When Li Tiao arrived at her courtyard, she calmed herself down and was about to push the door open when it was pulled open from the inside.
Suddenly looking up, she was shocked to find it was the Fourth Prince!
She was so nervous that she couldn't speak.
"What have you been doing?"
The Fourth Prince's voice brought Li Tiao back to her senses. She swallowed repeatedly, and only when she felt that she had adjusted her emotions did she slowly speak: "Replying to Your Highness, this servant just went for a stroll outside."
"Then why are you shaking?"
Because of the Fourth Prince's words, Li Tiao's hands clenched tightly together unconsciously.
Just as she was about to explain, she saw the Fourth Prince's gaze casually shift to her hands, so Li Tiao quickly loosened her grip.
"Replying to Your Highness, I'm not just nervous, I'm just..."
"What is it?"
The Fourth Prince didn't seem to be in a hurry at all. Li Tiao didn't say anything, and he didn't urge her. He just looked at Li Tiao with a blank expression.
Li Tiao felt immense pressure, but she also knew she had to come up with a reasonable explanation, otherwise this situation would really be troublesome.
"Oh dear, Your Highness, do you really have to make me say it?" Li Tiao stamped her foot, glanced at the Fourth Prince with feigned embarrassment, then looked away completely and said shyly, "Your Highness, I'm too embarrassed to say it."
The Fourth Prince chuckled: "Li Tiao, have I ever told you not to try to play tricks on me?"
Li Tiao naturally understood the warning. She felt nervous, but on the surface she remained embarrassed, and there was also a hint of unspeakable anger.
Pretending to struggle, Li Tiao said with a "what's the use" attitude, "This servant has a bit of an upset stomach and couldn't find a place to relieve myself. I'm still holding it in, and I'm trembling and sweating."
As she spoke, Li Tiao wiped her forehead: "Look, cold sweat."
Seeing that the Fourth Prince seemed to be startled by his words.
Li Tiao said, "Your Highness insisted on forcing me to be so vulgar. Now look what's happened. I've completely lost face and dignity in front of you."
A moment later, the Fourth Prince summoned Chunxi and asked her to take Li Tiao to the toilet.
But the Fourth Prince stood still and didn't move.
It did seem a bit crude, but for some reason the Fourth Prince found it vivid, because the women he had met since childhood, whether dignified or from noble families, never showed all their teeth when they smiled.
I'm used to it, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
But Li Tiao... even though I know she's full of lies, and her actions and some of her language are vulgar, I don't dislike her...
Li Tiao was led to the toilet by Chunxi, and then Chunxi was chased away. She was like an ant on a hot pan.
It seemed that the danger increased with each additional day spent by the Fourth Prince's side.
Li Tiao believed she knew why Chunxi was willing to be the Fourth Prince's spy, but the image of Chunxi crying bitterly in front of the Fourth Prince lingered in Li Tiao's mind.
She thought about what Chunxi had told her before. If she wasn't lying, then Chunxi's tears in front of the Fourth Prince were probably related to Chunxi's brother.
Did the Fourth Prince hide Chunxi's brother?
Is Consort De also looking for Chunxi's brother and the real eldest daughter of the Li family?
If Consort De also seeks out the real eldest daughter of the Li family, does that mean Consort De also knows that she is an imposter?
In that case... death seems to be getting closer and closer.
Li Tiao's heart pounded like a war drum, pounding so fast it felt like it was about to leap into her throat.
"Master, you..." Chunxi was a little worried and called out to Li Tiao from outside.
Patting her heart to calm herself, Li Tiao called out, "It'll be ready soon."
Li Tiao quickly came out, and Chunxi went in to clean up, but was extremely surprised to see the empty toilet bowl: "Master, you..."
"I don't want to think about it anymore, let's go."
Li Tiao didn't feel embarrassed. She thought that she had made a fool of herself many times before, so she was like someone who had so many lice that they didn't itch anymore. She wasn't afraid to give people the impression that she was so "different".
The Fourth Prince brought Li Tiao here more as an excuse to prevent Consort De from looking for Li Tiao. So after Li Tiao visited her own courtyard, the Fourth Prince took her back to the palace.
When they returned, Li Tiao and the Fourth Prince rode in the same carriage, but they were both much more silent than when they left the palace.
The Fourth Prince was thinking about what the servant had reported to him, while Li Tiao was thinking about Chunxi and the servant who had been brought to see the Fourth Prince by Su Peisheng.
Upon arriving at the palace gate, the Fourth Prince didn't even enter the palace. He watched Li Tiao enter the palace gate and then left.
However, as soon as Li Tiao entered the palace, before she even reached the princes' quarters, she was stopped by the nanny who served Consort De.
"Master Li, Her Majesty wishes to see you."
No matter how much she planned, she never expected that Consort De would be so persistent in waiting for her.
Before, she could go to the Qianqing Palace to ask the Fourth Prince for help, but now... thinking of the Fourth Prince who hadn't even entered the palace gates, Li Tiao felt like crying.
The sinister voice of Consort De echoed in Li Tiao's mind...
"What does Your Majesty want with me?" Li Tiao tried her best to calm herself down and then tried to stall for time.
"Replying to Master Li, this servant does not know. This servant is only responsible for relaying messages."
The old woman blocking Li Tiao's way is not the same old woman who went to the prince's place to find Li Tiao before, and she should not be the one who served Consort De.
So it's not surprising that she didn't know.
However, Li Tiao seemed unable to refuse.
She hesitated, afraid, and Chunxi became nervous as well. She whispered to Li Tiao, "Master..."
Li Tiao looked at Chunxi, thinking of telling her to go find the Fourth Prince, but it wasn't so easy for Chunxi to leave the palace.
"Master Li, Her Majesty is still waiting."
Without giving Li Tiao any time to think, after a moment's hesitation, Li Tiao said, "Granny, please lead the way."
Let's think of a solution on the way, but Li Tiao's mind is completely blank. She really has no idea what to do. Not only that, but before she had even taken two steps, the nanny spoke up again.
"Master Li, you can go see the Empress alone. Chunxi doesn't need to come with you."
Before Li Tiao could speak, Chunxi said anxiously, "Granny, the Fourth Prince instructed me to stay by your side at all times, so..."
The old woman completely ignored Chunxi and instead looked at Li Tiao apologetically: "Master Li, you see, I was just following the orders of Consort De. I was in a difficult position."
Regardless of whether the old woman was putting on an act or not, Li Tiao knew that what the old woman said was actually not wrong.
What's meant to happen will happen; there's no escaping it. Li Tiao looked at Chunxi and said, "You shouldn't go."
“But Master…” Chunxi was extremely worried.
After all, Consort De's dislike for Li Tiao was quite obvious.
While the nanny wasn't looking, Li Tiao mouthed something to Chunxi, asking her to find a way to get the Fourth Prince to help her out of this predicament.
"My lord, let's go. It's not good to keep Her Majesty waiting."
Li Tiao smiled and followed the nanny away.
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