"What happened in the palace?" I was nervous. How come the plot was getting more and more exciting? Li Rui didn't care about playing tricks on me anymore. His face suddenly became serious. He grabbed the guard and said, "Tell me, what happened?"

The guard panted and trembled as he said, "Your Highness, there is news from the palace... the palace, saying that... that the emperor... he suddenly fell ill!"

"What?!" Li Rui let go of the guard, his face full of shock and disbelief, "How is this possible? Father was fine a few days ago, how could he suddenly..."

I stood aside, and my heart skipped a beat. If the old emperor fell ill, who knows how much trouble it would cause in the court!

Li Rui obviously thought of this as well. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, turned around and said to me, "Qingya, you go back home first. I'll go to the palace to take a look."

I grabbed him and said unhappily, "Prince, did a donkey kick your head? What kind of place is this palace? Can you and I just go in? Moreover, the emperor is seriously ill now. If you go in now, aren't you afraid that someone will catch you and accuse you of having ulterior motives?"

Li Rui calmed down after I told him this. He looked at me gratefully and said, "You are thoughtful. What should I do now?"

My eyes rolled, and a plan came to my mind. I leaned over to his ear and whispered, "Prince, don't worry. I have a way..."

I whispered my plan to him. After listening, Li Rui's eyes lit up and he gave me a thumbs up. "Great! Qingya, you are still smart!"

I smiled smugly. This was the experience I had gained from watching palace fighting dramas for many years. To deal with these old foxes, you have to be more cunning than them!

Li Rui followed my plan and immediately arranged for someone to do it. I followed him all the way back to the palace, but I felt like I had a rabbit in my heart, and I was very nervous.

After all, this is ancient times! If I’m not careful, I’ll lose my life!

After returning to the palace, Li Rui closed the door and refused to see visitors, claiming that he had caught a cold. I hid in the study, listening to the news from outside and thinking about the next countermeasures.

The old emperor fell ill suddenly, and I always felt that things were not that simple.

At this moment, my personal maid Xiao Tao rushed in, her face full of panic, "Miss, it's bad! Someone is coming from the palace... the palace!"

"What?!" My heart skipped a beat and an ominous premonition came over me.

"Those who come with bad intentions, those with good intentions don't come..." I murmured to myself, already preparing for the worst.

"Quick, bring me my cloak!" I took a deep breath and told Xiao Tao, "I want to see who is here to perform a big show in the middle of the night!"

I put on my cloak and walked quickly to the study. As soon as I reached the front hall, I saw a young man in a dragon robe and a jade belt sitting there with a cup of tea in his hand, sipping it leisurely.

This person is none other than the current prime minister - Li Chengqian.

I looked him up and down. He was wearing a dark python robe with a gold-thread dragon pattern and a white jade crown on his head. He had sharp eyebrows, star-like eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. He exuded an innate air of nobility.

However, his narrow phoenix eyes flashed with a cold light that made people feel terrified.

"Hey, isn't this His Highness the Grand Duke? What brings you here?" I walked over to him with a fake smile, sat down, picked up the teacup, and took a sip.

Li Chengqian put down his teacup, glanced at me, and sneered, "Lin Qingya, you are so bold! My father is seriously ill, but you are not in the palace to take care of him. Instead, you are hiding in this palace to enjoy a peaceful life. Don't you have my father in your eyes?!"

"Your Highness, you are wrongly accusing me of this." I put down my teacup and said innocently, "I am just a small merchant girl. How can I be qualified to enter the palace to serve the sick? Besides, the prince has been ill these days. As a junior, it is natural for me to stay and take care of him. This is only natural!"

"Stop playing dumb here!" Li Chengqian slammed the table and glared at me. "The emperor is seriously ill, but you are flirting with the third brother. Do you really think I don't know what you are up to?!"

My heart skipped a beat. When did this boss become so smart? He could actually guess the cat-smelling thing between me and Li Rui?

I was about to start explaining when Li Chengqian suddenly stood up and approached me step by step, his eyes full of viciousness, "Lin Qingya, I'm warning you, you'd better be quiet! Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"

The pressure from him was overwhelming me, and I felt that it was becoming difficult to breathe. At this moment, a big, warm hand gently held my hand, and a familiar breath surrounded me.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?" I don't know when Li Rui appeared behind me. He protected me behind him and looked at Li Chengqian coldly, his eyes full of warnings.

Li Chengqian looked at us and suddenly sneered, "What? Are you angry because I said it right?"

"Taiwanese, be careful with your words!" Li Rui's face darkened. "I respect you as Taiwan and will not bother with you, but if you dare to slander Qingya again, don't blame me for being rude!"

"Well, Third Brother, you've grown wings, and you actually dare to talk to me like that!" Li Chengqian laughed in anger, "Do you really think that just because our father is seriously ill, the throne will definitely be yours?"

"What do you mean?!" Li Rui's face changed and he pulled me behind him.

The atmosphere was tense, and a big war was about to break out...