Duoduo hurried to Lüdou’s side, and together they looked outside.
In the dim corridor, the approaching footsteps drew nearer. In the gloom, they could vaguely make out several figures.
Duoduo and Lüdou exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in the other’s eyes.
“Why are there so many people?” Lüdou whispered.
Duoduo shook her head. “I don’t know.”
The group walked very slowly. It took them a long time to reach the pool of light.
“It’s Great-Grandmother!”
Duoduo was the first to recognize the visitor.
Upon hearing this, Nanny Li hurried over as well.
“The Empress Dowager came in person?” Nanny Li asked, somewhat astonished.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager had brought several people with her and now stood outside the prison cell.
“Open the door!” the Empress Dowager commanded sternly.
The guards hurried forward and unlocked the chains.
The Empress Dowager entered the cell, and Duoduo quickly dropped to her knees.
“Changle pays her respects to Great-Grandmother!”
Lüdou and Nanny Li also knelt to pay their respects.
“Rise,” the Empress Dowager said.
She stepped forward and helped Duoduo to her feet. Taking Duoduo’s hand, she looked around the cell, her face filled with concern.
“Poor child, you must be hungry.”
“Someone, serve the meal!”
The palace maids came forward one after another, removing the dishes from the food boxes and setting them on the table.
The moment Duoduo smelled the food, her stomach growled again.
The Empress Dowager patted her hand and led her over to sit down.
“Eat quickly. Great-Grandmother specially asked the imperial chefs to prepare all your favorite dishes!”
Duoduo stared at the table piled high with food, slightly taken aback.
There was enough food here to last them several days.
Unfortunately, in weather this hot, none of it would keep for long.
“Great-Grandmother, have you eaten?” Duoduo asked with a sweet smile.
The Empress Dowager nodded. “Great-Grandmother has already eaten. Go ahead.”
Duoduo nodded obediently.
“Then Changle will eat first and keep you company afterward!”
The Empress Dowager nodded kindly. “All right.”
Meanwhile, the palace maids opened the bundles they had brought and began tidying up the cell.
They rolled up the bedding on the bed and placed it on the floor.
After wiping down the bed with silk handkerchiefs, they hung vermilion gauze curtains embroidered with intertwined branches and golden-pistil peonies. Fine pearl tassels dangled from the corners.
The mattress was covered in lotus-colored brocade, while the quilt was a tribute brocade from Jiangnan, woven with phoenixes flying among flowers. It felt smooth and warm beneath the hand.
At the head of the bed sat a pair of soft pillows with diamond-patterned covers. The plain satin pillowcases were embroidered with begonias and carried a faint fragrance of jasmine.
A woven wool carpet was spread across the floor at the foot of the bed. It was so soft that one’s footsteps made no sound.
Lüdou and Nanny Li stood awkwardly to one side, watching as the prison cell was rapidly transformed.
The palace maids set up several candle stands, illuminating the cell as brightly as daylight.
A white jade lotus-shaped incense burner was placed nearby. Its body was carved with intertwined lotuses and butterflies playing among flowers, while the openwork lid was shaped like begonia blossoms.
Thin wisps of smoke curled up through the petals.
The air filled with a sweet, gentle fragrance.
Duoduo truly was hungry. Without even lifting her head, she began eating in great gulps.
Seeing her like this, the Empress Dowager felt terribly distressed.
She personally picked up her chopsticks and placed food into Duoduo’s bowl.
“Great-Grandmother was delayed by a few matters and came late.”
Duoduo swallowed the food in her mouth and spared a moment to smile at her.
“It’s Changle who has caused Great-Grandmother trouble!”
The Empress Dowager raised a hand and stroked Duoduo’s head.
“Slow down. Don’t choke.”
Once Duoduo had put some food in her stomach, she began eating more slowly.
“Great-Grandmother, next time, just send a maid over.”
“It’s so hot today. Be careful not to suffer from the heat.”
The Empress Dowager was deeply moved that, even in such circumstances, Duoduo was still thinking about her health.
She blinked hard, hiding the sting in her eyes.
“All right. Great-Grandmother was worried today, so I came especially to see you.”
At last, Duoduo put down her chopsticks. The Empress Dowager immediately asked, “Why have you stopped eating?”
Duoduo rubbed her stomach, though the gesture was not particularly ladylike.
“Great-Grandmother, I’m full!”
After saying this, Duoduo noticed Lüdou signaling to her with her eyes.
Confused, she turned around to look.
Then she turned back, feeling that something was off, and looked again.
Huh?
Duoduo couldn’t help standing up.
While she had been eating, the prison cell had undergone a complete transformation.
It now looked more like the boudoir of a sheltered young lady!
Duoduo blinked and turned to look at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager nodded. “The conditions here are limited, so this is the best they could do.”
“Put up with it for a few days. In two days, I’ll go speak to the Emperor and ask him to release you.”
Duoduo crouched down and rested her head against the Empress Dowager’s knees.
“Thank you, Great-Grandmother! You’ve gone to so much trouble for me!”
The Empress Dowager stroked Duoduo’s head, while Duoduo took hold of her hand.
“But Great-Grandmother, you don’t need to go see the Emperor.”
A flicker of surprise crossed the Empress Dowager’s eyes. She immediately waved to the palace maids.
The maids withdrew from the cell and stood at a distance.
Nanny Li hurriedly pulled Lüdou outside as well.
Only after everyone had left did the Empress Dowager ask in a lowered voice, “Why do you say that?”
Duoduo blinked and leaned closer to the Empress Dowager, lowering her voice.
“Great-Grandmother, Changle has seen the Emperor.”
The Empress Dowager’s eyes flickered.
Even she had gone to see the Emperor without managing to meet him.
How had Duoduo seen him?
Could the child simply be trying to comfort her?
Duoduo saw the doubt in the Empress Dowager’s eyes.
“Great-Grandmother, really. Changle never lies.”
“Think about it. If Changle truly couldn’t leave, Father would certainly be worried.”
“If he couldn’t save Changle himself, he would surely ask you for help, wouldn’t he?”
The Empress Dowager hesitated, then nodded.
“Great-Grandmother, the Emperor knows that Changle was framed.”
“So he had Eunuch Li move me here.”
The Empress Dowager recalled what she had seen on the way in. Naturally, she knew that the room Duoduo occupied was the best one in the prison.
“Xiao Lizi really had your room changed?” she asked again for confirmation.
Xiao Lizi was the Emperor’s personal eunuch. Without the Emperor’s command, he would never dare act on his own.
Duoduo raised three fingers.
“Great-Grandmother, Changle can swear to it!”
The Empress Dowager lowered Duoduo’s hand.
“All right. Great-Grandmother believes you!”
Duoduo immediately broke into a bright smile.
“Great-Grandmother, you’re amazing!”
“Changle only took the time to eat one meal, and you already turned this place into a boudoir!”
“And it smells so nice!” Duoduo deliberately took several exaggerated sniffs.
The Empress Dowager was amused by her expression.
“If there’s anything else you need, tell Great-Grandmother. I’ll have someone bring it to you later.”
Duoduo shook her head.
“No, this is already wonderful!”
“This is the first time Changle has learned that someone can be imprisoned in such comfort!”
A strange look passed through the Empress Dowager’s eyes.
She lifted a hand and gently caressed Duoduo’s cheek.
“Although Great-Grandmother doesn’t know why the Emperor hasn’t released you, don’t worry. As long as you remain in the palace for even one day, Great-Grandmother will protect you for that day.”
Duoduo looked somewhat surprised. After a moment’s hesitation, she threw herself into the Empress Dowager’s arms.
