Duoduo glanced at Lüdou, and Lüdou withdrew.
Only then did Yunxi quietly suggest, “Princess, you really should keep your distance from the maid.”
“If she moves around the residence and somehow catches the contagion, what would you do?”
Duoduo nodded, as if agreeing with Yunxi’s words.
“Third Cousin, Mother has already sent for a physician to come to the residence and examine everyone.”
“Don’t worry. I just told Lüdou to prepare a room for you.”
“As it happens, I live alone in this courtyard and get a little scared.”
“You can sleep in the room next to mine—keep me company!”
Yunxi froze for a moment, then quickly stood up and bowed to Duoduo.
“Thank you, Princess!”
Duoduo came over to support Yunxi. Yunxi tried to step back, but Duoduo grabbed her firmly.
Duoduo leaned in close and whispered,
“Third Cousin, did you know? I understand medicine.”
Yunxi’s eyes widened in shock.
Duoduo took Yunxi’s arm and placed her hand on it.
“Let me take your pulse. Sit down.”
Hearing the firm determination in Duoduo’s voice, Yunxi sat down without thinking.
Duoduo carefully finished taking Yunxi’s pulse and withdrew her hand.
“Third Cousin, you’re very healthy—don’t worry!”
Seeing the disbelief in Yunxi’s eyes, Duoduo thought for a moment.
“Third Cousin, on your way here, did you suffer from vomiting and diarrhea?”
When she saw the surprise on Yunxi’s face, Duoduo raised three fingers.
“After that, the medicine the physician prescribed—you only took it for three days.”
Yunxi stood up in astonishment.
“How did you know?”
Everything Duoduo said was exactly right.
As for why she only took it for three days, it was because Madam Su felt that asking the merchant caravan to prepare the medicine every day was too troublesome.
Seeing that Yunxi had improved, Madam Su said, “Medicine is three parts poison—taking more does no good.”
But Yunxi clearly remembered the physician telling her to take it for at least five full days.
Still, she was young and had no say, so she had to obey.
She had lain in the carriage for over half a month before she could even get up.
Duoduo looked at Yunxi and gave a sweet smile.
“I told you just now—I understand medicine.”
Yunxi finally believed her.
Because she knew that her grandmother would never have told her aunt about her illness.
And Yunmeng would never have mentioned it either.
So Duoduo must have diagnosed it.
Yunxi sat down again, looking at Duoduo with curiosity in her eyes.
“Princess, is your medical skill really that remarkable?”
Duoduo blinked.
“I just like it. I learned a bit from Master Zhang—it’s nothing impressive.”
“Third Cousin, if you like, I can teach you!”
Master Zhang had never said his medical knowledge couldn’t be passed on.
Yunxi quickly waved her hands. “I’m not interested.”
Duoduo sighed regretfully.
The expression on Duoduo’s face amused Yunxi.
Most of the time, Duoduo acted mature beyond her years.
Only when she occasionally showed a childish side did people remember she was still a child.
Duoduo rested her chin on her hands and looked at Yunxi.
“So, Third Cousin, what do you usually do?”
Yunxi blinked and gave a gentle smile.
“Just embroider, read a little, and sometimes help Mother manage the household.”
Duoduo sighed inwardly when she heard this.
Yunxi and Mother were just alike—both trapped in the inner quarters.
“Don’t you get bored?” Duoduo asked, puzzled.
Yunxi was stunned for a moment. “Isn’t every woman the same?”
Then, thinking of Duoduo’s situation, she looked envious.
“Not everyone can have such good fortune as you, Princess.”
Duoduo tilted her head.
“Good fortune? Third Cousin, do you mean meeting my father?”
She nodded. “You’re right. My greatest blessing was meeting Father—and Mother too!”
As for Duoduo, Yunxi had heard from her mother about her past, so she was full of sympathy for her.
When she and her sister talked privately, they had discussed Duoduo.
They both felt that if they were in her place, it would have been hard to accept.
In the Su residence, no matter how much Duoduo was mistreated, she was still a young mistress.
But in the Pingyang Prince’s household, she had started as a servant.
Going from mistress to servant—such a fall would be difficult for most people to bear.
Yet Duoduo not only accepted it but also rose overnight to become a Princess.
That was Duoduo’s fortune!
Lüdou entered and curtsied.
“Princess, everything has been prepared.”
Duoduo nodded, stood up, and took Yunxi’s hand. “Third Cousin, come—let’s go see your room.”
Yunxi tried to pull her hand free but couldn’t.
Duoduo led Yunxi to the room next door.
It was even larger than the room where Yunxi and Yunmeng were staying.
Inside, there was even a small tea alcove.
“Third Cousin, do you like it?”
“I like it very much. Thank you!” Yunxi was deeply grateful.
“Princess, the Princess Consort says that the physician has already begun examining the servants,” Lüdou reported.
“Her wish is to finish checking the staff first, then come to see the family members.”
Duoduo waved her hand, and Lüdou withdrew.
“Third Cousin, if you’re still worried, I can have the physician come and check you.”
Yunxi quickly waved her hands. “No need. I trust what you said, Princess.”
Duoduo gave Yunxi a mischievous grin.
“I also need to tell you something, Third Cousin.”
“The person who was moved out—the one who was sick—was my nursemaid, Nanny Li.”
Yunxi felt her legs go weak. She quickly grabbed the table to steady herself.
Duoduo stuck out her tongue, then helped Yunxi sit down in a chair.
“I’m sorry, Third Cousin—I scared you, didn’t I?”
A bitter look crossed Yunxi’s face.
“It’s my fault for being so timid.”
Duoduo patted Yunxi’s shoulder.
“Third Cousin, don’t be afraid!”
“Nanny Li recovered a long time ago.”
“But Nanny Li’s situation was a little complicated.”
“To put it simply, someone was trying to harm the Pingyang Prince’s household. They deliberately gave Nanny Li a prescription that would spread disease.”
“I discovered it, though, so Nanny Li escaped that disaster.”
As Duoduo said this, she saw fear creep into Yunxi’s eyes.
Duoduo scratched her head.
She seemed to have made things worse!
She had meant to comfort her Third Cousin, but now she looked even more frightened!
Duoduo glanced around, picked up the teapot, poured a cup of hot tea, and handed it to Yunxi.
“Third Cousin, have some tea—it’ll calm you down.”
Yunxi clutched the cup like a lifeline and eagerly took a sip.
“Hot!” Duoduo shouted, but it was too late.
The next second, Yunxi started choking and coughing.
Duoduo quickly took the cup away and patted Yunxi’s back.
Yunxi coughed violently until her face turned red.
But after that ordeal, she finally snapped back to her senses.
