Duoduo covered the cheek that had been pinched and smiled sweetly at her father.
“Daddy, I wasn’t thinking about anything!”
Seeing that Duoduo did not want to talk about it, Xiao Yi did not press her further.
“When Li Jin returns later, I’ll explain everything to him.”
“Remember to leave early tomorrow and come back as soon as you can.”
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yi added another warning.
“Don’t be softhearted!”
“She is who she is. She has nothing to do with us!”
Duoduo wanted to meet Princess Consort Rui, and Xiao Yi had no way to stop her.
However, he did not want Duoduo to show misguided compassion and agree to things she should not agree to after taking pity on Princess Consort Rui.
Duoduo nodded.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. I know what I’m doing!”
Duoduo suddenly remembered what had happened when Xiao Che came by earlier that day.
“Daddy, you don’t seem to like Xiao Che?” she asked out of the blue.
At her question, Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes.
“Why would you ask that?”
As he spoke, Xiao Yi studied Duoduo carefully.
Duoduo tilted her head and looked him over. “Well, it just seems a little strange.”
Xiao Yi lowered his eyes and looked at the mark on his hand, which had almost faded completely.
It seemed that time really did wash everything away.
“I don’t like anyone surnamed Xiao.”
That included himself.
But Xiao Yi did not say those words aloud.
Shock appeared in Duoduo’s eyes.
“Daddy, I’m surnamed Xiao too!”
“Does that mean you don’t like me either?”
Xiao Yi raised his eyes and stared at Duoduo without saying a word.
The shock in Duoduo’s eyes slowly faded.
In its place came a trace of disappointment.
That disappointment grew heavier and heavier, until it was almost spilling plainly across her face.
“Except for you.”
Xiao Yi could not bear to see the disappointment on Duoduo’s face.
Sure enough, the moment he said those embarrassingly sentimental words, delight burst across Duoduo’s face.
She threw herself into Xiao Yi’s arms and kissed him on the cheek.
“Daddy, I like you too!”
“And Mommy!”
Duoduo was determined not to leave anyone out.
Feeling the soft, warm, slightly damp kiss on his cheek, Xiao Yi was dazed for a moment.
“Where are your manners?”
“What would people think if they saw you doing that? How could that possibly be proper?”
“If Nanny Li found out, she’d come before me and apologize again!”
Xiao Yi put on a stern face and scolded Duoduo.
Duoduo stuck out her tongue, then straightened up and blinked at him.
“Aunt Xu says that if you like someone, you have to show it. You can’t keep it hidden.”
“Otherwise, the person you like will never know.”
Xiao Yi knew that Li Jin’s family was always coming up with all sorts of strange theories.
Although much of what Li Jin said had indeed inspired him, he still did not want Duoduo learning too much from Aunt Xu.
After all, some of those ideas sounded far too subversive to outsiders.
“You can say things like that at home, but absolutely not in public!”
Xiao Yi had relaxed the rule somewhat. He did not want Duoduo to grow up too rigid, either.
Right now, he liked his lively, rebellious daughter even more.
Duoduo’s eyes flickered.
“All right!” she answered obediently.
“You mustn’t tell your mother that you’re leaving the residence tomorrow.”
“Otherwise, she’ll be so worried that she won’t be able to sit still.” Mentioning his wife reminded Xiao Yi to caution Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded without hesitation.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. I’ll tell Mommy that I’m going to study with my tutor tomorrow.”
“Then she won’t worry!”
Duoduo had already thought of a solution.
Xiao Yi nodded. “Very well. Go back and get ready.”
“Shouldn’t you also give your maid a heads-up?”
Since Xiao Yi had agreed to let Duoduo go out for the appointment, he had to make all the necessary arrangements in advance to ensure that nothing went wrong.
The moment Duoduo heard him mention that, worry appeared on her face.
“Yes, Daddy. I’ll take my leave!”
Duoduo furrowed her little brows and curtsied to Xiao Yi before leaving the study.
After bowing to Duoduo, Yunxiao entered the room.
“Yunxiao, send someone to find out whether Li Jin has returned.”
“And arrange for a dozen or so capable men, along with a carriage driver, to wait at the entrance tomorrow.”
Yunxiao froze. “My lord, where are you going tomorrow?”
Xiao Yi glanced at him, and Yunxiao hurriedly lowered his head.
“Yes, my lord. I’ll make the arrangements at once.”
Xiao Yi lowered his head and continued reading the documents in his hands.
Just as he had expected, how could Prince Ling possibly hand over the throne so easily?
Among the official documents before Xiao Yi were several urgent matters that needed to be dealt with.
The Xiongnu had invaded. A severe drought had left the fields barren, driving the people to the brink of starvation and rebellion. Local officials had submitted memorials requesting that the granaries be opened and grain distributed.
Elsewhere, floods had left the people homeless and wandering.
Every document concerned an emergency—one that could not possibly be more urgent.
By rights, the drought had already lasted for more than a month.
Yet when Prince Ling had been overseeing the government, these problems had not erupted.
Instead, as soon as Prince Rui took over, memorials concerning droughts and floods came flying in like snowflakes.
The trickery behind it all was obvious.
Prince Rui had never handled government affairs before. He would have no choice but to follow the advice of his father-in-law and the officials who supported him.
At that point, other officials would certainly rise in opposition.
To win them over, Prince Rui would undoubtedly try every possible way to find a better solution.
That alone would leave him mentally and physically exhausted, not to mention delaying the handling of state affairs.
Once the people suffered disaster and it triggered even greater unrest, Prince Rui would no longer be able to continue overseeing the government.
At that thought, Xiao Yi’s brows drew together.
The emperor had made Prince Ling the crown prince and appointed him to govern in the emperor’s stead.
By rights, he should not have been able to devise such a far-reaching plan.
Unless someone around him had offered advice.
Or perhaps Prince Ling was holding some major move in reserve!
Xiao Yi fell into thought.
If it was the former, he would find a way to deal with that person.
If it was the latter, then it would be a difficult problem.
He could not guess what major move Prince Ling might have prepared.
The only way to find out was to wait!
And waiting was precisely what Xiao Yi disliked most.
He hated this feeling of passivity.
It always gave him the illusion that he had placed his life in someone else’s hands.
What if both possibilities were true...?
Xiao Yi absently rubbed the thumb of his left hand with his right.
Even though there was nothing there anymore.
After leaving the study, Duoduo found Nanny Li waiting outside. The nanny hurried over to her.
“Nanny, let’s go back.”
With that, Duoduo set off.
Seeing that Duoduo seemed preoccupied, Nanny Li lowered her eyes and quickly followed behind her.
The two of them walked in silence all the way to the kitchen.
Mung Bean had been waiting at the kitchen entrance, looking around anxiously.
The moment she saw Duoduo, a smile appeared on her face.
“This servant greets Your Highness!”
After curtsying, she straightened up.
“Your Highness, the pastries are ready to eat!”
Seeing Mung Bean’s smiling face, Duoduo managed to return the smile.
“Are they? Let’s go!”
Mung Bean had already noticed that something was wrong with Duoduo’s expression.
