Because Nanny Li was getting on in years, the Prince of Pingyang had specially arranged a private room for her.
Nanny Li had never traveled by boat before and worried something might go wrong, so she asked Lüdou to share the room with her so they could look after each other.
When Duoduo pushed open the door, both of them had vomited so much that their bodies were completely limp.
Without a word, Duoduo took out her silver needles and began to perform acupuncture on them.
Then, she took out a medicinal pill and had them hold it in their mouths.
After the acupuncture, Lüdou, being young after all, quickly recovered.
"Princess, it is all because my constitution is too weak, causing you trouble."
Lüdou felt very guilty.
Duoduo waved her hand. "It was my oversight. You both get some good rest; I will go check on the others."
Duoduo only realized at this moment that there must be many others suffering from seasickness.
Duoduo found Yun Xiao and handed him the bottle from her robes.
"The medicine inside can cure seasickness. Let it dissolve under the tongue. For mild symptoms, one pill is enough."
"For those with particularly severe symptoms, take another pill every other day."
Yun Xiao looked at the bottle in his hand. "Princess, you mean?"
Duoduo gave Yun Xiao a strange look.
"Of course I mean for you to give it to the seasick guards. What else could it be for?"
Yun Xiao looked at the bottle, then at Duoduo, and bowed to her with cupped hands.
"Thank you for your great kindness, Princess!"
Duoduo waved her hand; this had been her oversight as well.
Yun Xiao took the medicine and distributed it among the guards.
When the guards learned that the Princess had made the medicine herself and instructed Yun Xiao to give it to them, they were filled with gratitude.
After taking the medicine, everyone's seasickness symptoms gradually eased, and they slowly adapted to life on the boat.
Life on the boat was very novel at first.
On the wide river, they watched the endless rolling waters and the birds flying in the boundless sky.
It felt as if humans were just like the boat, a lone vessel between heaven and earth.
But after staying for a long time, it started to get boring.
Because every day, all they saw was river water, and more river water.
Duoduo began to feel bored, not even able to muster up interest in fishing.
Su Xian, however, was used to a life of not stepping out of the main doors or the inner gates. In her hands, she was making inner garments for Xiao Yi.
Su Xian looked at Duoduo, who was sprawled over the table, and gave a gentle smile.
"Duoduo, why don't you go play with Yingniang?"
Hearing this, Duoduo lifted her head. "Sister and Aunt Xu went fishing."
Su Xian glanced at Duoduo. "Why didn't you go? Don't you like fishing the most?"
Duoduo shook her head and slumped back onto the table.
"Not interested."
When others fished, they often came up empty, so on the rare occasion they got a bite, they would be thrilled.
But when Duoduo fished, she never came up empty.
Duoduo felt it wasn't fun anymore.
"Mother, how much longer until we reach the capital?" Duoduo was sick of spending so many days on the boat.
Su Xian stopped her embroidery and patted Duoduo's head.
"Mother doesn't know either. But when we first boarded, the Prince said it would take at least a month or more!"
"Right now, not even half that time has passed."
"Ah? It's still going to be that long?"
For Duoduo, it truly felt like every day dragged on like a year.
The last time they docked was at a desolate beach, where everyone just got off to stretch their legs.
Duoduo felt they had been on this boat for a very, very long time.
"Then when will we reach the next commandery?" Duoduo asked dejectedly.
Su Xian pursed her lips into a smile. "Didn't you bring a map? You can take a look."
Su Xian couldn't bear to see Duoduo so bored, so she found something for her to do.
"That's right! I'll take a look." Duoduo finally perked up.
She asked Lüdou to bring out the map and began to search for their possible location.
"Lüdou, what was the name of the ferry crossing where we stopped last time?"
Duoduo was so excited that she couldn't remember it for a moment.
"Here, Princess, I found it," Lüdou pointed excitedly at a small word on the map.
Duoduo hurriedly looked over.
Watching the energetic Duoduo, Su Xian smiled and resumed sewing the clothes.
"Mother, I found it! We are not far from the next commandery!"
Duoduo held the map and pointed at the commandery to show Su Xian.
Su Xian took a look and was slightly surprised.
"The capital is here, and we are still here. It feels like we haven't traveled very far at all."
"Right, Mother, you forgot that we took a detour when we set out!" Duoduo reminded Su Xian.
Su Xian calculated the distance. "This is much slower than traveling by land."
"Father said that although it's slow at first, we won't have to detour later, and we'll even arrive early!"
Duoduo lowered her head and continued looking at the map.
"Mother, when the boat docks, I want to go into the city to wander around. Will you go too?"
When the boat docked, Yun Xiao would take people to purchase rice, flour, and other food, which meant they definitely had to go into the city.
Duoduo wanted to tag along and have some fun.
She was completely sick of staying on the boat!
Su Xian hesitated for a moment. "We will see what your father arranges when the time comes."
Duoduo closed the map and hopped off the chair.
"I will go discuss it with Father right now!"
"Speak to your father properly, and slow down!" Su Xian shook her head, watching Duoduo's impulsive nature.
"Okay!"
As soon as Duoduo's voice fell, she had already run out.
Su Xian shook her head, lowered her eyes, and continued her embroidery.
Duoduo ran to the outside of Xiao Yi's cabin, and the guard standing at the door hurriedly bowed.
"Can I go in?" Duoduo asked.
"Please wait a moment, Princess. Your subordinate will go in and report to the Prince." The guard's attitude was extremely respectful.
"Let her in!"
Inside the room, Xiao Yi had heard Duoduo's voice.
The guard opened the door, and Duoduo walked in.
"Duoduo greets Father." Duoduo bowed to Xiao Yi upon entering the room.
Xiao Yi lifted his gaze from his book.
"Finally remembered your father?" Xiao Yi's words carried a heavy tone of teasing.
After boarding the boat, Duoduo had gone crazy playing with Li Jiangyu.
Xiao Yi had not sent anyone to stop her.
Duoduo revealed a well-behaved smile. "Father is busy, I wouldn't dare disturb you."
Xiao Yi glanced at Duoduo. "Speak. What are you scheming to do this time?"
Duoduo picked at her palm, and Xiao Yi's gaze swept briefly over her hands.
Duoduo hurriedly put her hands down.
"Father, when the boat reaches the next commandery, can I go into the city with Yun Xiao?"
Xiao Yi looked steadily at Duoduo and did not answer immediately.
He was deep in thought.
Duoduo rarely made unreasonable requests.
However, whenever Duoduo made a request, something was bound to happen.
Just like with those stones.
Xiao Yi lowered his eyes and glanced at the secret letter on the desk.
The letter had been sent via carrier pigeon by the guards left behind at the Prince's estate.
In the first batch of stones transported back, one had been cut open to reveal jadeite.
And it was top-quality jadeite at that!
If all the stones in that river were dug up and brought back, what kind of fortune would that be?
All of this was the luck that Duoduo had brought!
Seeing that Xiao Yi remained silent for a long time, Duoduo immediately felt deflated.
"I understand! Then your daughter will take her leave."
Duoduo said this and curtsied, preparing to leave.
"Your temperament has regressed!" Xiao Yi spoke up.
"Since you have decided on something, you should figure out a way to achieve it, rather than giving up so easily!"
"I was actually going to say yes, but since you've given up on your own, let's just forget it."
Duoduo stopped in her tracks.
