Sheng Li stopped as they were out of the forest. "Wang Hao, where are the shoes which only maids wear?" Sheng Li queried.

General Wang had a cloth bag in his hand and took out the shoes. Putting them on the ground, in front of Ying Lili's feet, Wang Hao said, "Your highness, please wear them." Ying Lili removed her one shoe when she saw Sheng Li had bent on his knee.

"Place your hand on my shoulder," Sheng Li told Ying Lili who stared at him. "Don't stare at me," Sheng Li said, annoyed. Ying Lili quickly placed her hand on Sheng Li's shoulder. Sheng Li tilted his head when Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan both turned their backs towards them.

Sheng Li moved up Ying Lili's skirt when Ying Lili scolded him. "What are you doing?" Sheng Li clasped Ying Lili's foot and put that inside the other shoe.

"Can't you stay quiet?" Sheng Li snapped at her. Ying Lili turned quiet as Sheng Li made her wear the shoes. "Don't be scared. I will do my work quickly and be around you," Sheng Li told Ying Lili as he stood up.

"Do something with your eyes," Sheng Li told Ying Lili.

"What do you mean?" Ying Lili questioned.

"Your eyes differ from the other women. He might catch you. So, do not make eye contact with him. You are going there as a tea maker. Xiao Zhan has taken care of that maidservant who serves tea to Zhang Yong at midnight, so do not get worried. Make him drink the tea first and mix this powder in his tea," Sheng Li proclaimed as he handed a folded paper inside which white powder was put. "He will be unconscious as soon as he drinks the tea," Sheng Li continued. Ying Lili gave him a nod.

The Crown Prince turned to Wang Hao and asked him what side would be safe to go. Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan turned to face the Crown Prince. "South-West side, your highness. Since it is closer to the forest, security isn't deployed there," Wang Hao replied.

Sheng Li nodded and took out a black cotton fabric from inside his sleeves. He covered his face using that fabric. Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan did the same.

With quiet steps, they walked to the South-West Region of the residence. Once they reached there, Wang Hao stepped forward and negotiated the wall. "Your highness, everything is fine here," Wang Hao informed the Crown Prince from the other side.

Sheng Li bent on his knees and told Ying Lili to get onto his back. Ying Lili at first hesitated, but when Sheng Li glared at her, she quickly climbed on his back. The Crown Princess climbed up the wall while from the other side Wang Hao helped her in getting down without getting injured.

After her, Sheng Li and Xiao Zhan jumped across the wall. Sheng Li placed both of his hands on the shoulders of Ying Lili and said, "Nothing will happen. You can do this." Sheng Li gave a confident smile to Ying Lili who smiled back.

General Wang came forward and told the Crown Princess to follow him. Ying Lili looked at Sheng Li and then turned away. She followed General Wang as Sheng Li watched her going away. "I am worried now," Sheng Li murmured as Ying Lili left his sight.

"Your highness, let's complete our work first," Xiao Zhan spoke. Sheng Li nodded, and the two turned to the other side.

Wang Hao and Ying Lili reached the center of the Residence, which was fully guarded by the soldiers. They were both hiding at the backside of the Manor entrance. "Your highness, you have only thirty minutes so, make sure to do your work as quickly as possible. One maid, who works the midnight shift, will not be there today. You will replace her tonight. After five minutes, the maids will go inside so, mingle among them," Wang Hao explained to Ying Lili who was keenly listening to him.

"Do you have any idea what is inside there?" Ying Lili asked.

General Wang refused. "No one knows. Whatever you will find, just bring it with you, cautiously. The other things her highness knows better," Wang Hao whispered. Ying Lili nodded and kept her gaze towards the stairs. After five minutes, chains of maids came there. Two soldiers were checking the maids' identities. Wang Hao handed the fake identity, which was a tiny wooden stick, three centimeters in length and four centimeters in width. A name was engraved on it with a seal of the Prime Minister's residence. He gave it to Ying Lili and told her to go ahead.

