Chapter 927: I Can Stand

She waved her small hand hard: "Song sister! Little brother! We're here!"

"Miss Song?"

Xiao Er hurriedly looked over.

All that could be seen was Song Shujun leading her brother, Hua Ping close behind, holding two large food boxes.

A servant led a horse, its back carrying two bulging sacks.

Song Zhulin heard Tuan Tuan's shout, stretching her neck to look this way.

He tugged at his sister's sleeve, pointed, and said: "Sister! It's Tuan Tuan!"

Tuan Tuan had already slipped from Xiao Er's arms to the ground, waddling on her short legs over: "You're here too!"

Song Shujun's face was a little pale, yet she still reached out and gently smoothed Tuan Tuan's hair: "Yes, we came to have a look, and incidentally bring everything we can from home."

She straightened up, glanced around the charred ruins, her lips trembling slightly: "Yesterday the street was fine—how did it become like this?"

Xiao Er stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said: "Miss Song, greetings."

Song Shujun made a slight bow: "General Xiao, greetings."

"Sister, what did you bring?" Tuan Tuan tiptoed to look at the cloth sacks on the horse's back.

Song Shujun withdrew her gaze: "Just some clothes, plus dry rations and snacks."

She let out a soft sigh: "There's not much, but it's better than nothing."

Song Zhulin pointed to the food box in Hua Ping's hand: "This also has the rice cake sister made for me this morning!"

Tuan Tuan looked around; a few kids were crouched in the corner.

She pulled Song Zhulin up, pointed, and said: "Hua Ping sister, over there are several kids; they must be hungry—shall we bring them food?"

"All right, Princess." Hua Ping followed behind the two, heading toward the corner.

Song Shujun lifted her foot to follow, but tripped on something underfoot and nearly fell.

Xiao Er hastily reached out to steady her: "Careful!"

Once she was steady, Xiao Er hastily pulled his hand back.

Song Shujun looked down and saw half a tiger‑head shoe embedded in the rubble, already black‑gray, its original color indiscernible.

Her hand trembled slightly, her body swayed.

Xiao Er extended his hand, saw she was unharmed, and hastily withdrew it.

He fell silent for a moment, then said softly: "Miss Song, the smoke and dust here are heavy, your complexion is poor—you'd better go farther off and find a clean place to rest."

Song Shujun shook her head: "No need, I can stand."

She lifted her head, her voice soft as if talking to herself: "General Xiao, the battlefield you told me about… is it also like this?"

Xiao Er looked around.

Broken walls and shattered tiles, blackened earth everywhere; the groans of the wounded and women's sobbing drifted from afar, the air mixed with the smell of scorched wood and ash.

He shook his head: "It's far worse than this."

"Here there are no severed limbs, no piles of corpses, and I don't know any of the people here."

"On the battlefield, those who fell were all my comrades in arms; I could name each one, yet I had to watch helplessly as they died miserably under enemy blades and spears."

Song Shujun stared at him blankly, tears spilling from her eyes.

Xiao Er jumped in shock, instantly flustered: "Song, Miss Song, don't cry!"

"I, I didn't say anything! It's all because you asked me to speak!"

Song Shujun saw his flustered state and couldn't help laughing a little.

But that flicker of laughter vanished instantly.

She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her eye corners: "That way Tuan Tuan won't ask you about it."

Xiao Er scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, and laughed.

Song Shujun turned toward Tuan Tuan and Song Zhulin's direction: "Come on, let's go help them."

Xiao Er let out a breath of relief and strode after them.

After Tuan Tuan and Song Zhulin gave food to the first few children they saw, they walked along the wall base.

With each stretch they walked, they could see a few kids huddled together, shivering.

They walked and handed out the food to them.

"Little brat! What are you doing here?"

"Ninth older brother!" Tuan Tuan looked up: "You're here too?"

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao both wore ordinary clothes, with a few servants following, each holding food boxes and such.

"Jingcheng has had such a big incident—how could I not come!" Xiao Ran pinched Tuan Tuan's cheek, saying, "I've always heard about disaster relief."

