The smile on Nanny Rong’s face vanished at once.
“Commandery Princess, this old servant is getting on in years. If I happen to drop you, I won’t be able to answer for it.”
“If you refuse to let this old woman carry you, then I’ll call for the guards.”
“You may choose between the two!”
There was a hint of threat in Nanny Rong’s words.
Song Shuyu glared at her with undisguised hatred.
That old nanny was especially detestable. Ever since entering the residence, she had always targeted Song Shuyu.
Back when they were learning the proper rules of conduct, Song Shuyu had clearly performed just as well as Xiao Yunming.
Yet Nanny Rong praised only Xiao Yunming.
She had also been particularly strict with Song Shuyu, claiming that her manners were poor and that she needed more practice.
Hmph!
Wasn’t it simply because she looked down on her?
Chunxiao had once told her that in a prestigious household like Prince Ling’s residence, the distinction between legitimate and secondary branches was valued above all else.
A daughter born to a secondary wife would always rank below a legitimate daughter, let alone an outsider like her.
But no matter what, she was still a commandery princess personally bestowed that title by the Emperor.
Nanny Rong was merely a servant. What right did she have to look down on her?
After taking charge of the household, Nanny Rong had even deliberately assigned a maid to keep Song Shuyu under control.
All these incidents had caused Song Shuyu to hate Nanny Rong for a long time.
Song Shuyu really wanted to leap up and scratch Nanny Rong’s face to shreds.
But she didn’t dare.
When Chunxiao had still been by her side, she had always advised Song Shuyu to endure it.
Once she grew up, things would get better.
Song Shuyu silently marked this debt in her heart.
“You. Come here!”
She beckoned to the older woman who had been standing nearby.
The woman cautiously crouched down in front of Song Shuyu and let her climb onto her back.
It wasn’t until they returned to her room and she was lying on the bed that Song Shuyu finally relaxed.
She really had been frightened.
Nanny Rong examined Song Shuyu’s forehead. The scraped area had already stopped bleeding.
It seemed that the injury was not serious.
Even so, Nanny Rong didn’t dare be careless.
She knew very well that His Highness the Crown Prince attached great importance to Commandery Princess Funing.
He doted on her even more than he did on Commandery Princess Anning.
“Where is the physician? Why hasn’t he returned yet?” Nanny Rong scolded.
An older servant immediately came forward to report.
“Nanny, the physician went to the secondary consort’s residence first.”
“His Highness ordered that the physician examine the secondary consort and the princess consort first.”
Nanny Rong froze.
“Are both of them ill?”
The servant lowered her head. “This servant doesn’t know.”
The moment Song Shuyu heard this, she became anxious.
“Couldn’t you summon another physician?”
“Are you trying to let me bleed to death?”
“Hurry up and go!” After shouting several times, Song Shuyu felt dizzy.
Her heart sank even further.
Why had she brought up Secondary Consort Wei today of all days?
Nanny Rong thought for a moment. “Do as the commandery princess says. Send for another physician.”
The servant acknowledged the order and hurried away.
“Commandery Princess, this old servant must report your condition to His Highness the Crown Prince. I shall take my leave first.”
Nanny Rong did not know why the Crown Prince had sent a physician to attend to Secondary Consort Wei.
However, since she was in charge of managing the inner household on His Highness’s behalf, she felt she ought to pay a visit.
Song Shuyu failed to see through Nanny Rong’s excuse and hurriedly waved her hand.
“Go! Hurry!”
Nanny Rong bowed and withdrew.
“All of you, get out!” Song Shuyu snapped when she saw the people in the room. They were all irritating to look at.
The maids and older servants bowed before leaving one after another.
Once the room was empty, tears began streaming down Song Shuyu’s face again.
At Prince Pingyang’s residence—
“What? You’re saying Sister and Aunt Xu are here?” Duoduo set down the brush in her hand, her face full of disbelief.
“How could this servant deceive the commandery princess?” Lüdou replied with a beaming smile.
“Oh, right! Madam Li also brought a gift for you, Commandery Princess!”
The moment Duoduo heard this, she rushed out impatiently.
Xu Jinxin was chatting cheerfully with Su Xian when a maid came to report,
“Princess Consort, the commandery princess has arrived!”
As she spoke, the curtain was lifted and Duoduo bounced inside.
“Aunt Xu! Sister!”
Duoduo happily hopped over to the two women.
Su Xian’s eyes filled with indulgence.
“You little thing, why did you run so quickly in this scorching weather?”
“Come here. Mother will wipe the sweat off your face.”
Su Xian took out a handkerchief and beckoned Duoduo over.
Duoduo stuck out her tongue, then came over and bowed to Su Xian.
“Greetings, Mother!”
“Good girl.”
Su Xian gently wiped the sweat from Duoduo’s face.
Duoduo tilted up her little face and obediently let Su Xian wipe away the perspiration.
“Mother, it was so hot outside, so I ran faster.”
“That way, the journey would be shorter.”
“It’s so cool here in your room!”
Duoduo beamed sweetly.
“You little girl. What kind of nonsense is that?” Su Xian was amused by her words.
“It was already hot, and then you ran all the way here. Wouldn’t that make you even hotter?”
“Walk slowly next time, or you might get heatstroke.”
“All right.”
Seeing the mother and daughter being so affectionate, Xu Jinxin couldn’t help clicking her tongue twice.
“Hey, you two, spare a thought for the feelings of the other mother and daughter here.” Xu Jinxin teased them.
“We came all this way under the blazing sun just to visit you.”
“Su Xian, why aren’t you worried that we’ll get heatstroke?”
Hearing her close friend, Su Xian shot Xu Jinxin an annoyed look.
“If I say something, will you listen?”
Xu Jinxin considered the question seriously.
“No.”
Her answer made everyone in the room burst out laughing.
Lianxin and Baihe lowered their heads, secretly giggling.
Su Xian covered her mouth, laughing so hard that her whole body trembled.
“You and that mouth of yours—you’re truly impossible not to love and hate at the same time!”
As she spoke, she reached out to pinch Xu Jinxin’s cheek.
Xu Jinxin turned her face away. “Mmm, wipe the sweat off me too.”
Su Xian’s outstretched hand ultimately stopped short.
“You’re not a child anymore. And Yingniang is watching!”
Xu Jinxin looked at Yingniang without the slightest embarrassment.
“Yingniang, your mother finally remembers you exist.”
Yingniang knew that her mother and the princess consort always joked around like this.
With a smile, she reached out and took Duoduo’s hand.
“Princess Consort, Mother is talking with you. Duoduo and I will go play.”
“All right. Go ahead.” Su Xian nodded gently.
“Yingniang, Mother brought some shaved ice. You and the commandery princess can have it together,” Xu Jinxin instructed.
“Okay!”
Yingniang opened the bag beside her.
Inside was a bowl filled with fine, crushed ice, topped with candied fruits of various colors and covered with a layer of something white and creamy.
It looked incredibly tempting.
“What is this?”
Duoduo examined the icy dessert curiously.
“Mother said it’s called ice slush.” Yingniang handed Duoduo a spoon.
“You scoop it up like this. Try it.”
Yingniang demonstrated, and Duoduo copied her.
The moment the ice slush entered her mouth, a rush of cold shot straight to her forehead.
The heat in her body vanished instantly.
Duoduo chewed slowly. The candied fruits had a wonderfully rich flavor—sweet and sour, mingling with the fine ice crystals to create a delicious taste.
There was also a sweet milky fragrance, but it was different from the milk she usually drank.
“What is this? Why does it taste a little like milk?”
Duoduo pointed at the white substance in the bowl.
