Chapter 391

At this moment, the soldiers had already joined forces to lift the wild boar that had been tied up again and carry it away.

His Majesty has been unusually irritable these days; it's just a few wild boars, so better not mention it—otherwise, if His Majesty blames me for it, would I have to die for a few pigs?

Then wouldn't I be dying unjustly?

The officer guarding the camp hurriedly saluted and replied, 'Your Majesty, there has been no unusual activity.'

Gongsun Chi nodded and walked into his own large tent.

Inside the tent, the candlelight was steady, everything as usual.

He glanced at the desk; the open military manual he had left there still lay under the paperweight, unchanged.

'National Preceptor,' he said, removing his cloak, 'is the Formation intact?'

Wu Luo bowed: 'Please be at ease, Your Majesty. In a few days, we will surely defeat Xiao Yuanhang decisively.'

'Good, you may withdraw.'

Wu Luo lowered his head and withdrew.

Meanwhile, the group returned to the Main Camp of Lie State.

Laughing and chatting, they entered the large tent, where Xiao Yuanhang opened his arms, waiting for his daughter to leap into his embrace as usual.

But Tuan Tuan stopped as soon as she entered, keeping her distance from her father.

Xiao Yuanhang froze: 'What's wrong, Tuan Tuan?'

He looked at Xiao Er: 'Did Tuan Tuan get frightened?'

Xiao Er hurriedly replied: 'No.'

Everyone looked puzzled.

Xiao Er crouched, supporting Tuan Tuan's small shoulders, and looked at her: 'Miss, weren't you talking and laughing on the way back? What's wrong? Where do you feel unwell?'

Xiao Tuanzi shook her head, turned to look at her father, and pointed at her own face: 'Father, my face is all black, it's ugly, and it will get you dirty.'

Xiao Yuanhang laughed heartily, strode over, scooped her up in one arm, and deliberately rubbed his big face against her little cheek: 'Father isn't afraid at all!'

'Look, Father's face is black too—how could my daughter be ugly? If anyone's ugly, it's Father!'

Only then did Tuan Tuan wrap her arms around his neck: 'Father isn't ugly at all; you're the best-looking father in the world!'

Xiao Yuanhang shouted: 'Quick, fetch water! I'm going to wash this little spotted cat into a little white cat!'

'Yes!'

Tuan Tuan giggled: 'I want to be a little white cat!'

Soon, the personal guards entered carrying several basins of water and also some cloths.

Xiao Yuanhang personally washed his daughter's little face until it was clean, and then wiped his own.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi also tidied themselves up.

Tuan Tuan took out from the embroidered pouch the ink ingot engraved with a dragon pattern, holding it up like an offering to her father and the National Preceptor: 'Look! I picked this up from the bad Emperor's desk!'

Xiao Yuanhang stared for a moment, then burst out laughing: 'Hahaha, truly my daughter! How did you manage to pilfer the Emperor's belongings?'

Chu Yuan also couldn't help but chuckle: 'Tuan Tuan, your habit of picking up junk is truly impossible to break, no matter when!'

Xiao Yuanhang picked up his daughter and stroked her head.

He wiped the smile from his face and said solemnly: 'Issue orders to the entire army—sharpen swords and spears, temper arrowheads with fire, soak bowstrings in glue, repair shield and armor lacquer! Fill water skins, issue three days' rations per person. Those who delay will be punished under military law!'

'The day after tomorrow at midnight, the whole army will march out! I want to send troops ahead of schedule!'

Everyone was startled.

Xiao Ningxun asked: 'Father, do you intend to act early?'

Xiao Yuanhang nodded: 'The Formation has already been broken; should we wait for Gongsun Chi to deploy his formation and attack us?'

'Better to strike unexpectedly, attack when they are unprepared, and seize the initiative.'

'Tomorrow at dawn, Xiao Er, Lu Qi!'

'Present!'

'You will escort the National Preceptor and Tuan Tuan away to a safe place for settlement.'

Upon hearing this, Tuan Tuan immediately objected, clutching her father's neck tighter: 'I won't go! I want to stay with Father!'

Xiao Yuanhang stroked his daughter's hair, his voice hoarse: 'Tuan Tuan, be good, listen to me—go with the National Preceptor to a safe place and wait for Father; it's too dangerous here.'

Tuan Tuan's eye rims instantly reddened, her little head shaking like a rattle: 'I want to stay with Father! I can help Father beat the bad guys!'

'Nonsense!' Xiao Yuanhang snapped, his face stern for the first time with his daughter: 'This is war! Swords have no eyes!'