Ying Lili walked ahead and without coming to the notice of anyone there, stood last in the line. As her turn came, she was asked to show her ID. She did so when one soldier asked her to show her face.

"Forgive me, master. I cannot show you my ugly face. I have a few pimples near my mouth. The physician has told me to cover my face as it can spread to others as well," Ying Lili made up a story as Sheng Li had told her.

"Okay, okay. You can go," the soldier replied as he handed her the ID card. Ying Lili bowed her head and followed the other maidservants. Once she ascended the stairs,

she felt relieved. She walked inside the huge wooden door and kept following the maids when they were stopped. "Where is Ah-Lin?" the chief Eunuch asked as he looked around.

Ying Lili stepped toward him and bowed her head. "Master, I am here." Ying Lili bowed her head. Eunuch Cai got confused seeing Ah-Lin.

"Why is your face covered? Remove that. And, what happened to your voice?" Eunuch Cai questioned.

"Master, I got an allergy and near my lips pimples have appeared. The physician has told me to cover my face as the dirt can worsen it and also it can spread to others if I will make it visible. Forgive me master for getting sick," Ying Lili, in the best of her capabilities acted.

"It will not spread when you serve the tea to the Prime Minister, right?" Eunuch Cai asked.

"No, it will not, master. Shall I serve the tea to my master then?" Ying Lili queried softly. Eunuch Cai nodded and told her to follow him. As they stopped right in front of the sliding door of the chamber, Eunuch Cai said, "Milord is not in a good mood, so do not ruin it. Make the tea special so that Milord can get a night of good sleep," Eunuch Cai instructed her.

Ying Lili nodded, and the eunuch opened the door for Ying Lili. She walked in and the doors were closed. She walked further with graceful steps and saw that the Prime Minister was seated around a table with his head tilted back on a wooden chair.

Ying Lili bowed her head in front of him and looked at the table. The ingredients for the tea were already put there. She started making the tea.

"Make the tea strong," Ying Lili heard him as he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What happened to your face?" Wei Zhang Yong asked when Eunuch Cai who had just entered replied, "Milord, she has got pimples near her lips." Ying Lili was getting nervous, but she did not let it show on her face.

"Milord, a message has come from the Southern Province. The situation is getting complex there," Eunuch Cai asserted as he put the scroll on the table.

"Hmm… you may leave," Zhang Yong told Eunuch Cai. Ying Lili was stirring the lukewarm water inside the porcelain kettle. Once she was done, she put a pinch of dried rose petals powder in the chrysanthemum tea. She glanced at the Prime Minister who was busy reading the scroll when she, without getting noticed, put the powder inside the tea which Sheng Li had given her.

"My lord, your tea is ready," Ying Lili softly said, changing her voice a bit as she forwarded the porcelain cup towards the Prime Minister. Zhang Yong had knitted his brows as he was reading the scroll. Without looking at Ying Lili, he grabbed the teacup and started sipping it.

Ying Lili stepped behind with a lowered head and waited for him to get unconscious. The Prime Minister lifted his eyes as his vision blurred. He found that he could not speak, and he fell unconscious. His head banged against the table and the teacup almost fell on the floor but Ying Lili caught it.

Putting the cup on the table, the Crown Princess glanced around and checked for the secret chamber there. She put away the curtains which were hanging to the left of the bed and walked ahead.

She found that the Prime Minister had constructed a mini library, but there was no secret room she could find till now. Checking every corner of the chamber, the Crown Princess got worried because now she had less than fifteen minutes to find the secret room and the secret hidden inside that room.

~~~~~

Hello Dear Readers!

Sorry for this late update. I was sick since the morning so I could not upload the chapter. This chapter was written yesterday. I will not upload for 2-3 days because I am still feeling weak. Hope you will understand.

THANK YOU

HAPPY READING