Chapter 77: Now You've Seen It, Have You?

"Ah?" Tuan Tuan pursed her lips, a little anxious: "Why still can't see it…"

Xiao Yuanhang quickly bent down and hugged her: "Indeed there's nothing, Tuan Tuan, tell Daddy, what did you see?"

Tuan Tuan pressed her little lips together, saying nothing.

Everyone looked at each other; Eunuch Cheng grew anxious in secret. What's wrong with the Little Princess?

Suddenly, her eyes brightened; she lowered her head, untied the Embroidered pouch at her waist, and pulled out a tiny, charred wooden stick.

She perched on the screen and began scraping forcefully at the spot that had just been splashed with tea.

Eunuch Cheng was startled, lunged forward to stop her: "Not allowed! Little Princess! This screen is priceless; even if it gets wet it can be dried, but scraping it could…"

"Let her scrape," Xiao Jieyun blocked him, "let's see what she can scrape out."

Eunuch Cheng could only step back, glancing at Xiao Yuanhang with a clear look: Prince, will you not intervene?

Xiao Yuanhang gently shook his head, convinced that his daughter had her reasons for doing this.

Eunuch Cheng sighed, his heart aching as he watched the little child scrape the exquisite screen into a blackened mess.

The charred, rough wooden stick looked especially out of place in Tuan Tuan's pale, tender little hand.

She completely ignored Eunuch Cheng's pained, almost twitching gaze, perched on the screen, and with that tiny charred stick, repeatedly and earnestly scraped at the still‑wet water marks.

"Zila… Zila…"

The faint yet harsh sound echoed through the side hall where even a pin could be heard.

Suddenly! The scraping sound changed! A "Sira!" rang out.

"Ah! It came out! You tried to hide it!" Tuan Tuan shouted joyfully, scraping even harder.

Soon, the scraped‑away area revealed a pattern entirely different from the original design!

As the area she uncovered grew, a vivid blood‑red, cinnabar‑drawn complex Talisman was fully exposed.

The runes twisted bizarrely, exuding an indescribable sinister aura, utterly out of place in this solemn, regal imperial residence!

The bright red was as intense as blood, as if just painted, even giving the illusion that it was subtly flowing!

Tuan Tuan slipped the wooden stick back into the Embroidered pouch, brushed off her two little hands: "Now you saw it, right!"

Xiao Jieyun suddenly understood; these past days, why his mind grew hazy as soon as he sat down to review memorials—clearly it was the influence of this object.

"What… what is this?!" Xiao Yuanhang's complexion changed abruptly; this was certainly not a benevolent thing!

Eunuch Cheng, already dumbfounded, was startled awake by Xiao Yuanhang's shout, fell to his knees with a thud, trembling all over: "I am guilty! I am guilty!"

As Imperial Chief Eunuch, he had let such a vile object linger daily by the Emperor's side!

Xiao Jieyun's expression grew so grim it seemed he might erupt in fury at any moment.

He slowly rose, walked to Tuan Tuan's side, stared intently at the Talisman; such a poisonous thing, openly hidden in the halls of his daily residence!

"Fine… very fine!" the Emperor's voice was ice‑cold and piercing, "to think such demonic methods have reached my Zichen Hall!"

Xiao Yuanhang crouched, gently embracing his daughter: "Tuan Tuan, do you recognize this?"

Tuan Tuan nodded, looked up at the Emperor: "Imperial Uncle, this thing is very bad, it keeps stealing your fortune!"

She raised her hand, pointing at the Dragon Desk he usually used to review memorials: "and its fortune!"

The innocent child's words thundered like a sudden strike in everyone's ears!

Stealing "your" fortune robs the emperor's own dragon qi and great luck!

Stealing "its" fortune robs the whole nation's prosperity!

Everyone instantly fully understood the vile purpose of this evil Talisman.

This is no mere witchcraft curse, but an act of subverting and stealing the nation!

All eyes turned to the Emperor, seeing a tide of fury roiling in his gaze.

"My hand is so tired! Daddy!" Tuan Tuan raised her little hand toward her father.

Xiao Yuanhang, feeling tender, gently massaged her: "Good child, Daddy will rub it and it won't be tired."

Xiao Jieyun closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and when he opened them again, his eyes held an almost cold, calm stillness.

