Duoduo picked up a mouthful of vegetables with her chopsticks and stuffed it into her mouth.
"I ate it."
The Prince of Pingyang looked at her with disgust. "Don't speak with your mouth full!"
Duoduo ravenously gulped down the food in her mouth.
"I swallowed it!"
"Continue!" The Prince of Pingyang looked away from Duoduo and lowered his head to eat his meal.
Having trained for a long time that morning, Duoduo was already hungry.
Once she started, she couldn't stop.
It wasn't until Duoduo realized there was only a single piece of vegetable left on the plate that she froze.
Wasn't today's meal a little too small?
She wasn't even full yet, and it was already gone.
Duoduo stretched out her chopsticks, preparing to grab the vegetable, but halfway there, another pair of chopsticks reached over and snatched it away.
Duoduo put down her chopsticks with a look of regret. Patting her half-full stomach, she somewhat missed her own meals.
The treatment in the Prince of Pingyang's manor was good. Although the servants' meals weren't lavish feasts of meat and fish, there was always enough to eat to one's fill.
Ever since Duoduo started testing dishes for the Prince of Pingyang, she had only been full the very first time; after that, she was always left half-full.
Suddenly, a piece of vegetable was tossed onto the plate in front of her.
"I am done eating."
Duoduo looked up at the Prince of Pingyang, who was wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
She silently picked up the vegetable and ate it.
At that moment, Ling Feng returned.
"Reporting to Your Highness, your subordinate has checked everything. There is nothing wrong with any of the items."
As Ling Feng spoke, he cast a very unfriendly glance at Duoduo.
Duoduo opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but she didn't know how.
From the corner of his eye, the Prince of Pingyang caught sight of Duoduo's expression.
"Have you checked the Princess Consort's quarters as well?"
Ling Feng was taken aback. "No, your subordinate will go right away!"
Like a gust of wind, Ling Feng ran out again.
Duoduo slid down from her chair and stood obediently to the side.
"Come here and push me to the garden."
The Prince of Pingyang felt a slight discomfort in his abdomen and wanted to go out for some fresh air.
Duoduo walked over and used all her might to push the wheelchair.
She was too small, and the wheelchair was too big. Even on her tiptoes, she couldn't reach the upper handles of the wheelchair.
"So clumsy!"
The Prince of Pingyang pushed the wheelchair himself, heading out the door.
Duoduo found it very strange. The Prince could clearly push the wheelchair himself, so why did he want someone else to push him?
"Hurry up and follow."
Sensing that Duoduo wasn't following him, the Prince of Pingyang grew a little impatient.
"Ah! Coming!"
Duoduo hastily replied and hurried after him.
Duoduo stood beside the wheelchair, holding onto the armrest to help push.
The Prince of Pingyang was quite pleased. "Recite the Three Character Classic you read yesterday again."
Duoduo opened her mouth and began to recite the text in a crisp voice.
This time, she fluently recited the verses from beginning to end.
The Prince of Pingyang couldn't help but turn his head to glance at Duoduo.
"Did I recite it wrong?" Seeing the Prince of Pingyang's gaze, Duoduo felt a little insecure.
"Do you think you recited it wrong?" the Prince of Pingyang asked instead of answering.
Duoduo thought for a moment. "I don't think so."
"Since you believe you are right, why doubt yourself?"
Duoduo froze. Right, why did she?
The Prince of Pingyang stopped his wheelchair and looked at the flowers in the courtyard.
"Magistrate Song's eldest daughter, Song Shuyu, and Old Madam Song are almost at Feng City."
The Prince of Pingyang suddenly said something out of the blue.
Duoduo tilted her head. The Prince of Pingyang was talking about her former sister and grandmother.
"What does that have to do with me?" Duoduo didn't understand.
She had already been sold by her father; the Prince of Pingyang was now her provider.
This was what Lüdou had told her.
The Prince of Pingyang smiled.
"Aren't you concerned about how much your sister will be favored once she arrives?"
A hint of sadness flashed in Duoduo's eyes.
"My sister is a lucky star. She has been favored since she was little."
Duoduo's words were filled with disappointment.
"When I was young, people also called me a jinx."
The Prince of Pingyang stroked the jade thumb ring on his hand.
Duoduo opened her mouth wide and looked at the Prince of Pingyang.
"You're lying! You are a prince! Who would dare say that about you?"
Duoduo expressed her disbelief.
Whether it was stimulated by the poison or the Prince of Pingyang simply wanted to vent his emotions.
He felt an urge to get it off his chest.
"Yes, who would dare?"
The Prince of Pingyang revealed a mocking smile.
"You surely wouldn't guess that the person who called me a jinx was none other than my imperial father."
"Your father? Why is he so mean?" Duoduo felt angry on behalf of the Prince of Pingyang.
"Yes, why is he so mean?" the Prince of Pingyang repeated Duoduo's words.
Seeing the disappointment on the Prince of Pingyang's face, Duoduo stood on her tiptoes and gently patted his shoulder.
"Don't be sad. He must have misunderstood you!"
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo's concerned face, his gaze lingering on her hand.
"Move your paw."
Duoduo guiltily withdrew her hand.
"I just saw some dust and was brushing it off!"
With this interruption, the Prince of Pingyang lost his desire to confide.
He reverted to being the cold and aloof Prince of Pingyang.
"Your Highness, your subordinate went to check on the Princess Consort. Everything is normal; there are no issues."
Ling Feng rushed back to report.
Duoduo couldn't believe it. She raised her eyes and looked again at the words in front of her.
[Today's... is poisoned!]
What did those characters in the middle say?
Duoduo's heart felt as if a cat were scratching at it.
After hearing Ling Feng's report, the Prince of Pingyang looked coldly at Duoduo.
Duoduo was extremely nervous. She suddenly clutched her stomach.
"My tummy hurts. I need to use the privy!"
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo with a half-smile. "Do you find it amusing to play tricks on me?"
Duoduo bent over, clutching her stomach.
"I'm not playing tricks on you, my tummy really hurts."
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo. "Men!"
A guard suddenly appeared before them.
"Escort her there!" the Prince of Pingyang ordered.
"Yes, sir."
Clutching her stomach, Duoduo ran out as fast as she could.
Ling Feng looked at the Prince of Pingyang in great confusion.
"Your Highness, why did she say the food was poisoned?"
The Prince of Pingyang rotated the jade thumb ring on his hand. "Indeed. I would also like to know why she would say that."
Duoduo ran to the privy. "Don't come in!"
The guard obediently stood watch outside the door.
Inside, Duoduo paced around anxiously. She had originally wanted to run to find Nanny Li.
She wanted to draw those two characters and then ask Nanny Li what they meant.
But now, with a guard stationed at the door, how was she supposed to go?
Duoduo ran over to the window to take a look. Even on her tiptoes, she couldn't reach it.
There were no stools or anything similar inside for her to climb onto.
Outside, seeing that Duoduo hadn't come out after a long time, the guard came over and knocked on the door.
"Just a minute!"
Duoduo shouted toward the door.
Duoduo paced around a few more times inside. Ultimately, she had to give up on her previous plan.
She returned to the courtyard dejectedly.
Seeing her appearance, the Prince of Pingyang's suspicions grew even deeper.
"How did you know that someone would poison me?"
