Four years ago, on the very day Madam Song gave birth to a daughter, all the flowers in Xianyang bloomed, and above the Song residence, the morning clouds filled the sky with hundreds of birds singing in chorus.
A passing eminent monk specially entered the residence to share in the joy, saying Magistrate Song's daughter was a blessed star descended from heaven, destined for great fortune!
That same year, Magistrate Song's eldest son passed the child scholar examination.
The following year, floods and droughts plagued everywhere, yet Xianyang and its surrounding areas alone enjoyed favorable weather.
In the third year, due to the achievements of the previous year, Magistrate Song received rewards from the emperor and was promoted one rank above his ninth-grade petty official post.
Everyone in Xianyang city knew Magistrate Song had a daughter of immense good fortune.
Hearing this, Duoduo looked fearfully at her father, only to see him glare at her.
"Your Highness, my wife gave birth to twins back then. This is one of them."
Prince Pingyang glanced casually at Magistrate Song, twisting the thumb ring on his finger.
"Oh? So you have another daughter?"
Magistrate Song wiped away sweat. "Your Highness, that is correct."
"Please wait a moment, Your Highness. This official will have my wife bring the other child at once."
Prince Pingyang raised his hand. "No need!"
"What is your name?"
Prince Pingyang examined Duoduo, swiftly spinning the jade thumb ring on his finger.
Duoduo answered timidly, "Me called Duoduo."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a chill run down her spine, a creeping sensation that made her shudder.
Beside her, Magistrate Song wiped sweat from his brow.
"The eminent monk once read the fortunes of the two sisters. He said the second-born's fate would be fraught with adversity and it was best to raise her humbly. Thus, she was only given the pet name Duoduo."
"Oh? Yet, how is it that this prince heard the second child's birth coincided with the death of Magistrate Song's mother-in-law? And even your own mother took ill and was confined to bed?"
"There are rumors among the common folk that one sister is a lucky star, the other a calamity star?"
"Magistrate Song, by deliberately presenting a calamity star to this prince, do you intend to curse me?"
"Do not forget, Xianyang is this prince's domain!"
Prince Pingyang's tone carried a murderous intent.
Magistrate Song was terrified, falling to his knees with a "thump."
"Your Highness, please see clearly! This official would never dare harbor such thoughts!"
Prince Pingyang spun his jade thumb ring, remaining silent for a long while.
"Little girl, who sent you here?" Prince Pingyang stared at Duoduo.
Duoduo lifted her head and saw Prince Pingyang in the wheelchair, his eyes sharp like an eagle in the sky.
She felt like prey spotted by that eagle and fearfully lowered her head.
Old Maid Li nearby hastily kowtowed. "Your Highness, it was the Second Young Miss herself who wanted to come."
Seeing Duoduo silent, Old Maid Li pinched her hard. "Hurry up and tell His Highness, did you come yourself?"
The pain made Duoduo tremble, and she heard a cold voice from above.
"What use is keeping such a wicked servant? Lingfeng!"
Duoduo saw a pair of feet walk before her.
"Ah!"
A scream, and Old Maid Li, kneeling beside Duoduo, fell into a pool of blood.
The guard called Lingfeng wiped the blood from his sword and returned to stand behind Prince Pingyang.
Duoduo clamped her hand tightly over her mouth, stifling any scream.
Magistrate Song trembled all over, kowtowing incessantly. "Spare me, Your Highness! Spare me!"
He understood this was Prince Pingyang's warning to him!
Prince Pingyang remained silent. Sweat on Magistrate Song's forehead dripped down like rain.
In mere moments, the patch of ground before him was damp.
"You don't? If you lack such intent, why was she the one sent over?" After a long while, Prince Pingyang finally spoke.
His tone was calm and even.
Magistrate Song hurriedly explained.
"I beg Your Highness for forgiveness! It must have been entirely my wife's idea. This official knew nothing of it!"
"To govern a state, one must first regulate the family. Since that is the case, Magistrate Song, attend to your household affairs first. Lingfeng!"
Magistrate Song lay prostrate on the ground, trembling.
Lingfeng walked before Magistrate Song and directly removed his official's black gauze cap.
Feeling his head still on his neck, Magistrate Song knocked it forcefully against the ground. "Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life!"
Duoduo felt a scrutinizing gaze upon her and shrank her neck.
"Since she has no proper name, she likely isn't recorded in the family registry either?" Prince Pingyang asked, seemingly offhand.
Magistrate Song's body shook. "Your Highness, that is correct."
"Very well. This little girl, this prince will take her. Let this prince see just how she will bring misfortune upon me!"
"This official absolutely never intended that! Your Highness, please see clearly!" Magistrate Song cried out incessantly about his wrongful treatment.
"Lingfeng, have him imprint his fingerprint." Prince Pingyang leaned back into his wheelchair.
Lingfeng took a piece of paper from his robe and presented it to Magistrate Song.
Magistrate Song didn't dare even look at it, hastily pressing his fingerprint onto it.
Lingfeng took a silver ingot from his purse and threw it on the ground.
"Payment and goods settled!"
Lingfeng pushed the wheelchair outward. Duoduo remained kneeling in place, utterly bewildered.
Magistrate Song hurriedly pushed her. "Why aren't you following them?"
"Father, you no want me?"
"I can eat less, no, I can not eat. I will learn to wash clothes and cook. Don't sell me!"
Duoduo's tears streamed down "whoosh."
Seeing Prince Pingyang frown, Lingfeng turned back and pulled Duoduo up.
"No! You let go of me!" Duoduo struggled desperately, reaching out toward Magistrate Song.
"Father! Father!"
Magistrate Song glared viciously at Duoduo. "From now on, you have no relation to the Song residence, and I am not your father!"
Magistrate Song had sold the Second Young Miss!
Outside the door, Lüdou grew frantic.
Ignoring the servants' attempts to stop her, she rushed in, falling to her knees with a "thump" and kowtowing vigorously to Prince Pingyang.
"Noble lord, please buy this servant as well! This servant is willing to be your ox or horse, only asking to see my young miss every day!"
Duoduo rushed over, hugging Lüdou tightly, and burst into loud sobs.
"Lüdou, Father no want me! You said, if I be good, they would like me!"
"But, Lüdou, I was very good. Why did Father and Mother still sell me?"
Prince Pingyang frowned deeply, his gaze sweeping over the maid softly comforting Duoduo.
Lingfeng immediately understood his master's meaning. He extended a hand toward Magistrate Song.
Magistrate Song quickly had someone fetch Lüdou's deed of sale and presented it with both hands to Lingfeng.
Lingfeng took it, then tossed a small piece of silver at Magistrate Song.
"Our prince never takes advantage of anyone."
The silver struck Magistrate Song's mouth, instantly filling it with blood.
Magistrate Song covered his mouth, not daring to utter a sound.
Lüdou gently soothed Duoduo, and under her comfort, Duoduo's crying gradually subsided.
"Carry her." Prince Pingyang's tone was cold.
Lüdou picked Duoduo up in her arms and followed behind Prince Pingyang's wheelchair as they walked out.
Duoduo, eyes brimming with tears, looked back at her father.
She saw him spit forcefully, ejecting a tooth, his face wearing an expression of relief, as if he had finally seen off a plague.
As Duoduo departed, the golden light that had enveloped the Song residence began to slowly shift away.
