Would you mind if I came in and sat down for a while?
Hearing Yun Hui's words, Li Tiao, who was feeling anxious, moved aside to let Yun Hui in.
After the elaborate bowing and greetings, Yunhui dismissed her maid.
Li Tiao also turned to look at Chunxi, gesturing for her to go out as well.
Only Li Tiao and Yun Hui remained in the room, but neither of them spoke first.
Li Tiao rubbed her hands together, looking at Yun Hui's smiling face, feeling increasingly uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, she took the initiative to break the silence: "You... how did you end up in the palace too?"
Yun Hui laughed: "It was supposed to be me entering the palace, wasn't it?"
Li Tiao swallowed hard, then awkwardly forced a smile: "That's not what I meant, it's just..."
Before she could finish speaking, Li Tiao's hand was grabbed by Yun Hui, and she looked up at Yun Hui.
Yunhui still spoke in her gentle, soothing tone: "I know, it's not your fault. Although you were just my maid back then, to be honest, we were both maids. We both wanted to one day replace the Li family's young lady in the palace for the imperial concubine selection."
After all, how could a master and servant look so alike that they could be mistaken for one another?
When we first entered the Li residence, wasn't this something everyone already knew?
"It's also my own fault for being physically weak. The Li family looks down on me, fearing I'll die in the palace before bringing them any glory. So please don't feel sorry for me."
Li Tiao blinked and looked at Yun Hui.
This is a true innocent flower.
Just guilt? Li Tiao has no guilt at all!
Li Tiao was filled with the fear of being a substitute bride, and just as Yun Hui said, from the very beginning when the two of them entered the Li family almost one after the other, they had no choice.
The reason Li Tiao was a maid was because she didn't want to have any connection with the palace, so she pretended to be illiterate and that's how she became a maid.
Who would have thought that Yun Hui was just like Lin Daiyu, with poor health, and in the end, the unfortunate matter of being a substitute bride fell to Li Tiao.
After it was confirmed that Li Tiao would marry in place of Yun Hui, the Li family took her somewhere. Li Tiao thought she might never see her former mistress Yun Hui again, but she didn't expect that Yun Hui was so capable that she also entered the palace.
Li Tiao wasn't stupid; she knew she had to stay away from Yun Hui, otherwise, if she were struck by lightning one day, it might affect her as well.
After many twists and turns, Li Tiao asked, "How exactly did you get into the palace, and how did you become the Fourth Prince's woman? And why did you come to see me...?"
"As for how I became your woman and why we became sisters, that's a long story. We have plenty of time, so there's no rush. It's fate that we've met again. I'm just here to catch up with you today."
Reminiscing? Li Tiao smiled; it would be foolish of her to believe that.
"You shouldn't have spoken to Consort De like that today. If the Emperor hadn't spoken up for you, you might have been in trouble with Consort De..."
Li Tiao wanted to say that it's true that you should stay away from innocent people, but if you make good use of people with a refined and sophisticated personality, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Li Tiao's mind started working again: "You know, I actually didn't really want to from the beginning..."
Before the important point could be made, the maid's voice could be heard outside:
"Greetings to the master, may the master be well."
Li Tiao quickly swallowed her words and stood up with Yun Hui to prepare to pay their respects to the Fourth Prince.
After bowing and paying respects, the Fourth Prince's first words were sarcastic: "Do you two know each other?"
With Yun Hui present, Li Tiao didn't speak, but Yun Hui smiled and replied to the Fourth Prince: "To answer Your Highness, we are not actually familiar with each other, but we feel a connection. We servants all serve Your Highness, who would have thought we would look so alike."
Moreover, Master only has this servant and Sister Li to serve him now, so we servants naturally need to get along well with them.
However, the Fourth Prince ignored Yun Hui and looked at Li Tiao with a half-smile.
Li Tiao took a deep breath and smiled as she echoed Yun Hui's words: "Yes, Master, that's exactly what Sister Yun Hui said."
"Don't you recognize them? I thought you knew them!"
The Fourth Prince's casual remark caused Li Tiao and Yun Hui's expressions to change drastically.
"Replying to Your Highness, I served you before Sister Li, so whether I know Sister Li or not is something Your Highness should know."
Yun Hui's words disgusted Li Tiao once again. Was she implying that Li Tiao was her substitute?
What a beautiful and pure white lotus flower in this prosperous age!
"That's true." The Fourth Prince remained indifferent.
Li Tiao didn't understand what he meant. With all three of them there, it was both awkward and frightening.
After thinking for a moment, Li Tiao said, "Master, Sister Yunhui's head was a little dizzy again just now. Originally, I wanted to take Sister Yunhui back, but now that you're here, I can't be so tactless as to ask Sister Yunhui to go back with you, is that alright?"
Afterwards, Li Tiao saw that Yun Hui had a happy expression on her face, so she winked at her. After all, they had been master and servant before, so they still had some tacit understanding. Yun Hui quickly pretended to support her head with her hand, looking like she was about to fall over.
Just as she was about to fall to the ground next to the Fourth Prince, Li Tiao was surprised that this prince showed no mercy and simply dodged away!
Then the Fourth Prince shouted, "Guards!"
After the maids came in, the Fourth Prince instructed, "Send Princess Yunhui back to her room."
This… Li Tiao looked at the Fourth Prince in surprise.
After everyone had left again, the Fourth Prince said, "Don't be so surprised. I came to see you because I have something to ask you."
"What?"
"Granny Liu said she..."
When Li Tiao heard the name, her heart skipped a beat. However, since entering the Prince's quarters and facing the Fourth Prince, Li Tiao had experienced many frights, and her reaction ability had been honed.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
