Duoduo clearly remembered that every time there was danger, the golden text would always provide a warning.
But why had it not appeared this time?
Or had it already warned her, and she just had not seen it?
Duoduo looked at the text in the void; the content was still the previous warning.
Duoduo frowned.
She remembered what her father had once said: relying on others is never as good as relying on oneself. It was indeed true.
Because these scrolling golden words had successfully helped her save others from disaster,
she had developed a dependency on them.
She felt that as long as the golden words were not scrolling, there would be no danger.
However, just now, when that man in black thrust his sword at Xiao Yi, Duoduo felt for the first time how close death was to them.
Duoduo could not help but start thinking.
Her father could not see the golden words warning them in advance like she could, so how did he know someone was going to assassinate them?
The yamen runners had left, leaving only a few of them in the room, so Duoduo asked her question aloud.
"Father, how did you know there were bad people?"
Xiao Yi glanced at his still-shaken wife, then looked at Duoduo.
"A sense of danger!"
After Xiao Yi spoke, he saw Duoduo looking completely baffled.
"When we left Xianyang City, did we not have a tail?" Xiao Yi intentionally guided Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded. "Yes, but weren't they all taken care of?"
"When we were on the mountain, there was another group."
As soon as Xiao Yi said this, Duoduo's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Father, do you mean when we were hunting?" Duoduo recalled that she had dragged Master Li and the others out to hunt at that time.
"Yes, Yunxiao took care of them," Xiao Yi said lightly.
"This is the closest town to Xianyang."
"If it were me, I would also set up an ambush here," Xiao Yi explained.
Duoduo still did not understand.
"How did they know we were going to pass through here? What if we didn't take this route, wouldn't they have waited for nothing?"
"They were betting on that 'what if'!"
When Xiao Yi entered the town, he habitually observed his surroundings.
Perhaps the other party had not expected them to actually take this route either, so those people had not hidden their tracks very well.
As soon as Xiao Yi entered the inn, he immediately went to the window.
He looked down through the window and, sure enough, saw the figures of the assassins.
Just as Li Jin had said, wearing night-stalking clothes in broad daylight was far too conspicuous.
Xiao Yi spotted them at a glance.
Moreover, those people had not expected Xiao Yi's group to actually leave the inn to eat. A hastily executed assassination attempt naturally could not succeed.
If they had held back until nightfall, the danger to them might have been much greater.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yi could not help but purse his lips.
He wondered if the people at the inn were in any danger.
At that moment, Li Jin ran in from outside.
"Father!" Seeing Li Jin, Yingniang immediately ran over.
Li Jin picked up Yingniang. "It's alright, everything is taken care of."
Xiao Yi quietly assessed Li Jin. "Are you hurt?"
Li Jin laughed. "They were just a bunch of amateurs. I dealt with them in a couple of moves."
"Oh right, I had Yunxiao go back to the inn to check things out. He will be back in a bit."
Xiao Yi nodded. "Thanks for your hard work. Have a seat."
Li Jin sat down. "It's strange, though. Those people's martial arts skills were terrible. I could take them all out by myself."
"Because they didn't expect us to actually take this road."
"I heard there was an assassin just now? Are you alright, Your Highness?" Li Jin asked seemingly casually.
Xiao Yi cast a cold glance at Li Jin. "You said yourself they were amateurs. Did you really think they could do anything to me?"
Li Jin smiled and did not reply. "I will go urge them and see when the food will be served."
"Sit here," Li Jin said as he placed Yingniang on a stool.
Duoduo watched Li Jin leave, resting her chin in her hands. "Father, didn't you say before that we were already safe?"
"Why has there still been danger all along the way?"
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment.
"Safety is only temporary. I told you before that this trip to the capital is by no means simple."
"No matter when, you must always have a sense of danger. Even when we reach the capital, this is especially true."
"Always keeping your guard up will allow you to stay alert at all times, notice anomalies, and prepare yourself in advance."
Duoduo rested her chin in her hands, pondering her father's words.
Suddenly, she understood.
She could not entirely rely on the golden text to give her warnings; she had to learn to rely on herself.
"Father, I understand!"
Xiao Yi patted Duoduo's head in gratification.
Li Jin walked in, leading a waiter carrying the food.
Just as all the dishes were served, Yunxiao returned.
He bowed to Xiao Yi. "Your Highness, everyone else is unharmed."
Xiao Yi nodded, gesturing for Yunxiao to discuss it later when they returned.
Everyone was already starving, so naturally, they ate very quickly.
After eating, no one had the mood to linger outside, so they headed straight back to the inn.
After Yunxiao finished reporting to Xiao Yi, he also went down to rest.
Xiao Yi saw the Princess Consort of Pingyang continuously yawning while doing her embroidery.
Duoduo was quietly reading the medical records given by Master Zhang.
"Pingting, go to bed and get some sleep." Xiao Yi pursed his lips.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked up.
"Your Highness, I'm not sleepy," the Princess Consort of Pingyang said, rubbing her eyes.
"Duoduo, stop reading too. Take your mother and go rest."
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo strictly.
"Okay!"
Duoduo carefully put the medical records away. She hopped down from her chair and ran over to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Mother, come wash up with me."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang could not refuse Duoduo's request. "Wait for Mother to put this embroidery needle away properly, so it doesn't prick anyone later."
After the Princess Consort of Pingyang properly packed away her embroidery, she took Duoduo to wash up.
Once the mother and daughter finished getting ready, the Princess Consort of Pingyang lifted Duoduo onto the bed.
"Your Highness, you should go wash up too. I have already prepared the water for you."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang helped Duoduo take off her outer clothes and tucked her into the blankets.
Duoduo lay down and gave a big roll into the covers.
"Mother, you sleep on my left, and Father can sleep on my right! Tonight we will all sleep together, hehehe!"
Duoduo's words made the Princess Consort of Pingyang blush.
She sneaked a glance at Xiao Yi, who was reading, then took off her outer clothes and got into bed.
She slept on the innermost side of the bed, her heart pounding like a drum.
How long had it been since she shared a bed with His Highness?
When was the last time?
Su Xian felt as though her mind was absolute mush; she could not remember anything.
Her current feelings were exactly the same as they had been on her wedding night, waiting for Xiao Yi.
Duoduo waved at Xiao Yi.
"Father, hurry up, it's time to sleep!"
Duoduo's voice was exceptionally clear in the night.
"You two go to sleep; I'm not tired yet!" Xiao Yi did not even lift his head.
Xiao Yi's words were like a basin of cold water poured over Su Xian from head to toe.
The blush on her face instantly faded.
"Go to sleep, Duoduo," Su Xian said, tucking the covers tightly around Duoduo and forcing herself to close her eyes.
