Chapter 432: I'm waiting for him to come over

Xiao Yuanhang's heart jolted: "Where is he?"

"In the tent to the east!"

Xiao Yuanhang ran to his son's bedside.

Xiao Ningxun lay on a crude camp bed, his face flushed with abnormal redness, lips chapped, forehead covered in cold sweat.

His consciousness was somewhat blurred; after glancing at his father, he closed his eyes again.

Xiao Yuanhang's voice was especially low: "How is he now?"

The old army doctor kept shaking his head: "The illness is fierce; based on these days' experience, in at most five days, at least three, he will…… die of high fever."

Xiao Yuanhang felt a great pain in his heart.

This is his son, the most clever and meticulous in mind, still in his youth!

He placed his hand on his son's pulse; the beat under his fingertips was astonishingly rapid, yet feeble and insubstantial.

Xiao Yuanhang leaned down and called him: "Xun Er."

Xiao Ningxun's eyelids twitched a few times; he forced open a slit, his unfocused gaze landing on his father's face.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but suddenly turned his head and began coughing violently, his back arching, coughing until it felt like his heart and lungs were being torn apart.

Xiao Yuanhang grabbed him, his palm scorching hot.

The army doctor hurried forward, using a wooden basin to catch what he coughed up, inside mixed with striking streaks of blood.

"Your Highness," the army doctor's voice trembled, "the Third Prince's condition is worse than that of the soldiers before."

Xiao Yuanhang slowly straightened, looked at his son for a moment, then turned and walked out of the tent.

Outside the tent, the sky was overcast, the wind blowing sand and dust with a hint of burnt smell.

That was the smell of burning the bodies and belongings of the sick.

"Come here!"

"Here!"

"Pass the order! Immediately send the Princess Consort, the Commandery Princess, Grandma Liu, and Consort Yun and her child out of the camp through the back gate of the main camp!"

"Xiao Er and Lu Qi will escort them, and a detachment of personal guards will follow; there must be no mistake."

"Yes!"

Soon, the carriage was ready; Grandma Liu and Gongsun Yue and his mother boarded it.

Cheng Ru'an took Tuan Tuan's hand and stood beside the carriage.

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningyuan stood inside the main camp, several dozen steps from the carriage.

Their faces were covered with thick cloths, only their eyes exposed.

"Tuan Tuan," Xiao Ningchen said, his voice a little hoarse, "go play for a few days, listen to your mother. When the illness passes, Second Brother will come fetch you."

Xiao Ningyuan also shouted: "Tuan Tuan! When you return, Elder Brother will keep you company and play properly!"

Xiao Yuanhang waved at her.

Tuan Tuan, beyond the gate, looked at her father, then at Second Brother and Elder Brother, looking around: "Where is Third Brother?"

The surroundings fell silent for a moment.

Xiao Ningchen said: "Your third brother…… has many duties in the camp, he can't leave."

"No way." Tuan Tuan shook her head: "Even if Third Brother is busy, he'll come see me off."

She gazed at her two brothers with clear, big eyes: "I'm waiting for him to come over!"

Xiao Ningchen's Adam's apple rolled as he turned his face away.

Xiao Ningyuan lightly inhaled, pondering how to coax his sister away.

Cheng Ru'an looked at her husband doubtfully; she saw him directing an extremely slight shake of his head toward her.

Cheng Ru'an's fingers clenched tightly at her skirt: "Xun Er? Is he also sick?"

She quickly suppressed her panic, crouched, embraced her daughter, and spoke as gently as possible: "Tuan Tuan, be good; Third Brother is very busy."

"Let's go first, don't delay his important affairs, alright?"

Tuan Tuan was held in her arms, her small face buried in her shoulder.

After a while, her muffled voice came out: "Mother, is Third Brother also ill?"

Cheng Ru'an stiffened all over.

