Li Tiao gradually calmed down because of Hongye's words.

Although she didn't know what the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince would say, Li Tiao thought that if she listened, she might get some useful information.

I only found out that the Fourth Prince had always harbored murderous intentions towards me because I overheard the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince talking by accident.

If it really was the Eighth Prince who revealed his ability to predict the future, then Li Tiao figured that confronting him so rashly would probably be pointless.

"Did the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince go to the small garden?" Li Tiao asked Hongye calmly.

Hongye nodded.

"I haven't really explored this little garden much yet. Let's go take a look. It's so hot, and I don't feel like eating anything anyway," Li Tiao said as she headed towards the little garden.

Hongye dutifully pointed out the direction to Li Tiao.

After spotting the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince from afar, Li Tiao and Hongye quietly approached without being detected and hid in a secluded spot.

Royal gardens are all about aesthetics, with pavilions, terraces, and other structures, so hiding people in them isn't that difficult.

"Myna, why are you so stubborn?"

"Ninth Brother, it's not that I'm being unreasonable, it's your actions..."

"Eighth Brother, I really didn't mean to tell Second Brother that Li Tiao knew who your consort would be before Father Emperor had even arranged your marriage."

As you know, all the brothers came to congratulate you. I had a few drinks and blurted out some boastful things in front of my second brother.

But I don't regret it now!

Li Tiao was shocked. She thought it was the Eighth Prince who told her, but she didn't expect it was the Ninth Prince!

"Ninth Brother, Li Tiao, she..."

"Eighth Brother, although I drank a bit too much that day, luckily I only told Second Brother. That means that apart from Second Brother, no one else knows that Li Tiao has those crooked and evil skills."

Now that Second Brother is interested in Li Tiao, why don't we brothers just go with the flow?

"Ninth Brother, you mean..."

"What I mean is to go along with Second Brother and help him get Li Tiao over."

Actually, from the very beginning, I felt that it was a bit inappropriate to let Li Tiao be the Fourth Brother's spy. After all, with the Fourth Brother's personality... coupled with Consort De's personality, what kind of future could the Fourth Brother possibly achieve?

But Second Brother is different. Eighth Brother, now that Father has arranged this marriage for you, it means he thinks highly of you.

The Emperor doesn't care about Consort Liang's family background or anything like that. Since that's the case, why don't you, Eighth Prince, try to compete for her?

Prince Yue Le's family background was far superior to that of his second brother's maternal grandfather, Suo'etu, and also better than that of his second sister-in-law.

Placing Li Tiao by my second brother's side under these circumstances would be like having divine assistance.

Hearing this, Li Tiao felt even more that her situation was difficult.

It's like trying to hold down a gourd only to have another one pop up.

Consort De just said she probably wouldn't be looking for her for a while, but now the Eighth Prince, the Ninth Prince, and the Crown Prince... they're even more frightening than Consort De herself.

“Ninth Brother, your idea is good, but there’s one thing you’ve forgotten…”

"What?"

“Li Tiao was assigned to Fourth Brother by Father Emperor. Even if Fourth Brother divorces Li Tiao, Second Brother might not be able to take her back. Not to mention, Fourth Brother probably won’t divorce Li Tiao, since she’s the only person serving him right now.”

"Eighth Brother, things are up to us. Our focus now is to figure out what Second Brother is thinking. If he really has feelings for Li Tiao, then we'll find a way to help him succeed."

Although Li Tiao's identity was somewhat problematic, Huang Taiji still married Hailanzhu in the first place.

Upon hearing this, Li Tiao stopped listening. The Eighth Prince's attitude was no longer important to her.

She realized that she could die at any moment.

Sitting idly by and waiting for death was not in Li Tiao's nature, so the idea of ​​escaping once again came to her mind.

“Master, you know I’m the master’s woman, so I’ve kept it from you. How do you think I should tell the master about this?” Hongye also felt this was a tricky matter. She had been holding back all the way back to the prince’s residence and then asked Li Tiao.

Li Tiao's mind was completely blank. She never expected things to turn out this way. It seemed like she hadn't done anything, but everything seemed to have been caused by her cleverness.

She was frustrated, but she also knew that frustration wouldn't solve the problem.

After a long silence, Li Tiao said, "Hongye, I know it's difficult for you not to tell the Emperor, but how do you think the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince should tell the Emperor?"

No matter how you say it, it's inappropriate, isn't it?

Furthermore, the Eighth Prince, the Ninth Prince, and the Crown Prince have gone mad, but I am perfectly sober. Even if the Emperor didn't assign me to you, and even if you took me in arbitrarily without me being included in the imperial register, I would never willingly be exchanged like merchandise. It's too humiliating.

“Yes, but Master…Master, if we don’t tell you, how will you deal with this on your own?” Hongye hesitated. She also felt it was inappropriate to tell the Fourth Prince, but she was also worried about Li Tiao.

"You saw my attitude today. If I bring this up again, he might strangle me if he gets upset. Hongye, since you asked me, you must be worried about me, your master, who can't make decisions for myself, right?"

Li Tiao spoke in a pitiful tone, not pretending, but genuinely feeling utterly pathetic: "So, Hongye, let me think about this for now."

Otherwise, if the master is in a bad mood, those of us who serve him won't have a good time either.

Hongye hesitated for a moment and said, "Master, then... this servant will not tell Master about this for the time being, but what do you plan to do?"

"So be it." Li Tiao was a little discouraged. She wasn't well-educated, and apart from the Thirty-Six Stratagems, running away was the best option, she really couldn't think of anything else. But running away wasn't that easy either.

However, there's one thing: the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince are dreaming; they're not crazy. If they blindly follow their lead, they won't even know how they died.

Originally, Li Tiao thought that it would be better to bury her head in the sand for the time being, stay in the prince's quarters and not go out to see those whimsical people.

But who knew that when you're down on your luck, even drinking cold water can cause problems?

I thought that Consort De would not cause me any more trouble for the time being, but I don't know if this consort wanted to be a good mother-in-law or what, she sent someone to tell me to go to Yonghe Palace to see her again.

And the date they chose was absolutely brilliant!

Master Kang led the adult princes, from the Ninth Prince upwards, out of the palace, supposedly to go hunting in the outskirts of Beijing.

Now no one could help Li Tiao out of this predicament. Naturally, Li Tiao dared not waste any time, otherwise, if Consort De really did not play by the rules and caused her trouble again, she would be in a truly helpless situation.

When they arrived at Yonghe Palace, Li Tiao didn't expect Consort De to be so kind. But when Consort De was actually as gentle as a spring breeze, Li Tiao was startled. She wished that Consort De would remain as cold and ruthless as before.