Chapter 145: A Secret Rendezvous
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Lu Chao Chao dreamed blissfully all night long.
Grilled eggs, steamed eggs, fried eggs—her thoughts replayed endless variations of egg dishes.
When she opened her eyes…
“Chirp chirp chirp…” Her precious eggs had transformed into tiny chicks.
“Waaah waah waah…”
Her cries echoed through the room.
Yu Shu and Yu Qin burst in, faces filled with alarm. “What’s wrong, miss? What happened?”
Pointing at the chirping chicks, Lu Chao Chao hiccupped between sobs, her face full of grievance.
“Waaaah, eggs, waaaah, my eggs…” Sitting on the bed, she cried miserably.
Yu Shu spotted the fluffy yellow chicks at the bed’s corner and froze in confusion.
“I stole them from the kitchen… waaaah… now they’ve turned into babies!” Chao Chao tearfully confessed, her grievance overflowing.
Yu Qin couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. There’s chicken noodle soup for breakfast today. How about I sneak you a chicken wing?” she coaxed gently.
The crying stopped abruptly.
Still sniffling, Chao Chao asked, “Two wings?”
Yu Qin shook her head. Instantly, Chao Chao’s face fell, her little hair buns drooping as if the weight of the world was upon her.
Reluctantly glancing at the chicks one last time, she allowed Yu Shu to take them to the kitchen for safekeeping.
“Today, the Divine Maiden of Western Yue enters the capital. There’s a beauty to admire,” Yu Shu said, redirecting her attention.
“Is she prettier than Liang Qin?” Chao Chao asked.
“You’ll have to see for yourself. She’s called the most beautiful woman under the heavens.” Yu Qin helped her freshen up, coaxed her into finishing breakfast, and dressed her in a brand-new skirt.
[See the beauty, see the beauty…]
[Slurp slurp…]
Lu Yuan Xiao watched her expression, thinking, [Why does my little sister look like a lecherous old man?]
“Where’s Big Brother?”
“Today is the announcement of the scholar rankings, so he went with his classmates.”
“What about Second Brother?” Chao Chao asked again.
“Second Brother is off on some mysterious errand to secure his future. He told me not to inform Mother. But today, I’ll take you out!”
[Yay, yay! Let’s see the beauty, let’s see the beauty!] Chao Chao beamed with joy.
“Third Brother is the best! I love Third Brother!” She clung to Lu Yuan Xiao’s face and planted a big kiss.
Since Chao Chao was now a princess, Yuan Xiao arranged for four guards and several shadow escorts to ensure her safety.
The capital was under strict lockdown today.
Every three years, the four kingdoms of Northern Zhao, Southern Kingdom, Eastern Ling, and Western Yue gathered for diplomatic talks.
The Southern Kingdom, worshippers of divine spirits, maintained their aloof demeanor. Eastern Ling, having lost a war this year, likely came to sue for peace. Western Yue, however, had sent their Divine Maiden, Jing Li.
Soldiers lined the streets, and citizens could only watch from afar, eagerly chasing after the gilded palanquin.
“Divine Maiden, Divine Maiden!”
“She’s breathtaking! Truly a peerless beauty!”
“She looked at me! She saw me!”
“Nonsense! She was looking at me!” Chaos erupted as people even came to blows over her gaze.
“Let me see, let me see!” Chao Chao exclaimed impatiently.
Guiding her towards the crowd, Yuan Xiao followed the excitement.
People thronged around the palanquin as it passed. The maidservants scattered flower petals along the way, while guards surrounded it vigilantly.
The gauzy curtains of the palanquin swayed in the breeze, revealing glimpses of the Divine Maiden. The crowd gasped in awe.
Her cloud-like hair framed an exquisite face with delicate brows, dazzling teeth, and flawless skin. Her autumnal eyes seemed to hold an enchanting allure, and her relaxed posture exuded an air of elegance.
Even her slender, fair hands seemed to glow with radiance.
Yuan Xiao stood in a daze. “Wow, what a stunning beauty…”
Chao Chao giggled uncontrollably.
The Divine Maiden’s gaze briefly fell on Chao Chao, her round, adorable face catching her attention. A faint smile graced the maiden’s lips as her maid whispered something in her ear. Startled, the Divine Maiden looked at Chao Chao again.
With a wave of her hand, the palanquin halted, and so did the entire procession. A green-clad maid approached to help her down.
“Jing Li greets Princess Sunshine,” she said. Her ethereal voice mesmerized the crowd.
Jing Li, the Divine Maiden of Western Yue, was said to hold greater sway than the emperor of her nation. At times, her authority even rivaled his.
Yuan Xiao tugged at Chao Chao’s sleeve. “Didn’t you keep saying you wanted to see the Divine Maiden?”
Chao Chao pouted, her wide eyes brimming with confusion. “Divine Maiden?”
Jing Li smiled softly. “You may call me Sister Jing Li.”
Chao Chao shook her head furiously, her little face scrunching up in defiance.
“Sister? No, no, not a sister…” The little one hid in Yuan Xiao’s arms, occasionally peeking out at Jing Li with curiosity.
Not a sister. Definitely not.
“Move! Out of the way, now! Who’s blocking the road? A good dog doesn’t stand in the way!” A brash voice suddenly rang out.
A boy of about seven or eight emerged from a carriage, looking down at Chao Chao with disdain.
His gaze shifted to Xuan Ji Chuan. “Ha! Isn’t this my useless brother? I heard the mighty prince has become someone’s lackey?”
He sneered before turning back to Ji Chuan. “What a disgrace.”
Ji Chuan’s face turned red. This was none other than the Crown Prince of Eastern Ling.
Jing Li chuckled lightly. “And what of Eastern Ling’s emperor kneeling in surrender? Is that not shameful?”
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, comes to Northern Zhao begging for peace. Is that not humiliating?”
Before the prince could retort, a stern man behind him—his uncle—clamped a hand over his mouth.
“The prince is young and impulsive. I will discipline him well,” he said coldly, dragging the boy back into the carriage.
With no further delay, the procession entered the palace gates.
“Chao Chao, do you not like the Divine Maiden?” Yuan Xiao asked, noticing her odd behavior.
“Hmm… no…”
“She’s not a sister,” Chao Chao mumbled, her words unclear.
“What do you mean she’s not a sister? You’re so gluttonous, you’ve lost your senses!” Yuan Xiao scolded, though he didn’t press further.
“That Southern Kingdom delegation didn’t show up again this year.”
“They look down on Northern Zhao. It’s better if they stay away. They’d just flaunt their arrogance if they came.”
Amid the chatter, Chao Chao nibbled on her candied hawthorn, her attention caught by a sneaky figure in the distance.
“Third Brother, follow her!”
[Oh my, oh my, it’s Little Mother!]
[What’s she sneaking around for? Let’s find out!]
Yuan Xiao quickly carried Chao Chao upstairs. As the door creaked open, Chao Chao caught a glimpse of Lu Jing Huai inside.
[Oh, bold indeed! Secretly meeting someone in private!]
Excitement sparkled in her eyes.
Yuan Xiao’s own eyes gleamed with mischief. “Want to watch some drama?”
Chao Chao nodded eagerly.
He turned to a guard. “Inform the Marquis—tell him his equal wife, Madam Su Zhi Qing, is having a secret rendezvous. He should come to catch her red-handed.”
[Big Brother, well done! Bravo, bravo!]
Chao Chao nearly jumped for joy.
[Last time, we only planted seeds of suspicion. But now, hehehe…]
The two of them leaned against the wall of the adjacent room, ears pressed to listen.