Lüdou looked at Li Da's wife. "Master, can you help me find a pig-slaughtering knife?"
Li Da's wife sat down and carefully observed Lüdou.
She saw that Lüdou looked haggard, with red-rimmed eyes and deep dark circles underneath.
It was obvious she hadn't been sleeping well.
Li Da's wife grabbed Lüdou's hands.
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Or is something wrong with your body?"
Lüdou shook her head.
"Master, I'm already fine. You don't need to worry."
Li Da's wife breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Lüdou's symptoms weren't too severe.
"How about this: I'll go see the steward tomorrow and tell him I want to leave the estate to look for other meat vendors."
"Then, I'll go see if anyone is willing to sell me their pig-slaughtering knife."
"Don't worry. As long as someone is willing to sell, no matter how much silver it costs, Master will buy it for you."
Lüdou looked full of gratitude.
"Thank you, Master."
After speaking, Lüdou reached under her pillow. After feeling around for a while, she finally pulled out a small cloth bundle.
"Master, all my money is in here."
"If it's not enough, please cover the rest for me first. I'll pay you back when I get my monthly allowance later."
As she spoke, Lüdou showed an embarrassed expression on her face.
When others took on a master, they had to give an apprenticeship gift and provide clothes, shoes, and socks for their master.
But she had given her master nothing except an embroidered purse.
Yet, Li Da's wife hadn't minded at all and had still passed all her recipes on to her.
Now, her master not only had to run errands for her but also advance money for her...
Lüdou lowered her head.
"Master, don't worry. When I have money, I will pay you back double!"
Li Da's wife raised her hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Lüdou's ear.
"Silly girl, what nonsense are you saying!"
"I am your master. Do you think I'd covet your little bit of money?"
"As long as you are alright, that is better than anything else, understand?"
"Alright, hurry up and eat. It'll get cold soon, and eating cold food is bad for your stomach."
"After you're full, get some good rest. You're so young, yet you overthink things more than an old woman!"
Although Li Da's wife sounded like she was scolding her, her words were full of care.
Lüdou raised her head, her eyes red.
"Mhm, I'll listen to you, Master."
Lüdou picked up her bowl and began to eat in large bites.
After eating, Duoduo couldn't sit still.
She was worried about Lüdou and wanted to go see her.
However, the Princess Consort of Pingyang urged her to go to sleep.
"You've been tired all day, hurry up and go to sleep!"
"The tutor your father hired has already settled in."
"Starting tomorrow, you'll be studying with the tutor, so you absolutely cannot wake up late!"
Duoduo picked at her palms.
"Mother, I want to go see Lüdou."
Duoduo had originally planned to sneak over, but she was worried that the Princess Consort would be angry if she found out.
So, she simply confessed it openly.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was a little surprised.
"Didn't you already go see her when you got back?"
Duoduo picked at her palms again.
"Lüdou is sick. I want to go see her again to see if she's feeling a bit better."
The Princess Consort looked at the anxious Duoduo and patted her head.
She understood that the bond between Duoduo and Lüdou was extraordinary.
The two had depended on each other for survival for four years; this relationship was probably even closer than the one Duoduo had with her own sister.
As for that Lüdou, she had had people observe her.
She was an honest and dutiful child, and very smart too.
Even someone like Li Da's wife, who did not praise others easily, was full of praise for Lüdou.
The Princess Consort planned to wait until Duoduo grew a little older and Lüdou had been trained sufficiently.
When the time came, she would transfer Lüdou back to serve by Duoduo's side.
For a master, having a loyal servant was rarer and more valuable than real gold and silver.
The words Lüdou had spoken to Duoduo had long since reached the Princess Consort's ears.
A maid who genuinely cared for Duoduo and treated her like family was someone she naturally hoped could stay by Duoduo's side.
"Go if you want to!"
Surprise and joy burst into Duoduo's eyes.
"Mother, really? I can go?"
The Princess Consort smiled.
"As long as you feel it is the right thing to do, go do it."
"Mother will always support you, don't worry."
"By the way, do you need Mother to have someone fetch a doctor to take a look at her?"
Duoduo hugged the Princess Consort's thigh affectionately.
"Mother, Li Da's wife already called for a doctor this afternoon."
"The doctor said Lüdou is fine now and just needs some rest to fully recover."
"I'm just worried, so I want to go check on her."
The Princess Consort looked at the obedient Duoduo by her leg and waved her hand.
"Then hurry up and go. Come back early to rest."
Duoduo tilted her little head up and gave the Princess Consort a radiant smile.
"Then I'll go now, Mother. Mother, can I sleep with you tonight?"
The Princess Consort nodded, "Of course you can!"
Every time she slept holding Duoduo, the Princess Consort felt she slept especially soundly.
"Then wait for me, Mother, I'll be right back!"
After saying that, Duoduo ran off happily like a butterfly.
"The young princess is getting more and more lively now," Lianxin couldn't help but smile.
The Princess Consort also smiled.
"This is how a child should be."
"Before, that child was too timid and pitiful," the Princess Consort recalled.
"It is all because Your Highnesses are kind-hearted. The young princess is blessed by you, which is why she lives happily and joyfully."
Baihe chimed in from the side.
The Princess Consort slowly shook her head.
"Baihe, what you said is wrong."
Baihe was startled and hurriedly knelt down.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness. It is all this servant's fault."
"Get up. I didn't even scold you, why are you kneeling?"
The Princess Consort sat down in front of the dressing table and began removing the jewelry from her head.
Lianxin hurried forward to help.
The Princess Consort looked at herself in the mirror.
Her eyes and the corners of her mouth were full of smiles, and her complexion was rosier than before.
Most importantly, there was a bright light in her eyes.
Noticing the Princess Consort's expression, Lianxin said with a smile.
"Your Highness, your complexion is getting better and better."
"Your face is rosy enough without even applying rouge."
The Princess Consort touched her cheek.
"Right? Do you feel the same way too?"
Lianxin and Baihe both nodded.
Having always served the Princess Consort, they naturally knew their master's condition best.
"When do you think my complexion started getting better?"
Baihe and Lianxin looked at each other.
"It seems like it was before we went to the manor?"
"No, it was after the Prince gave Your Highness flowers!"
The Princess Consort looked at the withered peonies on the windowsill, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
"You are both wrong!"
"Actually, it started when Duoduo came to my side!"
"That's why I said earlier that Baihe was wrong."
"It is not that Duoduo is blessed by the Prince and me, but rather, we are blessed that Duoduo came to the Prince and me."
