Chapter 113: The Speaker Meant Nothing

In the Emperor's tent, Xiao Jieyun sat upright, his face as still as water.

Wei Zhengqiu stood to the side, face full of anger, glaring tigerishly.

Zhou Jing'an and Huo Wenxuan knelt below, their bodies trembling slightly.

The two had first suffered a fright, and now, having been summoned to see the Emperor, they had lost their usual arrogance, their faces ashen.

As for Murong Yuyiao, the palace attendants reported that she had sprained her ankle and was resting in the tent, unable to see the Emperor.

Only Zhou Jing'an and Huo Wenxuan knew full well that she had today displayed her disgrace, and surely could not face people.

"What exactly happened in the forest? Why are you unharmed while Wei Bing'an met a horrible death?"

Zhou Jing'an and Huo Wenxuan dared not conceal anything, and told in full detail how they discovered the tiger cub, how they played with it, how the mother tiger suddenly appeared, and how, while fleeing in panic, they chanced upon Princess Jiayou.

"Stupid! Ignorant!" Xiao Jieyun heard this, and in anger slapped the table: "Even daring to lightly play with a tiger cub—have you read all your sage books into dog's bellies?"

Zhou Jing'an, frightened, kept kowtowing: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your Majesty, please calm your anger! It's all, all Wei Bing'an! He was the first to discover it! And he kept holding onto that tiger cub and wouldn't let go!"

Huo Wenxuan also immediately followed suit, pushing all responsibility onto the dead man who could no longer speak in his own defense.

Wei Zhengqiu heard them push all blame onto his son, and his whole body trembled with anger, nearly fainting on the spot, yet he could not utter a word in rebuttal.

Xiao Jieyun scolded the two, then comforted Wei Zhengqiu: "I also feel heartache for your loss, and permit a lavish burial." He then sent them away.

Then, unable to suppress his curiosity, Xiao Jieyun moved his carriage to Prince Ning's camp tent.

Eunuch Cheng lifted the tent flap, and Xiao Jieyun poked his head inside to look; even though he was an emperor, well‑versed and experienced, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Only to see that inside the originally spacious large tent, it was now stuffed full with two huge creatures.

Mother tiger Flower lay lazily on the ground, occupying half the space, while father tiger Yellow sat beside, like a steady small hill.

And Tuan Tuan, surrounded by the two tigers, was holding the tiger cub, lying between them, happily rubbing the cub's little ears and giggling.

Xiao Yuanhang sat in a chair a little farther away, watching the scene of "three tigers and one cub," his expression hard to describe.

"Imperial Uncle!" Tuan Tuan lifted his head, saw him, and broke into a smile.

Xiao Yuanhang hastily rose: "Your Majesty!"

Xiao Jieyun collected himself, entered the tent, and recounted what had just happened: "Wei Bing'an brought it upon himself; it had nothing to do with others."

Tuan Tuan, upon hearing, lifted his head: "Imperial Uncle, Flower says they didn't deliberately come here."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"The place where they drank water was dirty and bitter; the baby got diarrhea after drinking it."

"They had no choice but to take the baby far away to find water; only then would the baby get lost and be snatched by a bad guy."

Xiao Yuanhang blinked: "Tuan Tuan, how do you know?"

"Flower told me!" Xiao Tuanzi replied as a matter of course.

Xiao Jieyun's face showed surprise, while Xiao Yuanhang understood perfectly.

"Cheng Jinyan, immediately dispatch a squad of guards familiar with the area, together with Ministry of Works personnel, to investigate upstream of the water source!"

After a little more than an hour, the sent party hurried back to report: "Report to Your Majesty! In a mountain stream upstream, a large amount of rare water algae has grown, causing the water to turn turbid and green."

"We have already ordered an emergency cleanup; the water flow will soon return to its original state."

The official paused: "During the cleanup, we found some animal footprints in the mud by the stream, resembling deer hooves but smaller in stride, something we have never seen before."

Xiao Jieyun waved his hand: "You may go."

"An unseen creature? What could it be?"

"Imperial Uncle!" Tuan Tuan suddenly shouted, interrupting Xiao Jieyun's train of thought: "Huh? What is it?"

