Duoduo blinked.
She had made the hint so obvious. Was Daddy really not curious at all?
Xiao Yi suppressed his laughter and placed the book in front of Duoduo.
“This is a one-of-a-kind manuscript. You’re quite lucky to have come across it today.”
“Look. The strokes are sharp and forceful. Whether it’s the beginning, the transitions, or even the finishing strokes, every part is full of strength.”
“One can see the person through their handwriting. Clearly, the writer had a forthright and upright character....”
Xiao Yi launched into a detailed discussion of the book.
He analyzed not only the writer’s brushwork, but also judged the writer’s character and conduct.
At first, Duoduo was rather puzzled.
But as Xiao Yi continued explaining, she gradually became fascinated.
Following his guidance, she began studying the calligraphy in the book in earnest.
Duoduo’s calligraphy had been taught by Xiao Yi from the very beginning.
Her handwriting was far superior to that of children her age.
In fact, even many adults could not compare with her.
All of this was thanks to the influence Xiao Yi had provided.
Duoduo had a wide range of interests.
Whenever she encountered something unfamiliar that caught her attention, she would study it carefully.
She was like a sponge, constantly absorbing knowledge, discarding the dross and retaining the essence.
An ordinary person might gain no more than a superficial understanding.
But with Duoduo’s extraordinary memory, everything she learned sank deeply into her mind.
If she devoted herself to further study, she could almost always reach a certain level of mastery.
This was true of reading.
It was true of medicine as well.
And it was even more true of calligraphy.
So although she was not yet five years old, her perspective had long surpassed that of an ordinary child.
She was very particular.
She could not be bothered with ordinary writing.
It was a waste of time.
But this rare manuscript, which was so difficult to come across, had been praised by Xiao Yi until it sounded utterly marvelous.
Naturally, Duoduo was captivated.
Before she knew it, she had become completely immersed in the book.
She had entirely forgotten the reason she had come in.
Duoduo simply climbed into Xiao Yi’s arms. Taking the book from his hands, she began studying and tracing the characters with rapt attention.
Xiao Yi froze.
He looked down at Duoduo, who was buried in his embrace, holding the book in one hand while unconsciously tracing the characters on the desk with the other.
Had he dug a pit for someone else, only to bury himself in it?
The room fell silent, but Qingliu, waiting outside, grew frantic.
She kept peeking toward the study.
Yunxiao had originally been standing there with his head lowered and his eyes closed, resting. But Qingliu’s constant pacing back and forth distracted him.
“What are you doing? All that moving around is making my eyes go blurry.”
Yunxiao opened his eyes and saw the anxiety written all over Qingliu’s face. He could not help teasing her.
Qingliu did not get angry. She moved closer to Yunxiao and lowered her voice.
“Yunxiao, why has it gone so quiet inside?”
“Could the Prince have hit the Princess?”
Yunxiao’s eyes widened in shock.
The Prince hitting the Princess?
Had the sun risen in the west?
He could not help looking up at the sky.
The sun was blazing overhead, shining so brightly that it made his eyes ache.
It had risen in the east today, just as usual!
Qingliu did not notice what Yunxiao was doing.
All her attention was focused on the deathly silent study.
She was extremely anxious. “Yunxiao, why isn’t there a sound coming from inside?”
“Could the Princess have been beaten unconscious?”
“How come I didn’t even hear her cry out....”
Yunxiao wished he could find something to stuff into Qingliu’s mouth.
“Qingliu, if you’re looking for punishment, don’t drag me into it!”
As he spoke, Yunxiao deliberately walked several paces away.
Qingliu hesitated for a moment. Instead of leaving, she tiptoed over and pressed herself against the door.
Yunxiao was so startled by her actions that he shuddered.
Qingliu was courting death!
He hurried over, grabbed her, and pulled her away from the study door.
The commotion outside had not escaped Xiao Yi’s notice.
He gently patted Duoduo on the head.
“If you keep reading, your maid is liable to rush in.”
“Huh?”
Duoduo did not react at once.
She raised her head, her eyes filled with innocent confusion.
Xiao Yi could not help laughing.
“I mean, if you like it, you can take it back and read it slowly.”
“You went to the Li residence today, and you still haven’t gone to pay your respects to your mother.”
“Your mother must be worried about you too.”
The confusion in Duoduo’s eyes faded.
She came back to herself.
She remembered why she had come to the study.
Duoduo hopped down from Xiao Yi’s lap.
Carefully, she carried over the tray sitting nearby.
“For Daddy?” Xiao Yi asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Duoduo set down the tray. “For me!”
As she spoke, she lifted the cloth covering it.
Xiao Yi took out the items one by one and examined them.
Banknotes.
Property deeds and land deeds.
Xiao Yi raised his eyes and looked at Duoduo.
There was a question in his gaze.
Duoduo grinned mischievously. “Daddy, guess who gave these to me?”
Xiao Yi fell into thought.
Duoduo had gone to the Li residence.
If these things had been given to her by Madam Li, Duoduo would never have asked him such a simple question.
That could only mean that the person who had given Duoduo these things was someone entirely unexpected.
Xiao Yi’s eyes flickered.
He recalled one of his suspicions.
He stared at Duoduo and slowly mouthed the word:
“The Emperor!”
Duoduo’s eyes instantly widened.
Her expression delighted Xiao Yi.
He burst out laughing.
When Duoduo saw his smile, she came back to herself.
“Daddy, how are you so clever?”
“You guessed it in one try!”
“You’re amazing!”
Everyone liked hearing praise.
Especially when it came from Duoduo.
With her face full of admiration, she sent his mood soaring.
The curve of Xiao Yi’s lips became impossible to suppress.
Duoduo tilted her little head.
“Daddy, did you suspect long ago that he was hiding in the Li residence?”
Once they began discussing serious matters, the smile on Xiao Yi’s face faded somewhat.
“I merely happened to uncover a small clue.”
Xiao Yi had ordered people to investigate everyone in the palace who was ill. They had not found the person they were looking for, but they had discovered that Eunuch Li, who had treated the Emperor’s illness, would occasionally disappear without explanation.
After hearing the report from his subordinate, Xiao Yi ordered them to keep a close watch on Eunuch Li.
That was when he learned a secret.
There was a hidden passage in the Emperor’s sleeping quarters.
However, where that passage led remained unknown.
Xiao Yi also recalled that he had felt something was different about the “Emperor” lying in the bed the last time he saw him.
He knew that every Emperor had a substitute.
He had originally assumed that the Emperor was still hiding somewhere in the palace.
So he had not considered any other possibility.
But after learning about the hidden passage and Eunuch Li’s habit of disappearing from time to time, Xiao Yi came up with a bold theory.
The Emperor was outside the palace!
But where exactly was the Emperor?
Xiao Yi had sent people to investigate.
They had not found the answer yet.
It was only after Imperial Physician Li sent someone to summon Duoduo that Xiao Yi shifted his suspicions to the Li residence.
That was why he had asked Yunxiao to accompany Duoduo there—to see whether his theory was correct.
“Why did he give you these things?”
