“Madam Li? Li Jin’s wife?” Xiao Yi looked somewhat surprised.
Yunxiao nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“I heard that whenever the ladies of the capital hold a banquet, they invite Madam Li to their homes to help make the arrangements.”
“So Madam Li has simply handed all the banquet arrangements over to Madam Li.”
Duoduo’s eyes lit up.
How could she have forgotten Aunt Xu?
That’s right!
She could go to the Li residence with Aunt Xu!
Duoduo looked at Xiao Yi and raised her brows.
“Papa, I found the go-between you mentioned!”
The corners of Xiao Yi’s lips curved upward. “You want to find Madam Li?”
Duoduo nodded with a beaming smile.
“That’s right!”
“I can just go with Aunt Xu!”
Xiao Yi nodded.
“But have you considered that if you do this, you’ll expose the connection between Madam Li and the Prince of Pingyang’s residence?”
“Her family doesn’t know the people from the Prince of Pingyang’s residence right now.”
Duoduo’s little face immediately fell.
“This won’t work, and that won’t work either! It’s so troublesome!”
Seeing how dejected Duoduo was, Xiao Yi prompted her.
“Think about it. Why did Madam Li invite only the families of Imperial Physicians?”
“Why? Isn’t it because their husbands are colleagues?”
“All the Imperial Physicians have been sent away. Madam Li gathered the other family members together to reassure them, didn’t she?”
Xiao Yi stared at Duoduo, waiting for her to continue.
Seeing her father’s expression, Duoduo looked confused.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Duoduo, have you forgotten your relationship with Imperial Physician Li?”
Xiao Yi couldn’t help reminding her where she should direct her thoughts.
Duoduo tilted her little head and thought for a while.
Then she suddenly understood.
“Oh, I get it!”
“Papa, do you mean that Madam Li wants to take this opportunity to announce my relationship with Imperial Physician Li?”
“What do you think?” Xiao Yi didn’t answer. Instead, he asked her a question in return.
Duoduo tilted her head and thought for a moment.
“That must be it!” she said with complete certainty.
“But Imperial Physician Li is my disciple. Isn’t Madam Li afraid that announcing it will make her lose face?”
Xiao Yi shook his head again. “You still haven’t thought of the real reason.”
Duoduo looked puzzled.
“The real reason?”
Xiao Yi nodded. “Think carefully.”
Duoduo went over everything her father had said from beginning to end.
At first, Papa had asked whether she had sent someone to inquire about the invitation.
She had sent Yunxiao.
After that, Papa had told her to find a go-between.
She had found one.
But Papa had rejected that idea.
Then Papa had said that Madam Li wanted to announce her relationship with Imperial Physician Li…
Wait!
Duoduo suddenly remembered a crucial detail.
Madam Li hadn’t invited every family connected to the Imperial Medical Academy. She had invited only a few families with whom she was close.
In other words, the people Madam Li had invited were all a pretext.
Her real purpose was to invite Duoduo. She had deliberately summoned a few familiar families and used the occasion as an excuse to gather them together.
That was all.
Having figured it out, Duoduo looked at her father.
She saw that he was waiting for her to speak with a meaningful look on his face.
Instead of answering immediately, Duoduo continued following the line of thought she had just begun.
Madam Li had gone to such great lengths to hold a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet. Surely she hadn’t done all that merely to tell Duoduo a few words.
If Imperial Physician Li truly had a message for her, Madam Li could have simply sent a trusted servant to deliver it.
Unless Madam Li had a reason that made it absolutely necessary for Duoduo to go there in person.
What could that reason be?
What could have made Madam Li go to such trouble and take such a long way around?
Duoduo grew even more curious.
At this point, she was certain that everything Madam Li had done was intended to bring her to the Li residence.
Could Madam Li want her to treat someone in the household?
Duoduo secretly shook her head.
Imperial Physician Li came from a family of physicians.
His sons had also studied medicine.
Moreover, Duoduo remembered Shitou once saying that Imperial Physician Li had only one son who had entered the Imperial Medical Academy.
His other sons had either opened their own medicine shops in the capital or…
If someone in the Li residence had truly fallen ill, the Li family had physicians of its own.
Why would they need to invite her?
Duoduo scratched her head, feeling as though her mind were filled with question marks.
Seeing how stumped Duoduo was, Xiao Yi laughed unkindly.
“What is it? Have you thought yourself dizzy?”
Duoduo nodded honestly.
“Papa, I only figured out that Madam Li invited all those other people as a cover for inviting me!”
“But I can’t figure out why she insists on having me go there!”
“I’m only guessing that she has something she wants to hand to me personally.”
“Or perhaps she wants me to go to their residence to meet someone?”
A glimmer flashed through Xiao Yi’s eyes.
“Not bad. You’ve managed to think that far.”
“To be honest, even Papa hasn’t figured out the exact reason.”
Surprise immediately appeared on Duoduo’s face.
“Papa, you’re so clever. You couldn’t figure it out either?”
Xiao Yi raised a brow. “I’m not capable of predicting the future.”
Duoduo covered her mouth and laughed happily.
Xiao Yi touched the tip of his nose. “Tomorrow, take Qingliu with you.”
“Lianxin and Baihe will stay at home to handle things.”
Duoduo blinked.
She hadn’t planned to take Lianxin and Baihe with her in the first place!
Why was Papa specifically reminding her of this?
“Mm. Yunxiao will go with you as well,” Xiao Yi added pointedly.
Duoduo tilted her little head. “Papa, it’s only a banquet. There’s no need to be so nervous, is there?”
Xiao Yi awkwardly shifted his gaze away.
“It’s just to ensure your safety. You’re in charge of the Prince of Pingyang’s residence now, so of course Papa has to keep you safe.”
Seeing her father stubbornly trying to deny it, a sly smile flashed through Duoduo’s eyes.
“Papa, do you know that you look very guilty right now?”
“You’re not planning to have Yunxiao go along so he can find out some information, are you?”
Xiao Yi’s eyes flickered. He gave a light cough.
“Yes, you’re right!”
Duoduo’s eyes widened.
She hadn’t expected her father to admit it so frankly, without even hesitating.
Naturally, she became even more curious.
“Papa, what do you want to find out?”
“Why don’t you tell me? Maybe I’ll be able to find out for you when I’m there!”
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo. Seeing the sly glint in her eyes, he gently shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Just a guess.”
“There’s no evidence of anything, so don’t get involved.”
“It’s rare for you to get out of the house. Just enjoy yourself.”
“Haven’t you been complaining for ages that you haven’t been able to go out? This time, have a good time.”
“All right. You’re going out tomorrow, so hurry back and make your arrangements.”
Xiao Yi began ushering her out.
A trace of doubt rose in An’an’s heart.
