Chapter 52: Thank You, Big Bird!

Xiao Ningxun leans down and lifts Tuan Tuan, their face darkening: "Huo Wenxuan! Don't think that just because you grew up beside Eldest Princess since childhood you can bully my sister!"

Huo Wenxuan twitches the corner of her mouth.

"And you! Lv Qianru! My sister is now Princess Jiayou; what status do you have? How can you come and lecture me?"

The youth in a blue brocade robe immediately retorts: "Xiao Ningxun! What status do you claim! How dare you speak to Miss Huo Wenxuan like that? Which line did my sister say wrong? Isn't she the one taken from the countryside?"

Tuan Tuan clutches her brother's neck and asks softly: "Third Brother, who are they?"

Xiao Ningxun whispers to her: "The one in yellow is Huo Wenxuan, a member of the Prince Consort's family, Eldest Princess's niece, who grew up by Eldest Princess. The other two are siblings, Lv Zheng and Lv Qianru, who follow Huo Wenxuan all day as her little followers."

Eldest Princess's niece? Imperial Aunt's family? Tuan Tuan is a bit confused—why does she get angry when she sees me? Her face is twisted with anger.

While speaking, the three have already walked to them; several people stare at each other, none yielding.

Lv Zheng sizes up Xiao Ningxun: "What? You want to rely on having an elder brother protect you again and beat me up? Today there's only you, it's not that cheap!"

Tuan Tuan hears that the one beaten by her own brother and immediately gets interested: "Third Brother! You beat him! Why?"

Xiao Ningxun shows a smile: "It's a thing from childhood; back then he saw a little dog outside a shop on the street and kicked it, second brother wouldn't let him bully the dog, he wouldn't listen, so I and second brother gave him a beating."

Tuan Tuan claps her little hands: "Well done! Well done! People who bully dogs should be beaten!"

Lv Zheng glares at Tuan Tuan, his face flushed bright red: "That dog blocked my way! On what grounds can't I kick it! I want you two to meddle!"

Xiao Ningxun sneers: "Oh? That's someone's guard dog, tied with a rope outside the gate; you just attract dislike, that's why it doesn't block others, only comes to block you?"

"You!" Lv Zheng still hardens his mouth, finding an excuse for his beating: "Isn't it because you two are together! Bullying me alone! But you also got your comeuppance."

Suddenly, he recovers: "Huh, when did your tongue become so slick? You used not to speak like this in front of people, couldn't even finish a sentence."

Lv Qianru's eyes flash: "A few days ago I vaguely heard someone say Xiao Ningxun can speak now. Seeing today, indeed, not only can speak, but also twist black and white. But Xiao Ningchen is still leaning on someone to walk, right!"

Xiao Ningxun smiles: "You two are ignorant; my second brother's leg is already healed, Lv Zheng, you'd better be careful, his temper isn't as good as mine, his martial skill is high, not like when he was a child. Let him know you bullied Tuan Tuan, beware he might beat you again!"

Huo Wenxuan suddenly interjects: "Really? Are you all fine?"

Xiao Ningxun smiles at his sister: "That's because we have Tuan Tuan, the little lucky star!"

Hearing brother praise herself, Tuan Tuan happily lifts her little face and rubs against his face.

Huo Wenxuan looks at Tuan Tuan, face gloomy: "Little lucky star! Hmph! Aunt Eldest Princess also calls her that."

"A country girl! How can I be on equal footing to call Aunt Imperial Aunt? It's simply laughable! Only I can be the treasured pearl by Aunt's side! I am Aunt's sole beloved!"

Mother said, I, of the Huo family, have only Aunt as my support; I must never let her share even a morsel of Aunt's affection!

Xiao Ningxun watches Huo Wenxuan from the corner of his eye, instinctively sensing this pampered miss's hostility toward his sister, not wanting to tangle further: "Let's go, Tuan Tuan, brother will take you to find mother."

After speaking, he picks up Tuan Tuan and walks into the temple.

Huo Wenxuan hums: "We should also go in to offer incense and pray."

She walks at the front, Lv Zheng and Lv Qianru on left and right protect her in the middle, servants follow, and the group heads toward the main hall.

Inside Xuanqiong Temple, ancient trees tower, serene and quiet.

