Duoduo hugged the Princess Consort of Pingyang and muttered softly.
"This is my first time being a child too. Please forgive me for the things I did not do well, Mother!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang held Duoduo close, her eyes curving into a warm smile.
"It is alright. We will both learn how to be good to each other and gently correct one another."
Duoduo looked up, her eyes sparkling.
"Okay!"
With the storm passed, the hearts of the mother and daughter grew even closer.
"Grumble, grumble!"
A loud rumbling sound echoed in the quiet room.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked down at Duoduo in her arms.
It was long past mealtime; Duoduo was surely hungry.
Duoduo's small face turned bright red. "Mother, I am hungry!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled. "Hungry? Then let us go eat!"
At that moment, Lianxin and Baihe, who had heard the commotion from outside, knocked and entered.
"Baihe, have someone set the table for a meal."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang helped straighten Duoduo's clothes, and Lianxin hurried over to assist.
"Your Highness, at noon, the Prince sent Lingfeng over to say that he was dining with Master Li, so this servant did not wake you."
Duoduo hopped down to the floor. "What about Sister?"
Lianxin gently tugged at the corner of Duoduo's clothes.
"Miss Li is with Master Li. There is no need for you to worry, Princess."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang walked over to the bronze mirror. Sure enough, she saw that her eyes were a bit red and swollen.
"Lianxin, go fetch two iced spoons."
"Yes, this servant will go at once."
Duoduo also leaned close to the mirror and peeked inside.
"Mother, what do we need spoons for? Are they for eating?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang tapped Duoduo's puffy eyelids. "Look at your eyes. They look just like a goldfish."
Embarrassed, Duoduo covered her eyes with her hands.
"Do not look, Mother! It is not pretty!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang laughed.
"Now you know it is not pretty? You cried so hard just now, you scared your mother to death!"
Duoduo lowered her hands and snuggled her little body into the Princess Consort of Pingyang's embrace.
"It is all because Duoduo was not being good and made Mother worry!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang rubbed her face against Duoduo's cheek.
"A child does not need to be perfectly good all the time."
"When Mother was little, I used to be quite mischievous too."
Duoduo's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
Just then, Lianxin walked in holding two spoons.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang took them and handed one to Duoduo.
"Come, do exactly as Mother does."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang placed the spoon over her own eye.
Seeing this, Duoduo instantly understood.
The mother and daughter giggled as they held the spoons against their swollen eyelids.
Lianxin went to the side to tidy up the bedding.
A moment later, Baihe walked in.
"Your Highness, the meal is ready."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang put down the spoon. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her eyes looked much better.
Duoduo leaned over as well.
"Mother, let me see too!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang put her arm around her. "Come here, let Mother take a look."
"Mhm, the big goldfish has turned into a little goldfish!"
Feeling a bit shy, Duoduo patted her own stomach.
"Mother, my tummy is hungry!"
Smiling, the Princess Consort of Pingyang lifted Duoduo down from the chair.
"Let us go. Let us go fill our stomachs."
"Okay!"
Holding the Princess Consort of Pingyang's hand, Duoduo skipped and bounded toward the next room.
Lianxin and Baihe followed behind. The two maids felt that the bond between the Princess Consort and the young Princess had grown even more intimate.
They exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile.
Since it was well past mealtime, both the Princess Consort of Pingyang and Duoduo were starving.
They ate nearly everything on the table before finally putting down their chopsticks.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt a bit too full and could not help but chuckle.
Duoduo was very curious. "Mother, what are you laughing at?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled.
"Mother just remembered that the last time I went hungry for so long was when I was throwing a tantrum at your grandmother."
Duoduo tilted her head.
"Mother, why did you throw a tantrum at grandmother and refuse to eat?"
Recalling the past, the smile on the Princess Consort of Pingyang's face faltered slightly.
"Well, Mother was very young at the time and thought that doing so would earn my parents' approval."
Duoduo did not quite understand, but she noticed the disappointment on the Princess Consort of Pingyang's face.
"Mother, Father said that a person must first have a sense of self before anything else."
"When you become strong, everything will tilt in your favor."
"Whatever you want will become as easy as turning over your hand."
In truth, Duoduo did not fully grasp the meaning behind the Prince of Pingyang's words.
However, she had memorized every single word the Prince of Pingyang had said.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang caressed Duoduo's cheek.
"The Prince is a good father!"
Duoduo rested her face in the Princess Consort of Pingyang's palm, nuzzling it like a little kitten.
"And Mother is a good mother!"
"Mother, when I become strong, I will get you whatever you want!"
The sense of loss in the Princess Consort of Pingyang's heart was instantly soothed by Duoduo.
"Then Mother must become strong too. Whatever Duoduo wants, Mother will get it for you as well!"
The mother and daughter looked at each other and laughed joyfully.
"Mother, why do you not learn martial arts with me?"
Duoduo did not know why, but this idea had suddenly popped into her head.
She sat up straight, trying to persuade the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Mother, practicing martial arts can strengthen your body and keep you healthy, and it is good for self-defense too!"
"If anyone dares to bully you in the future, you can slap them to death with a single strike!"
Duoduo waved her little hand in the air, sporting an adorably fierce expression.
Hearing this, the Princess Consort of Pingyang looked thoughtful.
She knew Duoduo meant well for her.
Moreover, she had noticed that Duoduo never spoke without reason.
It was true for the matter with the estate manager, and it was true for the matter with the housekeeper.
Now, there had to be a reason why Duoduo was suggesting she learn martial arts.
"Alright, but would it be too late for Mother to start learning now?"
Duoduo shook her head.
"Father said that as long as a person has the will, it is never too late!"
"Mother, let us go tell Father and have Lingfeng arrange a set of fist techniques suitable for you!"
Duoduo was a child of action. She grabbed the Princess Consort of Pingyang and pulled her toward the outer courtyard.
Unable to resist, the Princess Consort of Pingyang followed Duoduo out.
The two entered the study. The Prince of Pingyang put down the book in his hand and observed them.
The Prince of Pingyang had caught wind of the commotion in the back courtyard earlier today.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang held Duoduo's hand and curtsied to the Prince of Pingyang.
"Rise. You mother and daughter have rushed over in such a hurry, is there something the matter?"
Duoduo answered first, "Father, Mother wants to learn martial arts with me!"
"Could you have Lingfeng find a suitable set of fist techniques for Mother and teach her?"
The Prince of Pingyang was somewhat surprised by Duoduo's words.
He looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang. "Pingting, practicing martial arts is very arduous. Your body might not be able to endure it."
Since the Princess Consort of Pingyang had promised Duoduo, she would not go back on her word.
"Your Highness, it is precisely because my health is poor that I wish to practice martial arts. Does it not strengthen the body and promote good health?"
The Prince of Pingyang pondered for a moment.
"Pingting, come to the study tomorrow at the Hour of Mao. I will teach you myself!"
