"This servant greets Your Highness!" Xiao Bao'er hurriedly greeted the Fourth Prince.
"Do you know why I summoned you?" the Fourth Prince asked, staring at the young eunuch who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.
“The prince has already asked me questions, so there must be something he didn’t explain clearly!” Xiao Bao’er said.
"Where are you from? When did you enter the palace?" The Fourth Prince didn't even tell him to get up.
“Your Highness, I am from the Bordered Yellow Banner Meadow, and I entered the palace when I was six years old!” Xiao Bao’er replied.
"Then you're considered an old man. So you served there before?" The Fourth Prince looked at him as young as he was, but a eunuch who had been in the palace for nine years was definitely not as simple as he seemed.
“Yes, I’m not very old, but I entered the palace early. I used to serve in the Crown Prince’s palace, but later no one lived there anymore, so we all went back to the Imperial Household Department. Later, I served a few noble people, but unfortunately I never met a master I served for a long time! Now I can serve by the side of the young prince!” Xiao Bao’er said.
"Yes, serving in the Qianqing Palace is naturally different from other places!" the Fourth Prince said slowly. "I just don't know why you were gone on the day Hongli fell ill."
Xiao Bao'er was startled. He had never told anyone where he had gone. When the Fourth Prince suddenly brought it up, he said, "Your Highness, I have never been there. I was in the Qianqing Palace that day. I was just in my own room, not with the young prince."
The Fourth Prince stared coldly at him and said, "Oh. Then tell me what you were doing every hour of that day."
Xiao Bao'er didn't know which of his words had aroused the Fourth Master's suspicion, so he didn't know what the Fourth Master wanted to ask him. After thinking carefully, he began to recount his whereabouts that day. In fact, the Fourth Master had already recorded his account, and today he repeated it, which was almost identical to what was recorded.
"Why do others say they didn't see you fetch water or go out to the flower room to get flowerpots for the young prince? But you yourself said you went to the flower room. What's going on?" Fourth Master interrupted his narration.
“Your Highness, the young prince fell ill that day, and the others were busy taking care of him. They couldn’t possibly have time for me. Besides, we are just menial eunuchs, so it’s impossible for us to serve the young prince directly. Therefore, I was doing things that others couldn’t see,” Xiao Bao’er said.
"Alright, tell me, where did you go after Hongli fell ill?" the Fourth Prince said.
"As I just mentioned, I went to the flower room. I originally intended to bring the young prince some fresh and beautiful flowers so that he could enjoy the fragrance of flowers in this winter," Xiao Bao'er said. "But after I got there, I remembered that the young prince is ill and may not be able to tolerate different smells. So I turned back."
Fourth Master smiled faintly and said, "So, no one can prove where you were at that time, right?"
Xiao Bao'er nodded and said, "Your Highness, I am just a menial eunuch, and I really don't have many people who pay attention to me."
The Fourth Master had already sent someone to investigate this young servant, and what they found was almost identical to what he himself had said, but the Fourth Master still found him very suspicious. After repeatedly comparing the "testimonies" of eight people, he decided that this person was the most suspicious.
"Did you secretly spread the word about Hongli's illness? Speak!" The Fourth Prince rarely bothered with him anymore and went straight to the point.
"This servant does not know what Your Highness means," Xiao Bao'er said, lowering his head to hide his inner panic.
"Little Bao'er, I see you're not that old. Do you really want to join the Censorate?" Fourth Master asked.
He remained silent for a while, not rushing to defend himself. Having grown up in the palace, the Fourth Prince had seen many eunuchs, but few at his age could remain so calm.
"Well, do you think it's not worth risking your life for someone?" Fourth Master asked.
"Your Highness, I beg you to spare me! I don't want to die. I really didn't do anything!" Xiao Bao'er kowtowed.
"If you don't want to die, then you'd better vomit everything out of your stomach. Otherwise, how can I possibly spare you?" Fourth Master said.
"This servant truly knows nothing! Do you want this servant to falsely accuse himself?" Xiao Bao'er kowtowed repeatedly.
However, Fourth Master paid no attention to his words and said to Liang Jiugong, who was standing outside, "Eunuch Liang, it seems that he won't talk unless we send him in."
"Little Bao'er, why are you doing this? Wouldn't it be better to just do your job properly here? Why do you have to collude with others to harm people? The Emperor hates this the most. If you don't speak up, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave the Censorate alive."
“Father-in-law, Xiao Bao’er really didn’t do anything. I don’t know why Your Highness insists that I went out and informed someone.” Xiao Bao’er crawled on his knees to Liang Jiugong and hugged his knees.
"Your Excellency, this man is stubborn and unruly. Call someone in and send him to the Ministry of Justice." Fourth Master didn't want to waste any more words with him.
“Little Bao’er, at least you won’t suffer any physical pain if you say what you want to say now,” Liang Jiugong said to him, bowing his head.
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