As for which of the Crown Prince's concubines Nanarse had dared to offend, that remains unknown. The Crown Prince kept the matter very well hidden, and it's likely that very few people in Yuqing Palace knew the inside story.
It took the Fourth Prince a lot of effort to find out, but if the Crown Prince really intended to hide something, then it would be difficult for others to know.
The Crown Prince seemed to laugh again when he heard the Fourth Prince's words; he laughed more often than usual today.
"Fourth brother, do you really think so?" he asked, staring intently at the Fourth Master.
The Fourth Prince felt that the Crown Prince's tone was a bit strange. He did not answer directly, but stood up and cupped his hands, saying, "Your subject will certainly give the Crown Prince justice."
"Cough..." The Crown Prince raised his fist and coughed a few times, his whole body trembling slightly. "Fourth Prince, I trust you completely. You've just returned to the capital, haven't you? Go back to your residence and rest. I'm not in a hurry here."
The Fourth Prince readily stood up and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will take my leave. I will come to bother you again tomorrow."
If Fourth Master comes again tomorrow, it will be for official business.
The Crown Prince watched the Fourth Prince's figure disappear into the distance, and cracks seemed to appear on his handsome face. He suddenly smiled again, but with a hint of helplessness.
In fact, there was such a thing in the past life. Narse was not young but had a lot of lust. Two years ago, when he was ennobled, he saw his concubine and had evil intentions. When he fell ill because of Suo'etu's accident, he came to visit her and intended to take advantage of Yin Jia.
At that time, the Crown Prince was also furious, and rumors were spreading that he had beaten up Narse. In reality, he had only ordered his guards to drive Narse out.
Unexpectedly, Nilsson turned the tables on him at that time.
This time, the Crown Prince actually intended for Yin Jia to avoid it, but some things are perhaps destined, and even a second chance cannot change them.
Yin Jia, also known as Li Jia Yin Jia, was a concubine of the Crown Prince.
In his previous life, the Crown Prince chose to accept the charge of beating Narse because of Yin Jia's reputation.
He knew better than anyone that if word got out that Narse had been beaten, and his father found out it was because of a woman, then no matter what, the woman would be the one to be condemned.
In his past life, the Crown Prince chose to endure; in this life, he simply doesn't want Yin Jia to get involved.
He had clearly arranged for Yin Jia not to come to his place to take care of him these few days, but Narse still ran into Yin Jia, who was on her way to pick up Hong Xi from school.
It was even because he didn't let Narse into Yuqing Palace that Narse, who was leaving, happened to run into Yin Jia.
Nothing can be changed.
The Crown Prince knew in his heart that these so-called crimes were just one of the reasons why his father, the Emperor, was going to depose him sooner or later. Since he couldn't change it, he seemed to have no other choice but to accept it.
The Crown Prince coughed a few more times.
He knew all of this would happen, so he was even a little weary of what was happening. As a result, he often chose to go with the flow or even intentionally push things forward.
This time, when he beat Nalsé, he truly felt great satisfaction.
"Your Highness, Consort Li Jia requests an audience," a servant announced as he entered.
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "I told her to stay put, but she insisted on coming..."
Now that things have come to this, all the Crown Prince can do is try to avoid ending up like in his previous life, imprisoned and dying.
Hopefully, this can be changed.
When the Fourth Prince came out of Yuqing Palace, his brows were still furrowed. He couldn't quite understand the Crown Prince today.
Today, the Crown Prince sometimes seemed like a withered tree when talking to him, but occasionally he was inexplicably humorous.
This matter would be a hot potato for anyone, but since the Emperor hadn't expressed his opinion after calling him into the tent that day, the Fourth Prince didn't intend to think too much about it.
If you handle matters impartially, you can't find any mistakes no matter what.
However, there is a problem right now... The Crown Prince does not want the women involved in this matter to be dragged into it. From the very beginning, the Crown Prince said that "it was all his willful and reckless behavior," which shows his attitude.
The Fourth Prince must handle this matter impartially, but he must also provide a clear explanation. The whole story must be presented to the Emperor.
Fourth Master was truly in a dilemma.
Su Peisheng had already returned from Yonghe Palace. He silently followed behind the Fourth Prince, and only asked after they left Yuqing Palace: "Your Highness, the Empress knows you have returned to the capital and asked if you are going to have dinner tonight?"
Fourth Master countered with a question: "Is today the fifteenth?"
Su Peisheng said yes.
Fourth Master, with his hands behind his back, said, "Let's go to Mother's."
Fourth Master hasn't spent the first and fifteenth of the lunar month in the main courtyard for several months now, so naturally he's not in the mood for it today either.
Official business is official business, but the Fourth Prince's reluctance to go to the main courtyard was his personal matter.
When the Fourth Prince returned to the front courtyard from the palace, it didn't alarm many people. At least, even someone as well-informed as Xiao Luzi didn't know that the Fourth Prince had returned to the mansion.
Li Chenjiao goes to bed early. Although it's already February, it's still very cold and gets dark early.
For dinner, Li Chenjiao used a pot, and the mother and son ate around it until their bellies were bulging. In the end, neither of them wanted to move, which made the Fourth Prince, who had come running after smelling the aroma, cry out in a hoarse voice.
Li Chenjiao, the mother, was quite heartless. She waved her hand, signaling the wet nurse to take the Fourth Prince away.
The next morning, Li Chenjiao was sleeping soundly when she suddenly felt a chill by the bedside, as if a breeze had blown in. She shivered from the cold, pulled the quilt tighter around herself, and hugged it tightly for warmth.
Fourth Master stared blankly at the brocade quilt that had been pulled back and his empty palms. He chuckled helplessly, then got up and went to the outer room to get a brocade quilt from the kang (heated brick bed). He unfolded the light-colored quilt and got into bed.
Li Chen curled up in a circle, and for the Fourth Master, there was still quite a bit of space left on the bed.
Li Chenjiao's bed always smelled nice, but the scent was very special, a very faint floral fragrance mixed with a hint of medicinal scent, the medicinal scent being even fainter, and the floral scent sometimes smelled like winter plum blossoms, and sometimes it seemed to be gardenias, but in general the fragrance was light and very pleasant.
Fourth Master took a deep breath. He hadn't slept much last night, and now as soon as he lay down, sleepiness seemed to surge up as well.
The room was quiet, and breathing was shallow.
Such tranquility could only exist in the East Courtyard. No sooner had the Fourth Master entered the East Courtyard than news of his return to the mansion spread.
Reactions varied from place to place, but overall, there was more envy and jealousy than anything else.
The Princess Consort slept well last night and woke up this morning in a good mood and high spirits: "Fourth Prince is back? Let's go and invite the imperial physician to check the Second Prince's pulse first."
Today is not the day when the imperial physician is supposed to check the Second Prince's pulse for normal health.
The Second Prince has been on leave recently, and the Princess Consort is afraid that the Fourth Prince will be angry. She wants to let the Fourth Prince know that the Second Prince's health is indeed not good.
As for Lady Li of the East Courtyard? Her son is much younger than the Second Prince, so let her enjoy the Emperor's favor for a while longer.
Isn't it time for the general election this year? Yes, it'll be election time again when spring arrives.
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