Chapter 281: Three Days of Mourning
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation.
“Mommy, is Grandma still alive?” Little Chao Chao asked, her big eyes looking up at Madam Xu with a serious expression.
Madam Xu nodded. “Why are you suddenly so worried about her?”
Chao Chao pouted, her face scrunching up as she thought about how mean the old lady always was. [Why should I care about her? She’s always so grumpy!]
“She’s barely holding on,” Madam Xu continued. “Today, the clan leader opened the ancestral hall to officially recognize Lu Yuan Xi and Lu Jing Huai as part of the family. It made the old lady so angry she coughed up blood. I don’t think she’ll last much longer.”
Chao Chao just replied, “Oh.”
“I heard you have a test tomorrow. Are you ready, Chao Chao?” Madam Xu asked gently.
Chao Chao blinked her big eyes and nodded. “Yup! All ready, Mommy!”
“Okay, then. Go study now,” Madam Xu said.
Chao Chao hopped away, her voice bright and cheerful. “I go study, I go study!”
But once she got to her room, she clasped her hands together and whispered, “Living is too hard for Grandma. Better she go sleepy-sleep.” She nodded to herself seriously before crawling into bed. [Study? No way. Sleeping is way better!]
The next day, before the sun was up, Yuhua came to help her get dressed.
“We can’t be late today. Head Tutor Yuan said he’s going to test your knowledge,” Yuhua reminded her.
Chao Chao’s eyes were still half-closed, her little face all sleepy. She let the maids wash her face and brush her hair while she yawned. Thinking about the test made her tummy feel funny, so she poked at her breakfast, taking only a few small bites. On her way out, she gave Chasing Wind’s broken bowl a little kick, making it clatter loudly.
“Wake up, Chasing Wind! Morning time is best time! Get up and guard the gate!” she ordered in her tiny but bossy voice.
“Look at me, up so early and being a good example,” Chao Chao grumbled as she glared at the half-asleep dog, then climbed into the carriage.
Chasing Wind wagged its tail sadly, staring at the empty bowl in front of it. [Why is she so mean this morning?]
“Go by Head Tutor Yuan’s house,” Chao Chao mumbled, her head drooping as if she was half-asleep. “I gotta go warm up my teacher’s heart!”
When they reached the Yuan residence, Chao Chao rushed straight into the main courtyard on her short little legs. The maids and servants didn’t dare stop her—after all, she was Princess Sunshine.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She pounded on Head Tutor Yuan’s bedroom door with loud, echoing knocks. She seemed to have some serious morning grumpiness, and she banged on the door so hard it almost fell off its hinges.
“Stop knocking! Stop knocking! Who is it this early?” Head Tutor Yuan shouted, rushing to open the door, his hair and beard all white and messy.
He didn’t like anyone serving him in his room, so there wasn’t anyone around at night. When he opened the door, it was pitch dark, and he couldn’t see anything.
“Look down!” Chao Chao’s tiny voice demanded.
Head Tutor Yuan squinted down and saw Chao Chao glaring up at him with her chubby cheeks puffed out.
“Teacher, time to get up and start lessons! You always say, ‘Morning is best for learning,’” she said with a serious, innocent face.
Head Tutor Yuan was so mad he almost fell backward. With all that banging, he thought maybe North Zhao had been conquered! And it was just because she woke up early?
“It’s not even light out yet!” Head Tutor Yuan complained.
“You know it’s still dark? But I’m awake already, so you gotta be awake too!” Chao Chao huffed, glaring at him.
Head Tutor Yuan gritted his teeth. “Fine, fine! I’m up, you little rascal!”
“What did I do in my past life to deserve being your teacher in this one!” He mumbled, remembering the strange voice he heard a few days ago. He leaned in closer, trying to hear if Chao Chao had anything else to say.
There was no noise, so he relaxed a bit. All the officials were almost scared to death.
Chao Chao was happy after waking her teacher, her frustration melting away.
