Chapter 182: The Sky is Falling
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Madam Xu’s rage boiled over, her head throbbing intensely. Yet, the sight of the little girl, head bowed and barefoot on the cold floor, softened her heart. Deng Zhi quickly wrapped the child in a brocade blanket and held her close.
“You nearly scared Madam to death…” Deng Zhi admonished softly. “You must promise never to do that again.”
The child’s bewildered expression made Deng Zhi sigh. At only two years old, she was far too young to grasp the gravity of her actions.
Madam Xu reached out to touch her daughter’s cold cheeks, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and love. “It’s okay. Next month, you’ll start school. It’s not too far away now.”
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes widened in disbelief. [What? School? No!] Panic flickered across her face.
Madam Xu, noticing her shock, let out a chuckle. “The king himself praised your sharp mind a few days ago when I was at the palace. He thinks you should start school early. Normally, royal children start at three; beginning at two isn’t unheard of.”
Madam Xu believed the king was concerned that Chao Chao might pick up bad habits if left unoccupied, given the questionable influences within Lu Yuan Ze’s family.
For example, Chao Chao had taken to wandering aimlessly, often riding the dog and eavesdropping on conversations. Madam Xu worried this idleness was detrimental. With only vague memories from her previous life, Chao Chao seemed constantly enveloped in a haze.
For that reason, Madam Xu was convinced that early schooling could prevent her daughter from straying down a rogue path.
Caught off guard by the subject, Chao Chao felt her world crumbling. “School? But I’m only two!” The thought overwhelmed her.
Having once commanded seven divine disciples, the idea of school seemed ludicrous. Her lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Mama, I don’t wanna go to school… Waaa, I’m just a baby…” Chao Chao whimpered, tugging at her mother’s sleeve. “I won’t sneak chicken legs anymore. Please, no school?” Her large eyes shimmered with tears.
Chao Chao added, hoping to sway her mother, “I won’t see Mama if I go to school. Chao Chao will miss you…”
“Studying is good for you, Chao Chao.” Madam Xu knew the enormity of her daughter’s potential and couldn’t risk any negligence.
Besides, Madam Xu could not bear the thought of raising an illiterate daughter.
“His Majesty has arranged a special class for children under seven. You might even make some friends,” Madam Xu suggested thoughtfully. Chao Chao had no peers, only adults for company.
Chao Chao blinked, puzzled. “Why do I need friends?”
“Strong people don’t need friends,” she proclaimed confidently. [The strong are destined to walk alone.]
Madam Xu was taken aback by her daughter’s words.
“Weak people need others for warmth; strong people stand alone,” Chao Chao said, raising her tiny hand authoritatively. “But I have friends! They want to be my followers!”
Madam Xu sighed; there was a logic to her daughter’s words.
“Regardless, school is not up for debate,” Madam Xu stated firmly.
Chao Chao’s head drooped sadly. Madam Xu felt a twinge of guilt but remained firm in her decision.
Deng Zhi carried Chao Chao back to her room, where the little girl lay sullen on her bed. Yuhua, the maid, tried to console her.
“I grew up poor and couldn’t even learn to read. Being able to study is a privilege,” Yuhua spoke gently.
“As a servant, my ability to read made me valuable,” Yuhua continued. “In poor families, literacy is a treasure.”
But she knew Chao Chao, at two, couldn’t fully comprehend these concepts. The child would be upset for some time. After tucking her in, Yuhua left the room quietly.
Chao Chao puffed her cheeks in frustration, slipping off the bed to dress in warm attire. She packed a small bag, determined.
“Hmph, I’m going on an adventure! I’m going to see the world!” she declared, stuffing her milk bottle into the bag.
In the dead of night, she knocked out Yuhua with a burst of spiritual power, climbed a stool, and opened the door.
She whispered to the dog, “Chasing Wind, let’s explore!”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Slipping through a hole in the wall, she stepped outside, reveling in her newfound freedom.
“The taste of freedom…” she sighed, arms wide open.
No sooner had she relished the moment than she tripped, falling face-first onto the ground.
Brushing herself off, she tried to act unaffected and wandered down the streets.
“Let’s sleep under that bridge,” she pointed, spotting a sheltered spot.
Approaching, she noticed beggars huddled there. They were dirty and disheveled. On seeing her, they stirred.
“Where’s this child from? Leave, this isn’t a place for you,” they warned, guessing her background from her appearance.
“I wanna be a beggar too!” Chao Chao declared defiantly. “I wanna see the world!”
The beggars almost laughed. “Go home, child. You don’t know how good you have it.”
Ignoring their warnings, Chao Chao settled down on her dog’s fur, clutching her warm milk bottle.
The beggars watched in disbelief. “She’s really set on staying?”
Chao Chao curled up, her innocent presence softening their hearts.
“Keep an eye on her,” one of the beggars with a limp instructed. “Don’t let anyone take her.”
They whispered among themselves, “She’s a noble, sneaking out for an adventure. Rebellious, but cute.”
Unaware of the commotion her disappearance caused, Chao Chao slept peacefully, her family and the entire city in a frenzy over the missing little princess.