Chapter 905

Tuan Tuan lifted her head from the rice bowl: "I want to go see Little Eleven and Twelve! I haven't met them yet since I came back!"

"Alright," Murong Jin nodded, "Si Yu, after the princess finishes her meal, see her to Dezheng Palace."

She paused: "Immediately send someone to inform Noble Consort De and Consort Rong, so that Eleven and Twelve wait for Tuan Tuan; don't have Tuan Tuan go and then have to wait for them."

"Understood."

"Thank you, Empress!" Tuan Tuan smiled sweetly, "The Empress is truly kind!"

Murong Jin smiled, "Good girl, eat a bit more; you'll get hungry if you run later."

"Alright!" Tuan Tuan happily ate a lot more, then finally set down the bowl.

When Si Yu escorted her to Dezheng Palace, Xiao Lin and Xiao Jin were already waiting for her.

The three little ones, upon meeting, were overjoyed and flung their legs, chasing each other around the hall.

Noble Consort De and Consort Rong sipped tea, smiling as they watched them.

After a while, Tuan Tuan suddenly remembered, "By the way, why didn't we see Ninth Brother today? Shall we go find him to play?"

Noble Consort De smiled faintly, "The Ninth Prince slipped out of Jingcheng with Chen Hao a few days ago; His Majesty was furious when he learned and punished him with house arrest for reflection."

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, "Where did he go to play? Is there anything fun there?"

Noble Consort De was taken aback, "I, in this palace, have no idea."

Tuan Tuan lifted her leg and walked toward the hall exit, "Then I'll ask Imperial Uncle! Ninth Brother just went out to play, why keep him locked up!"

Consort Rong hurriedly ordered, "Follow the princess, escort her to Zichen Hall, stay alert, and return immediately if anything arises."

"Understood."

Xiao Lin and Xiao Jin dared not go with her, watching helplessly as she walked out.

Xiao Lin called out, "Tuan Tuan! When will you come again?"

Tuan Tuan turned and waved her little hand, "I'll be back in a few days!"

Xiao Jin also shouted, "Tuan Tuan! Have you memorized the Three Character Classic? If not, I'll teach you!"

Tuan Tuan pretended not to hear and vanished like a flash.

Noble Consort De and Consort Rong exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.

Early the next morning, after finishing her meal, Tuan Tuan grabbed Xiao Er's big hand and walked out of Jinglan Garden, only to run straight into Xiao Ran.

"Little runt!" Xiao Ran exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you!"

"Just now Eunuch Cheng delivered Father Emperor's edict, releasing me from house arrest."

"When I asked, I learned that you spoke kind words for me before Father Emperor yesterday." He stepped forward and scooped Tuan Tuan up, "Otherwise, I would have suffocated in the palace."

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head and asked, "Ninth Brother, where did you go to play?"

"I didn't really go anywhere, just walked around Jingcheng," Xiao Ran said sheepishly, "Since you weren't here, staying in Jingcheng was boring, so I took Chen Hao out to try adventuring."

Xiao Er widened his eyes, "Ninth Prince, you're a royal, venturing into the jianghu?"

"I would rather not be that prince," Xiao Ran sighed, "Whenever I think of our times in Xibei, Jiangnan, and the grasslands, I can't sit still."

"Those times were so fun! I really want to go again."

"Alright!" Tuan Tuan blinked, "Then let's go to Jiangzhou first; Sister Luo will surely be delighted to see you."

"Jiangzhou?" Xiao Ran hurriedly shook his head, "I won't go!"

"Why?"

Xiao Ran scratched the back of his head, "Because… uh, because…"

He lowered his head, saw Xiao Feifei on the ground, and widened his eyes, "Little runt! How did you raise this fox? So fat! I can't even see its legs!"

Xiao Feifei lifted its head, glanced at him, then turned around and presented its rear to him.

The little Golden Jin on its back straightened up and hissed, spitting out a spark at him.

Snow Tuan sat on the threshold, "Meow—" it cried, extending its paw from its fleshy pad.

Xiao Ran hurriedly stepped back two steps, "Whoa! You all are really protecting it."

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head, "Of course! The three of them are wonderful! If you speak ill of Xiao Feifei, they'll surely be upset!"

"Miss," Xiao Er smiled and asked, "Where would you like to go today?"

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment, "Let's go find Third Elder Brother!"

"Don't go," Xiao Ran shook his head, "Seventh Brother is too busy now; he still has to prepare the investiture ceremony!"

"Investiture ceremony?" Tuan Tuan's eyes brightened, "Is it lively?"

