Chapter 227: An'er, How Did You Come?

In the misty haze, Tuan Tuan lay on Xiao Yuanhang's blood-soaked body, tears streaming down her face, shouting loudly: "Father! Father!"

Gongsun Yue jerked awake.

"Your Highness, it's time to get up." Yu Gonggong had already stood at the bedside at some point.

Gongsun Yue silently washed up and changed clothes; before the sky had fully lightened, he had already entered the Ning Prince's Mansion.

Xiao Yuanhang was fastening Tuan Tuan's cloak sash.

"Xiao Yueyue!" Tuan Tuan exclaimed upon seeing him, immediately wriggling in her father's arms, "Dad, we're ready, we're ready! Let's go!"

Xiao Yuanhang steadily lifted his daughter: "All right, let's go!"

As he passed Gongsun Yue, he reached out and casually ruffled his hair: "I'll take you hunting!"

Gongsun Yue lowered his head, obediently replied "Yes," while the hands hidden in his sleeves quietly clenched.

Tuan Tuan sat in Xiao Yuanhang's arms; Gongsun Yue and Xiao Er shared a horse, followed by several guards from the Prince's Mansion.

They rode out of the city all the way, heading straight for Azure Cloud Mountain in the eastern suburbs of Jingcheng.

It was winter, and the mountains and forests were desolate.

Horse hooves stepped on fallen leaves, making a soft rustling sound.

Game was indeed scarce, only occasionally a dusty gray rabbit would burst from the undergrowth, but the upside was that they were fairly large.

"Dad! Over there! There's another one!" Tuan Tuan excitedly waved her little hands, her young voice ringing especially loud.

Xiao Yuanhang followed his daughter's directions, nocking an arrow and drawing the bow at a leisurely pace.

Chen'er had brought men to lie in ambush nearby; let's see how this Da Xia hostage conducts himself today.

Gongsun Yue sat stiffly in front of Xiao Er, silently watching Tuan Tuan and Xiao Yuanhang, his mind in turmoil.

Will the Prince Ning really die today? If he does, how heartbroken Tuan Tuan will be.

Last night's dream appeared again before his eyes.

Am I really doing the right thing? That's Tuan Tuan's father!

But if I don't do it, what will happen to Mother Consort?

Suddenly, "whoosh—whoosh—"

Several crossbow bolts shot out of nowhere, aiming straight for Xiao Yuanhang's back!

"Your Highness!" Xiao Er bellowed, shoving Gongsun Yue in front of him downward while drawing his blade, the sword light like a silk bolt sweeping toward the crossbow bolts!

With a few clear "ding-ding" sounds, the crossbow bolts were all cut down.

More than ten black shadows darted out from the withered trees and rocks on all sides, steel knives flashing with cold light, lunging forward.

As expected!

"Close your eyes!" Xiao Yuanhang shouted low, then firmly shielded Tuan Tuan in his arms, drew his treasure blade, and the blade traced a fierce half-arc, instantly repelling two close-in assassins.

The guards closed in, instantly forming a simple formation that protected Xiao Yuanhang and Xiao Er at the center.

Xiao Er gave a low growl: "Hold on!" He charged into the melee, his blade heavy and fierce, instantly cleaving two opponents.

More assassins appeared, surrounding them in layers.

They disregarded their own safety, attacking only, madly pressing forward.

In the blink of an eye, several guards were wounded, and the circle was squeezed ever smaller.

Gongsun Yue's face turned ashen, his breathing ragged, he nervously stared at Tuan Tuan ahead.

Tuan Tuan leaned against her father's chest, eyes closed, silent, thinking Dad is so strong, the villains will be driven off in a moment.

In the chaos, an assassin thrust out a dagger like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Xiao Yuanhang's back!

Gongsun Yue's mind went blank, he didn't think twice, and shouted loudly: "Behind!"

Xiao Yuanhang didn't even turn his head, he backhanded a slash and finished off that assassin.

He gave Gongsun Yue a deep look.

Gongsun Yue's heart jumped.

