The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 3)

Chapter 443 - The Smiling Tiger

"Fourth Brother, where are you coming from? That copybook looks quite old. Is it the work of some master?" the Third Prince asked with a smile.

"Oh, this?" The Fourth Prince raised his brows and lifted the copybook. "It's Father's writing. Today, he said my calligraphy lacks finesse, so he asked me to take it back and practice."

Hearing this, the Third Prince's expression darkened, though he didn't show it on his face.

"Fourth Brother is diligent in his studies; naturally, Father is pleased. Father has always favored you the most," the Third Prince said.

"It's just that I shamelessly hang around Father often. His love for all of us brothers is the same," the Fourth Prince replied, playing along.

The Third Prince forced a smile, not responding further.

Wanting to spend time with Father required actually being able to see him. These days, Ning Chen spent most of his time at Zhaochun Palace with Ming Guifei. How could he get close?

Seeing the discomfort in his brother's heart, the Fourth Prince felt satisfied, though he pretended not to notice, casually putting an arm around the Third Prince's shoulder.

"Third Brother, you're heading back too, right? In that case, Qinglin, you can leave the palace first. I'll walk with Third Brother; no need to see me off."

"Understood. Take care, Your Highnesses," Xu Qinglin bowed.

Watching the Fourth Prince's demeanor, it was clear he was planning to do something to deliberately annoy the Third Prince again. Sending Xu Qinglin away was also a way of protecting him.

It wasn't appropriate for a minister's son like him to get involved in the princes' affairs. Sure enough, that afternoon, the Third Prince mysteriously developed an upset stomach and had to run to the toilet countless times. He hadn't eaten anything strange today, except for a piece of yam and jujube cake that the Fourth Prince had shoved into his mouth.

"Ning Yu Jing!" The Third Prince gritted his teeth and growled from the toilet.

No wonder he had acted so unusually attentive today—he had this in mind all along. But it was just a piece of cake, and the Fourth Prince ate from the same plate without issue. There was no proof that he had intentionally spiked it with a laxative, so the Third Prince could only swallow his frustration.

As for why the Fourth Prince did it, the Third Prince couldn't recall the reason. But the Fourth Prince certainly remembered. Yesterday, the Sixth Prince and the Fourth Princess had come to the Ruyi Pavilion to play, and Xu Qinglin happened to be there. The Fourth Princess had always liked Xu Qinglin and clung to him for quite some time.

That night, Bai Zhu had escorted the two children back to Zhaochun Palace and overheard the Third Prince commenting that the Fourth Princess, at such a young age, already lacked shame, expressing her affection for an outsider. He'd even said, "Look at a child and you'll see the adult. She's already like this; she'll definitely grow up to be as seductive as Ming Guifei."

For that, the Fourth Prince felt giving him laxatives was too light a punishment. The two had never gotten along since childhood, openly clashing before but now resorting to subtler schemes. Over the years, the Third Prince had suffered numerous losses at the hands of the Fourth Prince, who was sneaky like a smiling tiger—seemingly harmless but capable of shoving you into a pit without you even realizing it.

After the Third Prince had spent half the day in the latrine, the Fourth Prince, full of false brotherly affection, brought Imperial Physician Shen to check on him. In any case, he had already taken all the credit for showing concern, infuriating the Third Prince so much that he couldn't sleep that night.

In Zhaochun Palace, Ye Yun was aware of what had happened but didn't intervene. The Third Prince deserved it, always running his mouth.

The days passed quickly in the busy preparations for the northern inspection tour, and on July 24th, the journey began. Ning Chen left Prince Kang behind to manage state affairs, with Prince Consorts He Xinyan and Feng Zihuan assisting him. This was both a sign of trust and a way for Ning Chen to show support for his two married sisters, letting their families know that it was because of the Emperor's favor that their husbands could participate in politics. Otherwise, once a man married into the imperial family, he would hardly have the opportunity to be involved in court affairs, let alone be so highly valued.

As the journey began, Ye Yun instructed, "Bring the young lady over to ride with me."

Huiyue naturally knew who the young lady referred to—Ye Zhe's eldest daughter, Ye Shuran, the legitimate daughter of the Zhongyong Marquis.

Soon enough, the young girl was brought over.

"Greetings to Aunt," Ye Shuran bowed as she entered the carriage.

Ye Yun smiled and waved her hand, "No need for such formalities. Sit next to me. This journey will take about a month. If you need anything along the way or feel unwell, just let me know. Don't suffer in silence.

Though the aunt and niece didn't meet often, the frequent rewards sent to the palace had created some closeness between them. Moreover, Ye Shuran was naturally lively.

"Aunt, don't worry. With you here, no one would dare mistreat me."

She was clever, understanding that Ye Yun's invitation was a signal to everyone that Ming Guifei cared deeply for her niece, warning others to be cautious about their intentions.

The carriages exited the city, stopping in an open area outside the capital for lunch. The princes had been riding with Ning Chen earlier, and after working up a sweat in the sun, they felt utterly uncomfortable.

The Fourth Prince, unaware that his cousin was in his mother's carriage, casually lifted the curtain and entered, startling Ye Shuran.

Though Nan Qi had more relaxed customs, even children knew the difference between men and women. The Fourth Prince quickly became embarrassed, gave a hasty bow, and left immediately.

After all, the two children weren't familiar with each other.

Inside the carriage, Ye Yun chuckled, "Look at that boy showing some manners for once. We've probably reached the campsite. Why don't you step out for some fresh air and go find the Second Princess to play with? You two have similar temperaments."

"Alright, Aunt. I'll head out then," Ye Shuran said excitedly as she bowed.

She had been itching to leave for a while. However, the servants hadn't anticipated her stepping out and had already removed the carriage stool. While she considered jumping down, she realized it wouldn't be appropriate given the setting, so she hesitated.

Fortunately, the Fourth Prince hadn't gone far. Noticing her predicament, he quickly fetched a stool and helped her down by offering his arm.

This scene caught Yi Fei's attention, and it sparked some thoughts in her mind.

"Do you think Guifei might be planning to marry the Fourth Prince into the Ye family?" she asked.

Yunxiu, her maid, frowned slightly. "Perhaps. Who wouldn't want to support their maternal family? But the Fourth Prince isn't yet of marriageable age, and this Ye family girl is only twelve."

Yi Fei narrowed her eyes, "True, they're still too young. But if he's already thinking about matters between men and women at such a young age, how do you think the Emperor would view the Fourth Prince?"

"Your Highness, this..." Yunxiu was taken aback by her line of thinking.

"You're overreacting. I was just musing aloud," Yi Fei gave her a sidelong glance before instructing, "Go fetch the Third Prince. I have something to discuss with him."

"Yes, Your Highness." Yunxiu curtsied and left at once.

Yi Fei remained in place, glancing back several times at the Fourth Prince. However, the two children didn't seem to be interacting much. The Fourth Prince was now chatting with Xu Qinglin, while Ye Shuran was greeting the Second and First Princesses. There had been no further contact between them, leaving Yi Fei slightly disappointed.