Chapter 6
Chapter 6: She Wasn’t a Calamity Star
Eunuch Teng hurried to the Imperial Study—and found nothing but an empty room.
He’d missed them.
A quarter of an hour earlier, the Emperor had already taken the Empress and Consort Xian to the Bright Moon Hall.
Chu Jiao Jiao lived there.
They arrived at the hall entrance just in time to meet a man in a black robe.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed as he studied him. “National Preceptor. You came quickly.”
The National Preceptor of the Great Ning Empire was a hereditary position. The previous one had been this man’s father—struck dead by heavenly lightning for prying into secrets that weren’t meant to be touched. After that, the post passed to the son.
“This minister calculated an irregularity early this morning,” the National Preceptor said calmly. “So I came to see for myself.”
Inside the hall, Chu Jiao Jiao lay on the bed, her little face pale as paper. She looked pitiful, weak, half-hollowed out.
When she saw the Emperor, she struggled up, forcing herself to bow. “Daughter pays respects to Imperial Father…”
“No need.” The Emperor sat. “Consort Xian says it’s a nightmare affliction. National Preceptor, take a look. Tell me what’s going on.”
Chu Jiao Jiao’s lashes fluttered. She exchanged a quick glance with the National Preceptor—
And promptly fainted.
The National Preceptor sat down on the spot, crossed his legs, and formed seals with his hands. Though the air was still, his robe stirred as if wind moved around him.
Less than the time it took to brew tea later, he opened his eyes again. His voice was cold enough to cut.
“Your Majesty, I entered Princess Ying Yue’s dream. I did see an immortal warning.”
Consort Xian’s lips twitched, barely holding back a vicious smile.
“The direction of the Cold Palace is surging with demon qi,” the National Preceptor continued. “It has already become a place of great calamity. If that filthy thing is not removed, the foundation of the realm will shake. Disaster will follow.”
Consort Xian’s satisfaction nearly overflowed.
Pull weeds without the root, and spring will bring them back.
This time, Consort Li was finished.
The Emperor’s gaze sank. “Must it be removed? Is there truly no other way?”
The National Preceptor didn’t hesitate. “Your Majesty, demon fiends bring ruin to the state. You must not be softhearted.”
He was about to say more when Eunuch Teng burst in, panting.
“Your Majesty! The Retired Emperor summons you urgently! He requests you go to the Yang Qing Hall at once!”
“Now?” The Emperor frowned. Since abdicating, his imperial father had stopped involving himself in court matters entirely.
And it had been a long time since he’d called for him at all. The last rumor was that the Retired Emperor had become obsessed with fishing.
Eunuch Teng swallowed. “The Ninth Princess is there as well.”
“The Ninth Princess?” The Emperor’s brows knit.
The Empress leaned closer, voice low. “Consort Li’s daughter… Little Nine.”
Consort Li’s daughter?
Wasn’t she supposed to be in the Cold Palace? How was she in the Yang Qing Hall?
The Emperor’s thoughts turned, and his eyes flicked back to the National Preceptor.
A demon?
Heh.
Fine.
He would see just how terrifying this “demon” was—this creature supposedly capable of dooming the realm.
“To the Yang Qing Hall.”
In the Yang Qing Hall, Chu Tian Tian’s belly was round and full, and she let out a tiny milk-burp.
“Imperial Grandfather,” she said solemnly, patting her stomach, “Tian Tian’s full! Can I bring these back for Mother?”
Mother would be hungry when she woke.
The Retired Emperor was delighted. Feeding her felt absurdly satisfying—like raising a warm, chirping little sparrow.
“All right, all right. Of course you can.” He beamed. “What do you want for dinner? Tell me. I’ll have the Imperial Kitchen prepare it early so you can take it back.”
“Imperial Grandfather is the best!” Chu Tian Tian’s eyes curved into crescents.
She dug into her sleeve and pulled out a small fruit, fragrant and bright.
“For Imperial Grandfather! Sweet!”
It was a spirit fruit from the pocket space. Tong Tong had said it could prolong life and boost longevity.
The Retired Emperor’s throat tightened. His old eyes stung.
This child could barely eat her fill in the Cold Palace, and yet the moment she had something good, she still remembered him.
Such a good girl.
[Beep. Host, please note: new redemption mission!]
