Chapter 650: It Must Be Nearby

Chu Yuan was sitting in the front hall drinking tea when a junior Taoist entered to report, "Master, people have arrived outside, saying they are here to search the residence for Da Xia spies."

Chu Yuan set down his tea cup and said, "Open the door and let them in."

"Yes."

The gate of the Guoshi Residence swung open, and a squad of soldiers marched in.

The leading officer, not daring to act rashly, bowed to Chu Yuan and said, "National Preceptor, I act on the Regent King's order to search for Da Xia spies; please forgive me, sir."

Chu Yuan waved his hand and replied, "No problem."

The soldiers began a careful search inside the residence, handling everything lightly and not daring to be too rough.

In the secret room, Xiao Feifei, who was dozing in Tuan Tuan's arms, suddenly lifted its head, its eyes wide open.

"Xiao Feifei, aren't you sleeping?" Tuan Tuan patted its little head and asked, "Are you hungry?"

Xiao Feifei tilted its head and blinked.

Tuan Tuan laughed, "Do you want to go out and play? I want to too! But there are many villains outside, so we can't go out now."

Xiao Feifei leapt suddenly from her arms onto the floor, its four short legs scrambling wildly as it ran toward the exit of the secret room.

"Where are you going?" Tuan Tuan hurried after, "Xiao Feifei! Wait for me!"

Xiao Er took a few quick steps forward and lifted Xiao Feifei up.

"Ying ying ying—" Xiao Feifei cried sharply, suspended in the air, its little legs still kicking.

Lu Qi looked puzzled and asked, "What's wrong with it?"

Eunuch Cheng replied, "Is it hungry?"

He hurriedly handed the plate of meat strips to Tuan Tuan, "Little Princess, feed it a bit."

Xiao Er placed Xiao Feifei back into Tuan Tuan's arms, but Xiao Feifei leapt out again, sprinting a few steps out of the secret room onto the stone steps.

"Xiao Feifei!" Tuan Tuan chased after it.

Xiao Er frowned and took long strides to follow.

Xiao Ningyuan shouted urgently, "Xiao Er, don't let them out!"

"Got it, young master!"

"Xiao Feifei seems a bit off," Lu Qi said, frowning, standing up and following out, "I'll go take a look too."

Xiao Feifei dashed to the end of the hidden passage, stood upright, and rapidly scratched the entrance of the passage with its two little front paws.

Xiao Er lifted it again and placed it back into Tuan Tuan's arms, but before Tuan Tuan could hold it steady, Xiao Feifei slipped away again, continuing to scratch the door.

Tuan Tuan understood, "Uncle Xiao Er, it wants to go out; open the door for it."

Xiao Er shook his head, "Miss, we don't even know if there are any bystanders outside right now."

"Didn't the National Preceptor say we should stay here for a while and not go out?"

"I won't go out," Tuan Tuan said tenderly, looking at Xiao Feifei, "Uncle Xiao Er, let it out."

"Xiao Feifei is clever; if it wants to go out, it must have somewhere it wants to go."

Lu Qi hurried over, "Miss, if it doesn't come back, you'll be sad."

Tuan Tuan crouched and patted Xiao Feifei's head, "It's okay, Uncle Lu Qi, as long as Xiao Feifei is happy."

Xiao Er felt a sudden pang of tenderness in his heart.

Lu Qi's expression softened, "Brother Xiao, since Miss says so, let Xiao Feifei go out."

Tuan Tuan held Xiao Feifei, "There are many bad people outside, Xiao Feifei; you must be very careful!"

"If you get hungry, come back quickly; I'm waiting for you!"

"Ying ying ying." Xiao Feifei cooed, rubbing its face against hers and flicking its little tongue to lick her hand.

Xiao Er said, "Xiao Feifei, stay quiet; I'll check if anyone's outside first."

Xiao Feifei obediently closed its mouth.

Xiao Er gently pushed the hidden passage door open a crack and peeked out.

Outside was silent and empty, but faintly the sounds from the front hall could be heard as a bit noisy.

He sighed, widened the crack enough for Xiao Feifei to slip out, and said softly, "Go, and come back early."

Tuan Tuan kissed Xiao Feifei's little snout, "Please don't let the bad guys bully you!" she said, then released her arms.

Xiao Feifei whooshed out.

Tuan Tuan watched it leap through the star‑studded quiet chamber toward the main door, and her vision instantly blurred.

Xiao Er shut the door, and Lu Qi scooped up Tuan Tuan; the three turned and returned to the secret room.

Xiao Ningyuan craned his neck and stared behind the three for a while, "Where's Xiao Feifei?"

Tuan Tuan clutched Lu Qi's neck tightly, couldn't hold back any longer, "Waa—" she burst into tears: "It, it's gone!"

Feng Zhou looked surprised, "Gone? Where did it go?"

"I don't know!" Tuan Tuan sobbed, her cries choked, while Lu Qi felt deeply pained, gently patting her small back.

Xiao Er pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from Tuan Tuan's face, "Xiao Feifei kept scratching the door, insisting on going out; Miss, you let it leave."

Eunuch Cheng hurriedly hid the plate of meat strips he had just taken out for Xiao Feifei on a chair, fearing Tuan Tuan would see it and be even more upset.

"Good girl, Tuan Tuan," Xiao Ningyuan walked to Lu Qi's front, took his sister in his arms, "Xiao Feifei is doing great now; you really don't need to worry about it."

Feng Zhou hurriedly interjected, "Exactly! Little Alliance Leader, Xiao Feifei saved my life; it's not ordinary at all!"

Xiao Ningyuan gently rocked his sister in his arms, "My guess is it got too bored here, went for a stroll, and will come back."

"Really?" Tuan Tuan sniffed, lifting her head, "Will it come back?"

"Um," Xiao Ningyuan hesitated, unable to say it would, yet not wanting to say it wouldn't, he stalled.

"Little Princess, Xiao Feifei is a sentient one," Eunuch Cheng walked over, "the old servant thinks, when it's time to return, it will return."

"Then, old man, what does 'the time to return' mean?"

Eunuch Cheng choked; how could I possibly know!

Xiao Er's mind sparked: "By the way! Miss, do you still remember the gray fox outside the Main Camp?"

"Xiao Feifei must have smelled other foxes, so it was so eager to run out and look for them."

Tuan Tuan remembered: "Oh, that ugly and stupid fox!"

"Exactly! Xiao Feifei must have found one that's good‑looking and clever, so it chased after it." Xiao Er patted Lu Qi's shoulder, "Right, Brother Lu?"

Lu Qi hurriedly nodded: "That's right! Who knows, when it comes back it might even bring a whole litter of little foxes!"

Tuan Tuan thought about it and said that would be fine; later there would be a bunch of white little foxes surrounding me.

She broke into a smile through her tears: "Then I'll wait for it to bring back a bunch of little fur balls!"

The adults, seeing this, all sighed in relief; finally they had pacified it.

On the street outside Guoshi Residence.

Cheng Jing's carriage circled Guoshi Residence twice in full, then stopped again at the gate.

"Cheng Lang, shall we go around once more?" Liu Guiyan asked softly.

Cheng Jing stared intently at Guoshi Residence's main gate: "No, help me get in."

Liu Guiyan startled: "Cheng Lang, have you found it?"

Cheng Jing nodded slightly: "Mother Gu has moved; that Gu Worm must be nearby!"