Chapter 28 The Little Princess Meets the Divine Doctor

"Awoo—!"

A crisp, clear sound broke the somber atmosphere of parting at the Princess's mansion gate at dawn.

Everyone was petrified.

Mu Fang's resolute face froze.

Xiao Beichen stared in shock, nearly dropping the wooden tiger carving in his hand.

Yan Ziche's mouth opened into an "O" shape, and he even forgot to close the book in his hand.

Princess Jianing and Qin Zheng covered their mouths, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Four-and-a-half-year-old Princess Mu Yu of Anguo was clinging tightly to the leg of the Ninth Prince Chu Chongjin, her little mouth precisely biting his index finger.

With her eyes closed and cheeks puffed out like a little hamster, she strained with all her might.

Chu Chongjin was completely stunned.

He looked down at the small pendant hanging on his leg, which was trying to "pluck" a "dragon tooth" from his finger, and for a moment he didn't know how to react.

A sharp, slightly wet, and soft pain came from my finger.

This little girl has really good teeth.

"Little Yu'er! Let go!"

Mu Fang was the first to react, and shouted in a somewhat distraught manner.

This is the Ninth Prince! The future...

He dared not think any further.

If the Ninth Prince were to punish me, this would be a grave offense of disrespect!

"Waaah... won't let go..." Mu Yu mumbled indistinctly, but instead of letting go, she bit down even harder.

Her little head was filled with crystal-clear logic.

Brother Jinlong's blood is golden, that's amazing!

Father is going to fight the bad guys; it's very dangerous.

She wanted to put a little bit of her brother Jinlong's blood on the purse she was giving to her father.

That way, Father won't get hurt!

She didn't bring a knife, so she could only use her own white teeth.

"Why...why did you bite me?" Chu Chongjin finally found his voice, his tone full of amusement and exasperation.

He tried to pull his finger away, but found that the little thing was like a piece of chewing gum, and he couldn't shake it off.

"I want...I want blood!" Mu Yu finally let go, raised her little face covered in drool and tears, and shouted righteously.

In her small hand, she was still clutching the koi-shaped purse that Su Yuejian had given her.

She pointed to Chu Chongjin's finger, then to the purse, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Chu Chongjin looked down and saw a clear little tooth mark on his fingertip, from which a tiny bead of blood was seeping.

In the morning light, the blood droplets actually shimmered with a faint golden luster.

He understood.

This little girl wanted to use his "dragon's blood" to make a protective charm for her father who was about to go to war.

A warm feeling, mixed with helplessness and indulgence, welled up in my heart.

He couldn't utter any of the heavy words he had prepared.

"Nonsense!" Mu Fang strode forward, "torn" Mu Yu off Chu Chongjin's lap, and dragged her in front of him.

"Who taught you to do this! Apologize to His Highness the Ninth Prince right now!" Mu Fang's voice became very stern.

Mu Yu was stunned by her father's scolding, her big eyes instantly filled with tears, and she pouted aggrievedly.

"Father... is going to fight the bad guys... Yu'er is scared..."

Sobbing, she held up the small purse, "Brother Jinlong's blood... can protect Father..."

The child's innocent words touched the hearts of everyone present.

Looking at his daughter's red, tear-filled eyes and the small purse in her hand, Mu Fang felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.

All his anger vanished, leaving only a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Your Highness, my daughter has been disobedient, I..." Mu Fang held his daughter and was about to kneel down to beg for forgiveness.

"There's no need for the Duke of Protectorate to do this," Chu Chongjin stopped him in time.

He walked up to Mu Yu, squatted down, and looked her in the eye.

He extended the bitten finger and offered it to Mu Yu.

"It's my fault for not telling you beforehand," he said gently, without any reproach in his tone. "My blood can indeed protect General Mu."

Looking into Mu Yu's surprised eyes, he gently and solemnly smeared the drop of golden blood from his fingertip onto the eye of the koi-shaped purse.

The black pearl, which served as the fish's eye, seemed to come alive the moment it was stained with golden blood.

In Mu Yu's mind, she felt that a connection had been established between herself and the purse.

"Alright." Chu Chongjin withdrew his hand and wiped his fingers with another clean handkerchief. "Now, General Mu will not encounter any danger."

"Really?" Mu Yu's eyes lit up.

"Really." Chu Chongjin nodded seriously. "A gentleman's word is his bond."

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!” Mu Yu immediately replied, something the Turtle Prime Minister had taught her.

She finally stopped crying and smiled, stuffing the precious purse into Mu Fang's large palm.

"Father, here you go! It's been blessed by Brother Golden Dragon! It's a hundred years old!"

Mu Fang held the still-warm purse, looking at his daughter's bright smile and the Ninth Prince's gentle gaze, his tiger eyes slightly reddening.

He carefully put the purse away from his body and bowed deeply to Chu Chongjin.

