Chapter 69

Before joining the army, I used to mine in my hometown; this is iron ore! And looking at its quality, it's top-grade!

He jerked his head around, looking at the pond and the winding stream upstream, his voice trembling: "We, we have been stationed here for years; by this pond, brothers have come and gone to fetch water and water the horses countless times! Yet we never, never discovered..."

Tuan Tuan looked at them curiously: "What's wrong with this rock, Dad? Uncle Zhang, do you still want it?" She pointed back with her hand: "I've also picked up a lot!"

Zhang Wu'an gazed at her, his eyes full of astonishment and awe: "Miss! Miss, you are... an auspicious omen!"

"Heaven blesses our army! Heaven blesses the Prince! Miss, you truly are the Prince's lucky star, the lucky star of us all!"

Tuan Tuan didn't understand what had happened, but hearing she was called a lucky star, she instantly brightened: "Tuan Tuan found a treasure! Right? Dad? Right? Uncle Zhang?"

"Exactly, exactly! You found a treasure! A great treasure!" Zhang Wu'an repeatedly agreed.

Xiao Ningchen also came over: "Father, what is this?"

"Ning'er, take Tuan Tuan to skip stones again; I have something to say to you, Uncle Zhang."

"Hmm." Xiao Ningchen understood it must be important, so he turned and took Tuan Tuan to continue playing by the pond.

Xiao Yuanhang's heart surged; iron ore! That's crucial for forging swords and armor, expanding the army!

If the deposit is sufficient, we could forge countless sturdy armor and sharp blades, equipping a massive new army!

By then, not only securing the borders, but if any future foreign invaders dare trespass our territory, our great army's iron hooves will sweep all before them, ensuring they never return, forging a hundred years of peace for our land!

He suppressed the surging emotions in his chest, his gaze sharp as he scanned the surroundings—no one else around—and spoke in a low voice: "Wu'an."

"I am here!" Zhang Wu'an immediately clasped his fists, his expression solemn.

"Today's matter is known only to you, me, and Ning'er. Starting today, you shall personally lead men, following this stream, to conduct secret prospecting. Before confirming the scale of the vein and making thorough preparations, you must not leak a whisper!"

"I understand!" Zhang Wu'an, long accustomed to military life, knowing this is of great importance, said: "Prince, rest assured; if a single word leaks from me, I will offer my head!"

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, gazing at the exuberant daughter playing by the pond with her son, and sighed softly: "Tuan Tuan, you have given your father a tremendous gift."

That evening, the father and daughter trio returned to the Prince's Mansion.

Cheng Ru'an, hearing her son recount what happened at the camp, felt a bit reproachful: "Your Highness! Tuan Tuan is still too young; that sort of place is no fit for her—better not bring her again."

Seeing his wife's reproach, Xiao Yuanhang gave an embarrassed smile: "All right, I know; from now on I'll bring her less."

But in his heart he didn't agree; Tuan Tuan isn't that timid! Besides, if we hadn't brought her today, how would we have discovered the iron ore?

Yet he didn't argue with his wife—harmony in the family brings prosperity!

The next morning, Xiao Ningchen went to the camp.

Having learned of the iron ore from his father the night before, he brought a cart of food and supplies, pretending to visit his father's old troops in the camp, actually providing Zhang Wu'an with a pretext to play along while he prospected for the vein.

Xiao Yuanhang went to the Ministry of War and recorded yesterday's drill on file.

Tuan Tuan opened her eyes to find her father and three brothers absent from home, feeling glum: "Where did everyone go? No one to play with me."

Cheng Ru'an saw her drooping little head and understood what she was thinking.

"Tuan Tuan, do you want to see your third brother? Let's bring some snacks to the academy and check on him, okay?"

Upon hearing she could see Xiao Ningxun, Tuan Tuan perked up: "Yeah! Yeah! Mom! Let's go get snacks from the snack lady, then go see Third Brother!"

Cheng Ru'an laughed: "Fine! But take only a little—don't take too much."

"Mm-hmm!"

Mother and daughter arrived at Qiaosu Pavilion; seeing the Little Princess, the staff said nothing and simply packed a set of all the pastries onto their carriage.

Cheng Ru'an repeatedly declined: "No need, really no need; two kinds are enough."

But the staff said: "Our boss instructed that whenever the Little Princess visits, we must pack everything for her; Princess Consort, please don't stand on ceremony."

Tuan Tuan happily thanked: "Thank you, snack lady!"

Cheng Ru'an helplessly shook her head, having no choice, thanked them, and brought her daughter to the White Horse Academy where Xiao Ningxun was.

Unfortunately, the academy was in session, so they couldn't see Xiao Ningxun.

Cheng Ru'an had no choice but to leave the snacks behind and take her daughter back home.

Not seeing Third Brother, Tuan Tuan sulked all the way, pressing her face to the window to look out, saying nothing.

Cheng Ru'an looked at her daughter, worried sick; indeed, now that her three sons are well, each has his own affairs keeping him busy, none can keep her company—what to do?

If Ningxiu could mend her temperament and study well, becoming a companion for Tuan Tuan, that would be ideal.

Suddenly, Tuan Tuan pointed her little finger at a crooked tree by the road not far away: "Mom, look! That uncle is strange—he's throwing a rope onto the tree! Is he going to swing?"

Cheng Ru'an's heart tightened at her words; following her gaze, she saw a scholar-like man, expression numb, flinging a thick rope over the branch above his head.

She immediately shouted: "Stop! Quick! Go intercept that gentleman by the road!"

The carriage halted, and the servants rushed over, stopping the scholar who was about to hang himself.

Cheng Ru'an led her daughter over to have a look.

The one rescued was a young man, about twenty, wearing a somewhat worn blue shirt, his frame thin and gaunt.

His features were fine and scholarly, but now his face was pallid, his eyes hollow and staring at the sky, his expression utter despair.

His gaze gradually focused, landing on Cheng Ru'an and Tuan Tuan.

After a moment of dazed stillness, he struggled to rise to salute.

Cheng Ru'an raised her hand to stop him: "Sir, no need for much ceremony; what brings you to this?"

Tuan Tuan bluntly asked: "Are you here to swing?"

The man, hearing that, gave a grimace worse than a cry: "Thank you, Lady, Miss, for your rescue."

"It's not that I lack resolve; it's just that my luck in this life has been abysmal—living amounts to nothing but added troubles, hence this recourse."

He let out a long sigh, as if to vent all his grievances and resentment.

"I am Feng Zhou; after ten years of bitter study I barely managed to become a presented scholar, but on the day of the palace exam, being overly excited, I slipped, injured my leg, committed a breach of decorum before the emperor, and thus lost my chance at office."

"Returning home, my father despised me as useless; my fiancée thought my prospects ruined, broke our engagement, and married my cousin who only knows how to walk birds and fight crickets."

"Despairing, I tried a small venture, but the hired fleet encountered a once-in-a-century canal drought; the cargo rotted midway, total loss."

"I tried to borrow some travel money from a fellow student friend, but he, fearing my ill luck would rub off, panicked and moved house overnight."

I wanted to pawn the only valuable Jade Pendant I have, just to get by, but on the way to the pawnshop a monkey snatched the Jade Pendant away.

I chased that monkey for three whole streets, and finally saw it skillfully put the Jade Pendant around the monkey handler's neck.

I was not satisfied, went up to argue with the monkey handler, but was almost beaten by him, so I had to flee in panic.

He lifted his sleeve and wiped his face, tears or sweat streaming down: "Madam, you ask, with my luck, what joy is there in staying alive?"