Chapter 180: How did you become a girl?

Along the way, Tuan Tuan munched and snacked, chattering childishly, letting several worried adults gradually relax.

She chewed the walnuts her mother had packed, fragrant: "Is Da Xia far away?"

Xiao Ningxun replied: "About the same as West Lu; at our pace, we'll probably get there in over two months."

Tuan Tuan recalled what Jifeng had said about West Lu: "Ah, that's about the same as West Lu!"

Xiao Ze flicked her forehead lightly: "So we need to hurry, try to stop as little as possible! And you, stop always thinking about going out to play."

Xiao Ningxun glared at him, how dare he flick my sister's forehead! I couldn't even bring myself to do that!

Xiao Ze smiled slightly: "Tuan Tuan, any dried plums left? I'd like some."

Tuan Tuan hurriedly pulled out a bundle, opened it, found a small paper packet and handed it to him: "Yes!"

Xiao Ze took it, broke off a piece, put it in his mouth: "Really delicious! What Tuan Tuan gives is just different!"

Xiao Ningxun muttered: "Sister, I want some dried meat."

Tuan Tuan, like a little guinea pig, pulled out another bundle, found the small packet of dried meat and stuffed it into his hand: "Third Brother has some too!"

Xiao Ningxun laughed: "My sister is just great!"

Xiao Er listened to the conversation in the carriage, smiling and shaking his head. Ah, who let our young lady be so nice? Everyone likes her circling around them.

That day, the carriage reached the mouth of a canyon.

The canyon was deep and secluded, with gentle slopes on both sides as well as sheer cliffs; a sliver of sky light filtered in, and shadows lay everywhere inside.

The carriage entered the narrow passage, and the sound of wheels grinding over gravel echoed in the canyon.

"Stop!" Xiao Er pulled on the reins.

"What's going on?" Xiao Ningchen rode his horse forward.

Ahead on the road, several old cargo carts loaded with grass completely blocked the way.

The grass was piled high, so no one could be seen on the carts.

"Hey! You ahead! Is the cart broken?" Xiao Er shouted.

Before his words even finished,

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

A tearing-through-the-air sound suddenly came from both sides!

Not scattered arrows, but a dense volley of crossbow bolts! In an instant it covered the entire convoy.

Xiao Ningchen let out an angry roar: "Form up!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The guards drew their blades to block while quickly closing in, shielding the carriage in the middle!

Arrows fell like raindrops, continuously embedding themselves in the carriage walls and ground!

Xiao Ningchen shouted: "Stay inside the carriage, don't come out! Protect Tuan Tuan!"

Xiao Ningxun scooped Tuan Tuan into his arms, bending over to shield her completely: "Don't move!"

"Hmm." Tuan Tuan lay obediently on the seat, completely still.

Xiao Ze drew his dagger and peered out through the slit in the carriage window.

Several black-clad figures, like ghosts, sprang from the rocks on both sides and swooped down to attack!

They didn't rush in recklessly; instead, they kept their distance, relying on their crossbows to concentrate fire on the carriage at the center of the guards.

"Protect the Princess (Commandery)!"

"Your Highness, be careful!"

Seeing this, Xiao Ningchen nocked an arrow on his bow and shot continuously at the black figures, never missing; black figures kept falling.

The remaining black-clad men put away their crossbows, drew their blades, and charged forward.

Their target was clear; they thrust straight into the guards' formation and aimed for the carriage.

"Hold steady!" Xiao Er roared, swinging his blade to meet them.

"Clang!"

With a loud crash, Xiao Er's saber slammed into the weapon of a black-clad man, sending sparks flying!

The black-clad man's arm shuddered, yet he didn't retreat half a step; he backhanded a slash at Xiao Er's neck, a move brutal and simple—pure battlefield kill-or-be-killed technique.

Xiao Ningchen discarded his bow, drew his blade, and positioned himself at the front of the carriage.

Blades flashed as the two sides clashed in melee.

The clashing of weapons, roars, and wails were deafening.

The black-clad attackers, unable to prevail, gradually fell back; one shouted, "Retreat!"

