Chapter 101: Bear Blindfold and Little White Rabbit

Tuan Tuan looked down at the bronze plaque, thought for a while before recalling that it was the old woman's item from the Leng Gong.

But she twisted her little face and stuck it into Xiao Jieyun's neck: "I won't tell you!"

Empress Dowager, angry: "You! How dare you! Tell! From where did you get this bronze plaque!"

Xiao Jieyun glanced at Eunuch Cheng, who understood, hurried forward, picked up the bronze plaque, and presented it with both hands.

Xiao Jieyun took it and examined it carefully.

"Emperor! Don't…" Empress Dowager's voice trembled, eyes flickered, complexion pale and uncertain.

Xiao Jieyun felt a flash of surprise; why does the Empress Dowager value this bronze plaque so much? No, it's not just value, there's also… fear?

"Mother Empress Dowager, you are tired today, please rest well." After speaking, he embraced Tuan Tuan, held the bronze plaque, and turned away.

The carriage was parked outside Shoucheng Palace; Xiao Jieyun should have placed Tuan Tuan into the carriage to send her home, but he, holding the bronze plaque, was lost in thought and walked straight past the carriage, frowning.

Eunuch Cheng wanted to give a reminder, but recalling Xiao Jieyun's earlier fury, he dared not step forward.

He ordered someone to hurry the carriage, stay behind the Emperor, keep a certain distance, and follow quietly.

"Tuan Tuan, this bronze plaque, where did you get it? Could you tell Imperial Uncle?" Xiao Jieyun whispered in Tuan Tuan's ear.

"Um." Tuan Tuan replied honestly, "Over at the Leng Gong, I met an old woman with Third Elder Brother; it was she who dropped it on the ground. I called to her, she refused it, so I picked it up."

"Imperial Uncle, she is so pitiful, always looking for her child."

"When she saw Third Elder Brother she also said, run quickly, hide."

Xiao Jieyun's brows furrowed even tighter; the palace's secrets are never few, which case is this? What relation does it have with the Empress Dowager? Why is she so panicked?

Tuan Tuan looked at the bronze plaque, then at Xiao Jieyun, her little face full of confusion: "Imperial Uncle, why are you closer to this bronze plaque than to the Empress Dowager?"

Xiao Jieyun's heart jumped: "What are you saying?"

"What do you mean, this bronze plaque is closer to me than the Empress Dowager? The Empress Dowager is a living person!"

"This bronze plaque is just an object; could it have once belonged to someone?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head: "I don't understand either! How strange!"

"Imperial Uncle, go find that old woman and ask, then you'll know!"

"Here's the bronze plaque for you, I want to go home, Imperial Uncle."

Xiao Jieyun only then remembered, turned back, and saw a large group of servants trailing behind him, the carriage also there.

He walked to the carriage, personally placed Tuan Tuan inside: "Deliver the Princess (Commandery) back to Ning Prince's Mansion, no mistakes."

"Understood!"

Tuan Tuan poked her little head out of the window: "Imperial Uncle, I'm leaving! You must eat well!"

Xiao Jieyun gave a slight smile and nodded at her.

Tuan Tuan returned to Prince's Mansion with a carriage of imperial cuisine.

"Mother! I brought lots and lots of delicious food for you all! All given by Imperial Uncle!"

Cheng Ru'an, with a surprised face, said: "Imperial Uncle gave it? Did you enter the palace?"

"Yes!" Tuan Tuan said proudly: "I had my disciple bring me! He is my student, he must obey me!"

"Imperial Uncle ate with me, I brought the tasty food back for you all to eat!"

Cheng Ru'an, unable to laugh or cry, said: "In this world, to freeload a meal and make it all the way to the palace, you're probably the only one. No one else goes to someone's house to eat and also takes the food!"

Tuan Tuan, with a matter‑of‑fact expression, said: "If there's good stuff, of course you bring it home!"

As for the matters in Shoucheng Palace, she didn't mention a single word; if she said it, Mother would start crying again!

She didn't know that the young eunuch who brought her back was the one who ran back to report the news when she was taken away.

This young eunuch had served in the palace since childhood and was rather clever.

Seeing the Emperor's special favor toward the Little Princess, he quietly informed Xiao Er, who was carrying the servants' food boxes, of today's events in the Empress Dowager's palace.

"You didn't see, His Majesty was furious! Little Princess was quite frightened today."

Xiao Er hurried: "Thank you, Grandfather, for informing us, and thank you for the effort in bringing our little miss back."

He thought for a moment, emptied all the silver he had, gave it to the young eunuch, who accepted it with a smiling face and left Prince's Mansion.

That night, the family happily ate a meal of imperial cuisine, and Tuan Tuan fell asleep.

Xiao Er then came to request an audience, and reported the whole matter to Xiao Yuanhang and his wife.

Xiao Yuanhang pondered for a while: "Xiao Er, from tomorrow onward, you need not handle the affairs of Prince's Mansion; from now on stay with Tuan Tuan. With you by her side, I can be at ease."

Xiao Er, in a serious tone, said: "Yes! I will not fail the Prince's trust!" He turned and left.

Cheng Ru'an hurriedly added: "Xiao Er, go to the accounting office, collect twenty taels of silver."

Xiao Er was startled: "Princess Consort, there's no need for that much; give the young eunuch just over five taels."

Cheng Ru'an smiled slightly: "Go, and each month collect this amount; this child, whenever she goes out, wants everything she sees, so you need to keep some silver on hand."

"If it's insufficient, get more; any excess need not be returned, keep it yourself."

Xiao Er clasped his fists and said: "Thank you, Princess Consort!" and stepped down.

The couple looked at each other, Cheng Ru'an furrowed his brows: "Prince, what shall we do? Today Tuan Tuan has greatly offended the Empress Dowager."

"This child, upon returning, didn't mention a single word, only reported joy not sorrow; probably she feared we'd worry."

Xiao Yuanhang thought, hummed: "Since Tuan Tuan has torn the face with the Empress Dowager, it means our Ning Prince's Mansion has also torn the face with the Empress Dowager."

"My achievements, forged in blood and death, are not meant to watch my heart's flesh suffer humiliation?"

"My whole life I have been loyal and fierce, defending the realm. If I cannot even protect my own daughter, would that not become a huge joke?"

"As long as I, Xiao Yuanhang, live even a day, I will never allow anyone to harm Tuan Tuan a single bit. If the Empress Dowager persists in her delusion, I will make her know what filial affection is, capable of moving mountains and rivers."

Cheng Ru'an looked at her husband, smiled happily: "With a husband like this, I have honor, I ask for nothing else."

Thus, the next morning, still half‑asleep, having dressed, Tuan Tuan sat at the dining table and found Xiao Er standing behind her.

Xiao Er's skin was dark, his stature tall, standing behind the petite white Xiao Tuanzi, looking like a big blind bear guarding a little white rabbit.

Even Cheng Ru'an found it enjoyable.

Tuan Tuan heard her mother say that in the future Xiao Er would follow her, and if they encountered bad people, Xiao Er would protect her; she couldn't help but be very happy.

This person is really formidable; Dad takes him along wherever he goes. With him around in the future, who would dare bully me!

"Uncle Two!" she cried out crisply.