“Just by taking my pulse, you were able to deduce the prescription he wrote. That alone is enough to prove that your medical skills surpass his!”
The Emperor’s words made Duoduo even more nervous.
Duoduo remembered her father’s repeated warning: she was to keep a low profile so that she could learn more.
She hurriedly waved her hands.
“Imperial Grandfather, Changle just happened to get lucky...”
Duoduo realized that this phrasing was not quite right and quickly corrected herself.
“It’s just that Changle happened to know that the spice would react with cyperus rhizome.”
“As for medical skills, Imperial Physician Li is definitely better than Changle!”
As she spoke, Duoduo prepared to kneel before Imperial Physician Li.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor reached out and pulled her back.
“There is an order to everything. He knelt first, so he has precedence.”
When Imperial Physician Li heard that the Emperor supported his idea, his face immediately split into a broad smile.
He turned toward Duoduo and kowtowed three times with great sincerity.
“Master, please accept this disciple’s respects!”
With the Emperor holding her hand, Duoduo had nowhere to hide.
She could only endure Imperial Physician Li’s three loud kowtows.
“Imperial Grandfather...” Duoduo was extremely uneasy.
She had originally intended to take Imperial Physician Li as her master. She had never meant to accept a disciple!
The Emperor’s expression rarely showed such pleasure. He patted Duoduo’s hand.
“Imperial Physician Li, since you have taken her as your master, you must not keep all that medical knowledge to yourself.”
“After all, when three people walk together, one of them is bound to be my teacher. Bring out what you know and discuss it with your master. Perhaps it will allow your medical skills to advance to an even higher level!”
Imperial Physician Li immediately understood what the Emperor meant.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This subject obeys!”
The Emperor waved his hand. “Very well. Give your master a cup of tea.”
“Yes.”
Imperial Physician Li took the teacup from the side and raised it above his head.
Duoduo glanced at the Emperor. He smiled and nodded at her.
After hesitating for a moment, Duoduo accepted the teacup with both hands and took a sip.
She set the cup aside and helped Imperial Physician Li to his feet.
“Get up and speak.”
“Thank you, Master!” Imperial Physician Li’s attitude was exceedingly respectful.
Duoduo had initially thought that Imperial Physician Li had only agreed to take her as his master because of the Emperor’s words.
But now, judging from his expression, he did not look forced in the slightest.
Duoduo thought for a moment, then reached into her sleeve.
This time, not only Imperial Physician Li but even the Emperor was filled with curiosity.
The Emperor had already seen Duoduo take all sorts of pills out of her sleeve several times.
What would Changle produce this time?
Duoduo fumbled around for quite a while before finally taking out a bright red pill.
“I don’t have anything else. I only have this to give you as a gift for becoming my disciple. If you don’t like it, I’ll find something else and make it up to you another day.”
When Duoduo had taken Master Zhang as her master, he had given her a handwritten medical text as her initiation gift.
But while she was in the palace, it was impossible for her to conjure up anything too extraordinary.
A pill was the only thing she had—small and inconspicuous.
Imperial Physician Li had not expected that Duoduo, despite being so young, would know to prepare a gift for her new disciple.
He quickly bent down and accepted the pill with both hands.
“Thank you, Master, for bestowing this gift upon me!”
The Emperor gazed enviously at the bright red pill.
He knew very well that anything Changle took out was no ordinary item.
“Changle, I was the witness to your becoming his master. Don’t you have a gift for me as well?”
Duoduo tilted her little head, her face full of confusion.
Was there such a custom?
Why had she never heard of it?
Duoduo spread both hands. “Imperial Grandfather, Changle doesn’t have anything left!”
“How about Changle gives you acupuncture?”
As she spoke, Duoduo pretended to reach into her robes for her needles.
The Emperor hurriedly caught her hand. “You little mischief-maker! How dare you joke with me!”
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
“Imperial Grandfather, this pill is a powerful tonic. It is useful for people whose bodies are extremely weak.”
“With your health, taking this pill would only do more harm than good.”
“If Changle gave it to you, she would be harming you!”
The Emperor’s face turned stern.
“Do you think I’m so shallow that I would covet a single pill?”
“It’s only a pill. I’m not jealous of it.”
Duoduo pressed her lips together and smiled. Two dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, making her smile especially sweet.
“Imperial Grandfather, Changle has prepared a special birthday gift for you.”
“Once you see it, you’ll definitely like it very much!”
A smile immediately appeared on the Emperor’s face.
“Changle, you prepared a birthday gift for me? What is it?”
Duoduo nodded obediently. “Of course! As for what it is, you’ll find out when the time comes!”
“You little tease, keeping me in suspense!” The Emperor affectionately tapped the tip of Duoduo’s nose.
At that moment, Eunuch Li walked in.
“Your Majesty, the palace gates are about to be locked,” he reminded the Emperor.
The Emperor glared unhappily at Eunuch Li.
Then, with reluctance, he caressed Duoduo’s cheek.
“It’s getting late. Take your people and hurry home.”
“By the way, you must not tell your father a single word about my affairs!”
The Emperor’s warning left Duoduo puzzled.
“Why?” Duoduo asked, unable to understand.
“Father is very worried about you,” Duoduo said, speaking up for her father.
The Emperor smiled.
“I know your father’s temperament very well.”
“You don’t need to speak for him.”
After saying this, the Emperor looked at Imperial Physician Li. “Remember, you must also keep the matter of becoming her disciple a secret!”
Imperial Physician Li immediately bowed. “This subject understands.”
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling for the two of them to leave.
Duoduo bent her knees in a formal salute, then followed behind Imperial Physician Li as they headed outside.
Halfway there, Duoduo turned around.
She saw the Emperor’s solitary figure. He looked so lonely.
After thinking for a moment, Duoduo ran back and hugged him.
“Imperial Grandfather, Changle will come visit you again in a couple of days!”
After saying this, Duoduo lifted her skirts and ran off, afraid that the Emperor might become angry.
She did not dare stop until she had run all the way out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
She hoped Imperial Grandfather would not be angry at her for being so presumptuous just now!
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Emperor’s face was filled with smiles, his eyes brimming with affection.
Imperial Physician Li had walked several steps when he suddenly stopped.
“Princess Changle, I must take the Empress Dowager’s pulse every seven days.”
Duoduo blinked.
She understood what he meant.
“Okay! Changle will remember.”
Imperial Physician Li bowed to Duoduo, then left ahead of her.
The relationships within the palace were complicated and intertwined. Given the current circumstances, even more so.
He could not cause trouble for Princess Changle.
Lüdou and Nanny Li, who had been waiting by the entrance, immediately ran over when they saw Duoduo come out.
“Princess!”
Duoduo took one of their hands in each of hers and beamed.
“Lüdou, Nanny, we can go home now!”
Lüdou and Nanny Li were both stunned.
“Really? We can go home?” Lüdou asked in a lowered voice, unable to believe it.
“Of course it’s true! Great-Grandmother has already sent someone to pack my things.”
“That’s wonderful, Princess! Let’s go quickly. I don’t want to stay here even a moment longer!”
Lüdou supported Duoduo as they hurried toward the palace gates.
At that moment, outside the palace, Xiao Yi was calmly playing chess in the carriage.
