Chapter 128

"Seventh Prince?" Everyone was startled.

"Third Elder Brother! Will you go with me?" Tuan Tuan happily ran to the newly dismounted Xiao Ze and grabbed his hand.

Xiao Ze looked down at her and said softly, "Yes, the road is so far; I'm worried about you."

He led Tuan Tuan to Xiao Yuanhang and his wife, and performed a bow: "Please rest assured, I will be with you all the way; I will certainly not let anything happen to Tuan Tuan."

Xiao Yuanhang looked at him and asked, "Did you inform His Majesty?"

Xiao Ze smiled slightly: "Of course. Yesterday when I visited, I heard Tuan Tuan say she wanted to go to Sacred Medicine Valley to seek medicine; after returning to the palace I reported it to Father Emperor."

"Father Emperor was also uneasy about Tuan Tuan; seeing me volunteer to go with her, he granted permission."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded and said, "If so, I appreciate your effort."

Cheng Ru'an felt slightly relaxed; the Seventh Prince is a prince, with him things will go smoother: "Thank you, Seventh Prince, for your concern."

The crowd reluctantly said their farewells.

The carriage rocked and rolled along the official road.

Tuan Tuan, like a little squirrel that has stored food for winter, took out jerky and candied fruit from the bundle Cheng Ru'an had given her, first handed a few pieces to Xiao Er, who sat upright but whose eyes constantly followed her, then turned and gave a few pieces to the smiling Xiao Ze watching her from beside.

"I am not hungry, miss," Xiao Er declined verbally, but his hand steadily took them.

Xiao Ze also took them: "I love eating what you give me."

"Ugh! Sweet talk! Just to flatter my lady!" Xiao Er twitched the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Ze raised an eyebrow at him and said, "What's the matter? Tuan Tuan is just close to me! If you don't like it, so what?"

Mo Zhanggeng, sitting in the corner with his eyes closed to rest, opened his eyes a sliver and hummed.

"Divine Doctor Grandfather, you aren't asleep!" Tuan Tuan immediately grabbed the biggest candied fruit and shoved it into his mouth.

"Good disciple! Indeed you know how to honor your master!" Mo Zhanggeng's eyebrows lifted, eyes bright, chewing with relish.

Tuan Tuan rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to argue, climbed back to her seat, hugged her bundle and began to gnaw.

After a few hours, the carriage that had been moving smoothly suddenly halted and stopped.

Tuan Tuan let out an "Oops" and her small body, due to inertia, fell straight forward.

Two arms simultaneously reached out and pulled her back.

Xiao Er glanced at Xiao Ze and no longer minded that his arm was still around the little miss's shoulder.

His figure darted out of the carriage like lightning, standing steadily on the carriage pole, looking ahead.

"What's happening?" Xiao Ze asked in a deep voice the Guard riding alongside.

The Guard promptly reported: "Young master, the road ahead is blocked, and a crowd has gathered."

"Go check!"

"Yes!" The Guard, hearing the command, moved toward the crowd.

After a moment, he turned back: "Young master, in the middle of the official road lies a draft ox, blocking the way."

"Ox? I want to see." Tuan Tuan, curious, wriggled out of Xiao Ze's arm and was about to jump down.

"Wait! I'll go with you." Xiao Ze grabbed her, slipped out of the carriage first, turned and lifted Tuan Tuan out.

Xiao Er, on the carriage pole, saw Tuan Tuan emerge, quickly followed, and together with Xiao Ze guarded Tuan Tuan from both sides, passing through the noisy crowd.

"What's happening? What's wrong with that ox?"

"I don't know! I'm always on the road, I've seen everything! This is the first time a cow blocked the road!"

"Hey! Old man! Is that your cow? Hurry and pull it away!"

"Exactly! We're all in a hurry!"

"That cow must be slacking off and doesn't want to move!"

"The beast is lazy, what's to be done? Beat it!"

Tuan Tuan moved to the front and saw a massive Old Yellow Cow lying on the ground, unmoved no matter how the nearby old farmer with a worried face tugged the rope or coaxed it.

The old farmer, frantic, raised his voice: "Stubborn cow! Get up! You're blocking the road; we can't afford to incur punishment!"

"If we can't afford punishment, move this beast away quickly! A good dog doesn't block the road; have you and your stupid cow become fed up with life?"

A boastful voice rang out from behind the crowd.

The crowd turned, and saw several servants pushing aside the throng, surrounding a young man dressed splendidly, who made his way forward.

He disdainfully glanced at the dust on his shoes, his fan covering his mouth and nose.

"Han, Han Pengfei... Han Young Master!" The old farmer, upon seeing him, turned pale; having traveled here for years, he knew that offending the magistrate's son in Jiyang Prefecture was tantamount to courting death.

Tuan Tuan frowned, her gaze fixed on the Old Yellow Cow, and she took a few short steps toward it.

Two hands reached out simultaneously, one left and one right, grabbing her little arms.

"Miss, the beast may hurt you." Xiao Er said with a nervous face.

"Tuan Tuan! Do not approach recklessly." Xiao Ze also frowned slightly.

Tuan Tuan sighed helplessly: "It's fine, it won't hurt me."

She gently shook off the two adults' large hands and walked to the old cow.

A tender white, tiny hand, just enough to cover the cow's eye, without hesitation brushed the old cow's rough forehead.

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick? Or can't you move?" she asked softly, her voice gentle.

The Old Yellow Cow lifted its heavy head, a pair of warm, round eyes looking at her, its eye sockets quickly filling with watery light; the next moment, large teardrops fell, soaking the dry yellow earth.

"Old Heaven Lord! The cow is crying!" The crowd instantly erupted in exclamations.

"This cow can even shed tears!"

"What? A cow shedding tears? Fresh! Let me see!" The crowd pushed forward.

"Old fellow, you... what's happening to you?" The old farmer was also stunned, his face blank as he stared at his longtime companion, the Old Yellow Cow.

Tuan Tuan's small hand repeatedly patted the Old Yellow Cow's large head, gently wiping away the tears on its face.

Old Yellow Cow's warm, large eyes reflected her tiny figure, looking at her deeply, and its throat let out a few low, lingering moo sounds.

"Moo— Moo‑woo—"

Like an aged elder full of vicissitudes, constantly narrating something.

Han Pengfei, with a face full of impatience, shouted: "Hurry up and get out of the way! You stupid cow! Stop mooing! Don't block my young master's path!"

Tuan Tuan glared at him.

How annoying this brat is!

She lowered her head, moving closer to the Old Yellow Cow, and after a moment blinked knowingly.

"Got it! Don't worry!"

She straightened up and looked at the old farmer beside her: "You're so kind to it!"

The old farmer stared at her helplessly: "This cow has been with my family for over ten years, always staying with me."

Tuan Tuan nodded: "No wonder! Old man, you're so blessed!"

"It isn't sick, nor is it being lazy."

"It's lying here to save your life!"