Lady Irgen Gioro was taken aback, not expecting the Fourth Prince to bring this up. She was also worried that Heyue might inadvertently offend the cold-faced Fourth Prince, so she hesitated and said, "My daughter is young and playful, and I'm afraid she might delay the Fourth Prince's important business."

Consort De was also surprised. This fourth prince was always aloof. When would he take the initiative to take care of a child? Could it be that the sun rose in the west today?

"You're overthinking it, Madam Vice Minister. When Seventh Princess visited my residence last time, she was very well-behaved, and even the Fujin (Prince's wife) praised her highly." Fourth Prince smiled, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness.

Having said that, Lady Irgen Gioro could not refuse any longer, so she nodded in agreement: "In that case, I will trouble the Fourth Prince."

"In that case, Fourth Prince, you mustn't scare her." Consort De teased with a smile. Since they might become family in the future, it wouldn't be a problem for Fourth Prince to take the little girl out to play; it could even strengthen the relationship between the two families.

Heyue jumped off the round stool, bowed to Consort De and her mother, and said, "Heyue takes her leave."

Consort De smiled and nodded, thinking that this girl was not as terrible as others said; she actually looked quite cute and charming.

He Yue grasped the large hand that the Fourth Prince extended. His hand was broad and calloused from years of practicing riding and archery. Although he was cold, he gave people a sense of security, unlike his cold appearance.

Just like when they first met, Heyue followed him closely as they left Yonghe Palace, but she was thinking that the Fourth Prince's behavior today was quite strange. He was watching a serious, grown man taking care of a nine-year-old child like her. The scene seemed very eerie.

Heyue bit her finger and glanced at the Fourth Prince several times. He looked serious and didn't seem to notice her at all. Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, she had no idea where he was taking her.

Thinking about it, she tugged at the Fourth Prince's finger, tilted her head back, opened her big eyes, and asked curiously, "Fourth Prince, where are we going?"

The Fourth Prince glanced down at her. The little girl's eyes were clear and bright, and she wasn't nervous at all, as if she was just curious. So he said lightly, "Now you want to ask? You're not afraid of me at all."

"Fourth Master isn't Ox-Head or Horse-Face," He Yue said with a grin.

“You’re right. I’m not some kind of demon. You’re the first person who dares to speak to me like that.” After a pause, the Fourth Prince shook his head and chuckled. “You’re just a child. You probably don’t even know what fear is. Fine, now that you’re in the palace, I’ll take you to see the Crown Prince.”

Huh? He Yue was stunned. The Crown Prince? What was she going to see the Crown Prince for?

Seeing her bewildered look, the Fourth Prince kindly explained, "It's understandable that you've never met the Crown Prince and don't know anything about him. Remember, Yiduli is Suo'etu's grandson. The Crown Prince calls Suo'etu his maternal great-uncle. In other words, your cousin Yiduli is the Crown Prince's cousin."

He Yue stared in shock, her eyes wide and her mouth forming an "O" shape.

Good heavens, what did she hear?

Is Yiduli actually Songgotu's grandson? Or the Crown Prince's cousin? That's incredible!

Since arriving here, she had never thought about these things. But after listening to the Fourth Prince's words, she sorted through her thoughts and her mind gradually became clearer.

So, does that mean I'm somehow related to the Crown Prince? Although the connection is far-fetched, we are still related in some way.

It turns out that the Zhaojia clan in history had a close relationship with the deposed crown prince.

It seems I need to go back and ask Yi Duli properly; he was completely unaware of such big news.

It's also because she doesn't know much about history; apart from the key figures in the Nine Princes' Succession Struggle, she knows nothing about the rest.

The Crown Prince resided in Yuqing Palace, which was lavishly decorated and frequented by numerous palace servants.

Heyue and the Fourth Prince arrived at the reception hall under the guidance of the eunuchs. They sat on the chairs in the hall and observed the many exquisite porcelain pieces displayed on the antique shelves on both sides of the hall. Several potted flowers were placed on the long table in front of the hall, and a landscape painting hung on the wall.

The palace maids brought in fruit and snacks and then respectfully withdrew.

About fifteen minutes later, the Crown Prince, dressed in an apricot-yellow robe, emerged from behind the flower hall, accompanied by a hearty laugh: "Fourth Brother, you've arrived."

The Fourth Prince rose and bowed to the visitor: "Your subject greets the Crown Prince."

Heyue curtsied in response, but then curiously raised her eyes to examine the Crown Prince before her.

The prince before him was tall and upright, with regular features and a handsome face. He was quite approachable, and it was hard to imagine that the deposed prince who would have such an ending would be this man.

The Crown Prince lifted the Fourth Prince's arm and chuckled, gesturing, "Fourth Brother, sit down." Just as he was about to turn and sit down, his eyes darted around and he suddenly caught sight of a little girl of eight or nine years old. His gaze flashed, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Whose little girl is this? She's quite pretty." He then casually touched the girl's smooth little face.

He Yue suddenly took a step back, hiding behind the Fourth Prince, covering her face, and glared at him angrily. This guy, he really is a lecher. How can he touch her face as soon as they meet?

Although I am just a child and there is no question of me taking advantage of him, I still felt uncomfortable all over when he touched me just now.

The Crown Prince grew increasingly curious and took a step forward. The Fourth Prince quickly raised his hand to stop him, frowning slightly: "Your Highness, she's just a child. You'll frighten her if you do this."

"Am I that scary?" He touched his nose, snorted in boredom, his face displeased. He then looked at the Fourth Prince and raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Speaking of which, if we're talking about scary, you're much scarier than me. How come she's not afraid of you, but only of me?"

The Fourth Prince was at a loss; how was he supposed to answer that?

"Sigh, never mind, it's quite novel that I can be disliked. Please sit down." The Crown Prince waved his hand and turned to sit down in a chair.

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