Chapter 211: Capture Them and Bring Them Back to Me

Dezheng Palace? Noble Consort De?

Tuan Tuan asked, "What are you sending me to do?"

The eunuch respectfully reported, "The Twelfth Prince says there is a gift to give to the Princess. Noble Consort De wishes to invite you into the palace to meet the Twelfth Prince together."

"Alright! I miss him too! Mother! I want to go!"

Cheng Ru'an smiled, "Imperial Uncle, please return; we'll arrive shortly."

"Yes," the eunuch bowed and left.

Tuan Tuan followed Mother Consort to Dezheng Palace.

Just as they entered the main hall, Xiao Jin rushed out, "Tuan Tuan! Why do you never come to play with me? It's so boring without you!"

Tuan Tuan looked at him, "I just went out! I've only just come back, what about the Eleventh? Shall we invite him to play together?"

"Sure!" Xiao Jin looked up, "Mother Consort!"

Noble Consort De hurriedly ordered, "Go fetch the Eleventh Prince and tell him the Little Princess has entered the palace."

Cheng Ru'an paid his respects to Noble Consort De, "Your Highness, let them go play; I will stay with you for a while."

Noble Consort De nodded, "You may go. You can't enjoy yourselves in front of us."

Xiao Jin happily tugged Tuan Tuan toward the inner hall.

Xiao Jin made a small kite, crookedly, and slipped it into Tuan Tuan's hand, "I made this for you myself!"

"Mother Consort said the New Year is near, and I should make gifts for the elder princes and princesses; you're the first I made this for!"

Tuan Tuan took it, delighted, "Thank you!"

Soon after, Rong Fei arrived leading Xiao Lin.

Rong Fei, Noble Consort De, and Cheng Ru'an chatted casually, and the three long‑unseen little children became a tangled group of play.

After a while, Xiao Lin recalled something, "Tuan Tuan! Did you know the Cat and Dog Garden received a few big birds yesterday? They're huge!"

"Big birds? What are they like? How did they get delivered to the Cat and Dog Garden?"

"Mother Consort said they were just presented as tribute; Father Emperor hasn't seen them yet, so they're placed in the Cat and Dog Garden. Once he sees them, they'll be moved to Wanlingyuan."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, "Shall we go take a look?"

"Sure!" Xiao Jin said, "I haven't seen them either."

When the three Xiao Tuanzi mentioned it, the consorts gladly agreed and ordered several eunuchs and palace maids to follow them.

Entering the Cat and Dog Garden, the supervising palace attendant's heart lurched at the sight of Tuan Tuan, "My god, how did this little brat come again?"

Xiao Lin assumed a princely demeanor, "Ahem, where is the big bird delivered yesterday? This prince wishes to see it!"

"Over here, please follow me." The attendant hurriedly led the way, bringing them to the big bird's cage.

The three Xiao Tuanzi looked up together, "Wow! What a huge bird!"

It looked truly odd: two long legs, a body covered in fluffy black feathers as if wrapped in a great cloak, a slender neck topped with a bewildered little head, eyes as big as copper bells, staring blankly at the three little children on the ground.

"What kind of bird is this?" Xiao Jin asked.

The attendant quickly reported, "It is a tribute from the Western Regions, called an ostrich."

Tuan Tuan, curious, said, "Open it, I want to go inside."

The attendant looked troubled, "Princess, this ostrich just arrived; we are not yet familiar with its temperament. If it harms you, we cannot bear the blame."

Tuan Tuan stood on tiptoe, her small hand gripping the rail, "Don't worry, it won't hurt me. Even if it does, Imperial Uncle won't blame you. Open it quickly."

The attendant shook his head vigorously.

Tuan Tuan's eyes shifted, looking at the tall ostrich, "Big bird! I'm Tuan Tuan; lower your head so I can pet you, okay?"

The ostrich seemed to understand, gently lowering its long neck, bringing its fluffy little head up to the rail.

Tuan Tuan extended her small hand, gently stroking the fur clump atop its head.

"Wow! So soft!"

The ostrich contentedly squinted, letting out a soft "hiss" and nudged her palm with its head.

The two little princes watched eagerly and shouted, "We want to pet it too!"

Xiao Lin, hands on hips, said, "Open the door quickly!"

Xiao Jin also tugged at the attendant's sleeve, "Open the door!"

Seeing the ostrich truly docile yet tangled by the little masters, the attendant reluctantly opened the cage door tremblingly.

The three Xiao Tuanzi swarmed in, surrounding the ostrich, petting and hugging it.

