Chapter 102: The Celestial and the Dog, Saving the Masses
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Chief Minister Yuan left the palace, tears streaming down his face. Outside, rumors swirled that he had been harshly scolded by the Emperor. The true culprit behind the gossip, clutching a small jar of honey, grinned through tears of laughter, her sniffling causing bubbles to form.
“Why was he crying?” she mused aloud.
Was it because he couldn’t handle having such a brilliant disciple like me?
Lu Chao Chao stood tall and proud, patting her tongue lightly as if to confirm something. “My tongue’s still here,” she remarked.
The Sixth Prince nodded in relief. “Thank goodness it’s still there. I thought it might get cut off.” The two guileless children shared their surprise openly.
A palace attendant carefully poured hot water over the frozen tongue stuck to a post, finally separating it. The Emperor looked on, his face expressionless. [To hell with childhood sweethearts and innocent bonds.]
Together, these two managed to reach new heights of embarrassment.
At the Emperor’s feet lay a massive, glossy dog. When it stood, it was taller than Lu Chao Chao. The dog exuded an air of robust strength.
“Wow…” Lu Chao Chao’s eyes lit up as she sized up the enormous animal, realizing she wasn’t even as tall as its back.
“This was domesticated and trained at the manor. I’m gifting it to you as a pet,” the Emperor declared. The dog’s imposing frame suggested both gentleness and fierce loyalty.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Thank you, Emperor Uncle!” Her voice brimmed with joy.
“What’s its name?” she asked, stroking the dog’s velvety fur. [It’s so adorable!]
“It’s called Windchaser,” the Emperor replied.
“Windchaser, Windchaser…” she cooed in a soft, sweet voice. The dog immediately lowered its head, affectionately nuzzling against her. Before gifting the animal, the Emperor had trained it with Lu Chao Chao’s old clothes, ensuring it recognized her as its little master.
The Emperor patted her head, his expression softening as he recalled the shadow guard’s latest report. [The Marquis Zhongyong is finally bringing his ruin upon himself.]
…
By the time Lu Chao Chao left the palace, evening had set in, and darkness blanketed the sky.
“Young Miss, please wear this cloak. The night wind is strong,” Deng Zhi said as she draped a white cloak over the child. It was so long it covered her feet entirely, leaving only her small face visible.
Lu Chao Chao pondered for a moment. “Windchaser, sit!” she commanded. The dog obediently crouched down. Clutching its white fur, she clumsily climbed onto its back. Draped in her cloak, with her tiny hands and feet tucked inside, only her face peeked out as she sat atop the dog.
“This is fun!” she giggled. Waving her tiny hand imperiously, she declared, “You all take the carriage. Me, I ride dog!” Her confident proclamation made Deng Zhi’s eyelids twitch nervously.
“No way,” Deng Zhi protested.
But Lu Chao Chao was determined. Her face scrunched up in hesitation before she compromised. “Fine. Carriage… follow behind.” The perfect plan! With the carriage trailing her, she could enjoy her dog ride uninterrupted.
Yu Qin and Yu Shu, familiar with their young mistress’s ways, immediately acquiesced. “Yes, Young Miss.”
The carriage silently followed her as the little girl trotted down the street atop Windchaser. Resigned, Deng Zhi could only comply with her antics.
…
Late that night, the tiny rider wandered through the streets. Her hands gripped Windchaser’s fur tightly as they strolled under the moonlight. Passing through Chang’an Street, she spotted a young woman walking alone in the dark. Concerned for the lady’s safety, Lu Chao Chao decided to follow her at a steady pace.
If the woman walked faster, she urged Windchaser to quicken its steps. When the woman slowed down, she would also slow the dog.
However, the woman soon noticed the shadow trailing her. Increasing her pace, she occasionally glanced back nervously. Her steps grew faster and faster until she seemed ready to fly. Fearful of losing sight of her, Lu Chao Chao commanded Windchaser to give chase.
“Waaaah!” the woman let out a terrified scream as she bolted into her home, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
The icy night wind stung Lu Chao Chao’s cheeks. Pointing at the door, she pouted angrily. “Sent you home. No thank you!” Huffing indignantly, she returned to the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor.
…
Back at the manor, she couldn’t help but grumble internally. [That sister was so rude. I went out of my way to escort her, and she didn’t even say thank you!]
Deng Zhi, meanwhile, was dumbfounded by the absurdity of the situation. When Madam Xu heard the explanation, she laughed so hard tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You… you…” Madam Xu struggled to form words, clutching her sides as she laughed.
[Why is Mother laughing?] Lu Chao Chao pondered, completely baffled.
“Come try on your new outfit. You’ll wear it for your birthday banquet,” Madam Xu said, dressing Chao Chao in a fresh set of clothes that made her look even more sprightly and charming.
“Ah, your Second Uncle is truly unfortunate. If not for him, the floodgates at Lin Luo would have broken, leaving the region in utter ruin,” Madam Xu sighed. “But the local officials there are all corrupt pests. The granaries are empty, and there’s no money for disaster relief.” Worry lined her face.
[Grain? I have plenty of that!] Lu Chao Chao thought. [I used the New Year’s money borrowed from my brothers and sisters to buy grain. And I even stored it near Lin Luo!]
Madam Xu froze as realization dawned on her. “You bought grain… all of it?”
The Northern Zhao region had faced multiple disasters over the past years. Despite Emperor Xuan Ping’s efforts, the state treasury was severely depleted. The granaries, though stocked, were far from Lin Luo. Transporting supplies would take too long to resolve the immediate crisis.
Currently, coarse grain cost eight wen per jin. One tael of silver could buy 125 jin.
[I think I have… eight granaries?]
Madam Xu’s eye twitched. “Chao Chao, go to bed. Mother has urgent matters to attend to,” she urged, quickly tucking the child in before rushing to her natal family.
…
Later that night, Madam Xu arrived at the Xu family estate, just before curfew. “Elder Brother, did Chao Chao entrust you with over 20,000 taels?” she asked hurriedly.
Xu Yi Ting, engrossed in drafting a memorial, paused at her question. “Yes, but the money wasn’t for me. She gave it to Qu Fan.” Qu Fan was one of his trusted aides.
Madam Xu blinked in surprise.
Qu Fan scratched his head. “The Young Miss ordered me to spend it all on grain. She also built eight granaries.”
Xu Yi Ting looked at him in astonishment. “She spent it all on grain?”
“Yes, the granaries are full. All near Lin Luo.”
Xu Yi Ting’s brows lifted in amusement. “Lin Luo is desperately short on relief supplies. Let the court issue an IOU to Chao Chao.”
Madam Xu chuckled, marveling at her daughter’s foresight. [A group of children’s New Year money just solved a crisis that had left the court scratching its head.]
“The Emperor will owe her a favor for this,” she added. Xu Yi Ting smirked and waved a document in his hand.
“The grain shortage at Lin Luo is resolved, but where will we find silver for disaster relief? The treasury is strained, and the Ministry of Revenue keeps crying poverty. They’ve no funds left.” He sighed. “Let the Emperor worry about that.”
“Have preparations for Chao Chao’s birthday banquet been finalized?” he asked.
Madam Xu’s eyes sparkled. “Everything is ready.”
Who is Xu Yi Ting??
Madam Xu’s older brother