"Your Majesty, the Princess Consort is requesting an audience outside," Su Peisheng said as he walked to the door.
The Fourth Prince said slowly, "Let the Princess Consort in!"
Before long, the Fujin entered, supported by Granny Li, followed by Xiao Hongzi.
When the Fujin saw that it was Da and A inside, she looked at him with a puzzled expression, and then bowed to the Fourth Prince.
"Your Highness has been overworked these past few days. Why don't you rest in your room? You don't need to worry about Honghui's funeral. I've already sent someone to handle it," the Fourth Prince said.
The princess nodded, because she had already seen that all the lanterns hanging in the porches and other places throughout the mansion were gradually being replaced with white ones. When she came in earlier, white lanterns had already been hung on the lintel of the front courtyard, and the pillars were also covered with white cloth.
"My lord, I have come to inform you of something suspicious." The princess gestured towards Xiao Hongzi behind her and said, "Tell me everything you know."
After the Fourth Master's gaze fell on Xiao Hongzi for a moment, he remembered him, as if he had seen him a few times in Honghui's room.
"Your Majesty, on the day the First Prince had his accident, I went to his room at noon to move a potted plant, and unexpectedly bumped into the Third Prince coming out. He was carrying a skateboard that looked exactly like the First Prince's." Xiao Hongzi said tremblingly, afraid that the Fourth Prince would blame him for not telling him sooner.
Upon hearing this, Da and A couldn't help but exclaim, "It's the Third Prince again!"
The princess was startled, and looked at Da and A in surprise before turning to say, "Your Highness, were you talking about the Third Prince before?"
Fourth Prince nodded, then repeated what Da and A had said, and gestured for his wife to sit down in the guest seat.
After hearing what the Fourth Prince said, a thought suddenly flashed through the mind of the Fujin. Just as she was about to speak, she found that Li Mama behind her suddenly pressed on her back, silencing her.
After Granny Li helped the Princess Consort sit down, they heard the Fourth Prince say to Su Peisheng, "Go and call the Third Prince here!"
After calming down, the Fujin finally understood why Granny Li had stopped her earlier. If she were to suspect the Third Prince now, she would inevitably be seen as a suspicious illegitimate son in the Fourth Prince's eyes. It would be better to let the Fourth Prince interrogate the Third Prince himself.
Furthermore, Su Peisheng personally arrived at the East Courtyard. Li Shi had not yet gotten up, so she had to wait in the side room.
Last night, when Li heard that Fourth Master had gone to the main courtyard to spend the night, she felt restless and couldn't get up this morning.
Xiangqiao tiptoed to the outside of the gauze curtain and said to Li, who was lying on the bed, "Consort, Eunuch Su from the master's residence has come. He said he has something to discuss and requests that the Third Prince go to the front courtyard again."
Li had actually woken up long ago. She hadn't been sleeping well these past few days, and her heart would be constantly on edge until Honghui was buried.
After the initial elation at the death of the First Prince faded, her heart grew increasingly terrified. The First Prince's body remained in a secret room in the main courtyard, clearly waiting for the Fourth Prince to investigate the matter.
"What? Didn't we already ask? What else do you need to ask?" Li sat up abruptly in bed.
"This servant does not know," Xiangqiao replied cautiously.
"Go, let Mingyan come in and help me comb my hair and change my clothes. You immediately go from the back and call Que'er to see me!" Li said anxiously. The Fourth Prince summoned the Third Prince for the second time; he must have discovered something, otherwise he wouldn't have acted this way.
After Mingyan came in to help Li change her clothes and wash her face, Que'er arrived. Seeing Li sitting at the dressing table doing her makeup, Que'er carefully walked behind her and said to Mingyan, "Sister Mingyan, let me do your hair for you."
Mingyan already knew that Madam Li relied heavily on Que'er. Although she was somewhat displeased, she dared not disobey and handed the comb to Que'er.
After they all left, Que'er carefully combed Li's hair with a cow horn comb.
"Are all the things you did back then cleaned up?" Madam Li asked, her brows furrowed.
"Don't worry, that person has already been eliminated. As for Xiao Wuzi in the courtyard, he entered the manor with the Fujin, so he naturally wouldn't say a word. I certainly wouldn't say a word either, otherwise I know very well what the consequences would be for me," Que'er said, her eyes sparkling.
“But now that the master keeps sending the Third Prince, I’m afraid Jun’er will say something that is not good for us,” Li said worriedly. “We must make Jun’er insist that he did not touch the First Prince’s things.”
Que'er's eyes flashed, and she whispered, "Fujin, if you tell the Third Prince that he must say exactly what you said, otherwise it will bring disaster upon Mother, then he will certainly not dare to say a word more."
Madam Li glanced at Que'er with a complicated expression. Her intention was to let Hongjun know directly that the eldest prince was indeed killed because she, his mother, had used him.
No, no way!! We can't let Hongjun suffer like this~
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Li angrily said "no" several times!
Concerned for her own life, Que'er said anxiously, "Madam, if the Third Prince is summoned for questioning again, the Master might become suspicious of us. You may not want to do it now, but when you yourself are in danger, won't the Third and Fourth Princes be at the mercy of others? Will the lady of the main courtyard treat them well?"
Her words struck Li like a blunt object on the head.
Lady Li stood up, paced back and forth for a while, and then said to Que'er, "Go and tell Su Peisheng that I have gone to wake the Third Prince up and asked him to wait a little longer. I will go and tell Jun'er now."
Que'er nodded in agreement. After she left, Li Shi went directly to the room where the Third Prince was staying through the side door.
The Third Prince was having his wet nurse braid his hair when Lady Li walked behind the wet nurse and gestured for her to leave. After the wet nurse left, Lady Li took the small braid and slowly began to braid it.
"Granny, I want to go out for a walk today. Could you talk to Mother about it? She hasn't let me go out these past few days." The Third Prince, unaware that Madam Li was behind him, said while looking at his little book.
"How about your mother accompanies you for a walk today?" Madam Li said with heartache.
"Mother!" The Third Prince turned around and saw Li standing behind him with tears in her eyes.
"Mother, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Hongjun was too young; he wasn't even as tall as Li Shi's mother. But now, Li Shi was going to tell him the mystery of the eldest prince's drowning herself.
"Hongjun, your mother wants to ask you for a favor. Please, can you grant your mother's request?" Madam Li squatted down and held the Third Prince's arms with both hands as she spoke.
"Mother, I'll agree to anything you ask, Mother, please don't cry." The Third Prince raised his hand to wipe away Li's tears, behaving like a little adult. It's just a pity that Li actually used her own son to achieve her own desires; truly, a mother is not as good as her son!
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