Chapter 47: Without Me, This Chaos Disperses
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
The atmosphere was buzzing with energy, but that soon shifted to shock and disbelief. Eyes widened, jaws dropped, and cries filled the air. “Ah! Look at that! Can you believe it?”
Faces twisted in horror as people shouted, “It’s bird poop! It’s bird poop raining from the sky!”
Panic erupted as the crowd yelled, “Run, everybody, run! It’s raining bird poop!”
The transition from shock to frantic scrambling was swift. “This isn’t normal rain; it’s bird poop! Save yourselves!” People were too scared to look up, afraid the droppings might land in their mouths. They fled, heads bowed, desperate to escape the bizarre ordeal.
The previous reverent excitement dissolved into a frantic effort to dodge the falling bird waste. The dense crowd struggled to escape, trapped under the relentless shower.
Even high-ranking officials, now comically smeared with droppings, showed a mix of embarrassment and anger, their faces flushing red. “What sorcery is this? This is outrageous!”
Curses filled the air. “This is absurd! Curse this so-called miracle!” The frustration was palpable.
Madam Xu stood in astonishment, witnessing the scene. Those who once hailed the event as miraculous were now cursing it.
Deng Zhi watched in disbelief, her amusement evident. “A rain of bird poop… This will surely be an absurd tale for North Zhao to remember.” She chuckled, finding humor in the crowd’s embarrassment. “It seems the Buddha has graced us, avenging the lady,” she quipped.
Madam Xu realized that her daughter’s peculiar behavior of feeding the birds was the cause.
The unusual rain persisted for half an hour, leaving the streets in disarray, with people struggling to navigate the mess. This incident was bound to tarnish the Marquis’s family’s reputation further.
As the carriage left, crossing the gate amid ongoing curses, Pei Jiao Jiao was notably panicked, her fate sealed by a vengeful action for her deception.
People scorned the deceit of concubines and their offspring. “The mad concubine, she embroiled us in this! No good comes from concubines.”
Madam Xu couldn’t help but chuckle, entertained by the spectacle.
Lu Yuan Ze was overwhelmed by accusations. “Lord Lu, was this your idea of humor? You bring me here for a ‘miracle,’ only to end up drenched in bird poop! This isn’t the end of it!”
Lord Lu faced threats and warnings, with several officials, their faces masked in shame and disgust, hastily departing in their carriages, eager to erase the humiliating episode from memory.
Under the protection of an umbrella, Madam Xu cautiously made her way to the carriage waiting for her. She was returning to her quarters within the Marquis Zhongyong’s residence, a haven of peace amidst the chaos.
“Prepare some hot water for me; I need a bath immediately,” she instructed upon arrival. Though she escaped the bird droppings, the peculiar odor that enveloped the capital clung to her, demanding her attention.
After several baths and perfuming her room with incense, she finally felt restored to purity.
Then, she inquired about her daughter, “Where is Chao Chao?” Her tone was laden with concern and curiosity.
Instantly, her daughter appeared. Lu Chao Chao, showing resolve, crawled to the doorstep, clutching a small stick as if it were a treasure.
The doorstep, a formidable barrier for someone her size, became her challenge. She lay there, unable to navigate the high step into the main courtyard, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked up, pleading, “Mama, hug… save… Chao Chao.” She was immobilized, unable to advance or retreat.
Deng Zhi assisted her, lifting her past the obstacle. Standing with the help of a stool, barely tall enough, Chao Chao offered a stick to Madam Xu, murmuring, “It… it was Chao Chao’s… mistake,” her speech slow and unclear.
Her admission was tentative, her small, plump hands unfolding in a profoundly moving gesture.
Madam Xu, faced with her daughter’s vulnerability, softened. “Where did you err?” she asked, her heart refusing to chastise her daughter, who gazed up at her with sorrowful eyes.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Yet, Madam Xu was aware of the mischievous spirit lurking behind those teary eyes.
