"Consort De once promised me that if I bore a son or daughter for my master, she would petition the Emperor to make me his secondary consort."

Yunhui looked like a shy, eagerly awaiting bride.

But Li Tiao felt disgusted; this meant she was being asked to send her to the Fourth Prince's...bed...

Li Tiao disliked the Fourth Prince and genuinely wanted to escape, but she would never do such a despicable thing.

Besides... isn't the Fourth Prince impotent?

"You overestimate me. I don't have that ability," Li Tiao politely declined.

"I heard what the master said to you when he kicked me out of your room!"

Yunhui's bluntness made Li Tiao feel nauseous again; this person was really...

After not hearing Li Tiao speak for a long time, Yun Hui's face turned cold, and her previous gentle and weak demeanor disappeared: "So you're unwilling?"

“You know, ever since I was in the Li family, I’ve been afraid of dying. If I help you and the master finds out, I’ll be in big trouble, even if I don’t die.” Li Tiao said, “Besides, you said that Consort De made a promise to you, so instead of asking me to help you, you should ask Consort De for help. Consort De can send people to the Fourth Prince’s room, and the Fourth Prince will never refuse.”

“If Consort De had a solution, would I need to come to you?” Yunhui said.

Li Tiao was slightly taken aback. She had been too disgusted to think about it in detail before, but now, hearing Yun Hui say this, Li Tiao's gossip instincts surged like never before: "I heard that Grandpa is still..."

Before Li Tiao could finish speaking, Yun Hui nodded.

Li Tiao couldn't understand why Yun Hui would still go and bang her head against a brick wall if she already knew about the Fourth Prince's gossip!

Are you really that persistent? Do you really think she's a deity descended to earth to undergo tribulation and can cure the Fourth Prince's ailment?

"Since you know..."

“That’s my business, you just need to help me,” Yunhui said.

Li Tiao was timid in front of the Fourth Prince, but that was because he was a prince, so there was nothing she could do. But Yun Hui... they were in the same boat, and Li Tiao wasn't afraid of her at all.

"I need to think about it. It's still early before dark, what's the rush?"

After saying that, Li Tiao didn't listen to Yun Hui say anything more and went back to the prince's residence.

Having failed to escape and having listened to Yun Hui's ramblings, Li Tiao felt as if she was about to vomit up her dinner from the night before. She was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally. Dragging her weary steps, she arrived at the Prince's residence and pushed open her room door, only to find Liu Mama standing there!

"Granny Liu, you..."

"This servant greets Your Highness. I'm sorry to have worried you." Granny Liu greeted Li Tiao upon her return.

"It's good that you're back. It's my fault; I shouldn't have let you gossip."

The words of the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince were still ringing in my ears. It was normal for Granny Liu to come back, but now that she was back by my side to serve me, it was a huge hindrance.

Li Tiao sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her chin resting on her hand, lost in thought, occasionally glancing at Chunxi and Granny Liu who were busy at work.

Unconsciously, Li Tiao thought of Yun Hui, and of what Yun Hui had said. Li Tiao felt that things weren't so simple...

Although she and Yun Hui were in the same boat, Li Tiao knew she couldn't be careless, because Yun Hui had already revealed her ambition and scheming.

Suddenly... Li Tiao called out to Granny Liu and whispered a few words to her: "Go and do it."

"Yes, this servant will take care of it right away."

This Granny Liu is one of the Eighth Prince's people. The Eighth Prince certainly doesn't want his spy to cause any accidents, so he uses Granny Liu to find out Yun Hui's intentions. Li Tiao thinks this is just a convenient thing to do.

Ancient life was characterized by working at sunrise and resting at sunset, which was quite dull and uninteresting.

But as darkness fell today, Li Tiao felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, anticipating a good show to come.

Because she was so eager to see a good show, Li Tiao kept glancing towards the door, afraid that things wouldn't go according to her plan.

"Don't worry, my lady, I've handled this perfectly. Just wait and see what happens," Granny Liu reassured Li Tiao, seemingly sensing her anxiety.

Li Tiao looked at Granny Liu and said, "Of course I trust Granny Liu."

This Granny Liu was Li Tiao's dowry nanny, and Chunxi was her maid. Both were from the Li family. Now, Granny Liu... Li Tiao already knows from overhearing the Fourth Prince that she works for the Eighth Prince. And what about Chunxi...?

Li Tiao hadn't rested yet, and Chunxi should have been waiting to serve her as well.

However, before Li Tiao could say anything, Granny Liu sent Chunxi away to rest.

After pondering for a while, Li Tiao wondered if Chunxi really knew nothing, or if she was also someone's person... She had to find out the truth. She couldn't let Chunxi become the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, just because she didn't know anything.

Glancing at the busy Liu Mama, Li Tiao asked casually, "Liu Mama, you've been in the Li household for a long time, do you know anything about that girl Chunxi? She's so young and already working here?"

“Master, you’re just kind-hearted to say that. Her family is poor, and she’s a girl. Her parents are wasting money raising her. It’s such a good idea to let her work for a wealthy family early on and earn money. Chunxi is the same way, no different.”

Granny Liu was quite dismissive, but then she suddenly remembered something, "However, Master..."

Li Tiao asked, "What's wrong?"

"Chunxi seems to be able to read..."

"Readable?" Li Tiao was shocked. According to Granny Liu, Chunxi's family was so poor that they couldn't afford to eat or support her, which was why they sent her to work for a wealthy family. How could she possibly be literate, especially since she was a girl?

"This servant doesn't remember clearly either, it seems so, but it happened back when I was in the Li residence. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now that you've asked, I've remembered it again."

Li Tiao swallowed hard. She had only started talking to Granny Liu out of boredom, but...

If Chunxi is really as Granny Liu says, then she might also have a master behind her. Her surroundings are quite lively, full of hidden talents...

The idea that "the best of the Thirty-Six Stratagems is to flee" once again popped into Li Tiao's mind; otherwise, she wouldn't have had enough brain cells to deal with all sorts of people.

Just as I was thinking about it, someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Li Tiao's heart pounded faster. Was the big show about to begin? She quickly glanced at Granny Liu and gestured for her to open the door.

"Who is it?" Granny Liu asked first, before immediately opening the door.

But no one outside spoke.

Li Tiao glanced at Liu Mama, who had turned back to seek her opinion, and while retreating into the inner room, she gestured for Liu Mama to open the door.

Although the person knocking on the door didn't use the pre-arranged code, Li Tiao thought that this was the Prince's residence, the imperial palace, so there shouldn't be any problems.

But just as she retreated into the inner room to hide, upon hearing Liu Mama's voice, Li Tiao rushed out in a flash.

"It's you!"