Chapter 292: Chao Chao is Really a Little Rascal
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Nan Mu Bai tossed and turned all night, unable to find any rest. Frustration and confusion flooded his mind.
In the Southern Kingdom, the Guardian Beast was sacred, worshipped by everyone. But in North Zhao, it seemed things were different.
“Anyone can ride it! Why?!” he muttered, almost growling. “We offer it daily reverence, feed it rare divine energy, and it barely acknowledges us!”
Fed up with his thoughts, Nan Mu Bai slipped on his robe and stepped into the courtyard, his face clouded with worry. “Any news about my so-called aunt?” he asked, addressing a shadow guard who emerged silently behind him.
The shadow guard answered cautiously, “Lord Ming has been with the soldiers all day, so I couldn’t ask too directly. However, I’ve found out secretly that our people who were sent to the capital… have disappeared. I’m worried…”
Nan Mu Bai sneered. “From the looks of it, that aunt of mine is hiding in the capital.”
He nodded firmly. “Find out if there have been any big events in the capital lately, like break-ins or strange happenings.”
The shadow guard bowed and vanished as quietly as he had arrived. Nan Mu Bai turned his attention to the fierce beast in his courtyard, his eyes narrowing.
[Why is Grandfather so stubborn about not giving the throne to my mother? He’s obsessed with finding that lost daughter of his. What’s he up to?]
[My mother has divine powers, and my sister is super talented. Why are we stressing over some ordinary girl? It makes no sense.]
In the Southern Kingdom, the ability to summon gods was passed down through generations. No matter how much favor she gained from Grandfather, without that power, she could never take the throne.
A sly smile formed on Nan Mu Bai’s lips. [Grandfather is so scared that I might harm her, he’s got Ming Lang come along in order to safeguard her safety.]
He pulled a small, clear gemstone from his pocket—the Spirit Testing Gemstone. It glowed with a golden light when he touched it.
[Once I find the lost gem of the Southern Kingdom, I’ll test her first. Let’s see what happens then.]
Nan Mu Bai stayed in the courtyard for a while, picking a leaf and turning it into a little bird with a spell. He whispered news about North Zhao to it, and the bird flew away, high into the sky.
The next morning, Lu Chao Chao yawned and crawled out of bed, her eyes still sleepy. “We goin’ to Granny’s feast today?” she asked in a baby-like voice.
Yuhua smiled as she fixed Chao Chao’s hair. “You remember well, Little Miss.”
Chao Chao grinned as Yuqin helped her get dressed. Her tiny fingers struggled with the buttons, and she pouted when they didn’t cooperate.
By noon, Madam Xu, wearing a soft-colored gown, held Chao Chao’s little hand as they headed to the Lu residence.
Even from three streets away, the mournful music from the Lu residence filled the air, carrying a heavy sadness. Lu Jing Huai stood at the front of the crowd, trying to look like the most devoted grandson.
“The old lady was tough her whole life, and now it’s her illegitimate grandson who bids her farewell,” someone whispered, shaking their head.
“Who’s to blame? She brought it on herself, always causing trouble,” another voice added softly.
“When kids act up, they need to be disciplined. It’s better to tear down a temple than ruin a marriage. But what did she do? Helped her son keep a mistress and hide it from his wife. Tried to poison Madam Xu to make room for the mistress! Isn’t this karma?” the crowd murmured among themselves.
The food at the mourning feast was bland. Barely touching her meal due to this, Chao Chao soon put her chopsticks down. The jade pendants around her waist clinked together noisily.
“Why’re ya wearin’ so many jade pendants? Be careful, or they might pull your skirt down…” Madam Xu said, half-amused, half-annoyed.
Chao Chao lifted her chin proudly. “So Bad Daddy can see! These are treasures he wants but can’t have.”
Madam Xu sighed deeply. [This child really holds grudges. Even now, she’s still trying to hit him where it hurts.]
As Chao Chao walked, the pendants jangled loudly. Lu Yuan Ze watched her, his eyes fixed on the pendants.
