Duoduo looked curious. “What is it?”
Yunxi bit her lip. “I heard Yunmeng say that Grandmother arranged a childhood betrothal for her.”
“Grandmother’s main reason this time is to take her to meet her betrothed.”
Duoduo’s eyes widened in surprise.
“A childhood betrothal? For Seventh Cousin?”
Yunxi’s face showed discomfort.
“Yes! That’s what Yunmeng said!”
Duoduo thought for a moment, then asked, “Does Cousin know which family it is?”
Yunxi shook her head.
“Yunmeng doesn’t know either. Grandmother didn’t tell her.”
The reason Yunxi managed to find out was that Yunmeng couldn’t hold back after Yunxi deliberately showed off in front of her.
Yunxi had purposely said that if she married into the capital, she could stay there forever.
She added that the capital was much better than Xianyang, a big place with much finer things.
Yunmeng was young and naturally competitive.
She couldn’t stand Yunxi’s repeated teasing.
So she blurted out what Grandmother Su had told her.
That was how Yunxi realized that Grandmother had done everything for her Second Uncle and Second Aunt’s family, not for her.
She was just an afterthought.
No—
She was only useful for her value.
Feeling disheartened, Yunxi remembered her mother’s parting advice.
So she decided to side with her aunt.
Duoduo patted Yunxi’s hand. “Thank you, Third Cousin.”
Yunxi’s face reddened. She felt very uncomfortable.
“Princess, you don’t think the Su family is very disunited, do you?”
Duoduo blinked her big eyes.
“Third Cousin, why would you think that?
True family helps and supports each other, not uses each other.
Some people are related by blood, but they can’t be called family.”
Worried that Yunxi might not understand, Duoduo used herself as an example.
“Look, I wasn’t born to my parents either, but they treat me far better than my birth parents ever did!
If I still clung to the relatives who abandoned me, I’d only be degrading myself!
Father says only bad people use moral rules to constrain you.
Because they can’t do it themselves, yet they demand it of others.”
Yunxi seemed to ponder this.
She knew about Duoduo’s background, but she never knew Duoduo thought this way.
Yunxi felt that during the time she had spent with Duoduo, her worldview kept being renewed.
For the first time, she learned that women could openly study.
For the first time, she learned that if a woman wanted to do something, she could strive for it.
Honestly, she even envied Duoduo.
Unlike herself, confined to the inner quarters, bound by “the three obediences and four virtues.”
After learning about Grandmother’s motive, Duoduo found a moment during breakfast to tell Xiao Yi.
“Father, please have the guards follow Grandmother and the others.”
Xiao Yi nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll have Ling Yu assign two more men.
By the way, Li Jin sent word that the person you were looking for has arrived.”
Xiao Yi’s expression grew inquisitive. “Who did you recruit?”
At first, Duoduo hadn’t caught on.
But when Xiao Yi asked, she remembered.
Her face lit up with delight.
“Father, where is that person?”
Xiao Yi tapped the table. “You haven’t answered me yet—what person is it?”
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
“I bought a shop, I want to sell pastries.”
“And then, I’ve set my sights on a manager, but that person is still working in someone else’s shop.”
A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yi’s face.
“You’re openly poaching from someone else? Quite bold!”
Duoduo wore an innocent smile.
“That shop’s business is too poor, that manager will leave sooner or later anyway.”
“Better to let him work for me, that way I don’t have to find someone else.”
Xiao Yi nodded. “What’s so good about him that makes you this happy?”
Duoduo blinked her eyes.
“Father, you’ve met him too!”
Seeing her father’s puzzled look, she explained.
“Father, do you remember that shop where I first bought the stone?”
Xiao Yi thought for a moment and nodded.
“I remember.”
“Don’t tell me you’re poaching that very manager?”
Duoduo nodded with some pride.
“Father, what do you think of him?”
Xiao Yi recalled, “He’s decent enough, but his vision is too narrow—not yet qualified to be a manager.”
Duoduo agreed wholeheartedly.
“I think the same as you, Father.”
“So, I want to first arrange for him to help out at Aunt Xu’s shop!”
Aunt Xu had many unconventional ideas that Duoduo found quite impressive.
That manager was loyal enough, but his perspective was limited.
That could be trained.
The corners of Xiao Yi’s mouth lifted. “You sure know how to scheme.”
Duoduo’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
“Father, please send word to the tutor to have that person sent to Aunt Xu’s place first, so Aunt Xu can help me train him for a couple of days.”
Xiao Yi lifted his chin.
“Isn’t today your day off? Why don’t you go tell them yourself?”
“I could, but I’m worried there won’t be enough time.”
“Mainly, I have no idea what kind of trouble Grandmother and the others are planning today.”
“Besides, I don’t dare bring them to Aunt Xu’s shop.”
Duoduo voiced her concerns.
Xiao Yi patted Duoduo on the head.
“You are the Princess of Changle. Since when do you need to be so cautious when doing things?”
Duoduo tilted her head. “Then will Father help me? I’ll just slack off for one day today, how about that?”
Xiao Yi tapped Duoduo’s forehead.
“You little imp, you sure know how to boss your father around quickly, don’t you?”
Duoduo grabbed Xiao Yi’s arm and acted coy. “Father, didn’t you say yourself? You’re my greatest support!”
The corners of Xiao Yi’s mouth curled up uncontrollably.
“Since you’ve asked so sweetly, your father will indulge you this once!”
Duoduo immediately flashed a row of small, mouse-like teeth and smiled with her eyes crinkling.
“Thank you, Father!”
Seeing Duoduo like this, Xiao Yi’s eyes curved too.
“Oh, and Nanny Li is back. Today, Qingliu will accompany you when you go out.”
Duoduo was startled.
“Nanny Li is back? When did that happen?”
“She came back early this morning. I told her to rest, and she’ll follow you again tomorrow.”
“Father, then I’ll go check on Nanny Li first.” Duoduo felt a bit uneasy.
Xiao Yi nodded. That was exactly why he had told her this news.
After Duoduo took Nanny Li’s pulse, she felt relieved.
“Nanny, your health is even better than before now.”
Nanny Li quickly bowed to Duoduo. “This old servant owes it all to the Princess’s blessings.”
“I had nothing to do, so I made a few dresses for the Princess. I hope you won’t find them unworthy.”
Duoduo saw Qingliu holding several beautiful dresses in her hands, and her eyes lit up.
"Nanny's craftsmanship is absolutely top-notch. Thank you, Nanny. I really love it!"
Just then, Lüdou approached.
"Princess, the Princess says it's time to head out."