"Your Highness's kindness is something I, Mu Fang, will never forget!"

"General, you flatter me." Chu Chongjin helped him up. "The situation in the southwest is fraught with danger. Please take care. I will take care of things in the capital."

"I'm here!" Xiao Beichen patted his chest, even though his arm was still in a sling.

“Me too.” Yan Ziche pushed up glasses that weren’t even there.

"We will take good care of Xiaoyuer too!" Qin Zheng and Jia Ning said in unison.

Looking at this group of teenagers and his precious daughter, Mu Fang was filled with mixed emotions.

"drive!"

He mounted his horse and never looked back.

The sound of the Xuanjia Army's iron hooves gradually faded into the distance.

Mu Yu stood at the door, her small figure stretched long in the morning light.

She didn't cry.

My father is a great hero who goes to fight the bad guys.

She should be good, eat lots of delicious food, and wait for her father to come back.

"Let's go, Xiaoyuer, it's windy outside," Chu Chongjin said softly.

Mu Yu nodded, but refused to move.

She suddenly remembered something, turned to look at Chu Chongjin, and asked very seriously:

"Brother Jinlong, does your finger still hurt?"

Chu Chongjin was taken aback, then chuckled: "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Then next time, I'll bite somewhere else?" Mu Yu suggested earnestly.

Chu Chongjin: "..."

There's absolutely no need for that!

...

The days after Mu Fang left were unexpectedly peaceful.

Princess Anguo's residence became the liveliest place in the capital.

Whenever he had free time, Xiao Beichen would run to the Princess's mansion, bringing a delicate wooden bow one day and a lively rabbit the next.

Yan Ziche became a regular visitor, ostensibly to "inspect the princess's academic progress," but in reality, he was always dragged by Mu Yu to play childish seesaw games.

Qin Zheng, Jia Ning, and Su Yuejian were even more eager to move in.

Chu Chongjin doesn't come often, but every time he does, he brings some exquisite pastries that can't be bought elsewhere, or some reassuring news about the Southwest.

The weather was fine that day.

Mu Yu was leading her friends to catch butterflies in the butterfly valley of the back garden.

This valley was specially preserved when the Princess's Mansion was built. It is filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, attracting countless rare butterflies.

"I caught one! I caught a blue one!" Princess Jianing shouted happily, holding up her small net.

"Mine is a swallowtail butterfly!" Qin Zheng, like a monkey, climbed up a half-height flowering tree and accurately caught a huge butterfly in her net.

Mu Yu didn't arrest any of them.

She squatted in front of a clump of impatiens and stretched out her chubby little finger to a small pink butterfly with an injured wing that had fallen to the ground.

"Don't be afraid, I'll blow on it for you."

She puffed out her cheeks and carefully blew a breath.

A barely perceptible wisp of white aura emanated from her lips, gently enveloping the little pink butterfly.

The little pink butterfly's wings stopped trembling at a speed visible to the naked eye.

It tentatively flapped its wings and actually took flight, circling Mu Yu's finger twice before reluctantly flying away.

"Wow! Little Yu'er, you're amazing!" Jia Ning and Qin Zheng were both stunned.

Mu Yu proudly puffed out her small chest.

Just then, a gentle voice came from behind them.

"The balsam flower is warm in nature and sweet in taste. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, reducing swelling and relieving pain. However, its sap is poisonous. If the young princess touches it directly and her skin is damaged, it may cause a rash."

The three little heads turned around in unison.

A young man dressed in a moon-white robe was standing not far away, smiling as he looked at them.

The boy was about twelve or thirteen years old, with delicate features and a gentle temperament. He was also carrying an exquisite medicine box in his hand.

Behind him followed Steward Li, who looked utterly helpless.

"Little Doctor Xie, what brings you here?" Steward Li wiped his sweat.

He was ordered by the emperor to deliver newly arrived fruit to the young princess, but he was "kidnapped" halfway there by this young master, who insisted on visiting the princess.

Xie Zhiwei?

The grandson of Xie, the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau, that twelve-year-old medical genius?

Yan Ziche once mentioned it.

"Brother, who are you?" Mu Yu tilted her head, looking at him curiously.

This older brother has a faint herbal scent and a very comfortable white halo around him.

He's a good person.

"My name is Xie Zhiwei." The young man stepped forward, bowed to Mu Yu, but his gaze fell on her fingers that had just touched the balsam flower.

He took a small porcelain bottle from the medicine box, poured out a little transparent ointment, and gently applied it to Mu Yu's fingers.

"This is 'Jade Dew Ointment,' which can clear heat and detoxify," he explained.

The ointment has a cool and refreshing feel, which is very comfortable.

Mu Yu withdrew her hand, brought it to her nose and smelled it; there was a faint minty scent.

Her big eyes lit up: "Brother, is this... delicious?"

Xie Zhiwei: "..."

Steward Li: "..."

This young princess's focus is indeed quite unique.