Chapter 143: The Skull
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Old Madam Pei collapsed to the ground, clutching Pei Yaozu’s hand tightly. “We’re family, we’re family!” she pleaded desperately. “Why must it come to killing? Shi Yun, you’re the softest-hearted. This is your uncle. Yaozu is the only son of the Pei family. He can’t die. He’s our only son…”
Old Madam Pei then turned to Madam Xu, her eyes filled with desperation. “Shi Yun, do you listen to your mother? If you do, I’ll still consider you a daughter-in-law of the Lu family.” She grasped Madam Xu’s hand tightly. “Tell Yan Shu. He listens to you. If you spare Yaozu, I’ll have Yuan Ze come back to see you, okay?”
Madam Xu, whose heart had always been romantic and who loved Yuan Ze dearly, had once treated her words as holy edicts. But now, she pushed Old Madam Pei away, her expression cold and indifferent. “Pei Yaozu is heartless and tried to harm my son. Forgive him? I only regret not being able to cut him into a thousand pieces!” she declared fiercely. “Only son? With his vile bloodline, it’s better for the people if it ends.”
“When Yan Shu was still the heir of the marquis, plotting against the heir is a grave crime. I request Lord Zhong to impose a severe sentence!” Madam Xu’s icy demeanor remained unchanged despite Old Madam Pei’s wailing.
Lord Zhong immediately ordered Pei Yaozu to be taken into custody and sentenced him to death.
When Lu Yan Shu was still the heir, it was directly treated as a murder charge, and Pei Yaozu was sentenced to be executed in the autumn.
Old Madam Pei fainted on the spot upon hearing the sentence.
Madam Xu wiped her tears, ignoring the wails from the marquis’ household.
The Xu family members, who supported Madam Xu, returned to their residence where the ladies wept together on how close the child came to death.
“Yan Shu is fortunate to have survived. It’s a relief we divorced,” Aunt Xu said, her voice filled with sorrow. “It’s just a pity that Lu Jing Huai escaped unscathed…” they sighed.
Xu Yi Ting looked at his nephew. In just half a year, Lu Yan Shu had grown impressively.
“Lu Jing Huai is excellent in poetry, but in the royal examinations, essay writing is more important. I’ve seen your essays. He doesn’t compare to you. This time, Marquis Zhongyong has picked up a sesame seed but lost a watermelon.”
Lu Yan Shu and Xu Yi Ting chatted in the study.
The hostage prince, Xuan Jichuan, obediently stood behind Chao Chao, occasionally helping her wipe her hands and mouth.
Xu Yi Ting glanced at him. “After Dongling repeatedly offended North Zhao, the hostage prince is lucky to have found a protector. If not for Chao Chao, he would have been executed at the start of the war. Yet now he has a chance to live.”
“This time, with Dongling’s defeat, the Protectorate General will return to the capital. The hostage prince’s life will be even harder. Following Chao Chao, at least no one dares to insult him.”
Lu Yan Shu chuckled, “You’re right, he’s lucky to meet Chao Chao. Even the crown prince couldn’t protect him.”
“Speaking of the crown prince, he seems to be very attentive to Chao Chao,” Xu Yi Ting noted, feeling that the crown prince was excessively kind to Chao Chao, even treating her better than himself.
“Uncle, don’t worry. The crown prince truly cares for Chao Chao.” Lu Yan Shu recalled the day he saw the crown prince screaming for the ghosts to leave his body. It was Chao Chao who calmed his soul. The crown prince had almost been possessed by someone else. This was why he didn’t stop the crown prince from interacting with Chao Chao.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Next month, your second uncle will return to the capital and likely be promoted. We owe a lot to Chao Chao for saving his life during the flood in Lianluo. If not for hearing her thoughts, the dyke would have broken, and Uncle Xu’s life would have been at risk.”
Lu Yan Shu smiled gently, “Chao Chao still doesn’t know we can eavesdrop on her thoughts.”
They shared a knowing smile. “Next month, uncle will wait for Yan Shu’s good news.”
After dinner, the Xu family returned to their residence.
Just as they left, a servant rushed in. “Madam, the Protectorate General has returned to the capital. General Rong has sent a visiting card.”
“The general is waiting outside, wanting to visit you,” the servant scratched his head. Visiting a lady at night didn’t seem proper, but seeing the general’s travel-worn appearance and eager eyes, he couldn’t refuse the request and came over.
Madam Xu coughed lightly, and Lu Yan Shu smiled, “Although it’s late, I’ll meet the general.”
He wondered why General Rong was visiting them instead of the Protectorate Duke’s mansion. He had never heard of any acquaintance between General Rong and his mother.
Lu Chao Chao giggled, waddling on her short legs to follow him. [The Protectorate General? I remember him… In the original fate, he returned to the capital without a decree to collect the bodies of the Xu family, my mother, and everyone else. He was a loyal official but betrayed North Zhao after the Xu family was executed, following Xuan Jichuan to fight against North Zhao! Oh, he never married, dying a lonely man. He liked my mother. But my mother had a romantic heart…]
Lu Yan Shu paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself after hearing his sister’s monologue. When he arrived at the front courtyard, he saw a tall, imposing man standing there, wearing silver armor that gleamed coldly in the moonlight. He was unlike the gentle and elegant Lu Yuan Ze, exuding a palpable killing aura, though well-controlled within his eyes. Also, he wasn’t as talkative as Lu Yuan Ze, seeming somewhat awkward.
The fierce general on the battlefield took a nervous step back upon seeing Lu Yan Shu.
He glanced behind him, searching.
“She’s not here… stop looking,” the little girl said crisply.
General Rong was really tall; Lu Chao Chao didn’t even reach his knees.
“I wasn’t looking for your mother,” General Rong waved his hand, denying it.
“I didn’t say you were looking for my mama…” Lu Chao Chao muttered.
The general snapped back to attention, stiff as a board, his mouth clamped shut.
If not for his dark skin, one could see his face turn red to the ears.
He stammered, “I heard your mother got divorced? That’s… um…” He tried to look solemn, forcing his mouth into a straight line, but his mouth kept twitching upwards.
“Ah, such misfortune.” His mouth curved up uncontrollably.
“Uncle, you’re smiling so happily,” Lu Chao Chao bluntly pointed out.
The tall man scratched his head in panic, trying to think of sad things to stop himself from smiling.
“I… I…” he sweated, despite having rehearsed his speech a thousand times on the way here, unable to get the words out.
“I’m your mother’s friend. My name is Rong Che.” General Rong looked at Lu Yan Shu and Lu Chao Chao with burning eyes, as if through their faces he saw someone else.
“You’re Yan Shu, right?”
“And you’re Chao Chao, right?”
“Nice to meet you. I didn’t prepare any gifts. Here…” General Rong thought for a moment and pulled out a gift from his pocket.
“This is for you. It’s very memorable. It’s the skull of a tyrant I defeated.”
The pale skull looked eerie in the moonlight.
“The tyrant’s skull, the only one in the world,” General Rong said, handing it to Lu Chao Chao. In his rush to return to the capital, it was the only gift he had.
“If you ever need help, come to the Protectorate Duke’s mansion.”
“This is the token of the Protectorate Duke.”
With that, the general who was decisive on the battlefield fled in haste.
Lu Yan Shu held the jade token.
Lu Chao Chao held the skull.
Who gives a 2 yr old a skull as a greeting gift?
More like, Chao Chao finally gets something she can play and interact with. Instead of just adding to her jade collection ?