"Master Li, we have arrived. This servant will take his leave now."

Standing in the Imperial Garden, Li Tiao listened to the cicadas' incessant chirping, her panic growing stronger. She nervously called out to Su Peisheng, who was about to leave, "Eunuch Su, didn't you say the master was looking for me? Why haven't I seen him?"

"Master instructed me to bring you here. As for the rest, I don't know anything about it. But Master said you can find the others yourself."

Li Tiao gave an awkward twitch of her lips. What kind of trick was this?

Although Li Tiao had considered escaping under the cover of darkness when everyone was asleep, it was a planned escape.

Now, Li Tiao is like an animal howling for slaughter on a chopping board, looking around anxiously, waiting for the butcher to make the first cut.

Although this metaphor may be a bit cruel, it perfectly represents Li Tiao's feelings at this moment.

Although her night blindness was feigned, Li Tiao instinctively sought out places with light. She followed the light closely, turning back every few steps, until she finally arrived at the place where she had overheard the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince talking about killing her.

Moreover, this was the only place in the entire Imperial Garden that seemed to have some light.

She imagined so many scenes that fear surged up at Li Tiao again like a tidal wave!

Although she knew that it might be the Fourth Prince who had "ruthlessly killed" her, Li Tiao was determined to find out who had killed her, whether it was the Fourth Prince himself or something else.

So she continued walking toward the light.

When she got closer and saw clearly, Li Tiao was stunned.

"As you wished, we caught him."

Hearing the voice behind her, Li Tiao suddenly turned around and looked at the Fourth Prince who appeared out of nowhere, her face full of disbelief. She subconsciously looked at the light again.

"Isn't your freakness just an act? How come you were groping around in the Imperial Garden just now, like a blind person?"

Li Tiao gazed at the lantern before her, watching the countless fireflies fluttering inside. Before she could even feel moved, she heard the Fourth Prince's slightly disdainful words.

She instinctively retorted, "It's the middle of the night, and I'm all alone in the Imperial Garden. I'm scared regardless of whether I can see anything or not."

"You didn't seem scared when you were running around in the middle of the night!"

Can't this person just shut up?

Catching so many fireflies under a starry sky—how romantic! But this man deliberately picked on Li Tiao's sore spots.

Completely taken aback, Li Tiao couldn't help but pick up the lantern hanging on the artificial hill and hold it up.

"Grandpa, what made you suddenly decide to catch fireflies?"

"I heard you've been very busy these past few days, working late into the night."

Li Tiao claimed to be an ordinary little genius, and unexpectedly, playing the victim actually worked.

"Thank you, sir." Li Tiao's lips were turned up in a smile that she couldn't suppress.

"No need. Do you think a firefly trapped inside a lantern would want to come out?"

Because of the Fourth Prince's words, Li Tiao's upturned lips instantly drooped down. Was he mocking her?

Fireflies, trapped inside lanterns, are destined to die!

Li Tiao couldn't help but shudder, as if she could see her future fate.

“Master is always so thoughtful. How about we release the fireflies?” Li Tiao asked tentatively.

The Fourth Prince glanced at Li Tiao without saying a word. He poked a hole in the paper lantern with his finger, and fireflies instantly flew out, hovering around Li Tiao and him.

Although Li Tiao thought the Fourth Prince's words were sarcastic, the sight before her made her smile involuntarily. So many fireflies...it was so beautiful.

She stared at the fireflies, while the Fourth Prince stared at Li Tiao.

Something seemed to be bubbling up in his heart, which was strange to the Fourth Prince. In order to drive away the strange feeling in his heart, he said, "You made a bet with me before, saying that if I caught a firefly, you would give up all your private silver."

You seem to have a lot of complaints about me since I didn't give it to you before.

From now on, don't even think about your money anymore.

Death!

Li Tiao looked at the Fourth Prince with resentment, glared at him for a while, and seeing that he didn't realize how infuriating his words were, she shoved the broken lantern in her hand into the Fourth Prince's hand and turned to leave.

The Fourth Prince stared blankly at Li Tiao's figure, holding a lantern, utterly bewildered. After a long while, he threw away the unusable lantern and hurried after Li Tiao.

Noticing that the Fourth Prince was catching up, Li Tiao glanced at him sideways and quickened her pace.

"Seeing how fast you're walking, I realize how foolish I was to believe you had night blindness!"

He clearly wanted Li Tiao to walk slower, but what he said was infuriating!

Li Tiao quickened her pace, no longer even wanting to glare at the Fourth Prince; she couldn't handle him!

After returning to her room, Li Tiao looked at the gift she had prepared for the Fourth Prince, which was only half-finished, and decided to give up. Such a despicable person was not worth her effort.

So be it if I die.

But thinking about how she rarely does something so seriously, aside from running, and although it's somewhat utilitarian, Li Tiao felt it was still worth encouraging.

So, unwilling and resentful, he started working late into the night again.

She channeled all her hatred into the work she was doing.

Because she didn't waste any time, Li Tiao quickly prepared the gift for the Fourth Prince.

After doing needlework for two days in a row, and with the lighting not being very good, Li Tiao's eyes were very sore. Since the Fourth Prince hadn't returned to his residence yet, she decided to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden to look at the flowers and plants and give her eyes a rest.

As the sun grew higher, Li Tiao prepared to return to the princes' quarters. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Consort De, accompanied by palace maids and nannies, strolling through the Imperial Garden.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!