All the surviving black-clad men, in an instant, turned and fled in all directions.

Xiao Ningxun rose and rubbed Tuan Tuan's little arms and legs: "It's all right, don't be scared."

Tuan Tuan sat up straight: "Mm-hmm! I'm fine, how about Second Brother and the others?"

Xiao Ze sheathed his dagger: "They're all fine, don't worry."

Xiao Ningchen reached back and pulled out a bolt lodged in the carriage shaft—pitch black, with a triple‑barbed tip, oddly shaped.

His face turned ashen: "A Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow?!"

Xiao Er was shocked: "The Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow isn't even issued to the military yet—how could it appear here?"

Xiao Ningchen said solemnly: "The Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow is a national heavy weapon—yet it's being used in this shady place!"

He suddenly lifted his head: "Clear the obstruction and leave the canyon as fast as possible!"

"Yes!"

Ten guards were wounded, six of them, but fortunately none were fatal; they all dismounted, shoved the blocking carts out of the way, and the convoy quickly passed through the canyon.

Xiao Ningchen placed the specially made arrows of the Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow into his pouch.

Xiao Er asked, "Second Young Master, should we investigate?"

Xiao Ningchen shook his head: "We are on this trip to escort Tuan Tuan. When we reach a resting place later, we'll first treat the wounded brothers."

"Leave the two with deep wounds to return to Jingcheng to report and recuperate; we'll continue on the road."

Tuan Tuan's face turned pale as she looked at the solemn expressions of the two Third Brothers: "That repeating crossbow isn't from the Private Workshop, is it? Did a bad guy steal something from the Private Workshop?"

Xiao Ningxun rubbed her little head: "Only the three of us are in the carriage; they fought so desperately, I don't know whether their target is you or the Seventh Prince."

"If it's aimed at the Seventh Prince, that's a grave crime of plotting to harm a royal prince, punishable by extermination of nine clans."

Tuan Tuan looked at Xiao Ze in surprise: "Third Elder Brother, you're so valuable!"

Xiao Ze couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Xiao Ningxun laughed and changed the subject: "This Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow should be a decisive weapon brought out at critical moments to determine victory, yet it appears here, which is truly puzzling."

"I'm wondering whether the finished product was stolen, or the drawings were taken as well."

Xiao Ze snorted: "If only the finished product was stolen, that would be tolerable."

"If the drawings were taken as well, the trouble would be great."

"Salt and iron have always been monopolized by the Imperial Court; where did they come from? Where were they smelted and manufactured? How much is there? If Father Emperor finds out, he will surely be furious."

He looked at Tuan Tuan: "However, none of this is as important as Tuan Tuan going to Da Xia, so listen to your second brother; we'll continue on the road, let the Guard return to Jingcheng to report, and everything will be handled by Father Emperor."

"Hmm," Tuan Tuan nodded, "Good! We'll listen to Second Brother!"

As dusk fell, the carriage entered a small town called Jiamu City, where they found a clean inn to stay.

"Finally off the carriage!" As soon as they got off, Tuan Tuan let out a cheer and ran off happily, and Xiao Er hurriedly followed.

At the inn's entrance was the only bustling street in the small town.

Shops lined the street, and many vendors shouted their wares: "Freshly steamed buns!"

"Grilled meat! Fragrant grilled meat!"

Tuan Tuan felt her eyes weren't enough, she twitched her little nose, tugged at Xiao Er's sleeve, and said: "Uncle Er, it smells so good!"

Xiao Er led her toward the grilled meat stall.

Suddenly, a girl about six or seven years old came running out at high speed, almost bumping into Tuan Tuan; Xiao Er pulled Tuan Tuan to his side and grabbed the girl's collar, saying: "Be careful!"

The girl, being held, lifted her head, her face dirty, kept struggling: "Let go of me! You let go of me!"

Huh, this voice sounds so familiar, Tuan Tuan leaned in to look at her closely, almost touching her face.

You aren't that person from the Sacred Medicine Valley, the one surnamed Xue, are you? How did you become a girl?