“You openly discuss your relationships with other men in front of the Emperor.” The Fourth Prince pinched Li Tiao’s chin: “You are truly honest. The Emperor likes honest people.”
Her smile froze on her face. Li Tiao knew this person was up to no good, and just as she had guessed, he was being sarcastic towards her as always.
"But Master, I am the Eighth Prince's spy. I told you this a long time ago..."
Before she could finish speaking, she felt her chin being pinched and hurt a little, so Li Tiao wisely swallowed the rest of her words.
Although she didn't think there was anything wrong with being honest.
However, in Li Tiao's view, admitting defeat in time is also a means and ability to survive.
Li Tiao fell silent, her eyes revealing unease. The Fourth Prince gave Li Tiao a deep look, released her hand, and his expression did not improve much because of Li Tiao's silence.
"Master, it's getting late. It's time for dinner. Have someone set the table." Li Tiao quickly stood up after regaining her freedom and began to flatter him.
The Fourth Prince nodded, indicating that he had no objection.
Li Tiao quickly slipped away, instructing the small kitchen to prepare the meal. Although the kitchen was unbearably hot, Chunxi could handle the task, but as long as she could avoid facing the Fourth Prince, Li Tiao was willing to endure the heat.
Li Tiao wasted time in the kitchen until everyone in the small kitchen became extremely nervous, so Li Tiao had no choice but to leave.
Before she could even go inside, she heard the Fourth Prince scolding Chunxi: "Can't find me? You can send someone to deliver a message to me. I've already told you who to send the message to."
Chunxi: "This servant felt... that I was afraid it would be too late, so..."
"Did you meet the Eighth Prince when the prince was with him, or did you actively seek out the Eighth Prince?"
"In reply to your question, sir, it was a coincidence... we ran into each other..."
Li Tiao took a deep breath and was about to push the door open when she heard a loud bang, followed by the Fourth Prince's even angrier voice: "Chunxi, do you really think that His Majesty's temper has improved recently? Did you just happen to run into him?"
"Master, I was afraid that the Empress would make things difficult for you, so... so... that's why I went to find the Eighth Prince..."
Li Tiao slowly lowered her hand from the door and moved it to the side, no longer in a hurry to go inside.
Did Chunxi deliberately go to see the Eighth Prince?
Li Tiao wasn't surprised that she knew she was the Eighth Prince's spy. Was she worried about her, so she took the initiative to go to the Eighth Prince? Or did she know how to pass a message to the Fourth Prince?
Li Tiao also noticed Chunxi's strange behavior.
"If there's a second chance, I won't let you off easily."
"I know, I know..."
Then Li Tiao heard footsteps inside the house, followed by the sound of the door opening. Li Tiao pretended to have just come from the kitchen and saw Chunxi come out with red eyes. Li Tiao asked, "What's wrong?"
Chunxi quickly turned her head away: "It's alright, mistress. I'll go urge the kitchen. It's getting late, hurry up and set the table."
“You…” Li Tiao called out to Chunxi, but Chunxi ran away as fast as she could.
Upon seeing the Fourth Prince, Li Tiao composed herself and went inside.
"Chunxi meant well, didn't she?"
The Fourth Prince was reading a book when he heard Li Tiao's words. He looked up from his book, glanced at Li Tiao, and then continued reading. After a long while, he slowly said, "If you think so, then so be it."
It's not that Li Tiao thought Chunxi meant well; she was actually testing the waters to see what the Fourth Prince thought and how he felt.
However, the Fourth Prince's seemingly agreeable words made Li Tiao suddenly realize that she might have underestimated Chunxi.
But why?
When it comes to meals for royalty, preparations are usually quick, and it's impossible to keep the master waiting too long. Besides, Li Tiao had been watching the kitchen for quite some time, so the meal was served very quickly.
As a prince, the Fourth Prince needed to be served meals, which was usually Li Tiao's job.
However, Li Tiao felt uncomfortable standing next to the Fourth Prince while he ate, serving him food, so she pretended not to know about this rule from the beginning.
So the task of serving the food fell to Chunxi.
She had been married to the Fourth Prince for some time, but they didn't dine together often, so Li Tiao didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
In modern terms, it means you can't indulge a man's bad habits, and Li Tiao wholeheartedly agrees.
So, when she dined with the Fourth Prince a few times before, Li Tiao hadn't paid much attention. But today, perhaps too many things had happened.
Li Tiao paid closer attention, and upon closer inspection, she realized something was amiss.
But Li Tiao couldn't quite put her finger on why it wasn't right. She bit her chopsticks and fell into deep thought.
The Fourth Prince glanced at Li Tiao, raised his chopsticks to stop Chunxi from serving him food, and said, "Serve your master."
Li Tiao noticed that Chunxi hesitated for a moment before walking to her side. "Chunxi, I can manage on my own. You don't need to worry about me."
Seeing that Chunxi was heading towards the Fourth Prince's side, Li Tiao wanted to watch the play a little longer, but then she heard the Fourth Prince say, "You can go out and wait here. We don't need you here anymore."
Li Tiao looked at the Fourth Prince with a puzzled expression, as if asking why.
"One should not speak while eating or sleeping." The Fourth Prince's words silenced all of Li Tiao's doubts.
After the meal, the Fourth Prince left, and Li Tiao fell into deep thought again. She was thinking about how to leave this place, but she had no clue. However, Chunxi's busy life reminded Li Tiao of the inexplicable doubts in her heart.
The next day, Li Tiao received another note from the Eighth Prince, asking her to meet him.
Although she didn't want to, Li Tiao thought that since the Eighth Prince had at least asked the Fourteenth Prince to help her out of that predicament, she should go and thank him.
Upon arriving at the agreed-upon location with the Eighth Prince, before Li Tiao could even express her gratitude, she saw the Eighth Prince handing her a purse, saying, "It's inappropriate for me to accept this."
Li Tiao took the purse handed to her by the Eighth Prince in a daze. When she turned it over, she was extremely surprised: "Eighth Prince, how did this get into your hands?"
The purse was embroidered with a horse, the zodiac sign of the Fourth Prince. It was the result of Li Tiao working on it late into the night a couple of days ago, but the stitching wasn't very good, and Li Tiao could easily recognize it.
Touching the purse, she felt something else inside. She looked at it and saw it was the braided rope she had made for the Fourth Prince. It was colorful and had been made by Li Tiao using the method of modern braided bracelets.
She originally intended to give it to the Fourth Prince to curry favor with him, but she hadn't had a chance to give it to him yet.
"Didn't you give it to me?" the Eighth Prince retorted.
"Of course not, Your Highness. Our relationship is purely based on mutual benefit. I'm your informant, and I don't owe you anything. Why would I give you these things? If anyone found out, I'd be drowned in a pig cage."
Li Tiao is going crazy. Who did this to her?
"Did Chunxi give this to you, Eighth Prince?" Li Tiao asked, recalling Chunxi's unusual behavior.
"It wasn't her, was it? She left it at my door, saying it was for me."
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