Chapter 162: Is Your Brother Okay Now?

She thrust herself forward, waving her little hand: "Third Elder Brother! Third Elder Brother! Where did you go? I haven't seen you in a long time!"

The others hurried after her.

Xiao Ze heard Tuan Tuan's voice and hurried over.

The few bowed quickly: "Seventh Prince."

Xiao Ze nodded, bent down and, smiling, gave Tuan Tuan's little nose a gentle pinch: "A while ago, Father Emperor ordered me to leave the capital for a trip; I only returned yesterday."

"Why did you wander here? A delegation will arrive soon; there will be too many people—keep your distance and don't get in the way."

Tuan Tuan looked up, unfazed: "Fine, I love watching the excitement!"

Xiao Ze smiled helplessly, about to add more instructions, when ceremonial music rose behind him, so he hurried back to the welcoming party.

Xiao Ze stood at the front, a line of Ministry of Rites officials stood by the road, their banners vivid.

Xiao Ningxun said, seeing this: "If Seventh Prince must greet personally, I wonder which country's prince has arrived."

A long procession slowly entered through the city gate.

Xiao Ningyuan saw the flags on the envoy convoy and his complexion changed: "It's Da Xia's delegation!"

Tuan Tuan tugged at Xiao Er's sleeve: "Uncle Er, lift me."

Xiao Er scooped her up high and stood at the front of the crowd.

Gongsun Hong sat upright on a fine horse, his posture erect.

He wore an indifferent expression, clearly accustomed to high office and such scenes, and beneath his sword‑like brows, the crimson cinnabar mole between them stood out sharply in the sunlight.

When a youth dressed in princely attire led his retinue forward, Gongsun Hong deftly dismounted and stood before Xiao Ze.

Xiao Ze bowed and said: "Seventh Prince of the Fiery Nation Xiao Ze, by Father Emperor's command, respectfully welcomes Your Highness here."

Gongsun Hong replied calmly: "So you are Seventh Prince."

"Da Xia Crown Prince Ying Wang Gongsun Hong, thank you for Your Highness's personal reception."

Xiao Ze replied: "Your Highness has traveled far and endured hardship. Yiguan is prepared; may your stay in our Fiery Nation feel like home."

The two youths, both imperial scions, locked eyes, their sharpness silently clashing.

Gongsun Hong smiled faintly, remounted, and followed Xiao Ze to Yiguan.

When the horse passed Tuan Tuan, she lifted her little hand: "Your red dot on the forehead looks just like Tou Shen's! Who are you?"

Gongsun Hong tugged the reins and halted.

His gaze turned icy as he looked down at Tuan Tuan.

Xiao Er tightened his arm, and the two brothers stepped forward half a pace, shielding their sister in the middle.

Xiao Ze's smile vanished, his eyes sharp as they stared at Gongsun Hong.

Gongsun Hong, still seated on his horse, said calmly: "Seventh Prince, is this your country's way of receiving guests?"

"A child dares to question a foreign crown prince in the street?"

Xiao Ze said: "Your Highness may not know, this is our Fiery Nation's Immortal Envoy, Princess Jiayou."

The onlookers turned to look at Tuan Tuan.

That day's Heavenly Sacrifice Platform was high; most people stayed far away, only seeing the tiny figure on the stage, unable to discern the features.

"Immortal Envoy? That little girl is the one who prayed for rain that day?"

"She looks really beautiful!"

"Immortal! Envoy?" Gongsun Hong's expression shifted slightly, and his hand on the reins tightened instantly.

So this was the chief culprit who harmed his younger brother!

He said lightly, "So this is your country's Immortal Envoy, my apologies, my apologies."

Tuan Tuan looked up with her small face, silently watching him for a moment: "You're lying!"

She pointed a finger at her own chest, then at Gongsun Hong: "You there, you're clearly angry."

"Lying is not a good child."

Gongsun Hong raised an eyebrow, and the cinnabar mole twitched sharply.

