Chapter 46: You

Tuan Tuan lifts her little hand to wipe Cheng Ru'an's tears: "Mother, don't cry; big brother will be fine."

Cheng Ru'an forces herself to suppress her emotions: "Alright, Mother, don't cry; we'll all wait together for big brother to get better."

Liu Muma, carrying the two brocade boxes on the carriage, entered and asked softly: "Princess Consort, may I seek your guidance? The little miss says the items in these two boxes were given by the Eldest Princess; where would it be appropriate to store them? This old servant dares not act on her own."

"Given by the Eldest Princess?" Everyone in the room lifted their heads and looked at the two boxes.

Cheng Ru'an, without further comment, said: "First, store them in the inner chamber of Jinglan Garden."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Wait a moment!" She hopped out of Cheng Ru'an's arms, ran to Liu Muma, and lifted the smaller box out.

The two brocade boxes, one large and one small, were instantly recognizable for what each contained.

She took out the small copper lamp and ran back to Cheng Ru'an's side: "Big brother, wake up quickly; Tuan Tuan has something good to show you. This is what we got today from the wicked sister!"

Her two little hands deftly opened the copper lamp and retrieved the huge night pearl.

In an instant, dazzling light burst throughout the room, and everyone stared in astonishment.

Tuan Tuan held the night pearl up to Xiao Ningyuan's face: "Big brother, open your eyes and look—does it look good?"

The crystal-clear glow of the night pearl enveloped Xiao Ningyuan's head, making his whole body appear as if transparent.

"Huh?" Guo Taiyi suddenly said: "Little miss, don't move; just keep holding it like that."

"What?" Cheng Ru'an recalled the delicate cleansing pearl and the bell for summoning the Gu Worm: "Could it be... that Ningyuan is saved?"

Guo Taiyi stared intently at Xiao Ningyuan, and after a moment said: "Am I the only one who sees the young master's skin turning darker underneath? Could it be that my old eyes have become dim?"

Prompted by his remark, everyone fixed their gaze and discovered that he was not mistaken: beneath Xiao Ningyuan's skin, a layer of black substance was slowly drifting, growing darker.

Not long after, Xiao Ningyuan's face, neck, hands, and every visible part turned from pallid to ash‑gray black.

"Big brother, why did you turn black?" Tuan Tuan asked curiously.

Xiao Yuanhang instructed: "Good girl, Tuan Tuan, just keep holding that pearl and don't move, absolutely don't move."

His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably; although his wife had once told him how Tuan Tuan saved him as if performing a miracle, seeing it with his own eyes was still his first time.

"Oh." Tuan Tuan replied, noting this was far easier than shaking the bell last time.

At this moment, the black layer on Xiao Ningyuan seemed guided by something, gradually converging onto his forehead, eventually forming a night‑black, ink‑drop‑sized spot directly opposite the night pearl in Tuan Tuan's hand.

The night pearl's brilliance grew even more dazzling; suddenly, the black spot burst apart, turning into countless threads of black vapor that spewed from beneath the skin, writhing and twisting, and were drawn into the radiant pearl!

As more and more black vapor was drawn out, Xiao Ningyuan's paper‑white complexion gradually showed a reddish flush.

Meanwhile, the night pearl, as more black vapor entered, gradually dimmed, as if veiled by a thin gauze, no longer so dazzling.

Tuan Tuan giggled: "The big pearl ate the bad stuff!"

Everyone held their breath and watched intently; though they couldn't grasp exactly what happened, they all vaguely understood that Tuan Tuan had once again saved the family.

The black vapor grew ever thinner, about to vanish, yet the final strand persisted, coiling between Xiao Ningyuan's forehead and the night pearl, writhing as if struggling desperately.

At that moment the night pearl's glow vanished entirely, and the last strand of black vapor suddenly changed direction like a released arrow, soaring over the crowd and striking precisely into Zhou Dahai's embrace.

"Don't look for me! Don't look for me!" Zhou Dahai realized, leapt up sharply, and turned to run outward.

Xiao Ningchen swiftly kicked out, tripping him to the ground, then lunged forward and tore open the clothing over his chest.

He saw the black vapor coiling tightly around a black porcelain bottle on his chest, gradually disappearing into the bottle.

This must be the most baffling proof in the world; Zhou Dahai lay limp on the ground, his face pallid, lacking even the strength to argue.

Xiao Ningchen raised his fist high, then suddenly halted, glancing at his sister; Xiao Ningxun hurried to the bedside, lifted her hand, and shielded Tuan Tuan's eyes.

"I can't see! Third Brother! Don't block me!" Tuan Tuan, one hand still holding the pearl, thrust her other hand forcefully at his palm that was covering her.

Xiao Ningchen hesitated for a moment, then lowered his fist and stood up.

Xiao Ningxun lowered her palm, and Tuan Tuan looked down at Zhou Dahai lying on the ground.

Zhou Dahai's face was ashen; he slowly lifted his head and met Xiao Yuanhang's gaze, which was a frozen, murderous intent.

Tuan Tuan understood: "Father! He's the villain who harmed big brother!"

Xiao Yuanhang stood up, scooped Tuan Tuan into his arms, and Tuan Tuan hurriedly pushed him: "Father! Grandpa hasn't said I can stop holding the pearl!"

Xiao Yuanhang tightened his arms and planted a hard kiss on his daughter's cheek: "No need! Put it away."

Guo Taiyi finally reacted, slapping his forehead: "It's all my fault! Such a sight stunned me, and I forgot to tell the little miss she could set it down."

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips: "You forgot to tell me again! I'm going to pull your beard!"

Guo Taiyi brushed his beard aside, handed it to her, and laughed heartily: "Alright, alright! Let the little miss pull!"

Tuan Tuan extended her little hand and gave a gentle tug: "There, I've pulled it!"

What a kind‑hearted child! Guo Taiyi said: "But I dare to ask, this pearl..."

Cheng Ru'an briefly recounted to everyone what had happened at today's True Reward Gathering.

"I see!" Guo Taiyi exclaimed: "The origin of this night pearl is so strange; no wonder it has such divine effects. That the little miss obtained this treasure is truly a remarkable blessing."

Cheng Ru'an still felt uneasy: "Guo Lao, please examine Ningyuan's pulse again; has all the poison been cleared? Ningyuan's body..."

Guo Taiyi hurriedly took a pulse pillow from the medicine box, placed Xiao Ningyuan's wrist on it, closed his eyes, and focused to diagnose.

After a while, he smiled faintly, opened his eyes and said: "Prince, Princess Consort, you need not worry further; the poison is gone, and I believe the young master will awaken soon."

Cheng Ru'an recalled that after the delicate cleansing pearl cleared her husband's poison, he still had to take medicine for a long time, and asked again: "Are you sure no other medicine is needed?"

Guo Taiyi smiled and shook his head: "No, it's already completely clean."

Upon hearing this, everyone brightened with joy; Xiao Yuanhang handed his daughter to his wife, sat upright, and said gravely: "Zhou Dahai."

Zhou Dahai shivered violently, lay on the ground, and kept kowtowing: "I deserve death! I deserve death! Prince, please spare me!"

"You truly deserve death, but you have served in the Prince's Mansion for many years, always loyal. Why did you turn malicious? Ningyuan has always treated you kindly; I want to know what grievance or hatred you hold against him that you would put him to death."