The Princess Consort of Pingyang reached under the pillow. Before Duoduo could stop her, she saw that the Princess Consort of Pingyang had already pulled out the cloth bundle.
"What is this? It's so heavy."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt a bit curious and brought the cloth bundle in front of her.
Duoduo blinked and pressed her hand over the Princess Consort of Pingyang's hand.
"Mother, don't be scared when you see it!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang's heart trembled, and she looked suspiciously at Duoduo.
"What is it?"
Duoduo sat up and took the cloth bundle. Her big, watery eyes looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"It's like this, Mother."
"For a while, I kept having nightmares."
"Then, Lüdou found out, and she helped me find a folk remedy."
"It involves finding a pig-slaughtering knife with a heavy murderous aura and putting it under the pillow."
"Mother, let me tell you, ever since I got this knife, I haven't had a single nightmare!"
Hearing that there was a pig-slaughtering knife inside this cloth bundle, the Princess Consort of Pingyang felt very uncomfortable.
However, after hearing Duoduo's explanation, she seemed to barely accept it.
"Is it really because of this knife?" the Princess Consort of Pingyang asked, half-believing and half-doubting.
Duoduo nodded and stuffed the cloth bundle back under the pillow, closer to her side.
"I remember one night when I slept with you, Mother, I had a nightmare."
"But as long as I come back and sleep over it, I don't!"
After saying that, Duoduo lay back down in the Princess Consort of Pingyang's embrace.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was somewhat curious.
"Is it really that amazing? You don't have nightmares as long as you sleep over it?"
Duoduo nodded and immediately added a sentence.
"I also don't have nightmares when I sleep next to Father!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was taken aback. "When have you ever slept next to your father?"
Feeling a bit guilty, Duoduo lowered her head.
"When we were at the manor."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang believed her. "That makes sense. Your father fought on the battlefield; in the past, his name alone could stop a child from crying at night!"
Duoduo giggled happily.
"Really? Father has that effect?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang also laughed. "Shh! Make sure you never tell your father, or he'll get angry."
Duoduo nodded. "Mhm! Father is super amazing!"
Smiling brightly, the Princess Consort of Pingyang began telling Duoduo stories about the Prince of Pingyang from the past.
Duoduo listened with great interest.
It wasn't until the night watchman's clapper sounded for the second watch outside that the two stopped talking and fell asleep.
At the hour of Mao, Lüdou gently pushed the door open and walked in.
She walked to the bed. Just as she was about to call Duoduo, she suddenly noticed the Princess Consort of Pingyang on the bed.
Lüdou revealed a hesitant look, but ultimately reached out and gently nudged Duoduo.
Duoduo opened her eyes and saw Lüdou gesturing to her.
Duoduo turned her head and saw the Princess Consort of Pingyang holding her, sleeping soundly.
Duoduo mouthed to Lüdou.
"Tell them to keep it down, I'll get up right away."
Duoduo carefully wriggled out of the Princess Consort of Pingyang's embrace.
Lüdou nodded, hooked up half of the bed curtain, and gently lifted Duoduo out of bed.
After putting on her clothes, shoes, and socks, and doing a simple wash, Duoduo walked out of the room.
"Lüdou, guard the door and don't let anyone disturb Mother's rest."
"Yes, Princess! Lüyi, you follow the Princess."
Lüdou instructed Lüyi, then walked back to stand guard at the door.
When Duoduo returned from her exercises, the Princess Consort of Pingyang had just woken up.
"Mother, you're awake?" Duoduo climbed onto the bed with a face full of smiles.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang hugged Duoduo with an aching heart.
"Last night, Mother kept you up talking so late. Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
Duoduo shook her head. "I have to exercise!"
"Father says, train in the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter!"
"When doing things, persistence is key. You can't slack off!"
Listening to Duoduo imitate the Prince of Pingyang's tone with her milky voice, the Princess Consort of Pingyang couldn't help but sigh.
"You're still young. Sleep when you need to sleep; you don't have to be so harsh on yourself."
Duoduo reached out to smooth the Princess Consort of Pingyang's tightly knitted brows.
"Mother, don't frown, it doesn't look pretty!"
Seeing the Princess Consort of Pingyang relax her brows, Duoduo revealed a smile.
"Don't worry, Mother, I slept enough!"
"Mother, did you sleep enough?" Duoduo looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang with her big, watery eyes.
"Mother slept enough. I must be the only person in the manor who sleeps in."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt a bit embarrassed mentioning this.
"Mother, then hurry up and get up, I'm hungry!"
Duoduo rubbed her belly shyly.
"Hungry? You haven't eaten breakfast?" The Princess Consort of Pingyang hurriedly sat up to put on her clothes.
"To answer Your Highness, the Princess wanted to wait and dine with you!"
Lüdou hurriedly came over to help.
"Why didn't you persuade her? Look at the time! Duoduo, don't tell me you exercised on an empty stomach?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked full of self-blame, and her movements quickened considerably.
"Mother, you don't need to rush. I ate two pieces of pastry."
Duoduo also hopped off the bed to change clothes; after exercising, she was covered in sweat.
By the time the two of them freshened up, the maidservants had already set out breakfast.
Because the three of them all had breakfast at different times, they ate their morning meals in their respective rooms.
Duoduo was growing now, and her appetite was much larger than before.
Following her lead, the Princess Consort of Pingyang also ate quite a bit.
After the meal, just as the Princess Consort of Pingyang was about to leave, Duoduo pulled her back.
"Mother, let me check your pulse!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked surprised. "Mother is in good health; there's nothing uncomfortable."
Duoduo pulled the Princess Consort of Pingyang to sit down.
"Teacher Zhang told me to check pulses more often to accumulate experience."
Hearing that it was Teacher Zhang's instruction, the Princess Consort of Pingyang immediately sat down and extended her hand.
Duoduo reached out to check the pulse, pressing her lips together with a serious face.
Looking at Duoduo's solemn expression, the Princess Consort of Pingyang felt her heart pounding like fifteen buckets drawing water from a well—seven going up and eight coming down.
Duoduo withdrew her hand, and the Princess Consort of Pingyang rolled down her sleeve, forcing a smile.
"How is it? Is Mother's body perfectly healthy?"
Duoduo showed a sweet, obedient smile.
"Mother, your health is much better than before."
"However, your body is still a bit weak. How about I prescribe some nourishing pills to replenish your health?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang touched Duoduo's cheek.
"Mother's body is fine, no need to take medicine."
Duoduo looked persistent. "No way! Mother, you have to be good!"
"Don't worry, the medicine I prescribe isn't bitter, and it will make you prettier!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang's heart was inexplicably moved.
"Alright, Mother will listen to you. It'll just be hard work for Duoduo to prescribe the medicine!"
Duoduo shook her head with a beaming smile. "Not hard work at all! Mother, you just have to remember to take it when the time comes!"
"Okay! You little busybody! Mother is going to get busy now." The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled, touched Duoduo's cheek, and walked out.
After the housekeeper had left, all the affairs of the manor, big and small, were managed by the Princess Consort of Pingyang, so she was very busy.
After Duoduo finished writing the prescription, she was just about to hand it to Lüdou when she suddenly remembered the poison-making formula that Teacher Zhang had taught her.
