What a bastard!
Li Tiao shouted in her heart, but that was all she could do!
There were times when she clashed with the Fourth Prince, but Li Tiao also knew that there were certain bottom lines that could not be crossed.
I was just suppressing my anger, but it was really too much of a blow to my mental health.
To express her deep anger, Li Tiao almost turned her eyes into cross-eyed bulges.
To avoid getting too distracted, Li Tiao quickly looked away from the Fourth Prince.
Because the Fourth Prince was also there, and judging from his appearance, he didn't seem to be planning to stay in another room, Li Tiao took off her hair and lay down on the kang (heated brick bed) fully clothed.
Sensing that the Fourth Prince had also lain down, Li Tiao snorted coldly and turned her back to him.
Although she was angry, after all the commotion and the assassins and all that, Li Tiao relaxed and soon drifted off to sleep.
At that moment, a voice seemed to ring in his ears: "Don't try to run anymore, especially since it was arranged by Father Emperor."
After a moment of surprise, Li Tiao slowly opened her eyes: "Don't worry, you're practically saying your own father is disrespectful to his elders. Li Tiao isn't stupid; she can see through some things."
Because she knew this, Li Tiao, who desperately wanted to run away, vehemently denied it in front of Emperor Kangxi.
Although Emperor Kangxi was considered a wise and benevolent ruler, perhaps influenced by the TV series "Kangxi's Private Visits," Li Tiao was reluctant to discuss Kangxi's private life.
So, to avoid becoming the "Yang Guifei" of the Qing Dynasty, Li Tiao said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, Li Tiao will endure the humiliation."
Li Tiao spoke through gritted teeth, and the Fourth Prince almost had a heart attack from hearing it!
He suddenly flipped over and braced himself beside Li Tiao: "If I don't do something, I'll really be letting you down after all the humiliation you've endured!"
Although Li Tiao was already a little scared, she felt that she couldn't lose face in the darkness and faced with the Fourth Prince's deep gaze. She raised her eyebrows and provoked the Fourth Prince with a "who's afraid of who" attitude.
Even if the Fourth Prince was only trying to scare Li Tiao at first, it would be too humiliating for him not to do something now.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Li Tiao pushed the Fourth Prince away: "Your Mausoleum, this is Zhaoxi Mausoleum. Li Tiao is here to pray for the Empress Dowager and recite scriptures."
The Fourth Prince, still breathing heavily, stared at Li Tiao for a long time. Even though he could see the smugness and provocation in Li Tiao's eyes, he was helpless.
Because there are some things to be careful about here!
The Fourth Prince, with his back to Li Tiao, was panting heavily. Li Tiao, oblivious to the danger, continued to provoke him: "Isn't this Li Tiao enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens?"
The Fourth Prince was so angry that he wanted to strangle him.
The next day, before dawn, a eunuch knocked on the door: "Your Majesty, the Emperor says you are to return to the palace with him."
The Fourth Prince opened his eyes, frowned, put on his clothes, and went to open the door: "Where is Consort Li?"
Accompanying Su Peisheng was a eunuch from Kangxi's side, who bowed his head and said obsequiously, "Your Majesty, His Majesty's intention is for Consort Li and Granny Su to stay here and pray for the Empress Dowager for forty-nine days."
The Fourth Prince said in a very indifferent tone, "I understand. Tell Father that I will be there shortly."
Afterwards, the Fourth Prince closed the door, tidied up, and prepared to leave.
While wondering whether to tell Li Tiao, I noticed that Li Tiao had also woken up, and upon closer inspection, I could see that the corners of her mouth were turned up.
"Are you happy?"
Li Tiao said, "Of course I'm happy. I don't need to go back to the palace. The Eighth Prince won't ask me to inquire about those messy things. Even if the Crown Prince and Consort De wanted to kill me, they would have to consider where we are and who I'm with."
Although yesterday's assassination attempt was the result of the Emperor's instigation of the Crown Prince, it was ultimately a failure for the Crown Prince. Sending another assassin would be tantamount to courting death in front of the Emperor.
Moreover, you don't have to face it for forty-nine days..."
Seeing that the Fourth Prince's face was ashen again, Li Tiao quickly swallowed the words that she didn't want to be with him.
She quickly put on her clothes and got out of bed, saying, "Master, let Li Tiao help you change."
The Fourth Prince arrogantly dodged and didn't want to pay any attention to Li Tiao.
Although her hands were frozen in mid-air, Li Tiao was not embarrassed at all. If she wasn't afraid of further angering the Fourth Prince, she would have even wanted to hum a song.
Su Ma La Gu's habit was to eat only one meal a day, so after Kangxi and the Fourth Prince left, Li Tiao tidied up briefly and went to eat a vegetarian meal with Su Ma La Gu.
"I heard about what happened last night," Su Ma La Gu said as she began after finishing her meal.
She knew it wasn't surprising, and Li Tiao didn't think it was anything that couldn't be said, but she didn't know how to respond, so she just smiled.
"Yesterday, His Majesty arranged for you to leave. It was this old servant who spoke to His Majesty first, thinking that this would be safe for you. But after yesterday, this old servant doesn't know whether it was right or wrong to let you leave?"
Su Ma La Gu probably meant that she thought she knew about the Sixth Prince. Although Li Tiao overheard it by chance, she did not know that it was Su Ma La Gu and Kangxi who deliberately let her hear it.
Therefore, it was naturally difficult to respond to what Sumalagu said.
But from Su Mala Gu's words, Li Tiao vaguely sensed something. She hesitated for a moment and asked, "Granny, according to the rules, Li Tiao cannot disobey the Emperor's decree, but the Emperor's attitude reminded Li Tiao of some rumors she heard in the palace, so Li Tiao..."
Sumalagu remained silent for a long time: "But what can you do if the Emperor really has some ideas?"
Recalling how Su Mala Gu had been so adamant in her denials back in the palace, but now... she too had begun to have doubts, and Li Tiao felt even more certain that she wasn't just overthinking things.
So she knelt down directly before Su Ma La Gu: "Granny, can you show Li Tiao a clear path? What should Li Tiao do?"
Li Tiao knew that saying this to Su Mala Gu was actually risky.
Because Su Mala Gu was definitely on Kangxi's side. After all, she had raised him, so their bond was naturally strong. Moreover, she had always served the royal family, so she would never betray them.
However, Li Tiao felt that if Kangxi really had some "filthy" thoughts that couldn't be spoken of, then the only people who could help her were Granny Su and the Empress Dowager in the palace.
However, Li Tiao has never met the Empress Dowager in the palace. In addition, the current Empress Dowager in the palace is only Kangxi's legal mother, not his biological mother. She probably wouldn't have any different opinions from the emperor on matters of romance and pleasure.
Su Ma La Gu probably wouldn't either, but Li Tiao thought that Su Ma La Gu was ultimately a vegetarian and Buddhist, so she should have her own opinion.
Discussing these matters in the Buddhist hall felt like a blasphemy, which already put Li Tiao under immense pressure. Moreover, Su Ma La Gu remained silent, only striking the wooden fish, the rhythmic tapping making Li Tiao's heart race and further unsettling her.
"What are your own thoughts?" Sumalagu finally spoke.
But Li Tiao was even more conflicted, wondering whether she should tell the truth.
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