Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo's dirtied clothes and the wild pheasant eggs on them.
Finally, his gaze landed on Duoduo's face.
"Are you happy?"
Duoduo nodded excitedly. "Happy! Father, we also caught a wild pheasant!"
Duoduo turned her head and pointed at the wild pheasant held in Xu Jinxin's hand.
Xiao Yi nodded. "Take it to the guards; we'll have an extra dish for lunch today."
"Hehe, Father, you have to eat a lot!"
Duoduo happily ran off, holding the eggs.
Li Jin, who was standing beside Xiao Yi, smiled and teased, "I thought Your Highness was going to scold the commandery princess!"
Xiao Yi lowered his eyes and did not reply.
He remembered a time when he followed his imperial father on an autumn hunt.
At that time, he had used all his strength just to hunt a wild pheasant.
However, his father had scolded him severely.
"Your second brother hunted a sika deer, and your third brother hunted a sheep."
"As the eldest brother, you only hunted a wild pheasant?"
"Your two younger brothers are smaller than you, yet they could do it. Why couldn't you?"
"Go! If you don't bring back a big catch, you are not fit to be my son!"
Xiao Yi knew that the prey his second and third brothers caught had actually been hunted with the help of the guards beside them.
Only the wild pheasant he caught was hunted by his own hands.
How could his imperial father not know the truth behind this?
Yet, he pretended to know nothing.
That time, Xiao Yi nearly lost half his life to bring back a tiger.
His imperial father was extremely thrilled, constantly patting his shoulder and saying that this was what his son should be like.
He even said that a tiger father does not beget a dog son.
Duoduo's appearance just now suddenly took him back to the past.
He seemed to see his past self, brimming with excitement and waiting for his imperial father's praise.
What he had received back then was a fierce scolding; naturally, his daughter would not repeat his misfortune.
Duoduo handed the eggs over to the guards and ran back.
"Father, they all hunted wild pheasants; they're so amazing!"
Xiao Yi looked up. "Because they have weapons."
Duoduo tilted her head in thought and instantly beamed.
"Then I will take a bow and arrow to go hunting too!"
Duoduo had a small bow and arrow set that Li Jin had made for her with his own hands.
Xiao Yi looked Duoduo over. "Change your clothes before you go. Trousers are better for walking."
When they set out in the morning, the Princess Consort of Pingyang had dressed Duoduo in a skirt out of habit.
Because Duoduo had been crawling in and out of the bushes just now, the hem of her skirt was not only covered in mud but also snagged and torn.
Duoduo looked down and immediately felt a pang of heartache.
"Mother, my clothes are torn."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang walked over and checked it.
"It's Mother's fault. Come, listen to your father and change into a set of trousers."
"Change into the outfit this prince prepared," Xiao Yi reminded the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang hesitated for a moment, bowed, and replied, "Yes."
Duoduo was very pleasantly surprised. "Father, you prepared clothes for me?"
Xiao Yi nodded. "Go on."
Duoduo pulled the Princess Consort of Pingyang as she ran toward the carriage. The Princess Consort of Pingyang had to walk quickly just to keep up.
A short while later, Duoduo hopped off the carriage.
"Father, I'm done changing!" Duoduo ran over, skipping and jumping.
Everyone looked and saw Duoduo wearing a boy's outfit; even her hair was tied into two small twin buns.
"Oh my, dressed like this, anyone who didn't know would think the commandery princess was a little boy from somewhere!"
Xu Jinxin teased with a smile.
Duoduo ran in front of Xiao Yi and looked up.
"Thank you, Father!"
Xiao Yi looked over the newly dressed Duoduo, the corners of his lips curling up slightly.
"Dressing like this is for convenience."
"Once we reach the capital, you can change back into your own clothes."
Duoduo nodded vigorously. "Father, these clothes are very convenient!"
As Duoduo spoke, she even mimed a martial arts stance.
Xiao Yi's eyes curved in a smile. "As long as you like it."
When he prepared the outfit, he had worried that Duoduo wouldn't like it.
Looking at it now, he had overthought it.
"I like it! Can I go hunting now?" Duoduo looked eager to try.
Xiao Yi nodded. "Have Master Li go with you. In spring, there are many wild beasts in the mountains."
Duoduo nodded. "Okay."
Hearing that there were wild beasts, the Princess Consort of Pingyang was very worried.
"Duoduo, come back as soon as you catch something. Don't delay too long; we still have to travel!"
"Mhm! Master Li, Sister, let's go quickly!"
Duoduo waved the bow and arrow in her hand, which she had specially brought out when changing clothes.
Xu Jinxin's interest was also piqued. "I'll go stretch my legs too."
Li Jin and his family led Duoduo toward the depths of the woods.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang watched their retreating figures disappear with great reluctance.
"Your Highness, you shouldn't have agreed to let Duoduo go. We've just started our journey, and we're already stopping and starting. When will we ever reach the capital?"
Xiao Yi looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang's worried expression. "Duoduo knows her limits. Besides, with Li Jin accompanying her, there's no need to worry."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt somewhat embarrassed. "This concubine was being foolish."
"This prince is hungry. Are you hungry, Princess Consort?" Xiao Yi changed the subject.
Hearing that Xiao Yi was hungry, the Princess Consort of Pingyang hurriedly ordered Lianxin to check if the food being prepared by the guards was ready.
She also had Baihe fetch some pastries from the carriage to tide Xiao Yi over.
The corners of Xiao Yi's lips curled up.
He looked up at the sky above; the blue sky and white clouds were beautiful.
The warm breeze blowing past carried the fragrance of grass and trees.
Suddenly, Xiao Yi frowned. He smelled the scent of blood.
"Your Highness!" Yun Xiao, leading a few guards, bowed to Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi saw that their bodies were covered in fresh blood.
Seeing their appearance, the Princess Consort of Pingyang covered her mouth.
"Is it taken care of?" Xiao Yi asked calmly.
Yun Xiao looked excited. "It's all taken care of. We didn't leave a single one alive!"
"Good. Go change your clothes; it will be time to eat soon."
"Yes! Brothers, let's go!" Yun Xiao excitedly led his men away.
However, Shitou, who was at the back of the group, did not leave.
Xiao Yi looked at him expressionlessly, and Shitou looked very uneasy.
"Your Highness, why don't I see the commandery princess?"
Xiao Yi frowned. "Don't think that just because you helped out a little, you can claim credit. Hurry up and go change!"
Shitou looked dejected. "Yes." He walked away with his head lowered.
Xiao Yi's brows were tightly knit. He couldn't stand this Shitou, but unfortunately, he couldn't drive him away.
After the men had left, the Princess Consort of Pingyang asked, still shaken.
"Your Highness, did Yun Xiao and the others just go...?"
"Yes, there was a little tail following us, so I had Yun Xiao and the men take care of it."
Only then did the Princess Consort of Pingyang understand why Xiao Yi had ordered the group to stop here and delay for so long.
Xiao Yi saw the Princess Consort of Pingyang's pale face and how she seemed frightened.
"Don't worry. After this, we will be safe."
"It's also thanks to that fellow named Shitou. If it weren't for him, we might not have even known we were being followed."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked surprised. The young servant Duoduo had bought actually had such great abilities?
"Then why did Your Highness scold him just now?"
