Chapter 215: Should I Tell Him?

Xiao Er accompanied Tuan Tuan into the Guoshi Residence.

Tuan Tuan saw Chu Yuan and ran over: "National Preceptor! I'm here! What did you summon me for?"

Chu Yuan smiled faintly: "Princess (Commandery), could you have forgotten the words you spoke that day?"

"I called you here to teach you, so that you won't end up crying in a hurry later!"

Tuan Tuan recalled herself that day, and shyly darted into his arms: "It won't happen! I was just really angry that day, wishing a thunderbolt would strike from the sky; if I just stop thinking about it, it'll be fine."

Chu Yuan pinched her little nose: "Silly child, emotions and thoughts are not gone just because you say you don't want them. If the mind could be controlled at will, where would all these troubles come from?"

He took Tuan Tuan's hand: "Come, let this humble monk teach you."

Tuan Tuan followed him into a spacious room.

Tuan Tuan curiously surveyed the surroundings.

The room had no superfluous furnishings; all four walls were lined with tall bookshelves, each packed with books.

The floor was inlaid with silver sand forming the celestial constellations, and a few meditation cushions and a volume rested upon it.

Chu Yuan sat cross‑legged on a cushion, pointed to the one opposite him, and said, "Sit."

Tuan Tuan mimicked him, sitting cross‑legged.

"This book is called *The True Explanation of Qi Fortune*."

"Today I'll teach you to perceive 'Qi'." He tapped his fingertip, and a silver star on the floor suddenly lit up. "All things contain Qi. The virtuous are clear and uplifting; the wicked are turbid and sinking. What you must learn is to see it."

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment: "National Preceptor, are you referring to the purple aura on Imperial Uncle? I can see it!"

Chu Yuan was startled: "Whose can you still see?"

Tuan Tuan replied: "It varies; some I can see, some I cannot."

Chu Yuan asked again: "How many kinds can you see?"

Tuan Tuan counted on her little fingers: "Red, purple, black, white."

"White? Whose?"

"Grandpa Song! Only he has it."

Chu Yuan nodded slightly: "No wonder. Since Lord Song returned to the capital, I have not seen it. White is the sum of all colors, utmost pure and bright. As Imperial Teacher, Lord Song's heart embraces the world, his spirit clear, which matches it well."

"In that case, we can skip this introductory skill and move on to the next."

From then on, every other day Tuan Tuan would go to the Guoshi Residence to study for a day.

That day, Tuan Tuan, excitedly, saw Chu Yuan and shouted: "National Preceptor! Yesterday I went with Father to Suijin Pavilion for a meal, and met an official; I saw his head was entirely green!"

She tugged Chu Yuan's sleeve, lowered her voice mysteriously and said: "I know! Grandmothers say when a man's head turns green, his wife has been with someone else."

"National Preceptor! That official looks so pitiful, should I tell him?"

Chu Yuan placed a hand on his forehead: "Those are just folk sayings, unrelated to the Qi fortune you saw! Green denotes integrity, indicating the official is upright and not greedy for silver."

Tuan Tuan suddenly understood: "I get it! Next time I see him, I'll say, 'Your head is green, how nice!'"

"No!" Chu Yuan hurriedly pressed her small shoulder.

If you say that, won't their household be in chaos? How should I explain this to the child? Never mind, I'll just scare her a bit.

He thought for a moment: "The theory of Qi fortune is extremely subtle; if you speak it carelessly, you'll disturb others' destinies. Remember, heavenly secrets must not be revealed."

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "Got it! If I speak, I'll just spout nonsense again, right?"

Chu Yuan …

Fine, that understanding works; coaxing a child is truly exhausting!

He nodded: "Not bad, after only a few days you've made progress; it seems I can teach you more."

Upon hearing that, Tuan Tuan instantly wilted: "Had I known, I wouldn't have told you."

Chu Yuan looked at them, his lips barely holding back a smile, and forced his expression straight: "Alright, today we'll discuss…"

The New Year was approaching.

