Chapter 231: Looks Very Touch‑able

Xiao Ningxun led Tuan Tuan, following Su Yuheng, into a courtyard in Jingcheng.

The courtyard was orderly and hidden among a row of similar courtyards, utterly inconspicuous.

Su Yuheng said, "Aside from a few people from the headquarters of Tianji Pavilion, no one else knows about this place."

Xiao Ningxun nodded; great concealment lies within the city, it seems Tianji Pavilion is well versed in this.

The group entered the old master's bedroom.

The bedroom was simply furnished: a bed, a screen, an incense burner, a charcoal brazier, and a set of tables and chairs, with a tea set placed on the table.

A silver‑haired, vigorous old man in blue robes rose from the table and asked, "Heng'er, who are these people?"

Xiao Ningxun was startled. This is the old master?

Su Yuheng hurried over and supported the elder, "Father, these are the third son of Ning Prince's Mansion and the Little Princess. Both of you, this is my father, Su Zhehou."

Su Zhehou smiled, "So you are honored guests visiting. Please, sit down."

Tuan Tuan's gaze fell on the long beard floating over Su Zhehou's chest.

The old man looked quite cute, his beard long, and he seemed very touchable.

She laughed and called out, "Divine Doctor Grandfather, hello, I'm Tuan Tuan."

Su Zhehou looked down at her, "Tuan Tuan? What a cute little doll! You are Princess Jiayou of Ning Prince's Mansion? Come, quickly, sit beside your grandfather."

"Thank you, Divine Doctor Grandfather." Tuan Tuan smiled brightly and sat beside him.

Xiao Ningxun looked at Su Yuheng with a puzzled expression; the old master seemed fine, with nothing amiss!

Su Yuheng gave him a slight shake of the head.

Su Zhehou ordered the servant, "Someone! Quickly set the meal! What time is it? The guests have been here for so long, don't let the little child starve."

The brother and sister were both stunned, "We just arrived! It's not even the time for a meal now!"

The servant came in, "Old master, you just ate a meal."

Su Zhehou's aged face hardened, "Nonsense! I'm starving! Quickly set the meal! I still have guests to entertain!"

Su Yuheng waved his hand; the servant, clearly accustomed, responded and retreated.

The siblings began to understand a bit.

Su Zhehou asked Tuan Tuan, "I have heard you are a closed‑door disciple of the Imperial Teacher; which book have you learned up to now?"

Why does everyone ask!

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips, "Divine Doctor Grandfather, I'm still young."

Su Zhehou laughed heartily, "Looks like Tuan Tuan doesn't like reading."

He glanced at the charcoal brazier in the corner, frowned, "Why burn this in such hot weather? Someone! Quickly remove it!"

Remove the brazier in the middle of winter?

Su Yuheng hurriedly said, "Father, you just had a serious illness; the doctor prepared this for you."

Su Zhehou looked bewildered, "Huh? When did I get sick? What illness?"

He lowered his head to think; gradually his face showed pain, and he raised both hands to cup his head, "Why can't I recall?"

Seeing this, Su Yuheng quickly helped him lie down at the bedside, covering him with a blanket, "Father, sleep now; I'll stay here watching over you."

Xiao Ningxun wrapped her sister in her arms and whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, Tuan Tuan."

Tuan Tuan stared with wide eyes, "Divine Doctor Grandfather is so strange!"

Soon after, Su Zhehou fell into a deep sleep.

Su Yuheng walked to the table, "Did you both see? This is how my father is now."

Xiao Ningxun nodded, "We haven't yet asked the junior master how we learned about the Gu Worm matter."

Su Yuheng twitched the corner of his mouth, "It was someone from Netherdark Summit who told me."

Xiao Ningxun sprang to her feet, "You have met someone from Netherdark Summit?"

Su Yuheng nodded, "When my father first fell ill, I invited the most famous Rejuvenating Hand Divine Doctor Mo from the jianghu to treat him."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, "Divine Doctor Grandfather?"

