Chapter 87: The Malevolent Spirits Retreat
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Brother Crown Prince…” Lu Chao Chao’s soft voice echoed as she caught sight of the Crown Prince. Without a second thought, she sprang from her position and dashed toward him.
The Crown Prince swiftly lifted her into his arms.
“This place is fun! Fun!” she exclaimed. “Wow, I made a good friend! A good, good friend!”
As she glanced around, she saw the malevolent spirits slowly backing away from her, step by step.
“Don’t go! Don’t go!” Lu Chao Chao cried out eagerly, wanting to introduce them to the Crown Prince.
“Hey! Why are you running?” she shouted. The louder she yelled, the faster the spirits fled. Soon, the spirits that had haunted the palace for centuries vanished completely, escaping the palace grounds as if they had seen a demon.
Chao Chao’s face fell, her small lips turning downward. “Why… why are you leaving? Don’t you like Chao Chao?”
Yu Qin’s face had turned pale. After a long silence, she managed to speak. “You… you kicked their heads like a ball…”
Chao Chao pouted defiantly. “It’s them! They pull off heads!”
“They gave their heads to me!” she protested.
Yu Qin was speechless. Indeed, the spirits had removed their heads to scare her, but she had taken those heads and treated them like playthings. And what was more strange, she could even touch the evil spirits. Truly bizarre.
“So sad… they don’t like me…” Chao Chao murmured, lying in the Crown Prince’s arms, looking utterly heartbroken.
Imperial Consort Xian watched the scene with wide eyes, her jaw slack in disbelief.
“The… the evil spirits… are gone?”
“They’ve left Virtuous Serenity Palace?” she stammered, stunned.
These were the same malevolent spirits that the abbot of the National Temple could not banish. Yet they had fled in sheer panic just now?
The Imperial Consort’s gaze burned brighter, but the Crown Prince gave her a sharp look, bringing her back to reality. However, she was unwilling to let this opportunity slip away. She fell to her knees with a thud, her voice trembling but determined.
“Chao Chao, Chao Chao, you have a way to suppress evil spirits, don’t you?”
“Can you save Jun An? He’s only six years old but is doomed to spend his life in the temple. Please, Chao Chao, help him!”
“I’ll be your servant for life, I’ll repay your kindness for all eternity,” she begged desperately, willing to grasp at any straw to save her son.
“The Protectorate Duke’s Manor and I will follow you forever.”
Xie Jun An, wide-eyed, looked at Chao Chao, awed by her abilities.
Lu Chao Chao tilted her head. “Evil spirits?”
The endless merits she carried naturally suppressed such entities. Even her hair exuded the aura of merit.
With a grin, she tugged out a few strands of her hair, wincing slightly. “Here, take it!”
[Though this won’t work against greater evil spirits, it’s enough for ordinary ones.]
“Hair? Hair can resist evil spirits?” the Crown Prince asked skeptically.
Chao Chao nodded. “Me, evil spirit bane!” she declared proudly, thumping her chest.
When Xie Jun An grasped the strands of hair, he immediately felt the oppressive darkness around him begin to dissipate.
The Imperial Consort seemed thoughtful, while the Crown Prince furrowed his brows.
“Use protective talismans to encase them and claim that a powerful artifact has been discovered to suppress evil energy.”
“Under no circumstances should Chao Chao’s involvement be revealed.”
“You know His Majesty’s methods, don’t you?” The Crown Prince’s tone was stern, sending a chill down the Imperial Consort’s spine. She understood.
No wonder His Majesty cherished Chao Chao so much.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. Chao Chao has saved Jun An; I will not repay kindness with treachery,” she promised, clutching her son’s hand tightly.
“To avoid suspicion, Jun An will still follow the abbot back to the National Temple tomorrow,” the Crown Prince continued. “During your birthday celebration in May, he can return to the palace for good.”
By then, Marquis Lu would surely have divorced Madam Xu, and there would be no need for further pretense.
