Li Tiao curtsied to Consort De again: "Your Majesty, this servant does not understand what you mean by that."
"Yunhui is gone, are you happy now?"
Li Tiao was speechless. What did Yun Hui's death have to do with her?
She shared this thought with Consort De.
These words clearly angered Consort De even more. "It has nothing to do with you?! If you hadn't told Yunhui that the Fourth Prince had returned to your room, how could Yunhui have..."
"Your Highness, even if I told Miss Yunhui that the master would come to my room tonight, what does that have to do with Miss Yunhui? Not only did she take some unclean medicine, but she also came to see the master. How can this be my fault?"
"How dare you! Not only do you ignore what I say, but you also try to argue your way out of this mess."
"Your Majesty, I am not being unreasonable, but simply stating what needs to be said. After all, it is always unlucky to be falsely accused of murder."
"Heh, if this isn't sophistry, then what is? No wonder Fourth Brother has been protecting you all this time, you..."
Li Tiao couldn't believe that the Fourth Prince would actually protect her.
However, upon hearing Consort De's words, Li Tiao felt a pang of indignation on behalf of the Fourth Prince.
Although she didn't know if the Fourth Prince was really incapable, if Yun Hui died like this, what if it scared him so much that he would lose interest in the future? Li Tiao thought the Fourth Prince would be the one who would be depressed.
The Fourth Prince had nowhere to reason with anyone.
"Your Majesty, I don't know whether the master is protecting me or not, and I dare not presume to know, but I think Your Majesty should not be too harsh on the master."
"Miss Yunhui has been so indecent, and it's getting late, yet you still send someone to tell Master that he must go to Miss Yunhui's room. Didn't you consider Master's feelings?"
As soon as Li Tiao finished speaking, she saw the Fourth Prince enter from outside the door.
"Fourth Prince, did you hear what your princess said to me?"
Just as Li Tiao was about to explain, the Fourth Prince spoke up for her: "Mother, Yunhui's matter really has nothing to do with her."
"How come it's alright?"
"It won't be difficult to find out who gave Yunhui the prescription for those unclean medicines."
Seeing Consort De involuntarily retreat, Li Tiao was utterly incredulous. Could it be that Consort De had given Yun Hui the medicine?
"If Father Emperor finds out..."
Consort De interrupted the Fourth Prince: "Are you determined to go against me for the sake of your concubine, Princess?"
"Didn't Mother also keep making trouble for Li Tiao because of a concubine?" the Fourth Prince retorted.
Li Tiao listened with trepidation. She wanted to take advantage of Consort De's anger to drive her out of the palace, but the Fourth Prince couldn't speak like that.
This is tantamount to letting Consort De kill him.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness..."
But no one listened to Li Tiao. Consort De glared at the Fourth Prince and said, "What if I insist on making things difficult for you, my concubine, today?"
Although the question was directed at the Fourth Prince, Consort De did not wait for him to speak before issuing the order: "Guards! Li Tiao has dared to defy me, so give her fifty strokes of the cane!"
Li Tiao's legs went weak upon hearing this!
If he were to receive fifty strokes of the cane, he would surely die.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness..."
Li Tiao knew she was being targeted by the wrath of the others. Before she could say anything, the maids helped her climb onto a bench.
"Your Majesty, I am not afraid to die, but if the Emperor finds out that two princes died in one night, it will be a terrible thing!"
"How dare you threaten me with the Emperor! Beat him! I'll take responsibility for whatever happens!"
Li Tiao was so frightened she almost cried. This palace was truly no place for a human to stay. How could she have been inexplicably targeted for anger?
However, the beating Li Tiao had anticipated did not come down!
Out of instinct, Li Tiao twisted her neck to take a look, and unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince was actually leaning on her to protect her.
That's why the nannies didn't dare to strike!
"Fourth brother!"
Hearing Consort De's furious voice, Li Tiao was terrified. "My lord, you must do me justice!"
With a blank expression, the Fourth Prince glanced at Li Tiao and then looked at Consort De: "Mother, Li Tiao is right about one thing. Two people died in one night in the Prince's residence. If Father finds out, this is no small matter. And there's also the prescription for those unclean medicines that Yunhui took..."
Li Tiao trembled even more violently upon hearing this.
The atmosphere became eerily quiet.
After a long pause, Consort De spoke with great resentment: "Fourth Prince, you've really grown wings now."
Before Li Tiao could even turn her head to see what was going on, all the feet and legs within her sight seemed to be moving outwards.
A moment later, a cold voice rang out above Li Tiao's head: "Help your master up."
"Master, it's alright now."
Li Tiao, supported by Chunxi, stood up from the stool she had been lying on, and glanced at the room, which now seemed much emptier. "This servant thanks you, Master."
"You're taking my side too."
Without saying "you're welcome," and with just a few vague words, Li Tiao was puzzled: "Uh..."
“You were very clear-headed and calm when you argued with your mother.”
It was another seemingly random sentence, but this time Li Tiao understood what the Fourth Prince meant. Was he referring to the time when he stood up for him in front of Consort De?
It's just a huge misunderstanding.
Li Tiao quickly explained, "My lord, actually..."
"It's getting late, let's rest."
Before the Fourth Prince could finish speaking, he turned to leave, but couldn't help looking back at her one last time.
She looked a little disheveled, and the lively slyness that had always glint in her eyes was gone. Her puzzled, furrowed lip and brows resembled those of a lazy cat...
Thinking of this, the Fourth Prince quickly stopped, but couldn't help but whisper, "The first one..."
The first person to stand up for him was Consort De!
However, the Fourth Prince did not finish his sentence.
Although he didn't finish the sentence, Li Tiao still heard it, and she smiled extremely obsequiously: "Master, what do you mean, the first one?"
The Fourth Prince responded to Li Tiao with a cool glance back.
The adaptable Li Tiao immediately curtsied to the Fourth Prince, saying, "Your Highness, may you have a safe journey."
The Fourth Prince snorted through his nose and didn't turn around again. He thought to himself that Li Tiao was more likable when she was quiet and didn't say anything, because the excitement in her farewell words was all too obvious.
This day was incredibly exciting; she almost got punished with a cane, which only strengthened Li Tiao's resolve to run away.
Unable to sleep, she stayed awake almost until dawn. After a quick tidy-up and a meal, before she could even put the pastry in her mouth, Li Tiao saw something shocking, which made her cough uncontrollably.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"Pour me some water."
After sending Chunxi to pour water, Li Tiao quickly pulled out a slip of paper from the snacks the moment Chunxi turned around. It was from the Eighth Prince and read: "Meet me in the Imperial Garden at 1:15 noon."
When I watched period dramas before, Li Tiao was particularly impressed by the scene where she was executed at noon at the Meridian Gate.
When Li Tiao went to see the Eighth Prince at noon, she felt as if it were a death knell, and her hands and feet instantly turned ice cold.
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