Chapter 16 The Ninth Prince's Touch Triggers an Auspicious Omen!

Mu Fang was terrified when he heard this.

He stared at the lines on the back of his daughter's hand, which were faintly visible in the sunlight.

The patterns were very faint and could not be seen at all without careful observation, but the way they were arranged was clearly like fish scales!

"Little Yu'er, don't be afraid..." Mu Fang's voice was terribly dry.

He pulled his daughter's small body into his arms.

Then, subconsciously, he looked up and glanced at Emperor Chu Yuan not far away.

Chu Yuan was being supported by Steward Li, and the smile on his face had not yet completely faded, but his gaze had already turned towards him.

Clearly, he also noticed the unusual situation here.

"Father...am I going to turn back into a little fish?" Mu Yu's tears fell like beads from a broken string. "I don't want to turn back! I haven't taken Father to the Dragon Palace yet, and I haven't tasted all the sweet cakes in the capital..."

"Nonsense!" Mu Fang scolded in a low voice, "You are your father's daughter, not some little fish. Perhaps... perhaps it's because you ate that spoiled cherry jelly earlier that you developed a rash. Don't worry, your father will take you to see a doctor in a little while."

This reason is one that even he himself cannot believe.

"Minister Mu."

Chu Yuan's voice came through, calm and composed, yet carrying an undeniable pressure.

He walked over, with Steward Li following closely behind, his face grave.

Princess Jianing followed timidly behind, her little hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.

"Let me see your hand." Chu Yuan's gaze fell on the area covered by Mu Fang's sleeve.

Mu Fang's body tensed instantly, and he held his daughter even tighter in his arms.

"Daddy..." Mu Yu peeked out from his arms, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Chu Yuan, "Grandpa Emperor, my hands hurt..."

That pitiful cry of "Grandpa Emperor" softened Chu Yuan's gaze somewhat.

He had just recognized the child as an auspicious omen for the Great Chu, and in the blink of an eye, this strange situation had arisen.

Is it an auspicious omen or a sinister sign?

The thought flashed through Chu Yuan's mind.

He couldn't panic, and he certainly couldn't show any suspicion in front of Mu Fang, the Duke of Protectorate who held considerable military power.

"Minister Mu, why are you so nervous?" Chu Yuan's tone softened. "The little princess shielded me from disaster, how could I harm her? Let her stretch out her hand, and the imperial physician and I will take a look. That will put my mind at ease."

Mu Fang's reason told him that disobeying the imperial decree meant certain death.

He took a deep breath and slowly released his arms.

Mu Yu sobbed as she stretched out her chubby little hand.

Under the sunlight, the faint, almost transparent patterns of the scales were clearly visible to everyone.

It's not ugly at all; on the contrary, the iridescent light it reflects gives it a strange and beautiful quality.

Princess Jianing gasped and instinctively covered her mouth, her big eyes filled with surprise.

Steward Li was so frightened that he took half a step back, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Chu Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared at the pattern, his brows furrowed, and he remained silent.

Mu Fang's heart sank to the bottom.

He had prepared for the worst. If the emperor dared to utter the word "demon," he would risk the execution of his entire family to protect his daughter and fight his way out!

"What...what's going on?"

A clear, slightly childlike voice broke the deathly silence.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the Ninth Prince, Chu Chongjin, walking out from behind the moon gate.

He was still dressed in a plain brocade robe, his figure was upright, and his face carried a just-right hint of confusion.

The guards following behind him were carrying an exquisite food box.

"Your Highness." Mu Fang immediately bowed, and without making a sound, pulled his daughter's hand back to his side.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty." Chu Chongjin bowed to Chu Yuan, his gaze sweeping over the others before finally settling on Mu Yu, who was secretly wiping away tears. "Why is the little princess crying?"

Before Chu Yuan could speak, Mu Yu pouted and complained aggrievedly, "Brother Jinlong... I... I think I'm going to grow fish scales! They're all looking at me... Father said I have a rash, but aren't rashes red?"

