Ashes to Crown

Chapter 178: Chapter 9: At Peace

The water in the bath rippled.

In addition to a layer of fresh flowers, goat’s milk had been poured into it.

Ah Le crouched by the pool, swirling her hand in the water. ”So you can even bathe like this.”

Leaning against the opposite wall of the pool with her eyes closed, Chu Zhao chuckled. ”Ah Le, come in and try it.”

Ah Le looked tempted, but then shook her head. ”I’d better wait.”

Chu Zhao opened her eyes and asked, ”Wait for what? You don’t need to serve me. The Palace Maids are here.”

Ah Le lowered her voice. ”This is the Imperial Palace, after all. I’ll indulge myself once you’ve secured your position as the Crown Princess Consort, Miss.”

Chu Zhao laughed out loud. ”You call this indulging?” With that, she stood up and walked into the clear water pool on the other side to rinse off.

Ah Le stood up and called out decorously, ”Someone attend.”

Several Palace Maids filed in. They dried Chu Zhao after her rinse, helped her dress, and then escorted her to the outer room to sit down and have her hair combed.

”Where is Yu?” Chu Zhao asked.

Just as the Palace Maids were about to answer, Xiao Yu ran in from outside.

”Sister,” he called out.

Chu Zhao smiled. ”I was just asking about you.”

Xiao Yu stopped in front of the copper mirror and watched her comb her hair. ”I was keeping track of the time. I figured you should be done bathing.”

Ever since entering the Imperial City, Xiao Yu had remained inseparable from her. At night, if she wasn’t sleeping beside him, he would wake with a start and be unable to fall back asleep. Chu Zhao understood. The poor child had lost his parents overnight and had his own narrow escape from death. He was terrified.

Just like how he constantly clung to that bamboo tube.

Chu Zhao’s gaze fell on the object crooked in Xiao Yu’s arm.

Eunuch Qi had already told her that the bamboo tube contained a snake.

Most children were afraid of snakes, let alone cuddling one at all times.

”The young prince used to be afraid too; he never played with snakes or insects before,” Eunuch Qi had said. ”This old slave coaxed him into catching this snake as a gift for the Crown Prince.”

But before he could give it to the Crown Prince, father and son were separated forever by death.

”This old slave will try to coax the young prince into throwing it away,” Eunuch Qi had said.

Chu Zhao stopped him. ”Let him keep it. It’s a memory he can’t bear to part with.”

’The gift had never been delivered, and it has become an obsession for the child. This is something that needs to be guided away gently over time.’

She never mentioned it or asked about it, acting as if she didn’t see Xiao Yu carrying the bamboo tube at all.

”Once my hair is done, we’ll go see His Majesty,” she said.

Xiao Yu nodded, standing before the table that was about his height, watching Chu Zhao do her hair.

Chu Zhao spoke to him, pointing at the jewelry on the table. ”Which one looks good? How about this one?”

Xiao Yu chose seriously. Whatever he picked, Chu Zhao had the Palace Maids put on for her. Standing behind them, Ah Le couldn’t help but smile.

”Miss, you’re wearing too much,” she said.

Xiao Yu lowered his hands, looking a little flustered. He had never watched his mother do her hair and makeup, so he didn’t know how one should be adorned. He just wanted to pick out everything that looked pretty.

Chu Zhao turned to look at herself in the mirror and smiled. ”It’s fine. I still look very beautiful.”

Ah Le certainly agreed with that. ”Miss is beautiful no matter what.”

Xiao Yu said, ”Sister’s beauty isn’t about makeup.”

Chu Zhao’s eyes lit up as she looked at Xiao Yu. ”Our Yu is right. My, Chu Zhao’s, beauty isn’t about makeup.”

Xiao Yu looked into her eyes and nodded emphatically.

Chu Zhao wasn’t really trying to get dolled up anyway. After some simple adornments, she stood up and took Xiao Yu’s hand. ”Let’s go. We’re going to see His Majesty.”

The Palace Maids stepped aside, watching as Chu Zhao led Xiao Yu out. Only two people followed behind her.

One was named Ah Le, the other Ah Man.

These were the people Miss Chu had brought with her. While living in the Imperial City, Miss Chu only allowed these two to attend to her personally.

Moreover, Miss Chu didn’t need them to lead the way. Wherever she wanted to go, she went directly, without the slightest hesitation—

”This isn’t a matter of hesitation,” a Palace Maid whispered. ”Miss Chu is clearly very familiar with the palace.”