"I never expected it would be Jingcheng's turn this time."

Chen Hao slapped his shoulder: "You—can't you stop talking nonsense?"

"What kind of talk is that? If His Majesty hears it, you'll be confined again."

Xiao Ran gave a hehe laugh.

Tuan Tuan asked: "Ninth older brother, where's Third Elder Brother?"

"He'll probably have to wait a bit before arriving."

"Ever since Seventh Brother entered the East Palace, it's like a bird put in a cage—he can't be as free as before."

"I haven't seen him in ages."

"Tuan Tuan," Chen Hao said with a gentle smile, "let's go over there and have a look."

"Mm-hmm!" The two strode off.

Only then did Tuan Tuan notice that Song Shujun and her sibling were gone: "Huh, where are Sister Song and her brother?"

Xiao Er looked ahead: "They're up ahead."

He was about to lift his leg to chase after when a familiar voice came from the other side: "Miss! Xiao brother! Is it you?"

Xiao Er's face lit up with surprise: "Brother Lu!"

"Where are they?" Tuan Tuan tiptoed and looked around, but couldn't find them.

Xiao Er scooped her up: "Over there! The couple both came!"

Tuan Tuan immediately waved her arms and shouted: "Uncle Qi! Sister Su!"

Lu Qi was reaching for something on a broken beam, sleeves rolled up high, revealing two sturdy arms.

Su Wan Yun stood below, looking up at him: "Take it easy!"

She turned her head and saw Xiao Er and Tuan Tuan, immediately smiling: "I brought everyone from the shop; the tea house is closed today."

She raised a hand and pointed: "There, the pot rack is over there."

Tuan Tuan looked in the direction she pointed.

Not far away, the assistants of Fuyun Tea House were busy beside a big pot, the porridge bubbling gurglingly inside, the aroma drifting far on the wind.

Lu Qi jumped down from the broken beam: "The locals have been busy all night, thirsty, tired, and hungry; let them first have a bowl of hot porridge."

Tuan Tuan clapped her little hands and praised: "Sister Su and Uncle Qi, you're really great!"

"Huh, why is there also steam rising over there?"

She pointed to the other side.

Xiao Er looked and said: "Miss, that's Lu Qingjia! The Lu mansion also set up a porridge stall."

Tuan Tuan shouted loudly: "Lu Qingjia!"

Lu Qingjia did not lift his head.

Tuan Tuan shouted again: "Lu Er!"

Still did not lift his head.

Xiao Er laughed: "I'll carry you over, Miss, or your voice will go hoarse."

Tuan Tuan thought, then shouted loudly: "I'm familiar with this, familiar familiar familiar!"

Lu Qingjia suddenly lifted his head, but still didn't look this way, instead gazing at the sky.

His head turned everywhere: "Little Huamei? Where are you? When did you run out?"

Xiao Er, Lu Qi, and Su Wan Yun couldn't help bursting into laughter.

Tuan Tuan waved her little fist: "Hmph! I won't look for him! Make him unable to hear me!"

"Who aren't you looking for? Is it for the Master?"

Tuan Tuan turned her head and saw it was Chu Yuan.

Behind him followed several little Daoist boys, each holding water and a medicine box.

"Master!" Tuan Tuan slipped from Xiao Er's arms to the ground and lunged over: "I've missed you so much!"

Chu Yuan squatted down, wiped the dirt from her face: "Really? Then why didn't you come see me?"

Tuan Tuan gave an embarrassed hehe laugh: "I have to go to my teacher's place for class every day! Master!"

Chu Yuan stood up, looked at Xiao Er: "Really?"

Xiao Er gritted his teeth, for the miss!

"Really!"

Chu Yuan smiled slightly, saying nothing more.

Everyone worked together, and the locals were soon properly settled.

That night, in a courtyard deep within Jingcheng.

"The turbid world shall fall, the netherworld shall reign!"

"Cleanse the mountains and rivers, the realm shall find peace."

"Congratulations, Exalted Sovereign, our great undertaking is nearly complete!"