For the first time he truly lowered his gaze, looking straight at the little child being held, who was still shorter than his waist.

"Seems you know my brother well, Immortal Envoy."

He's actually Tou Shen's older brother! No wonder he also has red dots on his face!

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan understood, nodding repeatedly, her little mouth firing off like a machine gun: "Is your brother okay now?"

"He stole that much Qi luck; it won't be fine for a while."

"But you must tell him, he must stop stealing!"

"Otherwise, it will only get worse!"

"Really! I'm not lying! When you go back, be sure to tell him!"

"You're his brother; why don't you keep a proper watch on him? Let him steal from everyone?"

Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningchen pressed their lips tightly, fearing a laugh would betray them and disgrace the Da Xia Crown Prince in public.

Xiao Er's big head turned, drooping low behind Tuan Tuan; he couldn't control his facial expression and could only hide his face.

Xiao Ze clenched his fists, restraining himself from rubbing his forehead.

The townsfolk, upon hearing, realized the Da Xia prince was the Shen Tong's brother, and chatter erupted.

"Hey! I wondered which Da Xia guest had arrived! Turns out it's the Shen Tong's brother!"

"Our Immortal Envoy was right!"

"Your brother really needs discipline!"

"At such a young age, learning nothing good, only picking up flashy tricks!"

"Please learn something good in the future!"

Gongsun Hong's complexion quickly flushed to a pork‑liver hue, his gaze fixed on Tuan Tuan, and the hand holding the reins trembled with anger.

In the Da Xia convoy, a hoarse voice from the foremost carriage called out: "Jiang Cheng! What are you still standing for! Go lead the horse for His Highness and return to Yiguan."

"Yes!"

A broad‑shouldered, tall man stepped up beside Gongsun Hong, reached for the reins and said, "Your Highness, it's time to go." He led the horse forward.

Xiao Er looked at Jiang Cheng, eyes narrowing slightly: "I recall that the Guard beside Gongsun Zhi was named Jiang Xin."

Tuan Tuan remembered: "Is that the villain who tossed a dagger at us in Sacred Medicine Valley?"

Xiao Er nodded, gazing at Jiang Cheng's retreating figure, and silently kept it in mind.

Xiao Ze, after delivering the Da Xia envoy to Yiguan, ordered the Guard to return and report, and he himself went to Ning Prince's Mansion.

Tuan Tuan's party had just arrived home: "Hey, Third Elder Brother, don't you have to accompany Tou Shen's older brother?"

Xiao Ze laughed: "You little rascal! Gongsun Hong in Da Xia is renowned for being as unmoving as a landslide ahead and as unchanged as a tsunami behind."

"Today, before the assembled crowd, you made my hand tremble with anger."

"You're really something!"

Tuan Tuan thought: "I'm not angry at him! Everything I said is the truth!"

Xiao Ningyuan lifted his sister, shoved an osmanthus candy into her mouth, and said, "It's the truth that makes people angry!"

Xiao Ningxun looked at Xiao Ze and asked, "Seventh Prince, who was the old man who spoke in the carriage today, that could, under such circumstances, act as the Crown Prince's master?"

Xiao Ze took a sip of tea: "That's the famous Da Xia civil minister Sima Dongchen!"

"The Da Xia court differs from ours; they appoint a civil minister and a military minister to assist the Son of Heaven in governing the state."

"I suppose the Da Xia Emperor wants the Crown Prince to gain more experience, sending him on a diplomatic visit, but worries he isn't ready yet, so he ordered the civil minister to accompany him."

"I see!" Xiao Ningxun nodded, "No wonder then."

Xiao Ze warned: "Tuan Tuan bears a deep grudge against Da Xia; now Da Xia has sent so many people, you must be extra careful when you take her out to play!" He said this and then took his leave.

No one could have guessed that only two days later, Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningxun entered the Palace to see the Emperor, while Xiao Er, alone, carried Tuan Tuan to Bawei Xuan for a meal, and upon entering saw Jiang Cheng.