A thousand‑year‑old ancient pine whose crown spreads like clouds stands majestically outside the main hall; high in its canopy a delicate crane nest is faintly visible, two snow‑white, graceful celestial cranes lie within, resting.

Beneath the pine, stone tables and stools sit, moss‑stained, elegant and quiet.

Xiao Ningxun places Tuan Tuan beside the stone stool: "Tuan Tuan, tired? Sit for a while; mother is inside, we'll wait here for her to come out."

Huo Wenxuan steps forward a few paces, comes to the two, forces a faint affectionate smile, extends a hand as if to brush dust off Tuan Tuan's shoulder: "Princess Jiayou, your outfit is truly beautiful, why is there dust here?"

Xiao Ningxun looks at her in surprise: clearly doesn't like his sister, what's this now?

He doesn't see that Huo Wenxuan's lowered eyes are sliding with a hint of malice.

Her hand tilts slightly, applying hidden force, trying to push Tuan Tuan toward the slippery stone stool: "The stone is so hard, may it crush you!"

Just as her fingertip is about to touch Tuan Tuan's shoulder,

a mountain wind whistles by, shaking pine needles.

Only a faint "crack" is heard overhead, a branch about a foot long breaks off from the crane nest high up, falling straight toward Tuan Tuan's head.

"Tuan Tuan, careful!" Cheng Ru'an shouts.

Just then Taoist Priest Xuanqing and Cheng Ru'an were walking out toward the main hall entrance, witnessing the scene.

Huo Wenxuan looks up, withdraws her hand, steps back a few paces, a smile at the corner of her lips, truly heaven has eyes, better to smash her, so her hands stay clean.

Xiao Ningxun is watching Huo Wenxuan; when he notices her expression off, raises his head but it's already too late to react.

In an instant, the celestial crane resting on the tree suddenly emits a clear, resonant long call, snow‑white wings flare, its body streaks down like a white lightning bolt!

Just as the branch is less than six inches above Tuan Tuan's head, the crane's long neck probes, its beak like a golden hook, precisely snatches the branch in one bite!

"Huh—" Cheng Ru'an pats his chest: "May ancestors protect!"

He then turns, looks at Taoist Priest Xuanqing: "That crane is so spiritually attuned! No wonder it's been in the temple so long!"

Taoist Priest Xuanqing stares at Tuan Tuan, eyes flickering.

Xiao Ningxun feels a wave of fear, scoops Tuan Tuan up: "Are you okay, Tuan Tuan? You scared brother."

"I'm fine! Third Brother, don't be afraid." Tuan Tuan imitates mother's comforting tone, gently pats his head.

The others, seeing this, can't help murmuring.

"That little girl really has luck, a branch that big falling from high! If it hit her head, she'd be dead or wounded! Yet a celestial crane saved her!"

"Indeed! Unheard of!"

"No wonder that young master earlier said she's a little lucky star!"

"You didn't know? Eldest Princess also said that! Even granted her to call Imperial Aunt!"

"Is that so? No wonder she won Eldest Princess's favor, truly a little lucky star!"

Huo Wenxuan hears these whispers, her face darkens.

Lv Qianru keeps staring at her expression, instantly sees her deep displeasure, quickly turns and shouts: "Everyone shut up!"

The servants hurriedly seal their mouths, each like a cold frog.

After comforting brother, Tuan Tuan lifts her little head, her jet‑black eyes show no fear, instead excitedly raises her tiny hand, waving at the crane repeatedly: "Thank you, big bird!"

The immortal crane still held that dry branch in its beak, circling in the air; upon hearing Tuan Tuan's voice, it seemed to respond to her, letting out another long cry, swooping low over everyone's heads, and its beak suddenly loosened.

That dry branch, together with the speck of mud stuck to its beak, fell squarely with a pat, landing entirely on Huo Wenxuan's immaculately combed hair bun and her costly gold-thread apricot-yellow satin robe.

The dry branch then rolled onto the ground, and several drops of mud dripped from her hair bun onto the moon-white collar, spreading outward, especially glaring.

Huo Wenxuan only felt a heaviness on her head, then a chill on her neck.

She instinctively raised a hand to touch it, her whole body stiffening; the color drained from her face in an instant, then flushed crimson with shame and anger.

"Ah——!" a sharp, off-key scream shattered the tranquility of the Daoist temple.

"My hair! My clothes! This damned beast!!"