Chapter 65: The Grand Ceremony of Heaven Worship and Roasting Chestnuts
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
The king paused abruptly, his expression one of complete astonishment.
In that brief interlude, the crown prince, who had been diligently reciting the prayers honoring the heavens, glanced downward. It was in this moment that he spotted the tiny, inquisitive face of Lu Chao Chao peering over the edge.
The sudden sight momentarily disrupted the young crown prince, causing him to stumble over his words. However, he swiftly regained his poise and subtly attempted to block Lu Chao Chao from the view of the gathered assembly, as if to protect her from being noticed.
What brought her up here?
Lu Chao Chao, holding her little hands to her mouth as though to warm them with her breath, then pointed towards the base of the altar.
[It’s colder down there, warmer up here,] she conveyed silently, indicating the large cauldron central to the ceremony of heaven worship.
Upon observing this interaction, the king felt an initial surge of anger, poised to demand severe repercussions for such an interruption. However, a vivid dream from the previous night caused him to restrain himself, ultimately keeping silent.
This hesitation did not go unnoticed by the official from the Ministry of Rites, standing nearby in utter disbelief. The elderly official, his hair as white as the surrounding snow, stared wide-eyed at the chubby child casually seated before the ceremonial cauldron, yet he remained mute, too shocked to speak out.
This was no ordinary occurrence: a child had audaciously made her way onto the sacred worship altar, and the king seemed to implicitly protect her. Under typical circumstances, if a young prince had found himself in her place, the repercussions would have been severe, possibly fatal, extending to the exile of his mother.
Unbeknownst to many, the king’s protective stance was influenced by a dream he had the previous night, a dream foretelling the downfall of North Zhao, not by military defeat but by a decline driven by unchecked love and neglect of duty. In the dream, the crown prince fell victim to a plague, and an imposter ascended, wasting the kingdom’s legacy in the pursuit of romance, ultimately ceding power to a woman hailed as Empress.
The dream was so vivid that the king even encountered the long-departed old king, who emphatically stated that there was still hope for their lineage, asserting that the prosperity of the Xie family would persist for millennia. He implored the king to take special care of little Lu Chao Chao, warning that he would reproach him from beyond the grave should he fail.
Thus, amid the snowflakes gently settling on everyone’s shoulders and causing shivers from the cold, the king’s gaze upon Lu Chao Chao softened markedly.
Lu Chao Chao herself, after drinking some milk and feeling slightly forlorn, suddenly perked up, her attention caught by the paper burning copper basin, which she pulled closer with a stick she found.
Observing her, the king watched in silent amazement as she reached into her clothing and pulled out a handful of chestnuts, throwing them into the basin.
The king was visibly stunned, his mouth agape in disbelief.
As the cold wind blew and snow continued to fall, the surrounding officials began to detect the enticing aroma of roasting chestnuts in the air.
The scent was irresistibly sweet and potent, especially alluring to those who had been standing in the cold on empty stomachs.
The chestnuts cracked open, releasing their warm, nutty fragrance.
Lu Chao Chao, showing off her three little teeth, managed to pry open a chestnut. She took a bite, followed by a sip of milk, her face radiating pure joy.
“Wah wah wah, these chestnuts are so fragrant and sweet, so tender and creamy…” she inwardly exclaimed in delight.
The little crown prince, still engrossed in his ceremonial recitations, found himself struggling not to be distracted. The aroma of the chestnuts posed the most challenging test he had faced in his young life. The sacred texts before him might as well have been the bursting chestnuts.
Even after the chestnuts were consumed, the ceremony continued. Lu Chao Chao then produced a handful of peanuts, their scent even more intoxicating than that of the chestnuts, filling the air so thoroughly that some might jest it only lacked a bit of liquor to complete the scene.
Seated in front of the copper basin, the fire lit her small face, turning it a rosy red. She then added a thumb-sized sweet potato to the mix.
Soon, the sweet, earthy aroma of the sweet potato enveloped the area.
