Chapter 154: Chao Chao Draws the Sword
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Chao Chao wanna draw sword,” declared the soft, sweet voice, brimming with an unexpected confidence.
The Marquis Zhongyong, seated at the outermost ring, sneered audibly.
“Ridiculous.”
“Your Majesty, no matter how much you dote on Princess Sunshine, you cannot indulge such nonsense,” added Consort Xiao with a light chuckle. “A child not yet two years old—barely as tall as the sword itself—how could she possibly draw it? It’s laughable.”
Princess Yi Ning, lounging by Consort Xiao’s side, chimed in. “Father, if she can draw the sword, then so can Yi Ning. After all, I am your real daughter. Am I not even her equal?”
“Your Majesty, this cannot be allowed. It would bring shame upon North Zhao,” the Marquis Zhongyong rose and declared.
At his words, the entire court stood, protesting in unison.
“Your Majesty, this is unthinkable.”
“Absurd! An utter farce,” they muttered.
[Hmph! In this entire world, only I can draw the Sunshine Sword!]
Lu Chao Chao planted her tiny hands on her hips, her face glowing with pride. Madam Xu’s heart filled with worry, but before she could intervene, the Crown Prince stepped forward.
“Father, let Chao Chao try.”
The prince’s firm tone steadied the Emperor’s heart. He looked at Chao Chao, and she stared back with resolute seriousness.
The Emperor knelt before her. “Chao Chao, then… Emperor Papa entrusts the fate of North Zhao to you.”
The ministers rose again, kneeling before the throne. “Your Majesty, the Sunshine Sword is North Zhao’s treasure, vital to the nation’s destiny. How can you treat this so lightly?”
“Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
The hall was soon filled with kneeling officials. Amid the clamor, the Protectorate Duke remained composed. He had seen Lu Chao Chao protect even the Fourth Prince; her abilities were evident to him. The debt-ridden ministers present, though aware of her peculiarities, could not fathom her drawing the damaged sword that neither North Zhao nor Western Yue could claim—a sword left untouched for ages. After all, she was merely a toddler.
Ignoring the uproar, the Emperor declared, “For the final round, my daughter, Princess Sunshine, shall take the stage.”
The Divine Maiden of Western Yue chuckled softly. “Indeed, the Emperor of North Zhao is bold.”
The court’s ministers, their mouths dry from anxious protests, could only kneel in exasperation.
The Crown Prince personally carried Lu Chao Chao down the steps.
“Big Brother Prince, you not worried?” she asked, surprised by his amused expression.
He set her on the ground. “Cheng Xi isn’t worried. Chao Chao, you can do it. You’re the only one who can draw the Sunshine Sword.”
Lu Chao Chao stepped forward, heading toward the sword. The Western Yue entourage could no longer hide their smirks. North Zhao had already lost, they thought. After all, what could a two-year-old accomplish?
“Such foolishness. The Emperor pampers Princess Sunshine too much. Even Lu Jing Yao is better than her,” sneered Madam Pei, eager to see the child humiliated.
But just as her voice faded, the ground suddenly trembled violently. Tables shook uncontrollably, wine cups toppling and spilling across the floor.
Lu Chao Chao placed her tiny hands on the sword’s hilt. The Sunshine Sword, sensing her presence, seemed to quiver with anticipation. With the slightest effort, she lifted it.
The corroded blade, long believed ruined, began to radiate a dazzling light, shedding its rust to reveal its true form.
“Look!”
“The sword—it’s been drawn!”
“Heavens, she actually did it!”
The Divine Maiden of Western Yue shot upright, her earlier laziness replaced by a sharp, shocked intensity.
“How… how can this be?” Her heart thundered as she watched Lu Chao Chao fully unsheathe the Sunshine Sword, its golden brilliance so blinding it was almost impossible to look at directly. The sword’s immense pressure blanketed the hall, forcing many to their knees.
This was no corroded blade—it was unmistakably a divine weapon. Its golden glow exuded an awe-inspiring might.
“It’s a divine sword!”
The surging sword energy compelled countless people to bow in submission.
Clutching the Sunshine Sword, Lu Chao Chao’s eyes welled with tears. “Old friend, I found you…”
The once-imposing Sunshine Sword now hummed softly, as obedient as a child.
“Your Majesty, Princess Sunshine has drawn the corroded blade!”
“No, no, no! It’s a divine sword!” the Protectorate Duke exclaimed joyously.
The Fourth Prince turned to Consort Xian. “Mother, did you see? Princess Sunshine is far greater than we imagined.”
Consort Xian nodded, her lingering illnesses seemingly cured by the sight.
“My son is fortunate. He must take good care of the princess,” she said, now entirely aligned with Princess Sunshine’s faction.
“Good! Excellent! Sunshine, well done!” The Emperor clapped and laughed heartily. Witnessing the frustrated expressions of the Western Yue envoys filled him with delight.
“Sunshine is truly the heart of North Zhao, its radiant sun, and my pride!” the Emperor declared openly.
Lu Yuan Ze’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“How is this possible? How did she draw the sword?” It was as if the rock he had scorned had transformed into a priceless gem.
Consort Xiao’s nails dug into her palms as jealousy and hatred consumed her.
The Emperor descended the steps, lifting Chao Chao into his arms.
“Chao Chao will be the heart of North Zhao,” he announced.
The gathered officials knelt once more. “The heart of North Zhao!”
“The heart of North Zhao!” they echoed.
As the Sunshine Sword’s energy filled the hall, it spread across North Zhao, banishing all evil spirits from its borders.
Holding the sword high, Lu Chao Chao declared, “No evil spirits shall tread in North Zhao.”
The Western Yue envoys’ faces turned ashen. Their attendants glanced nervously at the Divine Maiden, their expressions panicked. They had never intended to relinquish the sword to North Zhao, let alone see its power restored. Now, they regretted it deeply.
The Divine Maiden, her face dark, struggled to maintain her composure. The Emperor, his heart light, exuded confidence.
“You may have divine swords,” he mused. “But I have Chao Chao.”
“Chao Chao, the sword is yours,” he said firmly.
“Your Majesty, this cannot be! Princess Sunshine is but your adoptive daughter. Such a treasure must belong to the royal family,” protested Minister Jiang, a second-rank official, prompting murmurs of agreement.
But before he finished speaking, the Sunshine Sword flew from Lu Chao Chao’s hands, straight toward him.
“Ah!” he cried, diving behind a pillar just in time. A single slash of sword energy left a deep mark on the wood.
The Sunshine Sword hovered menacingly above him, its tip pointed directly at his chest. The sight sent shivers down the spines of all present.
[Still as petty as ever, Sunshine…]
Lu Chao Chao held out her small hand. “Sunshine, come back.”
Reluctantly, the sword circled Minister Jiang one last time before returning to her grip, docile as ever.
The Divine Maiden of Western Yue nearly choked on her frustration.
“The sword is gone,” her attendant whimpered, tearful.
The court, silenced by the sight, could offer no further objections.