Chapter 87: The Evil Spirits Cried
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Brother Crown Prince…” Lu Chao Chao’s excitement was palpable as she spotted the crown prince. She leaped from her spot and dashed towards him, and he caught her in his arms.
“It’s so much fun here! Wow, I’ve made some amazing friends! Really, they’re wonderful!” Lu Chao Chao bubbled with enthusiasm. She then turned her head to see a group of evil spirits slowly retreating.
“Don’t go, you guys,” she called out, wanting to introduce them to the crown prince.
“Hey, hey, why are you running away?” The louder she called, the quicker the evil spirits scampered off…
In their haste, they fled the palace grounds entirely, rushing toward the outer walls. These spirits, long-time haunters of the palace, now acted as though they had seen a true demon.
A look of dismay crossed Lu Chao Chao’s face. Saddened, she lamented, “Why did they leave? Don’t you like Chao Chao?”
Her maid, Yuqin, turned pale at the unfolding scene. It took her a moment to muster the courage to explain: “Miss, you were using their heads as a football…”
Defiantly, Lu Chao Chao retorted, “But it was they who removed their heads! They handed them to me!”
Yuqin was at a loss for words. She pondered the strange situation—although the spirits had indeed removed their heads to frighten her, Lu Chao Chao had kicked them around playfully. Moreover, the fact that she could even touch these spectral entities was bewildering.
“I’m so sad, they don’t like me,” Lu Chao Chao mourned, resting in the crown prince’s arms, her face a portrait of heartbreak.
Utterly taken aback, Consort Xian stuttered in disbelief, “The evil spirits… they left? Did they really leave the Xian Qing Palace?”
How had the Abbot of the National Temple failed to banish these spirits, yet now they had simply fled in terror before this small child?
Consort Xian’s gaze intensified as she contemplated the implications.
In response, the crown prince shot her a stern look, snapping her back to reality.
Yet, Consort Xian couldn’t bear the thought of giving up on her son. She suddenly knelt down, striking the ground resolutely. “Chao Chao, you must have a way to control the evil spirits, right? Can you save your Brother Jun An? He’s only six years old, yet he’s destined to live a monastic life. Please, Chao Chao, can you help him? Auntie begs you, I will be your servant and repay your kindness for my whole life. Auntie and the Protectorate Duke’s House will follow Chao Chao forever.”
Lu Chao Chao tilted her head, puzzled by the sudden plea. “Evil spirits?”
She seemed to naturally repel evil spirits. Even strands of her hair appeared imbued with this virtuous aura.
With a playful grimace, she plucked a few hairs and offered them, “Here, take these.”
[But these can’t ward off the major evil spirits, only the regular ones.]
“Hair? Can hair really ward off evil spirits?” the crown prince asked, intrigued.
Little Chao Chao nodded confidently. “Mhmm, the nemesis of evil spirits!” she exclaimed proudly, patting her chest.
Xie Jun An held the strands of hair, feeling the dark aura around him begin to dissipate.
“Put them in an amulet pouch, then claim you found a powerful object to restrain evil spirits,” the crown prince suggested. “Absolutely do not reveal Chao Chao’s abilities. Consort Xian, you are aware of the king’s methods, so I shouldn’t need to elaborate on the consequences if you do.”
This stern warning sent a shiver down Consort Xian’s spine. “Don’t worry, Chao Chao has done a great favor to Jun An, I won’t betray her.” Consort Xian gripped her son’s hand tightly.
“Since Chao Chao came to the Xian Qing Palace today, we will postpone having Jun An stay. He will return to the National Temple tomorrow with the Abbot. When the fifth month comes, we can use your birthday as an excuse to permanently bring Fourth Brother back to the palace.”
The crown prince had a simple plan. If things went as expected, Marquis Yuan Ze would have divorced Madam Xu by then, making secrecy unnecessary.
Although Consort Xian longed for her son to stay, she understood the broader plan set by the crown prince—and by extension, the king—and thus, she held her peace. Gradually, her worried expression softened into one of relief and joy.
