Duoduo signaled the round-faced maid on her left to speak first.
The round-faced maid thought for a moment before stepping forward to answer.
"This servant is named Erya. I have a father, mother, and a younger brother at home."
"This servant entered the prince's manor in hopes of getting enough to eat. My eldest sister starved to death because we had no food."
After Erya finished speaking, she gave Duoduo a rather clumsy curtsy and stepped back.
The second girl, who had an oval, melon-seed-shaped face, stepped forward and curtsied first.
She answered in a soft, delicate voice, "This servant is named Qingyuan. All of my family members have passed away."
"This servant entered the manor to survive. Please, Miss, you must keep me."
Qingyuan knelt before Duoduo and kowtowed.
Seeing this, a flash of regret appeared in Erya's eyes.
She should have kowtowed to the young miss just now, too.
Qingyuan stood up, lowered her head, and stepped back.
The last girl, who had a long, round face, stepped forward. Imitating Qingyuan, she curtsied to Duoduo.
"This servant is named Laidi. I still have a father, three older sisters, and one younger sister at home."
"This servant entered the manor hoping to earn money to feed my younger sister."
"I beg the young miss to take me in. This servant will definitely be loyal to the miss, obey the miss's words, and serve the miss for a lifetime."
Laidi also knelt and kowtowed to Duoduo.
The regret in Erya's eyes deepened.
As Laidi stepped back, Duoduo found herself in a dilemma.
These three maids all had tragic backgrounds, and she wanted to help all of them.
Duoduo looked at Nanny Li; she didn't know if she could keep them all.
Nanny Li saw through Duoduo's thoughts at a glance and gave a gentle nod.
"If the miss likes them, you can keep them for a trial. If you are unsatisfied later, you can just have the broker take them away."
Hearing Nanny Li's words, a look of pleasant surprise immediately appeared on the faces of the three maids.
At the very least, they could stay in the prince's manor and avoid going hungry.
At the broker's place, not only did they not get enough to eat, but they also had to do a lot of chores.
Moreover, if they didn't finish their tasks within the allotted time, they wouldn't get any food.
Seeing that Duoduo had chosen the three maids, the steward led the other girls away.
The three maids all knelt down.
"Thank you, Miss, for taking us in! Please bestow names upon us, Miss!"
Duoduo thought for a moment, pointed at the round-faced girl, and said, "You will be called Lüzhu."
She then pointed at the girl with the melon-seed-shaped face. "You will be called Lüyi."
Finally, she looked at the girl with the long, round face and said, "You will be called Lüluo."
The three maids kowtowed to Duoduo. "Thank you, Miss, for the names!"
Nanny Li's eyes flickered; she was reminded of Lüdou.
Duoduo looked at Lüyi. Among the three maids, Lüyi was the oldest.
Lüyi was eleven years old, while Lüzhu and Lüluo were both nine.
"Lüyi, since you know how to manage accounts, you will temporarily handle the affairs in my room."
"Lüzhu, you will be responsible for my clothing, and Lüluo, you will be in charge of my grooming and dressing."
"As my maids, your first and foremost priority is loyalty."
Duoduo recalled the words Nanny Li had once taught her about disciplining servants.
"If you do well, I will reward you. But if you make a grave mistake, you will be punished lightly, or at worst, I will drive you out of the manor!"
"Also, keep your lips sealed. Do not easily speak of the matters in my room to outsiders!"
Duoduo barely managed to recite the things Nanny Li had taught her.
"Yes! This servant remembers!" the three maids answered in unison.
Beside them, Nanny Li nodded gently.
Although Duoduo's performance today wasn't ideal, she was still young. To be able to do this much was already quite impressive.
It seemed she had remembered all the experience she had imparted to her.
Nanny Li suddenly felt confident; she could definitely teach Duoduo to become a proper, well-bred young lady from a noble family!
Having finished lecturing the maids, Duoduo turned to Nanny Li.
"Nanny, I must trouble you to teach them the rules."
Nanny Li curtsied. "It is what this old servant should do."
The three maids looked at Nanny Li, their eyes revealing awe and reverence.
From her appearance alone, Nanny Li did not look like someone easy to get along with.
"Miss, this old servant will take them for some training first."
Because the banquet was tomorrow, Nanny Li wanted to give the maids a crash course so they wouldn't make a fool of themselves at the feast.
"Thank you for your hard work, Nanny." Duoduo smiled and nodded.
Nanny Li led the three maids away, and Duoduo quietly surveyed her surroundings.
She relaxed her body and then rubbed her face vigorously with her hands.
"So uncomfortable, my face went stiff."
Duoduo relaxed for a moment, then immediately straightened her posture again and entered the room.
Little did she know, her actions just now had been seen clearly by the Prince of Pingyang by the window.
The Prince of Pingyang had grown tired of reading, so he wheeled his wheelchair to the window.
He had taken in the entire scene of Duoduo selecting her maids just now.
He noticed that Duoduo had clearly wanted to choose that other maid earlier, but suddenly changed her mind.
The Prince of Pingyang looked thoughtful. He glanced at that maid but didn't notice anything amiss.
"Someone, go investigate. Is there anything wrong with that maid?"
"Yes!" A guard quickly vanished from the room.
The Prince of Pingyang did not leave the window. He sat there until Duoduo finished choosing her maids.
Nanny Li took the maids away. Just as the Prince of Pingyang was about to leave, he saw Duoduo's shoulders suddenly slump.
The Prince of Pingyang felt inexplicably touched.
He remembered when he was young, his imperial father teaching him martial arts.
At the time, he was also in great pain, yet he didn't dare slack off in the slightest.
He was terrified that if he did poorly, he would anger his imperial father.
Every time, it wasn't until he returned to his own bedchambers that he dared to hide under the covers and cry secretly.
He didn't even dare let the servants attending him know.
The Prince of Pingyang stroked the jade thumb ring on his hand, lost in thought.
A moment later, Duoduo walked in.
She saw the Prince of Pingyang sitting by the window, staring blankly outside.
Duoduo felt very anxious.
She didn't know if her father had seen her entire performance just now.
And had her father seen her moment of letting her guard down?
"Daughter greets Father." Duoduo curtsied.
The Prince of Pingyang turned his wheelchair around.
He looked at Duoduo. The current Duoduo had a much steadier temperament and seemed more sensible.
The Prince of Pingyang saw the anxiety in Duoduo's eyes, and he also saw the longing in them.
Through Duoduo, the Prince of Pingyang seemed to see his younger self.
Unable to bear looking any longer, he lowered his eyes.
Duoduo's hands, clasped in front of her stomach, tightened involuntarily.
Father definitely saw it, and he must be very disappointed in her!
The panic in Duoduo's heart began to expand.
She didn't want her father to be disappointed in her. Duoduo bit her lip.
"Father, I was wrong."
The Prince of Pingyang's eyes immediately shot up, filled with a chilling coldness.
"You were wrong? Where were you wrong? Why don't you tell me?"
Duoduo trembled in fright. She hadn't expected her father to be so angry.
"I..." Duoduo stammered.
"Since I have acknowledged you as my daughter, then you are no different from my own flesh and blood!"
"You don't need to walk on eggshells to please me. Just be yourself!"
"No matter how low this prince has fallen, I would never stoop to taking my anger out on a child!"