The big bird had an excellent temperament, allowing them to touch its feathers and hug its long legs; when occasionally tugged painfully, it merely gave a light shake and remained docile.

Tuan Tuan looked up, "Put me on its back!"

The attendant's face turned pale, but unable to resist Xiao Lin and Xiao Jin's simultaneous shout, "Listen to Tuan Tuan!" they carefully lifted Tuan Tuan and gently placed her on the ostrich's broad back.

Tuan Tuan excitedly clutched the ostrich's neck, "Let's go!"

The ostrich actually obeyed, stretching its long legs and strolling leisurely around the courtyard.

Tuan Tuan laughed gleefully, giggling.

Xiao Lin and Xiao Jin watched until their eyes reddened, "I want to ride too!"

"Quick, lift me up!"

The servants, helpless, had to place the two little princes onto the backs of two other ostriches.

Tuan Tuan's playful spirit surged; she slapped the bird's neck and shouted crisply, "Run! Big bird, run fast!"

The ostrich instantly stretched its long legs, "tap‑tap‑tap," and trotted around the courtyard, its black feathers puffing in the wind and shedding countless fur clumps.

Xiao Lin and Xiao Jin, seeing this, excitedly imitated:

"You run fast too!"

"Surpass them!"

Three ostriches instantly frolicked in the courtyard of the Cat and Dog Garden, their long legs crossing, kicking up clouds of dust.

The dogs in the kennel were startled by the scene, scrambling up the railings and barking wildly, turning the entire Cat and Dog Garden into chaos.

Tuan Tuan suddenly remembered something, turned and asked, "Imperial Uncle, where are you now?"

Xiao Lin clutched the bird's neck tightly, his little face flushed with excitement: "I know! It's at the Hall of Reverence! The New Year is almost here, Father Emperor said he will personally clean it for the celebration!"

"Do you know where the Hall of Reverence is?" Tuan Tuan widened his eyes.

Xiao Jin puffed out his little chest proudly: "I know! I know the way!"

"You lead the way!" Tuan Tuan shouted immediately, "Let's go see Imperial Uncle!"

Xiao Jin pointed forward with his small hand: "Go out of here, keep walking right until you reach the end!"

"Your Majesty!" Tuan Tuan squeezed his little legs, and the ostrich obediently sped toward the gate.

The other two followed closely behind.

The palace staff, seeing this, hurriedly ran after them: "Slow down!"

"Hold on tight! Don't fall!"

On the palace walkway, the three towering ostriches strode with agile long legs, carrying three little children, tap tap tap as they ran.

The palace maids and eunuchs along the way were stunned and stepped aside.

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao happened to be there as well; the two exchanged a glance—what is this?

Tuan Tuan led the birds, with Xiao Jin and Xiao Lin close behind.

In the Hall of Reverence.

Xiao Jieyun straightened his back, wiped the fine sweat from his temple, gazed at the spotless hall, and said to the beside Mu Rong Jin:

"This year has not been easy! Thanks to the blessings of our ancestors, the great drought has finally eased, and the borders have seen no war."

Mu Rong Jin breathed lightly, her cheeks flushed, she surveyed the expansive palace courtyard and said softly:

"His Majesty is right. You and I will personally sweep the Hall of Reverence clean; when we perform the New Year ancestral rites, our sincerity will be evident. Next year, under my great fire, the winds and rains will be favorable, and the nation will be peaceful."

The Emperor and Empress exchanged a smile, about to rest for a moment.

Outside the hall, a rapid "tap tap" sound suddenly came from afar.

The two were startled and looked toward the sound.

Three ostriches were racing toward them at breakneck speed, stretching their long necks.

Their wings flapped whoosh as they surged, each bearing a little child on its back.

A large crowd of eunuchs and palace maids followed behind.

"Imperial Uncle!" Tuan Tuan shouted excitedly, "Empress! Look! Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!" Xiao Lin waved his arms excitedly, "Father Emperor! See your servant's new mount!"

"Your Majesty!" Xiao Jin also shouted exuberantly, "It's more fun than riding a horse!"

The three ostriches whooshed around the courtyard in a big circle.

The eunuchs and palace maids quickly paid their respects to the Emperor and Empress, then kept following.

"We're leaving!" Tuan Tuan led the charge out of the Hall of Reverence again.

They whooshed away again.

Only a carpet of gray‑black Fur Clump remained, scattered on the floor the Emperor and Empress had just cleaned.

Mu Rong Jin stared dumbfounded, while Xiao Jieyun clenched both fists: "Capture them and bring them to me! Take them to Zichen Hall!"