Chapter 100: Chao Chao Achieves a Great Deed
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Before nightfall, Lu Jing Yao was returned to the Pei family. Standing at the doorway, tears streamed down her face as she clung to her grandmother. “Jing Yao doesn’t want to leave Grandmother. Jing Yao can’t bear to part with Grandmother. Why can’t we live together as a family?” she cried softly, her head resting on her grandmother’s shoulder. Her tearful eyes tugged at the old lady’s heartstrings, making her exclaim in pain. “I have to pretend we’re not close when seeing Father and Grandmother. Jing Yao feels so sad…”
The old lady, anguished over her beloved granddaughter, said, “It’s all because of those vile people taking Jing Yao’s place. But don’t cry, my dear. You are the treasure of our Marquis’s residence. The abbot at the National Temple said you are blessed. You mustn’t cry. Grandmother is heartbroken too.”
Unlike Lu Chao Chao, who was inarticulate and annoying, Lu Jing Yao was precious to her.
“Yao Yao, come with your brother,” Lu Jing Huai called from outside the Marquis’s gate, his youthful elegance in a green robe turning heads as he stood there.
The old lady’s lip quivered as she looked at Lu Jing Huai, her words caught in her throat. “Soon, very soon. It’s been hard on you siblings.”
That despicable woman’s child, what merits do they have to compare with them? It was said that His Majesty intended to find a teacher for the crown prince. If Jing Huai topped the royal exams, he would surely become a high official. As for Lu Yan Shu? A cripple, occupying the position of the Marquis’s heir, how was he worthy?
The old lady’s heart and eyes were full of admiration for the two siblings, Lu Jing Huai and Lu Jing Yao.
“Madam, Jing Huai will take his sister back to the residence. Please take care of yourself and don’t catch cold,” Lu Jing Huai said to his grandmother with formal politeness, his tone distant while he wore the old clothes from the previous year.
This broke the old lady’s heart. That was her own grandson. Her own grandson! It was like a dagger to her heart to see him in such a state!
Only after the siblings had walked away did the old lady sigh painfully and return to the mansion. “Damn that Xu family, it’s all their fault. Out of nowhere, they scrutinized the dowry, causing the Pei family to lose all their wealth to compensate, making life difficult for the two children.”
The old lady glared towards Tingfeng Yard, her eyes filled with bitterness. “It’s all because the Xu family got in the way. Ah, my throat hurts inexplicably today; it even hurts to drink water.”
Meanwhile, in a nearby corner that was barely out of sight, Lu Yan Shu sat in his wheelchair, watching everything with a calm demeanor. “Let’s go back and read,” he said to his attendant.
How ridiculous. They called him a cripple, a cripple! Instead of consoling his misfortune despite being family, his father and grandmother acted oblivious to his existence and openly spoke ill of his health. His dear father, his dear grandmother, always talked about morality and ethics. Yet they used his mother’s dowry to support another family while his mother managed the Marquis’s residence tirelessly.
The next day, Lu Chao Chao was taken into the palace. “It’s so bulky… I look like a ball,” she pouted, her small arms and legs unable to move in the thick cotton jacket.
“Miss, don’t think just because it’s spring that it’s not cold. It’s the melting snow that’s cold,” Deng Zhi advised, not daring to let her catch cold. After all, she had never been cold from birth. It’s always good to be cautious.
In the palace, the snow was cleared from the paths, piled on either side. Just as Lu Chao Chao stepped out of her sedan and onto the steps, she stumbled and plunged headfirst into a snowbank, causing snow to fly everywhere. “Help… help… help!” Lu Chao Chao’s head was buried in the snow, her little legs kicking in the air.
“Ha ha ha ha ha ha… Look, someone’s stuck in the snowbank and can’t get out. Ha ha, like a big carrot.” The onlooker laughed wildly.
Deng Zhi was startled and hurried forward, pulling the baby out of the snow like uprooting a carrot.
Lu Chao Chao’s face turned bright red with anger. “Laugh, laugh, laugh! Don’t you dare laugh!” she fumed at the laughing person.
The person’s attire didn’t seem typical of the people from North Zhao, carrying a hint of exotic flair. His pupils even seemed to have a yellow tint.
