Because of the Sixth Prince's matter, Li Tiao couldn't let Master Kang know that she knew, and Kangxi's persistent attitude didn't seem to be solely because of the Sixth Prince.
As expected, the emperor's expression changed after Li Tiao finished asking her question.
Li Tiao's thoughts were simple: she felt it was a bit unusual that the Emperor insisted on making her leave when the Fourth Prince already knew and didn't want her to leave.
But the Emperor's expression changed, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Fourth Prince's displeased look. Li Tiao also hesitated.
Did I stir up a hornet's nest?
She wondered if the Emperor would reveal his "filthy" thoughts in front of the Fourth Prince and her.
Just as Li Tiao was caught in a dilemma, the Emperor slowly spoke: "I do not want my sons to turn against each other."
Just now, the Emperor questioned the Fourth Prince, insisting on provoking the Crown Prince into sending someone to assassinate Li Tiao and prevent her from leaving. The assassin is the Crown Prince's man, and if the sons turn against each other, it will mean the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince are at odds...
Thinking of this, Li Tiao swallowed hard, as if she had to make a choice.
After Li Tiao was brought over by the Emperor's men, the Fourth Prince remained silent until he could finally say something about the topic of "his sons turning against each other."
"Father, I would never do anything to my second brother..."
“You may not be dissatisfied with the second prince, but you will only frame him behind his back, like this assassin incident,” Kangxi interrupted the fourth prince.
His sharp gaze swept back and forth between the Fourth Prince and Li Tiao, and finally he said in an extremely serious tone: "Li Tiao said that you can replace the Second Prince. Fourth Prince, do you dare to swear in front of me that you were not tempted at all by Li Tiao's words and did not have any improper thoughts?"
They're here, they've finally come!
Li Tiao is now filled with regret. Why did she say those words in the first place?
She knew that the Emperor's reaction after learning that she was "capable of divination" was a bit too abnormal, too calm.
The saying "settling scores after the harvest" certainly exists, and here it is now.
The Fourth Prince would naturally not make a poisonous oath, after all, even without Li Tiao's words, he still harbored ambitions for the throne.
However, remaining silent was not an option either, because that would be tantamount to admitting his ambitions to the emperor, which was absolutely unacceptable.
Li Tiao felt that all of this was caused by her, so naturally she had to be the one to end it.
"Your Majesty, Li Tiao was just talking nonsense back then. At that time, Li Tiao had already fallen in love with the Fourth Prince and always wanted him to know about her."
In that case, if I'm lucky enough to meet the Fourth Prince during the imperial concubine selection, he might remember me, thus leading to a happy ending for us. That's why I said some outrageous things; I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”
"Ha, do you all think I'm senile? Just now, Li Tiao, you said you had no feelings for the Fourth Prince, and now you've decided on him at first sight?"
Li Tiao herself didn't believe it, but what could she do? She could only grit her teeth, suppress her goosebumps, and continue making things up.
She quickly composed herself and spoke in a tone of extreme grievance, like a young girl: "Your Majesty, you heard what the Fourth Prince said just now. He has absolutely no feelings for Li Tiao. No matter what, Li Tiao is still a woman. How could she let the Fourth Prince know about her feelings?"
Your Majesty, you also said that the Fourth Prince will have a primary consort, a secondary consort, and even many princesses and concubines in the future... Li Tiao will just be one of many people at that time, and will become insignificant in the Fourth Prince's heart.
But for Li Tiao, all she wanted was to stay by the Fourth Prince's side.
As long as the Fourth Prince occasionally thinks of Li Tiao and remembers the days when only Li Tiao was with him, that will be enough.
Li Tiao perfectly embodied the spirit of compromising and yielding.
She herself wanted to find something to catch her vomit.
However, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the Fourth Prince's mood seemed to have changed a bit. Li Tiao panicked and prayed that he wouldn't misunderstand.
Whether these words disgusted Kangxi or not, he stared at Li Tiao for a long time without saying another word.
The suffocating silence made Li Tiao even more uneasy. As she pondered whether to say a few more disgusting things, Kangxi, with a frustrated anger, said, "Get out of here!"
Relieved, Li Tiao quickly knelt down to express her gratitude and pay her respects.
After leaving the Emperor's residence with the Fourth Prince, Li Tiao did not say a single word to him.
"Do you know the way?" the Fourth Prince asked from behind Li Tiao.
Li Tiao stopped and hesitated for a moment before turning back to look at the Fourth Prince. She was angry.
Although she knew that the Fourth Prince had no feelings for her, she remembered Kangxi's words that the assassins were actually the result of the Fourth Prince instigating the Crown Prince.
Li Tiao was furious. Even if they didn't have feelings for each other, they were still intimate. How could he be so inconsiderate of her safety?!
Seeing Li Tiao's furious expression, the words that the Fourth Prince was about to say turned out to be: "Didn't you just say in front of Father that you were set on your life for me at first sight? And you just leave like that?"
You really know how to bring up the most sensitive topic!
Li Tiao wanted nothing more than to retort.
However, Zhaoxi Mausoleum, which was usually deserted, became much busier with palace maids, nannies, and eunuchs after Emperor Kangxi's arrival. When she saw a eunuch passing by, although she kept her back bent and her eyes straight ahead, Li Tiao was afraid that she had finally managed to fool Emperor Kangxi and would be reported to the emperor again.
So she practically stomped her feet as she walked to the Fourth Prince's side, took his arm, and said, "Your Highness, let Li Tiao help you walk."
Li Tiao thought it was an act of humanitarianism.
He returned to Li Tiao's residence in silence. The moment he pushed open the door, Li Tiao shook off the Fourth Prince.
"Li Tiao survived the assassin's sword thanks to the Fourth Prince." Li Tiao was filled with resentment when she thought about how the assassin had almost blinded her.
She was actually moved by the Fourth Prince's timely arrival to rescue her.
Haha, how naive! What a load of rubbish!
"I won't let you die."
"Oh my, Li Tiao is so touched." Li Tiao clapped her hands with a slightly cheeky expression, then seriously suggested, "Fourth Prince, hasn't the Thirteenth Prince been advising you to just end things with Li Tiao? I think if you really make up your mind, please let me know, and I will take my own life."
"To be executed by sword is too cruel; Li Tiao is afraid of pain!"
As a prince, the Fourth Prince naturally faced ridicule, but it was always from people of higher status.
However, he was raised by Empress Xiaoyi from birth. After Empress Xiaoyi passed away, the Fourth Prince, like the Crown Prince, grew up by Emperor Kangxi's side.
Such an experience meant that even if the Fourth Prince was ridiculed, there would be only a limited number of people who dared to mock him.
So, in the face of Li Tiao's sarcasm, the Fourth Prince naturally wouldn't tolerate it: "Don't worry, I won't kill you now. After all, Father Emperor really treats you differently. With you around, you might be of help to me at a crucial moment."
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