Chapter 131: Let's go play!

The Main Camp on the outskirts of the capital.

Xiao Yuanhang gazed at the soldiers packed thick on the Training Ground and said in a loud voice, "The Jiyang Prefecture mountain fire caused the mountain to collapse; my daughter is trapped there and is about to run out of food."

The solemn, silent Training Ground instantly exploded!

"Prince! Give the order! This humble subordinate wishes to be the vanguard!" Zhang Wu'an was the first to rush out, his eyes red with urgency.

Li Lao San pounded his chest, his voice booming like a great bell: "Prince! My life was given by you! Miss calls me uncle, and even if I have to gnaw with my teeth, I will carve a path for Miss!"

Fang Qing stepped forward: "Me too!"

"Prince——!"

The voices requesting battle rose like mountains and seas.

The men whom Tuan Tuan had softly called "uncle" each clenched their fists, veins bulging on their necks.

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Er exchanged a glance; the Prince's subordinates regarded Tuan Tuan as their own child!

Xiao Yuanhang swept his gaze over the angry faces, drew his sidearm, pointed toward Jiyang Prefecture, and his voice split the sky: "Full speed ahead!"

"Roar——!"

Jiyang Prefecture, the atmosphere had been suppressed to the extreme.

The last bit of rice was about to run out; Xiao Ze had no choice but to order the cooking of tree bark and grass roots. Despair spread like a plague.

Tuan Tuan sat quietly on the doorstep of the prefecture office, her little stomach growling with hunger, but she neither cried nor fussed, merely whispering, "Daddy and Second Uncle will be here soon!"

The populace's hearts were unsettled, and they chattered incessantly.

"Will the Imperial Court really send people to rescue us?"

"It won't be a trick on us, will it?"

"We adults can still gnaw tree bark, but the elderly and children cannot!"

Just as people's hearts were about to completely collapse

"Boom——!!!"

A tremendous roar that shook the earth and mountains came from the direction of the official road!

Smoke and dust shot up into the sky.

Immediately after, countless soldiers surged forth boldly.

Xiao Yuanhang led the charge on horseback, his battle armor dust-covered, his killing intent soaring to the heavens.

He spurred his horse through the flying dust, straight for the Jiyang Prefecture office.

"Someone's coming!"

"The Imperial Court really sent people over!"

"We're saved!"

The populace erupted in joyous cheers.

Xiao Yuanhang arrived at the prefecture office door and instantly spotted the small figure sitting on the doorstep.

He leapt off his horse and scooped his daughter tightly into his arms.

"Daddy!" Tuan Tuan buried her little face in her father's neck: "I knew you would come! Second Uncle, how are you?"

Xiao Yuanhang's Adam's apple rolled; thousands of words turned into a hoarse: "Good."

Xiao Ningchen followed closely behind, already striding over.

"Tuan Tuan, are you scared?"

"Second Brother!" Tuan Tuan's eyes shone brighter as she stretched out her little arms toward him: "Second Brother, does your leg hurt? You ran all this way over."

Xiao Ningchen hurriedly took her into his arms, his eye sockets slightly red: "My leg's long been fine! Don't worry—you've got me worked up."

Xiao Er also arrived, pulling out a small oil-paper packet from his bosom: "Little Miss! Are you hungry? I brought you something to eat."

Xiao Yuanhang praised: "Not bad!"

Xiao Ningchen narrowed his eyes and gave Xiao Er a sideways glance: "This brat! No wonder Father let him follow Tuan Tuan—he's actually doing okay."

Xiao Ze rushed over: "Prince Ning! Brother Chen, you've worked hard."

Xiao Yuanhang's gaze upon him gained a few more shades of scrutiny and approval; he gave a slight nod: "Seventh Prince, you've worked hard."

The situation here, Xiao Er has already informed me, Your Highness; you have handled it well, stabilized the overall situation, and your merit is indispensable.

Xiao Ze humbly returned the salute: "Prince Ning, you overpraise me; this is merely my duty."

The great army will widen the blasted passage, and grain convoys will pour in continuously.

And the soldiers' gazes, scanning everywhere, only relaxed in unison when they saw Xiao Ningchen holding the unharmed Xiao Tuanzi in his arms.

Tuan Tuan lifted her little head, her big eyes looking at them with delight, raising her little hand and waving it nonstop, shouting with all her might: "Uncle Zhang! Uncle Li! Uncle Fang! So many uncles! You've all come——!"

