Chapter 3: Following Mother into the Prince's Mansion

Wow……so big.

The carriage stopped at the gate of Ning Prince's Mansion.

Tuan Tuan woke up, clung to the windowsill, and let out a soft exclamation.

Cheng Ru'an held her and stepped down, standing before the tall mansion gate.

Tuan Tuan's little head swayed left and right as she gazed up at the manor gate, which was even bigger than a temple's door, her eyes almost popping out.

"Mom, this gate is much taller than me."

"Yes, that's right—stacked together, many Tuan Tuan could fit through." The Princess Consort smiled at her, feeling an inexplicable lightness; she hadn't laughed like this in a long time.

Tuan Tuan patted her little bundle: "This place is so huge, it must hide countless treasures! When will I finish picking them up? I'll be exhausted, baby." After muttering, she yawned.

"Still sleepy?" The Princess Consort held her tight.

"Sleepy, it's so big just looking at it makes me sleepy."

"……" Cheng Ru'an shook her head helplessly: "Don't rush to sleep; first fill your belly, then take a bath, change into clean clothes, then sleep."

She held Tuan Tuan and steadily walked into her own main courtyard, Jinglan Court.

Granny Liu led the servants and immediately sprang into action.

First, she ordered the kitchen to quickly prepare a child-friendly spread: braised fish, stewed spare ribs, vegetable soup…; the dishes were brought to the table, and she hurriedly arranged for water to be heated to prepare Tuan Tuan's clothes.

Tuan Tuan drooled at the sight of the delicious dishes, her stomach gurgling; she sat at the table, her little hand constantly pointing, demanding this and that!

"Don't rush, it's all yours." Cheng Ru'an carefully removed the bones, placing the meat atop Tuan Tuan's rice: "Eat slowly, come, have a sip of soup, don't choke."

After Tuan Tuan had eaten her fill, taken a hot bath, and changed into a bright little outfit, when she appeared before the Princess Consort again, everyone was stunned.

Little Tuan Tuan was all in pink, her hair tied into two small buns standing upright on either side of her head; she looked like a glutinous rice ball—pale, soft, with dark, glossy eyes that seemed ready to drip water.

Her nose tip was fine and soft, her lips pink, and when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks,

These dimples happened to be in the exact same spot as the Princess Consort's, soft and full of mirth.

The servants inside watched, unable to help murmuring softly: "This child is literally a little immortal!"

Tuan Tuan tugged at the hem of her new clothes and spun around twice on her own; the new outfit was soft and so comfortable!

Cheng Ru'an couldn't help but hold her close, planting a kiss on her little face: "Tuan Tuan, come with Mother to the ancestral hall to pay respects to your ancestors!"

"Master! Master! The Princess Consort has brought back a little girl! She's on her way to the ancestral hall, saying she wants her to pay respects to the ancestors!" Jin Xiu rushed into Defying Frost Pavilion, shouting loudly.

"What? A wild girl the Princess Consort brought from somewhere dares to be taken to the ancestral hall?" Fang Qingyan's eyebrows shot up: "When did the Prince ever have such an heir?"

"Let's go! To the ancestral hall!"

Defying Frost Pavilion is near the ancestral hall; Fang Qingyan led her courtyard's servants there first, guarding the entrance.

Seeing the Princess Consort leading Tuan Tuan approach, she greeted with a smile, bowed, and said: "Hey! Who is this little girl? Why did the Princess Consort bring her to the ancestral hall?"

"I picked her up. It was the ancestors' divine guidance that led me to her." Cheng Ru'an did not hide it, replying calmly.

"Picked up?" Fang Qingyan blinked, the corner of her mouth twitching.

Tuan Tuan looked up at her, she was decent-looking, but why was she surrounded by black aura? "First come, first served! Mom found me first, you have no share!"

Fang Qingyan choked, then spoke sternly: "The Princess Consort's action is improper! How can a picked‑up child enter the Prince's Mansion ancestral hall? Whether he is the Prince's bloodline must be decided by the clan; the Princess Consort cannot treat this as a game."

Cheng Ru'an was always gentle and tolerant, never arguing with her; she thought this time would be the same, that a single sentence would stop her.

But this time was different; Cheng Ru'an's face darkened: "I am the principal wife! I manage the inner household affairs—it's not your place to decide! If you disagree, you may report to the Prince for his judgment! Move aside!"

Fang Qingyan was publicly rebuked by the Princess Consort's identity for the first time; her face flushed then paled, anger surging in her chest, yet she could do nothing—being merely a concubine, propriety forbade rebuttal; she could not enter, nor did she wish to retreat, standing frozen in place.

Tuan Tuan tugged at Cheng Ru'an's hand, and Cheng Ru'an bent down: "Tuan Tuan, don't be afraid."

Tuan Tuan wrapped her little arms around Cheng Ru'an's neck, as if scared to hide in her embrace, yet her eyes darted at Fang Qingyan with a mischievous grin: "Mom, don't be angry, this old hag is sick! She won't live long!"

"Black hag? I'm clearly fair‑skinned! How dare you curse me with illness? Won't live long?" Fang Qingyan's face darkened completely with rage: "You little bastard! Nonsense!" She raised her hand to strike.

Tuan Tuan burrowed into Cheng Ru'an's embrace, and Cheng Ru'an held her fast: "Silence! Step back at once!"

Fang Qingyan stomped her foot hard, turned and slapped the maid behind her, shouting angrily: "Get out!" She swept her sleeves and left.

Inside the ancestral hall, incense swirled and the spirit tablets stood solemn.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head, looking this way and that: "Mom, this room is so dark I can't see well, not good for picking things up."

"The ancestral hall is a solemn place, with its own decorum." Cheng Ru'an patted her little head: "No fooling around." Having said that, she knelt before the incense table.

"Oh." Tuan Tuan replied, imitating her, and knelt on the nearby rush mat.

The Princess Consort pressed her palms together and closed her eyes: "Today, blessed by the Xiao family ancestors' divine manifestation, I have brought back my little daughter Tuan Tuan."

"From now on, she shall be the principal daughter of the Prince's Mansion; I will regard her as my own. I pray that the forefathers bless us, that our household be peaceful and the entire mansion healthy."

A rustling sound came from beside her; she opened her eyes to look.

Tuan Tuan lay on the rush mat, scraping at the floor tiles: "Mom, this place feels weird."

Cheng Ru'an believed her from the heart: "How weird? Any little bugs?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head: "There's something down there! Something bad!"

Cheng Ru'an's heart stirred: "Someone! Move this tile!"

Several servants came in, worked together, and soon lifted that tile.

All that was visible was an orange‑red, semi‑translucent object, faintly emitting a pungent, fishy‑astringent odor.

Cheng Ru'an gasped: "What is this?"

Tuan Tuan scrunched her little nose: "Dirty! Smelly! I don't want it! Mom, throw it out quickly!"

"Quick! Get a box! Put this thing inside and take it out of the ancestral hall!"

The servants hurriedly sprang into action.

As soon as the object was taken out of the ancestral hall, the spirit tablets on the incense table suddenly trembled all at once, emitting a faint golden glow; though no incense had been added, the hall was noticeably brighter than before.