Upon hearing Sumalagu's words, Li Tiao naturally swallowed the rest of her words for the time being.
Seeing that Sumalagu had started chanting and striking the wooden fish again, Li Tiao got up to take her leave.
Li Tiao didn't know whether Su Ma La Gu would help her.
Anyway, there's no other way now. With enemies on all sides, how much worse can things get?
The death of a palace maid is indeed not a big deal in the palace. If it weren't for the many inside stories behind it, probably no one would have bothered to ask about it.
But for Li Tiao, regardless of whether the matter was directed at her or because the palace maid was unlucky enough to replace her, she felt very uncomfortable.
Unable to sleep at night, he went out and found a secluded place to burn paper money for the deceased palace maid.
Although burning the paper money didn't erase her guilt, it always seemed like Li Tiao felt she had to do something.
The capital city was bleak and cold in the winter month, and the palace felt even more indifferent. After burning the paper money, Li Tiao wrapped herself in a cloak, hugged the hand warmer, and shivered as she walked back.
Li Tiao wasn't very familiar with this huge palace, and she regretted not having asked Hongye to come along.
In the pitch black, Li Tiao was trembling a little. She felt like she was almost at Su Mala Gu's courtyard after winding her way through the maze of streets, when she heard a sound of gnashing teeth.
"Fourth Prince, I really underestimated you."
"Mother, you flatter me."
"You've actually framed me now! I'm your own mother!"
"Mother, what do you mean? What did I do to frame you?"
“A palace maid died in Su Ma La Gu’s courtyard. She was one of Li Tiao’s servants. You did it yourself, but you’re trying to pin it all on me. If I hadn’t reacted quickly and pulled the Crown Prince in, I might have been reprimanded by the Emperor by now. Is this your filial piety?”
"Why does Mother say that everything was done by her son?"
"Ha! You still dare to argue even now?" Consort De was furious. "Although the Noble Consort helped you smooth things over, it's not so easy to cover up how that palace maid died. I didn't do anything to Li Tiao, and even if the Crown Prince is bold, he wouldn't dare to lay a hand on Su Ma La Gu."
After all, the Empress Dowager had strongly opposed the Emperor's insistence on making the second prince the crown prince. It was Su Ma La Gu who persuaded her, and thus the second prince was crown prince from birth. Because of this, the crown prince has always remembered Su Ma La Gu's kindness.
Upon hearing this, Li Tiao dropped the hand warmer in her hand with a clatter to the ground.
"who!"
Upon hearing the Fourth Prince's voice, which was as sharp as a biting winter wind, Li Tiao quickly ran away.
By the time the Fourth Prince caught up, Li Tiao had already disappeared. As the Fourth Prince turned around, there was a loud thud under his feet. He looked down, held up his lantern to shine a light on her, bent down to pick up the hand warmer from the ground, and after seeing what it looked like, he felt as if he had been frozen.
Consort De also came over. Seeing that no one was around, she put on her motherly demeanor and began to scold the Fourth Prince: "Fourth Prince, I have warned you before. I don't care what you want to do, but there is one thing: if you affect the interests of your Fourteenth Brother, I will absolutely not forgive you."
I know that because of Empress Xiaoyi, the Consort has always considered herself your aunt. Since that's the case, you should go and tell her that this matter concerning Su Ma La Gu should either be downplayed or the blame should be placed entirely on the Crown Prince. All the so-called evidence involving me should be burned. Otherwise, I will…”
"Mother, are you threatening your son?" The Fourth Prince was extremely annoyed, but he still tried his best to remain calm.
"If you consider it a threat, then it is a threat."
After speaking, Consort De gave the Fourth Prince a cool glance and left.
Holding the hand warmer, the Fourth Prince was truly restless and his pace quickened considerably, but on his way to Su Ma La Gu's courtyard, he encountered the Thirteenth Prince.
"Fourth Brother..."
"What is it?" The Fourth Prince glanced at the Thirteenth Prince, his tone indifferent.
"I never expected things to turn out this way. From the beginning, I felt that Li Tiao couldn't be kept alive. Now, Father Emperor's attitude towards Li Tiao is practically that he wants to take her into the harem. I thought I should get rid of her as soon as possible before she becomes an empress."
Otherwise, if she were to become an empress, how would Fourth Brother get along with his brothers in the future?
But to my utter surprise, Li Tiao actually escaped this calamity…
The Fourth Prince stared at the hand warmer in his hand for a long time before slowly speaking, "Why do you put all the blame on Mother..."
“Originally, I didn’t intend to pin it on Consort De. I accidentally discovered that Consort De seemed to also have murderous intentions towards Li Tiao. I was afraid that if Consort De were to pin this on you… so… it wasn’t me who did it on Second Brother’s side, it was Consort De…”
The Thirteenth Prince knew that the Fourth Prince had just visited Consort De. Seeing that he had remained silent despite all he had said, he couldn't help but say again, "Fourth Brother, if Father finds out, I'll go..."
"Since things have already come to this, there's no need to drag you into it any further," the Fourth Prince said slowly after a long silence.
"Fourth Brother... I heard that Father Emperor entrusted this matter to the Imperial Concubine for investigation. Should we ask the Imperial Concubine for help...?"
Upon hearing the Thirteenth Prince's words, the Fourth Prince stopped in his tracks and remained silent for a long time before saying, "Thirteenth Brother, let's leave Li Tiao's matter here. Don't concern yourself with it anymore."
"Fourth Brother, you..." The Thirteenth Prince was a little surprised because he had been closest to the Fourth Prince since childhood. In his memory, the Fourth Prince had never spoken to him like this before. Although the words he used were not so harsh, his tone was uncompromising.
"Thirteenth Brother, I understand this matter. Remember it, and don't get involved in it again." The Fourth Prince emphasized again.
He knew that the Thirteenth Prince didn't mean any harm. Based on the Fourth Prince's personality and actions in the past, he would have directly eliminated Li Tiao to prevent future troubles.
But as things have progressed, he has become indecisive.
Before the Thirteenth Prince could speak, the Fourth Prince reminded him again: "Thirteenth Brother?"
"I understand." Under the unquestionable gaze of the Fourth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince nodded hesitantly.
The thirteenth prince agreed, which put the fourth prince at ease, and he hurried out of the palace.
When Li Tiao returned, she was trembling uncontrollably.
"Master, where have you been? I was just about to go look for you." Hongye was about to go out to find Li Tiao when she saw Li Tiao shivering, so she quickly made the charcoal burn brighter.
"Master, where is your hand warmer? Let's warm our hands first."
Hearing Hongye's words, Li Tiao looked down at her empty hands, paused for a moment, and said, "Don't bother, I'll be fine in a bit."
In fact, Li Tiao knew that while her shivering was partly due to the cold, it was mostly because of a chill in her heart.
Thinking of this, Li Tiao took off her cloak, wrapped herself in the quilt, and lay down, thinking that she would forget everything she had just heard after a good night's sleep.
The next day, Li Tiao was awakened by Hongye's loud and boisterous voice: "Master, something has happened again!"
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