Zhang Wu'an, Li Lao San, Fang Qing, and the others stiffened all over.

A group of men who wouldn't even frown at a blade or axe suddenly had their eye sockets turn red.

They straightened their spines, their voices loud, and roared in unison:

"We've all come, Miss!"

Xiao Ningchen held his sister, glanced over his father's loyal subordinates, nodded silently—indeed, an army is thus: when hearts unite, even Mount Tai can be moved!

Xiao Yuanhang took his daughter from his son's hands: "Unload all the grain, post pacification notices, distribute three days' rations to the populace, register the rest, and distribute them separately."

"Clear this area, tally casualties. Clear the official road, set up rolling logs, sandbags, and water bags along its length to prevent secondary landslides."

"Collect evidence of wrongdoing and escort the Han family father and son back to the capital."

"Yes!" Xiao Ningchen received the order, turned, and left.

"Daddy, how is Uncle Wang?"

"Doctor Guo gives him acupuncture every day; for now there's no serious problem."

"Come on! Daddy will take you to eat a full meal first!"

After his little belly was finally full, Tuan Tuan took out the gold-thread soft armor he had hidden and, holding it up like a treasure, offered it to Xiao Yuanhang: 'Dad! This is what Second Uncle stripped off that bad guy; will you wear it?'

Third Elder Brother said, wearing this makes one impervious to swords and spears!

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his daughter's little appearance, his eye sockets instantly moistened, and he solemnly put it away: 'Fine daughter! Dad will definitely wear it.'

Two days later, the military road was completely cleared, and the father and son, along with Tuan Tuan, bade each other farewell reluctantly and set out on the road back to the capital.

Tuan Tuan's party boarded the carriage and rushed at full speed toward the Sacred Medicine Valley.

As dusk deepened, the carriage entered Luan City.

This place is only half a day's journey from the Sacred Medicine Valley; we'll rest tonight, depart tomorrow, and arrive exactly at noon.

Entering the inn that looked the cleanest, Xiao Erdao said, 'Shopkeeper, three upper rooms.'

Behind the counter, the chubby shopkeeper lifted his head, revealing a round, smiling face, full of apology: 'Ah, gentlemen, I'm really sorry! Only two upper rooms remain.'

Xiao Ze frowned slightly, 'We can pay more.'

The chubby shopkeeper bowed even lower, with a bitter face: 'Honored sir, it's truly not a matter of money!'

'Take a look at all these elders here.' He quietly pointed to those sitting in the shop who seemed to be chatting but had unusually sharp eyes: 'They're all here for that matter; our little shop really can't free up even a single room.'

How did this little place get so many martial artists!

Xiao Er glanced at those people: 'Shopkeeper, if someone checks out, we'll still pay for the room.'

The chubby shopkeeper's difficulty grew worse: 'Honored sir, to be frank, not even the guest rooms—our shop is full even of the firewood shed! If it weren't for the high price of the upper rooms, we couldn't have held on until today! After all, the Tianji Pavilion's Secret Box Exhibition is being held here in Luan City tonight...'

'Secret Box?' Tuan Tuan lifted his little head, his big eyes shining amazingly: 'What is that?'

The chubby shopkeeper lowered his voice and began to gossip: 'This young lady doesn't understand because of her age; you lot aren't here for this, are you?'

Tuan Tuan's party all wore ordinary clothes, and the chubby shopkeeper obviously took them for martial artists as well.

'At the Tianji Pavilion's Secret Box Exhibition, the Pavilion Master will personally place the treasures he has gathered inside the secret boxes for public display.'

'Fixed price, first come first served—no one knows what divine treasure lies inside!'

'If you like it, you can buy it, but you must open it on the spot—whether you profit or lose depends entirely on your eyesight and luck; it's very exciting!'

'It only happens once every three years! So look, even our tiny Luan City is about to be crowded to bursting by martial artists from the jianghu!'

'Kind of interesting.' Xiao Ze smiled slightly, 'In that case, we'll take those two upper rooms.'

'All right then!'

Everyone arrived at the guest rooms; Xiao Ze and Xiao Er stayed with Tuan Tuan in one room, while the two Guards stayed in another.

Tuan Tuan grabbed the two men's big hands: 'Third Elder Brother! Second Uncle! Let's go have some fun at the Secret Box Exhibition tonight!'