Her innocent yet frightened words elicited various reactions from the adults present.

Chu Chongjin was taken aback and followed her gaze to her small hand that Mu Fang was holding.

He took two steps forward, squatted down, and looked Mu Yu in the eye.

"May I take a look?" he asked gently.

For some reason, seeing his eyes lessened Mu Yu's fear.

She glanced hesitantly at her father.

Mu Fang met the Ninth Prince's clear gaze, his heart filled with vigilance, but given the current situation, he had no other choice. He slowly released his grip.

Mu Yu held out the back of her hand to Chu Chongjin and whispered, "Look, it's right here..."

Chu Chongjin leaned closer and carefully examined the strange patterns.

The dragon energy emanating from him was rich and pure, and as he approached, a warm and peaceful aura quietly spread out.

Mu Yu felt a warm current coming from Chu Chongjin, which gradually warmed her small hands, which were cold from fear.

Chu Chongjin did not speak immediately. Instead, he reached out his finger and carefully and gently touched the edge of the pattern.

The moment his fingertips touched Mu Yu's skin, a sudden change occurred!

"Buzz—"

A barely audible chirping sound rang out.

The translucent scales on the back of Mu Yu's hand suddenly lit up as if they had been infused with life!

No longer a faint seven-colored halo, but bursting with dazzling light! Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple, seven colors flowed like water, radiating brilliance, making her little hand look like a piece of exquisite jade.

The light was warm but not dazzling, carrying a sacred and peaceful aura.

"Ah!" Mu Yu was startled herself, but this time, her voice was more surprised than afraid.

She stared blankly at her glowing hands, her mouth agape in an "O" shape.

"Sparkling..." she murmured unconsciously, "sparkling...sparkling brighter than the Emperor's golden melon seeds..."

Mu Fang was stunned. He stared blankly at the shimmering "fish scale" on his daughter's hand.

This wasn't demonic energy; the light was filled with a peaceful power that reassured him.

Chu Yuan stared in shock, his eyes widening. He unconsciously tightened his grip on Steward Li's arm, his knuckles turning white.

He could feel that as the seven-colored light shone, the oppressive feeling of being corroded by the toxins in his body dissipated somewhat, and he felt a sense of comfort.

This is no sign of evil! This is clearly an auspicious omen! An extremely auspicious omen!

Chu Chongjin was also somewhat surprised. He withdrew his finger and looked thoughtfully at the scale that had changed after he touched it.

He could feel a strange resonance between the dragon energy on his body and the scale.

The light shimmered for a moment, then gradually subsided, but did not completely disappear.

The scale was no longer translucent; it had solidified into a tiny, multicolored scale, about the size of a fingernail and as thin as a cicada's wing, clinging tightly to the back of Mu Yu's hand.

It doesn't look like it grew out; rather, it looks like a priceless treasure that has been carefully inlaid.

Mu Yu curiously poked the small scale with the finger of her other hand. It felt warm and cool to the touch, very comfortable.

Her fear completely disappeared, replaced by a sense of novelty and enjoyment.

"Daddy, look!" She held up her little hand, showing it to Mu Fang like a treasure, "It's become real! It's so beautiful!"

Seeing his daughter's smile return, Mu Fang's heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled down, but he was still filled with countless questions.

Just then, Chu Chongjin suddenly spoke, his voice carrying an unmistakable solemnity.

“Father, these scales… I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before.”

Chu Yuan immediately looked at him: "Oh? Where have we met before?"

Chu Chongjin's gaze fell on the seven-colored scale on the back of Mu Yu's hand, and he slowly said, "The last page of the secret book passed down through generations of the Great Chu royal family, 'The Record of Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas'."

"According to the record, when the Koi Princess's supernatural powers and the true dragon's energy intersect, and her good fortune is exhausted, by chance, the first... protective dragon scale will be born."