Chapter 102: The Divine Maiden Rides a Dog to Save the World
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Prime Minister Yuan exited the palace with tears streaming down his face, and rumors quickly spread that he had been reprimanded by the king. The source of these rumors was a mischievous child holding a small jar of honey.
“Why was he crying? Is it because he received such a clever disciple like me?” Lu Chao Chao stood proudly, her face beaming with pride. She touched her tongue and said, “My tongue is still here…”
The sixth prince, nodding in surprise, remarked, “Luckily it’s still there; I thought it would be cut off.” The two innocent children looked at each other, pleasantly surprised.
The king, expressionless after watching the whole thing unfold, thought to himself, To hell with their childhood innocence. Together, these two could bring shame to new heights.
At the king’s feet lay a large, furry dog, its fur shining and standing taller than Lu Chao Chao. The dog looked sturdy and imposing.
“Wow…” Lu Chao Chao exclaimed, comparing herself to the dog and realizing she wasn’t as tall.
“This dog was tamed and sent from the villa, and it’s now given to you as a pet,” the king said. The dog, although large, appeared gentle and docile but would become extremely protective once it recognized its master.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes lit up with joy. “Tank yoo, Unka King!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Whas its name?”
“It’s called Chasing Wind,” the king replied.
Lu Chao Chao softly called out, “Chay-sing Win, Chay-sing Win…” The dog immediately lowered its head, affectionately rubbing against her. The king had already trained the dog with her old clothes to recognize her as its little master. He patted her head, his eyebrows full of joy, thinking about the news from the secret guards that Marquis Zhongyong was finally going to meet his end.
As Lu Chao Chao left the palace, it was already approaching evening, and the sky had darkened.
“Young lady, wear the cloak first; the night wind is strong,” Deng Zhi said, draping a white cloak over her. The cloak was a bit long, covering her feet completely, with only her small face visible. She thought for a moment and then instructed, “Chay-sing Win, squat down…”
Chasing Wind obediently squatted, and she clumsily climbed onto the dog’s back. The little girl, cloaked, with her hands and feet hidden, showed only her face.
“So fun…” Lu Chao Chao said with a big smile. She waved her hand imperiously and said, “You all take the carriage. I’ll ride the dog!” Deng Zhi’s eyelids twitched at the thought.
Deng Zhi, concerned for her safety, insisted, “No way.” But Lu Chao Chao, eager to ride the dog, hesitated with a wrinkled little face and suggested, “Cawwidge behind.”
Understanding their master’s determination, Yuqin and Yu Shu immediately agreed, saying, “Yes.” As long as the carriage followed behind her, they would comply. Deng Zhi, unable to argue further, had to go along with her wishes.
That night, Lu Chao Chao, gripping the dog’s fur, wandered the streets on Chasing Wind, with the carriage silently following behind her. As they passed through Chang’an Street, they saw a young lady walking alone in the dark. Wanting to protect her, Lu Chao Chao followed closely.
When the lady walked fast, Lu Chao Chao rode fast; when she walked slowly, Lu Chao Chao rode slowly. However, the lady in front began to walk faster and faster, occasionally glancing back, until she was almost running.
Lu Chao Chao, panicking at the thought of losing her, rode the dog at full speed to catch up, shouting, “Wah wah wah…” The lady, now crying out, ran frantically into her house and slammed the door shut.
The cold wind stung Lu Chao Chao’s face as she pointed at the door, looking furious. “I sended you home,” she muttered. “You didn’t say tank yoo! Hmph!”
Angrily, she returned to the Marquis’s residence, still complaining in her heart about the rude lady who didn’t thank her for the escort.
Deng Zhi, observing the situation, was dumbfounded. After explaining everything to Madam Xu, Madam Xu laughed uncontrollably.
“You… you…” Madam Xu tried to speak but couldn’t find the words, laughing until tears rolled down her cheeks.
[Why is Mama laughing?] Lu Chao Chao wondered, puzzled.
“Come quickly and try on the new clothes for your first birthday banquet,” Madam Xu said, dressing Chao Chao in new attire, making her look even more smart and adorable.
“Ah, your second uncle has really bad luck,” Madam Xu sighed. “If it weren’t for him, the dam at Lianluo would have collapsed, causing untold suffering among the people. However, the local government is full of corrupt officials, the granaries are empty, and there are no funds or grains for disaster relief.”
It seemed that Chao Chao’s first birthday banquet this year wouldn’t see her uncle back.
[Food? I have food! Lu Chao Chao thought. Last time I borrowed the New Year money from my brothers and sisters and gave it all to Uncle to buy grain.] She inwardly muttered to herself, and Madam Xu suddenly sat up straight.
“All bought grain??” Madam Xu’s eyes went wide with surprise as she suppressed that outcry.
In recent years, Northern Zhao had suffered numerous disasters, and King Xuan Ping had provided disaster relief several times, depleting the state treasury. The granaries, though still holding, were far from Lianluo, and distant water could not quench the immediate thirst. Currently, coarse rice cost eight wen per jin, and one tael of silver could buy 125 jin.
[I think I have eight granaries…] Lu Chao Chao thought.
Madam Xu’s eyelid twitched. “Chao Chao, you should go to sleep first; Mother has to go out.” Madam Xu quickly coaxed Chao Chao to sleep and hurried out of the estate.
That night, before the curfew, Madam Xu hurried back to her family and asked, “Brother, did Chao Chao give you over twenty thousand taels?”
Xu Yi Ting, who was writing a memorial, replied, “Yes, but it wasn’t given to me. She gave it to Qu Fan.” Qu Fan was his trusted aide. Xu Yi Ting hadn’t inquired further; children have their own secrets.
Madam Xu was stunned. Qu Fan scratched his head and reported, “The young lady instructed me to buy all the grain and build eight granaries.”
Xu Yi Ting looked at him in surprise. “All bought grain?”
“Yes, the granaries are full. They’re all near Lianluo,” Qu Fan confirmed.
Xu Yi Ting’s eyebrows arched. “Isn’t Lianluo just in need of grain for disaster relief? Let the court give Chao Chao an IOU.”
Madam Xu laughed out loud. “They really hit the jackpot,” she said, astonished. A group of children’s New Year money had resolved the court’s dilemma in providing disaster relief. It was more than just a jackpot; they had earned the king’s gratitude.
Xu Yi Ting waved the paper in his hand. “The grain for Lianluo’s disaster relief is settled, but where will the relief funds come from? The state treasury is not plentiful, and the Ministry of Revenue officials cry poverty every day. They probably can’t come up with the money. Besides, many officials have borrowed from the state treasury, but these are decades-old debts and are hard to collect.”
“Forget it, the king will worry about this. Is Chao Chao’s first birthday banquet well prepared?” Xu Yi Ting asked carefully.
Madam Xu pressed her lips. “Everything is well prepared,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement and fervor.
Who is Xu Yi Ting??
Madam Xu’s older brother