Lord Fourth, Madam Has Tricked You Again - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: More Glib at Pacifying

Kang Xi smiled even more broadly after hearing this, which was great. “Lord Fourth, oh Lord Fourth, all your brothers are in the capital with you—what’s there for your heart to miss? Anyway, it is already August, one of the hottest periods of summer, so it is normal to eat less during this time.”

The crowd could not restrain their smiles upon hearing these words.

Even Kang Xi could not help but laugh. “Stay for a meal after this, Lord Fourth. Accompany me to drink some,” he added.

“Understood. Your humble son solemnly accepts Father Emperor’s order.” There was a hint of joy in Lord Fourth’s mysterious eyes, but even that was measured and restrained.

Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince felt pained. Did Father Emperor distrust him now?

This was why speaking is an art.

Lord Fourth’s words were simple and unclever.

However, they made Kang Xi remember him, and he even asked him to a meal.

Even though this was a trivial matter, he was the only one who was offered this meal.

After all, the Crown Prince, who had stayed behind and guarded the palace painstakingly, did not receive such an honor.

After the meeting was dissolved, Lord Fourth headed to Qianqing Palace for his meal with Kang Xi.

The interaction between father and son was ordinary but interspersed with a little warmth.

They were all men, and thus were not coy with each other.

They only conversed casually and clinked their glasses and drank whenever they touched on a happy subject.

Lord Fourth did not discuss business during their meal but only chatted about minor household affairs, such as the news of his Fujin expecting.

“Good news, that’s good news.” Kang Xi really thought Ruoyin’s pregnancy a great cause for happiness. He turned to Liang Jiugong and instructed him to go to the storeroom to retrieve some jewelry before saying to Lord Fourth, “Get a subordinate to bring the jewelry back to your Fujin. Her father is a good man; Fei Yanggu has contributed significantly in the battle against Galdan Boshigt this time around.”

“Your humble son thanks Father Emperor for the reward.” After rising to express his thanks, he toasted Kang Xi once more.

After an hour passed, the meal and drinking were coming to a close.

Lord Fourth’s face was slightly red, but he still knocked back the alcohol readily.

Kang Xi felt gratified by his actions. Thus, he did not continue drinking but got someone to accompany Lord Fourth back.

Lord Fourth arrived back at the manor after about an hour.

After resting in the carriage, Lord Fourth was now only tipsy and not drunk.

Moreover, he did not let anyone help him as he got off the carriage.

With large strides, he walked toward Yi Lan Villa, Kang Xi’s reward in his hand.

Su Peicheng only led the subordinates behind him as he walked beside Lord Fourth cautiously.

When Lord Fourth neared Yi Lan Villa, he could hear excited voices from within.

“A chain.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Pass.”

“Same here.”

“Pairs chain.”

“Bomb!”

Lord Fourth heard words like these as their voices rose and fell.

After pausing for a moment, he stepped into the house.

After entering, Lord Fourth swept his gaze across the crowd in the room.

In the end, it stopped at Ruoyin, clad in a brilliant red garment, her abdomen slightly raised.

Also, his entrance made the atmosphere much quieter instantly.

No one now dared to shout any “Fight the Landlord” jargon.

Ruoyin had taught them that they should sound more merry when playing “Fight the Landlord” by shouting more excitedly so that the atmosphere would be more lively.

However, upon seeing Lord Fourth, all of them closed their mouths tightly, not daring to make noise in front of him.

They even placed all their cards on the table and knelt to bow to him.

Ruoyin put down the cards in her hand as well and walked over to Lord Fourth. She did not curtsy, but only smiled and said, “What brings you here, my Lord~”

If she were to curtsy right now, Lord Fourth would get mad at her!

“I’ve just come back from the palace. Father Emperor has given you some jewelry upon hearing that you are expecting. How is your body?” Even though she did not curtsy, Lord Fourth still went forward to hold her.

“I am good, my Lord. My appetite is even better nowadays,” replied a smiling Ruoyin.

Su Peicheng instructed a subordinate to put the jewelry down before giving a swish of his horsetail whisk and sending all the subordinates in the house out, and then following them out himself.

It was only after the subordinates had left that Ruoyin glanced at the jewelry that Kang Xi had rewarded her.

Although it was only a cursory glance, she could tell that every single one of them was exquisite and expensive.

She said, “The jewelry Father Emperor has given me are of such high quality. Please help me thank Father Emperor, my Lord.”

Lord Fourth only made a light “mm” sound, for he had already thanked him before.

After that, Ruoyin did not examine the jewelry closer but shifted her attention to the officially robed Lord Fourth.

She noticed his red face and thought that he was hot because he had rushed back from the palace.

Thus, she said, “My Lord, shall I help you change out?”

“It’s alright. I’ll do it myself.” Lord Fourth then took off his purplish blue robes unhurriedly and donned his everyday clothes.

He caught sight of the cards on the table and asked casually, “What’s this game?”

He had not paid attention to it previously, but now that his mood was great, he decided to simply ask.

Additionally, the woman in front of him was quite obedient now that he had shaped her to behave and no longer plastered her face with paper.

“Fight the Landlord~” Ruoyin sat down and arranged the cards.

“Fight the Landlord? Why has your Lord not heard of this before?” Lord Fourth asked, puzzled, probably thinking the name strange.

The corner of Ruoyin’s lips twitched. After a moment of thinking, she declared shamelessly, “It’s a game I made up to entertain myself when I was bored. It’s natural that Lord Fourth hasn’t heard of it yet~”

“You’re a soon-to-be mother, and yet you’re still so playful as to go invent such a weird thing,” Lord Fourth commented indifferently.

“I was bored anyway. Does my Lord want to play together? It’s really fun,” said Ruoyin, radiant with delight.

Lord Fourth shot a look at her before saying in an arrogant tone that hid his bashfulness, “Your Lord will try it, since you are the one who created the game.”

“Sure. Although it’s a three person game, it’s still possible to play with two people. I’ll issue cards for three, and it’ll be okay so long as the ‘third party’s’ cards aren’t revealed. It’s even more exciting this way~” said Ruoyin as she shuffled the cards.

Lord Fourth chuckled and said, “Little thing, we’re only playing cards, yet you’re already talking about excitement.”

“It’s my first time playing cards with Lord Fourth, so of course it’s exciting~” Ruoyin distributed the cards as she spoke. “What should I bet with Lord Fourth, though? I usually give Qiao Feng and the rest silver when they win~” she added.

“So you mean you want me to bet my money and play for real, then?” Lord Fourth’s full brows twitched, but he was not angry.

Ruoyin thought that he was about to become upset and thus said obsequiously, “I belong to my Lord, so it’s no fun to win my Lord’s money since my Lord is the one taking care of me anyway. That’s why I don’t want to win my Lord’s money at all~”

“Little bootlicker. Your tongue is getting more glib at pacifying people.” Lord Fourth leaned forward and held Ruoyin’s chin assertively, gazing at her cute lips directly.

Ruoyin shrank from his grasp and escaped his grip. In an embarrassed tone, she said, “My Lord, how should we make this exciting? I can’t make stripping the forfeit, can I~

She meant to only think this to herself.

Between a man and a woman, this should be the most exciting thing to gamble other than money, right?

In the end, her mouth was quicker than her brain, and she actually said this out loud.

When she realized that she had said something so uncomfortable, she covered her mouth immediately and watched Lord Fourth’s reaction cautiously.