Wang Hao handed the scroll to Sheng Li, which was the message sent by Hu Jingguo. "Your highness, Hu Jingguo has safely reached Juyan city. This message he has sent for the Crown Princess and he told the messenger to tell the Crown Prince not to open it. He knows that the Crown Prince is jealous of him," stated Wang Hao.
Sheng Li raised his brow upon hearing that. "Jealous of him!" Sheng Li chuckled. "He didn't send the message for me, but Lili. He does this to irritate me," murmuring he placed the scroll on the table there.
"Did Yang Fen Kei reveal any other important information?" Sheng Li had a map in his hand which he was studying and waited for Wang Hao to respond.
"No, your highness. Xiao is trying, but Yang Fei Ke is refusing to cooperate," Wang Hao replied.
"Did you talk with Zhang Yong? What is Weng Wei planning this time? Does he know anything about this?" Sheng Li questioned.
"No, your highness. After you and her highness safely returned to the palace, Weng Wei had become cautious. Your highness, Zhang Yong reported that Prince Jian ordered his men to kill the assassins, who were hidden in the forest route to kill us." Sheng Li lifted his head to meet the gaze of Wang Hao.
"The First Prince ordered to kill those assassins?!" Sheng Li was bewildered to hear that. Why was Jian Guozhi doing that? He was going against the wishes of his mother, which he would never do. 'Does his mother know about this?' Sheng Li wondered.
"Your highness, there is something more to inform you," Wang Hao stated.
"Hmm."
"Prince Jian and Princess Consort Xue are not on good terms. The spy informed that Prince Jian does not spend his time with her. Prince Jian admires the Crown Princess, which is the main reason for jealousy in Princess Consort Xue. That's why she plotted against the Crown Princess with the Empress," Wang Hao explained.
Sheng Li clutched the map in his hand. "Who is he to admire Lili?" He muttered. "I warned him not to look at Lili, but it seems he will not listen to me." His anger was growing when Wang Hao pacified him.
"Your highness, you should take things calmly. Prince Jian is changing. I think the Crown Prince shall talk to him to clarify things with him," suggested Wang Hao. "Standing against your mother is not easy. Something is odd and his highness shall find that out by talking with the First Prince," he proclaimed.
Sheng Li was not interested in talking with Jian Guozhi, but he had to. He could not let things go worse. Admiring Ying Lili was not good. "I understand," Sheng Li stated.
"There is no secret route near the Northern Palace. Ying Lili suggested going to the temple in the disguise of a cleaner. Did you check everything regarding that?" Sheng Li asked.
"I checked everything. But sending her highness alone there would be risky," Wang Hao asserted.
"I know. I will go with her. We need to completely change our look so that no one will be suspicious. Prepare everything and if anybody asks about us then tell him/her that we are in our private residence," Sheng Li told Wang Hao.
"Yes, your highness." Wang Hao helped Sheng Li in folding the maps and then put them on the shelf. "I am leaving," Sheng Li stated, picked up the scroll which had the message of Hu Jingguo for Ying Lili, and walked away.
Soon, he reached the Eastern Palace and went to the room where only Princes could enter. He saw no one there and turned to go when Jian Guozhi came with Nianzu. Without beating around the bush, Sheng Li said, "I want to talk to you in private."
Jian nodded. "Follow me to my study room," Jian said and the two went away. Pulling the chair for themselves, they took their respective seats. "Does the Crown Prince want to have tea?" Jian humbly asked.
"No, thank you, Brother Jian," Sheng Li simply refused. "I will be straightforward. Why did Brother Jian save the Crown Princess yesterday? You did not only astonish me but also astonished your mother," Sheng Li pronounced.
Jian Guozhi gazed into the eyes of Sheng Li and ended up smiling. "I did what was right, Brother Sheng. Indeed, my mother was bewildered to see that but she praised me later for bringing the truth out," Jian Guozhi lied to Sheng Li which was not surprising for him. He knew that the First Prince would not easily tell him the truth.
"Brother Jian, yesterday you were different. You were never bothered with other people's affairs especially mine but yesterday Brother Jian suddenly took our stand. Is it because of Ying Lili?" Jian Guozhi raised his brow.
Sheng Li waited for Jian Guozhi's reply who after a few minutes answered, "Yes."
Sheng Li snickered when he heard Jian Guozhi. "A kind person like her cannot be harmed in any way. That's why I helped her," Jian Guozhi replied. "I wanted to tell you but before I could reach you, my mother summoned you two so I ended up coming there at the last moment," stated Jian Guozhi. Sheng Li read the eyes of the First Prince and left from there, without saying anything.
Jian Guozhi heaved a sigh. "I hope the Crown Princess will not tell anything to the Crown Prince. He might take my admiration for her in an opposite way," he murmured.
Sheng Li was going to his chamber when he was hit by a young woman. She immediately apologized to him. "Don't you have eyes?" Sheng Li shouted at her and walked past her when she said, "Your highness, I am the Princess of Xi province (imaginary name), Xi Jiao. It is my pleasure to see the Crown Prince."
"Did I ask your name?" Sheng Li bellowed at her and turned towards her. "No one is allowed in the Eastern Palace then, what are you doing here?" Sheng Li got suspicious.
"I got lost in the palace. I was supposed to …" Before she could complete her words, Sheng Li walked away.
"Her majesty was right. Getting close to the Crown Prince is going to be difficult," Xi Jiao murmured.