Chapter 14: Embracing a Golden Opportunity
This chapter is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
As the Xu family exited the royal study, the atmosphere among them was charged with emotion. Madam Xu, whose full name is Xu Shi Yun, found it difficult to maintain her composure. Her lips were tightly pressed together, an ineffective effort to stifle her tears. Looking at her father and brother with eyes filled with tears, her voice shook as she expressed her sorrow, saying, “Father, Brother, you’ve endured so much hardship.” Her words conveyed the deep guilt and sorrow she felt for having distanced herself from her family for eighteen long years.
Her brother, Xu Yi Ting, had encountered numerous adversities with a stoic demeanor. He had managed to stay composed through false accusations and the family’s imprisonment. Yet, the sight of his sister, head bowed in shame and guilt, almost shattered his composure. With a voice roughened by emotion, he consoled her, saying, “Don’t cry. You are still recovering from childbirth. Crying will only strain your eyes.”
Seeking a quiet moment away from their troubles, they found a secluded spot, intentionally avoiding any mention of the false charges that had tarnished their family’s reputation.
Upon meeting his niece for the first time, Xu Yi Ting couldn’t contain his amazement, exclaiming, “Is this Chao Chao?” Although he had only caught glimpses of her over the wall previously, seeing her in person confirmed her beauty, exactly as he had imagined his niece would be.
“Yes, Father, Brother, this is Chao Chao,” replied Xu Shi Yun, quickly wiping her tears away. She introduced her daughter, who was merely forty days old, still very much an infant.
In a surprising moment that caught everyone off guard, the infant suddenly vocalized, “Grandfather… Big Uncle…” The sound made Old Master Xu, who had once been a Royal Tutor and the king’s teacher, nearly stumble in surprise. This shocking moment led him to reflect on his advanced age and the possibility that he might be experiencing auditory hallucinations.
Having retired from a distinguished career, Old Master Xu took pride in the accomplishments of his son, Xu Yi Ting, who had risen to a significant position as a second-grade official in the capital by the age of forty.
Attention then turned to young Chao Chao, whose innocence was apparent as he greeted his elders with a toothless grin, seemingly unaware of the moment’s significance. Chao Chao’s thoughts were unexpectedly mature:
“Yaaa, things didn’t turn out as planned. Grandfather was supposed to die in the royal study, and Big Uncle was meant to bear the family’s disgrace, facing a public execution.”
“It’s such a relief that Grandfather didn’t have to die, and Big Uncle was spared as well…”
“And on top of that, Big Uncle has received a promotion.”
“Sadly, my maternal grandmother’s days are numbered. Her age, combined with the hardships of prison and a life filled with fear, means she won’t last much longer.”
The adults present, particularly Madam Xu, were stunned by the child’s words, revealing a mix of shock, sorrow, and guilt. She felt a deep sense of remorse for her mother’s deteriorating health due to the harsh conditions of imprisonment.
Before Madam Xu could voice her feelings, her father and brother quickly addressed the urgent need to secure the release of the family elders from prison. “Your mother and the family elders are still imprisoned; our first priority is to free them. Sister… I will visit tomorrow. Since the grand princess has expressed a desire to meet Chao Chao today, it would be wise for you to remain here rather than attempting to bring the rest of the family back,” they advised.
Wiping away her tears, Madam Xu acknowledged her past mistake of distancing herself from her family due to her relationship with Lu Yuan Ze. “I arranged for a doctor to come before I arrived. Brother, please ensure the doctor accompanies you,” she stated, revealing her proactive measures.
Xu Yi Ting exchanged a meaningful look with his sister, sensing something unusual in her overly prepared demeanor. However, with the urgency of the situation and no time for further inquiry, he cast one last glance at Chao Chao before quickly departing with his father to the prison, determined to address the pressing family crisis.
Later, Xu Shi Yun found a young eunuch to guide her to the Kunning Wing. Due to her previous connection with the grand princess from their younger days, her presence was somewhat known in that part of the palace.
“Madam Xu, please try to persuade the grand princess,” the nanny sighed. “She’s been married to the prince consort for over a decade without children. Allowing the prince consort to choose a concubine or mistress to have children to raise as their own would also ensure a lineage.” Even as a princess, the absence of children was a torment.