Hearing his shout, Tuan Tuan opened her eyes, turned her head, and yelled: "Xiao Yueyue! What's wrong with you?"

Gongsun Yue hurriedly shouted: "I'm fine! You stay safe!"

Tuan Tuan twisted her small body to look back; several assassins were surrounding Xiao Er and Gongsun Yue, blades flashing.

She turned back around; two assassins were entangled with her father, the gleaming blade flashing into her eyes.

How annoying! Dad finally had free time to play with me!

She quickly untied her embroidered pouch, pulled out a brush tip, and threw it out: "Freeze them all!"

A faint light flashed, and the brush tip vanished into midair.

The assassins seemed to be instantly bound by several invisible ropes on their hands and feet, their bodies still holding the previous pose, yet they all abruptly lost their balance.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Several heavy thuds followed in succession.

They fell like felled logs, hitting the ground hard, yet even after falling they retained the exact motion they had at the moment of collapse,

those who had been holding their knives still held them, those who had been kicking still kicked, resembling a group of puppets frozen mid-string, only their eyeballs darting in terror, their throats emitting a strained "huh-huh" sound.

Gongsun Yue stared dumbfounded at the group of oddly shaped assassins on the ground.

Good heavens, what happened to them? Did they all suddenly come down with a strange illness?

Far off, the concealed Yu Gonggong furrowed his brow, waved his hand: "Attack!"

The dozen or so black-clad men beside him sprang to their feet, charging at Tuan Tuan's group.

As expected, there were still reinforcements!

Xiao Yuanhang felt for a signal flare in his bosom, thumb pressing against its base mechanism, about to push down hard.

Tuan Tuan furrowed her brows, angry enough to puff out her cheeks.

Is this never ending, you guys? I should summon a great wind and blow you all away!

In the next instant—

"Hoo—!!!"

A raging hurricane, as if ripped violently from beyond the heavens, roared and surged toward the group of black‑clad men.

In an instant, sand and stones flew, and the sky darkened.

Those ten‑some fierce black‑clad men, unable to resist, lifted off the ground; their bodies twisted and rolled in the wind, seized by the terrifying airflow, and were hurled toward the towering canopies all around!

"Ah!"

Shrieks rose everywhere, and they each hung helplessly on the high branches.

The instinct to survive made them cling tightly to any branch they could reach.

The great wind came swiftly and left just as quickly.

At the moment the last black‑clad man was "hung" on a treetop, the gale abruptly ceased.

The old man watched the unbelievable, incomprehensible scene from afar, his face turned deathly pale.

All the troops within the capital of the fiery nation were completely wiped out today; there is no one left to make a move.

Gongsun Yue stared dumbfounded, tilting his head upward to look at those assassins.

My god! No wonder the people of the fiery nation call Prince Ning the War God; this… there must be a celestial being protecting him!

No wonder Father Emperor sent me to kill him, but he's so powerful—how could I possibly slay him!

Xiao Yuanhang pressed the trigger without hesitation, igniting the signal cannon in his hand.

"Swoosh—Bang!"

A streak of red light whistled sharply upward, exploding into a small red cloud.

But in a moment, the sound of hooves thundered from afar to near.

Xiao Ningchen, clad in battle armor, led countless soldiers rushing forward.

Tuan Tuan shouted, "Second brother! You're here!"

Xiao Ningchen smiled at her, "You're here, how could I not come! After second brother deals with this bunch of trash, I'll come back to play with you!"

Finishing his words, he ordered his men to first bind those black‑clad men who lay on the ground in all sorts of strange positions.

After another effort, he plucked the black‑clad men hanging from the trees like picking fruit, pulling each down and tying them up tightly.

Only then did he ride over, "Father! Are you all right?"

Tuan Tuan replied, "I'm fine."

Xiao Ningchen was startled.

Xiao Yuanhang shook his head, "Send all these people to the Ministry of Justice's prison and interrogate them rigorously!"

Gongsun Yue shivered all over.

Xiao Ningchen looked at Tuan Tuan, "You weren't scared just now, were you?"

Tuan Tuan gave him a sweet smile, "No, An'er, why did you come?"