Chapter 29: A Day Trip to the Academy
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Do you not understand the basics of caring for others?” Li Siqi asked, his voice laden with concern. “Your sister overheated to the point of developing a heat rash!” He then discreetly unzipped the cloth bag, allowing the tiny doll inside to breathe, gently handling her as he returned the girl to her brother.
Cradling his now peacefully slumbering sister, Lu Yuan Xiao inhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over him.
“Your sister is truly adorable,” Li Siqi remarked, a hint of envy coloring his tone. It came as a surprise to him that Lu Yuan Xiao was blessed with such a charming sibling.
“Yes, she’s exceedingly endearing and even bestows kisses on me,” Lu Yuan Xiao responded, his voice brimming with pride.
A twinge of jealousy stirred in Li Siqi as he reflected on his own family. Despite having three legitimate brothers, none of their concubine-born daughters compared in loveliness, whom he thought resembled monkeys more than anything. He gave the child another glance, a pang of sadness striking him as he handed her back to Lu Yuan Xiao, who carefully readjusted the school bag in front of him.
“What is her name?” Li Siqi inquired, his interest genuine.
Initially, Lu Yuan Xiao harbored reservations about him, but witnessing his genuine affection for his sister, he boasted, “Her name is Chao Chao, Lu Chao Chao.”
“That’s a beautiful name. What does she eat? Please, join me for lunch,” Li Siqi invited, his concern evident as he pondered over Chao Chao’s well-being.
The presence of the fourth prince, also nearby, was startled by his friend’s spontaneous invitation.
“The milk I packed this morning spoiled from the heat. I’ll pass on lunch. I really can’t stand Jiang Yun Mo!” Lu Yuan Xiao confessed, his face flushing with embarrassment over his sister’s ruined meal. “I’ll grab something from the kitchen later.”
Pausing, Li Siqi then declared, “If that’s the case, Jiang Yun Mo will not be joining us for lunch. I’ll look after your sister and keep it just between us!”
And just like that, Li Siqi’s rapport with Jiang Yun Mo grew tense.
“May I hold your sister a little longer?” Li Siqi requested, clearly enchanted by Chao Chao.
After pondering briefly, Lu Yuan Xiao consented.
Upon awakening, Lu Chao Chao found herself encircled by a group of young boys, which startled her.
[You all have such big faces, you scared me…]
“Shh, don’t cry, Chao Chao. I’ll feed you some milk,” Li Siqi whispered soothingly.
As the grandson of the Duke, bearing a longstanding grudge against the Xu family, Li Siqi naturally harbored no fondness for Lu Yuan Xiao.
Bombarding Lu Yuan Xiao with a flurry of questions, Li Siqi’s eagerness to assist was palpable. “Does she need a new diaper? Is she thirsty for water? Can she accompany us to school again tomorrow? Could she smile for me?” His questions cascaded without pause.
Lu Chao Chao couldn’t help but smile at Li Siqi upon hearing his voice, which delighted him immensely.
“She smiled at me! Your sister smiled at me…” He exclaimed joyfully, pressing his cheek against hers to revel in her softness and the sweet scent of milk.
However, Lu Yuan Xiao had to temper his friend’s expectations. “Tomorrow is July 13th; we have to participate in the street parade.”
Scholars and students believed that their public readings exuded a powerful, righteous energy capable of repelling evil spirits near the ghost gate. It was customary for academic institutions to march through the city over three days, reciting scholarly works, while residents typically remained indoors.
Li Siqi glanced at the fourth prince, who appeared pale and uneasy about the conversation. “Don’t worry, after school, we’ll head straight to the temple.”
The fourth prince had other obligations. “My mother is unwell, and I need to stay with her at the palace. Furthermore, the abbot’s visit ensures our complete protection.”
Lu Chao Chao listened intently, her thoughts acute. [Such a profound presence of yin. Being naturally susceptible to yin due to his birth timing, he is inherently frail. If not for his royal heritage and the dragon spirit’s safeguard, surviving since birth would have been challenging. This period in mid-July must be especially daunting for him.]
Lu Yuan Xiao gained insight into why the fourth prince often sought refuge at the national temple. Without the protective mantle his mother’s status as a royal consort offered, his presence in the palace might have been less accepted.
“Ensure you return directly to the palace after school. Avoid any precarious situations, and do not venture outside at all for the next three days,” Li Siqi advised, his concern palpable.
The prince’s vulnerability to yin energy made him an easy target for malevolent spirits. An envoy from the palace arrived shortly after lunch to escort him back, securing his safety during this perilous time.
Observing his friend depart, Li Siqi shared, “When he was three, he grew homesick and covertly returned to the palace in mid-July. By the time he was found, three days had elapsed. During those days, he underwent a drastic transformation, and it’s said that the royal consort was horrified by his actions.”
In that interval, the fourth prince’s eyes had turned a terrifying blood-red, and he had slain the royal consort’s dog, draining its blood. His actions resembled those of a demon. Upon awakening, he recalled nothing. It was believed that an evil spirit had possessed him for those three days.
“Before he turned three, he was so frightened he wouldn’t open his eyes, covering them with cloth instead. His frequent sightings of ghosts made him exceedingly difficult to manage as a child,” Li Siqi added.
“Can’t the high monks at the National Temple protect him? Is there no way to ward off these spirits?” The chubby boy asked, now feeling compassion rather than viewing the fourth prince as merely distant.
Li Siqi shook his head, indicating there was no simple solution. “Being naturally frail and often ill, he spent his days in the chilly temple, separated from his parents, constantly battling possession… The abbot’s protection is only a temporary measure. Despite the royal consort’s efforts to find a cure, a permanent solution remains elusive.”
Their discussion about the care of the fourth prince led to a softening of their attitudes toward each other, fostering mutual respect.
[Wouldn’t it be easy to just cut a lock of my hair? That would even make the King of Hell hesitate.] Lu Chao Chao wiggled her little feet and babbled, noticing her speech was improving with daily practice.
She couldn’t resist the urge to gnaw on her hands and feet, a natural impulse.
Lately, her gums felt itchy, indicating her first teeth might be emerging soon.
Feeling irked, Lu Chao Chao scratched her head.
“Hey, hey, don’t scratch too hard. You’ve only got two hairs left; we don’t want you going bald,” Lu Yuan Xiao cautioned, intrigued by the mention of her hair. He gazed at her thoughtfully, pondering whether her two fine strands of birth hair could truly repel evil spirits.
As the day progressed, their bond deepened, feeling like true allies in a significant cause. They shared warm, friendly smiles by the floral cloth bag, with Lu Yuan Xiao reveling in their camaraderie!
But the atmosphere quickly shifted when they reached the school’s main gate and encountered his mother, furious and wielding a whip, prepared to discipline him.
As soon as Lu Yuan Xiao stepped through the gate, he was chastised severely, his cries of pain drawing attention from everyone nearby.
Bystanders were taken aback when Madam Xu extracted a very cute and healthy-looking baby from his school bag, a child with flawless skin and a naturally charming aura.
“Lu Yuan Xiao, you must have been incredibly audacious or foolish to bring your sister to the academy!” Madam Xu exclaimed, her fury evident. She described how frantic she had been, scouring half the city in search of them.
Her anger reaching its zenith, she yelled, “You’re asking for punishment! Taking your sister out like this, did you think you were being clever? I’ll ensure you learn your lesson and never dare to do something like this again! Do you understand?!!” She brandished the stick more aggressively, chasing after Lu Yuan Xiao, who could only scream and rue his decision.
In that moment, he vowed never to dare such an act ever again!