Chapter 17 The Little Princess Acts Cute and Adorable
"Your Highness, what...what did you say?" Even if Mu Fang knew this might be the truth, he didn't want it to be revealed. Being involved with imperial power wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Chu Chongjin stood up, facing Chu Yuan, his expression serious, not at all like an eight or nine-year-old child.
“Father, when I was young, I read a fragment of the ‘Tales of Mountains and Seas’ in my mother’s palace. The book said that the Koi clan has extraordinary talents, and the bloodline of their princesses is even connected to the fate of the nation.”
"When the Koi Princess finds the chosen one who possesses the aura of a true dragon, she uses all her good fortune to assist him, which is her way of cultivating herself."
"If, when one's fortune is exhausted and one's body is at its weakest, one receives nourishment from the true dragon's energy, there is a chance to condense the first protective dragon scale. This scale is neither demonic nor evil, but a token recognized by heaven and earth and bestowed with auspiciousness!"
"Auspicious omen...auspicious omen!" Chu Yuan murmured to himself, "This is truly a great auspicious omen! With this auspicious omen, how can my Great Chu not prosper!"
He had previously harbored some doubts about the unusual phenomenon in Mu Yu's hands, fearing it might be something supernatural. But now, everything was clear.
Koi Princess... True Dragon Aura...
Everything makes sense! Mu Yu can see destiny, warn the Grand Preceptor of his conspiracy, make his poison-ravaged body feel comfortable, and now he has condensed dragon scales that only exist in legends!
What else could this be but an auspicious omen?
"Hahaha...hahahaha!" Chu Yuan suddenly laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.
He shoved Steward Li aside, strode over to Mu Yu, and squatted down.
At this moment, he was no longer the majestic emperor, but more like an old man who had seen a priceless treasure and was overjoyed.
"Little Yu'er, let Grandpa take another look." Chu Yuan's tone was gentler than ever before.
Mu Yu blinked her big eyes, a little startled by her grandfather's sudden burst of laughter. But seeing how happy he was, she wasn't afraid anymore.
She obediently stretched out her little hand and presented it to Chu Yuan like a treasure: "Grandpa Emperor, look, it's sparkly! It's prettier than your golden melon seeds!"
"Beautiful! Beautiful!" Chu Yuan exclaimed repeatedly. He carefully reached out his finger, wanting to touch it, but stopped in mid-air, afraid of disturbing this auspicious creature.
"This is a blessing from Heaven upon our Great Chu! A blessing from Heaven upon me!" Chu Yuan stood up excitedly, his eyes filled with admiration and reliance as he looked at Mu Fang.
"Minister Mu! You have given birth to a fine daughter! The Duke of Huguo's mansion is a family of loyal martyrs, and now it has brought good fortune to our Great Chu. I... I should reward you in the best way possible!"
Mu Fang's emotions were in turmoil. He knelt on the ground, head bowed, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, my daughter is young, all of this..."
He wanted to say that it was all just a coincidence, but the words just wouldn't come out.
The scale, the strange light, and the story told by the Ninth Prince left him speechless.
A surge of panic welled up inside him. Not for himself, but for his daughter.
Auspicious omen?
In royalty, auspicious omens can be the highest honor, or a death knell. "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
Today she is an auspicious omen, but if anything goes wrong tomorrow, will she become a monstrous calamity that brings disaster to the country and its people?
Chu Yuan seemed to see through his worries, suppressed his smile, and said in a deep voice, "Minister Mu, rest assured. I assure you today in front of the Ninth Prince and Jia Ning that as long as I am alive, I will protect the little princess!"
"She is an auspicious omen for my Great Chu. Anyone who dares to harm a single hair on her head is an enemy of the fate of my Great Chu and an enemy of me!"
The emperor's words carried immense weight and authority.
Mu Fang's tense body relaxed slightly, and he kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
"Daddy, get up quickly!" Mu Yu ran over and pulled on Mu Fang's armor. "The ground is cold. Grandma said that children won't grow tall if they kneel too much. If Daddy kneels too much, his legs will hurt!"
The child's innocent words instantly eased the atmosphere.
Chu Yuan looked at the father and daughter, his smile deepening.
He turned to Chu Chongjin and said approvingly, "Chongjin, you are well-read, very good. If it weren't for you, I and the Duke of Huguo would probably have been frightened by this auspicious omen."
Chu Chongjin bowed and said, "Your subject just happened to read it and dares not take credit. The little princess is truly blessed, and it is Father Emperor and Great Chu who are fortunate to have her."
He spoke succinctly, highlighting Mu Yu's importance while also praising Chu Yuan.
Chu Yuan nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the food box Chu Chongjin had brought: "Did you bring food for the little princess?"
"Yes," Chu Chongjin gestured for the guards behind him to step forward. "I heard that the young princess likes sweets, so I had the imperial kitchen make some of the new milk cakes, thinking that she might like them."
Mu Yu's eyes lit up instantly when she heard "milk cake".
She ran to the food box, stood on tiptoe, and sniffed it hard with her little nose.
"It smells so good!"
Chu Yuan was in a great mood and said with a smile, "Open it and let the little hero have a taste."
The guard opened the food box, and a rich, milky aroma instantly filled the air.
