Chapter 237: Sunshine Festival
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Eunuch Wang stood frozen, his eyes wide with astonishment as he took in the scene before him.
“You gave good advice, but maybe you shouldn’t next time,” he murmured with a sigh, gently scooping up Chao Chao and carrying her from the grand hall.
Outside, the crown prince awaited them, his face set in a stern expression. Yet, upon seeing Chao Chao, his demeanor softened, a warm, gentle smile replacing the coldness.
“Chao Chao…” he cooed, opening his arms wide. Chao Chao nestled into his embrace, comforted by his familiar presence.
“It’s still a bit chilly, spring has just begun. Don’t forget your hat and scarf,” he advised, holding her as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.
“King Daddy cry…” Chao Chao murmured into his ear, her voice tiny and laden with concern.
The crown prince chuckled lightly, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. “I know. He only believes the truth when he sees it with his own eyes.”
Despite his position, the crown prince could not ignore the chaos within his father’s harem. King Xuan Ping had always favored Consort Hui excessively, and although the crown prince had tried to warn him, it only resulted in reprimands and writing assignments as punishment from the king.
With no other choice, the crown prince had worked to protect his mother from Consort Hui’s influence. Her deceptive nature had been hidden for years, but her downfall came swiftly and was inevitable.
“Don’t pity him. Let him face the consequences and learn his lesson! Pitying men only leads to misfortune,” he muttered under his breath.
“You know too much!” he exclaimed, half-jokingly as Chao Chao’s keen observations surprised him.
“Why so many flowers?” Chao Chao suddenly inquired, peeking out from the carriage and noticing the colorful blooms that lined the road.
“It’s for the Sunshine Festival,” the crown prince explained, smiling fondly at her.
“Legend tells of a time when the three realms faced a dire crisis, and a deity sacrificed their divine soul to save all beings. The Sunshine Festival commemorates their birth, marking the day when light returned to the world.”
“Before you were born, we celebrated it annually. But the last two years, with the turmoil in North Zhao and constant disasters, the king lost his interest in festivities. Last year, after you helped collect debts, the treasury was replenished, and he decided we should celebrate grandly!” he added, his smile broadening.
“Sunshine… Festival?” Chao Chao echoed, a puzzled look crossing her face.
[A festival just for me?] Her little face crinkled in confusion.
“Yes, their birthday falls on February 20th, and we honor their memory on December 10th. Every year, the king and I light candles on the Nine-Tier Tower to remember them. The world has never forgotten their sacrifice,” he continued, his gaze deepening as he looked at her.
Chao Chao touched her chest, a vague sense of emptiness enveloping her.
[Why do I feel so sad, as if I’m missing something? So melancholy…] Her eyes welled up, yet her heart remained detached.
The crown prince gently redirected her hand away from his chest. “There’s all sorts of delicious food during the Sunshine Festival. I’ll take you to try them,” he promised as the carriage pulled up in front of the Lu family’s home. He carefully lifted Chao Chao from the carriage himself.
Madam Xu was already at the door, her expression warm and welcoming as she awaited her daughter.
“Did you have fun at the palace today?” Madam Xu asked eagerly.
Chao Chao ran into her mother’s arms, exclaiming, “Fun, fun, so much fun! Today was exciting and lively…”
[Consort Hui was caught by King Daddy sleeping with the concubines… His lover and the concubines are gone… He can’t even talk about it for fear of public ridicule!]
Madam Xu’s knees buckled slightly, and the crown prince quickly stepped forward to steady her, concern flickering across his face. “What did you say???”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Madam Xu managed, clutching Chao Chao tightly. Oh dear, what has Chao Chao said now?
The crown prince watched them enter the house, his smile fading as he returned to his usual reserved and distant demeanor.
“Return to the Eastern Palace,” he commanded, dismissing his attendants as he closed the carriage door behind him.
Inside the palace, he retrieved a cherished statue from a secret chamber—an artifact identical to one discovered by Rong Che.
“Chao Chao, you are heartless and emotionless. I don’t know if that’s good or bad…” he mused, his voice tinged with worry. A shattered divine soul might take centuries to heal, but a heart is singular; it might never fully experience emotions. Her joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—all seemed instinctual.
Carefully, he cleaned the statue and placed it among others representing various deities. Meanwhile, Chao Chao was busy sharing her ‘big secret’ with her mother.
“Mommy, I heard a big secret today!” she chirped eagerly.
Madam Xu covered her mouth, whispering, “Chao Chao, once a secret is told, it’s no longer a secret.” The king would be furious if he knew!
Chao Chao pouted. “Can’t share secrets, that’s so sad.”
[Hee hee, Consort Hui wrecked King Daddy’s harem…]
Madam Xu leaned in, listening intently as Chao Chao recounted her day. It wasn’t until her daughter finished that Madam Xu felt relieved enough to sleep.
The next morning, the Protectorate Duke’s Mansion was thrown into chaos.
“I don’t agree! Che’er is the only son of the Rong family. How can he marry a woman who’s been divorced and has a child? I don’t agree!”
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Che’er’s sister is the queen, his father is the Protectorate Duke, and he is the Protectorate General! With such power, how can he marry a divorced woman? Why?”
“How is Shu Yao inferior to Madam Xu? How can he marry someone else?” Rong Zhen Zhen wept in the hall, her cries echoing.
Rong Zhen Zhen, the old Protectorate Duke’s younger sister, was married to the Minister of Personnel. She had been away at the temple praying for good fortune when Chao Chao had visited the Zhou family to collect the national debt, missing the event. Her natal and marital families were both respected and kind-hearted.
“Elder Brother, Shu Yao and Che’er are cousins. Isn’t it better to keep marriages within the family?” she argued, her voice desperate.
The old Madam was livid, her hands shaking with anger. “If you defame Shi Yun again, I will not tolerate it! There hasn’t even been a formal marriage proposal yet. Are you trying to curse our family to ruin?”
The old Protectorate Duke’s face was pale with anger. “Che’er is thirty-five, thirty-five!! People his age are grandfathers! Che’er doesn’t like Shu Yao, doesn’t want to marry her. They are simply incompatible. Why stir up trouble?”
“Look at what has become of the Protectorate Duke’s Mansion! If Che’er refuses to marry, we might as well dig up and re-bury our ancestors’ remains! We’ve already uprooted the century-old tree in the yard, filled in the pond at home. If you continue to interfere…” The old Duke warned, his eyes filled with a grim resolve.