Chapter 49: Lu Chao Chao Cries in Anger
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Marquis, why humiliate me so?”
“I have children, both son and daughter. Even if Yan Shu were to be disfavored, I am no comparison to someone of such filth.”
“He is merely an illegitimate child, an unspeakable disgrace. How could he ever be written under my name? Marquis, you may dislike me, but you shall not insult me.”
Madam Xu’s words caused Lu Yuan Ze’s forehead veins to bulge.
“Heroes do not ask about their origins. Jing Huai is a good child,” Lu Yuan Ze said with a deep breath, as though suppressing his inner rage.
“The child of a harlot could hardly be called a hero,” Madam Xu replied coldly.
“Enough!” Lu Yuan Ze’s tone was sharp, though he seemed to reconsider and softened slightly.
“Forget it. It was merely a joke. I already have Shi Yun and Yan Shu. They are enough.”
Madam Xu did not respond but remained unconvinced.
“Shi Yun, where is the jade pendant that used to hang at your waist?”
“Its patterns are intricate. May I borrow it for study? It seems to have some significant origin.”
He was referring to the heirloom jade pendant of the Xu family.
This jade pendant, passed down exclusively to the women of the Xu family, had come into Madam Xu’s possession in her generation. No one knew its exact history, but it was regarded as an invaluable treasure by the Old Madam of the Xu family. Only on the eve of her marriage was it entrusted to Madam Xu with strict orders never to give it away.
Madam Xu had even played with the pendant on her wedding night, and Lu Yuan Ze had seen it then.
“You mean the Dragon-Pattern Auspicious Clouds Pendant?”
“Exactly.”
Madam Xu shook her head firmly. “This jade pendant cannot be lent. It is passed only to the women of the Xu family.”
Lu Yuan Ze appeared as though he wanted to argue further but noticed Madam Xu’s subtle gestures of disdain and seemed humiliated. Finally, he said curtly, “Then I shall come to visit Shi Yun again. Shi Yun, take care of yourself.” After these polite words, he left the Listening Wind Courtyard.
Only after Lu Yuan Ze’s departure did Madam Xu feel suspicious.
[Why would he want the Dragon-Pattern Auspicious Clouds Pendant?]
As the thought lingered, Madam Xu eventually fell into a fitful sleep. By dawn, the matter still weighed on her mind.
“The Dragon-Pattern Auspicious Clouds Pendant? Madam, you cannot give it to him. That pendant is the Xu family’s heirloom. If your maiden family finds out, they will surely cause trouble,” Deng Zhi teased while helping Madam Xu with her hair.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Lu Chao Chao’s attention was piqued as Ying Xue fed her roasted sweet potatoes.
[Dragon-Pattern Auspicious Clouds Pendant? Why does that sound so familiar?] Lu Chao Chao tugged at her pigtails, nearly pulling her hair out in thought.
[Wait, isn’t this the pendant Mother gave to that fake daughter?]
Madam Xu was so furious her hands trembled. She had indeed given this very jade pendant to Lu Jing Yao.
Enraged, Madam Xu retrieved the pendant. She unlocked layer upon layer of cabinets and eventually pulled out a heavy sandalwood box. After undoing several locks, she finally took out the Dragon-Pattern Auspicious Clouds Pendant.
The moment the pendant emerged, Lu Chao Chao sat upright.
[Such dense spiritual energy!]
“Say what you will, this jade pendant truly has an extraordinary aura. Every time I see it, I feel refreshed,” Deng Zhi admitted, not daring to touch it.
The translucent white jade seemed to hold floating auspicious clouds within, an ethereal vision that looked more dream than reality, far beyond ordinary craftsmanship. The pendant’s warmth and soothing presence were unmatched.
“He must be planning to use it to pacify some wretch outside,” Deng Zhi spat bitterly.
Madam Xu sneered. “Dream on! This is for my Chao Chao.”
Madam Xu now suspected that Lu Yuan Ze’s visit was solely for the pendant. Could it hold some mysterious power?
Yet despite her frequent handling of it, she had never noticed anything unusual.
Lu Chao Chao continued sitting on the bed, nibbling on a honey-glazed roasted sweet potato, occasionally sipping soup. Her gaze, however, remained fixed on Madam Xu.
Shi Yun scratched her head, staring at the Dragon-Pattern Jade Pendant. It felt oddly familiar, not from a book or tale but a bone-deep sense of recognition.
[Let me see, let me see!]
[Mother, hurry up and look at your sweet little daughter!] Lu Chao Chao’s face sparkled with curiosity.
Madam Xu chuckled softly, noting the little one’s insatiable curiosity.
“I’ll let Chao Chao take a good look,” she relented, knowing this trinket would eventually belong to her daughter anyway.
Placing the jade pendant in the child’s tiny hands, Lu Chao Chao lowered her head slowly, her bright eyes scanning the object.
But then— Halt!!
[Aaah!!] A mental scream pierced through her consciousness. Madam Xu, startled, covered her ears in reflex, though there was no audible sound.
[This… isn’t this mine?!]
Shock and fury churned in her tiny chest. This jade pendant was none other than her storage jade pendant from her days in the Cultivation World! Back when she made her sacrifice, she’d carefully set it aside, mourning the loss of all her treasures.
[Why is it here?!]
Before she could question further, her lips instinctively murmured a chant, and a surge of overwhelming energy poured from the pendant into her body.
Her eyes blinked rapidly, watching as the vibrant jade turned dull and lifeless. She shut her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, her storage space had returned!
Her consciousness dipped into the pendant’s depths, revealing the treasures now sitting in her mental realm.
Grinding her teeth, Lu Chao Chao’s eyes gleamed with frustration. [No wonder the protagonist in the book seemed so familiar with her treasures—those were all mine! I thought they were mere coincidences, items inspired by my artifacts.]
But now?
[They’re actually mine?!]
[You thieving heavens!]
Her small body trembled, teeth grinding audibly. Madam Xu noticed her daughter shaking and immediately placed her hand on the child’s forehead.
“Chao Chao, why are you trembling? Are you cold?”
Her daughter’s face was flushed, her little teeth gnashing as she muttered, “Tra… traitor heavens…”
“Sweet? You want sweets?” Madam Xu, concerned, tried to soothe her.
Meanwhile, a low rumble of thunder rolled ominously in the distance, though it dared not encroach upon the capital city.
Lu Chao Chao said nothing more, burying her face into her mother’s neck, tears streaming down her tiny cheeks.
[Oh, mother, how pitiful you are. My storage space, the very item that could have saved the Xu family, fell into a fraudster’s hands instead. The injustice!]
Madam Xu stroked her daughter’s back tenderly, her heart aching.
“Chao Chao, do you like this pendant? You can keep it. Mother won’t give it to anyone else, alright?”
Exhausted, her little one soon cried herself into a deep sleep, clutching the pendant tightly.
By the time Lu Chao Chao awoke, the sun was already setting. Groggy, she felt the warmth of the jade in her hand, its comforting touch rousing her to alertness. Embarrassed, she handed it back to Madam Xu, mumbling, “Hide… hide it.”
“Not crying anymore?” Madam Xu teased, gently tweaking her small nose before tucking the pendant away.
“Come on now, wake up properly. The first snow has fallen outside; you’ll need to dress warmly. Oh, by the way, Second Young Master has returned and is in the front courtyard.”
Lu Chao Chao’s large eyes sparkled, her face lighting up.
[Quick, quick! I must see the strongest romantic fool in history!]