“This is the token of the Protectorate Duke’s House. With this token, the Protectorate Duke’s House will support you wholeheartedly,” Consort Xian declared warmly, her eyes filled with affection.
Lu Chao Chao looked at the offered jade pendant with a blank expression. Thankfully, the crown prince accepted it on her behalf. The Protectorate Duke was a significant military leader, and his token was as significant as the weight of Mount Tai.
Xie Jun An also expressed his gratitude, bowing deeply to Lu Chao Chao.
When Lu Chao Chao was carried back to her sleeping quarters, the fatigue of the day weighed on her. So sleepy was she that she could barely keep her eyes open.
The crown prince tenderly cared for her, washing her face and tucking her under the blankets before leaving the palace.
The next morning, before the crack of dawn, Madam Xu personally arrived at the palace to pick her up.
After Lu Chao Chao had enjoyed a royal meal, she saw her mother approaching and immediately flew into her arms. “Mama, Chao Chao missed you…” The little girl clung to Madam Xu dependently.
Despite having had a restless night, Madam Xu felt a significant weight lift from her heart after seeing her daughter’s joyous face,
“You still remember to miss your mother, huh? I see you’ve been having a lot of fun?” Madam Xu teased her daughter.
Lu Chao Chao grinned broadly, reminiscing about the delicious palace food.
Hearing this, Madam Xu was momentarily speechless.
Together, they expressed their gratitude for the king’s generosity and then affectionately left the palace.
At that moment, Marquis Yuan Ze was setting out for court. As he departed, he coincidentally encountered the Abbot of the National Temple entering the capital.
The Abbot also held the esteemed position of National Advisor, requiring court officials to bow in his presence.
As Marquis Yuan Ze approached to greet him, the Abbot waved his hand dismissively. “Marquis Yuan Ze, there is no need for such formalities. You possess great fortune. I do not merit such respect from you.”
Although blind, the Abbot could discern that Marquis Yuan Ze’s household was destined for immense prosperity, subtly intertwined with the fate of the nation.
Overwhelmed with joy by the respect he received, Marquis Yuan Ze hurriedly suppressed his excitement and exchanged a few words with the Abbot before watching the National Advisor enter the palace.
“Indeed, my children, Jing Huai and Jing Yao, are destined for greatness…” He took a deep breath, his resolve firming in his heart.
Meanwhile, Madam Xu had just returned to the manor with Chao Chao when she was approached by the old lady’s maid.
Madam Xu’s eyes flashed with disdain. Yet, her face remained perfectly composed.
“Daughter-in-law, my body might not last much longer, I’ve been ill repeatedly this year, weighing everyone down…” As soon as the old lady saw Madam Xu arrive, she sighed and started her act.
Madam Xu simply smiled and reassured her, “Mother, you will live a long life so stop saying such negative words.”
“I know, I know. I just can’t help but remember the days you cared for me when I was ill. The maids just can’t be as diligent as you.” The old lady now adds in the waterworks by squeezing out a droplet from the corner of her eye.
When Madam Xu first joined the family, she had personally taken care of the old lady, managing everything to the point of surpassing what a daughter-in-law should do under such circumstances.
Head Maid Deng Zhi pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with anger at the conversation. In wealthy families, caring for the sick was often just a token gesture, and few would expect the mistress of the house to personally attend to the ill. Unless, of course, someone was making life difficult for her. Mother-in-laws had myriad ways of complicating their daughters-in-law’s lives.
“But you are now a third-rank noblewoman, there’s no way I would expect you to do such laborious tasks again. Never mind, never mind, it’s just my wishful thinking…” The old lady waved her hand dismissively.
Madam Xu’s face bore a virtuous smile: “Mother, what’s this talk of not fitting? A daughter-in-law serving her mother-in-law, that’s only right. From tomorrow, I will personally cook and prepare medicine for you.”
Madam Xu’s compliance caused the old lady’s brows to lift slightly. What did it matter if she was a noblewoman from a prominent family? She still had to attend to her needs!
Madam Xu smiled insincerely, thinking to herself about taking care of the sick: Old lady, just wait and see if you can endure it! Just see how many lives you have!