Chapter 138: A Wealth Beyond Measure
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Xuan Ji Chuan felt as though he could no longer endure.
His sister, Xuan Yin, had once told him: If you wish to survive in Northern Zhao and one day return to Eastern Ling, even as a hostage prince, you must find shelter under a protective wing.
But whom could he turn to?
The Protectorate Duke had shut his doors in refusal.
The Imperial Uncle Xiao dismissed him with disdain.
The Chief Minister sneered at him outright.
Only one person extended a hand of kindness to him—a child not even two years old, still clutching a milk bottle, her teeth yet to grow in fully.
He had wanted to refuse. Yet every time he opened his mouth, the pain in his chest flared so intensely he could hardly breathe.
“Hu-hu… Chao Chao hu-hu, no hurt, no hurt,” came the little girl’s voice, cheerful and innocent.
[Does she think she can heal my wounds like that wet nurse Yu Shu does hers?]
Xuan Ji Chuan, unloved and scorned since childhood in Eastern Ling, now found himself at his wits’ end.
Perhaps he had gone mad, for he said:
“May I serve as Your Highness’ retainer?”
And then, he froze.
[Am I insane? Begging a child for help?]
The entire court feared to shelter him, yet here he was, seeking refuge from a mere toddler.
“You… wanna fowwow me?” Lu Chao Chao scratched her head, her chubby face scrunching up in thought.
Before Xuan Ji Chuan could reply, she turned on her tiny heel and ran toward the Emperor’s high seat.
Her little steps quickened.
“Thump-thump-thump!”
Panic surged through Xuan Ji Chuan’s battered body.
He tried to grab her back but stumbled, collapsing heavily to the floor.
“She mustn’t…” he wheezed, crawling forward in desperation.
“She can’t ruin herself over me! She’s the Emperor’s newly adopted daughter—there are countless courtiers already envious of her favor. She must tread carefully to avoid incurring His Majesty’s ire!”
But the words stuck in his throat as the young princess turned to face the Emperor and pointed.
Her voice rang out clearly: “Emp’ror Daddy, heal him! He’s sick!”
Xuan Ji Chuan’s face turned white.
[This little fool! She’ll get herself cast aside for this…]
To his astonishment, the Emperor, far from being displeased, grinned from ear to ear.
“What did you call me? Say it again—just once more!” he urged eagerly.
“Emp’ror Daddy! Emp’ror Daddy!” Chao Chao chirped, her expression beaming.
The Emperor laughed heartily, his imposing visage dissolving into one of warmth.
“Treat him. Treat him!” He waved a hand dismissively.
“Summon the Imperial Physician for the hostage prince,” he commanded, still chuckling as if the situation were trivial.
“My little Chao Chao called me ‘Emp’ror Daddy’—such joy must be rewarded generously!”
“Open My private treasury,” he proclaimed. “Let her pick some treasures to take home!”
As he lifted the tiny girl into his arms, the brightness of his smile left no doubt about his indulgence.
Seeing this, the Sixth Prince hesitated only a moment before rushing forward to hug the Emperor’s leg.
“Emp’ror Daddy…” he imitated, pinching his nose for added sweetness.
The Emperor’s face darkened instantly.
“What’s with the stammering? Do you hear how ridiculous you sound? Go reflect on yourself!” he snapped, flicking the boy away.
The Sixth Prince gawked in disbelief.
The other princes, who had been preparing their own imitations, silently retreated, their ambitions dashed.
Double standards! they thought bitterly.
“Emp’ror Daddy…” Chao Chao tugged his sleeve again. “He wanna be my fowwow-er?” She pointed at the hostage prince sprawled below.
The Emperor waved her off carelessly.
“Granted. If you wish to shield him, that is his fortune,” he declared indifferently.
[Xuan Ji Chuan has no worth to me alive. Were it not for my daughter’s interest, I’d have let him die quietly. Still, a small favor costs me nothing.]
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xuan Ji Chuan murmured, stunned. She had truly succeeded.
…
As the banquet ended, the guests began filing out of the palace.
Xuan Ji Chuan, nursing fractured ribs, was sent to the Lu Family Manor, escorted by Imperial Physicians.
From a distance, Xuan Yin, the hostage prince’s sister, bowed deeply toward Lu Chao Chao, murmuring a heartfelt thanks.
Madam Xu, cradling her daughter in her arms, encountered Lu Yuan Ze blocking their path just outside the palace gates.
“Chao Chao, when did you meet His Majesty? Why didn’t you tell Father?” he demanded, disbelief etched across his face.
[Why would the Emperor favor her over my Jing Yao?]
“Pah! Not even on the family registry, and he calls himself my father? Shameless!” thought Chao Chao, scorn flashing across her small face.
“Move aside, Lu Yuan Ze!” barked Madam Xu. “She neither bears your name nor owes you anything! And yet, you dare claim to be her father? Don’t waste my time—step away before you regret it!”
When Lu Yuan Ze hesitated, she added coldly:
“Do you wish to be slapped again?”
His face turned red with fury, but he could do nothing but watch as they left him standing there.
Back at the Lu Family Manor, the Imperial Physician examined Xuan Ji Chuan.
“His Highness must rest; fractured ribs require extended recovery,” the physician advised.
Moved by his pitiful state, Madam Xu assigned several maids to tend to him.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan Xiao bounded in, his face glowing with excitement.
“Mother! I ranked first this time! The tutor even praised me!” he exclaimed, holding up his exam papers.
“I’ll study hard and pass the scholar’s exam next year!”
Madam Xu beamed with pride, her laughter ringing through the courtyard.