Chapter 94: They Bully Me

They didn't know that, the instant the whistle sounded, two ghost‑like figures silently appeared atop the uneven rooftops!

They moved with lightning speed, precisely following the direction of the whistle, and sprinted forward!

Xiao Yuanhang, who had been lying in wait on the roof, his heart burning with anxiety, saw his pupils snap shut the instant he heard that distinctive whistle!

This is... Wang Mingrui's Jade Bone Whistle given to Tuan Tuan!

After spotting the two sprinting figures on the roof, he was the first to dash toward their direction.

He let out a low growl: "Over there! Keep up!"

Xiao Ningxun and the Guards were invigorated and followed closely.

With those two mysterious masters summoned by the whistle leading the way, they instantly locked onto their target: a low‑lying tiled house that looked ordinary except for wooden planks nailed over its windows!

The two groups descended upon the house like deities, and within moments seized the three hulking men at the doorway.

Xiao Yuanhang strode into the house, and at a glance saw the tiny figure in the corner, his heart feeling as if someone had clenched it tightly.

He lunged forward in a single arrow‑step, swung his long sword to precisely cut the ropes binding her limbs, and lifted his daughter into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"Daddy!" Tuan Tuan clung to his neck, "You came so slowly!"

"It's all my fault! I couldn't find you faster! Are you hurt?" Xiao Yuanhang's large hand kept patting his daughter's tiny arms and legs.

The two mysterious masters picked up the Jade Bone Whistle that had fallen to the ground and looked at Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly shouted, "That's mine!"

The two handed the whistle to her, saluted Xiao Yuanhang, and turned to leave.

"Tuan Tuan!" Xiao Ningxun kicked the hulking men outside hard, rushed over, and tears finally broke free: "How are you? It's all my fault, sob sob, I didn't watch over you properly."

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes: "Third Brother, don't cry! I'm fine! Please don't cry!"

Xiao Ningxun wiped away a tear: "But you're still the clever one; if it weren't for that whistle, we'd never have found you."

Xiao Yuanhang examined her once, confirming his daughter was unharmed, and finally relaxed: "You were scared, weren't you?"

"Mm‑mm!" Tuan Tuan tucked her little head into Daddy's neck, then began to complain, "They were so fierce, shouting at me, gave me hard buns, tied up my hands, look, they're all red…"

The hulking men pressed to the ground by the Guards only now realized, these old veterans had been completely fooled by a toddler.

Xiao Yuanhang held his rescued daughter tightly, feeling the warmth of her tiny body, and his burning anxiety, fear, and anger finally found an outlet.

His cold gaze swept over the three hulking men curled on the ground like dead dogs, as if looking at a group of corpses.

"Contact Jingzhao Prefecture, send these little girls back home, and summon your second brother."

"Take them away; I will interrogate their accomplices, none shall be spared!"

Only then did Tuan Tuan lift her little face from Daddy's arms, pointing at the bundle: "Daddy, my things."

Xiao Ningxun immediately stepped forward, retrieved his sister's embroidered pouch, collar, bracelet, and sachet, and stuffed them into his arms: "Got them all, don't worry. Let's go! Tuan Tuan, we're heading home."

The group boarded the carriage and headed straight for the Prince's Mansion.

The carriage had not yet come to a stop when a bright yellow figure stood at the doorway—it was Emperor Xiao Jieyun!

He had been waiting for news in the Palace, his heart anxious, and so he went straight to Ning Prince's Mansion.

He collided with the returning carriage.

The carriage curtain was drawn back, Xiao Yuanhang stepped down holding his daughter, and Tuan Tuan instantly saw Emperor Xiao Jieyun's face tinged with anger.

"Imperial Uncle!" Xiao Tuanzi cried plaintively, extending a little arm to be embraced.

Xiao Jieyun hurried forward, took her from Xiao Yuanhang's arms, and examined her from head to toe: "Good that you're fine, good that you're fine! You scared Imperial Uncle terribly!"

His expression darkened, imperial authority instantly enveloped him, and he barked at Xiao Yuanhang: "Subject me to a strict investigation! A thorough probe!"

"Under the Son of Heaven's feet, such rampant scoundrels dare to abduct my princess! Whoever they are, bring out all their accomplices and punish them without mercy!"

"I obey the decree!" Xiao Yuanhang bowed, his eyes flashing with cold resolve.

Xiao Jieyun soothed Tuan Tuan a few more times, instructed her to rest properly, and then set off back to the Palace.

