If Duoduo hadn't said anything, it would have been fine, but once she did, Lüluo couldn't suppress her curiosity.
When Lüdou handed her a somewhat heavy cloth bundle, Lüluo couldn't help but stare at it a few more times.
"Don't peek. This is very important to the Princess! It concerns her health," Lüdou warned Lüluo seriously.
Hearing this, Lüluo was instantly too scared to be curious anymore.
Duoduo and Lüluo ran to the flowerbed and picked many beautiful carmine flowers before returning to the courtyard of the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Mother! Mother! I'm back!"
"Mother, I brought good things back for you!"
As soon as she entered the courtyard, Duoduo couldn't wait to shout out.
Inside the room, the Princess Consort of Pingyang was talking with Lianxin.
"Have Nanny Ni find an excuse this afternoon to ask the housekeeper for a half-day leave, saying she will return tomorrow."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
"Have you found the people I asked you to find?"
"Yes, this servant has already arranged everything properly."
"Are they all capable? Don't let anything go wrong when the time comes. If we fail this time, it will be very hard to have another chance!"
"Rest assured, Your Highness. The ones this servant found are all burly old women who do heavy labor."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang nodded.
At this moment, she heard Duoduo's voice coming from outside.
"This child, I can hear her voice before she even steps through the door."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled.
"The Princess is lively and adorable, which is all thanks to your good upbringing, Your Highness," Lianxin said with a sweet smile, speaking words meant to please.
As they were speaking, Duoduo ran in.
"Mother!"
Duoduo threw herself into the arms of the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang saw fine beads of sweat breaking out on Duoduo's forehead.
She picked up a handkerchief to wipe Duoduo's sweat.
"What is it? You're in such a rush, look, you're all sweaty!"
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
"Mother, look!"
Duoduo stretched out her small hands towards the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Duoduo's hands were slender and long.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang immediately noticed Duoduo's red fingernails, which were very eye-catching against her fair and tender hands.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang instantly laughed.
"Did you dye your fingernails?"
She held Duoduo's hands and examined them from side to side.
"Mhm, not bad, it looks quite pretty."
Duoduo's eyes sparkled.
"Mother, you think it looks pretty too, right?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang nodded with a smile.
"Yes, Mother thinks it looks pretty too."
Duoduo turned her head and waved at Lüluo by the door.
"Lüluo, hurry! Bring them all over!"
Lüluo walked over and curtsied to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Then, she placed the carmine flowers wrapped in a handkerchief onto the table next to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Oh, so many carmine flowers?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was a bit surprised when she saw the flowers on the handkerchief.
"This year's carmine flowers are blooming so well, they smell so good!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang picked up a carmine flower and sniffed it gently.
"Mother, I picked these especially for you!"
Duoduo looked excited.
"Mother, you should dye your fingernails too, it'll look pretty!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was momentarily stunned, while Lianxin beside her grew interested.
"Your Highness, the Princess is right!"
"You haven't dyed your fingernails in years, you can't let down the Princess's good intentions!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at the enthusiastic maid, and then at Duoduo's expectant face.
She also became interested.
"Alright, our Duoduo worked hard to pick them!"
"Lianxin, go fetch the tools. Today, the task of dyeing my fingernails is left to you!"
"Yes! Your Highness, this servant will prepare it right away."
Lianxin happily went to prepare the tools.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang rolled up her sleeves to make the process easier later.
"Mother, you will become so beautiful. When Father comes back, he will look at you with new eyes!"
Duoduo said casually as she sorted through the flowers.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang blushed and gently pinched Duoduo's cheek.
"How old are you to know about looking with new eyes?"
Duoduo blinked her big eyes.
"Mother, I'm not a little child anymore!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was amused.
"How are you not a little child? You're only four years old!"
Duoduo frowned.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang noticed that the way Duoduo frowned was exactly the same as the Prince.
Seeing it made her feel a little uneasy in her heart.
"Mother, I'm just small in size, but I know a lot of principles!"
"You can't think I'm little just because I look small!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang stroked Duoduo's cheek.
"Mother spoke wrongly, Mother apologizes to you, I'm sorry."
Duoduo flashed a bright smile at the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Father says, To know your mistakes and correct them is the greatest good. I forgive you."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt very helpless.
The current Duoduo was being taught by the Prince to act so old-fashioned.
The innocent and romantic Duoduo was much more fun.
Hearing that they were going to dye the Princess Consort of Pingyang's fingernails, Baihe also came in with them.
"Lianxin, I picked all of these out!"
Duoduo pointed at a small pile of carmine flowers on the table.
"Alright, this servant will pound these first."
Lianxin placed the carmine flowers Duoduo had selected into a medicine mortar, then gently crushed them with a pestle.
Baihe wrapped the crushed carmine flowers onto the Princess Consort of Pingyang's fingernails using cloth strips.
One pounded, the other wrapped.
Soon, all ten of the Princess Consort of Pingyang's fingers were wrapped up.
"Mother, you need to wait a little bit!"
"Soon they'll be just as pretty as mine!"
Duoduo comforted the Princess Consort of Pingyang like a little adult.
"Alright, Mother will listen to you," the Princess Consort of Pingyang replied good-naturedly.
Lianxin and Baihe smiled as they cleaned up the table.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang asked Duoduo.
"Just now, I heard from the servants that someone wanted to cause trouble in the kitchen?"
Duoduo shook her head.
"It wasn't causing trouble." Duoduo thought for a moment.
"Mhm, Mother, I've already handled it, you don't need to worry!"
An old maid had already come over to report what had just happened in the main kitchen to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang naturally knew the subsequent situation.
"By the way, Duoduo, Mother has something to tell you."
Duoduo looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang curiously.
"The matter regarding Nanny Li's son has been settled."
"Nanny Li might come back early. When that happens, you'll have to add half an hour of etiquette lessons every day."
Duoduo tilted her head and thought about it.
"Mhm, I can go learn for half an hour after dinner."
Duoduo's recent schedule was very full, and the only free time she had left was after dinner.
"Nanny Li will mainly teach you palace rules and etiquette. In the palace, any misstep could lead to punishment."
"Oh, and when the time comes, Nanny Li will also strictly train the maids by your side."
Duoduo nodded, "Okay."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang paused.
"There's one more thing. You are still missing one senior maid by your side."
"Mother's intention is to transfer Lüdou back to your side to be your senior maid."
"Duoduo, what do you think?"
Duoduo jumped up happily.
"Mother, of course I'm willing!"
But then, Duoduo immediately drooped her little head.
"No!"
