Chapter 63: Is This a Sugar‑Bean Split?

Lu Qingjia, like a wild horse breaking its reins, burst out of a jewelry shop by the road and rushed straight toward Tuan Tuan.

He was so excited his face turned red: "Alliance Leader! I've heard about you! You're amazing! Take that stinky kid Lv Zheng…"

Before he could finish, his mother Meng Xin, who arrived shortly after, grabbed his ear and pulled him aside: "Stinky kid! How many times have I told you not to shout loudly on the street! What decorum!"

Lu Qingjia stepped back behind her, made a funny face at Tuan Tuan, and Tuan Tuan let out a giggle.

Meng Xin looked up, instantly spotted Xiao Yuanhang and the little Xiao Tuanzi perched on his shoulder, changed expression, and smiled: "My son is at a loss, making Prince look embarrassed. Prince, what is this?"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled: "Taking my daughter out for a stroll."

Meng Xin said: "This must be Princess Jiayou, right? Indeed, Jade Snow is lovely." She then pulled out a tiny brocade box and handed it to Xiao Yuanhang: "I just bought this small jade pendant; please accept it, Prince, and give it to the Princess to play with—consider it my greeting gift."

Xiao Yuanhang took it: "Tuan Tuan, thank you, Madam Meng."

Tuan Tuan dutifully said: "Thank you, Madam Meng, for the gift." Suddenly recalling Wang Mingrui earlier, she took her snack and returned a little whistle as a token.

"But what should I give in return… I can't give the treasure in the embroidered pouch, so I'll give this!"

She took off the rosary around her chest and handed it to her father: "Dad! Help me open this."

Xiao Yuanhang was startled, not understanding what she wanted, but it didn't matter; as long as his daughter wanted it, he would help.

So, with a big pull, the rosary's string snapped in two; he carefully used his large hands to hold both ends, preventing the beads from scattering, and held it up before his daughter: "What are you doing, Tuan Tuan?"

Tuan Tuan gingerly took one end, pulled a bead from the top, and stretched her little hand toward Meng Xin: "You are Lu Er's mother, and you gave me a jade pendant; here, this is for you, my return gift!"

Meng Xin saw the rosary clearly, her soul nearly fled in fright: "Not allowed! Princess! Absolutely not! These are True Immortal Xuanqing's Star Constellation Flow Pearls!" Each one is priceless; is this little brat treating it like candy?!

Xiao Yuanhang retied the two rope ends, slipped them into his chest: "Dad will go back and get you a sturdy string." Then he glanced at Meng Xin: "Since the child is willing, Madam Meng, you may accept it."

Meng Xin could only accept: "This is truly precious, thank you, Prince, thank you, Princess."

Xiao Yuanhang beamed with pride: "Indeed, my daughter lives up to herself! Such a grand gesture!"

The father and daughter turned and left.

Lu Qingjia boasted: "How about it, Mother? I recognize this little Alliance Leader, impressive, right!"

Meng Xin watched their receding backs: "This Little Princess is truly extraordinary."

The father and daughter continued strolling toward Prince's Mansion and met Xiao Ningxun coming face to face.

"Third Brother!" Tuan Tuan shouted happily: "Are you coming to play with me too?"

Xiao Ningxun smiled gently at his sister: "Tuan Tuan, you're sitting so high!"

Then he looked at Xiao Yuanhang, his expression turning serious: "Father, the Minister of War has been waiting in the mansion for a long time."

Xiao Yuanhang hummed: "Tuan Tuan, let's go home."

Tuan Tuan's little face drooped, she bent her waist, hugged his head, muttering: "I still want to play a bit longer."

Xiao Ningxun said softly: "Be good, Tuan Tuan, let Third Brother play with you, okay?"

Tuan Tuan clutched Xiao Yuanhang's big head without letting go: "I want Dad and Third Brother to play with me together."

Xiao Yuanhang crouched: "Good girl, go play with your Third Brother for a while; Dad will go back to the mansion to check, and if nothing comes up, Dad will return right away to find you."

