Xu Jinxin immediately understood the meaning behind the words of the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"Then I'll have to borrow a pigeon from your estate," Xu Jinxin made her decision at once.
"Lianxin, take Madam Xu to find Ling Feng," the Princess Consort of Pingyang instructed.
"I'll go first and come back in a bit." Xu Jinxin stood up, starting to feel anxious.
"Mm, go ahead, there is still time." The Princess Consort of Pingyang gestured for Xu Jinxin not to worry.
Just now, if Duoduo hadn't been so insistent, the Princess Consort of Pingyang wouldn't have remembered what was going to happen in three days.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at Duoduo, feeling a bit puzzled in her heart.
They hadn't told Duoduo about the Second Prince adopting Song Shuyu as his goddaughter three days from now.
Was Duoduo's suggestion just now intentional, or merely a coincidence?
Feeling her mother's assessing gaze, Duoduo smiled at Yingniang.
"Sister, this way, you'll be able to see your father very soon!"
Yingniang was also very happy and nodded at Duoduo.
"When my father comes back, I'll have him teach you martial arts!"
"My father's martial arts skills are amazing, even better than my mother's!"
Yingniang leaned close to Duoduo's ear and whispered.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang, who was holding Duoduo, heard their whispers loud and clear.
She felt that she must be overthinking things.
What happened just now was definitely just a coincidence.
Duoduo was secretly delighted; now, Yingniang's father would surely be able to escape his doom.
Before long, Xu Jinxin returned.
She patted Duoduo's head with rare gentleness.
"Auntie wants to thank you. If it weren't for your constant reminders just now, a great disaster might have happened."
Duoduo tilted her little head up, pretending not to understand Xu Jinxin's words.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang gave Xu Jinxin a very apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, Jinxin. It was my oversight; I should have told you in advance."
"Why say sorry? Didn't you also just forget?"
"Besides, our Duoduo reminded us! Duoduo, you truly are a little lucky star!"
Xu Jinxin cupped Duoduo's cheeks with both hands and affectionately pinched them.
Duoduo grinned, breaking free from Xu Jinxin's clutches and hiding in the arms of the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt a stir in her heart.
She also felt that Duoduo was a little lucky star.
Ever since Duoduo arrived, the three of them ate their three daily meals together.
Unlike before, when she had to face a large table of food all by herself, finding it hard to swallow.
Moreover, she now ate more than before, and her sleep had improved significantly.
Even her energy levels were much better than before.
"Yes, I also think Duoduo is a little lucky star!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang gently stroked Duoduo's small head.
Duoduo looked up, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Mother said she was a little lucky star!
Seeing that the banquet was drawing to a close, Baihe hurriedly walked up to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
She leaned close to the ear of the Princess Consort of Pingyang and whispered a few words.
The eyebrows of the Princess Consort of Pingyang couldn't help but twitch upward.
After Baihe finished speaking, she retreated behind her.
Beside them, Xu Jinxin wore a teasing expression; with her sharp ears, she had heard everything Baihe just said.
"The prefect's wife is famously jealous by nature. I heard that the concubines in their estate either die or are sold off for making mistakes."
"The Prince gifted the prefect a Yangzhou concubine. Isn't this openly driving a wedge between the prefect and his wife?"
In the past, if a concubine was beaten to death, that was the end of it, as they were all women with no status or background.
However, one rewarded by the Prince of Pingyang was entirely different.
No matter how dissatisfied the prefect's wife might be, she could only swallow her grievances along with her broken teeth; she wouldn't dare overstep the slightest boundary.
How was this a concubine? This was practically an ancestor to be worshipped!
There would be quite a show to watch at the prefect's estate.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Xu Jinxin sighed.
"Hey, what about the city defender's estate? How is the Prince going to deal with them?" Xu Jinxin asked curiously.
Baihe shook her head. "This servant does not know."
"This servant only heard that the prefect absolutely adores that Yangzhou concubine and has already left with her."
Xu Jinxin glanced not far away at the prefect's wife, who was still completely oblivious and chatting happily with the other officials' wives.
She let out a scoff.
"Men, they are just animals who can't control their lower halves."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang poked her. "What are you saying? The children are still here!"
Seeing Duoduo and Yingniang both looking at her with curious faces, Xu Jinxin was amused.
"I'm just teaching them about the true nature of men in advance, so they can keep their eyes wide open when choosing a man in the future."
"You really are getting more and more outrageous," the Princess Consort of Pingyang shook her head.
However, she was also very curious. How would the Prince deal with the city defender?
Not long after, news came from the front yard that the banquet had ended, and the officials' wives in the backyard began to get restless.
Everyone came over one after another to bid farewell to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Smiling, the Princess Consort of Pingyang saw them all off.
Xu Jinxin waited until everyone else had left before she also took her leave.
"Princess Consort, I will also take Yingniang and head back first."
"When Big Brother Li returns, I will accompany him to pay a formal visit to your estate."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was very reluctant to let them go, and Duoduo, holding onto Yingniang, was equally reluctant.
"Auntie, why don't you and Sister stay at the princely estate?"
"We have many rooms in our house; you can choose whichever you like." Duoduo held tightly onto Yingniang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was also somewhat tempted by the idea.
"Since it will just be the two of you at home anyway when you go back, you might as well stay to save yourselves the trouble of traveling back and forth."
"That won't do. No one has lived in the house for a long time, so I need to go back and check on it. It would be terrible if the mice carried everything away."
Xu Jinxin smilingly declined.
"Auntie, there are no mice that big!" Duoduo corrected Xu Jinxin's words.
"Some mice are even bigger than you!" Xu Jinxin pinched Duoduo's cheek.
Duoduo covered her face, unable to comprehend this.
Were there really mice bigger than her?
Seeing Xu Jinxin's insistence, the Princess Consort of Pingyang found it hard to keep urging them to stay.
"Alright then, I'll walk you out."
"I want to walk Sister out too!" Duoduo tugged at the hem of the Princess Consort of Pingyang's clothes.
"Okay, both of you can walk us out. Yingniang, look at how much face they are giving us!"
Yingniang smiled, tightly holding Duoduo's little hand.
She really liked this little sister!
The group walked out of the estate, and Xu Jinxin pulled Yingniang into the carriage.
"Princess, Auntie will come to see you again in a couple of days. Be good!"
Xu Jinxin smiled and said to Duoduo, who nodded vigorously.
"Auntie, remember to bring Sister along!"
Xu Jinxin nodded, smiled at the Princess Consort of Pingyang, and then gave a quiet instruction.
The carriage began to move.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang held Duoduo's hand, watching the carriage slowly disappear into the distance.
"Princess Consort, this servant just asked Ling Feng. He said that when the city defender left just now, he encountered a woman at the intersection who fainted right into his arms."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was a bit surprised.
"Who was that woman?"
"It is said to be the distant cousin of the prefect's wife."