The angrier he was, the calmer he became.

He glanced at the Talisman, "Cheng Jinyan." The Emperor's voice was deep and steady.

"I… I am here!" Eunuch Cheng scrambled forward.

"Send word to the Xuanwu Guard, secure this place for me; no one may approach or touch."

"Go to the Guoshi Residence and summon the National Preceptor."

"Yes!" Eunuch Cheng rose, hurried out to arrange it.

Xiao Jieyun's gaze fell on Tuan Tuan's innocent little face, his expression infinitely complex.

"The palace banquet must be nearing its end. Cheng Jinyan, you will personally escort the Little Princess back to the Princess Consort, and stay nearby to attend to her, watch over her."

"Yes! His Majesty!"

The Emperor looked again at Xiao Yuanhang, his tone heavy: "Yuanhang, you stay."

Xiao Yuanhang's expression hardened, and he immediately clasped his fists: "I obey the decree!"

Eunuch Cheng took Tuan Tuan's hand and escorted her back to Taiji Hall.

Tuan Tuan saw Cheng Ru'an, and ran over: "Mother!"

Cheng Ru'an, her heart burning, saw her daughter return and immediately pulled her into her arms: "Tuan Tuan! Mother was just about to look for you; we should return to the residence."

Eunuch Cheng first paid his respects to the Eldest Princess and the Empress Dowager who had already returned to the palace banquet, then bowed slightly toward Cheng Ru'an, his face bearing a suitably measured smile.

"Princess Consort, rest assured, His Majesty is very fond of the Little Princess; he just kept her a while longer to chat. His Majesty ordered that I stay here to attend the Little Princess."

Having said that, he lowered his head and hands, standing behind Cheng Ru'an and Tuan Tuan's table, his respectful posture drawing everyone's attention.

That is Cheng Jinyan, Eunuch Cheng! The late Emperor left him as the Imperial Chief Eunuch to the Emperor!

To think he serves Princess Jiayou like an ordinary attendant? What a favor!

Cheng Ru'an helped Tuan Tuan sit properly, gave her a piece of snack, kept her eyes fixed on her daughter, feeling uneasy in her heart.

The Elder Princess showed surprise, while the Empress Dowager's expression was gloomy and inscrutable.

Murong Yuyiao clenched her teeth in secret, Huo Wenxuan's eyes flared with fire, Han Xueling and Zhou Yuwei tightened the handkerchiefs in their hands, and the resentment and jealousy in their hearts were about to overflow.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the several of them, cleared her throat, changed her expression, and with a warm smile said, "Princess Consort Ning, just now I, the Empress Dowager, suggested sending the nurturing matron to the Prince's Mansion to teach Princess Jiayou etiquette and rules; what do you think?"

"The senior matriarchs in my palace are extremely refined and dignified; they will surely teach the Princess (Commandery) proper conduct and erudition."

Cheng Ru'an's heart sank, and she was about to politely decline.

Tuan Tuan lifted her little head and asked curiously, "Learn rules? Why do we have to learn rules?"

Her voice was crisp and childish, standing out clearly amid the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments.

Han Xueling immediately replied, "The Princess (Commandery) did not grow up in the Prince's Mansion; do you think any of the young gentlemen or noble ladies in this capital have not been taught etiquette, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting since childhood?"

"Just as the Princess's older brothers, which of them does not study hard day after day, hoping that one day they might earn the favor of the Jiziu and gain admission to the Guozijian, which would truly bring glory to their family."

She looked at Cheng Ru'an, smiling broadly, "Princess Consort, the Empress Dowager also means well."

"I have heard that after the Princess (Commandery) returned to Jingcheng, she has not yet invited a nurturing matron; thus I have bestowed an elder matron from the palace to the Empress Dowager. This reflects her old age's protective affection for the Princess; would you agree?"

The others all nodded in agreement, feeling that what she said was reasonable.

Cheng Ru'an's smile was stiff, but she stubbornly refused to nod in agreement.

The Empress Dowager's action clearly had ulterior motives, perhaps intending harm to her daughter; she herself could not agree under any circumstances.

Tuan Tuan heard the word Jiziu, tilted her little head, and looked at Han Xueling: "Guozijian? Jiziu?"