Duoduo stuck out her tongue. "Mother, if you don't tell Father, he'll never know!"
Su Xian shook her head.
"Knowing Princess Consort Xian's temperament, since she gave it to you, word of it will surely reach your father's ears very soon."
Duoduo's eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled.
That was exactly the effect she wanted.
With Princess Consort Xian spreading the word, perhaps she could get her hands on Prince Rui's piece very soon too!
Seeing Duoduo's beaming face, Su Xian sighed inwardly.
She felt that it must be because she hadn't given Duoduo enough.
That was why Duoduo was smiling so joyously just from receiving a single jade pendant.
She secretly made up her mind to find someone to procure some fine jade later and have a whole chest of jade pendants made for Duoduo.
She would let her wear a different one every day, so no one would ever look down on her again.
The carriage soon returned to the Laifu Restaurant.
Xiao Yi had long since finished his business and was drinking tea while reading a book.
When Xiao Yi saw the mother and daughter walk in, his gaze swept over them.
"What is it? Did you not find anything you liked?"
Yun Xiao stepped behind Xiao Yi and whispered a few words.
Earlier, Yun Xiao had been waiting outside the door, but he knew what had transpired inside.
Duoduo pulled Su Xian over to sit down.
"Father, we just ran into Princess Consort Xian and the Heir Apparent of Prince Xian."
Xiao Yi waved his hand, and Yun Xiao led the others out of the room.
Su Xian replaced Xiao Yi's tea with a fresh cup and poured one for Duoduo as well.
Finally, she poured a cup for herself.
Only then did Xiao Yi speak. "Were you bullied?"
Duoduo shook her head obediently. "I'm fine, but Mother was wronged."
"I am fine as well," Su Xian hurriedly stated.
"Prince Xian was carried into his estate. Princess Consort Xian did not stay home to care for him, yet took her son out shopping?"
Xiao Yi rubbed the rim of his teacup.
Duoduo's eyes flashed.
"Father, could it be a smokescreen created by Prince Xian?"
Xiao Yi lifted his eyelids and looked at Duoduo. "Then in your opinion, how did he create this smokescreen?"
Duoduo pondered for a moment. "There are two possibilities."
"The first is that Prince Xian is truly injured, and Princess Consort Xian went out behind his back."
"The second is that Prince Xian is not injured, and he deliberately had Princess Consort Xian take their son out."
After Duoduo finished speaking, she looked at her father.
Xiao Yi gave a slight nod. "There is also a third possibility: Prince Xian's injury is real, and he knew that Princess Consort Xian was taking the child out."
Duoduo froze. "Why?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she instantly understood.
"Father, do you mean she deliberately targeted Mother and me?"
A look of satisfaction flashed in Xiao Yi's eyes.
Duoduo frowned.
"As soon as she came in, she fought with us over fabric, and her words were full of disdain for the Pingyang Prince's Estate."
"Could it be that she came over on purpose just to humiliate me?"
Xiao Yi shook his head. "Think again."
Duoduo thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out. She looked at Su Xian.
Su Xian was even more confused.
Princess Consort Xian's attitude today was very poor; her feeling was that Princess Consort Xian had deliberately come over to humiliate them.
However, Su Xian couldn't bring herself to say such things.
"She gave you a jade pendant," Xiao Yi reminded her.
Duoduo nodded, took the jade pendant out of her sleeve, and placed it on the table in front of them.
Xiao Yi picked it up and examined it.
"Although the quality of the jade is not very good, this pendant is ultimately an imperially bestowed item."
"How can an imperially bestowed item be casually given to someone else? That is highly disrespectful to His Majesty!"
"When Prince Ling gave you his jade pendant, he probably didn't realize which piece he was giving away at the time."
Duoduo recalled for a moment. Indeed, Prince Ling had two jade pendants at his waist at the time.
"However, this piece was hanging on Xiao Yunchuan, and it was the only one," Xiao Yi analyzed for Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded.
"Right, when Xiao Yunchuan wanted to smash the jade pendant, Princess Consort Xian even said that it was an imperially bestowed item and could not be damaged."
Xiao Yi nodded at Duoduo.
Duoduo continued to follow her previous line of thought.
"Since Princess Consort Xian knew the item was precious, yet still gave it to me..."
There was a trace of uncertainty in Duoduo's eyes.
"Father, she only gave me the jade pendant after confirming that mine was bestowed by Prince Ling."
"No, it was Xiao Yunchuan who threw it to me!"
Xiao Yi still just nodded, remaining silent.
Duoduo had no choice but to continue thinking.
She recalled the situation from beginning to end, from the moment Princess Consort Xian entered the shop until the two of them left.
After Duoduo finished thinking, she raised her head.
"Father, Princess Consort Xian deliberately came over to accidentally bump into Mother and me!"
Xiao Yi nodded. "Mhm, go on."
"She knew Prince Ling gave me his jade pendant, and only then did she give theirs to me."
"If Imperial Grandfather were to cast blame, they could push the responsibility onto Prince Ling."
The more Duoduo spoke, the more determined her gaze became.
"Father, Princess Consort Xian is showing goodwill towards us!"
The corners of Xiao Yi's lips finally curved up, and a smile appeared on his face.
He nodded.
"Correct!"
After listening from the side, Su Xian's eyes were filled with confusion.
"Your Highness, but Princess Consort Xian humiliated Duoduo right then and there!"
"How could she be showing goodwill towards us? It's more like she's showing goodwill towards Prince Ling!"
Xiao Yi nodded. "That possibility cannot be ruled out either."
Su Xian was instantly even more baffled.
"Your Highness, then does the Prince Xian's Estate stand with the Prince Ling's Estate, or with our Pingyang Prince's Estate?"
Xiao Yi rubbed his teacup.
"There is no rush. Whether they are friend or foe, we will know soon enough."
"Then how should I interact with Princess Consort Xian when I encounter her in the future?" Su Xian couldn't figure it out, so she simply stopped trying.
Anyway, whatever Xiao Yi said, she would just do it.
It wouldn't be wrong!
"Just act the same way you did today!" Xiao Yi said, a smile in his eyes.
Earlier, Yun Xiao had told Xiao Yi about how Su Xian had defended Duoduo.
It was the first time Su Xian had ever said something like taking the complaint to the Emperor.
Su Xian understood. "Your Highness, then I will keep my distance from them."
"Let's go, it's time to return to the estate."
Seeing that it was getting late, Xiao Yi set down his teacup.
"Father, is your leg alright now?" Duoduo suddenly remembered this issue.
Su Xian looked at Duoduo. "What is wrong with His Highness's leg?"
Today in the carriage, Duoduo had suddenly administered acupuncture to Xiao Yi, which had left Su Xian very puzzled.
If she hadn't known that Xiao Yi's legs had no feeling, she would have thought that his legs were getting better.
When Imperial Physician Zhang was taking his pulse, her heart had leapt into her throat.
How she hoped that her husband's legs could show some improvement.
The palace had the best imperial physicians and the best medicinal ingredients.
Either of these would be beneficial to Xiao Yi's recovery.
When Imperial Physician Zhang pronounced that Xiao Yi's legs were incurable, Su Xian's heart plummeted to rock bottom.
Duoduo blinked.
She had been so focused on caring about her father that she forgot her mother didn't know the details.
How should she answer?
