Ashes to Crown

Chapter 166: Chapter 120: Paying Obeisance

Torches lit the path underfoot, while the surrounding Imperial Guard cast shadows like impenetrable walls.

Chu Zhao held Xiao Yu’s hand, following Deng Yi through the Inner Palace.

”Lord Deng, you know what’s happened outside, don’t you?” Chu Zhao asked in a low voice.

Deng Yi said, ”I’ve guessed as much.”

”Running into His Highness was unexpected for me, too,” Chu Zhao said. ”I never imagined—”

Deng Yi raised a hand to his lips and made a soft shushing sound, cutting Chu Zhao off.

”Miss Chu, let’s save whatever you have to say for when we see His Majesty,” he said.

’It seems trying to chat with Deng Yi and get closer to him won’t work.’ Chu Zhao looked at the man walking ahead of her. He was no longer the dusty, travel-worn Clerk who had appeared at the post station.

’The Grand Tutor... The same Grand Tutor who supposedly dared to slap the Emperor himself.’ Chu Zhao pouted, but the moment she did, she saw the Lord Grand Tutor glance back. Her expression immediately flipped into a smile.

Deng Yi, of course, noticed the girl’s little performance. ”Miss Chu, is this really an appropriate time to be smiling?”

Chu Zhao replied sheepishly, ”You’re right to correct me, my lord.”

Deng Yi didn’t press the matter. He turned his gaze forward again.

’Letting her in was actually rather amusing.’

They spoke no more, walking in silence until they reached a palace. This area was much brighter than the others.

The palace was surrounded by a forest of Imperial Guards and a sea of eunuchs, rendering it impenetrable.

Deng Yi didn’t slow his pace in the slightest, nor did he need to ask for permission. He walked forward, and wherever he went, the Imperial Guards and eunuchs respectfully made way.

Chu Zhao held Xiao Yu’s hand and followed behind him. Not a single Imperial Guard questioned or stopped them. The eunuchs who saw Xiao Yu looked astonished—

Of course, all the eunuchs here recognized the Imperial Grandson.

Under normal circumstances, the eunuchs should have been overjoyed to see the Imperial Grandson, especially at a time like this. But they were merely stunned. No one cried out, much less surged forward.

’Lord Grand Tutor... impressive.’ Chu Zhao tightened her grip on the small hand in hers. It twitched, and she quickly loosened her hold. She looked down at Xiao Yu with a reassuring gaze, and he looked back up at her.

Deng Yi walked into the hall and glanced back at the adult and child. Without seeking permission from the master of the hall, he made the decision himself. ”Come in.”

Chu Zhao suddenly felt a little nervous. ’Is the Emperor even in there? Is he alive, or is he dead?’

Holding Xiao Yu’s hand, Chu Zhao stepped inside without hesitation.

The hall was brightly lit. At a glance, she saw an old man reclining on the dragon bed, reading a scroll. He wore a Dragon Robe and a jade crown, his posture relaxed and elegant, yet imbued with an Emperor’s majesty.

Chu Zhao was a little surprised.

In her past life, she had of course seen the Emperor. After entering the palace with Xiao Xun, she went to pay her respects. The Emperor had been lying there, sickly and listless, with an ashen face. When he heard her name, his gaze was terrifying, and she had lowered her head, not daring to look again.

The next time she saw him, it was after his death—a lifeless corpse on the dragon bed. Even adorned in a splendid Dragon Robe, his withered state could not be concealed.

’To think the Emperor would be so vigorous in this life.’

Deng Yi looked at the Emperor, also a little surprised. His gaze shifted to the eunuchs at the side.

’Why is His Majesty all groomed and dressed up?’

The eunuchs wore helpless expressions, as if to say, ’His Majesty insisted.’

’His Majesty insisted? Why does he look like he’s expecting guests—’

’Does His Majesty know guests have arrived?’

Deng Yi’s gaze turned back to the doorway. ’Guests?’ He looked at the woman and child still standing there.

”Who is it?” The Emperor seemed to have only just noticed someone had entered, but he didn’t seem to care. He didn’t look up from his scroll as he asked indifferently.

Deng Yi averted his gaze and bowed. ”Your Majesty, it is the daughter of Chu Ling... She has escorted His Highness the Imperial Grandson back.”

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Emperor’s frame go rigid, as if about to sit up straight. But the next moment, he slumped back weakly.

”The daughter of Chu Ling...” the Emperor said slowly. He lowered the scroll in his hands and raised his head to look toward the doorway, as if he couldn’t see clearly, yet was straining to do so.