Only then did Tuan Tuan release him, but still reluctant: "Then Dad, come find us quickly."

Xiao Yuanhang stood up, patted her little head: "Alright!" He looked up at his son: "Don't go far, return to the mansion early, watch your sister carefully, don't let her run around."

Xiao Ningxun nodded, took his sister's hand: "Father, rest assured." Xiao Yuanhang looked at Tuan Tuan reluctantly, then turned and walked away briskly.

The siblings walked, paused, and suddenly a melody drifted from the street‑side "Qingyin Hall"; Tuan Tuan pointed a small hand: "Third Brother, I want to go there!"

"Alright." The two walked in together.

Qingyin Hall is a very famous instrument shop in Jingcheng; its interior is elegant, the four walls adorned with various seven-stringed zither, Chinese zither, and lute, the air scented faintly with pine and lacquer, and many celebrities and refined scholars often come here to select and purchase instruments.

At this moment, everyone's gaze in the shop focused on a young woman dressed in a goose‑yellow cloud‑brocade skirt, her head adorned with a pearl dangling hairpin.

She sat poised before a guqin, slender fingers lightly plucking; a piece of "High Mountains and Flowing Water" streamed from her fingertips, her posture dignified, the melody graceful, and beside her stood an older woman, her eyes unmistakably proud.

All around, everyone closed their eyes to listen, faces intoxicated.

When the piece ended, words of praise rang on without cease.

Sister Zhou's zither skill is truly becoming ever more proficient!

This piece's artistic conception is distant and profound; only someone with a temperament like the young lady's could interpret it.

Such zither skill must be the result of hard work!

Tuan Tuan tugged at Xiao Ningxun's sleeve; Xiao Ningxun immediately crouched down: "Third Brother, who is that?"

The concubine-born daughter of the Jinghai Marquis's Manor, Zhou Yuwei, and her aunt Han Xueling.

Third Brother, do you know them?

We have only met before; the Jinghai Marquis's Manor and our Ning Prince's Mansion usually have little interaction.

Oh. Third Brother, I want to see that! Tuan Tuan pointed at the small moon lute hanging on the wall.

Xiao Ningxun hurriedly picked her up, walked to the wall, lifted her small body, so she could reach it.

Zhou Yuwei noticed them; at this moment, only two people in the room had not praised her.

Who doesn't know that the Third Young Master of the Ning Prince's Mansion is a mute who can't speak? No wonder he doesn't open his mouth, can't speak, and can't even nod?

The one he brings must be the legitimate daughter of the Ning Prince's Mansion, what legitimate daughter! A country bumpkin sent away to be raised since birth!

She was displeased; seeing Tuan Tuan stretch out her little hand to reach the moon lute on the wall, she snorted: "Little sister, musical instruments are not toys; don't touch them recklessly—coarse people should stay away from these refined instruments."

Xiao Ningxun's face darkened; just as he was about to speak, Tuan Tuan's hand had already touched the moon lute, and she curiously extended her little finger to lightly pluck the strings.

A few clear, ethereal notes, pure without any impurity, suddenly rang out, like mountain spring water dripping onto jade, exquisite to the utmost.

The bamboo curtain was lifted slightly, and a middle-aged man walked out from the inner chamber of the Qingyin Hall.

His visage was gaunt, his long hair hanging down. He wore a loose, gray hemp robe, very casual, with no sash tied at his waist, only loosely gathered, making his tall, slender frame appear even more so, bearing an air of unrestrained freedom.

Everyone in the room rose: "Master Ziya!"

He gave a slight nod: "Who played the zither just now?"

Zhou Yuwei's cheeks flushed slightly, showing embarrassment: "It was I who played."

Han Xueling hurriedly interjected: "I was merely in a fleeting mood and lightly played a tune; I never expected it could reach Master Zhong's ear—truly my good fortune."

Zhong Ziya glanced at the guqin before Zhou Yuwei: "No, it's not a guqin, but the sound of a moon lute."

Han Xueling's complexion changed abruptly, and Zhou Yuwei's shyness instantly froze on her face.