Lianxin lifted the curtain. "Miss Duoduo, the Princess Consort requests you to enter."
Duoduo looked at Lüdou, who scrambled up quickly, took Duoduo's hand, and led her inside.
Once inside the room, Lüdou knelt down.
"Your humble maid pays respects to Your Ladyship!"
Duoduo also prepared to kneel, but Princess Consort Pingyang signaled for Lianxin to help her up.
"Lüdou, what did you mean by what you said outside?"
Lüdou kowtowed once to Princess Consort Pingyang.
"Replying to the Princess Consort, my young mistress is not a jinx. Those are all baseless rumors spread by others."
"When the Madam gave birth to the young mistress, the Madam's own mother was already bedridden with illness. The physician had long said she did not have much time left."
"After the Madam gave birth to the young mistress, her mother was still alive."
"It was only after the young mistress's third-day bathing ceremony that the Madam's mother passed away."
"And then there was the Old Madam. At that time, the Madam had given birth to rare twins, and a revered monk even came to the house to share in the joy. The Old Madam was overjoyed and accidentally took a fall."
"Later, no one knows exactly when it started, but rumors began that the child the Madam bore was a harbinger of misfortune."
"Originally, the Old Madam did not believe it. But once, when she came to see the two young misses, she fell again."
"After that, the rumor spread that the young mistress was a jinx."
After listening, the Princess Consort felt deeply sympathetic and sighed.
"Both children were born on the same day. How did the name 'jinx' fall upon Duoduo?"
"Because when the celestial omen appeared, the Eldest Young Miss was born first. With the revered monk's fortune-telling, everyone assumed the lucky star must be the Eldest Young Miss."
"Furthermore, the Eldest Young Miss would smile as soon as she saw the Old Madam, unlike the young mistress..."
Lüdou stopped speaking.
No wonder. One who is naturally likable and born under a celestial omen would naturally be doted on.
"Your Ladyship, this servant has been with the young mistress for four years and haven't even suffered from a cold or cough."
"If the young mistress were truly a jinx, this servant would have turned to dust long ago."
"Your Ladyship, the young mistress has been disliked by the Madam and the Old Madam since childhood. It's rare to encounter good people like the Prince and Princess Consort."
"Please, Your Ladyship, let the young mistress stay. This servant will take care of the young mistress and serve you loyally all our lives to repay your kindness."
After finishing, Lüdou kowtowed three times to Princess Consort Pingyang with a bang bang bang.
Princess Consort Pingyang did not speak. She looked at Duoduo, who stood beside Lüdou, her lips pressed tightly together.
"Duoduo was brought back by the Prince. As long as the Prince does not say otherwise, no one dares to drive you away."
"However, the Prince's mansion does not support idlers, nor will it harbor those with divided loyalties!"
"I can let you stay, but you must be loyal to the Prince. If you have any other ideas, don't blame me for being merciless later!"
"Yes! This servant understands. Thank you for your mercy in taking us in, Princess Consort!"
A smile appeared on Lüdou's face as she kowtowed three more times to Princess Consort Pingyang.
"Lianxin, first arrange for Lüdou to work as a junior maid."
"As for Duoduo, she shall temporarily stay with Lüdou."
Princess Consort Pingyang did not dare to keep Duoduo by her side again. Although Lüdou said the jinx talk was a rumor,
the fact that the Prince had been injured twice because of Duoduo was something she had witnessed with her own eyes.
Moreover, she had also noticed that Duoduo was very afraid in front of Prince Pingyang.
She felt great sympathy for this child's experiences.
Perhaps this arrangement was best for both Duoduo and the Prince.
Duoduo knelt down and kowtowed to the Princess Consort. "Thank you, Princess Consort!"
"Good child, get up quickly."
Prince Pingyang had originally proposed adopting Duoduo as a goddaughter. However, Princess Consort Pingyang heard from Lingfeng that the memorial the Prince submitted to the Emperor requesting the title had gotten wet after falling into water.
The Prince did not submit another memorial, clearly having changed his mind.
Furthermore, just earlier, Prince Pingyang had sent Lingfeng to invite Nanny Li back.
Princess Consort Pingyang guessed that Nanny Li was most likely invited back by the Prince to instruct Duoduo.
Nanny Li was Prince Pingyang's wet nurse. After reaching a certain age, she requested to retire and went back to her hometown to enjoy her later years.
That Nanny Li was an old nanny from the palace, quite skilled in training people.
"Lianxin, have someone tidy up the Bamboo Pavilion. Arrange it simply and elegantly."
"Lingfeng has gone to fetch Nanny Li. She should return tomorrow."
"Once Nanny Li arrives, find a way to have all the mansion's servants take turns receiving her guidance and training."
Lianxin's expression immediately brightened.
"Is Nanny Li coming back? That's wonderful! If Nanny Zhao were here too, it would be just like before."
Nanny Zhao was Princess Consort Pingyang's wet nurse. She had already passed away due to illness.
She and Nanny Li got along very well. Back in the capital, the two nannies had assisted the Princess Consort a great deal.
Nanny Zhao's passing and Nanny Li's retirement had left Lianxin and Baihe feeling quite unaccustomed for a long time.
With the two nannies overseeing things, the senior maids like them only needed to focus on serving the Princess Consort well.
But once the two nannies left, they suddenly found their burdens much heavier.
Princess Consort Pingyang originally had four senior maids. As two were already of age, before returning to Xianyang, the Princess Consort had allowed them to marry.
Lianxin and Baihe were still young, and Princess Consort Pingyang intended to keep them for a few more years.
Regarding the two maids who had married earlier, Princess Consort Pingyang had initially intended to elevate them to concubines, but Prince Pingyang firmly refused.
In the end, Princess Consort Pingyang prepared generous dowries for them and released them from the mansion, thus fulfilling the bond between master and servant.
As soon as Lianxin finished speaking, she immediately realized she had said the wrong thing.
A faint mist had already risen in Princess Consort Pingyang's eyes.
Lianxin raised her hand and slapped her own face.
"Please punish me, Princess Consort. This servant spoke carelessly."
Lianxin knelt down.
Princess Consort Pingyang picked up a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes.
"Baihe, help her up."
"What punishment? I just got some dust in my eyes. Don't think too much of it."
"By the way, I'd like to rest for a while. All of you may leave now."
Princess Consort Pingyang said as she stood up and walked towards the inner chamber.
Baihe stepped forward to help Lianxin up. "You, as soon as you heard Nanny Li was returning, you got so excited you stopped thinking before speaking."
"Watch out, if Nanny Li finds out you upset Her Ladyship, she'll skin you alive!"
Lianxin wore a nostalgic expression.
"Don't say that, but I actually do miss the times when Nanny Li used to punish us."
Baihe rolled her eyes. "You might enjoy being mistreated, but I don't."
"Alright now, Her Ladyship is feeling unwell. Let's all go out and not disturb her."
"Didn't Her Ladyship also ask you to arrange for someone to clean the Bamboo Pavilion?"
Lüdou got up from the ground, happily took Duoduo's hand, and walked out.
"Sister Lianxin, Miss Duoduo and I will go clean. We will definitely do a good job."
Baihe looked at the well-behaved Duoduo with a complicated expression.
"Lüdou, you need to change how you address her now. You can no longer call Duoduo 'young mistress.' Otherwise, if Nanny Li hears it, she'll punish you first!"
Lüdou quickly nodded. "Yes, Sister Baihe is right. I'll change it."
Duoduo looked up curiously. "Sister Baihe, is Nanny Li very strict?"
