Jian Guozhi went behind the Crown Princess, who was in the hallway, walking slowly, accompanied by Court Lady Xu. Jian Guozhi approached her and cleared his throat. Ying Lili tilted her head and looked at Jian Guozhi. 

"Can I trust the First Brother?" Ying Lili's first question was this. 

Jian Guozhi drew his brows together and nodded his head. Ying Lili started to walk while Jian Guozhi followed her up. He was curious to know what was going on in the head of the Crown Princess and why she acted this way. 

"Brother Sheng does not like to watch dances. It irritates him," Jian Guozhi stated, and a tiny smile appeared on his lips. "But, why did the Crown Princess ask if Brother Sheng had his dinner with us or not?" Jian Guozhi finally asked. 

"I thought someone might poison him," Ying Lili clarified. Jian Guozhi was not surprised to hear this answer. They had used such ways to kill Sheng Li earlier, so a wife's concern was legit at that moment. However, he felt as if the Crown Princess had yet to trust them fully. 

"Did the Crown Princess think we could poison the Crown Prince?" Jian Guozhi queried. 

"No." Ying Lili's immediate answer made Jian Guozhi happy but then what was the reason that he thought that way and rushed to the hall. "I do not trust the Second Brother," Ying Lili finally confessed and halted at her place.

"He apologized to Brother Sheng long ago," Jian Guozhi tried to make things easy. After such a long time, enmity had ended among them. 

"Brother Jian, will you help me?" Ying Lili asked for a favor. 

"The Crown Princess does not need to ask," Jian Guozhi gave his confirmation. 

"I want Brother Jian to keep a check on the Second Prince. Please inform me if you find anything," Ying Lili requested. Jian Guozhi hummed. He was confident now that something was going on with the Second Prince. Hopefully, he had not planned to harm Sheng Li else they would again get onto bad terms. 

"Sheng Li never shared everything with me related to his childhood. I only know a few things about his three elder brothers. The First Brother has repented on his mistakes, but I am not sure if the Second Brother has also done the same. It is difficult to trust a person, who broke every limit of inhumanity a long time ago," Ying Lili told Jian Guozhi, who understood what she tried to deliver to him. 

"Crown Princess, Second Brother remains quiet most of the time. It is difficult to find what is going on in his head. If such a doubt about the Second Prince's behavior has risen in the mind of the Crown Princess, then there might be some reasons. I will not ask you about those reasons. Give me some time. I will surely tell you about the Second Prince," Jian Guozhi reassured Ying Lili, who thanked him. 

"Brother Jian, do you know where Sheng Li went?" Ying Lili asked. 

"Brother Sheng said that he has important work to do," Jian Guozhi replied. He did not want to ruin the surprise that Sheng Li had prepared from Ying Lili. 

"I shall take my leave. I will wait for your answer, Brother Jian," Ying Lili stated and bowed. Jian Guozhi also bowed for her. Ying Lili tilted her head back and looked at Court Lady Xu. "Let's go," she said and walked past the First Prince. 

'Is the Second Brother plotting something? The Crown Princess never reacted this way,' Jian Guozhi thought and left for his chamber. 

~~~~ 

"Your Highness, why did you tell the First Prince? What if he is the same as the Second Prince?" Court Lady Xu expressed her concern. 

"The First Brother has changed. I have trust in Brother Jian. Also, Court Lady Xu, Brother Jian once was with the Second Prince and abused the Crown Prince," Ying Lili told Court Lady Xu, who understood her. 

They halted near the patio of the Zhenzhu Residence. "Court Lady Xu, I thought I succeeded in bringing the hearts of every brother together. I never knew that the kindness shown to someone might backfire. Prince Yongzheng is abusing his wife, and behind those walls planning many things that we do not know," Ying Lili frowned and looked up at the sky. 

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince will supervise all this. He has his spies with the help of whom he will protect everyone around him," Court Lady Xu stated. 

Ying Lili went silent. Court Lady Xu told her to go in, but Ying Lili refused. "I am waiting for Sheng Li. Where did he go? He should have come here. Does he not know I have not taken my dinner? He could have gone to the barracks tomorrow." Ying Lili complained.

"Your Highness, his highness does not like to watch dance and listen to music. The Crown Prince might have something urgent to look after," Court Lady Xu stated. 

"He always works, yet no one cares for that. Most people think he got the position because of the Emperor's favors. However, they fail to understand how much effort Sheng Li has put into protecting them. He never complained about the wounds he got. How could they treat him like this?" 

Ying Lili suddenly turned emotional. She was sad that the Princes had fun even in the absence of the Crown Prince. They did not force him to stay with them and let him go to the barracks. 

"Can't they even see that Sheng Li also needs rest? He does not speak, but it does not mean that--" She stopped speaking as she felt a robe around her and felt the familiar arms that had encircled around her belly. 

"Your Husband does not like to watch dance. Your husband does not like to eat without his wife beside him. That's why he left in the middle," Sheng Li whispered in Ying Lili's ear and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I do not need the care of others.. I only need your care and your affection," Sheng Li appended. 

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