Chapter 236: Breakdown
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
The king stood on the edge of an unforgivable decision: ordering the execution of his entire royal consort. He knew the consequences—such actions would not only tarnish the royal family’s reputation but also his own.
[If only Consort Hui were a man, I wouldn’t feel so humiliated!]
“Consort Shu, Consort Qin, Consort Lin, and Consort Jiang are to be banished to the Cold Palace! No one is permitted to visit them!”
Fury burned in the king’s eyes as he issued the decree. “Should a single word of this escape, Consort Hui’s life is forfeit!”
Consort Jiang, Consort Lin, and Consort Shu immediately knelt and touched their foreheads to the cold, hard floor in submission.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy.”
“Thank you, Princess Sunshine…” Without Sunshine’s intervention, their fates would have been sealed.
“Consort Hui, you shall be confined to a temple for the remainder of your days, imprisoned there until death claims you! Remove her from my sight!”
Although his voice was laced with a threat of murder, the king knew that executing the consorts would lead to rampant speculation and rumors. He decided to bide his time, allowing the situation to cool before dealing with Consort Hui privately.
The hall fell eerily silent. Eunuch Wang, his head bowed low, wished for invisibility, fearful that he might also be silenced permanently to keep this scandal from leaking.
The king remained stoic, his expression icy. “Return to the Royal Study,” he commanded with iron resolve.
Once secluded in the Royal Study, the king dismissed his attendants with a flick of his wrist. “Eunuch Wang, leave us. Have the royal kitchen send up some food… and wine,” he added, his voice a hollow echo of its usual command.
Eunuch Wang, sensing the king’s profound distress, hesitated, torn between offering comfort and respecting his solitude. Only Lu Chao Chao, bold and unfazed, dared follow the king into the study.
As Eunuch Wang exited, he implored, “Princess, please, try to console His Majesty, help him find reason.”
Lu Chao Chao nodded gravely in agreement.
Inside the study, the king retrieved a cherished portrait from a bookshelf. “These are the birthday gifts she sent me each year,” he murmured, clutching a hand-carved figurine. “She made this herself… It was the first gift that truly touched my heart.”
Lu Chao Chao peered up curiously. “Consort Jiang has… Consort Qin has… Consort Shu has… Consort Lin has… Their gifts are all larger and more splendid than yours, and they come in pairs.”
“King Daddy, did she make yours from scraps?” Lu Chao Chao’s innocent question struck a nerve.
Realizing Eunuch Wang’s plea, the little princess quickly tried to soothe the king’s wounded pride. “Chao Chao thinks, maybe she didn’t like King Daddy much, but she still made you a figurine… That means she cared, right?” She tried to offer consolation, noticing the king’s eyes begin to redden.
“Uh… maybe she still wanted to make you happy… Could that mean she really had affection for you?” Lu Chao Chao squirmed, feeling out of her depth as she unintentionally moved the king to tears.
The king’s grip tightened around the small figurine, its polished surface a testament to its frequent handling, yet it lacked the life-like quality of Consort Qin’s.
He then picked up a painting. “Last year, on my birthday, she wanted to create a family portrait. She labored over this painting for half a month, even falling ill during the process…” His gaze lingered on the painting, crafted in the royal garden, showcasing many concubines…
“She painted King Daddy the least flatteringly…” Lu Chao Chao observed earnestly. “The other concubines are all depicted beautifully, especially the queen…”
The king’s focus shifted to the queen in the painting, and he recalled how Consort Hui had frequently sought her out, inciting her ire. His smile faded, replaced by a clenched jaw.
“Did she harbor feelings for the queen too?!” he growled through gritted teeth.
Lu Chao Chao blinked innocently. “At dinner last time, she secretly caressed the queen’s leg…”
The king clutched at his heart, agonized. “And she even tried to hold the queen’s hand…”
The king, overwhelmed by the betrayal and the emotional turmoil, exclaimed, “May Buddha and the late king shield us, she nearly succeeded!”
The queen had rebuffed her advances repeatedly, maintaining a cautious distance, yet he had unknowingly encouraged their interactions.
Tears welled up in the king’s eyes as he spoke, eventually leading to a complete emotional breakdown.
“Chao Chao, in my life, I never had a choice. She was the only one I chose! I defied the court, the late king, and the world to bring her into the palace. How could she betray me like this?” His voice cracked as he poured himself a drink, numbing the pain with alcohol.
“Didn’t she look after the other concubines for you? That was good, wasn’t it?” Lu Chao Chao sat cross-legged, pilfering a Four Happiness Meatball while the king’s attention was diverted. “You kept all the pretty aunties…” she murmured, eyeing his wine.
“Children of the royal family must produce heirs. The harem helps balance power within the court…” The king slurred slightly, his cheeks flushed from the wine.
Lu Chao Chao scowled. “Then… You deserve it… If you need women to balance power, you’re weak! The truly strong don’t rely on flashy displays!”
Stunned, the king let out a bitter laugh. “I never expected Chao Chao to be so wise…”
Lu Chao Chao just glanced at him, her expression unreadable.
Clutching the wine jar, the king drowned his sorrows. “Consort Shu has the fifth prince, Consort Hui the first prince… Banishing their mothers to the Cold Palace will damage our father-son relationships.”
“Think of something happy…” Lu Chao Chao echoed Eunuch Wang’s advice.
“What is there to be happy about now?” The king’s voice was laced with bitterness.
“No need to worry about the first prince; he’s not your biological son anyway. Feeling better?” Lu Chao Chao looked up at him hopefully.
As they locked eyes, the king’s tears began to flow once more.
The last time he cried was when the late king died. Now, it was Lu Chao Chao who had moved him to tears.
“Why aren’t you happy? Why aren’t you smiling? Don’t cry…” Lu Chao Chao frantically searched for a handkerchief, her small face etched with concern.
[Sorry, Eunuch Wang, sorry! I made the king break down and cry!]
“Consort Hui’s child died young; she adopted the first prince…” Lu Chao Chao stammered, unsure.
The king embraced Lu Chao Chao, sobbing uncontrollably. “Chao Chao… Chao Chao, thank you. Having you is truly my blessing.” He wept bitterly…
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Lu Chao Chao, puzzled, scratched at the small tuft of hair on her head. “No need to thank me? I can tell you other secrets, do you want to hear? I know so many secrets!! So many, so many…”
“Do you want to hear about the late king and the queen? Want to have some fun?” Her face lit up with mischief.
At the mention of “fun,” the king shuddered. When she had entered the palace at noon, she was dejected, but by the afternoon, he himself had already turned ‘green’.
“I don’t want to hear anything, I don’t want to hear anything!!” In a panic, the king hurried her to the door. “The late king has passed, let him rest.” King Xuan Ping, sobered by fear, locked the door with a loud bang, afraid that even a moment later, the late king’s reputation might be tarnished!
Lu Chao Chao pouted. “I just wanted to cheer you up…”
Eunuch Wang quickly approached. “Princess Sunshine, did you comfort His Majesty?”
Lu Chao Chao nodded. “I did.”
“I knew it, His Majesty loves the Princess most and listens to her. How is His Majesty now?”
Lu Chao Chao blinked her large eyes. “I made him break down. He wants to die now.”