Chapter 82: Worshiping the Gods
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Late in the evening, an elderly woman awoke, feeling the comfortable warmth from a stove and enveloped in a luxurious brocade quilt. Despite these comforts, her body was numb, chilled as though encased in ice—a feeling intensified since the passing of Nanny Lin, whose meticulous care she sorely missed.
Upon hearing that the elderly lady had suffered a high fever and numbness throughout the night, Madam Xu promptly called for the family doctor. After examining her and prescribing medication, the doctor expressed his concerns with a grave face, warning, “Madam, the old lady must steer clear of any further stress. I fear there’s a substantial risk she might suffer a stroke.”
Madam Xu appeared deeply affected by this, dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. However, her demeanor changed to one of calculated detachment once the physician departed. “Perhaps a slight shock now and then could be beneficial,” she mused, suggesting the introduction of pets to occasionally startle the elderly lady.
Her position as a caring wife and devoted daughter-in-law ensured she remained above suspicion.
“Has Chao Chao said anything?” Madam Xu inquired.
Deng Zhi shook her head, “She finished her chicken leg but hasn’t said a word.”
With a dismissive gesture indicating it was time for Chao Chao’s bath, Madam Xu escorted the young girl to the water. Chao Chao reveled in the bath, splashing about gleefully.
During the bath, Madam Xu gently asked, “Chao Chao, where did the money you borrowed today go?”
Internally, Madam Xu was worried, but she reassured herself, [Mama seems concerned, but Chao Chao is a good girl; I wouldn’t deceive Mama…]
“Big uncle, uncle bought things…” responded Lu Chao Chao, playfully blowing bubbles.
Surprised yet realizing the money had been given to her elder brother, Madam Xu decided not to delve deeper.
“Mama… wah, I don’t like Daddy. Can we exchange Daddy?” Chao Chao asked with childlike innocence.
“Ah, I want one who can make money. I want one to play with! I want one who’s an official! Can I have three daddies?” Chao Chao’s eyes twinkled with hopeful anticipation as she looked up at her mother.
Caught off guard by her daughter’s innocent desires, Madam Xu quickly recovered and handed Chao Chao a teacup with a smile, “Keep some water in your mouth during the bath, Chao Chao. It’s good for the body. Just don’t swallow it.”
Chao Chao looked up, puzzled but obedient, and took a large sip from the teacup, her cheeks puffing out as she gazed up at her mother.
After the bath, once dressed, Madam Xu encouraged, “You can swallow the water now. Chao Chao, you did wonderfully…”
Tucking Lu Chao Chao into bed later, Madam Xu blew out the candle and quietly left the room.
“Madam, is it really beneficial for one’s health to hold water in their mouth while bathing? I’ve never heard of such a practice,” Deng Zhi asked, clearly bewildered.
Madam Xu flashed a mischievous smile. “She talks non-stop, so keeping water in her mouth simply keeps her quiet.”
Deng Zhi, taken aback, exclaimed, “Madam, what kind of lady are you! Poor Miss Chao Chao, deceived by her own innocence.”
That night, the king lay awake, restless and thoughtful.
“Do you think Chao Chao is a divine talisman sent from heaven to save our North Zhao?” he pondered aloud, excitement shining in his eyes. “This truth talisman that I used on the hostage prince from the neighboring kingdom truly worked!” he exclaimed.
The crown prince looked at him skeptically.
“With Chao Chao’s abilities, if they were to fall into foreign hands, it would be disastrous for North Zhao,” the king stated gravely.
The crown prince knelt swiftly, “Father, Chao Chao is but a one-year-old child, yet I assure you of her loyalty to North Zhao. She harbors no ulterior motives toward our nation,” he declared fervently.
The king waved dismissively, “What are you talking about? If your grandfather, the previous king, were to hear you, he would scold me even in my dreams!”
Indeed, each night, the former king visited him in dreams, instructing him to treat Lu Chao Chao kindly.
