Chapter 62: Heavens, what a divine face!

On the way back to the mansion, the carriage passed through the bustling market; Tuan Tuan lay at the window, curiously looking around, her face full of excitement.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled: "An'er, you go back first; I'll take Tuan Tuan for a stroll."

Cheng Ru'an glanced at his daughter: "Fine, then I'll go back to the mansion first, and let Xiao Er follow you."

Xiao Yuanhang waved his hand: "No need, with me here, what guard do you need."

Cheng Ru'an also smiled: "Indeed."

Xiao Yuanhang lifted his daughter from the carriage and walked on Jingcheng's most bustling avenue.

Thus, everyone in Jingcheng saw this scene: the tall, mighty iron‑blooded war god Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang, carefully placing a delicately carved Xiao Tuanzi on his broad shoulder.

She let her little hand grip his Hair Crown to keep balance, her eyes full of indulgent affection, and his face wore the pride of "my daughter is the cutest in the world."

"Daddy, daddy! Cotton candy!" "Buy!"

"Daddy! Little pinwheel!" "Buy!"

"Daddy! That mask is so scary!"

"Scary? Then we won't, uh, buy it! Take it home to scare your third brother!"

"Alright, alright!"

Everyone who saw it was utterly shocked.

"Did I see wrong? Isn't that Prince Ning? Could the one on his shoulder be Princess Jiayou?"

"Who else could it be! Of course! Apart from Prince Ning's legitimate daughter, who else could he carry on his shoulder?"

"Wow, never thought the iron‑blood battlefield Prince Ning could be such a doting father! He spoils his daughter to this extent!"

Unwittingly, the father and daughter reached the Suijin Pavilion entrance, and Tuan Tuan sniffed: "Daddy, it smells so good!"

Xiao Yuanhang laughed loudly: "Come! Daddy will take you to eat something good!"

Prince Ning arrived; the manager Du Qing came personally to greet them and led the pair into a private room.

Just as the dishes were set, the door was silently pushed open.

A tall figure entered, features sharply chiseled, eyes jet‑black, spirit like a hawk, skin a few shades paler than ordinary people, aura strong and cold.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled faintly: "Wang Mingrui, you're here, sit."

Wang Mingrui, unreserved, sat directly at the table.

Tuan Tuan was stunned, seeing someone even more handsome than Daddy! The peanut she was trying to pick up with chopsticks fell back onto the plate with a clatter.

Wang Mingrui's gaze landed on her little face, a hint of smile flashing in his eyes. He then turned to Xiao Yuanhang: "You still have the leisure to enjoy family bliss here? The court and the army are in chaos ever since your recovery."

"Tuan Tuan, this is your Uncle Wang," Xiao Yuanhang said calmly.

"Uncle Wang, hello! I'm Tuan Tuan, why are you so good‑looking, just like someone from a painting!" Tuan Tuan tilted her little head, staring intently at Wang Mingrui's face. "My god, what a divine visage!"

Xiao Yuanhang pretended not to be quick: "More handsome than Daddy?"

Tuan Tuan immediately averted her gaze, slid off her stool, and ran into his arms: "Just as handsome as Daddy!"

Xiao Yuanhang laughed and pinched her little nose: "Little clever imp!"

Wang Mingrui pulled a letter from his coat and handed it to Xiao Yuanhang: "During your illness these past years, mountain strongholds in the army have risen everywhere; the situation has changed greatly. If you had stayed bedridden it would have been fine, but now that you have suddenly recovered, countless eyes are watching you."

"Now that you return to the court, this rotten debt in the army is a hot potato; someone is already hoping you'll take it over, and if any slip occurs, the leverage will be handed to them. Keep this for now; it may come in handy."

Xiao Yuanhang hummed, folding the letter away.

The atmosphere in the private room instantly grew heavy.

A tiny hand, clutching a piece of lotus‑flower pastry, trembled as it reached toward Wang Mingrui.

Tuan Tuan looked up, her big eyes sparkling: "Uncle Wang, you said so much, are you hungry? Here, this is for you, it's so sweet!"

Wang Mingrui's eternally unchanged cold expression cracked for a moment; he glanced at the snack in Tuan Tuan's hand, then at the sweet dimples on her face, and was at a loss.

Xiao Yuanhang, knowing he never ate sweets and wanting to amuse him, couldn't help laughing heartily: "My daughter cares for you, give it a try!"

Wang Mingrui, helplessly, reached out to take it.

He looked, still utterly sincere, staring intently at his own Xiao Tuanzi, realizing that if he didn't take a bite, the little girl wouldn't be satisfied, so he placed it to his lips and took a shallow bite.

"Is it sweet? Is it tasty?" Tuan Tuan quickly asked.

"Ugh… sweet, good!" Wang Mingrui whispered.

Tuan Tuan was delighted; the feeding succeeded! She fed such a handsome uncle!

Wang Mingrui looked at her: "So this is Princess Jiayou, the one from your family who won the snow ginseng for Ning Yuan and uncovered Xie Yunshu's golden hairpin child?"

"Yes! That's me! All of me!" Tuan Tuan, proud enough to want to wag her tail, wiggled her little body back and forth in Xiao Yuanhang's arms.

Her tiny hand lifted the prayer beads at her chest: "Today Taoist Priest grandpa also gave me this!"

Wang Mingrui instantly recognized it as the string of Star Constellation Flow Pearls that Master Xuanqing never parts with.

He glanced at Xiao Yuanhang, took from his coat a small, warm‑to‑the‑touch, jade‑white whistle, and placed it in Tuan Tuan's hand: "Since you ate my snack, consider this your return gift from uncle."

"Remember, if trouble arises, blow it forcefully; it might help you."

Tuan Tuan picked up the whistle, looked around curiously, then without thinking shoved it into her mouth and blew hard: "Puff!"

A clear, peculiar whistle rang through the entire Suijin Pavilion, startling everyone.

Immediately, at the window and doorway, two people rushed in, eyes wary of those inside.

Tuan Tuan's two little hands hurriedly covered her ears: "The sound is so loud!" She looked up at Daddy, freed a hand, and covered one of his ears.

"Eh, who are you? Are you hungry too?"

Wang Mingrui couldn't help rubbing his forehead: "I didn't mean for you to blow now, but when you need help, blow it… Fine, now my men all recognize this sound and you."

He waved his hand; the two newcomers saluted him and, with a swoosh, left the way they came.

Xiao Yuanhang, dotingly patting his daughter's head, said: "Keep this Jade Bone Whistle safe, and remember Uncle Wang's words—blow it when you need help."

"Mm‑hm! I understand! Thank you, Uncle Wang!"

Wang Mingrui didn't linger; he rose and took his leave.

After a meal that made Tuan Tuan's belly round, the father and daughter simply strolled back to the Prince's Mansion, counting it as a digestive walk.

Just after turning a street corner, an extremely excited shout rang out: "Alliance Leader! Little Alliance Leader!"