Chapter 11

Tuan Tuan and her party returned to the Prince's Mansion.

She wrapped her arms around Xiao Ningxun's neck, burying her small face in the crook of his neck, pressing against his ear: "Third Brother, this jade is good, it has a reddish glow; remember to wear it from now on!"

Xiao Ningxun's ears turned slightly red: "Brother knows, thank you, Tuan Tuan."

Cheng Ru'an beckoned to Xiao Ningxun: "Come over."

Xiao Ningxun stepped forward, and the Princess Consort picked up his waist jade pendant, rubbing it with her fingers a few times; its texture and color were ordinary, showing no abnormality.

She looked at her daughter: "Tuan Tuan, what's different about this jade pendant?"

Tuan Tuan smiled narrowly: "Mother! If Third Brother wears this, he'll have good luck!"

Now I understand; no wonder this child had me fetch someone else's jade pendant to give to Xun Er to wear—it's to protect her brother and vent his anger!

She smiled knowingly, pinching Tuan Tuan's little cheek: "Truly my good daughter!"

"Mm!" Xiao Ningxun replied: "Also my good younger sister!"

Tuan Tuan, praised by the two, had her eyebrows and eyes flying with pride, as if she had grown a tail to sway back and forth; she shook her head and wiggled in Xiao Ningxun's arms, twisting left and right: "Tuan Tuan is the best!"

Gu Chengxiao, who had just mounted his horse and ridden not far, turned the corner when a paper kite drifted from somewhere, brushing past him; its tail just grazed the tip of his mount's ear.

The horse was instantly startled, neighed loudly, lifted its forelegs high, and reared up.

Gu Chengxiao rolled off the saddle onto the ground, and before he could get up, the frightened horse stepped down with a hoof, landing squarely on his knee and rolling back and forth twice.

"Crack—", the sound of breaking bone rang out; Gu Chengxiao let out a miserable cry, his vision went dark, and he fainted.

At the same moment, Tuan Tuan seemed to sense something; her eyes lit up instantly, and she gave her brother a sweet smile, pointing with her little hand: "Brother, let's go see Father together."

"Go ahead." Cheng Ru'an nodded, "Liu Ma'ma, you follow."

"Yes."

Moments later, the two small hands held each other, walking lightly into Yangzheng Pavilion.

The room was as quiet as a deep well, only a thick medicinal fragrance drifting in the air.

Tuan Tuan edged up to the bedside, hooking her fingers onto the blanket's edge: "Father, Brother is back; why aren't you waking up? Open your eyes and take a look at Tuan Tuan, okay?"

Xiao Yuanhang remained as usual, completely still.

Tuan Tuan's mouth pouted: "Father, I've come to see you many times, yet you still don't wake. Do you not want to see Tuan Tuan?"

Xiao Ningxun pulled her from behind into his arms to comfort her: "No, that's not it. Father likes Tuan Tuan. He just can't move, so he can't tell you."

Tuan Tuan lifted her head: "Really?"

"Really! Brother won't lie to you; Father will wake up, and when he does, he will surely like you very, very much." He looked earnestly at his sister's face—such a good little sister, how could Father not like her?

Liu Ma'ma said beside them: "Young Master and Miss need not worry. The imperial physician said that once the Prince takes the medicine, he will wake up; I heard they're still missing a crucial medicinal guide, and Guo Taiyi is searching everywhere for it."

Xiao Ningxun looked at her: "Is that medicinal guide hard to find?"

Liu Ma'ma nodded: "It seems not easy to find."

Tuan Tuan hummed, pressed her little face against the blanket's edge, and murmured softly: "We'll find it, Father; Tuan Tuan is waiting for you."

Several people left Yangzheng Pavilion, and Xiao Ningxun watched the silent, obviously low-spirited little Tuan Tuan, beginning to worry.

How could he make his little sister happy? He racked his brains.

What does the younger sister like? Sending her something would surely please her—I heard she likes picking up junk… maybe I should go pick some up too? But what should I pick? He, who had never picked up junk in his life, furrowed his brows.

