Chapter 442

Chapter 442: The Three-and-a-Half-Year-Old Empress

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

“Impossible! She, she…”

“She was born in Northern Zhao, raised in Northern Zhao, and was personally conferred the title of Princess Sunshine by the Emperor of Northern Zhao! How could she possibly stand with the Southern Kingdom?”

“Moreover, she is just a three-and-a-half-year-old child! How could she be the Empress? This is absurd!”

“If you don’t want to help the Southern Kingdom, then so be it! But why toy with me like this?” The old emperor was so enraged that he coughed up blood. Never had he considered passing the throne to Lu Chao Chao.

Madam Ning remained composed as she gazed at him.

“But she is now the only imperial heir to inherit divine power.”

“She annihilated the Su family, she made the Black Dragon acknowledge her as its master—who in the royal family can compare?” Madam Ning looked at Chao Chao with deep affection. If not for Chao Chao, she might not even be alive today!

The old emperor collapsed onto the ground, drained of all strength.

“What did you say? The Black Dragon… acknowledged her as its master?” His voice was dry and trembling, as though he had to force out each syllable.

Lu Chao Chao tilted her head. “That day, I rode the Black Dragon out. Didn’t you all see?”

She thought for a moment, pouting her lips before calling for the Black Dragon in a soft voice.

After calling twice, she remembered that the Black Dragon had returned to its clan.

But as soon as her voice fell, the Black Dragon, still clad in its red floral jacket, plummeted straight from the sky. Its hair was a tangled mess, and a large hole had been burned into its jacket.

It crashed down from above the Ten-Thousand Longevity Palace, creating a gaping hole in the roof.

“Didn’t you go home? Why are you back so soon?” Lu Chao Chao looked at it in shock. Had it even been home for half an hour?

Zhu Mo was furious but, seeing so many people present, held back his anger and whispered, “I’ll explain when we get home, Master.”

The old emperor nearly fainted.

“National Spirit, did you truly acknowledge her as your master?”

Zhu Mo shot him a glance. “Of course! Under heaven, who else but her could make this dragon submit?!” Though furious, he dared not object.

The emperor took a deep breath, but the realization that half of the nation’s fortune was now in Lu Chao Chao’s hands made his heart ache.

“National Advisor, bring the Spirit Testing Orb,” Madam Ning instructed, sensing the fluctuation of spiritual energy from Chao Chao.

The National Advisor did not look at the emperor but directly presented the orb.

It was a transparent sphere, slightly heavy.

“The princess is small. Please hold the orb with both hands and do not resist…” the National Advisor said softly.

The moment it touched her hands—

A dazzling, blinding light erupted from the orb, leaving the old emperor no time to react before the orb began to crack and shatter into pieces before everyone’s eyes!

“I didn’t squeeze it! It broke on its own!”

“Don’t you dare blame me for this!” Lu Chao Chao widened her eyes and waved her hands in protest.

The old emperor stood frozen in place.

Never had the royal family witnessed such a powerful spiritual force. Her power was purer and stronger than anyone’s.

A sudden realization struck the old emperor. Trembling, he reached for the jade pendant at his waist.

His hands shook so violently that he struggled to undo the clasp.

With urgency, he removed the jade pendant and, his voice filled with unease and anticipation, handed it to Lu Chao Chao.

“There is an old prophecy…” He coughed violently before continuing.

“Since the founding of the Southern Kingdom, a prophecy has been passed down.”

“It foretold that the Southern Kingdom would face a great calamity, one that could bring its complete destruction. If someone could unlock this jade pendant, they would be the only salvation.”

“Thus, every royal child upon birth would drip their heart’s blood onto the jade pendant.”

But until now, none had been able to open it.

Lu Chao Chao held the jade pendant and casually asked, “What do you mean by ‘unlock’?”

“Like this?” She reached inside the pendant and pulled out a spirit fruit, taking a loud, crisp bite right before the old emperor’s eyes.

“Or like this?” She retrieved a top-grade spirit stone from within it.

“Or this?” She reached into the pendant and pulled out a black fish from the spirit spring.

Zhu Mo nudged her shoulder and grinned. “Give it to me, give it to me…”

Lu Chao Chao, disgusted, tossed it to him.

The old emperor’s eyes were blank, while the entire royal family stood on the verge of madness.

Even the National Advisor was left utterly speechless.

“Did you give me spirit spring water to drink?” Madam Ning suddenly paused, realizing something. Her little granddaughter seemed to hold countless secrets.

“Yes! Grandmother must not have scars…” Lu Chao Chao proudly lifted her chin.

“When was this? When did this happen?” The old emperor was on the verge of tears.

How could this be? Lu Chao Chao had already made the jade pendant recognize her as its master!

The true heir of the Southern Kingdom’s legacy was… her?

Lu Chao Chao thought for a moment. “When I couldn’t speak or walk yet…”

She looked toward her mother, and Shi Yun quickly covered her mouth, pretending to be surprised.

[Mother looks suspicious… like she’s not actually surprised?]

Shi Yun: [You pulled out a watermelon the size of your head, do you think I’m an idiot?]

[This is too difficult. I even have to play along with her.]

[I’m not Xie Yu Zhou, that fool who keeps muttering about how she hides treasures in her diaper.]

The National Advisor cast a solemn gaze at Lu Chao Chao before suddenly prostrating himself at her feet.

The old emperor shut his eyes in resignation.

“The National Advisor belongs to the Spirit Rite Clan. For generations, they have only ever served the true master of the jade pendant. Long ago, it was prophesied that the pendant’s true master would be born into the royal bloodline. And so, for a thousand years, they have protected the Southern Kingdom.”

Now that the rightful owner had appeared, the National Advisor naturally submitted to her.

“The last priest foresaw that I carried great fortune. It turns out, my great fortune was meeting Ning’er.”

The true savior of the Southern Kingdom’s legacy was Ning’er’s bloodline.

His body trembled, and after a long silence, tears finally welled up in his cloudy eyes.

“Wang Quan Fu, Official Xuan Ming, General Lou, Official Sang, Official Shen, and Official Yue—enter the hall.”

These figures were all heads of the Divine Attendant Clans.

When the ministers entered the hall and saw the emperor kneeling on the floor, they dared not look directly at him.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The eunuch helped the old emperor onto his bed. “Today, in the presence of these honored officials, I shall issue the imperial decree of succession.”

The ministers exchanged glances before solemnly replying, “Yes.”

“By the will of the heavens, the Emperor decrees: I have ruled for forty-eight years, bringing peace and prosperity to the people. Now, as I near the end of my days, I accept this fate without regret.”

“My imperial granddaughter, Lu Chao Chao, is of noble character…”

The old emperor hesitated for a long time before finally speaking the final words:

“I hereby pass the throne to Lu Chao Chao. Though the new sovereign is young, I entrust my ministers to guide and support her.”

The ministers nearly leaped in shock.

Pass the throne to whom??

To whom?? Say that again!!

They had expected it might go to Shi Yun or her eldest son, Lu Yan Shu, a recognized genius in Northern Zhao…

But never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that His Majesty would choose…

A three-and-a-half-year-old Empress!