Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at Duoduo, a little child, earnestly explaining things to her.
Her heart felt warm and full.
"Alright, Mother will eat it!"
Lianxin, standing behind the Princess Consort of Pingyang, hurriedly ladled a small half-bowl for her.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang picked up the bowl, scooped a small spoonful, and put it in her mouth.
Hmm, the taste was acceptable.
She saw Duoduo staring at her motionlessly, so she smiled and began to sip the soup in small mouthfuls.
Duoduo watched until the Princess Consort of Pingyang had finished it all, only then revealing a smile.
"Mother, have another bowl."
Duoduo looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang with hopeful eyes.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang found it hard to refuse, so she handed the bowl to Lianxin.
Lianxin looked delighted, as the Princess Consort had never had the habit of eating a second bowl.
After two bowls of soup in a row, the Princess Consort of Pingyang felt her belly grow warm.
"Alright now, Mother really can't eat any more."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled warmly at Duoduo, who was still nibbling on the date cake with her teeth, and put down her bowl and chopsticks.
Duoduo's eyes curved into crescents. "Mother, let's go for a walk."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang held Duoduo in place. "That won't do. You have a wound and mustn't move around carelessly."
Duoduo's eyes darted around, then she flashed a happy smile at the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Then Mother and Lianxin go for a walk. Duoduo will wait here."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang originally didn't want to go, but when she saw Duoduo's bright, sparkling eyes looking at her,
the words of refusal were swallowed back.
"Alright then, but you mustn't run around. If the wound splits open, it will be very painful."
Duoduo nodded. "Mother, don't worry. I'll be good!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang thought for a moment, arranged for a maid to come and watch over Duoduo, and only then did she walk out.
Seeing the Princess Consort of Pingyang leave, Duoduo was just about to get down from the chair when the maid immediately stopped her.
"What would the Young Miss like to do? This servant will help you."
Duoduo blinked her eyes. "I need to use the privy."
The maid lifted Duoduo down from the chair and carried her to the western chamber.
"You wait outside the door for me. I'll feel embarrassed if you watch."
Duoduo gestured for the maid to go out. The maid hesitated.
"Then, Young Miss, please call for this servant later, and I'll come back in."
"Okay," Duoduo nodded.
Once the maid walked out, Duoduo quickly hid behind the curtain.
The golden characters from before hadn't yet dissipated. Duoduo placed her hand into the golden characters.
The golden characters swirled around Duoduo's hand, soon transforming into a sheet of golden light.
Finally, the golden light enveloped Duoduo's entire body.
The place where Duoduo was injured visibly healed before one's eyes.
Soon, the wound area was completely healed, without even a trace of a scar.
Duoduo gave a little hop on the spot.
Ah! How wonderful it is to be free of illness and injury!
Duoduo laughed, smiling towards the empty air.
"Young Miss, are you finished?" The maid outside was very concerned.
Duoduo hurriedly stepped out from behind the curtain and pulled the door open.
"Hmm, now I don't feel like going anymore. Let's go back."
Hearing this, the maid extended her hands to carry Duoduo, but Duoduo quickly stopped her.
"I can walk by myself! The doctor said moving around more helps you recover faster."
The maid looked puzzled. That wasn't what the Princess Consort had instructed earlier.
"No! The Princess Consort just instructed that you mustn't be allowed to walk around."
Without another word, the maid picked Duoduo up.
Looking at her own little arms and legs, Duoduo lay over the maid's shoulder with an expression of utter resignation.
Back in the dining hall again, the maid placed Duoduo on the chair and then stood guard behind her.
Duoduo felt utterly uncomfortable. She was so bored!
The Princess Consort of Pingyang walked for a while but, worried about Duoduo, came back.
Upon entering the room, she saw Duoduo slumped over the table, looking utterly bored.
Seeing the Princess Consort of Pingyang, Duoduo's eyes lit up.
She jumped down from the chair, ran over quickly, and grabbed the Princess Consort of Pingyang's hand.
The maid behind her, reacting a beat too late, turned pale with fright.
"Princess Consort, this servant..." The maid trembled as she bowed.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang waved her hand, and the maid hastily retreated to the side.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang bent down to look at Duoduo.
"What's the matter? Very bored?"
Duoduo nodded. "How did Mother know?"
Duoduo saw the Princess Consort of Pingyang smiling at her and also revealed a row of little white teeth.
"Mother, I want to go learn to write characters with Nanny Li."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang led Duoduo further inside.
"That won't do. Your injury is on your right back, and you need your right hand to write. Writing would affect your recovery."
Duoduo opened her mouth. She very much wanted to say she was already healed.
But, she couldn't say it.
Duoduo blinked her eyes. "Then, Mother, I can just watch, not write!"
Duoduo's eagerness to improve pleased the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
She thought for a moment, then turned to give instructions.
"Lianxin, how is that girl Baihe doing now?"
Lianxin stepped forward. "Reporting to the Princess Consort, Baihe has now come to her senses. She's just worried that you no longer want her."
Lianxin and Baihe were maids who had served the Princess Consort together since childhood.
Their bond was naturally like that of sisters.
Hearing Lianxin's words, the Princess Consort of Pingyang understood that Lianxin was speaking up for Baihe.
These two girls shared an unusual closeness with her.
As long as they didn't make too grave a mistake, she couldn't bear to punish them either.
"Tell her to come. She is to follow Young Miss Duoduo to Nanny Li's place."
Lianxin was startled. Was the Princess Consort assigning Baihe to serve Duoduo?
"Yes, this servant will go call her immediately."
Suppressing the confusion in her heart, Lianxin walked out.
When she relayed the message to Baihe, Baihe was also stunned, and then she showed a look of utter dejection.
"It must be that the Princess Consort no longer wants me to serve her, so she's sending me to serve the Young Miss."
But Lianxin shook her head.
"At first, I thought the same as you. But just now, I figured it out. I don't think the Princess Consort means it that way."
"Look, both the Princess Consort and His Highness now hold Young Miss Duoduo in very high regard."
"And the Young Miss doesn't have a single person by her side whom she can rely on."
"The Princess Consort must be uneasy about having others serve her, which is why she's sending you."
"Doesn't this also show that the Princess Consort values you highly, entrusting such an important matter to you?"
Baihe pouted.
"I only want to serve the Princess Consort, not the Young Miss."
Lianxin, annoyed, poked Baihe with her finger.
"Are you stupid? Young Miss Duoduo is young and doesn't have a single maid by her side."
"If you go, you'll be the head maid. Won't you have the final say in everything?"
"Moreover, if you serve the Young Miss well and the Princess Consort is pleased, perhaps she'll let you come back to serve her?"
Only then did a smile appear on Baihe's face.
"Lianxin, are you telling the truth?"
"No, it's false. If you don't go, I'll go tell the Princess Consort that I'll go."
After saying this, Lianxin turned to walk out.
Baihe hurriedly grabbed her. "Good Lianxin, my vision was clouded, I couldn't tell what's good for me. Don't be angry, I'll go!"
Lianxin finally smiled. "Then get yourself ready and come out quickly. Don't keep the Princess Consort waiting."
When Baihe came out, Duoduo couldn't wait to bid farewell to the Princess Consort and ran out of the dining hall.
Baihe chased after Duoduo. The Young Miss was running so fast, how could she seem like an injured person?
Doubt arose in her heart.