Ning Prince's Mansion was festooned with lanterns and ribbons, brimming with joy.

Xiao Jieyun ordered Eunuch Cheng to deliver a South Sea coral half a person's height to the Prince's Mansion, and personally presented it to Tuan Tuan.

Murong Jin also sent a delicate jade rabbit lantern: a rabbit carved from white jade clutching a gemstone carrot, its embedded night‑glowing pearl emitting a soft halo. Tuan Tuan clutched it fondly, unwilling to let go.

Old Madam handcrafted a new Sachet for Tuan Tuan, and Xiao Yuanhang together with Cheng Ru'an gave their daughter a Longevity Lock, its vermilion‑gold body set with multicolored gems and the back engraved "blessings of happiness, longevity, and health."

Xiao Ningyuan waved his hand grandly and gave his sister five thousand taels of silver notes: "Buy whatever you want! If it's not enough, tell big brother; big brother will top it up for you!"

Xiao Ningchen took Tuan Tuan to the stables and pointed at a snow‑white foal in the pen:

"This is a Western Regions Guoxia horse, exceptionally gentle and clever, and will remain this size for life. When spring warms up, second brother will teach you to ride, and thereafter you can ride it wherever you wish."

Tuan Tuan extended a small hand, gently patting it; the little white horse nuzzled her palm affectionately, its big, damp eyes full of tameness.

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Second brother is so kind! I love it so much!"

She looked at the foal: "You're so white, shall I call you Little White?"

Little White seemed to understand, affectionately nudging Tuan Tuan's palm with its nose, emitting a light, resonant snort.

Xiao Ningxun gave Tuan Tuan a white parrot: "It's called Snowy, the best at mimicking speech. From now on, we Tuan Tuan won't always envy Lu Er's Xiao Hua Mei."

Tuan Tuan curiously leaned in to examine; the parrot was about the same size as Xiao Hua Mei, its whole body snow‑white and flawless, its bright red beak like a dab of vermilion, its sparkling little eyes darting cleverly.

When Tuan Tuan approached, it tilted its little head, a tuft of soft feathers on top quivering gently.

Tuan Tuan was overjoyed: "Little bird! You're so beautiful!"

Snowy shouted: "So beautiful! So beautiful!"

Tuan Tuan let out a "Wow" and hopped up: "Third brother, it's so clever! Thank you, Third brother!"

Snowy echoed: "Thank you, Third brother!"

Tuan Tuan ran around the house happily, and Xiao Ningchen looked at his sister, then at Snowy: "Third brother, you picked a fine bird; that little tuft on its head looks exactly like Tuan Tuan's!"

"Second brother, you're so naughty!" Tuan Tuan heard that, rushed over and pounded him with a little fist.

Xiao Ningchen laughed loudly.

Soon after, Noble Consort De, Consort Rong, the Song Jingxian residence, Lu Er... various gifts arrived one after another.

Tuan Tuan's hands went soft.

Suddenly she thought of something: "Third Brother, would it be alright to send some things over to Feng Zhou? He's alone locked up there; it's New Year, and he has nothing good to eat or play with."

Cheng Ru'an nodded: "Tuan Tuan is right; although the Seventh Prince ordered kind treatment of Feng Zhou, over time they might become lax. I'll now prepare some food, supplies, and silver to send over."

Tuan Tuan took out the banknote her elder brother had just given her, and handed it to Xiao Ningchen: "Second Brother, this is for you; please buy some things for the uncles in the army camp so they can also have a good New Year."

Xiao Ningchen slipped the banknote back into his sister's sachet, looking at her: "Good Tuan Tuan, Second Brother will take care of this; you don't need the banknote—your intentions are what matter, and they all know that."

Amidst the festivities, a servant hurried in holding a brocade box: "Someone outside sent this, saying it's a New Year gift for the young lady."

Tuan Tuan raised her head: "Who is it?"

"He said he is from the Tianji Pavilion."

Tianji Pavilion?

Xiao Ningchen took the brocade box, lifted the lid, and everyone gasped in shock upon seeing it.