[Hahaha… I mixed laxatives into the bird feed.]
[Let her wreak havoc, then let her smear her face in the poop!]
Chao Chao struggled to articulate, “No… shouldn’t have… put… medicine.”
“Don’t spa… spank me.” She braced herself, turning away, eyes tightly shut, presenting her hand behind her in anticipation of punishment.
Madam Xu’s heart softened further. Instead of punishment, she embraced her daughter tightly. “My brave Chao Chao, how could I possibly spank you? You were trying to protect me, weren’t you?” Her kiss was gentle, imbued with love and understanding.
Chao Chao looked up, her eyes gleaming with defiance and innocence, and nodded vehemently.
Only after nightfall did Lu Yuan Ze return, oblivious to the day’s events.
That evening, as tranquility settled over the household, Madam Xu received an urgent letter, its contents signaling significant news.
Upon reading about the flood in Linluo Province, Madam Xu’s complexion drained, her grip on the paper tightening. Memories of her daughter’s narratives about Linluo Province’s calamity surged back—the tales of her brother’s death, the catastrophic breach of the riverbank, and the turmoil from the influx of desperate refugees.
“Why would he personally attend to the dam? It’s dangerous!” Her voice trembled with fear and concern. The dam was on the brink of collapse with the relentless downpours.
Deng Zhi, observing her distress, tried to soothe her. “Please, don’t fret. The second master insisted on being there. He discovered a flaw that could have led to disaster. His actions likely saved countless lives.”
“He has been vigilantly overseeing the dam, risking his wellbeing for the safety of others.” Tears streamed down Madam Xu’s cheeks as she grasped her brother’s dedication and the perils he faced.
Deng Zhi felt helpless. “The public holds him in high esteem, delivering food to him daily. Rest assured, the second master is smart and cautious.”
Madam Xu dabbed her tears, her concern shifting to whether her family had been notified. “Has a message been sent to my family?”
Deng Zhi confirmed, “Indeed, we informed the Xu house first.”
Concerned about her grandmother’s health and realizing her family might not understand the situation, Madam Xu decided to visit them with Chao Chao.
At her family’s residence, Lu Chao Chao became the center of attention, making her great-grandmother laugh with her antics, while Madam Xu found solace discussing the crisis with her father and brothers.
Chao Chao, eager to amuse, sat on the bed attempting to insert her fist into her mouth. [Grandmother, watch my fist-swallowing trick…]
“Ow… ow…” She drooled over her fist, a gesture both earnest and comical.
[Grandmama, look, I’m doing a fist-stuffing act for you.]
Her great-grandmother chuckled heartily. “Oh, you delightful child, please take your hand out. You’re truly incomparable…” Her laughter was filled with joy and tears.
Madam Xu found her mother laughing, pointing at the scene, her heart warmed by her family finding joy amid concern.
“How did you, once so graceful and refined, raise such a unique daughter?” This question, filled with warmth and humor, made the grandmother laugh until her face ached.
What pleased her more was the transformation in her grandsons from the family’s second branch, Xu Yuheng and Xu Yuqing. These twins had early challenges, leading to developmental delays. Despite consulting renowned physicians, they remained secluded in their own world, barely acknowledging their surroundings.
Yet, in Lu Chao Chao’s presence, their expressions brightened with genuine smiles, showing a true connection.
Xu Yuqing, holding a piece of cake, offered it to Lu Chao Chao, saying, “Eat… sister, sister, eat…” in a tender voice. It was a rare moment of interaction, spurred by her joyful presence.
Xu Yuheng watched in wonder, deeply moved by her innocence.
Lu Chao Chao, striving to entertain, turned her face red from the effort. Entertaining the adults was unexpectedly exhausting, but her mere presence unified the family, infusing joy and laughter.
This moment underscored her unique role within the family, not only for her entertaining endeavors but for her natural ability to bring everyone together, mending seemingly insurmountable rifts.