"Yellow says, Imperial Uncle, you should hunt fewer deer from now on! Leave a few for them!"

Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to the Emperor; even Xiao Yuanhang couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and tightly press his lips.

The dignity on Xiao Jieyun's face froze instantly, and he instinctively looked toward Yellow.

Yellow's massive head lifted slightly, a hot breath exhaled from its nostrils, its amber slit pupils glanced at the Emperor, then turned haughtily to the side.

That posture seemed to be saying: "Did you hear? Give a definite answer!"

Besides Tuan Tuan, who stared seriously at the Emperor, even Eunuch Cheng tightly covered his mouth, shaking with suppressed laughter.

Xiao Jieyun had seen great storms in his life; even when censors pointed at his nose and called him a foolish ruler, his expression did not change.

But now, made by a tiger, his old face turned green then red, then red then white; his embarrassed toes could dig out a temporary palace.

He stared at that proud father tiger, both angry and amused, and could only say helplessly: "Okay, okay, I know!"

"Cheng Jinyan! Convey, convey my edict! For this autumn hunt, hunt more wild boars and roe deer, deer…… hunt fewer!"

"Imperial Uncle is the best!" Tuan Tuan's eyebrows lifted in delight, he stretched out his little arms to hug Flower's fluffy neck and rubbed it, "Flower, Yellow! Did you hear? Imperial Uncle has left the deer for you!"

Mother tiger Flower let out a low, pleased purr, her large head lightly rubbing against her.

Father tiger Yellow still held its head high, but the tip of its thick, long tail flicked satisfied a few times.

Xiao Jieyun watched this "human‑tiger negotiation" successfully conclude, helplessly rubbing his forehead.

Well, he, the true dragon Son of Heaven, now also had to act according to the face of the king of beasts.

He helplessly shook his head, rose, and said: "I'm going back."

Xiao Yuanhang smiled: "Seeing off Your Majesty!"

After a little more than an hour, Flower rose, picked up the tiger cub by the scruff of its neck, and glanced at Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan understood: "Are you going home?"

Yellow stretched out its forepaws, moved its joints a bit, and also rose.

Tuan Tuan ran to the tent flap and pulled it open.

The two tigers slowly walked away along the path they had come.

The setting sun had already dyed the horizon a gorgeous orange‑red.

"The tigers are out!"

"What? Why is it coming out again?"

"Where?"

Although the crowd dared not approach, they all stood nearby, watching curiously, for such a scene was truly once‑in‑a‑century.

Under countless gazes of awe, fear, or curiosity, A Hua and A Huang slowly paced forward.

Tuan Tuan held her father's hand, following behind them.

At the Main Camp gate, A Huang stepped before Tuan Tuan, lowered his head, and with his huge tongue bristling with barbs, gently licked her little face, making Xiao Tuanzi giggle.

Two fierce tigers, each carrying a cub, turned and left the Main Camp.

Tuan Tuan waved her tiny arms, reluctantly shouting, "A Hua, A Huang, be good! Come find me again next time!"

The two massive tigers glanced back at her, letting out a low rumble in response, then turned; their agile forms rose and fell a few times before vanishing into the dusk.

Everyone who witnessed the scene involuntarily exhaled; those two ancestors were finally gone!

If they stayed in the camp overnight, how could we get any sleep!

Xiao Yuanhang took his daughter's small hand: "Today Dad hunted a wild boar. Come, let's go eat roasted pork together!"

The dusk deepened, and lights began to flicker on.

Around, people came and went, and the clamor of packing hunting gear and preparing dinner never ceased.

"Dad, that uncle just said they found footprints never seen before by the upstream water's edge."

She shook Xiao Yuanhang's hand: "I want to go see tomorrow!"

When had Xiao Yuanhang ever refused his daughter? He patted her head: "Alright! If you want to go, go!"

The speaker is careless, the listener purposeful.

While the father and daughter spoke, Huo Wenxuan stood silently like a ghost behind the nearest tent.

She, too, had heard someone shout that a tiger appeared and came out to look, never expecting such a find.

Fine! Tomorrow, I'll make sure you never return!

Princess Jiayou, you owe me; tomorrow I'll settle it with you!