Inside were several plates of exquisite pastries, among which a plate of plump, white milk cakes with a rabbit pattern on them immediately caught Mu Yu's attention.
Just as she was about to reach out her little hand, Mu Fang grabbed it.
"Little Yu'er, don't be rude," Mu Fang scolded in a low voice.
"Father, it's alright," Chu Chongjin said with a gentle smile. "It was originally prepared for the little princess."
He personally picked up a piece of milk cake and handed it to Mu Yu.
Mu Yu looked at the pastries, then at her father's serious face, and finally couldn't resist the temptation. She whispered, "Thank you, Brother Jinlong."
Then, she opened her little mouth and took a big bite.
Soft, sweet, and fragrant with milk.
The young princess squinted her eyes happily, her dimples appearing and disappearing on either side.
"Delicious!" she exclaimed indistinctly.
A small pastry instantly made her forget the trouble of the scales on her hands.
Seeing her so content, the adults present couldn't help but smile.
Perhaps, for this four-and-a-half-year-old toddler, even the greatest auspiciousness is not as important as a delicious piece of milk cake.
Seeing the harmonious scene, Chu Yuan felt reassured and announced loudly, "Li Fuquan!"
“Your servant is here.” Steward Li immediately stepped forward.
"By imperial decree, Princess Mu Yu, auspicious omens have descended from heaven, blessing the Great Chu. She is hereby granted the title of Princess Anguo, with the additional name 'Anguo'! She is granted a fief of two thousand households and a hundred jade ruyi scepters!"
"Furthermore, I hereby order the Ministry of Works to select an auspicious burial site near Jingshan Hill in the palace to build a princess's mansion for Princess Anguo, with the same specifications as a prince! All expenses will be covered by my private treasury!"
This imperial decree stunned not only Steward Li, but also Mu Fang.
Building a residence within the palace? This is an unprecedented honor!
This is practically like raising Mu Yu as a royal princess!
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Mu Fang hurriedly knelt down again. "My daughter cannot accept such a generous reward!"
"She deserves it!" Chu Yuan's attitude left no room for doubt. "She shielded me from disaster and brought good fortune to Great Chu. What is this reward! It's settled then!"
Just then, a fluffy orange little thing darted out from some flower bush.
With a meow, it shot towards the milk cake in Mu Yu's hand like an orange lightning bolt.
"Oh! My cake!"
Mu Yu exclaimed in surprise and instinctively took a step back, trying to protect her food.
The little orange cat missed its target, but because it rushed too fast, it couldn't stop and crashed headfirst into the leg of someone next to it.
"Ouch!"
A clear, youthful voice rang out.
Everyone looked over at the sound and saw a tall, upright young man dressed in black, clutching his calf, looking at the innocent-looking little orange cat at his feet with a wry smile.
The boy was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, handsome and extraordinary, exuding a sunny and cheerful aura.
"Xiao Beichen?" Mu Fang was somewhat surprised when he saw who it was.
"This humble general, Xiao Beichen, pays his respects to Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Lie, and His Highness the Ninth Prince!" The young man immediately dropped his playful expression, knelt on one knee, and gave a standard military salute.
He was none other than Xiao Beichen, the only son of the Marquis of Zhenbei.
Mu Yu curiously observed the boy who had suddenly appeared. He had a faint white aura of good fortune about him, and he was very clean, which made people feel good about him.
"Brother Beichen?" she tilted her head and called out in a childish voice.
Xiao Beichen looked up and saw the exquisitely beautiful Mu Yu, his eyes lighting up.
He had heard the general mention that he had the most adorable daughter in the world, and seeing her today, he could see that she truly lived up to the reputation!
"You're Xiao Yu'er?" Xiao Beichen grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth.
Just as he was about to say something, the little orange cat, not wanting to be left out, started meowing again around his feet, its eyes fixed on the half-eaten milk cake in Mu Yu's hand.
Mu Yu and Princess Jianing's attention was instantly drawn to the kitten.
"A kitten!" Jia Ning exclaimed softly.
Mu Yu looked at the cake in her hand, then at the pitiful little cat, hesitated for a moment, then squatted down and handed over half a cake.
The little orange cat immediately came over and carefully licked it.
The scene of two little girls and a kitten instantly becomes heartwarming and fun.
However, when Mu Yu squatted down, she lost her balance and swayed, almost falling backward.
"careful!"
Xiao Beichen, who was closest to her, reacted quickly, taking a step forward and steadily pulling her small body into his arms.
It's a soft, chewy little ball with a milky aroma.
Xiao Beichen felt his heart melting.
"Princess, are you alright?" he asked with concern.
Mu Yu steadied herself in his arms, shook her head, then looked up at him with a sweet smile: "Thank you, Brother Beichen!"
That laugh completely stunned our sixteen-year-old young general.
He had only one thought in his mind: This adorable little sister must belong to me, Xiao Beichen! No one can take her away from me!
However, just as he was hugging Mu Yu and grinning foolishly, he suddenly felt two unfriendly gazes.
One of them came from Mu Fang, the Duke of Protectorate, whose face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
The other one came from not far away, from the Ninth Prince, who seemed gentle and harmless, but whose eyes were inexplicably cold.
Xiao Beichen suddenly realized that he seemed to have hugged someone he shouldn't have.
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