As expected, Li Tiao cautiously noticed the Fourth Prince glancing at her with a half-smile. Just as she was about to explain, she saw the Fourth Prince put down his chopsticks, take the towel that Su Peisheng handed him, and wipe his mouth.
Then he stood up and came towards me.
Seeing this, Li Tiao knew that the Fourth Prince was about to leave. She thought that she had escaped a disaster and that it was the right thing to do to see him off as soon as possible: "This servant respectfully sees you off, Your Highness."
The Fourth Prince walked up to Li Tiao, reached out and pulled her up, and whispered in her ear, "Who was serving whom last night? Wasn't it me serving you?"
After speaking, the Fourth Prince, who rarely smiled, curled his lips at Li Tiao, leaving Li Tiao still kneeling and frozen in place.
“Master, I’m leaving now. If you’re still tired, go and rest for a while longer,” Hongye said as she helped Li Tiao up.
"Oh, okay."
Mechanically returning to the inner room, Li Tiao belatedly realized that she, a modern person, had been flirted with by the risqué jokes of the ancients.
I feel... both ashamed and a little embarrassed about what happened.
Li Tiao wasn't a coy person, and besides, she was a time traveler. Since some things had already happened, she naturally wouldn't complain or feel resentful.
She can accept it with a clear conscience.
However, the physical pain made her realize a truth: without practice, there is no right to speak!
She must have been out of her mind to believe that the Fourth Prince was "potentially impotent."
When Li Tiao woke up from her nap again, the sun was already high in the sky. This was Li Tiao's usual routine. While she was eating, she noticed Hongye was busy and asked, "What are you busy with? What are you tidying up?"
"Master just told Eunuch Su to tell me to start tidying up his things a little. He'll be moving out of the Prince's residence soon, and the mansion outside the palace is all ready."
"We're moving out?!" Li Tiao excitedly put down her chopsticks.
"Yes, hasn't Master told the mistress yet? This servant thought Master had already told the mistress."
The Fourth Prince didn't say anything, but Li Tiao didn't mind. Her situation in the palace was really too bad, so moving out of the palace was a good solution.
Li Tiao was so excited that she had almost finished eating and decided to stop eating and prepare to clean up with Hongye.
With things mostly settled, Li Tiao felt that since the Fourth Prince had already spoken to Su Peisheng and Hongye, moving out of the palace was now a done deal.
However, when the Fourth Prince returned to his residence, he looked unwell.
After bowing and inviting him in, Li Tiao dared not chatter anymore. After welcoming him into the house, she found the Fourth Prince looking at some of the things she and Hongye had simply packed.
Li Tiao explained, "Hongye said that the master instructed that we are moving out of the palace in the next few days, so I thought I'd pack up first."
"Let's put it away again; we won't be moving it for now."
Li Tiao was extremely surprised by what the Fourth Prince said.
Looking at the Fourth Prince's expression, Li Tiao seemed to know why it was him.
Even after learning why the Fourth Prince had asked, Li Tiao was still puzzled and even more panicked: "Your Highness, why aren't we moving again?"
"There are no auspicious days suitable for such a major undertaking recently."
In ancient times, the imperial family paid attention to feng shui and always chose auspicious days for everything. However, Li Tiao was not entirely convinced by what the Fourth Prince was saying.
Since the Fourth Prince had already instructed Hongye to pack her things, he must have chosen an auspicious date. The only explanation is that someone was trying to stop him.
But what could stop the Fourth Prince...?
Master Kong?
In truth, Li Tiao had been wondering if she and the Fourth Prince were being too sensitive. The truth was, Master Kang hadn't done anything for her at all, but now…
After hesitating for a long time, Li Tiao asked the Fourth Prince, "Is it the Emperor...?"
The Fourth Prince, who was looking down and turning his thumb ring, pondering what to do about the matter, looked up at Li Tiao when he heard her words.
Knowing that Li Tiao had guessed what he had guessed, the Fourth Prince did not hide anything: "Father said that Your Highness has reached the age to get married. Usually, people separate their residences after the wedding, so when Your Highness marries your wife, the ceremony will be held at the residence outside. For now, you will stay in the palace for the time being."
"I see." Since it wasn't a reason for her to overthink, Li Tiao should have been happy, but... she stammered, "Is His Majesty planning to arrange a marriage for you, Master? Then congratulations, Master."
The eldest prince, the second prince, and the third prince all have wives and have their own residences.
The Second Prince, who was the Crown Prince, lived in Yuqing Palace.
Logically speaking, it was indeed time for the Fourth Prince to marry a wife, but Li Tiao felt that while the timing wasn't wrong, it was also a bit too coincidental.
The Fourth Prince stared at Li Tiao for a long time without saying a word in response to her congratulations.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward. Li Tiao felt that if things continued to be quiet, it would seem as if she didn't want the Fourth Prince to marry his primary wife, which would lead to a big misunderstanding.
So Li Tiao tried to liven things up: "Your Majesty, which family's daughter did the Emperor choose as your primary consort?"
"Father Emperor wants to see you," the Fourth Prince replied to Li Tiao, his words completely irrelevant.
"Huh?" Li Tiao was stunned.
"Father Emperor said you need to go to the Qianqing Palace."
I finally understand that the Fourth Prince wasn't talking about something else; he was conveying Emperor Kangxi's imperial edict!
"Oh." This was truly an awkward moment. Li Tiao asked, "Master and I together..."
"Father means you should go yourself."
Just now, Li Tiao thought she was overthinking things and having wild ideas, but now she was proven wrong again... It always makes people feel awkward when an emperor meets with his daughter-in-law alone.
"Hurry up and go. It's the Emperor's decree. We can't keep him waiting." The Fourth Prince tried his best not to look at Li Tiao. "Hongye, tell your mistress to do her makeup."
Hongye rushed over, not daring to delay at all.
Arriving at Qianqing Palace once again with trepidation, Li Tiao no longer appreciated the magnificent palace as before, only feeling a growing unease.
"Li Tiao, I'm planning to arrange a marriage for the fourth prince. Has he told you yet?"
Li Tiao replied, "Your Majesty, he has spoken."
"So what are your thoughts?"
"This servant has no thoughts. This servant is happy for you, Master. Besides, you are of age. Furthermore, the Emperor has already arranged a marriage for the Eighth Prince, so it is only right for you to arrange a marriage now."
These were indeed Li Tiao's true thoughts. Before, Li Tiao had always wanted to run away and didn't think she could stay by the Fourth Prince's side for long, so she didn't think much about it. She was surprised when she suddenly heard that the Fourth Prince was going to have a wife.
However, on the way to the Qianqing Palace, Li Tiao calmed down.
"What I meant was to ask you, you did calculate the marriage prospects for the Eighth Prince back then, haven't you thought about calculating the marriage prospects for the Fourth Prince as well?"
It's this again. Li Tiao knew that this matter wouldn't be so easily resolved with Kangxi.
Fortunately, Li Tiao was easy to fool in this matter. She said, "Your Majesty, although I am of lowly birth and have little influence, I am still Your Highness's concubine. I have no objection to Your Highness's marriage. However, if you ask me to calculate Your Highness's marriage prospects without any ulterior motives, then... Your Majesty... I am in a bit of a dilemma."
"Difficult? That's true. What if I think of a way to make things easier for you?"
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