"Last night, Grandfather suddenly had Eunuch Li come over to take Duoduo to the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
Duoduo quietly recounted what had happened the day before to her father in detail.
Xiao Yi listened, deep in thought.
"You mean your grandfather's health is gradually improving?" Xiao Yi wanted to confirm.
Duoduo stopped eating and nodded with certainty.
"Yes! Grandfather's health suffered because he overworked himself, damaging his heart and pulse."
"I gave him the medicine I made myself to recuperate his body."
"As long as he trusts me and takes it consistently for half a month, his health will recover to how it was in his younger days!"
Duoduo was very confident in her medication.
Xiao Yi's eyes flickered with thought.
If the Emperor’s health was fine, why would he still claim to be unwell?
That morning, the Emperor had announced the cancellation of the morning court session.
Matters of little importance were temporarily set aside.
Urgent matters were to be reported to Prince Ling for handling.
The political winds in the court were quietly shifting beneath the surface.
Xiao Yi couldn't quite figure out his father's intentions.
The Emperor’s birthday was only half a month away.
At this critical juncture, the Emperor had handed over state affairs to Prince Ling.
Was the subtext that Prince Ling was the future heir to the throne?
Xiao Yi shook his head slightly.
Just now, Duoduo had made it clear: the Emperor surely knew that Consort Li had framed Duoduo.
If the Emperor favored Prince Ling, he wouldn’t have been so lenient with Duoduo.
Having Eunuch Li bring her for a talk, and then moving her to a better cell—
Xiao Yi pressed his lips together.
A thought surfaced in his mind.
The Emperor must be setting up a grand scheme.
He was placing himself right in the middle of it.
A trace of worry flickered in Xiao Yi’s eyes.
Duoduo noticed his expression and blinked.
"Daddy, Grandfather had Imperial Physician Li take me as his apprentice."
Xiao Yi, lost in thought, was momentarily stunned by her words.
"Grandfather said that once I learn medicine, your legs, Daddy, will be my responsibility."
Duoduo finished and gave Xiao Yi a mischievous wink.
Xiao Yi snapped back to reality.
"So, are you willing to become Imperial Physician Li's apprentice?" Xiao Yi asked, prioritizing Duoduo’s feelings above all else.
Duoduo smiled sweetly.
"Master Zhang once said that if someone is better than him, I may take them as my teacher."
"The art of medicine is vast and boundless—there’s no end to learning it, and everyone has their own expertise."
"Master Zhang leans toward using poisons, while Imperial Physician Li comes from a medical lineage passed down for centuries."
"Perhaps his knowledge might complement Master Zhang’s skills perfectly!"
Xiao Yi saw how knowledgeable Duoduo was when it came to studying medicine.
The corners of his lips curled slightly. "As long as you're happy with it, that's what matters."
Duoduo nodded with sparkling eyes. "Yes, I'm very willing."
"I just wonder if Imperial Physician Li will teach me everything he knows."
"But I don’t expect too much. Even a little knowledge would be a gain."
Duoduo’s mindset was very calm.
After all, Imperial Physician Li came from a centuries-old tradition, following a different path from Master Zhang.
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment.
"Imperial Physician Li is obsessed with medicine. People from such scholarly families tend to be proud at heart."
"But those who are proud all share one weakness."
Duoduo’s eyes shone with curiosity. "What is it, Daddy?"
"Those who are aloof are all proud."
"Those who are proud never admit defeat."
"So, if you want to achieve your goal, just use provocation."
Duoduo’s face lit up with sudden understanding.
"I get it!"
"I can challenge him to a medical contest. If I win, he definitely won’t accept defeat."
"He’ll surely want to learn what I know. Then I can take the chance to propose that I learn his medical skills in exchange."
Xiao Yi nodded in agreement.
"Haven’t you come up with many prescriptions on your own?"
"One prescription in exchange for a lesson from Imperial Physician Li—does that seem like a loss?"
Duoduo shook her head happily. "No loss! If I change just one or two ingredients in my prescription, it can produce a completely different effect."
"That way, I can learn a lot of new things."
"Exactly! Remember to hide your talent!" Xiao Yi reminded Duoduo.
"If Imperial Physician Li finds out you have a photographic memory, he probably won’t be so easily fooled afterward."
A faint smile curled at the corner of Xiao Yi’s mouth.
Duoduo playfully stuck out her tongue.
"Yes, I’ll remember."
Xiao Yi remembered the matter he had been pondering earlier and patted Duoduo on the head.
"Father might not be able to come to the palace easily anymore lately."
"Will you be scared staying here alone?"
Duoduo immediately put down her chopsticks and grabbed Xiao Yi’s hand tightly.
"Father, has something happened at the manor?"
"Or is your health not well?"
With worry on her face, she took his hand without a word and began to check his pulse.
Hmm?
The pulse was normal?
Duoduo looked up at Xiao Yi in confusion.
She saw him smiling at her.
"Finished checking? Can you rest easy now?" Xiao Yi rarely teased her.
Duoduo nodded, still puzzled. "Father, why can’t you come see me?"
Xiao Yi lowered his voice and quietly told Duoduo what he had suspected.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Xiao Yi stopped her from speaking and simply nodded at her.
"The weather hasn’t been good lately, and your father’s health hasn’t been well either."
"Father believes you have been wrongly accused. We must trust that your grandfather will clear your name!"
Xiao Yi raised his voice slightly, deliberately saying those two sentences.
Duoduo hugged Xiao Yi, reluctant to let go.
A heaviness settled in Xiao Yi’s chest as well.
He lifted his hand and gently patted her back.
"Don’t worry. Father will arrange for people to protect you in secret."
"You don’t need to worry. Father has everything under control!"
"Not coming to the palace is so I don’t become someone else’s pawn."
"As for your meals from now on, your imperial grandmother will send someone to deliver them. That will also serve to intimidate the Imperial Prison."
Xiao Yi felt deeply anxious at the thought of not being able to enter the palace afterward to see Duoduo’s condition firsthand.
But now that the court was already turbulent with undercurrents, he had to protect himself first to better safeguard his family.
Xiao Yi had already vaguely guessed his father’s intentions.
But until the day everything was settled, he couldn’t be sure if his guess was correct.
Moreover, he could maneuver and plan the next steps more effectively outside the palace.
If he lost the big picture to a small matter and accidentally fell into someone’s trap,
then Duoduo and his wife would both be thrown into an abyss of ruin because of him.
So, once Xiao Yi understood the situation, he steeled his heart and made his decision.
Xiao Yi patted Duoduo on the back.
"Since your grandfather arranged it this way, there must be a reason for it. All we need to do is wait and see how things unfold."
"Your father brought you some books. They should help you pass the time."
Upon hearing this, Duoduo immediately cheered up.
As she raised her hand, something slipped out of her sleeve and fell to the ground.
