After Yun Beiye helped Empress Zhaoyuan up, he bowed to the Empress Dowager.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager."
"Yes, get up." The Empress Dowager waved her hand.
"It's been a while since you've visited the Fu Shuang Palace. I know you're busy with court affairs, but don't blame me for not reminding you, you only have this one precious daughter!" The Empress Dowager held Yun Duoduo in her arms.
"Yes, yes, Mother is right." Yun Beiye nodded repeatedly. He took two steps forward and carefully examined Yun Duoduo's body for any injuries.
"Your Majesty, thankfully, the little princess is unharmed," Ah Xiang whispered from the side.
"Um."
"How did a snake suddenly appear out of nowhere? And it even bit someone?" Yun Beiye asked angrily, frowning.
“In the spring, people in the palace would sprinkle medicinal powder in the corners to repel insects and snakes. Perhaps it’s because the back of Fushuang Palace is the back mountain, which is damp and shady, that it attracts snakes,” Empress Zhaoyuan said hesitantly.
"Hmph, in the end, it's all because the palace servants are lazy!"
"If we keep an eye on this bedchamber every moment, surely we'd notice if a snake appeared?!"
"Drag all the servants of Fu Shuang Palace to the Ministry of Punishments!" Yun Beiye roared. The eunuchs, maids, and nannies of Fu Shuang Palace turned pale with fright and knelt down in unison.
"Your Majesty, please spare this servant!"
"Your Majesty, please spare this servant!"
The palace maids and eunuchs pleaded desperately, some of the more timid ones were already crying their eyes out, and a few of the younger eunuchs were so frightened that they wet their pants.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please spare me!"
"From now on, we servants will serve the little princess with all our might!"
"Father, there's no need to punish them." Yun Duoduo looked at the group of dark-skinned people kneeling on the ground.
She was somewhat taken aback by the commotion this had caused. She tugged at Yun Beiye's sleeve and shook her head.
The snakes in the bedchamber were hiding in the shadows, so it's no wonder the palace servants didn't notice them in time.
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, "Fortunately, my granddaughter is alright, otherwise, I would not have spared you!" Looking at Yun Duoduo's reaction, the Empress Dowager knew that she did not want the people in the palace to suffer.
My granddaughter is very sensible from a young age; she knows how to be considerate and care for the people in the palace.
"If it weren't for the young princess's leniency, you would all be forced into hard labor!" The Empress Dowager swept her gaze across the crowd, berating them.
"Granny Liu, you're an old servant in the palace, how can you be so careless? Spring is here, and you're busy airing out the bedding, yet you haven't even noticed the snakes and insects. You're becoming more and more insensitive to what's important and urgent." The Empress Dowager glanced at Granny Liu with displeasure.
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right to reprimand me. Your Majesty, please calm down. It was all my fault. This will never happen again."
"Duoduo, it's all your father's fault for making you suffer." Yun Beiye patted Yun Duoduo's little head.
My daughter was terrified.
"Father, I'm fine, but Brother Jinzhi and Brother Deyi have fainted."
"Yes, I have heard about it."
"How are they?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Ning arrived just in time and cured the two of them. They are currently resting in the side hall," Ah Xiang replied, bowing her head.
"The third brother?"
"Well, it's good that the third brother is in the palace. Back when he was in Shu, he often encountered snakes and rats, so he must know what to do."
"I will go and see Jin Jinzhi and Xue Deyi, who are poisoned and unconscious, in a little while."
Both of these men are sons of high-ranking officials in the court. If something were to happen to them, it would likely chill the hearts of the ministers.
Yun Beiye sighed and rubbed his temples. [Is this Heaven punishing me? Why can't my daughter grow up peacefully and without illness?]
"Zhao Zhongquan!"
"This old servant is here." Zhao Zhongquan hurriedly stood beside Yun Beiye.
"By imperial decree, inform the Jin family that they may move back to their own residences. Jin Jinzhi and Princess Jin... uh..."
“Princess Jiaping, Jin Zhuangzhuang,” Zhao Zhongquan reminded him from the side.
"Oh, right, Jin Zhuangzhuang, you don't need to stay in the palace anymore. If you want to go back, you can leave the palace and return to your residence at any time."
"Jin Jinzhi and Xiao Jinyu have also regained their freedom and no longer need to be confined in the palace."
"Once they wake up, it's up to them whether they want to stay in the palace or return to their residence."
"Then, what about the little princess's safety?"
"I'll transfer more people from the Imperial Guards," Yun Beiye sighed. [It seems we'll need to think of other methods to ensure Duoduo's absolute safety.]
...
Two days later, at dawn, Yun Duoduo and Sun Huohuo practiced horse stance in the courtyard.
Yun Duoduo had two little buns on her head. The buns were getting longer, but they weren't getting any thicker. Whenever Yun Duoduo looked at her pretty and cute little face in the bronze mirror, she would always look at her sparse hair with some worry.
Could it be that she was overthinking and went bald at such a young age?
She glanced at Sun Huohuo beside her. [Erhuo's hair is quite thick; there's no sign of a receding hairline at all.]
Yun Duoduo and Sun Huohuo get up at the crack of dawn every day, and A Xiang also starts getting up earlier and earlier.
Sun Huohuo squatted for a moment with his hands raised, then his legs began to tremble. He said with difficulty, "Duo'er, I insist on not lifting up!"
"It's not that I can't hold on anymore, it's that I can't get it up!"
"Then you should rest for a while." Yun Duoduo was covered in sweat. She held her hands out straight, bent her knees, and stuck her buttocks out, adopting a standard horse stance.
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