Xiao Ningxun lifted Tuan Tuan and walked through the great gate.

"Tuan Tuan!" Cheng Ru'an was the first to rush forward, took his daughter, held her tightly, his tears falling like beads cut from a string, trembling all over, yet he could not utter a word.

He merely kept rubbing his daughter's back, as if confirming her existence.

Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningchen also gathered around, their eyes rimmed with red.

"Sister! You finally returned! Daddy's been turning the whole capital upside down!" Xiao Ningyuan wanted to pat his sister's head, but stopped halfway, fearing he might hurt her further, so he clenched his fist and hammered it hard into his own palm.

Xiao Ningchen knelt on one knee before his sister, head tilted back, his voice choked, full of guilt and dread: "Tuan Tuan, it's my fault, second brother; I have martial skill but failed to protect you. You can hit me, scold me…"

Surrounded by mother and brothers, Tuan Tuan's sense of grievance and fear rose, her little mouth pursed, and tears began to fall.

Her tiny head nestled in Cheng Ru'an's arms, she sobbed, "Mother, I miss you so much! They bullied me, took my things, and wouldn't give me good food…"

Each word she uttered tightened the listeners' hearts a notch, their sorrow overwhelming.

Xiao Ningxun said bitterly: "These people are truly audacious! A thousand cuts and ten thousand flays would not be enough."

Tuan Tuan lifted her tear‑filled little face, looking at everyone: "Those bad guys said they'd send me to 'Da Xia' and that someone there was waiting for me!"

"Da Xia?" Xiao Yuanhang's face darkened; he exchanged a glance with his wife, both seeing shock and gravity in each other's eyes.

Why would Da Xia go to such lengths to kidnap a girl from the capital?

"Xiao Er!" Xiao Yuanhang shouted loudly.

"Those three living souls, you will personally interrogate them! Pry their mouths open, find out who ordered them, and how many accomplices there are!"

"Yes, Prince!" Xiao Er's eyes flashed with resolve as he turned and strode away.

After a bout of turmoil, Tuan Tuan finally returned to the familiar Jinglan Garden.

Grandma Liu had already prepared hot water and clean clothes.

Cheng Ru'an personally lifted her into a bathtub filled with floating petals and gave her a bath.

When he saw the red swollen bruises on Tuan Tuan's wrists and ankles from the coarse hemp rope, his tears fell again.

After washing away the grime and changing into soft nightclothes, Tuan Tuan sat at the table, faced with a spread of her favorite snacks and dishes, devouring them ravenously, her cheeks puffed, clearly famished.

Xiao Yuanhang, Cheng Ru'an, and several brothers gathered to the side, staring intently as she ate, occasionally wiping her mouth and handing her water, their gazes greedy, as if they could never see enough.

Tuan Tuan had eaten and drunk her fill; drowsiness welled up, and as soon as her head touched the pillow she fell asleep.

Cheng Ru'an sat at the bedside, gently patting her daughter, watching her peaceful sleeping face, recalling the day's heart‑pounding events, still feeling lingering fear, she couldn't help but shed tears again.

Xiao Yuanhang reached out and pulled her into his embrace, softly comforting: "All right, An'er, isn't Tuan Tuan safely back? It was a false alarm, how fortunate, how fortunate."

His gaze fell on his sleeping daughter's face, the corners of his mouth turned up, wearing a proud expression: "Besides, our Tuan Tuan is even smarter and braver than we imagined."

"If it weren't for her quick thinking in a crisis, sending out the Embroidered Pouch and tricking the bandits into blowing the Jade Bone Whistle, we would have had to go to great trouble to find her. This child, possessing both courage and wit, is truly worthy of being my Xiao Yuanhang's daughter."

Cheng Ru'an leaned in her husband's embrace, listening to his steady heartbeat, watching Xiao Tuanzi peacefully asleep on the bed, her anxious heart finally settling.

The next day, upon hearing of this, the Grand Princess bestowed countless treasures upon Tuan Tuan to calm her fright, and other mansions also sent various medicinal tonics.

After a few more days, Lu Qingjia arrived.

Before the person even entered, Xiao Huamei had already fluttered in with a puffing sound.

"Xiao Huamei! Come down quickly!" Tuan Tuan happily reached up to grab it; Xiao Huamei circled twice above her head, then obediently perched on her shoulder.

"Young Alliance Leader, are you feeling better? There's a dragon boat race on East Lake today; would you like to go watch?"