Tuan Tuan lifted her head, her eye rims red: "Father sent me away, the brothers don't hug me, Third Brother hasn't come—he must be sick too, right? Mother, is this illness really serious?"

Xiao Yuanhang stepped forward a few paces: "Tuan Tuan, listen, go with your mother."

Tuan Tuan looked at him, tears swirling in her eyes: "Father! Where is Third Brother? I want Third Brother!"

Xiao Yuanhang's voice was deep and steady: "Be good, don't worry, your third brother will be fine."

Tuan Tuan quietly gazed at the three people standing far away, her voice trembling: "Will I still be able to see Third Brother?"

Xiao Ningchen suddenly turned his head.

Xiao Ningyuan closed his eyes.

Xiao Yuanhang fell silent for a moment: "Of course you will; go stay a few days outside, and when you return you'll see him."

Tuan Tuan's tears finally fell, and Cheng Ru'an held her tightly, feeling immense heartache.

Suddenly, Tuan Tuan shouted loudly: "Father! Tell Third Brother I'm going to find something that can cure the illness! Let him wait for me to return!"

The three father and son were all stunned.

After saying that, Tuan Tuan broke free from her mother's embrace, turned and lunged toward Xiao Er: "Uncle Er! Let's hurry! Let's go find Uncle Xie and Old Grandfather!"

Xiao Er caught her in one swift motion: "All right! Uncle Er will take you!" and placed her on Red Cloud's back.

"Brother Lu! Let's go!"

"Okay!"

Xiao Er swung onto his horse, turned back and shouted loudly: "Prince! I will follow the miss!"

Lu Qi leapt onto the horseback, and the two swift horses rose in dust and sped away.

"Tuan Tuan!" Cheng Ru'an cried out in shock.

Xiao Yuanhang stood ramrod straight, watching his daughter's shrinking silhouette: "Let her go!"

The wind kicked up layers of sand, blurring that small figure.

"Father?" Xiao Ningyuan was very worried.

Xiao Ningchen was frantic: "This is an epidemic! Father!"

"What can Tuan Tuan do? Even if her fortune is astonishing, with so many people ill, could she possibly conjure up a few pounds of miraculous elixir?"

Xiao Yuanhang sighed: "If we don't let her go, and if Xun Er truly meets with misfortune, she will only grieve more."

The two brothers lowered their heads silently.

The three came to the woods where they first met the horse band.

Tuan Tuan took out a bone whistle, drew a deep breath, brought it to her lips, and blew hard.

"Whoo—pfft! Whoosh—dit!"

It was still her unique, chaotic tune.

This time, the response came swiftly and in unison.

"Chirp—!"

"dit-dit—snap!"

Whistles rang from all directions; soon, hoofbeats drew near.

The leader was still the scar-faced man; he reined in his horse, and upon seeing Tuan Tuan he broke into a wide grin: "Little ancestor, why have you come back again? Want to thank the chief?"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi clasped their fists in salute to the horse band's brothers.

Tuan Tuan asked: "Uncle! Where is Uncle Xie? Where is Grandfather?"

"The chief went out to buy provisions for you!" the scar-faced man saw her tense little face and immediately wiped his smile, "Elder Xuan has returned—he's in the warehouse you visited last time."

"Uncle, will you take me there?"

The scar-faced man said nothing, turned his horse: "Follow me!"

In the warehouse courtyard, Xuan Fu Weng sat on a rattan chair, playing with a string of Gobi stones.

Tuan Tuan rushed over: "Grandfather!"

Xuan Fu Weng heard the movement, lifted his head, eyes suddenly brightening: "Tuan Tuan?"

Tuan Tuan flung herself into his arms, wailing: "Grandfather! My Third Brother is ill, so many uncles are ill!"

"Father won't let me and Mother live in the Main Camp, waa..."

Xuan Fu Weng gently patted her back: "Don't cry, don't cry, this is a huge matter—Grandfather will bear it for you! If I can't, there's still your Uncle Xie."