She didn’t need them for directions. Furthermore, the palace was magnificent, filled with the world’s most exquisite objects at every turn. When other ladies-in-waiting came in, they would be timid and awestruck, but Miss Chu showed no reaction at all, as if it were all a common sight.

The Palace Maids exchanged a look. They didn’t know if it was just their imagination, but it was as if Miss Chu had lived in the Imperial City her entire life.

How could that be possible? Of course, it was just their imagination. Although the Palace Maids were deep within the palace, they had privately learned of Miss Chu’s history in recent days. She had lived her whole life in the Border County and had only been in the Capital City for a little over a year. Forget the Imperial City, she had rarely even visited the homes of the Aristocratic Families—this Miss Chu was very unpopular and was not on good terms with the other young ladies of the Capital City.

But what did being unpopular matter?

The eunuchs in front of the Emperor’s bedchamber watched the girl approach at a slow pace. She held the young prince’s hand, and everywhere she passed, the Soldiers bowed their heads to her in salute.

She was the one who had saved the young prince. The Imperial City was now under her protection. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

She had a formidable father, command of troops, and could wield a blade to kill with her own hands.

”Greetings, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess Consort,” the eunuchs said in unison, bowing low in salute.

Chu Zhao, holding Xiao Yu’s hand, walked past them and stepped into the grand hall.

Deng Yi was also with the Emperor, discussing the matter of the Third Prince. He stopped when he saw Xiao Yu enter.

”Continue,” the Emperor said. He was half-reclined on the dragon bed, and he seemed to be in decent spirits. ”He is the Crown Prince now, not a child. He must bear the good and the bad himself. We summoned him precisely so he could hear this.”

Deng Yi assented and continued relaying Xie Yanfang’s description of that night’s events, as well as the details he had personally investigated—right down to the injuries of the late Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort.

Chu Zhao felt the small hand in hers tremble and motioned for Xiao Yu to lean against her.

But the child shook his head. He remained sitting upright, his eyes rimmed with red as he listened intently.

Deng Yi quickly finished his report and moved on to the funeral arrangements. The Emperor waved his hand listlessly. ”Just follow the regulations.”

’They’re already dead. What happens after is irrelevant.’

Deng Yi assented, glancing at Chu Zhao and Xiao Yu sitting to the side. The two of them, one big and one small, both looked docile and well-behaved.

”According to custom, the wedding of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort should be held after the mourning period is over,” Deng Yi said. ”However, for the stability of the country, I believe it should be held immediately.”

The Emperor chuckled. ”No hurry.”

’No hurry?’

Deng Yi frowned.

”Your Majesty, this matter is urgent,” he said, completely unfazed by the Emperor’s objection.

The Emperor wasn’t angered. He said, ”What We mean is, let’s just directly hold the Emperor’s enthronement and the Empress’s wedding ceremony.”

Deng Yi was stunned.

Chu Zhao also shot upright.

”Your Majesty,” she called out instinctively.

The Emperor ignored them and beckoned. ”Yu, come here.”

Xiao Yu was in a daze and didn’t seem to hear. Only when Chu Zhao shook his hand did the child snap out of it, get up, and walk before the Emperor.

The Emperor extended a hand. The child hesitated for a moment before slowly placing his small hand on it.

The Emperor paid no mind to the child’s hesitation. Although the boy was raised here by his side, they were never very close.

’Whether they were close or not didn’t matter anymore.’

”Yu,” the Emperor said, ”Grandfather is about to have you ascend the throne. From now on, you will be the Emperor.”

The young child didn’t yet understand what it meant for him to be the Emperor. Although he was theoretically supposed to become Emperor someday, that was meant to be far in the future, and it was never a certainty. Therefore, despite being the Imperial Grandson, he had never been brought up with the notion that he was destined to rule.

But he knew the Emperor’s wishes could not be defied, so he nodded. ”Yu obeys the decree.”

The Emperor laughed heartily. ”Yu, from now on, you will no longer have to say ’I obey the decree.’ You will only have to hear those words spoken to you.”

Xiao Yu looked at the Emperor and asked, ”Grandfather, are you going to die too?”

The Emperor smiled and nodded. ”Yes, Grandfather is going to die too. In the future, you will be all alone, Yu.”

As he smiled, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.