In that moment, little Chao Chao remembered the gentle woman from the full month ceremony. According to her fortune read, the woman was destined to have no children.
Madam Xu remained silent, knowing how much the princess longed for her child, and entered the room. Inside, she saw the weeping grand princess, who instantly stopped crying upon seeing the mother and daughter.
“This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Oh hurry, please let me see that baby. My daughter the grand princess has been telling me constantly how beautiful your daughter is ever since returning to the palace,” the dowager immediately granted Madam Xu a seat after her entry, dismissing the need for formality with a wave.
This was the dowager’s way of changing the topic after the grand princess had been weeping in front of her for hours today. But when Chao Chao was brought forward, she was stunned.
“Huh? Did you paint a red dot on this child’s temple?” The dowager gently touched Chao Chao’s forehead, surprised by the red marking on that area.
Madam Xu slightly bowed her head and explained, “Your Grace, how could we dye a baby’s forehead? She was born with this red mark. We in the family also find it quite surprising when we noticed.”
“The child’s red mark gives her a compassionate appearance. She’s truly gifted with a good form,” the dowager couldn’t help but reach out to Chao Chao, wanting to give the girl a warm hug. The chubby baby, well-fed and dressed in festive attire, was irresistible to any woman.
In response, Chao Chao waved her little hands and lunged forward for a smooch as well.
“Please be careful Your Highness.” Madam Xu was startled by her daughter’s action because she knows all too well how heavy Chao Chao was despite her small size.
The dowager was just smeared with saliva on her face when the baby planted a kiss on the cheek. This caused Madam Xu to be terrified as she got to her knee.
“I’ve kissed the most noble woman in the world, mua…” Chao Chao’s inner comment nearly left her poor mother fainting.
The dowager, unable to close her smiling mouth, adored the child’s affection. There’s a common belief that if a child cries upon seeing an elderly person, it forebodes disaster, but happiness if the child is joyful. The dowager, though authoritative, was softened by the arrival of Chao Chao.
“It’s alright, I’m fine,” the dowager says with a smile.
Even the grand princess had forgotten to weep for a second and looked up with those swollen eyes. This is the daughter of her dreams, embodied in the form of Chao Chao right now. As such, how could she willingly let her husband take a concubine or raise a mistress’s child? It was like cutting flesh from her heart.
“Oh you… Listen, if you take a child in and raise it by your side, it won’t be any different from your own. I know you and the prince consort are deeply in love, but without children at your knees, how long can the prince consort wait?” The dowager tries to persuade her daughter some more, fully understanding the woes of a woman. In recent years, the prince consort has become increasingly impatient, causing several disputes with the princess.
Chao Chao, lying in the dowager’s arms, glanced at the grand princess with moving eyes.
“Do you also think your auntie here can’t have children?” She turned and addressed Chao Chao with a despairing eye, finding it absurd to ask a two month old baby such a heavy question.
Perhaps, her mother the dowager was right. The prince consort had given her over a decade of chances and it’s time she made a sacrifice.
“Ah, ahah…” The delicate milky voice rose as Chao Chao stared at the grand princess, babbling baby talk to the ears of the adults.
“Have have have! Having a child is so simple, I’ll grant you a child when I go back. Do you want a boy or a girl?” Chao Chao babbled her lips like some giggling child.
Madam Xu’s eyes twitched uncontrollably over what she’s hearing. She already found it amazing to know her daughter could strike lightning at those she deemed bad, but to bestow children at will as well? That’s beyond a simple miracle!
She wanted to intervene and put a halt to the interaction; however, the grand princess directly beat her to the punch and asked, “You’re saying I can’t have children, is that it?”
As she finished, the little one, with great effort, put her hands on her hips, her face turning red, and spat at her. With the tongue spitting out, she grinned, clapping her hands wildly, making a loud smacking sound.
The princess joyfully exclaimed, “Mother, Chao Chao says I can have children! Give me another three months! In three months, if I’m still not pregnant, then… then I’ll let my husband take a concubine. You can be my witness Mother!” The grand princess made up her mind and kneeled before the dowager with a pleading face.
She knew the idea of letting the prince consort take a concubine was the idea of her mother-in-law. Because of her status as the grand princess, her husband’s side of the family couldn’t demand such a thing, hence the plan of using her mother the dowager to pass on this message.
This was her last chance!