Duo Duo tilted her small head to the side.
"I lent it to Lüdou. She promised to return it to me as soon as she finished reading it."
The Prince of Pingyang did not press further.
Duo Duo was a little confused. Why did the Prince bring up the matter of the book?
"Father, do you wish to read that book? I will go and get it back from Lüdou immediately."
Just as Duo Duo was about to hop down from the Princess of Pingyang’s lap, the Princess pulled her back into a firm embrace.
"You silly child, have you forgotten the injury on your back?"
Duo Duo stuck her tongue out sheepishly.
The Prince of Pingyang held a chess piece, rubbing it between his fingers.
"There is no need. That book is yours to keep."
Duo Duo was delighted. "Thank you, Father!"
The Prince tossed the chess piece back into the box.
"There is something I wish to ask your opinion on."
Duo Duo blinked her large eyes. Her father actually wanted to consult her on something?
"Your former maid, Lüdou—I intend to transfer her back to serve you. What do you think?"
Duo Duo’s eyes darted around.
She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"Father, I heard the conversation between you and Mother just now."
"I think Nanny Li was right."
"Besides, I am grown up now. I don't need anyone to wait on me."
The Prince of Pingyang raised an eyebrow. He had not expected Duo Duo to say such a thing.
Hearing this, the Princess of Pingyang broke into a smile.
"What nonsense are you talking? How can a young lady of a noble house do everything herself?"
"Since you don't want Lüdou back, then take Baihe from my side. You are familiar with her; I will have her serve you."
Duo Duo still shook her head.
"No, then Mother would only have one maid left. I don't want that!"
"Pingting, Baihe is your maid. You should keep her," the Prince of Pingyang said, settling the matter with finality. "I will have the steward go to the human trafficker to select a few new people."
"Where will Duo Duo stay tonight? I have already had a room prepared," the Princess of Pingyang said, looking at her husband.
"She is injured. It will be hard on you to look after her tonight."
"Father, Mother, can I go back to the Bamboo Pavilion to rest tonight?" Duo Duo picked at her palm. She wanted to go back to heal her wounds in secret.
The Princess of Pingyang looked surprised.
"Why? Besides, if you go back, who will take care of you?"
"I'm a big girl now! I don't need anyone to take care of me!"
"That simply won't do! You are our daughter now. We certainly won't let you live with the servants anymore." The Princess of Pingyang rejected the idea without a second thought.
Duo Duo lowered her head.
"But all my luggage is still at the Bamboo Pavilion."
"It's fine. I'll have someone bring it over in a moment."
"Mother, can I still study with Nanny Li?" Duo Duo's eyes were full of anticipation.
"Of course you can. Nanny Li was originally invited by the Prince specifically to teach you!"
The Princess of Pingyang smiled and looked toward the Prince as she spoke.
Duo Duo looked shocked.
"Nanny Li came specifically to teach me? Father, is it true?"
The Prince of Pingyang did not even look up.
"I have said before, you are not yet qualified to be my daughter!"
By now, Duo Duo had grown accustomed to the Prince’s way of speaking. She smiled, her eyes bright and sparkling.
"Oh! Your Highness, look! This child actually has two little dimples!"
The Princess of Pingyang spoke as if she had discovered something remarkable.
The Prince of Pingyang lifted his eyelids and glanced at Duo Duo.
Duo Duo beamed at him, making the dimples at the corners of her mouth even more pronounced.
The Prince gave her only a single glance before lowering his head to continue studying his chess game.
"One who attracts others with beauty will find that attraction fades as beauty withers; one who connects through virtue will find a bond that lasts forever," he said coldly.
The Princess of Pingyang froze, while Duo Duo was completely bewildered.
"Mother, what does Father mean?"
The Princess of Pingyang pursed her lips and smiled, patting the back of Duo Duo’s hand.
"Your father means that you are very beautiful, but you cannot rely on beauty alone to please others. You should rely on your character for a lasting impression."
Duo Duo nodded, only half-understanding.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for dinner.
A bowl of pig liver soup was placed in front of Duo Duo.
Duo Duo looked at the soup and then at the Princess of Pingyang with a puzzled expression.
"The doctor said you lost too much blood. You need to nourish your qi and blood."
"So, you must finish this whole bowl."
Duo Duo’s mouth dropped open. "Mother, this is too much!"
"Eat more so you can recover quickly. There is a banquet to formally recognize you in two days. You wouldn't want to attend looking sickly, would you?" the Princess of Pingyang coaxed gently.
Resigned to her fate, Duo Duo picked up the spoon and began to sip the soup in small mouthfuls.
By the time she had finished most of the bowl, Duo Duo felt as though her stomach was bulging.
"Eat a bit of this too. It’s also good for the blood."
The Princess of Pingyang picked up a piece of red date cake and placed it in Duo Duo’s bowl.
"Thank you, Mother!"
Duo Duo thanked her politely and buried her head to eat the pastry.
The Princess of Pingyang placed another serving of vegetables in Duo Duo’s bowl, and Duo Duo obediently ate them.
"That's enough. Let her eat by herself," the Prince of Pingyang suddenly spoke up from the side.
The Princess of Pingyang smiled. "Yes, it was my fault."
The Prince picked up a morsel with his chopsticks, hesitated for a moment, and finally put it back down.
He withdrew his hand and set his chopsticks aside.
The Princess of Pingyang hurriedly put down her chopsticks, and Duo Duo followed suit.
The Prince pushed his wheelchair. "Fine, you two continue eating."
Duo Duo carefully slid down from her chair.
"Father, Mother, I am finished too!"
The Princess of Pingyang quickly moved to support Duo Duo. "You child, you've only had a few bites and you're already stopping."
Duo Duo patted her little belly.
"Mother, listen! It says it's already full!"
"Mother, you should eat. You need to eat well to stay healthy."
Seeing that both of them had left the table, the Princess of Pingyang lost her appetite as well.
"I have finished too."
Duo Duo blinked. Just now, the Princess of Pingyang had been busy giving her food and had hardly eaten anything herself.
Duo Duo thought for a moment and reached out toward the Princess.
"Mother, I want to eat that cake again."
The Princess of Pingyang lifted Duo Duo back onto the chair and placed a piece of red date cake in her bowl.
"Go ahead and eat."
Duo Duo smiled at her. "Mother, you eat too."
Only then did the Princess realize that Duo Duo simply wanted her to eat.
A warm current rushed through her heart.
She reached out and stroked Duo Duo’s face. "Thank you, Duo Duo."
Duo Duo’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled.
She held the cake and nibbled on it in tiny bites.
"Mother, eat this. This one is delicious!"
Duo Duo pointed to one of the dishes, gesturing for the Princess to eat.
The Princess looked; it was a stewed soup she had never seen before.
"Mother, trust me, it’s very tasty! And it’s good for your health!"
The Princess of Pingyang laughed and reached out to tweak Duo Duo’s nose.
"How would you know it's good for my health? Don't tell me you've tried it?"
Duo Duo shook her head honestly.
"I haven't eaten it, but I know it will be good for your body if you eat it."
She knew because that was what the golden words floating before her eyes said.
