Chapter 32 Does the Emperor Grandpa Want to Be My Father?
The magnificent scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix—no, it was a scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the "fisherman"—lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Only after Mu Yu finished the last bite of osmanthus cake and licked her fingers did the circling birds seem to receive a command and reluctantly scatter away.
The Imperial Garden has returned to peace.
Consort De and the Third Prince Chu Huaijin had become invisible at the banquet.
The "seven-colored phoenix" they had carefully prepared was now slumped in the corner of the cage, looking like a defeated chicken, no longer as magnificent as before.
This "Hundred Birds Appreciation" event has become a joke. But perhaps it's not quite a joke.
The banquet ended hastily.
Emperor Chu Yuan, holding Mu Yu in his arms, laughed heartily as he left amidst envious glances from the crowd.
He didn't even glance at Consort De again.
This silent indifference chilled Consort De to the bone more than any harsh rebuke.
"Mother!" Chu Huaijin supported Yao and called out softly.
"I...I am not reconciled!" Consort De's voice was filled with resentment.
"So what do we do next?" Chu Huaijin asked, his mind blank.
...
Inside the residence of Princess Anguo.
Mu Yu was perched on the back of her "Tiger King"—the big cat—with her little bottom sticking out, directing it to patrol the yard.
The tiger king cooperated perfectly, carrying its little master with elegant cat-like steps, looking majestic.
Xiao Beichen and Qin Zheng watched in amazement.
"Little Yu'er, how did you do that? That's a tiger!" Xiao Beichen still found it unbelievable.
“The big cat is very well-behaved.” Mu Yu patted the tiger king’s head. “It likes my scent.”
Yan Ziche sat on a small stool to the side, holding a book in his hand, and said without looking up, "According to the Records of Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas, koi are auspicious spirits, and their energy can soothe all beasts and bring good fortune and ward off evil. This is not surprising."
"Speak like a human being." Qin Zheng rolled her eyes at him.
"It means that Xiaoyuer is the boss, and all the animals have to listen to her," Yan Ziche said succinctly.
Xie Zhiwei walked over carrying a bowl of freshly made "rock sugar bird's nest and lotus seed soup".
"Princess, you must be tired from playing. Have some snacks," he said gently.
"Wow! Bird's nest!" Mu Yu immediately slid off the tiger king's back and pounced on the bowl of snacks.
The tiger king let out a disgruntled "roar," seemingly protesting that its little master had been lured away by a bowl of food.
The children burst into laughter.
The sun shines brightly, and life is peaceful.
Mu Yu felt that she was the happiest child in the world right now.
Although her father is not around, she has a group of best friends and a super powerful "big cat" as a pet.
More importantly, her grandfather, the emperor, treated her incredibly well!
Every time I come, I bring her lots and lots of sparkly treasures and delicious treats.
He would play with her, let her ride on a big horse, and even wanted to turn her into his own daughter.
etc……
Mu Yu, who was scooping out bird's nest with a small spoon, suddenly stopped.
Grandpa Emperor, do you want to be my father?
Then... what about her own father?
She only has one father!
For the first time, such profound philosophical questions appeared in the little girl's mind.
She was very distressed.
...
It was late at night.
Chu Chongjin appeared silently in the study of Princess Anguo's residence.
He didn't alert anyone.
Only Xiao Beichen and Yan Ziche were in the study.
Since Mu Fang left the capital, the three of them have taken on the responsibility of protecting Mu Yu.
"Your Highness, Ninth Prince." The two immediately stood up and bowed.
"No need for formalities." Chu Chongjin waved his hand, his expression somewhat solemn.
"Your Highness, has something happened in the Southwest?" Xiao Beichen keenly sensed that something was wrong.
Chu Chongjin nodded.
He took out a secret letter from his pocket and handed it over.
"This is an urgent military report that General Mu sent back via carrier pigeon half an hour ago."
Xiao Beichen and Yan Ziche went over to take a look, and their expressions changed drastically at the same time.
The letter stated that the plague in the southwest had been brought under control thanks to the medical care and medicines brought by Mu Fang.
But just three days ago, the plague suddenly broke out again, and it was even more severe than before.
What's even stranger is that this time, it wasn't just ordinary soldiers who were affected; even some strong and powerful generals were not spared.
The sick soldiers would develop strange black markings on their bodies, become delirious, and talk nonsense, as if possessed by some evil spirit.
Panic has begun to emerge in the military.
“The barbarian priests’ evil magic…” Xiao Beichen gritted his teeth and said, “General Mu said in his letter that he suspected the barbarians had planted spies within our army to spread this cursed plague from the inside out.”
"A spy?" Yan Ziche frowned deeply. "To be able to contact high-ranking military officials and deliver poison with such precision... this person's identity is definitely not simple."
"General Mu has begun a secret investigation, but with little success." Chu Chongjin's voice was deep. "The most troublesome thing is that ordinary medicines are completely ineffective against this kind of evil plague."
"The military doctors were helpless, and even the top disciple sent by Doctor Xie could only barely delay the onset of the disease."
"If this continues, morale will inevitably collapse, and the consequences will be unimaginable."
The Duke of Protectorate, Mu Fang, is facing a considerable crisis.
"Consort De... Chu Huaijin..." Xiao Beichen felt furious just thinking about the two of them.
“Now is not the time to assign blame,” Chu Chongjin interrupted him. “The most urgent task is to find a solution to this.”
He looked at Yan Ziche: "You are well-read, have you ever seen similar records in ancient books?"
Yan Ziche closed his eyes, his mind rapidly flipping through every book he had ever read.
After a while, he opened his eyes and said somewhat uncertainly, "There are some scattered records in the 'Tales of Strange Things in the Southern Frontier.' It says that there is a kind of 'poisonous art' in the Southern Frontier that can use the essence and blood of living people as a catalyst to create 'plague ghosts.' The plague ghosts are invisible and can be dispersed with the wind. Those who are affected are as if they are haunted by ghosts, and medicine is ineffective."
"Is there a way to break this?" Chu Chongjin pressed.
"The book only says that this technique is extremely yin and evil, and only... extremely yang and strong things can overcome it." Yan Ziche shook his head. "But the book does not explain in detail what that is."
The most yang and most masculine thing...
Chu Chongjin and Xiao Beichen's gazes fell simultaneously on the room outside the study, the warmly lit room that belonged to Mu Yu.
The aura of koi fish is a source of good fortune, pure and yang.
Also, there's the protective dragon scale on the back of Mu Yu's hand, born from the convergence of true dragon energy...
Perhaps the solution lies in this four-and-a-half-year-old girl.
But how can we get a child from the capital to help her father who is thousands of miles away?
This seems to be a very difficult problem.
Just then, the study door creaked open a crack.
A small figure wearing bear pajamas, hugging a pillow, rubbing sleepy eyes, appeared at the door.
"Brother Jinlong, Brother Beichen, Brother Ziche... what are you talking about?"
Mu Yu asked in a childish voice.
She had a nightmare.
I dreamt that my father was surrounded by many, many black insects.
She wanted to use her good fortune to help her father, but she discovered that the koi-shaped purse she had given him, which had been "blessed" by the Golden Dragon Brother, had become very dim...
She woke up startled to find the study light still on.
The three boys were all startled when they saw Mu Yu suddenly appear.
They instinctively tried to hide their feelings, but when they met those clear, amber eyes that seemed to see through everything, they fell silent.
"Did... something happen to Father?"
Mu Yu, clutching a pillow, walked in step by step, tilted her little face up, and asked softly.
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