Chapter 186: My Sister Is Tired

Tuan Tuan wriggled free from Xiao Ningxun's arms and sprinted to the door, "Swish—" as she ripped the carriage curtain aside.

"Tuan Tuan!" Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Ze both reached out, one grabbing her lapel, the other pulling her hand.

Tuan Tuan turned back: "It's fine, I just wanted to say something."

The two exchanged a glance, rose instantly, and walked out with her, shielding her from left and right.

In the sky, cawing crows roared endlessly; on the ground, people cursed without cease.

Tuan Tuan seemed unfazed, gazing at the oppressive black sky, her brows furrowing tighter, she puffed out her chest, mustered all her strength, and shouted brightly:

"Noisy—stop—already—!!!"

The childish voice, like a jade bead dropping onto a plate, carried an indescribable penetrating power.

The massive flock of crows, which had been rolling like turbulent waves and frenzied, fell silent in an instant, all closing their beaks together with a swift rustle.

Everyone froze, looking at Tuan Tuan in disbelief.

Tuan Tuan kept shouting, "What are you all doing here? Go home!"

Hundreds of thousands of crows circled in the sky for a moment, then scattered, like receding tide merging into the horizon, vanishing without a trace.

In the blink of an eye, bright sunlight poured down unimpeded, illuminating every astonished face.

The surroundings fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at Xiao Tuanzi standing in the sunlight.

Tuan Tuan patted her chest and muttered, "Finally quiet."

Thump—

Someone, unknown who, was the first to react and knelt heavily:

"Immortal Envoy manifested! Immortal Envoy manifested!"

More people knelt after them: "We are blind!"

"Please, Immortal Envoy, do not blame us!"

The crowd, earlier restless with fear and anger, now fell to their knees like wheat stalks blown down by wind, one after another.

Gongsun Hong's mouth corners had already hardened, his complexion iron‑blue.

He gave a slight nod toward the dark‑faced man who had earlier shouted "Disaster Star".

The dark‑faced man, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly lowered his head, turned, and vanished swiftly into the tangled alleys.

Gongsun Hong looked at the scene before him: sunlight bathed all, and the people knelt.

The meticulously plotted killing scheme had unexpectedly become a stepping stone for Tuan Tuan to display a miracle!

Xiao Ningchen slowly sheathed his sword, looked at his sister, and smiled proudly.

Xiao Er let out a long sigh, his tense back finally relaxing.

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Ze led Tuan Tuan back into the carriage.

Xiao Ningxun handed the Water Bag to his sister: "You shouted so loudly earlier; quickly drink some water to moisten your throat."

Tuan Tuan took a big gulp: "I just thought they were too noisy."

Xiao Ze patted her little head: "Right, Tuan Tuan did the right thing."

Xiao Ningchen returned to his horse, looked at Gongsun Hong, and with a mocking smile said, "Prince Ying, please lead the way; my sister is tired and wants to return to Yiguan to rest."

Gongsun Hong gritted his teeth, tugged the reins to turn the horse, and the townsfolk rose, respectfully parting to form a wide corridor, seeing the carriage slowly head toward Yiguan.

Upon arriving at Yiguan, Gongsun Hong took his leave.

Da Xia's Yiguan, though not as luxurious and comfortable as that of the fiery nation, was still clean and tidy.

Just as she settled down, Tuan Tuan could not stay seated.

Her big eyes darted toward the window: "Third Brother, it's so lively outside; shall we go out and play?"

Xiao Ningchen immediately shook his head: "It was so dangerous earlier; going out now would be improper."

Tuan Tuan pouted, scurried to Xiao Ningchen's leg, clutched his arm and swayed: "Second Brother, didn't I chase all the crows away? It's safe now; let me go out and play for a while, okay?"

Xiao Ningxun looked at his sister's pitiful expression and couldn't help laughing: "Second Brother, Tuan Tuan's single word just now dispersed the crow flock; to the people that is already a miracle."

"Going out now should be safe; we've spent most of the journey in the carriage, so Tuan Tuan should be allowed to walk around."

Xiao Ningchen glanced at his younger brother and sister, hesitated a moment, then said, "Xiao Er, take a few people and follow them."

"Yes!"

Tuan Tuan, like a bird freed from a cage, grabbed Xiao Ningxun with one hand and Xiao Er with the other, her little head turning left and right, finding everything fresh.

"Candied hawthorn!" she ran toward an old man selling candied hawthorn.

The old man's eyes lit up on seeing her, and he tentatively asked, "Excuse me, are you the fiery nation's Immortal Envoy who just dispersed the crows?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously, puffed out her chest: "Yes, old man, it's me!"

The old man's face instantly blossomed with a smile; deftly he took a string of the biggest, reddest candied hawthorn and placed it into Tuan Tuan's hand: "Good child! Grandpa gives you this skewer; thank you for driving away those ominous things."

Tuan Tuan stared at the skewer, paused, and shook her head: "Grandpa, I have silver; how can I not pay when buying something, right, Second Uncle?"

Xiao Er hurriedly took out his Sachet to pay.

"No, no!" the old man waved his hands repeatedly, his expression earnest, "I have nothing else to offer, just a skewer of candied hawthorn; Immortal Envoy, please accept it!"

Xiao Ningxun gave a slight smile, nodded to the old man, and gently patted his sister's shoulder: "Tuan Tuan, since it's the old man's goodwill, accept it."

Tuan Tuan sweetly thanked, "Thank you, grandpa! You're so kind!"

The old man laughed even more heartily: "No need to thank me, this child really knows how to speak."

Tuan Tuan let out an "ah‑woo" as she bit into a hawthorn coated with translucent sugar, squinting blissfully: "Grandpa, your candied hawthorn is delicious! It's the best I've ever eaten!"

The old man was so delighted he didn't know what to say.

What followed was unstoppable.

Wherever Tuan Tuan went, be it food, drink, or games, the stall owners steadfastly refused to take her money.

The aunt who runs the embroidered accessories stall, without a word, hung a colorful little pendant on Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan merely glanced at a roadside steamed cake stall, and the steaming rice cake was promptly wrapped into several pieces by the stall owner's uncle and handed to her.

Even the young man who sells clay figurines insisted on giving Tuan Tuan a chubby doll with an endearingly clumsy look.

Xiao Er tried to decline several times, but the common folk kept refusing him.

"Not permitted! Not permitted!"

"Immortal Envoy helped us a great deal; this little gift is nothing!"

"Take it, as long as the doll likes it!" The smile on the face was sincere and unpretentious.

Tuan Tuan pulled Xiao Ningxun down, whispered into his ear: "Third Brother, they really are all kind good people, just like the common folk of our fiery nation, right?"

Xiao Ningxun leaned forward, wiped the rice cake crumbs from her mouth corner, his gaze gentle: "Indeed, the common folk of the world are mostly this simple and kind. If you are good to them, they will be good to you."

The group strolled around, returned to Yiguan, and Xiao Ze looked up at them: "The Emperor of Xia will hold a palace banquet in three days at the Palace, receiving the envoys of the nations who came to attend the grand ceremony."