Chapter 84: The King, PUA Himself
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
She harbored a simple yet profound desire—a request so naive it seemed to silence the gods themselves.
The deity in question rarely ventured into the mortal realm, his immense power far too overwhelming for mere humans. However, on the rare occasions he did appear, each visit was meticulously recorded by the chroniclers of the Southern Kingdom. Every wish he granted was preserved in the divine annals, treasured and passed down through generations.
This time, however, the wish was rather unconventional. “Do you want to eat my roast chicken? I can bestow boundless wealth upon you instead; with that, you could acquire an infinite number of roast chickens,” he offered, hesitating slightly. He did not wish to undermine his dignity by granting something as mundane as a roast chicken.
Lu Chao Chao pursed her lips into a pout. “You silly! Mama just take money away. But roast chicken, that’s mine!” She looked up at the deity, seeing him as naively misguided.
Meanwhile, the king was visibly agitated on the ceremonial platform, wanting to personally stuff the chicken into the child’s mouth himself to prevent this foolishness.
“Have you found the child yet? I will provide her with enough to satisfy her forever! Such a waste of divine blessing, I feel faint from this foolishness,” the king declared, trembling with indignation.
While the child conversed with the deity, the gathered crowd could overhear the prayers in the air, the voices amplified and distorted, echoing with childlike innocence.
However, Lu Chao Chao was growing impatient, yawning: “You give me roast chicken or not? If not, I go. You really stingy, saying you can give anything but hesitate over chicken.”
Standing on her tiptoes, Lu Chao Chao reached for a roast chicken on a nearby table, wiped it, and then sniffed her hand, savoring the enticing aroma. She resolved not to wash her hands that night, preferring instead to fall asleep enveloped in the fragrance.
The deity remained silent for a while before his voice, tinged with melancholy, finally broke the silence: “Your wish is granted.”
Suddenly, the roast chicken levitated into Lu Chao Chao’s hands.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement: “From now on, I’ll be your devoted follower!”
The delight of receiving the roast chicken was incomparable. She clutched the end of the chicken and took a hearty bite, her facial expressions radiating sheer bliss.
“What’s this?” she questioned after the unique flavor permeated her tongue, peering curiously at the chicken butt as the deity’s form faded into the night sky. “Praying to the gods is wonderful when it results in delicious roast chicken,” she exclaimed with glee.
Back at the palace, the king’s fury was palpable; he shook uncontrollably and clutched at his chest, his complexion pale after witnessing the god’s projection fading away.
“Search every corner, dig up the earth if necessary, to find that fool!” he commanded through clenched teeth.
The crown prince observed silently, his expression enigmatic.
[Roast chicken, roast chicken, roast chicken…] Lu Chao Chao’s incessant chant about roast chicken echoed in his mind, a stark contrast to the usual palace intrigues.
It wasn’t long before the king received a report.
“Your Majesty, we have found her. Just now, we encountered a child outside, claiming her roast chicken was a gift from the deity,” the royal guards announced outside the throne room.
“Bring her here,” the king ordered, his brow furrowed in stern anticipation.
Soon after, a woman accompanied by a young girl appeared before him. The girl seemed about a year old, her eyes twinkling with an unusual maturity for one so young.
“Did the deity really gift you this roast chicken?” the king asked from his elevated position, his voice authoritative.
Eunuch Wang whispered quietly, “This is Lu Jing Huai’s sister, named Lu Jing Yao, nearing her first birthday. The woman with her is her mother, Madam Pei.”
The king and the crown prince exchanged a look. Madam Pei? Connected to Lu Jing Huai?
Madam Pei, gripping Lu Jing Yao’s hand, knelt down trembling. “Long live the king, long live, long may you reign,” she stammered, prompting her daughter to kowtow properly twice.
Madam Pei, too frightened to look up, silently prayed for a favor since this would be a chance of a lifetime. If her daughter Lu Jing Yao could leave a favorable impression in front of the king, it would surely help her standings in the Marquis House. “Reporting to Your Majesty…”
“Silence! I didn’t ask you to speak!” The king cut off Madam Pei sharply, preventing her from making her claim.
Panic gripped Madam Pei as Lu Jing Yao, mimicking the mannerisms of an adult despite her tender age, squeezed her mother’s hand reassuringly, saying, “Yes, Your Majesty. It was me who requested the roast chicken from the deity.”
The king’s disdain for Lu Yuan Ze’s concubine was evident as his gaze hardened further. Coupling with how mature Lu Jing Yao appeared despite her young age, it left the king inwardly wary and alarmed.
Could such worldly awareness truly belong to a child so young? She seemed nothing like Chao Chao, who embodied pure innocence.
“Fool!” the king shouted in anger, his voice echoing around the room.
The sudden outburst frightened the two, causing them to shiver.
“Has North Zhao deprived you of food and clothing that you dare to bother a deity for a roast chicken? Ignorant, not understanding the gravity of your request! You bring shame to North Zhao!”
Turning his scolding directly to Madam Pei, he continued, “As her mother, how have you raised her? She doesn’t understand; she’s only a child. But do you not understand either?” he accused, pointing a finger at the woman.
Madam Pei’s face whitened with fear. She had intended only to claim credit for the divine favor, not anticipating a reprimand.
“Leave my sight! At such a young age and already full of deception, completely uneducated!” the king bellowed, sending them away with a dismissive gesture.
Eunuch Wang hurriedly escorted them out, muttering in displeasure as they went, “This lady claimed she was Lu Jing Huai’s mother, and I believed her. How dare she deceive the king? If not for the child’s tender age, she might have faced severe punishment.”
A flush of embarrassment colored Madam Pei’s cheeks as she was ushered out of the palace, her pretense of being Lu Jing Huai’s mother now widely known throughout the capital.
“Father, how did you know she wasn’t telling the truth?” the crown prince asked, puzzled.
The king shot the crown prince an irritated look. “I’m not blind or deaf. Besides Lu Chao Chao, who else could have made such a childish request? Go and bring Chao Chao to the palace, and do so discreetly.”
Eunuch Wang quickly went to fetch her.
When Lu Chao Chao, her face greasy from the feast, was brought before the king, she was caught in the act. “Uncle King, have some chicken…” she offered, extending a chicken bone to the king.
The crown prince, witnessing the scene, pressed his hand to his forehead, wondering how he might persuade his father to show mercy to Chao Chao.
Just then, he heard the king speak: “Chao Chao, was it you who asked the deity for the roast chicken?”
The little girl nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, yes, it was me, and it was delicious…”
The crown prince was about to intervene when he heard his father continue.
“Chao Chao is a good child,” the king declared, his earlier fury softening. “You are not greedy for fame or power. A truly good child… If it were someone else, they might have asked for my throne. But Chao Chao, you only wanted a simple roast chicken!”
The crown prince was stunned by the change in his father’s tone. Moments ago, his father had been ready to chastise, but now he praised her simplicity and innocence.
The king’s sudden self-reassurance seemed almost comical, enough to make him slap himself.
The king’s double standards at its finest.