Chapter 191: I will come back with Elder Sister Tuan Tuan

Tuan Tuan was puzzled—Gongsun Zhi had appeared again?

"Uncle Er, hold me! Let's go see!" Xiao Er bent down, picked her up, and walked toward the crowd.

At the end of the long street, the crowd parted like a tide, and more and more people knelt devoutly on both sides.

Gongsun Zhi wore an immaculate moon-white robe, his steps calm, his expression indifferent, surrounded by several white-robed acolytes holding whisks; he slowly walked through the kneeling crowd, as if a deity walking among mortals.

One acolyte held a bronze purification vase, following closely at his side.

Gongsun Zhi stopped, plucking a green willow branch from the vase.

He lightly flicked his wrist, scattering the crystal droplets from the willow branch over the kneeling populace, his voice ethereal as he softly chanted, "Sweet dew falls upon the mundane, cleansing worldly dust."

Those sprinkled with the droplets trembled with excitement, repeatedly kowtowing: "Thank you, Immortal Child, for the blessing! Thank you, Immortal Child!"

Gongsun Zhi walked up to them, extended his hand, and gently stroked each of their heads in turn.

His expression compassionate: "A pat on the head grants longevity; peace and blessings follow."

Everyone stretched out their arms, bowed their heads, longing to receive the Immortal Child's personal blessing.

Xiao Er held Tuan Tuan as they stood at the edge of the crowd.

His face is healed? It's exactly as before?

Tuan Tuan widened her eyes, staring unblinking at Gongsun Zhi.

Suddenly, Tuan Tuan waved her arms and shouted at him, "Hey! Gongsun Zhi! It's me!"

Gongsun Zhi lifted his head toward the sound, saw Tuan Tuan waving her hands, gave a slight nod, ignored her, and continued walking forward.

"Uncle Er, have you noticed he doesn't recognize me?"

Xiao Er also looked puzzled: "Yeah, I find it strange too—he shows no reaction at all when he sees you."

He glanced at the people kneeling before Gongsun Zhi: "It seems court affairs haven't reached the common folk; these people still revere him so."

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment: "Uncle Er, let's go back."

"Mm." Xiao Er responded, hugging her as they returned to the Yiguan.

Just as they entered the Yiguan gate, Tuan Tuan called out: "Qing Qing! Are you there?"

Xiao Er halted, looked around—only a few Yiguan attendants were sweeping, no one answered.

He held Tuan Tuan and continued toward the interior.

A attendant who had just been sweeping followed them in; Xiao Er turned back: "Thanks, but we don't need help here."

The attendant said: "Princess, may I ask what orders you have?"

Xiao Er startled: "Are you, Qing Qing?" Neither her stature nor her appearance showed any trace of the grassland burly man she had been before.

The attendant nodded.

Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Er's arms, looked up at her: "Qing Qing, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Princess, please speak."

Tuan Tuan pointed outside: "Can you follow that Immortal Child and see where he ends up?"

"Yes." The attendant withdrew.

At dusk, the tall grassland man from before reappeared inside the room.

His voice gruff: "Princess, I followed the Immortal Child all the way and discovered he ultimately returned to the Guoshi Residence."

Xiao Ningxun mused: "Gongsun Zhi is originally the National Preceptor's disciple; returning to the Guoshi Residence is only natural."

Tuan Tuan pouted: "But his face was clearly ruined! How did it suddenly heal? And he doesn't even recognize me at all!"

Xiao Ningxun also looked bewildered: "Yeah, it's really strange."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Let's go check out the Guoshi Residence."

"No way!" Xiao Ningchen immediately vetoed: "The Grand Preceptor of Da Xia is unfathomable—how could you go? Absolutely not!"

Tuan Tuan puffed her cheeks, wearing an expression of displeasure: "But if we don't go see, how will we ever know what's really happening?"

"I have a plan," the burly man said again in a soft, girlish voice: "There are countless acolytes in the Guoshi Residence; if we dress the Princess as one, I can sneak her in."

Xiao Ningchen's head swelled: "Qing Qing, with your current appearance, can you drop that voice? I really can't stand it."

Xiao Ze couldn't help lowering his head to chuckle.

Tuan Tuan ran over and grabbed Qing Qing's hand: "Qing Qing, your voice is lovely! Next time you wear girls' clothes and talk like that, Second Brother won't complain about you!"

The burly man laughed heartily, then spoke again in a soft child's tone: "Sure! Older Sister Tuan Tuan, I'll listen to you!"

Tuan Tuan burst into laughter: "Hahaha, Qing Qing, you're too adorable!"

Xiao Ningchen clutched his head with both hands.

He steadied himself: "Anyway, we can't let Tuan Tuan go to the Guoshi Residence—it's too dangerous. Here I'm the strongest fighter; I'll go with you to scout."

Qing Qing thought: "It's not about fighting; martial skill is useless. Your group is too conspicuous; if I bring her in disguised as an acolyte, it'll actually be safest,"

"If you're uneasy, you can create a disturbance outside to distract them; we'll slip in and out quickly."

Xiao Ningchen still disagreed, and Xiao Er shook his head: "Too dangerous."

Even Xiao Ningxun, who had never refused Tuan Tuan before, remained silent.

Tuan Tuan drooped her head, unhappy.

Xiao Ze looked at Tuan Tuan's dejected little figure and sighed: "Alright, let's do it my way."

"Tonight, I'll visit Wu Luo as a prince, discuss the classics and Dao with him, and try to detain him."

"You create a disturbance outside, making him think we're feigning an attack east while striking west—focus outside, not inside—and by detaining him for you, he won't pay attention to his own residence."

"Qing Qing will bring Tuan Tuan in disguise to infiltrate."

Qing Qing nodded: "Feasible."

Tuan Tuan was overjoyed, she leapt up and lunged into Xiao Ze's arms: "Third Elder Brother is wonderful!"

Xiao Ze brushed her bangs aside: "But you must promise me you'll come out within an hour—no matter what you see, you must emerge; only one hour."

"This is, after all, the capital of Da Xia, so your older brothers can only put on a show; they can't actually do anything for real, so you must absolutely not lag behind! Understand, Tuan Tuan."

Tuan Tuan nodded heavily: "Mm! Got it! I promise, within an hour I'll definitely return together with Qing Qing!"

Qing Qing's soft childlike voice sounded again: "I know too, I'll come back with sister Tuan Tuan, so older brothers can rest assured."

Xiao Ningchen sprang up and walked out.

Tuan Tuan hurried after him, grabbing his large hand: "Second brother, could you not be angry, please?"

Xiao Ningchen halted, lowered his head to look at his younger sister, and said helplessly: "I'm not angry; I'm going to make arrangements for you, how we should cooperate tonight."

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan smiled, "Thank you, second brother!"

That evening, Xiao Ze, dressed in princely attire and accompanied by two guards, arrived at the Guoshi Residence.