“This is Prince Xuan Jichuan from the Dongling Kingdom, here as a hostage,” Yuqin whispered softly.
“What’s a hostage?” Lu Chao Chao appeared confused.
Yuhua glanced at the prince: “A low-status country sends someone from the royal family as a hostage to a stronger nation. Generally, they are not favored at home.”
“Oh…” Chao Chao drew out her words. Then with a sympathetic face, “So he’s a brother nobody loves.”
Hostage Xuan Jichuan thought, Are you serious? Do you have no manners?
Seeing the little baby getting mad, the hostage prince quickly restrained his laughter: “I apologize. I didn’t mean to laugh, I generally don’t laugh… unless I really can’t help it.”
The little one dressed so roundly and falling into the snow was truly funny. Mustn’t think about it! Might laugh out loud. After all, she’s little but has a big temper.
Lu Chao Chao glanced at him, surprised to find he looked somewhat familiar. “Wah, I feel like I’ve seen you before…” she tilted her head, feeling a sense of familiarity with his face.
Xuan Jichuan looked at her earnestly and solemnly thanked her. “Thank you for saving my sister. My sister is Xuan Yin, and my name is Xuan Jichuan.”
The young boy looked about eleven or twelve years old. His sister was a princess sent to marry for peace, and he was a hostage, both pitiful in their shared plight due to their mother’s lack of favor.
Hearing about his sister Xuan Yin, Lu Chao Chao’s anger faded quickly, the whims of a child quick to come and go. “No need to thank me.” Chao Chao waved her hand politely.
[Xuan Jichuan, oh! Isn’t he one of the admirers of the female lead Lu Jing Yao?]
“Miss Chao Chao, the king is waiting for you in the royal study,” a palace servant reminded with a smile, glancing at the hostage prince.
“Ah, I forgot.” Lu Chao Chao smacked her forehead and hurriedly scrambled up the steps. She couldn’t walk steadily, so Deng Zhi quickly picked her up.
Once inside the royal study, the warmth made Lu Chao Chao sigh in relief. “It’s so warm…” The little one shed her coat, happy to move her arms freely, uncomfortable in so many layers.
“Chao Chao, come here. Uncle King has a gift for you, see if you like it?” The king sounded excited. “You, you’ve done a great service this time. You have the merit of saving the abducted women and successfully helped the kingdom to recruit Song Yu. You also saved Princess Xuan Yin and Minister Yuan’s only son. You’ve done a great achievement!!” The king repeated several times, causing Lu Chao Chao’s eyes to light up.
[Achievement? There are gifts? I love gifts!]
Before long, another individual arrived at the royal study. It was an old man with white hair and a stern face sitting in front of the hall. He looked very serious, his gaze intense as he watched Chao Chao, causing the baby girl to feel uneasy and with a dreaded foreboding.
“Who is this old grandfather?” she asked cautiously.
“This is Minister Yuan, also Yuan Man’s grandfather,” the king said with a smile. “Chao Chao is intelligent and extraordinarily gifted, so your early education is crucial. And although your grandfather Minister Xu is proficient in statecraft, he is not suitable for elementary education. Minister Yuan, on the other hand, is capable in all aspects of the books. Not only that, he’s your grandfather’s peer. He is a great scholar of our time, and it is considered an honor to be his student by scholars everywhere.”
Lu Chao Chao took a cautious step back, sensing an ominous premonition creeping up her back.
“Right now, you lack a famous teacher’s guidance. I went to great lengths to persuade Minister Yuan to start your initial education and be your enlightenment teacher. Are you happy? Are you surprised?”
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes widened!!! Her little face was filled with outrage as she howled at their ingratitude of forcing this upon her!
This makes me even more skeptical of the rumor that the top exam scorer will be the crown prince’s teacher. Why dude that when there are dudes like this with tons of practical experience?
The crown prince is young, and these men are old. Normally the crown prince need a youth with great academic knowledge, good family and social network. He will require the services of his grand tutor till old age and this grand tutor might still be able to teach his heir.
How stupid is the grandmother saying tht b***h child was her grandchildren like madam xu child isn’t her grandchildren too??