"Ah! I'm sorry!"
Duoduo was frightened, tears welling up in her eyes.
Lingfeng reacted quickly. He grabbed Prince Pingyang's sleeve and tore it forcefully, revealing the scalded, reddened arm.
Seeing this, Duoduo immediately knelt down.
Princess Pingyang hurried to fetch the burn ointment.
"You child, the floor is all wet, get up quickly!"
Duoduo was at a loss. Why was she always causing trouble?
It seemed the more she tried to do, the worse things became.
Duoduo hung her head in dismay, tears dropping one by one onto the floor.
Princess Pingyang brought the ointment and carefully applied it to Prince Pingyang's injured arm.
Prince Pingyang watched the kneeling Duoduo without a word, lost in thought.
"Lingfeng, go to Cat Ear Alley and bring Nanny Li back."
Lingfeng looked up in surprise, glancing at Prince Pingyang.
"How should this subordinate explain it to Nanny Li?"
Prince Pingyang touched the jade thumb ring on his hand. "Just say, this prince still requests the nanny's assistance for a few more days."
"Yes."
Lingfeng left. Princess Pingyang pulled Duoduo to her feet.
"You child, didn't I tell you to get up? Don't you know it hurts to kneel on the floor?"
"Look, your trousers are all wet. Go change your clothes quickly."
Duoduo looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's not your fault. You're still young. Those tasks shouldn't have been yours to do in the first place, right, Your Highness?"
Princess Pingyang asked her husband.
Prince Pingyang didn't respond, merely waving a hand at his wife.
Princess Pingyang led Duoduo out of the room. Duoduo's heart was filled with panic.
"Your Highness, where are we going?"
Princess Pingyang looked puzzled. "To change your clothes, of course."
"Although it's early spring now, the weather is still cold. Be careful not to catch a chill."
After taking a few steps, Duoduo couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
"Your Highness, please don't send Duoduo away! Duoduo will be more careful next time, I promise I won't knock over the teapot again."
Princess Pingyang turned back. "That was my mistake earlier. Knowing how young you are, I shouldn't have let you carry such a heavy teapot."
Princess Pingyang, in truth, wasn't entirely sure what her husband was thinking.
In her private thoughts, she still approved of Duoduo and the prince spending more time together.
No one is made of wood or stone; given enough time together, the prince was bound to grow fond of Duoduo.
However, since Duoduo entered the manor, Prince Pingyang had already had two accidents.
She didn't dare place Duoduo near the prince again.
After all, the entire Pingyang Manor relied on the prince.
Only if the prince was well could they all be well.
Lianxin and the others, waiting in the outer chamber, saw the princess emerge and hurried over.
"Your Highness."
"Lüdou, take Duoduo to change her clothes. Be careful she doesn't catch a chill."
Lüdou curtsied and led Duoduo away.
Lianxin and Baihe supported Princess Pingyang as she returned to her bedroom.
"Your Highness, while the steward was searching for Miss Duoduo today, he fished many fish from the pond."
"He said these fish were likely fry released earlier. They've grown too large now, and the pond isn't suitable for keeping so many."
"The steward wishes to ask, how should these fish be handled?"
The princess took a sip from her teacup.
"How many are there?"
"The steward says over a hundred catties."
"That many?" The princess was astonished.
Prince Pingyang's current residence had always been managed by the steward.
In the past, they were rarely here, staying mostly in the capital.
When they returned last year, Princess Pingyang was very pleased to see how well the steward had maintained everything.
"That's the weight after removing the smaller fish."
Princess Pingyang thought for a moment. "Have the steward keep a few for His Highness to nourish his health. Distribute the rest among the servants."
The servants of Pingyang Manor, apart from the hereditary servants brought from the capital, were all purchased later.
There weren't many, only about a hundred people.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Lianxin knelt and kowtowed.
The maids and matrons outside the room also heard the princess's words and happily knelt to kowtow.
"Alright, get up now. All this kneeling back and forth, don't your knees hurt?" Princess Pingyang laughed.
Lianxin rose happily from the floor, picked up a leg mallet, and began massaging the princess's legs.
"I often tell my mother that being able to serve you, Your Highness, is something I prayed for many years in a past life. That's why I can be by your side in this one."
Princess Pingyang was amused.
"Your little mouth! Did you sneak some almond honey today?"
Baihe lifted the curtain and entered the room. "Your Highness is most discerning. The almond honey you rewarded is almost all eaten by her alone."
Lianxin laughed. "Don't you dislike sweets? I helped you eat it. You should thank me."
Baihe stepped forward and pinched Lianxin's cheek.
"Hmm! Profoundly grateful. Eat more, keep your little mouth sweet, and keep Her Highness happy."
Lianxin rubbed the pinched spot. "Your Highness, Baihe is bullying me."
Princess Pingyang watched her two personal maids banter, feeling very happy inside.
These two maids were her dowry attendants, having grown up with her since childhood. Their bond was extraordinary.
Seeing Princess Pingyang in good spirits, Lianxin gave Baihe a meaningful look.
Baihe hesitated for a moment, then nodded at her.
"You two little minxes, what silent message are you passing now?" Princess Pingyang teased with a smile.
Lianxin put away the leg mallet. "Your Highness, Granny Zhao, who went out for purchases today, heard some rumors concerning His Highness."
Princess Pingyang set down her teacup. "Tell me."
Today, Lingfeng had called so many physicians; it must have been the prince's arrangement.
Lianxin hesitated.
"Outside, they are saying Miss Duoduo is a jinx, that she will bring misfortune upon His Highness, costing him his life!"
"There's another rumor that Magistrate Song is a follower of the Second Prince, which is why he deliberately sent Miss Duoduo into the manor."
"Some are even saying the Pingyang Manor is about to fall!"
After speaking, both Lianxin and Baihe looked at the princess with concern.
"Is there more?" Princess Pingyang asked.
Lianxin shook her head. "Granny Zhao probably mentioned just these, saying these are the ones spreading most fiercely."
"Your Highness, today I noticed the servants in the manor are clearly much more lax in their duties."
Servants rely on their masters for their livelihood. If the master were to die, their future would become their greatest worry.
Men die for wealth, birds for food—it's only human nature.
"Baihe, go summon the steward," Princess Pingyang said after a moment's thought.
"Yes."
Baihe lifted the curtain and saw Lüdou holding Duoduo, who had changed her clothes, standing timidly in the courtyard.
Baihe gave Duoduo a hurried curtsy and left quickly.
She didn't know how much of their conversation Duoduo had overheard.
Lüdou gritted her teeth and knelt down outside the door.
"Your Highness, the young lady is not a jinx! Those rumors are all false!"
The princess inside was taken aback. "Lianxin, bring them in."
