The Fourth Prince reached out and grasped Li Tiao's trembling hand, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Brothers, although I am not a good drinker, today we are here to celebrate the Second Brother's birthday, so naturally I cannot let anyone else do it for me."
After saying this, the Fourth Prince took the wine cup from Li Tiao's hand and downed it in one gulp.
The other princes around cheered.
Li Tiao stood to the side, acting as a dutiful tool, shy and timid, a perfect newlywed bride.
If the Fourth Prince hadn't whispered those words in Li Tiao's ear, Li Tiao probably would have been in a better mood.
After the Fourth Prince drank that cup of wine, he seemed to break his vow, drinking one cup after another.
Even the seemingly useless Li Tiao was pulled back to the women's table by the Crown Princess, who then exchanged pleasantries with her.
However, Li Tiao's mind was filled with the words the Fourth Prince had just whispered in her ear: "Wasn't your plan to get me drunk? How could I bear to disappoint you?"
Could it be that the Fourth Prince has once again discovered her escape plan?
If the two were truly in love and the Fourth Prince noticed, Li Tiao could comfort herself by saying it was just a tacit understanding.
But now... Li Tiao felt suffocated, as if someone was constantly holding her by the neck.
How could he know what I was thinking?
As for what the Crown Princess and the First Prince's wife said, Li Tiao didn't listen very carefully.
Finally, the banquet ended. The Fourth Prince was unsteady on his feet, and Li Tiao helped him walk.
Although she got what she wanted, Li Tiao was still uneasy because of what the Fourth Prince had said earlier, and she still had some doubts about the fact that the Fourth Prince was drunk.
On the way, she couldn't help but ask Su Peisheng, "Eunuch Su, does Master also have to refrain from drinking too much wine?"
"Replying to Master Li, the master is usually very restrained and does not drink excessively, so it is rare to see him like this."
So... he deliberately got drunk? Li Tiao felt that this man wasn't that kind.
But if I don't put my plan into action tonight, I'll miss my chance, because this man said the curfew will continue tomorrow.
After hesitating all the way to the prince's residence, Li Tiao and Su Peisheng helped the Fourth Prince into his room. Originally, Li Tiao was planning to leave.
However, because of what the Fourth Prince said, Li Tiao felt uneasy. After letting Su Peisheng leave, Li Tiao stayed behind alone to test the Fourth Prince.
However, knowing how to probe is a skill.
Li Tiao's understanding of drunkenness is that people either talk a lot and behave strangely, or they sleep like a dead pig.
The Fourth Prince is very quiet now. Li Tiao privately thinks that the Fourth Prince is the kind of person who sleeps like a dead pig.
Thinking about what the prince had done since she entered the palace and became the fourth prince's concubine, Li Tiao mustered her courage and punched the fourth prince's arm.
She was thinking she would use enough force to crush him, but when she actually touched him, it was like tickling him. Li Tiao was frustrated by her own cowardice.
Staring at the Fourth Prince with his eyes closed, Li Tiao thought for a moment, then took the hairpin off her head. Her eyes were extremely sinister. She held the hairpin up, about to stab the Fourth Prince's neck, when her hand trembled and she slowly moved it down.
Finally, Li Tiao pried open the Fourth Prince's palm, took the hairpin and gently traced lines on his palm while muttering incantations:
"First grab gold, second grab silver, third grab someone who doesn't smile is a good person..."
After she finished muttering, Li Tiao looked up at the Fourth Prince and saw that he was still very calm, so she began to believe that he was really drunk.
But to put her mind at ease, Li Tiao scratched the Fourth Prince's palm a few times with her hairpin: "My lord, you are a prince, how can you be so greedy as to covet my gold and silver jewelry?"
That's so wrong of me. Do you know how hard it is for me to save up some money?
If you dare to steal my money again, I'll tickle you again, next time I'll tickle the soles of your feet..."
As she muttered to herself, Li Tiao suddenly remembered something: "Pah! I'm such a jinx! I'm sure I'll succeed today, and I never want to see you again. Trying to steal my money? Dream on!"
Looking at the Fourth Prince again, he seemed to be the same as before, except that his hand was slightly curled up.
Li Tiao now believed he was drunk, and without lingering, she put the hairpin back on and prepared to leave. But for some reason, she panicked, her hand trembled, and the hairpin fell from her hand.
It was pitch black, with only candles around. Li Tiao couldn't find the hairpin, and fearing she would miss the auspicious day, she gave up on it, thinking it wasn't anything valuable anyway.
With a twang, the door opened and then closed again.
Back in her room, Li Tiao finished washing up and sent Chunxi to rest. She kept her eyes open and waited. When she heard the night watchman's drum outside, Li Tiao figured everyone must be fast asleep.
So he quickly got up and found the place where he had hidden the gold: the fire hole under the kang (a heated brick bed). He reached in and rummaged around inside, pulling out a box.
In addition to the gold she had hidden there before, she also had a waist tag.
Using the last glimpse of light as she entered the room, Li Tiao carefully examined the waist tag, feeling extremely proud. This was the result of her being confined for so many days.
Without delay, she quietly left the prince's residence, found the place where she had hidden her bundle, changed out of her Manchu dress, put on the men's clothing from the bundle, put on her hat, and headed towards the Shenwu Gate.
Previously, Li Tiao was caught by the Fourth Prince for pretending to be a eunuch to leave the palace, so she gave up on this trick. However, to leave the palace, she had to disguise herself as a man, otherwise it would be difficult.
Whether it will work or not, Li Tiao felt that she would only know by trying.
Moreover, because she had been caught disguising herself as a eunuch before, the Fourth Prince was wary of her. Li Tiao felt that it would be safe to wear men's clothing again, because it was the same principle as the darkest place under the lamp.
So during her confinement, Li Tiao personally made a men's outfit.
In her view, everything is ready except for the final push; if heaven takes pity on her, she should be able to succeed this time.
With such trepidation and a heart full of mixed emotions, I returned to Shenwu Gate, only to be stopped by the guards as expected.
Li Tiao lowered her head, swallowed hard, and tried to calm herself down before taking out her waist token and handing it to the guard.
The guard examined the waist token several times but still refused to let them pass.
Li Tiao's unease was gradually growing. After all, her waist tag was fake. What if the guards took a closer look and noticed something was amiss?
So Li Tiao pretended to be very dissatisfied and said, "The Fourth Prince is still waiting for me to do his errands. If you delay the Fourth Prince's business, you will all be in trouble."
After Li Tiao finished speaking, the guards not only did not let her pass, but the leader waved his hand, and then Li Tiao was quickly grabbed by the arm behind her back.
"How dare you! I'm helping the Fourth Prince..." Li Tiao's voice trembled slightly, after all, her waist tag was fake.
But when I tried to lure those young princes with delicious food, they said that even if the waist token was fake, the guards usually wouldn't be able to tell unless it was obviously fake.
However, the guards quickly cleared up Li Tiao's confusion, letting her know that she wasn't arrested for using a fake waist token, but that it was a more serious offense than simply possessing one.
"What are you saying? That's impossible!" Li Tiao retorted excitedly.
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