"Intentions? What intentions?" Su Xian found it a bit strange.
Duoduo winked at Su Xian. "To get on your good side, of course!"
Su Xian helplessly patted Duoduo's head. "You quirky little thing!"
"Mother, let's go. Let's go rest." Duoduo pulled Su Xian back to the room.
A dreamless night.
Su Xian originally thought she would toss and turn with anxiety, but unexpectedly, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she slept straight until dawn.
Had Duoduo not woken her up by getting out of bed, she probably would have kept sleeping.
"Mother, you're awake?" Duoduo sat on the edge of the bed, getting ready to get down.
"Mhm. Lianxin!" Su Xian called out toward the door.
"Here!" Lianxin pushed the door open and walked in, followed by Lüdou.
In Lüdou's hands was a basin of hot water.
She first placed the basin on the washstand before coming over to help Duoduo wash up.
"Princess Consort, when we style the Commandery Princess's hair today, should we use the custom-made jewelry?" Lianxin asked.
Su Xian shook her head. "Just tie it into two little buns. Yes, and tie two red ribbons around them. The Empress Dowager likes festive looks."
Because Xiao Yi had said yesterday that Duoduo shouldn't wear any jewelry, Su Xian had genuinely thought about how to keep it simple without losing proper etiquette.
"Princess Consort, wouldn't that be too plain?" Lianxin expressed her doubt.
"Just do it like that. Go ahead," Su Xian said as she got out of bed to wash up.
Duoduo sat at the vanity, obediently letting Lianxin comb her hair.
She was wearing a newly made dress.
On top was a bright red short jacket, over an almost pale pink inner garment, paired with a long red skirt below.
The hem of the skirt was embroidered with various colorful flowers.
Paired with Duoduo's fair little face and big, dark eyes, she looked incredibly adorable.
"The Commandery Princess looks like a little white dough bun today, so festive!"
Looking at Duoduo in the mirror, Lianxin couldn't help but praise her.
Duoduo smiled, though in truth, she was a bit nervous.
Once her hair was done, Lüdou brought over the jade pendant that Prince Ling had given her yesterday.
Last night, she had stayed up late weaving a knot with yellow silk thread to encase the jade pendant.
Lüdou carefully tied the jade pendant to Duoduo's waist.
"This jade pendant is too big; it doesn't match the Commandery Princess's clothes at all." Lüdou was quite dissatisfied.
Duoduo picked up the jade pendant and took a look.
"It's not bad. Lüdou, the knot you wove is really pretty!"
Blushing from Duoduo's praise, Lüdou's face turned red.
Soon, Su Xian was also dressed and ready. The mother and daughter walked hand in hand to the front hall.
Xiao Yi was already waiting in the dining hall. Seeing the two walk in, his gaze lingered on the mother and daughter for a moment.
"Eat something first to fill your stomachs, and remember to drink less water while in the palace," Xiao Yi instructed.
The servants hurriedly served the breakfast.
"Why should we drink less water?" Duoduo asked, not understanding.
"Because we don't know how long the audience with the Emperor will take, and excusing yourself to use the restroom halfway through is considered rude."
Su Xian explained to Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded, giving up her usual milk. She had a couple of bites of porridge and ate a few vegetable rolls instead.
Because they were heading to the palace, no one had much of an appetite.
The three of them just ate a little to tide themselves over before heading out.
Nanny Li was already waiting respectfully at the door. Seeing the masters come out, she hurriedly bowed.
"Nanny Li, follow the Commandery Princess today and do not leave her side for even a step," Xiao Yi instructed.
"This old servant understands," Nanny Li bowed.
Lüdou helped Duoduo onto the carriage and quietly slipped a wrapped handkerchief to her.
"I saw that neither the Commandery Princess nor the Princess Consort ate much. Keep this, Princess, so you can have a bite if you get hungry later."
Duoduo hesitated. "Father said they will check at the palace gates."
"It's just a bit of food, take it with you." Xiao Yi, who was inside the carriage, heard their conversation.
Duoduo took the handkerchief, boarded the carriage, and sat beside Su Xian.
With a crack of the driver's whip, the carriage began to move.
Duoduo opened the handkerchief. Inside were a few very small, delicate pastries.
The pastries were shaped like flowers, small enough for Duoduo to eat in one bite, and looked incredibly exquisite.
"Lüdou really has clever hands!"
Seeing the pastries in Duoduo's hands, Su Xian offered a sincere compliment.
Duoduo smiled. "Mother, if Lüdou heard you praise her, she would definitely be thrilled."
"She serves you with her whole heart. A servant like that is worth praising."
Su Xian did not hold back her praise.
Duoduo carefully wrapped the handkerchief back up and placed it in her sleeve.
She looked up at Xiao Yi sitting opposite her.
"Father, when do we start?"
Duoduo said as she pulled over the box beside her.
"Wait a bit longer. We might have to stay in the palace until lunch at the latest."
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment.
Duoduo nodded and set the box aside.
Then, she took a thumb-sized bottle out of her sleeve.
"Father, the potion inside this can refresh your mind if you smell it, and if you drink it, it can cure all poisons. You keep it."
This was something Duoduo had specially concocted after listening to Nanny Li tell many stories about the palace.
Xiao Yi took it, pulled out the stopper, and took a sniff.
A pungent smell rushed straight to his head, instantly clearing his mind.
"Not bad!"
Xiao Yi tightly sealed the bottle and hid it in his belt.
Su Xian looked at the father and daughter nervously. "Your Highness, would someone really dare to poison us in the palace?"
Xiao Yi straightened the hem of his clothes. "One must always keep their guard up against others."
"That's right, Mother. You must not let your guard down either!" Duoduo agreed.
Su Xian touched Duoduo's little face and smiled. "Mother isn't silly, I just thought they wouldn't go to such great lengths."
Xiao Yi didn't speak. He lifted the carriage curtain and looked back.
"Duoduo, do the acupuncture!"
Duoduo found it a bit strange; didn't Father just say it was still early?
However, since her father gave the word, Duoduo didn't hesitate.
She grabbed the box and took out the silver needles that had been extracted and soaked.
Su Xian helped roll up Xiao Yi's trouser leg, exposing his knee.
Duoduo swiftly inserted the silver needles.
A moment later, the sound of horse hooves chased up from behind.
"Brother, what a coincidence!" Prince Ling's voice sounded outside the carriage window.
Duoduo looked up at Xiao Yi in great surprise.
Xiao Yi winked at her.
Duoduo quickly pulled out the silver needles, while Su Xian swiftly rolled down the trouser leg and straightened his clothes.
All of this happened in a mere instant.
Xiao Yi lifted the curtain, revealing Prince Ling's smiling face.
"It is indeed a coincidence!"
Xiao Yi noticed that Song Shuyu was riding in the carriage with the Princess Consort of Prince Ling this time.
"Brother, since we met by such a coincidence, why don't we head into the palace together?"
"This way, we can also chat. We haven't seen each other for years, and your younger brother has missed you very much!"
Prince Ling wore a broad smile, acting as if they were deeply affectionate brothers.
"Didn't we just see each other yesterday?" Xiao Yi replied coldly.
Prince Ling froze for a second, then let out a loud laugh.
"Brother is still as amusing as ever. No wonder Sister-in-law has stayed by your side all these years!"
