Chapter 67: The Triple Crown of Excellence
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
After the fireworks display, Lu Chao Chao returned to Madam Xu’s side.
Moments earlier, several young imperial princes had witnessed Lu Chao Chao riding on the Emperor’s shoulders. Among them, a five-year-old prince gazed enviously, his little steps trotting over as he eagerly reached out to his kindly royal father.
“Father, hug…” he exclaimed, his call startling his mother, Noble Lady Rong. Frightened, she nearly fell to her knees on the spot.
[Foolish boy! What kind of audacity has possessed you?! Even the Crown Prince hasn’t dared to ask for this!]
Her fear only grew when her son did something even more reckless.
The little prince pondered for a moment, wondering if his tone had been wrong. That little girl earlier had confidently reached out her hands, but her voice had been soft and endearing. So…
The little prince decided to imitate Lu Chao Chao.
In front of the entire crowd, he plopped onto the ground, pinched his voice, and coquettishly whined toward the Emperor, “Father~ Carry me~ Your son wants a hug~” His tone stretched sweetly, his mouth pouted, and his voice trembled.
Under Noble Lady Rong’s horrified gaze, he even grabbed the Emperor’s dragon robe, mimicking Lu Chao Chao by tugging at the hem and swaying it back and forth.
The swaying grew more intense… until it happened.
Rip!
Noble Lady Rong’s vision darkened, and she fainted softly to the ground.
The little prince froze, staring at the torn hem.
“Huh?”
He looked up at his royal father’s face, now black as a stormcloud. He was doomed.
“Scram!” the Emperor spat through gritted teeth before storming off.
The little prince scratched his head in confusion. “It was exactly the same. Why was the result so different?”
Meanwhile, the consorts who had witnessed the Emperor carry Lu Chao Chao exchanged astonished glances, concealing their shock.
As the palace banquet concluded, Lu Chao Chao yawned, nestled obediently in Madam Xu’s arms. Lu Zheng Yue and Lu Yuan Xiao had also attended the banquet but had dined with their classmates from Soaring Elegance Academy.
“Where is Father?” Lu Yuan Xiao asked.
“The Marquis mentioned he had matters to attend to and left the palace ahead of us,” the servant reported.
Madam Xu sneered inwardly. [Today, Lu Jing Huai has stolen the spotlight. Lu Yuan Ze can’t wait any longer, can he?]
The Triple Crown of Excellence? The Crown Prince’s mentor?
These accomplishments were heavy blows, enough to shatter Lu Yuan Ze’s final hesitation.
“Mother, you still have the four of us siblings,” Lu Zheng Yue said nervously, worried his mother might be upset.
Madam Xu chuckled lightly, nodding with a smile. [In the first half of my life, I was blinded by love. In the second half, I’ll crush this ungrateful Marquis Zhongyong.]
As they exited the palace, they encountered the Jiang family.
Even more awkwardly, Lu Yan Shu sat in a wheelchair, waiting at the palace gates for Lu Chao Chao. His paralysis had kept him from attending the banquet.
Jiang Yun Mo sneered, waving his hand in front of his nose. “Lu Yan Shu, how dare you show your face outside? The stench of filth from your body is unbearable.”
His words were sharp. “A cripple dreaming of marrying my sister? Know your place! My sister deserves a man of unparalleled talent, not a waste like you.”
Jiang Yun Mo knew well how many tears his sister had shed over this cripple. She had begged to dissolve the engagement, but their father, fearing accusations of ingratitude, had been hesitant. Her failed attempt at suicide finally forced him to agree.
Fortunately, Lu Jing Huai’s immense talent earned their father’s favor.
“My sister is already promised to Brother Jing Huai, the future Triple Crown laureate. She’ll be the wife of a top scholar, not some cripple!”
“Enough, Yun Mo,” came a melodic voice.
Jiang Yun Jin sat in her carriage, her brows slightly furrowed. Through the curtain, she could clearly see the young man in his wheelchair. At seventeen, the paralyzed genius had once been celebrated, but now he was merely a cripple marked for death by the imperial physicians, unable to care for himself.
Yet, contrary to rumors, years of paralysis hadn’t dimmed his demeanor. He wore white robes, his expression calm. Even in a wheelchair, he appeared more radiant than before.
[If only he weren’t crippled…]
Jiang Yun Jin masked her complex feelings. [I’m grateful he saved me when I fell into the water, but I can’t repay him with my entire life.]
“Stop bullying my brother!” Lu Yuan Xiao charged forward like a cannonball, his eyes red with anger. “If not for saving your sister, my brother wouldn’t be paralyzed. How dare you forget your debt!”
Jiang Yun Mo spat back, “What more do you want from us? My sister bows to your family every year out of guilt. Does she have to shave her head and become a nun? Do you want to drive her to her death?”
Jiang Yun Jin sighed, stepped out of her carriage, and approached Lu Yan Shu. In front of the gathering crowd, she knelt in the snow and bowed deeply.
“Young Master Lu, I owe my life to your heroism. I will forever be grateful.”
“If I could, I’d trade my life for yours. If you’re angry, take it out on me. I’ve wronged you.”
Her voice trembled. “Take my life as repayment for your great kindness.”
Her kneeling figure drew murmurs of disapproval from the onlookers.
Madam Xu’s face burned with fury. [Take her life? What nonsense! This is nothing but moral coercion! Saving someone should not create such hatred!]
Lu Yan Shu’s voice remained calm. “Miss Jiang, I saved you willingly. Life is precious; I would have done the same for anyone. You wish to break our engagement, and I have already agreed. How could there still be talk of repaying a life debt? You demean my sacrifice by making it seem cheap.”
Jiang Yun Jin’s heart raced under his steady gaze. Though seated in a wheelchair, he still carried the dignity of a man who once stood at the pinnacle.
The crowd sighed in admiration.
Vice Minister Chen shook his head. “Young Master Lu, you surpass us all in character. Your heart shines brighter than your talents.”
“Young Master Lu,” another official added. “You are a rare gem. Those who discard you may one day regret it.”
A third remarked, “Miss Jiang has picked up a sesame seed and dropped a watermelon.”
Even confined to a wheelchair, Lu Yan Shu’s brilliance shone through.
As the Lu family’s carriage rolled away, Jiang Yun Jin’s face darkened, her gaze mocking.
[Regret? How laughable! Lu Yan Shu is just a cripple, while Jing Huai might soon achieve the Triple Crown. I will never regret this choice. When Jing Huai is crowned top scholar, that will be my moment of triumph!]
“what else do you want from our family?” For starters you could not pick fights unprompted / mock the person who saved your sister? How does saying thank you once a year mean you can insult him the remaining 364 days.
Right?! It would be a great start to not actively insult the person responsible for you being alive to stab them in the back.
Poor prince, why is your daddy playing favorites like that. hug the kid.