“You like them?” Chao Chao asked, holding one up to show him. “This one is from the Grand Princess. This one is from Grandpa Rite Minister. This one is from Dowager Grandma. This one from King Daddy. And this one…”
The little girl carefully counted her treasures, her small lips moving as she listed them. “Daddy, didn’t you see them? When you kicked me out, I was holdin’ them close,” Chao Chao recalled, thinking about the dark, tiny box she had clutched tightly.
Lu Yuan Ze’s face turned pale. His hand shook as he reached out to steady himself against the old lady’s coffin. His body, worn down day by day, seemed like it might give out any second.
A young maidservant approached, holding a small tray. “Master, what should we do with this?” she asked softly, her voice filled with concern.
Lu Yuan Ze’s eyes fell on the tray, and his breath quickened. His gaze sharpened as he stared at the gemstone lying there.
“Wow, is it true?” a woman nearby whispered in surprise. “They say the youngest Pei daughter was born holding a strange gemstone. I thought that was just a wild rumor.”
“Born with a companion gemstone, but sadly, a vicious beast devoured her,” another person added, their tone filled with pity.
Lu Yuan Ze’s eyes reddened with anger. Though he had favored Lu Jing Huai over the years, it wasn’t until Lu Jing Yao was born with that companion gemstone in her grip that he assumed how extraordinary his daughter was.
Lu Jing Huai had talent, but Lu Jing Yao had been born with a gemstone, making things more complicated. This had led him to abandon Madam Xu and even try to drown Chao Chao, framing the Xu family in the process.
“This is no companion gemstone; it’s a cursed thing,” Lu Yuan Ze declared coldly.
“Let me see! Let me see!” Chao Chao’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
The maid glanced nervously at Lu Yuan Ze before squatting down to show Chao Chao the gemstone.
“Ah…” Chao Chao’s eyes widened as she looked closely at the little gemstone.
Chao Chao was confused. [Isn’t this the divine gemstone from my Radiant Sword in my last life? After I sacrificed myself, the sword disappeared. Did it end up lost somewhere? Well, guess I shouldn’t expect too much. Even I ended up scattered across the mountains and rivers. What’s a lost little gemstone in comparison?]
Lu Jing Yao’s soul, originally from another world, had died accidentally and crossed over with the help of this divine gemstone. Born with it, she carried part of its essence.
Chao Chao pouted, her lips sticking out in a frown. [She got lucky crossing over with the companion gemstone. If she’d used it wisely, she could’ve achieved great things. But no, she chose a darker path instead.]
“Put the gemstone in the old lady’s coffin. Let it go to the grave with her,” Lu Yuan Ze ordered, his voice heavy with finality.
“Yes, sir,” the attendants responded.
They opened the coffin and gently placed the gemstone inside. The old lady had always treated this divine gemstone like a treasure, and now it would stay with her forever.
When it was time to move the coffin, Lu Yuan Ze gave the order. The procession began solemnly. The maid led the way, scattering yellow paper before the procession. The coffin followed, with Lu Yuan Ze personally guiding it up the mountain.
Continuing in her mischievous ways, Chao Chao crouched in a corner, whispering to her dog, “Chasing Wind, do like we practiced.”
“Chao Chao, what are you up to?” Madam Xu asked, noticing her daughter’s sneaky behavior.
Startled, Chao Chao quickly hid her little hands behind her back. “Ah? N-nothin’! Chao Chao did nothin’…”
As she spoke, Chao Chao’s face scrunched up, and she clung to Madam Xu’s leg, bursting into tears. “Mommy! Chasing Wind made a mess!”
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Boohoo, the homework teacher gave me…”
“Chasing Wind peed on it!!”
“Chao Chao finished it all, wahhh…” she wailed loudly, holding onto Madam Xu’s leg and crying her heart out.
Madam Xu looked up and saw Chasing Wind standing in the corner, looking puzzled. On the ground lay several sheets of yellow paper, all wet, the ink smeared into a messy black blur.
After three days of mourning, the Minister Yuan had given her a scroll of homework so this was her way of getting out of the task.
“Mommy, you gotta tell them it was Chasing Wind who peed on my homework. Right, Chasing Wind?” she said, turning her teary eyes to her dog.
Chasing Wind wagged his tail and barked excitedly, “Woof woof woof!”
Madam Xu sighed deeply, feeling both amused and exasperated.