The Imperial Consort, while longing to keep her son, understood that the Crown Prince’s words reflected the Emperor’s intentions. She wisely refrained from arguing further. Instead, the gloom on her face lifted, replaced by growing joy.
“This is the token of the Protectorate Duke’s Manor. With it, the manor will spare no effort to aid you,” the Imperial Consort said, her gaze filled with both warmth and affection as she handed over a jade pendant.
Lu Chao Chao stared blankly at the pendant before the Crown Prince retrieved it on her behalf. The Protectorate Duke, a general with real power, carried tokens as weighty as mountains.
Xie Jun An expressed his gratitude with a deep bow.
By the time Chao Chao was carried back to her chamber, she was already dozing off, her eyelids heavy with sleep.
The Crown Prince personally tended to her evening routine, ensuring she was washed and tucked into bed before leaving the palace.
…
The next morning, before the sky brightened, Madam Xu entered the palace to fetch Chao Chao.
After finishing her royal breakfast, Chao Chao spotted her mother and immediately threw herself into her arms.
“Mommy, Chao Chao misses you…” The little one clung to Madam Xu with unwavering dependence.
Madam Xu, having barely slept the previous night, felt her heart lighten upon seeing her daughter’s joyful expression. Clearly, Chao Chao had not been mistreated.
“So you still remember your mother, hmm? Look at how much fun you had here,” she teased gently.
Chao Chao grinned ear to ear. The palace food was delicious, after all.
Hearing her thoughts, Madam Xu could only shake her head in amusement.
After expressing their gratitude for the Emperor’s grace, mother and daughter left the palace together, their bond as close as ever.
Meanwhile, Marquis Lu was on his way to court. On his way out, he happened to cross paths with the abbot of the National Temple, who had just arrived in the capital. As both abbot and National Advisor, the monk held a high position; even court officials greeted him with respect.
When Marquis Lu bowed, the abbot raised his hand.
“No need for formalities, Marquis. You are truly blessed. I dare not accept your courtesy,” said the blind monk, who could sense the immense fortune surrounding the Lu family’s residence, intertwining faintly with the nation’s destiny.
How could he have known that the Crown Prince and Chao Chao shared their lives?
Suppressing his excitement, Marquis Lu exchanged pleasantries with the abbot before watching him enter the palace. Indeed, his children, Jing Huai and Jing Yao, bore noble destinies.
Taking a deep breath, the Marquis steeled his resolve.
Madam Xu… His thoughts darkened as he clenched his fists tightly. It was time to act.
…
When Madam Xu and Chao Chao returned home, they were summoned to the Old Madam’s quarters.
A flicker of disdain crossed Madam Xu’s eyes, but she maintained her composed and dignified demeanor.
“Shi Yun, I fear this old body won’t last much longer. I’ve been ill again and again this year. What a burden I’ve become…” the Old Madam sighed as soon as they arrived.
She had recently suffered from a severe cold, leaving her bedridden for days.
Madam Xu responded with a gentle smile, offering comforting words about her longevity.
“It reminds me of the days when you tended to me personally,” the Old Madam continued. “No maid could match your care back then.”
When Madam Xu first married into the family, she had personally nursed the Old Madam, enduring the most menial and humiliating tasks with grace.
Deng Zhi pursed her lips in anger. Among noble families, such service was merely ceremonial. No one expected the main wife to truly degrade herself in this way unless deliberately made to suffer.
The Old Madam’s words were a subtle reminder of the control she held.
“But now, you’re a third-rank titled lady. How could I expect you to lower yourself? Never mind, it’s just my foolish old mind talking…” the Old Madam waved dismissively.
Madam Xu maintained her serene smile. “Mother, such things are of no concern.”
“As your daughter-in-law, it is my duty to serve you,” she said sweetly. “Starting tomorrow, I will personally prepare your meals and medicine, and tend to you myself.”
The Old Madam’s expression softened, pleased by her submission.
[A legitimate daughter of a noble family? She still has to serve me!]
But behind Madam Xu’s calm smile, her thoughts simmered.
[Serve you? Old crone, let’s see if you can handle it. Let’s see how many lives you have left!]