Chapter 216: Can I Be a Helm Master?

Lying quietly in the brocade box was, astonishingly, a dedicated arrow for the Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow!

There was also a jade token beside it.

Xiao Ningchen's expression grew solemn as he gently took the arrow out and examined it closely: "Indeed, it's exactly the same as the one I left during the canyon ambush."

Xiao Ningxun picked up the jade token and saw that one side bore the character "Heaven" and the other side bore the character "Chief."

Tuan Tuan stuck out her little head, looking left and right in the hands of her two older brothers, with a puzzled expression: "Is this for me? What am I supposed to do with these?"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his daughter: "Tuan Tuan, at that Guessing Box gathering, besides Gong Sun Zhi, did you meet anyone else?"

"At the Tianji Pavilion gathering, there should have been someone there, right? Do you remember who?"

Tuan Tuan recalled carefully: "I don't remember; their people all wore the same clothes, I couldn't even tell their faces apart."

Xiao Ningyuan took the jade token from his third brother: "It looks like a command token."

"I once saw many jianghu folk carrying all sorts of tokens while I was at the outer market. This 'Chief' character should denote the highest rank. 'Heaven', 'Chief'—could this be the Tianji Pavilion's chief token?"

"But Tuan Tuan only played their Guessing Box once; what does giving her this token mean?"

"Could it be that they want Tuan Tuan to become a helm master for them?"

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up as she took the token from his hand: "It's quite nice! Big brother, can I be a helm master?"

Xiao Ningyuan could only laugh helplessly: "Better not. Tuan Tuan, just be an honest Princess Jiayou at the Prince's Mansion."

Xiao Ningxun was also at a loss: "If Tianji Pavilion gave this Nine-Star Repeating Crossbow arrow to Tuan Tuan, doesn't that admit the crossbow's theft is linked to them? Aren't they afraid the Imperial Court will investigate them?"

Xiao Ningyuan said: "Third brother, these jianghu folk usually have respectable fronts—running eateries, gambling dens, even farming as laborers."

"There are countless tangled connections, all handled privately. How can the Imperial Court investigate? Do they have to go door to door? People can simply refuse to speak!"

"Otherwise, why would they need something like a command token?"

Xiao Yuanhang nodded: "Chen'er, isn't the Ministry of War already investigating this? Tomorrow you should report it, hoping they can quickly uncover clues, so Feng Zhou can be released soon, and then this token won't need to be reported."

"Yes."

Tuan Tuan tugged at her second brother's sleeve: "Right! Second brother, you said the Ministry of War has many people; tell them quickly, once it's clarified, Feng Zhou can be released!"

Cheng Ru'an looked at everyone: "Put everything away. It's the New Year; even jianghu folk have to go home for meals. Let's set this aside and deal with everything after the holidays."

Everyone laughed.

The New Year arrived as expected, the family gathered happily together.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, the whole Jingcheng was still immersed in festive clamor.

Song Jingxian arrived at the Ning Prince's Mansion.

The three brothers had gone out; Xiao Yuanhang and Cheng Ru'an led Tuan Tuan out.

Tuan Tuan ran to Song Jingxian as soon as she saw him: "Grandpa Song! Happy New Year!"

"Hey! Little Tuan Tuan, how's the New Year going?"

Tuan Tuan beamed: "I received so many gifts, I'm so happy!"

Xiao Yuanhang saw Song Jingxian's brows knit and his face troubled, and together with Cheng Ru'an bowed: "Master, what urgent matter do you have?"

The venerable teacher, versed in past and present, usually as steady as a mountain—when has he ever shown such an expression?

Song Jingxian's voice was hoarse: "Yuanhang, I'm here today to look for Tuan Tuan."

Xiao Yuanhang was startled, quickly stepped forward and steadied Song Jingxian's arm: "Master, please take a seat and speak at your leisure."

Song Jingxian sat down, looking at Tuan Tuan: "Since yesterday, Shujun has been dazed and confused; calling her gets no response, feeding her yields nothing, as if she's lost her soul."

He paused: "I summoned Guo Taiyi through the night, but after two days of administering the medicine there was no improvement. Guo Taiyi told me, 'This condition is unusual; perhaps Princess Jiayou could take a look, maybe there's a way.'"

Xiao Yuanhang's face instantly grew solemn: "Your words are heavy, Master. Since this is your family matter, Yuanhang cannot shirk his duty."

Tuan Tuan, upon hearing this, hurriedly grabbed Song Jingxian's hand and pulled him out: "Sister Shujun is ill? Let's go see her right away! Grandpa Song, hurry!"

Cheng Ru'an ordered: "Prepare a carriage! Go to the Song Residence!"

The party arrived at the Song Residence and entered Song Shujun's inner chamber.

The room was filled with medicinal fumes; a painted screen stood nearby weeping, and Song Zhulin lay at his sister's bedside.

He heard the commotion, turned, saw Tuan Tuan, rushed over, grabbed her hand and pulled toward the bed, his voice trembling: "Tuan Tuan! Come quickly to see sister! She won't even acknowledge me!"

The group gathered at the bedside and saw Song Shujun lying quietly under a brocade quilt, her face pale and expression blank.

Tuan Tuan called out: "Sister Shujun!"

Song Shujun turned her head slightly, her gaze flicking over Tuan Tuan's face.

As if she didn't recognize her, she slowly turned her head back, eyes fixed rigidly on the canopy.

Cheng Ru'an's eyes reddened instantly: "Tuan Tuan, look quickly at your sister Shujun."

"What on earth happened? She was a fine child, how did she become like this in an instant?"

Tuan Tuan frowned and closed her eyes.

She recalled Chu Yuan's teachings, steadied her mind and spirit, and shut everything out.

Moments later, she suddenly opened her eyes.

Where her gaze fell, the scene had changed dramatically.

She saw thin strands of ink‑black, viscous energy continuously rising from Song Shujun's face and body!

How could this be? Where do these black vapors originate?

Tuan Tuan suddenly stretched out her small hand, flung the brocade quilt off Song Shujun, and carefully searched around her.

The bedding was soft, her clothes tidy, with no foreign objects.

Only those black vapors rose silently, thread by thread, from her body.

Tuan Tuan covered her again with the quilt.

Song Shujun showed no reaction, allowing herself to be moved.

Tuan Tuan began to search the room up and down, from the dressing table to the bronze mirror, from the embroidered rack to the corners of the wall, leaving no spot unchecked.

"Tuan Tuan," Song Zhulin couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for something!" Tuan Tuan didn't even lift their head, "There's a lot of black qi on older sister; I'm trying to find where this black qi comes from!"

"Black qi?" Song Zhulin looked bewildered, turning their head to the older sister on the bed, "Where is there any black qi!"

Several adults exchanged glances, full of surprise and doubt, yet none spoke, fearing to disturb her.

Tuan Tuan searched carefully, found nothing, and returned to the bedside.

She thought for a moment: "Older sister Shu Jun became like this starting the day before yesterday, right?"

"Yes!" Song Zhulin nodded vigorously, "Older sister was clearly fine the day before yesterday! In the morning she took me to practice characters, in the afternoon she went out for a stroll, came back not long after and said she was tired, then she became like this! No matter how I call her, she ignores me."

The more he spoke, the sadder he became, tears pattering down.