Chapter 38: Wooo— I

The household servants saw the Dagger, hesitated, and dared not step forward.

Wei Bing'an had already wiped most of the bird droppings off his face with his sleeve, but because they were extremely sticky, they could not be fully removed without water, so his face still reeked, sticky and unbearably uncomfortable.

He flared up in anger: "What are you looking at! Charge forward and hit them!"

Losing someone so important without regaining any face would make him the laughingstock of the power circles in this Jingcheng.

The servants no longer hesitated, surged forward in a mob, and the three youths tightly protected Tuan Tuan behind them, fighting together in a chaotic melee.

Tuan Tuan stared with wide eyes, excitedly cheering for his own: "Come on!"

"Whoosh!" a sound ripped the air as a swift Arrow flew, piercing Wei Bing'an's Hair Crown with pinpoint accuracy, pinning his jeweled crown and a strand of hair firmly to the doorframe behind him!

"Ah!" Wei Bing'an let out a terrified scream, his face as pale as paper, unable to utter a word.

Everyone's movements froze instantly.

Xiao Yuanhang's towering figure appeared at the main gate, casually tossing his long bow to the Guard behind him, his gaze sharp as a blade, landing on Wei Zhongli's expressionless face.

"Wei Zhongli! The children are making a mess, and you've also lost your mind? Allowing household slaves to brandish weapons against the Prince's relatives—what, you no longer want the title and head of the Marquis of the State?"

After speaking, he strode upstairs, his dark python‑patterned cloak billowing behind him, and within a few steps he stood before his children.

Xiao Ningxun sheathed his Dagger: "Father! Why have you come?"

Xiao Yuanhang glanced up and down at his son, seeing he was unharmed: "You've been delayed in returning; I was worried, so I came to fetch you."

Lu Qingjia and Bai Jianxing hurriedly bowed: "Your Highness, Prince."

Tuan Tuan slipped out from between the youths' legs, stretching out a tiny hand for a hug: "Daddy!"

Xiao Yuanhang quickly scooped her up; Tuan Tuan looped one small hand around his neck and pointed a finger at Wei Bing'an with the other.

"Daddy! He stole my food! He called Third Brother mute, and said I'm a bastard!"

Xiao Yuanhang's complexion darkened instantly, his eyes blazing as he stared at Wei Bing'an: "Princess Jiayou is my and the Princess Consort's biological child, named by the National Preceptor under the Emperor's decree. Have you swallowed a bear's heart and a leopard's gallbladder to dare utter such insults!"

Wei Bing'an's legs gave way, and he fell to his knees: "I… I…" The haughty arrogance he had just displayed could not stand before Prince Ning; it had already vanished.

Wei Zhongli's thoughts flickered, and he stepped forward: "Your Highness, Prince. It was merely a few children making a fuss over some food. The Prince is magnanimous; there's no need to be so angry."

He knew he was in the wrong, deliberately downplaying the matter, trying to make a big issue small and a small issue disappear.

Xiao Yuanhang shot him a sideways glance: "Oh? You mean, let it be settled like this?"

Wei Zhongli clasped his hands: "The Prince is wise."

Xiao Yuanhang could not let him slip away: "Where is the manager of Suijin Pavilion?"

"I am here!" A man nearing his forties, already waiting at the corner of the fifth floor, heard the call and pushed through the crowd, stepping forward to bow: "Your Highness, Prince Ning, I am the manager Du Qing of Suijin Pavilion."

"You speak!"

Du Qing knew today's incident had to be settled. When the two sides clashed earlier, he had already retrieved the ledger from the accounting room, waiting for the dispute to end so he could clear his name. Now that Prince Ning held the most authority here, it was an opportune moment to argue his case.

He opened the ledger in his hand: "Yesterday, during the third watch, the Second Son of the Ministry of Personnel's Vice Minister sent a representative to pay a deposit of fifty taels of silver, reserving today's Suijin Soup for a banquet for Princess Jiayou."

"At noon today, when the eleventh server of the shop was delivering dishes, the Third Son of the Marquis of the State stopped him, also demanding today's Suijin Soup."

"Both parties are distinguished guests; if we could accommodate both, the shop would have no reason to refuse. However, as everyone knows, Suijin Soup is made only once per day; the shop is modest and has little influence, truly unable to mediate, which led to the earlier incident."

"I am incompetent, Prince, please forgive my offense." After speaking, he bowed repeatedly to several people: "Esteemed guests, forgive me, forgive me."

Xiao Yuanhang snorted: "Wei Zhongli, did you hear that? Whose fault is this?"

Wei Zhongli had nothing to say, hesitated a moment: "Indeed, this was caused by my little nephew's mischief. Please forgive me, Prince. But that Arrow you just shot also injured him, so we're even now."

Upon hearing this, Wei Bing'an quickly covered the top of his head and shouted: "Ouch! It hurts!"

Xiao Yuanhang didn't even give him a glance, but holding his daughter's tiny hand, he asked softly: "Tuan Tuan, were you scared just now? Tell Daddy, Daddy will avenge you!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes twitched, thinking Daddy is wonderful, he'll stand up for me! Then I must be frightened, even terribly frightened, so Daddy can avenge me.

Although she had just been gleefully watching Third Brother and the others fight the villains without any fear, now she puckered her little mouth, let out a "wah" and forced out two tears: "Daddy! I'm scared! Whimper, they're hitting brother, I'm so scared!"

The little sister is so clever, such good cooperation! Xiao Ningxun hurriedly lowered his head, suppressing the smile on his face.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled faintly: "The nation has its laws, the family has its rules. You, a mere commoner, dare to rebuke the imperial carriage, defile the royal bloodline? That is a ten‑fold unforgivable great disrespect crime!"

"Our court places utmost importance on rites and hierarchy; you first seized and plundered, then insulted the Princess afterward—such a grave crime cannot be lightly tolerated!"

"Arrest them! Take them to Jingzhao Prefecture! Relay my words exactly: This scoundrel framed the Princess, spoke of palace affairs, destabilized the state. Hence, punish him strictly according to the law, to set the record straight!"

Wei Zhongli's complexion changed abruptly: "Prince Ning! Such a severe punishment may be hard to win the people's favor!"

Xiao Yuanhang, aware that some in Jingcheng harbored grudges about Tuan Tuan's origins, was determined to make an example: "The law is as such, not decreed by me. Could it be that the Marquis of the State is now beyond the law's reach?"

Wei Zhongli was speechless, mute.

Two Guards stepped forward, seized Wei Bing'an, and led him away.

Wei Bing'an, now terrified to the point of his soul fleeing, was told to be sent to Jingzhao Prefecture? Once there, could he ever get out? He struggled desperately, shouting: "I won't go! Uncle! Save me! Uncle!"

"Oh dear! What's happening? How did it come to this?" a voice called from the stairs. The crowd looked up and saw Imperial Chief Eunuch Cheng Jinyan, Eunuch Cheng, walking up at a leisurely pace.

Wei Zhongli was overjoyed; his savior had arrived! Eunuch Cheng had long served in the imperial presence, and the Marquis of the State had often dealt with him; whether Wei Bing'an could be absolved now depended on him.

He hurried forward and bowed: "Eunuch Cheng, my little nephew has committed a minor mistake, yet Prince Ning intends to punish him with a grave crime. Please, sir, uphold justice for my nephew and the Marquis of the State!"

Wei Bing'an also understood, strained to break free from the Guard, scrambled to Eunuch Cheng's feet, clinging to his leg and shouting: "Please, sir, save me!"