Lu Chao Chao, with traces of soot around her mouth and occasionally taking sips of milk, caused the king to blink in exasperation. He thought to himself, somewhat helplessly, that indulging her was in line with his ancestor’s wishes.
The officials, overwhelmed by hunger, could not help but marvel at the audacity of someone bringing snacks to such a solemn ceremony and enjoying them alone. The humble chestnuts, peanuts, and sweet potatoes seemed unusually tempting amidst the biting cold.
Lu Chao Chao, after contentedly drinking her milk and burping, patted her belly satisfactorily and waved at the king and crown prince. She then discreetly descended the altar using a hidden ladder.
The eunuchs, witnessing this, were astounded, their faces as white as sheets. They wondered when she had managed to ascend the altar.
Seeing the king and crown prince’s indulgent demeanor towards her left them even more astonished.
The chief eunuch took mental note of Lu Chao Chao’s growing importance, foreseeing that the humble household of the Marquis, led by Lu Yuan Ze of modest means, was on the brink of receiving unexpected fortunes.
At that moment, Madam Xu was kneeling at the altar’s base, turning her head in panic…
Her face drained of color as she realized: Chao Chao was nowhere to be seen.
“Mama…” Lu Chao Chao remarked, pulling at her clothing and tilting her head adorably.
Madam Xu, feeling a wave of relief wash over her, cautioned, “Chao Chao, please don’t wander off. If there’s a mishap during the heaven worship ceremony, the consequences could be severe.” She recalled an incident from the year before last when a small error during the ceremony had resulted in the king’s grave displeasure.
The individual responsible was immediately dismissed, subjected to a harsh punishment of thirty lashes, and nearly lost both his life and his official position. It was a stark reminder of how quickly years of a family’s hard work could be undone.
Lu Chao Chao, with a puzzled frown, wondered how she could possibly be punished. After all, her uncle the king and her brother the crown prince were the epitome of kindness and benevolence.
“Why is your mouth so black?” Madam Xu inquired, noticing the darkened corners of Lu Chao Chao’s mouth, puzzled over what she might have eaten in secret.
Scratching her head sheepishly, Lu Chao Chao had to admit the sweet potato she had eaten was burnt, which explained the black marks on her teeth.
Madam Xu, understanding her daughter’s penchant for sneaking snacks, chose not to comment further.
Just then, a snowflake landed on Lu Chao Chao’s shoulder, causing her to sneeze. The crown prince, noticing from afar, momentarily paused his recitation before hastening the pace.
Soon after, the ceremony came to an unexpectedly swift conclusion.
“This year’s heaven-worshipping ceremony ended quite quickly,” Madam Xu observed, somewhat bewildered. Normally, such a ceremony would last at least half a day, yet this time, it concluded in just half an hour.
Rubbing her stomach, Madam Xu felt the pangs of hunger acutely, wishing she could have eaten something during the ceremony, yet knowing it was forbidden.
“I wonder who was daring enough to bring roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes. If caught, ten heads wouldn’t be enough to pay for such boldness,” she lamented, her hunger making her more reflective.
Chao Chao, overhearing, remained silent, choosing not to divulge that she was the one who had daringly roasted snacks on the altar, right under the noses of the king and crown prince.
“Anyway, \ wasn’t… not me, Chao Chao!” she declared, patting her noticeably full belly. “Chao Chao! Good, good baby,” she replied, looking up with an air of innocence.
Madam Xu, smiling softly, affirmed, “Of course, I know you’re a good child, our Chao Chao, always so cute and well-mannered, never causing any trouble.”
She reflected on how Lu Chao Chao was born without a single cry, and how, unlike other children, she hardly ever cried, whether she was hungry or in discomfort. In Madam Xu’s eyes, there was no child as sensible and easy to care for as her Chao Chao in the entire capital.
Unbeknownst to her, this very filter of adoration made her completely oblivious to the fact that her daughter was indeed the mastermind behind the unauthorized culinary escapades during the sacred heaven-worshipping ceremony.