“Quick, get my heart medicine,” Head Tutor Yuan shouted. “And tell the court doctor to give me another year’s supply!”
Chao Chao chuckled, hugging her little bag as she ran back to the carriage.
“Don’t worry, old man can live another ten years,” Chao Chao assured Yuhua.
[Besides, anyone who teaches me gets extra blessings and long life!]
When Chao Chao got to the classroom, the sky was still dark. She swayed her head along with everyone else as they recited their books, grinning wide as Head Tutor Yuan walked in, his face looking like thunder.
“Today, there will be a test,” he announced. “Everyone, make sure you review.”
“Oh no, I’m so scared of the test! If I don’t do well, my dad will beat me!” someone whispered.
“Princess Sunshine, are you ready?” the children whispered among themselves.
Chao Chao was the youngest in the class, and even though she was smart and had a great memory, she always explained things in the weirdest ways!
Her hands were often swollen from getting hit by Head Tutor Yuan’s ruler.
Chao Chao waved her tiny hand. “I didn’t read or memorize. Not worried, not worried at all.” Her little face was full of confidence.
Her classmates exchanged glances and smiled with relief.
“If Princess Sunshine didn’t prepare, we’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“We can tell our parents we didn’t do well because we didn’t want to outshine the princess… Maybe we’ll get a few less spankings.”
“Yes, yes, Princess Sunshine is so noble!” The older kids suddenly brightened up, smiling through their misery.
Seeing the princess hadn’t studied, everyone decided to relax and play around. No one even bothered to cram at the last minute.
Head Tutor Yuan watched them coldly, shaking his head in disappointment.
Half an hour later, he called out, “Everyone, bring your books to the front. Prepare for the test.”
The children happily brought their books to the front. Everyone was scratching their heads, and Chao Chao looked like she was sitting on pins and needles, her eyes fixed on the doorway.
“Why aren’t you writing? What are you waiting for?” Head Tutor Yuan thought to himself. [This time, I’ll really have to hit her hands hard.]
Before Chao Chao could say anything, hurried footsteps could be heard outside the door.
“Head Tutor, someone from the Lu family is here. They want Princess Sunshine to return home immediately,” a young servant, wiping sweat from his brow, announced, panting.
Head Tutor Yuan frowned slightly, one hand behind his back.
“The princess has a test today. Is it important?” He glanced at Chao Chao. [So that’s why she was so calm. No wonder she wasn’t worried.]
The young servant replied, “The old lady of the Lu family passed away. They came to inform the household.”
“Even though the princess isn’t technically a member of the Lu family, she still needs to make an appearance.”
Head Tutor Yuan nodded, “Alright, go ahead then.”
[No wonder she’d been waiting so patiently. She was waiting for the old lady to die so she could ask for leave!]
Chao Chao’s face lit up with joy, her smile stretching from ear to ear.
Seeing everyone staring, she quickly covered her face, “Boo-hoo, poor grandwa, you left so early…”
“Boo-hoo, Head Tutor, Chao Chao requests three days of mourning leave… Boo-hoo…”
“Granted!” Head Tutor Yuan said, his face as dark as a stormy sky.
Chao Chao almost burst out laughing but covered her face and dashed out the door. Her classmates were left in shock.
“Huh? The princess is going home for mourning, what about us? I’m going to get beaten to death by my dad!”
“Help! The princess abandoned us!”
Xie Yu Zhou looked like he was mourning too. Last time, he gave Chao Chao a drop of wine and got a double beating from his father and mother, bedridden for three days.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation.
Xie Yu Zhou raised his hand, trembling, “Head Tutor, I also want to ask for leave.”
Head Tutor Yuan glanced at him, “Why?”
The little boy replied seriously, “My father passed away. I need to go home to mourn. Three days, please…”
Seeing the tutor’s face turn grim, he hesitated for a moment and stuttered, “Uh, just one day. I’ll come back after burying my father.”
[At least if I avoid the test, I won’t get a beating, right?]