Old Madam Song looked thoroughly displeased.
"Why bring up that jinx for no reason?"
Song Shuyu acted coquettishly, "Grandmother, just tell me. Your granddaughter is curious."
Madam Song curled her lips.
"I heard from your second uncle that the crippled prince bought her to be a servant."
A servant?
Thinking of what she had seen in her dreams, Song Shuyu found it somewhat hard to believe.
"And then what happened?"
"Then? What else is there?"
"I heard that as soon as she entered the estate, she caused that crippled prince to fall into the water and nearly die."
"Once the crippled prince dies, that whatever Princess Consort definitely won't let her off easily."
Old Madam Song's face darkened at the thought of having a jinx for a granddaughter.
Song Shuyu blinked.
"Grandmother, could Second Uncle's information be wrong?"
"I heard Prince Ling say that she is now a commandery princess, just like me?"
"And it was even decreed by the Emperor himself!"
The old madam looked at Song Shuyu with a face full of doubt.
"No way. She became a commandery princess? That crippled prince is willing to take a jinx as his daughter?"
"Grandmother, it's an imperial decree! Who would dare disobey!"
Old Madam Song nodded. That was true.
If the crippled prince wanted to keep his life, he would have to grit his teeth and swallow the bitter pill.
Old Madam Song patted Song Shuyu's hand.
"How can a commandery princess from a down-and-out prince's household even compare to you, a future imperial princess?"
"Why do you bring her up out of nowhere? Whenever I think about her having Song family blood running through her veins, I just want to strangle her."
Old Madam Song had actually entertained that thought before.
But every time she sent someone over, the person dispatched would either fall ill or meet with an accident.
Even Madam Song and Magistrate Song were no exception.
Old Madam Song was terrified.
She worried that the jinx's bad luck would transfer to her as well.
Even when Lüdou went to the kitchen to steal food, she had turned a blind eye.
She cherished her life and didn't dare scheme against Duoduo anymore.
Later, when they finally threw the jinx out, Old Madam Song was overjoyed for days.
No longer afraid of the jinx bringing her bad luck, Old Madam Song felt that even the air smelled sweet.
Yet now, her beloved granddaughter was bringing up the jinx again, making her feel very uncomfortable.
Song Shuyu had grown up by Old Madam Song's side, so she knew her grandmother's expressions intimately.
"Grandmother, I didn't mean to bring her up on purpose."
"It's my face. I dreamt that she hit me."
"When I woke up the next morning, I found my face was swollen."
"What?" Old Madam Song jumped in fright.
"She actually brought you bad luck even through a dream?"
"No, we cannot let her affect your fortune!"
Madam Song gripped her handkerchief, her mind racing for a solution.
"Grandmother heard there is a temple outside the city, and the abbot there is particularly skilled."
"Let's do this. Tomorrow, Grandmother will take you to see him to dispel this bad luck and cleanse you!"
Hearing her grandmother offer a solution, Song Shuyu felt much more at ease.
Although she had dreamt of Duoduo several times.
She didn't actually feel that Duoduo had brought her bad luck.
On the contrary, she felt that every time she dreamt of Duoduo, her luck would be exceptionally good.
But she would never say this out loud.
Since coming to Feng City, she hadn't stepped out of the prince's estate once.
The thought of being able to leave the estate, and even go outside the city, filled Song Shuyu's heart with anticipation.
"Grandmother, will the Princess Consort let me go out?"
Song Shuyu felt a bit anxious.
The rules in Prince Ling's estate were extremely strict.
Even though she was only four years old, she couldn't leave easily.
"Don't be afraid. That Princess Consort will definitely allow it just to show off her virtue."
"When the time comes, Grandmother will just say your illness is caused by evil spirits and we need to invite a master to exorcise them."
"If she doesn't allow it, it will just show that she doesn't wish you well."
"Alright now, take your medicine and get some sleep."
"You can only recover if you rest well."
"Mhm."
Song Shuyu obediently closed her eyes.
Before falling asleep, Song Shuyu was still wondering in her heart.
Would she dream of Duoduo again this time?
In the past, as long as she wanted to, she would definitely see her in her dreams.
But this time, she fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, there was only a vast expanse of white and nothing else.
Over at Prince Pingyang's estate, Duoduo stretched lazily and woke up.
"Lüzhu?"
"This servant is here."
Lüzhu walked in from outside carrying a washbasin.
"Is the Commandery Princess awake? Did you sleep well last night?"
Duoduo revealed a bright smile.
She hadn't had a single dream last night.
"Is the Master back today?" She missed Yingniang.
"Master Li? They arrived early this morning."
Lüzhu set down the basin and came over to help Duoduo dress.
Lüyi walked in. "Commandery Princess, this servant has brought back breakfast."
"Mhm, I'll be ready in a moment. You can set it up."
Duoduo quickly finished washing up, and then she had Lüzhu tie on her leg wrappings.
As she ate, she recalled the lessons Master Li had taught previously.
Having not studied for two days, she was worried she might have forgotten.
After finishing her meal, she ran off to the study.
Master Li and Yingniang were already doing their warm-up exercises.
"Commandery Princess, you just ate. Do some warm-ups first, and then practice the horse stance."
"Okay! Sister!"
Duoduo happily hopped over to Yingniang's side and followed her in warming up and getting ready.
"Sister, how is Aunt Xu?"
Yingniang was very excited today.
"Duoduo, my mother came too! She went to see the Princess Consort!"
"She said she will stay with us for the next few days."
Duoduo's eyes lit up.
"Really? Then we can all eat together at lunchtime!"
Yingniang nodded.
"Mhm! Mother said she'll come watch our class later to supervise and make sure we aren't slacking off."
After Yingniang finished speaking, she playfully stuck out her tongue.
"Alright, the incense has been lit. You two step to the side and get into your stances!"
Duoduo and Yingniang exchanged a glance, and both mischievously stuck out their tongues.
Seeing her close friend whom she hadn't seen in days, Princess Consort Pingyang gently waved at Xu Jinxin.
Xu Jinxin looked at the people in the room and remained standing at the door.
Princess Consort Pingyang looked at the butler and Nanny Ni on the floor.
"Nanny Ni, you said you caught a thief."
"Where is the thief? Could it be that the thief you mentioned is the butler?"
The butler on the floor had his mouth gagged. Hearing Princess Consort Pingyang's question, he kept making muffled sounds.
Nanny Ni kowtowed to Princess Consort Pingyang.
"To answer the Princess Consort, this servant had some matters at home yesterday and went back."
"However, this servant was worried about the newly cultivated flowers in the greenhouse."
"So, this servant returned last night."
"But right before dawn, this servant heard noises coming from the greenhouse."
"This servant was worried it was a thief, so this servant called for the rough-work maids."
"As a result, when this servant and the others entered the greenhouse, we saw the butler rummaging through things."
"Seeing that it was too late in the night, this servant did not disturb the Princess Consort."
Princess Consort Pingyang looked at the butler.
"Butler, why did you go to the greenhouse so late at night?"
The butler gestured while making muffled sounds.
"Someone, take the gag out of his mouth."
"Princess Consort, this lowly one has been wronged!"
