Nina didn’t react at first. She looked utterly confused.
“Come what?”
Duoduo raised her hand and gestured for Nina to attack her.
Nina immediately understood. “You’re not afraid?”
Duoduo looked at Nina and smiled at her with complete trust.
“I believe in you!”
A strange, unreadable emotion flashed through Nina’s eyes.
“Then be careful!”
As Nina spoke, she swiftly formed a hand seal.
A small snake flew out of her pouch and shot toward Duoduo.
In the blink of an eye, the snake was about to land on Duoduo.
At that critical moment, Little Gold, which had been curled up in Duoduo’s palm, suddenly moved.
It flew up and blocked the small snake’s path.
Nina froze and hurriedly recalled the snake.
Duoduo looked at Little Gold in confusion. Little Gold raised its head and swayed it proudly.
“It wants credit!” Duoduo exclaimed.
A look of reluctance appeared in Nina’s eyes.
Hearing this, Duoduo glanced at Nina and naturally noticed the expression on her face.
Nina walked over to Duoduo and stared at Little Gold with complicated emotions.
“Princess, only a gu insect raised with its master’s blood from a young age can become connected to its master’s thoughts and protect its master without hesitation.”
“Little Gold only acknowledged you as its master today, but it has already begun protecting you!”
“Princess, you truly are lucky!”
“Alas, Little Gold was the gu insect I most wanted to cultivate, but it simply refused.”
“I never imagined that you would be its master!”
No wonder Nina was filled with such emotion.
She had secretly followed her master to the capital. After her master discovered her, he ordered her to return.
Nina refused and challenged him to a gu battle.
Unexpectedly, she actually defeated her master.
With no other choice, her master assigned Nina the task of coming to Prince Pingyang’s residence.
If anything had gone wrong at any point, Little Gold would never have acknowledged Duoduo as its master.
Yet, that was exactly what had happened.
Nina had no choice but to admit it.
Princess Changle’s luck was truly extraordinary!
Duoduo gently stroked Little Gold’s head. Little Gold obediently rested in her palm, allowing her to pet it.
“This must be fate bringing us together!” Duoduo replied with a beaming smile.
If Nina had not stayed behind, Duoduo would never have met Little Gold.
“Princess, dinner is ready,” Qingliu reported from outside the door.
“Come on. I’ll take you to try the food at the residence.”
Duoduo casually gathered Little Gold into her palm before opening the door.
Nina followed behind her curiously.
“You eat by yourself?”
Duoduo nodded. “Today, I became your apprentice, so of course I have to treat you to something delicious!”
A look of anticipation appeared on Nina’s face.
“If it doesn’t taste good, can you have Lüdou make me some pastries?”
“Of course!”
The two of them chatted as they walked toward the dining hall.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, the Fifth Prince was angrily berating the ministers.
“Wasn’t this supposed to be about controlling the floods? How did a plague break out as well?”
One of the ministers shuddered.
“Your Highness, after a great flood, there is bound to be a plague!”
“The plague is now rampant in the southern region, and many people have already died!”
“If we don’t find a way to deal with it, I’m afraid the situation will soon become impossible to control!”
The Fifth Prince slammed his hand on the table.
“Deal with it? Isn’t that your responsibility?”
“Not one of you is willing to help the imperial court solve its problems. What use are you if we’re supporting all of you?”
A minister finally summoned the courage to step forward.
“Your Highness, according to precedent, the Imperial Medical Academy should send physicians there.”
“The physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy are highly skilled. They must have a way to deal with the plague!”
The Fifth Prince immediately issued an order.
“Send out my decree! Every physician in the Imperial Medical Academy is to leave for the southern region at once!”
The ministers exchanged glances.
They all lowered their heads, and no one dared to object.
The physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy soon received the decree.
“What? All of us have to go?”
“If we all leave, who will remain on duty at the Imperial Medical Academy?”
“Go back and pack your things! The imperial decree has been issued. Do you want to be charged with defying it?”
The physicians shook their heads one after another and began packing before leaving the palace.
When Imperial Physician Li heard the contents of the decree, he froze.
“His Highness really ordered every physician to go?”
The eunuch cupped his hands toward Imperial Physician Li. “Yes. Imperial Physician Li, you should hurry home and pack your things.”
“If you’re late, it will be treated as defying the imperial decree!”
Imperial Physician Li was the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Academy. Everyone in the palace showed him a measure of respect.
After thinking for a moment, Imperial Physician Li said, “I’ll go check on His Majesty first.”
The eunuch stepped aside, and Imperial Physician Li went to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
A short while later, Imperial Physician Li emerged with a grave expression.
The eunuch waiting outside watched him curiously.
Imperial Physician Li hurried out of the palace.
He returned to his residence first. A moment later, a servant swiftly slipped out through the back door.
After packing his luggage, Imperial Physician Li boarded a carriage and departed.
In front of Prince Pingyang’s residence, a servant first looked around cautiously. Only then did he step forward and knock on the door.
The gatekeeper opened the small side door and took a look.
“I request an audience with the prince.” The servant showed the gatekeeper his token of authority.
The gatekeeper glanced at it, then stepped aside. The servant slipped inside.
The gatekeeper did not close the door immediately. Instead, he looked around carefully.
Only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he shut the door.
“Wait here. I’ll go report this.”
The gatekeeper hurried to the outer study.
“Your Highness, the gatekeeper says someone from Imperial Physician Li’s residence has come. He wishes to see you,” Yunxiao reported after knocking on the door.
Inside, Xiao Yi raised his head and looked toward the entrance.
“Bring him in.”
“Yes.”
Yunxiao’s footsteps faded away.
A moment later, the door opened, and Yunxiao led a servant into the room.
“This humble servant pays his respects to Your Highness!”
The moment he entered, the servant fell to his knees.
“Speak. What does Imperial Physician Li want?” Xiao Yi set down the document in his hand.
The servant lowered his head. “Your Highness, our master received an imperial decree. The Fifth Prince has ordered every physician from the Imperial Medical Academy to go to the southern region and deal with the plague.”
Surprise flashed in Xiao Yi’s eyes.
“All of them?”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Xiao Yi fell silent for a moment.
“Did your master give you any other instructions?”
The servant raised his head in surprise and quickly glanced at Xiao Yi.
When he saw Xiao Yi staring directly at him, he hurriedly lowered his head again.
“Your Highness, our master said he is worried about his household and asks that Your Highness look after it.”
Xiao Yi’s brows furrowed.
That did not sound like something Imperial Physician Li would say.
“Anything else?”
The servant shook his head, but then quickly stopped.
“Oh, right. Our master said that the old madam is very fond of Princess Changle and would like to invite her to the residence as a guest.”
Xiao Yi’s brows drew together even more tightly.
What did Imperial Physician Li mean by this?
He gave Yunxiao a look. “Yunxiao, see him out.”
The servant hurriedly kowtowed to Xiao Yi before following Yunxiao out.
Xiao Yi watched the servant’s retreating back, sinking into deep thought.