“What I mean is… It might be safer if our own people could be trusted more. So… what do you think about me marrying Madam Xu?” the king proposed, noting that Lu Yuan Ze already had a concubine and a divorce seemed inevitable. “Or perhaps we could arrange an engagement between you and Chao Chao?”
The crown prince choked violently, overcome by emotion. “Father, no, no, no. I cannot do this! It was Chao Chao who bravely defied fate to rescue me. I…” He gritted his teeth, overwhelmed. “She sacrificed part of her own lifespan to save me. Now, I owe her everything; my life is hers to command, sustained by the time she gifted me.”
The king, visibly shaken by his son’s passionate declaration, sighed deeply. “We shall wait for Madam Xu’s divorce to be finalized then. Afterwards, we will revisit this matter.”
Unbeknownst to Lu Yuan Ze, his legally married wife had already attracted the attention of other suitors.
At the year’s start, Lu Yuan Ze faced severe financial strife, compelling him to liquidate significant family assets. He even reclaimed an estate previously gifted to Lu Jing Yao, all to settle his soaring debts. It was rumored that Pei Jiao Jiao was notably enraged upon learning of these actions. Driven to desperation, Lu Yuan Ze had no choice but to secure loans at exorbitant interest rates, accumulating a crushing debt of over 20,000 silver taels.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month—both the Lantern Festival and the Festival of Praying to Gods—the entire nation participated in spiritual observances. This day, steeped in tradition, was believed to possibly prompt divine responses to the prayers of the faithful—a legend passed down through generations, though its veracity remained uncertain.
Early that sacred day, the elderly lady left the manor, purportedly to worship Buddha. However, Madam Xu knew their true destination was Pei Jiao Jiao’s home.
In preparation for the annual rituals, Madam Xu had meticulously arranged the altar days ahead. She engaged in rituals like burning incense, bathing, and adhering to a vegetarian diet for three days. The capital city took these preparations even more seriously than those for the New Year, with everyone hoping for a divine intervention.
“Do the Southern Kingdom often receive responses from the gods?” Madam Xu wondered aloud, then fell silent.
Lu Chao Chao showed little interest in the actual worship but was clearly captivated by the offerings prepared for the deities. Displaying her reverence, all offerings, including various crispy cakes and roast chicken that filled the mansion with inviting aromas, were freshly made.
“What time… is worship?” Lu Chao Chao asked eagerly, her hands clasped together as she resisted the urge to drool.
“You cannot sneak a taste. The gods are watching. It’s at night, at the time of the full moon,” Madam Xu explained patiently.
Lu Chao Chao tilted her head, asking curiously, “Worship, which god?” She was eager to learn which deity was being honored.
After stealthily touching the roast chicken and quickly tasting it, Lu Chao Chao’s eyes sparkled with joy. “Wah, taste good.”
“Um… actually, I’m not too sure either,” Madam Xu confessed with a shake of her head. “This one is the chief god of heaven and earth. He governs all deities, and there’s no folk tale about Him.”
Lu Chao Chao responded with a simple “oh.”
She continued to wait… She waited until it was dark, until the full moon was directly overhead, and until the entire city was illuminated.
In the middle of the courtyard, Madam Xu had arranged the offering table, draped with a cloth sweeping the ground and piled high with offerings. A few meters away, cushions were laid out for the attendees. Leading her household, Madam Xu prepared for the ceremonial worship.
“Where’s Chao Chao?” she suddenly inquired.
Wasn’t she eagerly anticipating the worship?
“She was here just a moment ago; she must have gone back to her room,” Head Maid Deng Zhi replied, clearly unconcerned since there are guards at the entranceway to the courtyard.
“Let’s proceed with worshiping the gods first; we cannot miss the auspicious moment,” Madam Xu declared, leading her family in a solemn ritual.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the others, Lu Chao Chao had crawled under the offering table and had fallen into a deep sleep, murmuring about roast chicken in her slumber.
Hahaha too tired waiting for god