Chapter 165: Daily Headlines
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
The old lady’s face turned bright red with indignation, her eyes blazing as if to ignite the air itself. “You little imp! Are you cursing my demise?”
Yuhua snapped back, her voice sharp with accusation, “Madam Pei rushed over in tears, claiming you were at death’s door. Who’s really casting curses? Doubt me? Just ask around! The whole city witnessed her antics.”
Lu Yuan Ze, well-acquainted with his mother’s occasional flights from reality, intervened with a clenched jaw. “Mother is advancing in years and her memory often falters. I apologize for the confusion and distress this has caused. Tomorrow, I, Yuan Ze, will personally visit everyone to offer my apologies.”
He maintained a composed facade, continuing his apologies to the gathered crowd. “She holds a deep affection for Chao Chao. Her actions, though misguided, stem from a place of longing. I beg your understanding in this matter.” His heart sank as he spoke; the scandal surrounding Madam Xu’s recent divorce had already made their household the subject of constant gossip. Now, rumors swirled that his mother was on her deathbed!
After a strenuous effort, he managed to disperse the assembly of court officials.
Little Chao Chao eyed the old lady, her expression a mix of timidity and curiosity. With a hesitant voice, she asked, “Gwanny, am I your bestest gwandbaby?”
Met with a dismissive snort from the old lady, Chao Chao’s voice took on a cautious tone. “When you die, can I eat at the first banquet?”
The question sent the old lady into a fit of dizziness-inducing rage. “You little demon, wishing death upon me! You’re here just to claim debts! What have I done to deserve such a granddaughter?” she bellowed, pain echoing in her heart as she thought of Chao Chao’s constant preoccupation with food. “Eat, eat, eat—that’s all you ever think about! Look at Jing Yao, then look at yourself!” she scolded.
Feeling let down, Chao Chao mused to herself, [Such an expensive coffin wasted. Had I known, I’d have opted for a simple straw mat instead.]
Lu Yuan Ze caught his daughter’s glance. As Princess Sunshine, now cherished by the king, he dared not reprimand her too harshly.
“Mother, what are you accomplishing with these antics? Do you wish for our home to become the capital’s laughingstock?” he asked, the fatigue evident in his voice.
After a moment of silence, the old lady’s voice softened. “I merely miss Chao Chao. Could we not have her stay with us for a few days?”
“Old woman, you wish!” Chao Chao retorted, placing her hands defiantly on her hips.
“Mother, Chao Chao no longer resides within these walls,” Lu Yuan Ze stated, his voice hoarse.
“How can she not? She was born a Lu and will remain one, even in death. Does it matter if her name is stricken from the family register? Does it matter if there’s a severance letter? She is of your blood,” the old lady argued fiercely.
“Enough, Mother. Chao Chao is now registered as royalty; she is Princess Sunshine. She is not yours to command,” Lu Yuan Ze asserted, his tone stern. His favor with the king waning, he couldn’t risk offending Chao Chao.
After a tense silence, the old lady’s demeanor changed as she pleaded, “Then… could Chao Chao leave behind a piece of her clothing as a keepsake?”
Lu Yuan Ze looked to his daughter, “Would you agree to this, Chao Chao?”
Chao Chao rolled her eyes. “Of course not.”
“I’ll buy it with money, if that helps?” the old lady proposed reluctantly.
Chao Chao’s eyes lit up as she held up three fingers, prompting the old lady to grit her teeth and order a servant to fetch three thousand taels of silver, her eyes narrowing with resentment. [This crafty child may take my money, but she won’t live to enjoy it!]
Lu Yuan Ze grew more apprehensive. His mother’s disdain for Chao Chao was palpable, yet now she was willing to spend a small fortune for a mere piece of clothing?
The old lady wrapped the silver in a red cloth, asking clearly, “Chao Chao, I offer you three thousand taels for an item you’re wearing. Do you accept?”
Chao Chao sensed the gathering spiritual energy above. [Oh… A life-borrowing spell. They’re actually trying this? How amusing.]
“I agwee,” Chao Chao’s response was sweet and clear.
With the agreement sealed, the old lady quickly transferred the silver into Chao Chao’s small hands.
Suspecting his mother’s intent from her solemn tone, Lu Yuan Ze exchanged a knowing glance with her.
“Have you nothing to say, Marquis Zhongyong?” Chao Chao addressed her father, testing if he would intervene.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Why would this marquis need to address a little demon who can’t even call me ‘father’?” Lu Yuan Ze retorted coldly.
Chao Chao handed her handkerchief to the old lady. “This is fwom when I was wittle, it still has my scent!”
Upon sniffing it and detecting the faint scent of her infancy, the old lady tucked the handkerchief away contentedly.
As Chao Chao exited the mansion, the old lady muttered bitterly, “I sold her birthdate for fifty thousand taels! Stay out of it and feign ignorance. Extending the life of a noble with her insignificant existence is her privilege.”
Lu Yuan Ze departed without a word, his heart heavy.
As they left, Yuhua voiced her concerns, having heard of masters using birthdates and personal items for nefarious purposes. “They won’t harm you, will they?”
Chao Chao, with a mischievous chuckle, replied, “They better be up to something. Don’t tell Mommy.”
Once home, Chao Chao relayed the day’s deception to Madam Xu. “She lied, she wasn’t sick, she tricked us.”
“You cheeky girl, mentioning a coffin could have enraged her,” Madam Xu admonished gently, ensuring her daughter was unharmed.
“No, Mommy…” Chao Chao stifled a giggle, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
[Hehe, the real drama is just beginning…]
Taken aback, Madam Xu was tempted to eavesdrop but followed her daughter out instead.
Later that night, the October sky grew colder as night deepened, and a thick white fog enveloped everything, obscuring visibility.
From her bed, Chao Chao heard a faint, ethereal voice: “Lu Chao Chao, are you willing to lend fifty years of your life to extend Xue Huang’s?”
The voice lingered, persistent until she responded.
“Okay,” Chao Chao murmured softly.
Instantly, a slender beam of light drew a line from her body to the heavens—her lifespan.
Sitting up with a grin, Chao Chao mused, [As the master of seven divine disciples, controller of the celestial realms, my lifespan matches the heavens themselves. Borrow fifty years? They must be joking. Let’s see whose ancestral fortunes are about to implode!]