"Your Highness, there is new information from Prince Rui's side," Yunxiao reported to Xiao Yi.
"Speak," Xiao Yi looked up.
"After the imperial physician's diagnosis, the final chosen method is to expel all the toxins into the fetus."
"This way, Princess Consort Rui will suffer the least amount of harm."
"The physician said that once the fetus is poisoned, it will naturally separate from the mother's body. There is no need for medicine; the child won't survive anyway."
Xiao Yi scoffed.
"So their final decision is still to sacrifice the child?"
Yunxiao raised his eyes in slight confusion, shooting a quick glance at Xiao Yi.
"Princess Consort Rui disagrees, because the imperial physician diagnosed that the child in her womb is a boy."
Prince Rui has no legitimate sons, only a legitimate daughter. However, his concubine bore him an illegitimate son.
The legitimate son he had with Princess Consort Rui passed away at the age of three.
Princess Consort Rui finally managed to conceive her own son again, so she definitely won't sacrifice the child.
Xiao Yi's eyes suddenly flickered.
"Where are Prince Rui and his people right now?"
Yunxiao lowered his head.
"This subordinate received a secret letter. Prince Rui's party is only a day's journey away from the capital."
Xiao Yi nodded. No wonder the imperial physician got there so quickly.
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment and asked, "What is the Princess busy with?"
Yunxiao looked up. "The Princess and the Princess Consort are preparing for the store's opening."
"This subordinate heard that the Princess has been drawing, painting a hundred pictures."
Surprise revealed in Xiao Yi's eyes. "A hundred?"
Yunxiao nodded. "Yes, Madam Li said they are some sort of promotional posters to be used when the store opens."
Xiao Yi thought of the paintings Xu Jinxin had shown him, and he nodded slightly.
This Madam Li really had an eye for talent and knew how to make the best use of everything.
Interesting!
Xiao Yi mused for a long while before looking at Yunxiao.
"Yunxiao, make a trip personally to find Princess Consort Rui."
"Tell her that this prince has a way to save her son."
"However, this prince will not help for free. I want something in return..."
Xiao Yi lowered his voice and quietly told Yunxiao what it was.
"Go quickly and come back soon. If she agrees, I will bring people over tomorrow."
Yunxiao looked a bit puzzled.
"Your Highness, if we save Princess Consort Rui's son, it would be worth it even if she spent a fortune."
"Why do you only want Princess Consort Rui to give the Princess a meeting gift?"
Xiao Yi shot Yunxiao a cold glance.
"You talk too much!"
Yunxiao hurriedly shut his mouth, cupped his hands in a salute, and quickly left.
Duoduo had been tired all day. After freshening up at night, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Golden light in mid-air slowly gathered on Duoduo's body, gently enveloping her.
When dawn broke, Duoduo opened her eyes and stretched comfortably.
"Princess, are you awake?" Hearing the noise, Lüdou walked in holding a washbasin.
Duoduo sat up. "Lüdou, good morning!"
Lüdou set down the basin, bowed to Duoduo, and then stepped forward to help her get dressed.
"Princess, you drew so many pictures yesterday. Do you want this servant to massage your arms today?"
Duoduo raised her arm and swung it a bit.
"I'm fine! Look, it's still very flexible!"
Lüdou pursed her lips and smiled.
"This servant saw that the Princess slept deeply last night, not even tossing or turning once."
Duoduo hopped out of bed.
"Yeah, I slept soundly last night. I slept straight through to morning."
Seeing Duoduo tying sandbags to her legs again, Lüdou hurried forward to help.
The sandbags Duoduo was tying now were several times heavier than the original ones.
Even Lüdou couldn't lift them with one hand.
"Princess, this is way too heavy."
"This servant heard that if you carry too much weight, it's hard to grow taller."
Duoduo turned her head curiously. "Lüdou, is what you're saying true?"
Lüdou nodded. "That's what this servant's mother used to say."
"You're at the age of shooting up and growing taller. If you tie such heavy things every day, what if you really can't grow tall?"
Duoduo shook her head. "That won't happen! My teacher said that a person's height is related to genetics, as well as acquired exercise and diet."
"Look, I'm taller than my sis... taller than her now!"
Duoduo paused halfway through her sentence.
But Lüdou understood.
She recalled seeing Song Shuyu a few days ago, and her eyes were filled with confusion.
"Princess, how did she get so fat? Uh, this servant means plump."
"If it weren't for her face, this servant really wouldn't have recognized her. The former Eldest Miss now looks like a short, stubby melon."
Lüdou shook her head as she spoke.
"It's still you, Princess, who looks the best. It's true that being fat ruins everything!"
Duoduo tilted her small head.
"She's not bad like that either. It shows she's living very happily in the Ling Manor."
Lüdou looked at Duoduo with some heartache.
"Princess, if the Princess Consort hears you say this, she will be sad."
"Why?" Duoduo rolled down her trouser legs, a look of incomprehension on her face.
"You see, the Princess Consort tries every way to make all kinds of delicious food for you."
"But as for you, you never put on any weight."
"You finally gained a little on this small face, but after more than a month of walking, the flesh on your face is gone again."
"And you exercise so much. The little bit of food you finally eat gets burned off again."
"You don't know this, but after the Princess Consort came back from the palace, she was muttering with Lianxin."
"She said, does she not know how to raise a child?"
"Both are being fed, so why are you and Song Shuyu so drastically different?"
"When this servant saw the Princess Consort talking to Lianxin, the expression on her face was so depressed."
Duoduo tilted her head and thought for a moment.
"Alright, I know now."
Duoduo pushed open the door and ran out.
Outside the courtyard, she saw Yingniang, who had been waiting for her.
Surprisingly, she also saw Aunt Xu.
And Su Xian.
"Mother?" Duoduo ran over curiously.
"Mother, why are you up too? Are you joining us for morning exercise?"
Su Xian looked helpless. She covered her mouth and let out a small yawn.
"Yes! Your Aunt Xu woke Mother up early in the morning."
"Saying something like, the body is the capital of the revolution, so we must exercise!"
"Duoduo, Mother is so sleepy!" Su Xian rested her head on Duoduo's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Hey, Su Xian, wake up!" Xu Jinxin unceremoniously pulled Su Xian off Duoduo's shoulder.
"Duoduo, hurry up and go run with Yingniang. Aunt Xu will keep your mother company."
Xu Jinxin waved at Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded. "Thank you, Aunt Xu."
Duoduo ran toward Yingniang.
Su Xian prepared to lean against Xu Jinxin, but unexpectedly, Xu Jinxin dodged to the side.
"Hurry up, the child is already running. As a mother, aren't you embarrassed to hold her back?"
"What did you promise me yesterday? Don't tell me you want to go back on your word?"
Yesterday, Su Xian and Xu Jinxin were chatting and talking about how Duoduo had to exercise every day.
Xu Jinxin suggested that Su Xian should exercise together with her.
Su Xian casually remarked, "How can I have the nerve to do it all by myself?"
"Don't worry, I'll accompany you! The body is the capital of the revolution. Weren't you practicing martial arts with the Prince of Pingyang before?"
"Why did you stop practicing later on?"
Recalling what Li Jin had told her about the Prince of Pingyang's predicament, Xu Jinxin felt she ought to do something.
