Duoduo couldn’t help exchanging a glance with Lüdou.
Had this something to do with the pastry shop?
What could it be?
Lüdou stepped forward. “Yunxiao, I’ll go with you to see The Prince.”
“No matter what, I’m the owner of the pastry shop!”
Yunxiao nodded.
“The Prince intended for you to come along, too.”
The moment Duoduo heard that, she was no longer afraid.
“Let’s go! Lüdou, we’ll go see who’s here!”
Lüdou was somewhat worried, but she firmly took Duoduo’s hand.
“Princess, rest assured. This time, this servant absolutely won’t leave your side!”
“If The Prince hits you again, I’ll take the beating for you!”
Duoduo shook her head.
“That won’t do!”
“If Father hits me, you have to run and get Mother to save me!”
Seeing that the mistress and servant were getting more and more carried away, Yunxiao hurried to defend his Prince.
“Princess, you’ve misunderstood The Prince!”
“The Prince isn’t that petty!”
“There really is an honored guest here.”
“The Prince went to great lengths to bring him to the residence!”
Duoduo became even more curious.
She and Lüdou hurried hand in hand toward the study.
She was determined to find out who this honored guest really was!
Duoduo pushed open the study door and cautiously peeked inside first.
Sure enough, she saw someone seated across from her father.
Only then did Duoduo enter without hesitation.
Xiao Yi was facing the door and had seen every one of Duoduo’s movements.
He couldn’t help laughing inwardly.
The Duoduo who had just stubbornly refused to admit her mistake, chin held high, seemed like an entirely different person from the Duoduo standing before him now.
So she knew how to be afraid after all!
Xiao Yi suppressed the smile tugging at the corners of his lips and looked at Duoduo.
Duoduo walked up to Xiao Yi and obediently curtsied.
“Your daughter pays her respects to Father!”
Xiao Yi nodded.
“Yes. The person you asked Father to find for you!”
Duoduo tilted her head curiously and looked at the person seated across from Xiao Yi.
“Xiao Che!”
“It’s you!”
The moment Duoduo saw his face clearly, she cried out.
Xiao Che’s expression was not very pleasant.
Even so, he forced a smile.
“Duoduo, you should call me Eighth Uncle.”
Duoduo pretended not to hear him. Her gaze came to rest on a large box on the table.
“Is this for me?” she asked tentatively.
Xiao Che nodded and pushed the box toward Duoduo.
“Imperial Uncle sent word that you wanted some new pastries from the imperial kitchen.”
“So this time, I specifically brought you something different.”
Duoduo’s face lit up with delight.
“Thank you so much, Eighth Uncle!”
“Lüdou, come and try them!”
Without hesitation, Duoduo opened the box and beckoned Lüdou over to taste the pastries.
“We’ll be eating soon. Take them back and enjoy them slowly.”
Xiao Che raised a hand to stop Duoduo.
Duoduo happily closed the box and handed it to Lüdou.
Then she suddenly remembered something.
“Lüdou, go back and bring some banknotes,” she instructed in a low voice.
“Princess, how much do you want?” Lüdou lowered her voice as well.
Duoduo thought for a moment.
“Bring two hundred taels.”
Duoduo knew that Xiao Che must have spent quite a bit of money on the pastries again.
Expenses in the palace couldn’t be measured by ordinary standards.
She might as well give him a little extra. That way, the next time she needed a favor from Xiao Che, he would be more willing to hurry over.
Lüdou’s eyes lit up.
“Princess, I have one in my purse.”
She opened the purse at her waist, took out a banknote, and handed it to Duoduo.
“It’s a habit of mine to keep a spare banknote on me, just in case.”
She explained herself, worried that Duoduo might misunderstand.
Duoduo nodded. “Later, take one from my dressing case.”
After saying that, Duoduo turned around and handed the banknote to Xiao Che.
“This is payment for the pastries from last time and this time.”
Xiao Che stared at the banknote in surprise.
It was actually for two hundred taels!
His first reaction was to look at Xiao Jingyan. Xiao Jingyan lowered his head, apparently unconcerned.
Xiao Che pushed the banknote back toward Duoduo.
“No need. I brought these for you in the first place.”
“Besides, going by our family relationship, you’re my niece.”
“How could an elder ask a younger family member for money?”
Duoduo stubbornly pushed the banknote back toward Xiao Che.
“Think of it as a delivery fee, or compensation for the trouble you went through to buy the pastries. If that still doesn’t work, consider it an advance payment for my next order!”
Xiao Che continued pushing the banknote back.
Although he really was short of money.
“All right, stop pushing it back and forth,” Xiao Yi said from the side.
“Take it.”
Duoduo smugly raised her eyebrows at Xiao Che and stuffed the banknote into his hand.
Xiao Che felt as if the banknote were burning him.
“I have money...” he explained weakly.
“All right. You can’t stay at the residence for too long.”
“I’ll have someone escort you back to the palace now!”
“Remember, whatever you do, don’t let anything slip.”
“Otherwise, you may bring disaster upon yourself!” Xiao Yi warned him.
Xiao Che’s expression turned solemn. “I understand.”
“Yunxiao, escort him personally,” Xiao Yi ordered.
“Yes. Eighth Prince, this way, please.”
Yunxiao bowed to Xiao Che.
Xiao Che rose to his feet, then looked at Duoduo reluctantly.
“Duoduo, have you stopped attending classes at the Imperial Academy lately?”
Duoduo shook her head.
“It’s not safe lately, so I’m staying home for the time being.”
“Come to think of it, I’m probably not the only one who hasn’t been going, right?” Duoduo guessed.
Xiao Che nodded.
“Xiao Yun’an and his siblings haven’t gone either. Neither have Xiao Yunshi or Danyang.”
“Anyway, half the students are absent from class.”
Duoduo stuck out her tongue.
“Then the Grand Tutor must be very unhappy, right?”
Xiao Che thought for a moment.
“The Grand Tutor? Unhappy? I didn’t notice.”
“His face always looks the same. You can never tell what he’s feeling.”
Duoduo immediately burst into delighted laughter.
“Xiao Che, you actually dared to speak ill of the Grand Tutor!”
“If he hears you, be careful he doesn’t punish you by making you copy books!”
Xiao Che looked a little embarrassed.
“When did I speak ill of the Grand Tutor?”
“Besides, there are only a few of us here. How would word ever reach his ears?”
Duoduo waved cheerfully at Xiao Che.
“Hurry back! Be careful not to get caught!”
“Oh, right. If you have time, could you go to Kunning Palace and take care of those flowers and plants for me?”
Of everything at home, Duoduo was most concerned about those flowers and plants.
She had gone to great lengths to bring them back to life!
The weather was so hot now that they would surely wither within a few days if no one watered them.
Xiao Che hesitated for a moment.
“You don’t need to worry.”
“I secretly went to check on them. There are guards stationed at Kunning Palace, so someone must be taking care of the flowers and plants inside.”
Duoduo nodded, and Xiao Che followed Yunxiao out.
Duoduo turned back to Xiao Yi.
“Father, I forgot to ask Xiao Che just now. I wonder how Grandfather is doing?”