Suddenly he recalled that, when he first entered the mansion, he had heard the servants mention that the young miss loved teasing birds and feeding fish, feeding the pond's fish until they were stuffed to bursting every day.

Animals! The younger sister likes animals!

His eyes lit up: "Tuan Tuan, tomorrow, Brother will take you to a place to play, okay?"

"Huh?"

"Wanlingyuan, have you been there? It has lots of fluffy animals, big and small! Some are tribute from foreign lands, things you can't see outside. Do you like it?"

Tuan Tuan's eyes "Whoosh—" lit up: "Can I touch them? Will they be smelly? I want to bring dried meat to feed them! Do they like eating dried meat?"

Xiao Ningxun was stunned by her question: "I, I don't know either, but you can bring some; however, there are dedicated keepers there, and you need their permission to feed."

The little milk baby's face went from overcast to sunny in a whoosh.

She happily ran up: "Tomorrow I want to go to Wanlingyuan! See lots of fluffy things! Touch their ears!"

Seeing her happy, Xiao Ningxun also chased after her: "Come on, Tuan Tuan! Let's go and report to Mother!"

Cheng Ru'an readily agreed: "Sure. Liu Ma'ma, tomorrow you take two elderly maids, two young servants, and also summon a few guards to go with them."

She then lowered her head to instruct the two children: "When you go, listen to the garden supervisor and don't run around." She paused: "Tuan Tuan, when you're outside, you must listen to Liu Ma'ma and Brother, and be a good little one."

Tuan Tuan kept nodding: "Got it, Mother; I'm the most obedient."

On the Tranquil Orchid Pavilion side there were cheerful laughs, while the Defying Frost Pavilion was shrouded in gloomy clouds and misery.

When Tuan Tuan was framed, the Old Madam learned of it and instantly flew into a rage; Shun Gu, having been ordered, immediately went to the Defying Frost Pavilion and interrupted Fang Qingyan, who was once again applying egg to her face.

"By order of the Old Madam, the concubine's maid Jin Xiu is to be expelled from the Prince's Mansion at once, never to return."

"Concubine Fang and everyone in the Defying Frost Pavilion will have their monthly allowance halved starting this month."

Fang Qingyan's face grew paler the more she listened; not only had they driven away her confidants, they also reduced her and everyone in the courtyard's stipend silver!

To think this wasn't the end; Shun Gu produced a copy of *Women's Precepts* and handed it to her: "Concubine Fang is confined to the Defying Frost Pavilion and must copy *Women's Precepts* one hundred times."

"I won't go! How could I go!" Jin Xiu kowtowed repeatedly: "I am the Old Madam's dowry maid! I cannot leave! If I leave, what will become of the Old Madam?"

Shun Gu's face darkened: "If you leave, someone who knows the rules will come to serve the Old Madam; you needn't worry about it! Come here!"

As soon as her words fell, two stout matrons entered, one on each side, grabbed her arms and dragged her out; Jin Xiu screamed as she was pulled toward the door.

Fang Qingyan reached out a hand toward her, but in the end did not actually pull her; her own honor and disgrace still hung in another's thoughts, let alone her slave.

She gritted her teeth, let her hand drop, clenched it tightly in her sleeve: "Go on, return to the Fang family; you know in your heart what to say to whom."

Shun Gu heard it, snorted indifferently: "Old servant takes my leave." She bowed and departed.

The room was unusually quiet; Fang Qingyan stared at the *Women's Precepts* before her, murmuring softly, "Virtue, speech, appearance, skill." Her eyes burned with fury so intense it seemed it could set the *Women's Precepts* ablaze in a single sweep.

In the Listening Rain Pavilion.

Old Madam was examining the bronze mirror Tuan Tuan had given her by lamplight; these days she looked at it daily, her gaze growing ever brighter and clearer, the chronic ailment of years vanished, and her mood was utterly at ease.

Shun Gu came in to report, "Jinxiu has been expelled from the Prince's Mansion, and the Fang family's two children have also been sent away."

"Good." Old Madam didn't even lift her head: "Fang Side Consort has become increasingly outrageous; she must be properly disciplined. This time I will give a minor punishment as a warning, hoping she will henceforth behave herself and not cause any more trouble."