Xiao Yi waved his hand, and Yunxiao escorted Master Zhang out.
Duoduo stood up and bowed, preparing to take her leave.
“Wait,” Xiao Yi instructed.
“Yunxiao, call Lingyu back.”
“Also, send someone to investigate that Tongrentang pharmacy and the newly arrived doctor.”
“I want all the information by tomorrow!”
“Yes, I’ll see to it at once.” Yunxiao bowed and withdrew.
Duoduo looked at Xiao Yi with curiosity.
“Father, is there something you wish to tell me?”
Xiao Yi pushed his wheelchair over to the desk and nodded at Duoduo.
“Come here.”
Duoduo walked over.
Xiao Yi pulled a painting from the drawer.
“Memorize this person’s face,” he said.
Duoduo took the painting, intrigued.
It depicted a man dressed as a eunuch.
She studied the image carefully. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she looked up.
“Father, I have it memorized.”
Xiao Yi nodded and put the painting back in the drawer.
“When you’re in the palace, if you see this person, have someone follow him to find out which palace he belongs to.”
“As for anything else, don’t alert him. Come back and tell me.”
Xiao Yi added this warning, uneasy. Duoduo had become somewhat unpredictable these days.
Duoduo tilted her head.
“Father, who is this man?”
Xiao Yi looked at her, silent. Seeing her stubbornly waiting for an answer, he paused in thought.
“Do you remember the steward who fled our estate?”
Duoduo thought for a moment and nodded.
“Yes, I recall.”
“Good. Our people tracked him all the way to the capital.”
“He once met with this man.”
“I suspect that the master behind this man is the one who has been scheming against our manor.”
“Unfortunately, I cannot enter the palace often.”
“And the people I had planted inside have run into trouble.”
Xiao Yi had been busy lately dealing with exactly this. The informants he had placed in the palace had been caught making a mistake and beaten to death.
Of course, with the steward acting as a mole, it was only natural that those informants were exposed.
It would take time to plant new ones in the palace.
He couldn’t go in himself, and his planted eyes had been removed.
Giving up midway wasn’t Xiao Yi’s style.
Nor was sitting idle waiting for trouble.
Duoduo understood.
“Father, give me the painting. I’ll show it to Lüdou and the others.”
Duoduo spent most of her time at the Imperial Academy while in the palace. Lüdou and the others waited outside—they might have a better chance of spotting him.
Xiao Yi thought it over and pulled out the painting again.
“Remember, burn it after seeing it. Leave no evidence.”
Duoduo carefully took the painting. “Don’t worry, Father. I understand.”
Duoduo left the study with the painting.
Lüdou, who had been waiting outside, immediately followed.
“Your Highness, the Princess Consort sent word asking you to come to her chambers.”
Duoduo turned, surprised. “Didn’t I just come from Mother’s place? What else does she want?”
Lüdou quickened her pace. “She said your maternal grandmother has arrived.”
Grandmother?
Duoduo’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Only Grandmother? Or are there others?”
“I didn’t ask,” Lüdou said, shaking her head.
Duoduo paused, thinking.
“Your Highness, aren’t you going?” Lüdou asked, confused.
"Alright, wait a moment." Lüdou unfolded the portrait in her hand.
"Lüdou, take a look. Have you seen this person in the palace?"
Duoduo handed the portrait to Lüdou while she kept a wary eye on their surroundings.
Lüdou held the portrait and studied it carefully.
"Your Highness, this servant hasn't seen this person."
"I'll give you the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Memorize his face." Duoduo's expression was stern.
"Yes." Lüdou didn't ask why and immediately looked at the portrait.
After the time of one cup of tea, Lüdou lifted her head.
"Have you remembered him?" Duoduo asked.
"Barely. His most noticeable feature is that his left pinky finger is a bit crooked."
Duoduo shook her head.
"People in the palace keep their hands hidden in their sleeves."
"You can't always be staring at someone's hands, can you?"
Lüdou hesitated and looked at the portrait again.
Duoduo pointed at the man's eyebrow.
"Look, he has a small mole right in his eyebrow."
Lüdou looked troubled.
"Your Highness, this servant can't just look up at people's faces casually."
The palace had many rules. Servants like Lüdou always walked with their heads down.
Looking around was a sign of bad manners and would earn a reprimand.
Let alone staring directly at a eunuch's face.
Duoduo blinked.
"Well, the two of us will remember these two features. Maybe we'll spot him one day."
Lüdou agreed with whatever Duoduo said.
"Have you got it?" Duoduo asked Lüdou, and Lüdou nodded.
Duoduo only asked Lüdou to identify the person because she didn't fully trust Qingliu yet.
"Go back now and burn this."
"I'm going to Mother's place to see Grandmother." Duoduo instructed.
"Yes, this servant will come right away!"
Lüdou grabbed the portrait and ran off, disappearing in an instant.
Duoduo then straightened her clothes and headed toward Su Xian's courtyard.
Just as she reached the entrance, she heard a familiar voice.
"Auntie, the Pingyang Prince's mansion is way too small!"
It was that annoying Yunmeng!
She had come too?
Duoduo hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.
"Duoduo, come greet your grandmother, and your cousins Yunxi and Yunmeng." Su Xian's tone held no warmth.
Duoduo walked over and respectfully performed a greeting to Lady Su.
"Chang Le pays respects to Grandmother and to both elder cousins."
Lady Su broke into a smile.
"Rise quickly. Yunxi, Yunmeng, why haven't you greeted your younger cousin properly?"
Yunxi, seated below, stood up and gave Duoduo a curtsey. "Greetings, little cousin."
Beside her, Yunmeng followed suit reluctantly.
Duoduo walked over and took Yunxi's hand. "Third cousin, how come I don't see Fifth cousin?"
Yunxi offered a small smile. "She's unwell, so she didn't come."
"Tch!" Yunmeng turned her head away in disdain.
"Duoduo, don't you have homework to do? You should get busy."
Su Xian was dismissing her.
Duoduo blinked. She saw embarrassment flicker across Yunxi's face.
"Mother, I haven't seen Third Cousin in a long time. Can she come play with me?"
Before Su Xian could answer, Lady Su spoke up.
"Both Yunxi and Yunmeng, go with the princess and play."
"Your grandmother and your aunt have private matters to discuss. Go on now."
Duoduo saw Su Xian nod, so she happily pulled Yunxi outside.
Yunmeng rose reluctantly, following them.
"A girl attending the Imperial Academy? Ridiculous."
"You should hurry up and give birth to a son. Sending a son to the Imperial Academy is the proper path!"
Before Duoduo had walked far, she heard Madam Su speaking.
