"I-I will!" Zizhen stammers, eyes wide and barely believing he's not being immediately shipped back home - or worse. He looks fearfully over at Huaisang, who considers Jiang Cheng's question with a tilt of his head.

"If you ever want to get better at gathering information, come and talk to me." He says instead of a rebuke, his innocent expression at odds with the words.

Zizhen stares at him for a moment and then nods, just slightly, before giving one last genuinely contrite look to both of them.

"I'm sorry Jiang-zongzhu, Nie-zongzhu, I was just trying to help a friend, I hope you can forgive me."

~~~

Yuan also almost steps after him, but he stops as well when Jingyi prevents the other boy from going, casting a nervous glance over at his father who gives him a reassuring smile.

"A measly tiger is no match for your dear Hanguang Jun," he announces to the group with a grin "come on, ducklings, let's carry on to the village. You can lament the fate of the poor tiger later."

Yuan bites back a smile and falls in with the others.