"It's incredibly lively! Seventh Brother will first accompany Father Emperor to the Grand Ancestral Temple for ancestral rites, then return to the palace to receive the Crown Prince's golden seal and investiture treasure, finally move into the Eastern Palace, and there's a palace banquet tonight!"

"When is it?"

"Eunuch Cheng said the Ministry of Rites has already selected an auspicious day, just twenty days later."

Xiao Ran scooped her up and headed out, "Come, Ninth Brother will take you to find Chen Hao to play; I haven't seen him in ages."

"Alright."

Twenty days later, at the Grand Ancestral Temple, the investiture ceremony proceeded as scheduled.

On the spirit way, a scarlet brocade carpet had already been laid, stretching from the main gate all the way to before the Hall of Enjoyment.

On both sides of the carpet, Imperial Guard stood upright, holding halberds, standing perfectly straight.

Civil officials were on the east, military generals on the west, and the ministers stood in order according to rank.

Xiao Yuanhang cradled Tuan Tuan, standing at the head of the military generals.

Tuan Tuan wore a pomegranate‑red palace outfit, looking especially festive and beautiful.

A moment later, a deep, resonant bell rang from afar.

One tone, two tones, three tones… the layered sounds rolled over every glazed tile of the Grand Ancestral Temple.

The ceremonial officer sang loudly, "His Majesty has arrived—! The Crown Prince has arrived—!"

Xiao Jieyun, dressed in bright yellow ceremonial robes and wearing a crown, slowly walks toward the Hall of Enjoyment.

Xiao Ze, clad in dark ceremonial robes with a jade belt at his waist and sashes hanging on both sides, steadily follows behind Father Emperor.

Tuan Tuan hugs her father's neck and whispers, "Third Elder Brother looks so beautiful in this outfit!"

Xiao Yuanhang smiles and nods.

Inside the Hall, candles blaze and incense smoke curls.

Zan Yin sings loudly, "The offering ceremony begins—".

The musicians play bronze bells and jade chimes; the bell tones are clear, the chime sounds distant.

Xiao Jieyun receives three incense sticks from Zan Yin, lifts them above his forehead, and slowly inserts them into the bronze furnace before the altar.

"I, bearing the Mandate of Heaven," Xiao Jieyun's voice is deep and strong, "solely follow Heaven's order."

"Now, we proclaim the Emperor's seventh son Xiao Ze as Crown Prince, solemnly informing Heaven, the ancestral temple, and the state."

Xiao Ze kneels before the altar, hands on the ground, forehead gently touching the golden slab, performing the three‑knees nine‑knocks ritual.

After the ceremony, Xiao Ze slowly rises, turns and faces the officials.

The officials kneel and shout in unison, "His Highness the Crown Prince, thousand years, thousand years, ten thousand years—".

Only Tuan Tuan, standing beside her father, crisply shouts, "Third Elder Brother, you really look good!"

Xiao Jieyun smiles and shakes his head.

Xiao Ze curls the corner of his mouth and nods toward Tuan Tuan.

On the way back to the Palace.

The Emperor's sedan chair leads, the Crown Prince's golden sedan follows behind.

Civil officials board the sedan, military generals mount horses, staying close behind the carriage.

Along the route, countless commoners have already crowded the way.

They have been waiting here since dawn, some standing, some squatting, some holding children, some chewing buns, all just to see the Crown Prince in person.

The Imperial Guard line the street, holding the crowd back, yet the people keep pushing forward.

When the Emperor's carriage passes and the golden sedan appears at the corner, the crowd erupts.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

"Look! That's His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Fresh flowers are tossed from both sides, continuously falling onto the road the procession walks.

The commoners shout "Crown Prince, thousand years," and more people raise their voices singing an unknown nursery rhyme: "Taiyuan Island, Red Hair runs away…"

The golden sedan's curtain is half drawn, Xiao Ze sits upright within, Crown Pendants hanging, his gaze gentle, raising his hand to signal the people.

Tuan Tuan sits in front of her father, riding on Red Cloud's back, closely following behind the golden sedan.

She looks at the jubilant crowd, "Father, they all like Third Elder Brother, right?"

Xiao Yuanhang nods, "Your Third Elder Brother has the people in his heart; they all know."

Tuan Tuan sticks out her small body to glance behind, "Where are the older brothers and Second Uncle and Seventh Uncle? Where did they go? I just saw them at the Grand Temple."

Xiao Yuanhang pulls her into his arms, "They are far away; they'll be visible when we return to the Palace."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan turns, continuing to watch the crowd on both sides with excitement.

Suddenly, among the crowd, a man in coarse short brown cloth lifts his collar, a narrow‑blade short sword slides from his sleeve, and he lunges toward the golden sedan.