[After you ascend the throne, you will place the Emperor under house arrest, cursing and beating him daily to vent your hatred. Before he dies, you must make him let go of his monstrous hatred and publicly announce that you are his most beloved princess.]
[Mission difficulty: harder than climbing to the heavens.]
[Mission reward: ???]
Chu Tian Tian’s ears twitched. She nearly jumped.
She was little, not stupid.
Make the Emperor—who would one day hate her to the bone—declare she was his beloved treasure?
What kind of joke was that?!
Thank goodness this was twenty years earlier.
If that mission landed on her twenty years later… the only thing she could think of was slitting her throat in front of him and calling it atonement.
No. No, no, no.
She needed to see Imperial Father. Fast.
Only if she soothed him could Mother have a chance.
“Imperial Grandfather,” she sniffled, grabbing the Retired Emperor’s robe hem, “I… I miss Imperial Father…”
At that moment, a clear announcement rang out.
“The Emperor has arrived!”
The Emperor strode in. “Imperial Father summoned me urgently. What is the matter?”
His answer was a face black as a pot bottom—and a loud, unmistakable “Hmph!”
The Emperor’s heart sank.
Even an emperor still had to bow his head when it came to his father.
“Imperial Father, please calm down,” he said quickly. “Who offended you? Tell your son. I’ll skin him alive and vent your anger.”
The Retired Emperor’s eyes turned colder.
He snatched up a memorial and slapped it down at the Emperor’s feet. “Who offended me? You don’t know? Read it.”
The Emperor bent to pick it up, just opening the fold when a tiny voice piped up, careful and sweet.
“Sweetie pays respects to Imperial Father. Long live Imperial Father.”
The little dumpling stood pressed against the Retired Emperor’s side, bowing properly.
Before the Emperor could even react, the Retired Emperor swept her up and pulled her tight against his chest.
“He fathered her but didn’t raise her—does he deserve to be called Imperial Father?” he thundered. “Good girl, we won’t acknowledge him!”
The Emperor froze.
“Your Majesty!” The National Preceptor stepped forward, eyes sharp. He’d noticed this little girl the moment he entered. “The demon calamity that threatens the realm is before you!”
Then his voice cut like steel.
“Ninth Princess Chu Tian Tian is the root of disaster for the state. Such evil must be executed immediately, or the Retired Emperor will be imperiled and the dynasty will not be secure!”
“A demon calamity?” The Retired Emperor’s brow furrowed. “National Preceptor—say that again. Who are you talking about?”
Consort Xian seized the moment, face all righteous concern. “Retired Emperor, please see clearly! This Chu Tian Tian is born a calamity star! She brings ruin to her mother and kin. Even in the Cold Palace, filth surged to the heavens. Now she’s come close—she has surely offended you and His Majesty!”
“N-no!” Chu Tian Tian’s face turned white as paper.
Kill her?
They wanted to kill her?
Tears spun in her eyes as she burrowed deeper into the Retired Emperor’s arms, shaking. She hadn’t done anything bad. She wouldn’t even step on ants. How could she be a calamity star?
Her gaze snapped to the Emperor, red and wet.
She stretched out her little hands, baby voice soft and frantic. “Imperial Father! Sweetie isn’t a disaster star! Sweetie… Sweetie is your little daughter! Imperial Father, hug…”
“Nonsense!” The Retired Emperor’s heart clenched.
He hugged her tighter, rage flaring. “Just now my chest hurt terribly, I couldn’t breathe, and I fainted in the Imperial Garden. It was Little Nine who saved me!”
He stared straight at the Emperor, then the National Preceptor.
“If Little Nine is a calamity star, then what am I?” he demanded. “Answer me!”
His fury sent him into a fit of coughing.
“Imperial Grandfather, don’t be angry!” Chu Tian Tian twisted around, patting his chest with her little hand, voice shaking. “The imperial physician said you can’t get worked up!”
She slid down and wrapped both arms around the Emperor’s leg.
“Imperial Father… Imperial Father must have been fooled by bad people!”
With trembling fingers, she dug out the jade pendant Consort Li had given her and held it up like a lifeline.
“Imperial Father,” she begged, “Sweetie isn’t a disaster star. Don’t be angry, okay? Look at this. Mother said… if you see this, you’ll like Sweetie.”