Chapter 10: You're gonna be unlucky!

Cheng Ru'an hurried over to the boy's side: "Xun Er, are you hurt?"

That boy still crouched on the ground, protecting the little girl in his arms; hearing this, he slowly lifted his head to look at her.

A pair of clear eyes seemed veiled by a thin mist, his gaze empty, he stared at her for a while before gently shaking his head.

Tuan Tuan ran over: "Mom! Do you know this good-guy big brother? Who is he?"

Cheng Ru'an felt a sourness in her heart: "He's your Third Brother, Xiao Ningxun."

Tuan Tuan looked at Xiao Ningxun: "Wow, Third Brother is really handsome! Are Daddy's sons all this good-looking?"

"Third Brother! I'm Tuan Tuan! Your sister!"

Xiao Ningxun's gaze fell on Tuan Tuan's face; his expression showed no emotion, and he remained silent.

Cheng Ru'an quickly embraced Tuan Tuan, whispering: "Good child, your Third Brother doesn't dislike you. He's been like this for years—neither speaking nor paying attention to anyone, treating everyone this way."

Tuan Tuan stared at Xiao Ningxun with a puzzled look: "What's wrong with Third Brother? Is he sick?"

Gu Chengxiao recognized Cheng Ru'an, hastily dismounted, and performed a proper salute: "Greetings, Princess Consort Ning."

Cheng Ru'an stood before her son and daughter, coldly saying: "Gu Chengxiao, as a child of an official family, why do you gallop through the streets, treating human lives as nothing?"

"If it weren't for Xun Er saving this child just now, you would have injured a life! Don't you fear that the censorial officials will file a complaint and send you to Jingzhao Prefecture for punishment?"

Gu Chengxiao curled the corner of his mouth: "Princess Consort, even if I were taken to Jingzhao Prefecture, I would still need solid evidence and witnesses, wouldn't I?"

"I haven't been galloping wildly; it's just that today the horse is in high spirits and walked a bit faster." He looked down at Xiao Ningxun: "It was Xiao Ningxun himself who carelessly walked out and startled my horse."

"As for this child, it was precisely because the startled horse frightened him that there's no talk of endangering his life."

The onlooking townspeople whispered among themselves, their faces filled with indignation; seeing his fine clothes and arrogant demeanor, they dared to be angry but not to speak.

"What nonsense, you bastard!"

Tuan Tuan reached out and touched the little girl's small hand: "Little sister, don't be scared; tell me, what just happened?"

The little girl looked at Tuan Tuan, her eyes reddening, she stretched out her small hand timidly and pointed at Gu Chengxiao: "It was his horse, running so fast, it almost stepped on me! This big brother saved me."

Gu Chengxiao's face darkened, he shouted sternly: "Young brat, spouting nonsense!"

He looked at Xiao Ningxun: "Right and wrong must be told by the parties involved; otherwise, even if we go to Jingzhao Prefecture, could the prefect still ask others?"

"Hey! Xiao Ningxun! Speak up! Was it you who carelessly startled my horse?"

"Hmph, Old Three Xiao, we've been studying together at White Horse Academy these years; I still don't know you? You're an idiot! Anything goes when bullying you!"

Sure enough, Xiao Ningxun didn't even lift his eyelids, showing no response at all.

Gu Chengxiao's smug expression grew thicker; he snorted, stepped forward, and reached out to grab Xiao Ningxun's shoulder: "Speak! Is this your silent admission?"

The moment his hand touched Xiao Ningxun's clothing, Xiao Ningxun's whole body jerked; his right hand slipped into his boot, his left hand drew the dagger sheath, he rose to his feet, and with a clear "ching" the dagger flashed out, its sharp blade pointing at Gu Chengxiao.

Cheng Ru'an's heart leapt; the dagger's blade was like autumn water, the five-colored black serpent pattern on its hilt clearly visible—this was the dagger personally forged by Prince Ning, given to his son for self-defense.

"Xun Er must not!" she cried, her face turning deathly pale.

The surrounding crowd gasped in unison, stepping back half a step.

"Wow, Third Brother is so cool! Only Tuan Tuan, unafraid, her face full of amazed admiration."

Xiao Ningxun gripped the dagger, yet his face gradually showed a bewildered expression.

After a moment, he looked at the dagger in his hand, then at the frightened Gu Chengxiao frozen before him; his gaze was muddled, as if he completely didn't know why he had done this, nor what to do next.

"What's wrong with this good-for-nothing today?"

Gu Chengxiao stared at him; seeing his bewildered expression, he quickly steadied his mind.

"Turns out he's still a good-for-nothing!"