"Princess meets Divine Doctor Mo?"

"Right! Even Divine Doctor Grandfather can't cure him?"

Divine Doctor Mo said, "This is neither a disease nor poisoning; we must find the cause before we can treat it."

"Afterwards, my father's condition worsened, sometimes I couldn't even recognize him."

"One day, a man wearing a bronze mask suddenly appeared before me, saying he was from Netherdark Summit and that my father's ailment was caused by their Gu Worm."

"If my father is to stay alive, Tianji Pavilion must obey their orders."

"He gave me a pill to give my father, saying it would keep him clear for a few hours each day and prevent further decline."

He turned his gaze to his father on the couch, "With no other choice, I must comply."

"I secretly ordered investigations, yet could find no trace of Netherdark Summit."

"Seeing their actions increasingly entangle the court, I was forced to think of seeking help from Princess Jiayou."

He looked earnestly at Tuan Tuan, "Princess, please lend a hand, help Tianji Pavilion regain its freedom!"

Xiao Ningxun patted Tuan Tuan's little head, "Tuan Tuan, think—how can we help him?"

"Where's my little bell?"

Su Yuheng quickly took the small copper bell from his bosom and handed it to her.

Tuan Tuan walked to the sleeping Su Zhehou and gently rang the bell.

Xiao Ningxun and Su Yuheng also hurried to the bedside.

Ding—ding, ding—ding.

The bell's tone was tiny and crisp.

Xiao Ningxun stared intently at Su Zhehou, the bell chimed continuously, but Su Zhehou showed no abnormality at all.

Tuan Tuan strangely looked at the bell in her hand: "Little bell, why aren't you working?"

Su Yuheng's face darkened: "Even the Princess personally acting, it still doesn't work?"

Tuan Tuan placed the copper bell near her ear, slowly and gently shaking it a few times.

"Ding ling, ding ling."

She closed her eyes to listen, after a moment, she put down the bell and gave a hush to her brother and Su Yuheng.

The two nodded, their faces full of suspicion.

Tuan Tuan walked slowly back and forth in the room.

Her steps were light, she pressed her ear to every object in the room except the charcoal basin, listening to each.

Xiao Ningxun and Su Yuheng subconsciously held their breath, dared not speak, fearing to disturb her.

Tuan Tuan walked to the table, listened to the table and chairs, her gaze fell on the tea set.

She stretched out her little hand, took each teacup to her ear, listened, then put it back.

Finally, with both little hands she lifted the teapot and pressed it to her small ear.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up: "Found it!"

After saying that, she raised the teapot high and smashed it hard onto the ground!

"Pa cha—!" shards and tea splashed everywhere.

Tuan Tuan satisfiedly brushed off her little hands, walked back to the bedside, and picked up the copper bell.

"Ding ling…… ding ling……"

The clear bell chimed again.

This time, fine lines quickly appeared beneath the temples on both sides of Su Zhehou!

"Come out!" Tuan Tuan shouted happily.

"Two?!" Su Yuheng exclaimed in shock, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

He never expected that his father's body actually harbored two Gu worms!

"Third Young Master, help me!"

Xiao Ningxun understood, the two stepped forward, waiting for the two Gu worms to crawl to Su Zhehou's back of hand, each taking one side, they tightly gripped his wrist.

The Gu worms were clearly visible under the thin skin on the back of the hand.

Su Yuheng drew his dagger, quick-eyed and quick-handed, making a small incision on each back of hand.

The two Gu worms flowed out with the dark blood, colorful, with rings of patterns on their bodies, extremely bizarre.

They writhed for a moment, then fell silent.

The two dared not stop, hurriedly squeezed out the poisonous blood, bandaged the wounds on the backs of their hands, and only then let out a long sigh.

Xiao Ningxun asked: "Tuan Tuan, what happened to that teapot? Why does smashing it make the bell useful?"