In the study, the Prince of Pingyang sealed the letter he had written with wax over a flame.
He turned and handed it to Lingfeng. "Deliver this to His Majesty with all haste!"
"Yes, sir!"
Lingfeng took the letter and was just about to leave.
"What is all that noise in the garden?" The Prince of Pingyang put away the brush and ink on his desk.
"It is the Princess Consort and the young miss catching butterflies in the garden," Lingfeng replied, leaning out to look.
The Prince of Pingyang paused in his movements. "Take me out to see."
Lingfeng placed the letter inside his robe, pushed the wheelchair, and headed towards the garden.
In the garden, the Princess Consort of Pingyang was holding a round fan, chasing a blue butterfly.
"Quickly, it's flown onto the flowers on the right!"
Duoduo was behind her, stomping her feet and clapping her hands to cheer her on.
The Princess Consort smiled, moving her delicate steps lightly, using the fan to try and catch the butterfly resting on a flower.
It had been a long time since the Prince of Pingyang had seen his wife look so vivid and lively.
The last time she had been this charming and spirited seemed to be around their wedding.
Afterwards, her brow had gradually become clouded with worry.
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo, who was chattering non-stop, and seemed lost in thought.
Perhaps his decision was the right one!
Duoduo saw another blue butterfly fly out from among the flowers, passing right over her head.
Her gaze followed the butterfly. She stepped backwards, hopping up as she went, trying to catch it.
"Stop!"
Duoduo heard a sharp shout from behind her. She recognized the voice as belonging to the Prince of Pingyang, the man who had bought her.
Duoduo trembled with fear, her foot stepping on a pebble. She lost her balance and slipped sideways.
"Ah!"
Duoduo cried out in fright.
The Princess Consort, who had been catching butterflies, stood up and saw Duoduo falling towards the pond.
"Child!"
The Princess Consort ran towards Duoduo.
Just as Duoduo was about to fall into the water, in a flash, a hand grabbed her and threw her back onto the bank.
But the person who had grabbed Duoduo, along with his wheelchair, fell into the pond.
"Your Highness!"
The Princess Consort's face turned deathly pale.
"Your Highness!"
Lingfeng was shocked. Everything had happened too fast; he hadn't expected the Prince to reach out to save the child.
As Duoduo stepped back, nearing the edge of the pond, the Prince of Pingyang had originally intended to stop her from retreating further.
He hadn't expected Duoduo, frightened by his shout, to slip and fall towards the pond.
They had been standing some distance away from Duoduo.
Lingfeng never imagined the Prince would propel his wheelchair forward to rescue her. By the time he reacted, it was too late.
Lingfeng plunged into the water with a splash and pulled the Prince of Pingyang out.
The Princess Consort rushed over, tears streaming down her face.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Are you alright?"
The Prince of Pingyang opened his eyes to see his wife's worried face and Duoduo sitting on the ground, looking terrified.
He turned to Lingfeng. "Lingfeng, carry me back inside."
"Yes, sir!"
"He's bleeding!"
Duoduo pointed at the Prince of Pingyang's knee, saying timidly.
Only then did Lingfeng and the Princess Consort notice the blood soaking through the Prince's trousers at the knee.
"Quickly! Go fetch the physician at once!"
The Princess Consort was terrified. She remembered the imperial physician's warning: the Prince must never be injured again, otherwise, his legs would surely have to be amputated!
"Lingfeng, back to the room!"
The Prince of Pingyang's expression was extremely grim.
Lingfeng picked up the Prince and strode quickly towards the house.
The Princess Consort also hurriedly followed, leaving Duoduo alone sitting on the ground.
Lüdou, having finished her chores, hurried over. Seeing Duoduo sitting dazedly on the ground by herself, she quickly helped her up.
"Oh, young miss, your hand is bleeding again!"
"Come! Let me take you back to apply some ointment!"
Duoduo was led away by Lüdou. She looked back over her shoulder towards the study.
"Lüdou, am I weawwy a jinx?"
Lüdou crouched down to look at Duoduo.
"Young miss, you are not a jinx! The day you and your elder sister were born, the sky was filled with morning clouds and a hundred birds sang together."
"But, aftew I was born, my gwandmothew passed away, and my othew gwandmothew got sick."
"They were old. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural things. They have nothing to do with you, young miss."
Sadness appeared on Duoduo's face.
"But just now, he fell into the watew saving me, and he bweds so much!"
Lüdou had also heard about the Prince being injured and the physician being summoned.
She didn't know how to explain it. "Young miss, everyone has their own fate."
Duoduo didn't understand what Lüdou meant by fate. She thought for a moment, then lifted her feet and ran towards the study.
"Young miss, where are you going?" Lüdou hurried after her.
Duoduo arrived outside the study and peeked in secretly.
The Prince of Pingyang lay on a couch, his eyes closed. The Princess Consort was beside him, wiping her tears, while Lingfeng kept looking anxiously outside.
"The physician is here!"
Duoduo stepped aside as an old man with a white beard walked in.
Duoduo craned her neck to see. The old man first lifted the trouser leg to examine the Prince's injured knee.
Then he sat down and began taking his pulse.
After finishing, the old man stroked his beard, deep in thought.
"Physician Li, how is my leg?"
"Not good," Physician Li shook his head.
"What? How is His Highness's leg, exactly?" The Princess Consort was greatly alarmed.
"The Prince's legs, from long disuse, were already very fragile."
"Now, they have struck against some hard object, causing the kneecap to shatter."
"The shattered bone pierced the skin, hence the continuous bleeding."
After speaking, Physician Li shook his head regretfully.
"I can only prescribe some internal and external remedies to clear heat, detoxify, and relieve pain for now, to see if they have any effect."
"If he does not develop a high fever afterwards, then there is no problem. But if the Prince's fever persists, the leg will have to be amputated."
The Princess Consort was so frightened she stopped crying. How could this happen?
The Prince of Pingyang patted his wife's hand. "Lingfeng, take Physician Li to write the prescription."
"Yes, sir. Physician Li, this way, please."
Lingfeng led Physician Li to a nearby desk. Physician Li picked up a brush and began writing the prescription.
The Princess Consort tightly gripped the Prince's hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Your Highness, perhaps we should send a memorial to His Majesty and ask him to dispatch an imperial physician from the palace to examine you?"
The Prince of Pingyang gently patted his Consort's hand. "No need. Physician Li's skills are also quite good."
The Princess Consort couldn't understand. How could her husband, who was fine just moments ago, now face having his leg amputated?
She remembered it was all because the Prince of Pingyang had saved Duoduo that he had struck his knee.
That child truly is a curse!
The Princess Consort tightened her grip on her husband's hand.
"Your Highness, perhaps we should send that child away!"
"If not for her, your leg would not be in this state!"
Outside the door, Duoduo stood rooted to the spot.
Was she going to be abandoned again?