Deng Yi turned his head toward the entrance. ”Chu Zhao, come forward and pay your respects to His Majesty.”

Chu Zhao complied, leading Xiao Yu over by the hand before kneeling. ”Chu Zhao, daughter of General Wei, Chu Ling, of Yunzhong County, pays her respects to Your Majesty.”

Prostrate on the floor, Chu Zhao could feel the gaze from the dragon bed on her, but a long silence followed. The Emperor seemed to watch her for a long while, lost in thought, before he finally seemed to recall something—

”Ah, General Wei, Chu Ling,” he said slowly, his voice detached. ”Rise.”

Thanking His Majesty for his grace, Chu Zhao rose.

’His Majesty still remembers Father. I could guess that from what Eunuch Qi said. After all, His Majesty never disbanded the Dragon Power Army and has continued to maintain it as before.’

’But it also seems he truly dislikes Father, judging by his cold demeanor.’

Deng Yi stood to the side with his eyes lowered. ’Does the Emperor truly not remember Chu Ling? Does he dislike him?’

’No, that’s not it.’ He lifted his gaze slightly toward the child standing next to Chu Zhao.

’His Majesty remembers Chu Ling. And he was so thrilled to see him again, even if it was just his daughter, that he washed up and changed his clothes. So thrilled that he even ignored the Imperial Grandson standing right in front of him.’

The Imperial Grandson stood quietly beside Chu Zhao, not rushing forward with the emotional outburst of someone who had just survived a disaster.

’After the nightmare of this night, the child is probably scared out of his wits. After all, he’s only six years old, a child of privilege raised in the secluded Inner Palace.’

Deng Yi said, ”Your Majesty, Miss Chu has brought His Highness the Imperial Grandson.”

The Emperor said, ”Oh,” and only then did he look at the child beside Chu Zhao, reaching out his hand. ”Yu—”

Xiao Yu stood frozen, staring blankly at the Emperor as if he hadn’t heard.

Chu Zhao gently nudged him. ”Yu, it’s His Majesty. You’re safe now.”

At her words, the dazed child finally rushed toward the Emperor on the dragon bed, burying his head in the Emperor’s arms and whimpering, ”Grandfather—”

The Emperor stroked the child. ”There, there, don’t be afraid. Grandfather is here.”

Deng Yi glanced at Chu Zhao. She noticed and figured, ’This must mean I have permission to speak.’

”Your Majesty, Eunuch Qi brought His Highness back to the Capital City in time, and they came to my home to take refuge,” Chu Zhao said. ”It so happened that my father had sent Deputy General Zhong Changrong back to the Capital. During the chaos, he mobilized the Dragon Power Army to escort His Highness into the palace.”

The Emperor gently patted the child in his arms, his gaze on the girl standing before him. He seemed distracted, yet also very focused. After hearing her out, he chuckled.

”The Dragon Power Army... I’d almost forgotten about them,” he said. ”And yet your father still remembers.”

Chu Zhao said, ”My father never mentioned the Dragon Power Army to me.”

’Just because he never mentioned it doesn’t mean he forgot. In fact, it probably means he never for a moment forgot.’

”When Uncle Zhong mentioned it, I was shocked. I always thought my father was a nobody in the Border County. I never imagined he had been entrusted with such a great responsibility by Your Majesty.”

This was what Chu Zhao truly felt. She hadn’t known in her past life and had only just found out in this one.

The Emperor let out a laugh. His hand was still patting the child in his arms, though Xiao Yu had already stopped crying.

The Emperor was smiling, but his voice was cold. ”General Chu, omnipotent in both strategy and combat. And now, it seems I am indebted to him for the preservation of my own grandson.”

Those were heavy words coming from an Emperor, but strangely, Chu Zhao felt no fear at all. She looked up.

”Your Majesty,” she couldn’t help but say, ”please don’t be angry.”

The Emperor froze. It was as if he could see that general standing before him again. No matter how he flew into a rage and cursed him, the general would just listen in silence, never arguing, never showing fear. And when it was over, he would look up and say, ”Your Majesty, please don’t be angry.”

’Don’t be angry, don’t be angry... It’s infuriating!’

’First the general, and now his daughter has come to anger me!’

The Emperor was about to stand and scold the girl, but a surge of rage sent blood rushing to his head. A metallic tang filled his throat, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

”Your Majesty!”

Startled, Chu Zhao lunged forward.

Xiao Yu, who was nestled in the Emperor’s arms, also sat up.

Of all of them, only Deng Yi seemed unsurprised. ’This is more like it,’ he thought. ’How could His Majesty be so vigorous? The poison has taken hold, and he can’t endure it any longer.’