Duoduo tilted her little head and revealed a brilliant smile.
"Of course we will meet again. You are Princess Consort Rui, after all!"
Duoduo took a small bottle from her sleeve and poured out a bright red pill.
"Keep this pill safe. At a critical moment, it can save your life."
"I hope you won't tell anyone about me diagnosing you."
"Because the person who poisoned you must be right by your side."
As Duoduo spoke, she placed the pill into Princess Consort Rui's palm.
Holding the tiny pill, Princess Consort Rui felt a complex mix of emotions.
"Changle, I will keep your kindness in my heart."
Duoduo smiled, not taking it too seriously.
Although she was young, she had long understood that Princess Consort Rui was merely speaking from the emotion of the moment.
As long as she remained Princess Consort Rui, she could never betray Prince Rui.
And so, they would always be on opposing sides.
Duoduo carefully put the bottle back into her sleeve pocket.
Just then, Jinzhi walked in carrying a tray.
"On here is what you wanted," Princess Consort Rui said, gesturing for Jinzhi to give the items to Duoduo.
"The other things are a gift of gratitude from me on behalf of the child in my womb. You must accept them."
Duoduo took the tray and lifted the cloth covering it.
She saw the jade pendant she had been longing for.
There was also a banknote for fifty thousand taels of silver, along with a set of gold hair ornaments.
Duoduo was stunned for a moment.
"Princess Consort Rui, this is too much."
Princess Consort Rui gave a gentle smile.
"Haven't you helped me a great deal as well? This is your reward."
Duoduo thought for a moment, wrapped the items in the cloth, and then bowed to Princess Consort Rui.
"Changle thanks Princess Consort Rui for the reward!"
Princess Consort Rui waved her hand dismissively and closed her eyes.
Duoduo walked over to the desk, quickly wrote down a prescription, and instructed Jinzhi on how it should be taken.
After finishing her tasks, Duoduo took the cloth bundle and walked out.
Li Jin, who had been waiting in the courtyard, saw Duoduo and came over to greet her.
"Is everything settled?"
Duoduo nodded. "Teacher, let's go."
Li Jin reached out, took the cloth bundle from Duoduo's hands, and led her by the hand toward the exit of the estate.
Jinzhi followed closely behind, escorting Duoduo all the way out of the estate before turning back.
Li Jin lifted Duoduo onto the horse's back.
"Teacher, won't it be too late if we rush back now?"
"No, we aren't going back yet. We'll spend the night in the town we passed through on our way here, and return tomorrow."
After saying this, Li Jin squeezed the horse's flanks, and the horse immediately broke into a run.
As Li Jin and Duoduo left, a pigeon also flew out of the courtyard.
Hearing the sound of a bird flying overhead, Li Jin raised his hand and threw a pebble upward.
Smack! The pigeon was hit and fell to the ground.
Li Jin ran over, picked up the pigeon, and pulled out the letter hidden inside.
After reading it, he tore it to shreds.
"Princess, we have our midnight snack sorted," Li Jin said, waving the pigeon in his hand.
Duoduo broke into a smile.
Li Jin vaulted back onto the horse and continued onward.
"Princess, earlier today you mentioned that Princess Consort Rui was facing a difficult problem. What was it?"
Li Jin's curiosity had gotten the better of him.
Duoduo bit her lip, looked around, and then leaned close to Li Jin to whisper.
"The child in Princess Consort Rui's womb is a girl."
Startled, Li Jin looked down at Duoduo.
"Didn't they say the imperial physicians diagnosed it as a boy? How could it be a girl?"
Duoduo also frowned.
"Teacher, I think it's really strange too."
"Could the imperial physicians in the palace really have such poor medical skills?"
"It's impossible for them not to be able to tell the difference between a boy and a girl from a pulse, right?"
Li Jin thought for a moment and shook his head.
"No, since they are imperial physicians from the palace, they couldn't possibly get such a basic thing wrong."
Duoduo looked puzzled.
"Then if they diagnosed it as a girl, why didn't they tell Princess Consort Rui?"
"When I told her, she looked completely in disbelief."
Li Jin pondered for a moment and recalled a detail.
"The doctor today, did he say he was sent by Princess Consort Rui's maiden family?"
Duoduo nodded.
"Yes!"
"Actually, he also diagnosed it, but he didn't tell Princess Consort Rui."
"Oh right, Teacher, when Princess Consort Rui questioned him earlier, he said he was just following orders."
"Princess Consort Rui asked him if it was her father or Prince Rui."
At this point, Li Jin had already vaguely guessed what was going on.
"If that's the case, Prince Rui has known all along that the child in Princess Consort Rui's womb is a girl."
"Then why would he deliberately say it's a boy?" Duoduo couldn't understand.
"Because of the throne!"
Li Jin answered with absolute certainty.
Prince Rui has no legitimate son, which puts him at a disadvantage in the fight for the succession.
But as long as Princess Consort Rui hasn't given birth, they can pretend the child she carries is a son.
By the time Princess Consort Rui gives birth, this battle for the throne might have already come to an end.
And if there is no succession battle, then the child Princess Consort Rui gives birth to will be declared a son anyway.
Duoduo seemed to understand a little. "No wonder Princess Consort Rui cried so hard when she found out."
After a while, Duoduo spoke again.
"Teacher, will Princess Consort Rui really keep this child?"
Li Jin stared straight ahead. "I don't know."
"It all depends on what Princess Consort Rui decides."
Duoduo fell silent and leaned against Li Jin's chest.
She seemed tired.
Li Jin's mind, however, was racing with thoughts.
If Prince Rui had known the truth all along, he certainly wouldn't want Princess Consort Rui to find out.
But Prince Rui couldn't have anticipated that Duoduo would suddenly enter the picture.
Although Li Jin had intercepted the letters the guards tried to send out...
He couldn't guarantee that every single letter had been stopped.
If Prince Rui learned the truth, they would be in danger.
Li Jin thought it over and consulted with Duoduo.
"Princess, can you hold on? We need to ride back to the capital overnight!"
Duoduo looked back in surprise. "Teacher, didn't you just say we were going to stay in the town for the night?"
Li Jin squeezed his legs tightly and slapped the horse's rump.
"Hyah!"
"Princess, your words just now reminded me."
"If Prince Rui knew the truth all along, he definitely didn't want Princess Consort Rui to know."
"If he finds out we went to diagnose Princess Consort Rui, he will definitely try to silence us."
"We must rush back as quickly as possible before they catch up to us!"
After speaking, Li Jin continuously urged the horse beneath him to run faster.
Duoduo gripped the saddle tightly and leaned low against the horse's movements.
The sky gradually grew dark.
Li Jin and Duoduo were just about to reach the small town where they had planned to rest.
"Teacher, it looks like there's someone ahead." Duoduo's sharp eyes caught sight of figures moving on the road in front of them.
"Hyah!"
Li Jin turned the horse's head and veered onto another path.
They rode for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and Li Jin directed the horse down yet another path.
"Teacher, where are we going?" Duoduo asked, looking at the hazy darkness ahead.