He burst out laughing, full of mockery: "Princess Consort, you've seen this? In his current state, brandishing a blade, looking like a madman—if we really took him to Jingzhao Prefecture, even the prefect might have trouble dealing with him."

Cheng Ru'an's face flushed with embarrassment: "You!" yet she had nothing to say.

Xiao Ningxun slowly lowered both hands.

Tuan Tuan approached him, extending her two small hands, gently wrapping them around his hand that held the dagger.

Xiao Ningxun's body trembled; he wanted to shake her off, but Tuan Tuan gripped even tighter, lifting her little face to look at him: "Third Brother, you're especially good; you don't need to fear anything—Tuan Tuan will help you!"

Xiao Ningxun looked at her; suddenly he felt a warm current flow from her hand, traveling up his arm to his shoulder, then down his spine inch by inch, in an instant spreading throughout his body.

That warm current kept growing within him, becoming mighty, then surging back and forth inside his body.

The heavy mist gathered in his chest seemed like a river blocked by years of cold; the warm current kept scouring it, finally breaking through the barrier and rushing forth for a thousand miles.

His chest rose and fell, his throat rolled, his breathing quickened; he stared fixedly at Tuan Tuan, opened his mouth, and said: "Sister!"

"Eh!" Tuan Tuan loudly replied, clear and bright, her little face breaking into a grin: "Yes! I'm your sister Tuan Tuan, Third Brother!"

Cheng Ru'an looked at her son, her eyes bright, standing tall like a pine; unable to contain her joy, she wept: "Xun Er! You… are you healed?"

At this moment Xiao Ningxun finally truly recognized his mother; he sheathed the dagger and knelt before Cheng Ru'an: "Mother, I am well."

"Good! Good child!" Cheng Ru'an bent down to help him up, tears continually sliding down her cheeks.

Xiao Ningxun raised his head, staring at the stunned Gu Chengxiao before him: "You galloped and committed violence first, then twisted black and white—come on, let's go to Jingzhao Prefecture right now!"

Gu Chengxiao retreated several steps, his face full of disbelief.

The onlooking crowd, seeing the previously silent victim finally speak—and moreover, a person of status—immediately began to chime in.

"Well said!"

"This young master speaks sense!"

"Exactly! We all saw it—it was him who galloped and injured someone!"

"Such a spoiled young master deserves to be sent to Jingzhao Prefecture to get a few blows!"

"Yes! Let him remember this for a long time!"

Gu Chengxiao's face turned from white to green, then to greenish-white; he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Tuan Tuan lifted her little chin to look at him, huffing: "You bastard! You dared to bully my Third Brother!"

"Huh, what is that?"

She tugged Cheng Ru'an's sleeve, pointed with her little hand, and whispered to her mother: "Mother, bring over what he's wearing and give it to Third Brother; that's a good thing!"

Cheng Ru'an looked in the direction she pointed; Gu Chengxiao's waist bore a jade pendant.

Although it bore cloud patterns, it was quite ordinary; at a glance it was not of fine quality.

She now unconditionally trusts her daughter; since she said it, there must be reason in her words.

"Young Master Gu, today you nearly caused a great disaster; you ought to be handed over to the authorities for strict punishment."

"But fortunately no great disaster occurred. Considering your youth, I will give you a chance to make amends through merit." She raised her hand and pointed: "Have this jade compensate Xun Er, as Compensation for Fright. This matter, my Ning Prince's Mansion will no longer pursue. Are you willing?"

Gu Chengxiao now wished nothing more than to flee this place immediately, lest he really be sent to Jingzhao Prefecture, which would mean a calamity of imprisonment; how could he dare say 'no'?

He hurriedly untied the Jade Pendant and held it up before Cheng Ru'an, saying, "Thank you, Princess Consort Ning." He then mounted his horse and hurried away.

Cheng Ru'an handed the Jade Pendant to her son and instructed Liu PoPo: "Take this child home; we'll return to the Prince's Mansion first."

"Yes." Liu PoPo received the order and departed.

Xiao Ningxun looked at Tuan Tuan: "I, I may hold you?"

"Of course!" Tuan Tuan opened her little arms toward him.

Xiao Ningxun scooped her up in one embrace: "Thank you, Tuan Tuan."

Tuan Tuan rubbed against his neck: "No need! I'm your sister!"

"Mother! Who is that bad guy?"

"That is the son of Minister of Revenue Gu, Gu Chengxiao."

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan nodded, noting the Minister of Revenue, the Gu surname, remembered it; a flash of slyness passed in her eyes, "You're going to have bad luck!"