'Then I won't go either!' Tuan Tuan clung to him desperately, tears dropping patter: 'Father, what if you get hurt again? I want to cure you!'

'Wuu… I won't go, I'd rather die than leave!'

Xiao Yuanhang felt his heart breaking, he lifted his gaze to Chu Yuan.

Chu Yuan let out a soft sigh, stepped forward: 'Prince, let her stay.'

'Although my cultivation has been impaired, I can still fully protect her alone.'

'If Your Highness is uneasy, you may dispatch a squad of personal guards to follow us; should the battle change,' he paused, then solemnly promised, 'even if I must give my life, I will see to it that she is taken away.'

Xiao Yuanhang closed his eyes, let out a long sigh: '…Very well.'

He pressed a firm kiss to his daughter's forehead, then turned to Chu Yuan: 'National Preceptor, I entrust Tuan Tuan to you.'

Chu Yuan nodded.

'Xiao Er, Lu Qi, you two, take fifty personal guards to protect them; if anything happens, move out immediately, no delay!'

Lu Qi replied: 'Yes!'

Xiao Er hesitated: 'Prince! I request to serve as the vanguard!'

Xiao Yuanhang gazed deeply at him—this subordinate had shared life-and-death with him many times, never absent from his side on the battlefield.

'Good!'

He looked at Xiao Ran: "Ninth Prince, you are with Tuan Tuan and the National Preceptor, right? The battle situation changes in an instant; you must not make a mistake."

Xiao Ran grinned: "I'm not staying with the little one; you're all fighting on the battlefield, and you want me to watch a child? No way!"

"Don't worry, Father Emperor had me come out with the little one to gain experience; with such an opportunity, if he were here, he'd probably be too happy to even keep up."

"However, my meager martial skills aren't enough for the vanguard, but I can still follow behind and fight the enemy."

Xiao Yuanhang laughed: "Good! As sons of our Lie Kingdom, we ought to be like this!"

He cradled his daughter, gently swaying: "Be good, Tuan Tuan, don't cry; it's all Daddy's fault, don't cry."

Tuan Tuan, already tense all night in her father's warm embrace, was rocked by him and fell asleep.

The next day, the atmosphere in the Main Camp completely changed.

Everyone was bustling about, the air filled with the scent of sweat and rust.

Lu Qi took Tuan Tuan's hand and sat on a small stool outside the tent.

Zhang Wu'an strode past carrying a bundle of arrows, light on his feet; catching sight of her, he shouted at the top of his voice: "Miss! Wait! After this battle, Uncle will hunt you a stag and give you its antlers to make a rack for hair ornaments!"

His voice still lingered, but he was already gone.

Fang Qing briskly walked by, carrying two sets of repaired armor, nodded at Tuan Tuan, tried to force a smile but couldn't, so she just walked away with a stiff face.

Li Lao San swept in with a few soldiers like a gust of wind, saw Tuan Tuan, skidded to a halt, pulled a warm bun from his pocket and shoved it into her hand: "Miss, eat it while it's hot! After the battle I'll take you to dig sweet grass roots—far more fragrant than this!"

As Xiao Ran passed by, he ruffled Tuan Tuan's hair haphazardly: "Little one, be good. When Ninth Brother returns, I'll tell you the story of how he made the Emperor of Xia jump with rage."

Xiao Er and Xiao Ningxun walked over together.

Xiao Er said nothing, just stretched out his big hand, as usual, gently patted Tuan Tuan's head, then turned and strode away.

Lu Qi shouted: "Brother Xiao! I'll wait for you to come back so we can drink together!"

Xiao Er's steps paused, he didn't turn back: "Good!"

Tuan Tuan tugged at Xiao Ningxun's sleeve: "Third Brother, can't we avoid fighting?"

Xiao Ningxun crouched, pointing at the soldiers marching back and forth outside the tent: "Tuan Tuan, look at those uncles."

"Each of their homes has parents and children waiting for them to return."

"This battle before us is so that, in the future, the people of our Lie Kingdom can all enjoy family reunions."

Tuan Tuan nodded, understanding.

Xiao Ningxun pinched her cheek, rose, and hurried toward his father's large tent.

Lu Qi whispered: "Miss, let's go inside." He led Tuan Tuan back into the tent.

Tuan Tuan flung herself into Chu Yuan's embrace: "National Preceptor, Father will surely win, right?"

Chu Yuan stroked her head: "Yes, rest assured."

Finally, the day of battle arrived, at midnight.