you like to rest for a while?”
It was early July, and the weather was unusually hot.
After leaving the riding and archery grounds at Shangshufang, Fourth Master hurried straight to the main courtyard without stopping.
Now, under the scorching sun, he had run another stretch of road.
Anyone would be unbearably hot, let alone Fourth Master, who was particularly sensitive to heat.
“Go to Madam Li…” Fourth Master paused, then changed his words: “Go to one of the newcomers, whichever is fine.”
His reason had returned. Having stormed out of the Princess Consort’s courtyard, if he went to Madam Li’s place, it would be a slap in the face to the Princess Consort.
That would be bad for both the Princess Consort and Madam Li.
Better to go along with the Princess Consort’s wishes.
Su Peisheng received the order, beckoned his apprentice Zhao Lesheng over, and inquired about the situation.
Then he said, “Lead the way, to Lin Shi’s place.”
It wasn’t that he had any particular preference.
Rather, Lin Shi’s Linfeng Residence was close to the main courtyard, just a few steps away.
As for Lady Zhang’s Ruixue Pavilion, it would take nearly a quarter of an hour to walk there—no need to risk overheating the master.
Zhao Lesheng, having received the command, quickly rushed ahead to Linfeng Residence to prepare the way.
When Lin Mingyan received this news, she was busy leading Du Juan and the other two in making watermelon juice.
The weather was unusually hot, and at her rank, she had no access to ice.
Fortunately, one of Du Juan’s friends had sent over two “cold melons”—an old variety of watermelon.
They were small, filled with tiny seeds, and not very sweet.
Eating them plain would certainly not be enjoyable.
But Lin Mingyan now had servants to attend to her, and she had mercilessly devised a method for hand-squeezing juice.
Su He was a eunuch, but unlike the thin and small eunuchs in Lin Mingyan’s imagination, he was tall and sturdy.
But on second thought, it made sense.
Cats grow plump after being neutered, and eunuchs, castrated from a young age, often grow taller and stronger than ordinary people, capable of heavy labor.
At that moment, Lin Mingyan had just managed to squeeze out a pot of watermelon juice and hadn’t yet taken a sip when Zhao Lesheng arrived.
Du Juan was overjoyed and immediately went to greet him, listening to his instructions.
Just as she finished cleaning up the watermelon rinds and seeds, Fourth Master entered.
His demeanor clearly wasn’t normal, and Lin Mingyan, with a “thud,” knelt down along with everyone else.
She didn’t dare look up.
Fourth Master was filled with anger, but seeing her fearful and anxious appearance dissipated most of it.
Ah well, she was a pitiable soul too.
“Rise, no need for such formalities,” Fourth Master said, then shot a glare at Su Peisheng.
The meaning was clear: Why hadn’t a matron taught her the proper etiquette?
Su Peisheng had no idea about such matters—these were tasks arranged by the Princess Consort.
But he couldn’t say that, so he had to accept the blame for his own negligence.
Fortunately, Lin Mingyan quickly caught on, stood up, and properly paid her respects.
“Do you have any chilled tea? Bring a cup for this Ye,” Fourth Master ordered, his forehead dripping with sweat.
But Lin Mingyan had no chilled tea. The tea leaves were still in the cabinet, unbrewed.
Seeing how overheated the master was, she knew serving scalding hot tea would earn her a scolding.
Summoning her courage, she said, “This servant just squeezed some cold melon juice—it clears heat and relieves summer heat. Shall I pour you a cup?”
On such a hot day, a sip of cool watermelon juice couldn’t go wrong.
Fourth Master was taken aback, glanced at her, and said, “Pour a cup for this Ye.”
His throat was practically smoking, and he didn’t care whether it was cold melon juice or warm melon juice.
Lin Mingyan was quick-witted. She hurriedly fetched a white porcelain cup, picked up the pot, poured a cup, and handed it to him.
Fourth Master looked at the deep pink juice, catching a faint melon fragrance, and tilted his head back to drink it down.
“Hah…”
After taking that sip, he let out a heavy breath, feeling the summer heat had mostly dissipated.
He handed the cup back over and remarked, “Lightly fragrant and slightly sweet—quite refreshing for the heat!”