“I really want to go see Aunt Xu’s iced-drink shop!”
At the thought of it, Duoduo voiced what was on her mind.
She remembered the few pictures of iced drinks she had drawn for Xu Jinxin and couldn’t help swallowing.
“Princess, that won’t do!” Lüdou hurriedly stopped her.
“That’s right, Princess. If you want iced drinks, can’t Lüdou make them too?” Qingliu immediately chimed in.
Duoduo glanced at the two maids and let out a regretful sigh.
“What Lüdou makes definitely won’t taste the same as what Aunt Xu makes!”
“Then I’ll go buy some for you, Princess!” Qingliu volunteered at once. “What would you like?”
“But I don’t even know what Aunt Xu’s shop sells.”
Lüdou quickly untied the purse at her waist. “Why don’t we buy one of everything?”
Duoduo hurriedly waved her hands. “Forget it. I was only saying.”
“Have you forgotten? The manor is closed to visitors right now. No one can leave.”
“Qingliu can’t go either.”
Seeing how dispirited Duoduo had become, Lüdou thought of an idea.
“Princess, doesn’t Master Li come into the manor quite often?”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
Duoduo nodded half-heartedly. “All right. I’ll ask him when I see him.”
Seeing Lüdou signal to her, Qingliu nearly broke out in a sweat from anxiety.
“Princess, about the steward…” Qingliu brought up another subject.
Duoduo shook her head.
“Go tell the steward later that he doesn’t need to come kowtow to me.”
“From now on, as long as he does his job properly and doesn’t betray Father’s trust, that will be enough!”
“Oh, and take that flower-petal water to the ice cellar with Lüdou.”
“Lüdou, I’m tired. You two clean up the rest.”
After saying this, Duoduo waved her hand and left.
Lüdou and Qingliu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with deep concern.
“Lüdou, the Princess is upset. What should we do?” Qingliu felt terrible too.
Lüdou lowered her head and thought for a moment.
“How about this, Qingliu? I’ll write a note. Take it to the side gate and put it beneath that brick.”
Qingliu nodded. She had heard Lüdou mention that this was how Duoduo communicated with Shitou and the others.
Lüdou quickly went inside, wrote the note, placed it in a small bamboo tube, and handed it to Qingliu.
“Be careful,” Lüdou warned.
Qingliu nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”
Duoduo had no idea that the two maids were worried about her or what they had done.
She had simply lost interest after suddenly remembering something.
Back then, Eunuch Li had approached Father and asked for the medicine she had previously given Grandfather.
Father had refused.
Now that Duoduo realized Grandfather might still be alive—and might even be hiding somewhere, watching them all—she suddenly felt troubled.
A country could not go a single day without its ruler.
Grandfather had allowed several of his sons to fight and scheme against one another, but in the end, it was the common people who suffered!
Duoduo remembered Father saying that the Xiongnu had invaded, while Fourth Uncle, who was acting as regent, had no countermeasures and could only pray for Heaven’s protection.
Today, Fourth Uncle’s prayers had failed, and he had even burned down the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Tomorrow, the person acting as regent would surely be replaced by Fifth Uncle.
Would Fifth Uncle continue with Fourth Uncle’s strategy?
Did any of them truly care about the safety of the common people?
The more Duoduo thought about it, the more flustered she became. She scratched her head in frustration.
At that moment, she wished more than anything that she could grow up immediately.
Then she could lead an army to the border and drive those detestable Xiongnu out of the Central Plains!
Without realizing it, Duoduo had arrived at the study. Yunxiao, standing at the door, bowed to her.
Duoduo waved her hand, pushed open the study door, and walked inside.
Xiao Yi looked toward the entrance in surprise.
He saw Duoduo walk in with an unusually solemn expression.
Xiao Yi was just about to ask what had happened when he saw her go to her own little desk and sit down.
He simply closed his mouth and said nothing.
As someone who had been through such things himself, Xiao Yi understood all too well that no matter what problem Duoduo encountered, she had to solve it on her own.
She would have to grow up eventually. He could not protect her for the rest of her life.
With that thought, Xiao Yi lowered his head and continued reading the document in his hands.
It was the latest report from the front lines.
The Xiongnu had already taken one city and were still pressing their attack.
The people he had left behind could only obstruct them in secret, with very little effect.
Lingfeng had personally led a small contingent and hurried to the border overnight to provide reinforcements.
Xiao Yi spread out a sheet of rice paper and began writing rapidly.
Meanwhile, another thought suddenly occurred to Duoduo.
Since she could have Shitou hire people to gather information for her, then she should also be able to buy people and form a group of her own!
The idea excited Duoduo, and she sprang to her feet.
She didn’t necessarily have to recruit adults. She could completely follow the stories Master Li had told and form an army of children!
Just like Liqing and the others—there could be boys around ten years old among them.
Master Li had once said that children of this age were the most malleable.
Once she had them, she could teach them everything she had learned…
Duoduo excitedly clapped her hands.
“That’s it! That’s what I’ll do!”
Having figured out a solution, Duoduo immediately ran toward the door.
Her voice startled Xiao Yi.
He raised his head, just about to ask what was going on, only to see Duoduo rush out like a gust of wind.
Xiao Yi froze. “What’s gotten into her?”
Yunxiao, who was standing guard outside, heard Xiao Yi and walked in.
“Your Highness, what are your orders?”
Xiao Yi was silent for a moment before saying, “Go see what the Princess is doing.”
“Don’t disturb her.”
Yunxiao immediately understood what Xiao Yi meant. “Yes.”
He withdrew and closed the door. After ordering another guard to take his place, he was just about to leave when Duoduo came running back.
Yunxiao hurriedly bowed. “Princess!”
Duoduo stopped, looking a little embarrassed.
“I need to speak with Father.”
Yunxiao nodded and pushed open the door to let her in.
Xiao Yi found Duoduo’s return somewhat strange.
However, not a trace of it showed on his face.
He merely set down what he was holding and looked at her.
Duoduo walked to Xiao Yi’s desk and bowed.
“Father, I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Xiao Yi nodded calmly. “All right.”
Duoduo tilted her little head to one side.
“Um… can I have Shitou come into the manor?”
A flicker of something strange flashed through Xiao Yi’s eyes.
“Weren’t you already corresponding with them?”
Every move Duoduo made had long since been reported to Xiao Yi by the guards.
“Yes. There’s something else I need him to do for me!”
“It’s just that I can’t write about it in a letter.”
“So I want him to come into the manor and tell him in person!”
Xiao Yi scrutinized Duoduo.
What could possibly be so important that she couldn’t mention it in a note?
Could it be that Duoduo knew he had ordered someone to read the contents of her notes in advance?
Was she guarding against him?
