Duoduo forced a smile at Lüzhu.
"It is nothing, I just had a nightmare."
Lüzhu took out a handkerchief and wiped away Duoduo's tears.
"Do not be afraid, Princess. Dreams are the opposite of reality."
"Mhm," Duoduo nodded obediently.
Lüzhu tucked Duoduo back into her quilt and patted her gently.
"Go to sleep, Princess. I will stay right here with you."
Duoduo closed her eyes, and this time, she really fell asleep.
In her dream, she saw her older sister, Song Shuyu, whom she had not seen for a long time.
Duoduo saw that Song Shuyu had accidentally fallen into a well while trying to hide from bad people.
Fortunately, she was lucky; the well was an abandoned dry well.
Song Shuyu had scraped her knees and palms, and she cried from the pain.
Worried that the bad people might hear her, she hugged her knees, covered her mouth, and sobbed softly.
Crying and crying, Song Shuyu fell asleep.
She was awakened by a sudden commotion.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt herself being lifted by someone who was fighting another person.
She trembled with fear.
Song Shuyu tried to scream, but suddenly realized she could not make a sound.
Oh no, she had become mute!
Anxious, terrified, and hungry, Song Shuyu fainted.
Back in her bed, Duoduo waved her hands restlessly.
Lüzhu noticed Duoduo furrowing her brows, her face seemingly filled with fear.
She quickly and gently patted Duoduo, "Do not be afraid, Princess, I am here!"
Lüzhu's soft voice gradually calmed the restless Duoduo.
In her dream, she once again saw Song Shuyu being taken into a magnificent mansion.
A man who looked somewhat similar to her father was examining Song Shuyu.
Then, he gave a few instructions to the people beside him.
Song Shuyu was led away and settled into a very beautiful room.
A maid brought an old doctor into the room. He checked Song Shuyu's pulse, prescribed some medicine, and left.
The maid took the ointment and carefully applied it to Song Shuyu's wounds.
Duoduo rolled over, pushing Song Shuyu out of her mind.
However, she suddenly saw Old Madam Song, her former grandmother.
One of Old Madam Song's legs was broken.
At this moment, she was being dragged by several fierce-looking men toward the mansion ahead.
Suddenly, halfway there, a group of people rushed out and started fighting the men holding Old Madam Song.
Caught off guard by the ambush, several of the men were killed instantly.
The remaining men hastily dropped Old Madam Song and fled into the mansion.
The attackers kicked Old Madam Song a few times, making her roll on the ground in pain.
"Speak! Where is Song Shuyu?" asked a square-faced man who seemed to be the leader.
"Spare my life, good sir! I really do not know where my granddaughter is," Old Madam Song begged desperately.
"You do not know? It seems we have not beaten you enough. Men, beat her!"
The square-faced man waved his hand, and someone immediately stepped forward, drew a leather whip, and lashed at Old Madam Song.
Old Madam Song rolled back and forth on the ground, indistinguishable from any ordinary old woman.
Her former nobility was long gone.
Duoduo reached out uneasily, but Lüzhu held her hand down instantly.
Then, Duoduo felt Lüzhu's gentle, rhythmic pats.
Finally, Old Madam Song vanished from her dream.
Duoduo fell into a deep sleep.
Duoduo did not know that what she thought were dreams were actually the real experiences of her sister and grandmother.
After sleeping through the night, Song Shuyu finally opened her eyes.
She stared at the bed canopy above her, dazed for a moment.
Then, she came to her senses.
This was not the Song Manor!
Song Shuyu sat up.
"Are you awake, Miss?" a voice called out from across the bed.
Song Shuyu looked up and saw a maid sitting opposite her.
The maid put down her embroidery and walked over.
"Would you like to get dressed, Miss?"
The maid stepped up to the bed and hooked the curtains onto the bedposts.
She had delicate features, wore a pink dress, and had a silver hairpin in her hair bun.
"Where is this?"
Song Shuyu spoke with difficulty, instantly covering her mouth.
She had not become mute!
In that brief moment, she had completely recalled what had happened over the past two days.
The maid smiled respectfully at Song Shuyu.
"To answer your question, Miss, this is the Prince Ling's Manor. Allow me to help you dress."
Saying this, the maid picked up a brand-new set of clothes from the head of the bed and helped Song Shuyu put them on.
Song Shuyu looked around.
Prince Ling's Manor? Who was Prince Ling?
She wondered where her grandmother was and if she could find her.
Song Shuyu was very scared.
"Huh, Miss, the wounds you had last night are completely healed?"
The maid looked at the wounds on Song Shuyu's knees in great surprise.
She had personally applied the medicine to those wounds the night before.
At the time, the doctor had said it would take at least two or three days to heal.
But today, they had already closed and scabbed over.
By the looks of it, she was perfectly fine.
Song Shuyu curled her lip, thinking the maid was making a fuss over nothing.
It seemed the servants in this Prince Ling's Manor had not seen much of the world.
No! She had to find a way to get to her Second Uncle!
Her grandmother must be waiting for her at her Second Uncle's manor.
Although Song Shuyu was young, her experiences over the past two days made her realize that many people were trying to snatch her!
Her grandmother had said those people wanted to take her because of her reputation as a lucky star.
She absolutely could not get caught; she had to hide.
She firmly remembered her grandmother's words: in Fengcheng, only her Second Uncle could protect her.
Song Shuyu obediently let the maid dress her.
"Miss, you must be hungry. I will have someone set up the meal."
With that, the maid walked out.
Song Shuyu quickly ran to the window and looked out.
She saw a garden outside, and at the end of the garden, there seemed to be a wall.
Hearing footsteps approaching outside, Song Shuyu hurriedly ran back to the bed.
The maid entered the room and gave Song Shuyu a strange look.
Song Shuyu walked over, smelled the aroma of the food, and her stomach immediately began to rumble.
For the past two days, Old Madam Song had been taking her on the run, and they had not had a proper meal.
Now, looking at a table full of food, Song Shuyu could not care less about etiquette.
She picked up her chopsticks and ate rapidly.
Finally full, she put down her chopsticks and let out a burp.
The maid had someone clear away the dishes and then bowed to Song Shuyu.
"The Prince wishes to see you, Miss. Please come with me."
Song Shuyu instantly grew tense.
"Where is my grandmother?"
The maid paused for a moment. "I do not know where your grandmother is, but you can ask the Prince later."
"This way, please."
The maid gestured for her to follow. Song Shuyu dawdled and slid down from her chair.
In the next second, Song Shuyu plopped down on her bottom, kicking her legs and bursting into loud tears.
