After listening to the Fourth Prince's detailed explanation of the whole story, Kangxi remained silent for a moment before asking Chunxi, "Is what the Fourth Prince and his princess said true?"
"Your Majesty, it is true that Consort Li burned the purse and braid rope back then, and it was indeed the Fourth Prince who gave me to the Fourteenth Prince that day."
"Since the fourth prince and the others weren't lying, Chunxi, you're really something. Since you've followed the fourteenth prince, you're still restless and still in contact with the second prince?" Kangxi hadn't forgotten what Chunxi had just said—that the crown prince had assured her she would be alright.
"Your Majesty, because this servant is pregnant with the Fourteenth Prince's child, the Crown Prince said... the Crown Prince said..."
Chunxi was trembling with fear; under Kangxi's imposing aura, she dared not say anything more.
But what she meant was clear and understandable.
Li Tiao couldn't help but click her tongue. Chunxi's method was similar to the one Hongye had told her.
Kangxi stared at Chunxi for a long time, then said, "Someone, summon the imperial physician!"
Li Tiao thought to herself, Chunxi must really be pregnant, otherwise she wouldn't be so willing to go all out.
In other words, Chunxi probably won't die, but after this incident, Li Tiao knows that she and Chunxi are now, if not life-or-death enemies, at least complete adversaries, and Chunxi will definitely cause her trouble in the future.
Just as Li Tiao was going through a lot of thoughts, Kangxi had Su Peisheng summoned and asked him about the purse. Su Peisheng's answer was naturally the same as that of the Fourth Prince.
If Su Peisheng's statement is correct, then the remaining issues are the Eighth Prince and the Crown Prince. If the Eighth Prince and the Crown Prince's statements are consistent with those of the Fourth Prince and Chunxi, then Li Tiao believes that Kangxi is safe for the time being.
But Li Tiao was unsure about the Eighth Prince and the Crown Prince. Just then, her hand was quietly grasped by the Fourth Prince again.
The warm, rough touch seemed to temporarily put her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, at ease.
Just as he was about to respond to the Fourth Prince, Kangxi sent someone to summon the Eighth Prince.
Upon hearing Kangxi's order, Li Tiao stretched her neck slightly, about to speak, but was subtly tugged by the Fourth Prince, causing her to retract her neck like a turtle.
However, this seemingly insignificant little action of hers was noticed by the sharp-eyed Emperor Kangxi.
"You have something to say?"
"Your Majesty... this servant has nothing to say." In the end, Li Tiao said nothing.
"If I ask you a question, just answer it, so that you won't accuse me of coercing you into confessing later if anything happens."
Because of Master Kang's words, Li Tiao was jolted awake and forced to confess under duress.
Although she knew that Master Kang probably wouldn't go that far, the way he implied it was as if he had already condemned her, Li Tiao felt she couldn't remain silent.
"Your Majesty, I think Your Majesty should also summon the Crown Prince for questioning."
Before Master Kang could speak, the Fourth Prince glared at Li Tiao and then spoke before Kangxi could: "Father, Li Tiao has not been in the palace for long, and she has broken the rules. I hope Father will not blame her."
Li Tiao really didn't understand why the Fourth Prince thought that Kangxi would be unhappy if he said those words.
After all, they need to find someone to confront, and the Crown Prince is a key figure in that.
Kangxi smiled and said, "Ignorance is bliss. Well, your courage is commendable, Princess."
Although Li Tiao didn't know why the Fourth Prince and Emperor Kangxi both treated the Crown Prince as an outsider, she could tell that Kangxi's words about his commendable courage were not a compliment.
Just then, the imperial physician came to report that Chunxi was indeed pregnant, and had only been pregnant for a month.
"I understand. Let her go back first."
Not long after Chunxi left, the Eighth Prince arrived.
Seeing that both the Fourth Prince and Li Tiao were there, the Eighth Prince didn't seem too surprised. Kangxi asked the Eighth Prince about the purse and the braid rope, and the Eighth Prince's answer was the same as the Fourth Prince's.
After hearing this, Emperor Kangxi didn't say a word more, and waved his hand to let Li Tiao and the others leave.
Fearing that Emperor Kangxi might discover something, the Eighth Prince, the Fourth Prince, and Li Tiao politely greeted each other and left after leaving the Qianqing Palace, as if Li Tiao and the Fourth Prince were strangers.
Li Tiao didn't care about the Eighth Prince's attitude, but she couldn't help asking the Fourth Prince: "Your Highness, what I said just now was wrong? The Crown Prince is also a key figure. If the Emperor asked him in front of us, then we would know what he said and be able to deal with it."
"What if the Emperor asks him about it in private? Who knows what the Crown Prince might say to the Emperor?"
The Fourth Prince didn't really want to talk, but when he heard Li Tiao's words, he couldn't help but roll his eyes at her: "Aren't you afraid of death? Then think it over carefully, don't let your brain become a mere decoration."
"Hey!" Li Tiao called out to the Fourth Prince's retreating figure with dissatisfaction.
He was met with the Fourth Prince's sharp gaze. Belatedly realizing that her "Hey" was practically suicidal, Li Tiao quickly caught up with the Fourth Prince, fawningly pleading, "Your Highness, it's precisely because my brain is practically just a decoration that I need Your Highness to enlighten me, so that my ornamental brain can at least play a little role?"
"Do you think the Crown Prince is so stupid as to admit in public that he has feelings for you, or do you really like hearing that?"
As if someone had touched the top of her head, Li Tiao instantly realized what was happening.
"So Chunxi knew the Crown Prince wouldn't admit it, which is why she made it up. But she's too audacious, daring to gossip about the Crown Prince so casually."
"You're right that your brain is useless." The Fourth Prince sneered.
Afterwards, the Fourth Prince instructed Li Tiao: "Stay peacefully in the Prince's quarters. In the next couple of days, when I find an opportunity, I will talk to Father about moving out of the palace. You must not cause me any more trouble."
Then the Fourth Prince ignored Li Tiao and went about his own business.
Wrinkling her nose, Li Tiao stood there and rolled her eyes at the Fourth Prince's figure. This guy had the ability to instantly wipe away any lingering feelings of affection one might have had for him.
"Master, the master can't see anymore, let's go."
Hearing Hongye's words, Li Tiao felt a little embarrassed. Although she knew that Hongye had misunderstood, Li Tiao still felt that she should save face: "Who was looking at him? I was thinking about something."
Didn't you hear what Master just said about my brain being useless? This is so humiliating, I can't just accept it. I have to get to the bottom of this, I absolutely must figure out where Chunxi got the audacity to frame the Crown Prince.”
When Kangxi questioned her in the Qianqing Palace, Hongye did not go in but waited outside, so she was unaware of the cause and effect of the matter.
However, upon hearing Li Tiao's words, Hongye also had her own insights: "My lady, although I don't know what the Emperor asked you, I overheard some of what you and Master were saying just now..."
"So you can understand what Chunxi is thinking?" Li Tiao found it incredibly unbelievable that someone could guess Chunxi's thoughts without even knowing the cause and effect.
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