“Disciple, the valley really can’t afford to feed you anymore. You’d better go down the mountain and find your biological father!”
The unreliable, beautiful young woman saw the last big white mantou being snatched away by a small hand. Unable to bear it any longer, she swept the wicker basket aside, plopped the five-year-old little dumpling onto the table, and used the tablecloth to wrap her up quickly. She even thoughtfully tied a butterfly bow and kicked the bundle toward her Eldest Disciple.
The entire sequence of movements was as smooth as flowing water, without a hint of hesitation.
Catching the bundle wrapped in white cloth, Eldest Disciple looked dazed. “Master, are we sending Little Junior Sister away just like that?”
“Yes, right now, immediately! This teacher doesn’t want to see her for another second!” The veins on the beautiful woman’s forehead throbbed as she slammed her hand on the table.
Seeing that their Master was about to blow a fuse, Eldest Disciple hurried to make his escape.
“Wait… Wait a sec! I haven’t eaten my fill yet!” A fair, chubby little hand poked out from the bundle, followed by a head.
Atop that round little head sat a round bun-like hairstyle. Her clear eyes gazed pitifully at her Eldest Disciple. “Hungry…”
Eldest Disciple’s eyes flickered. “Little Junior Sister, you eat eighteen mantou every meal. The Godly Doctor Valley is about to be eaten into poverty because of you.”
Tang Rui didn’t believe him for a second. “Nonsense. Master charges a thousand gold pieces for a single consultation, and there’s no medical insurance or after-sales service. Even if she kills a patient, there are no medical disputes. How could she not afford to raise me?”
“…Even so, I’m siding with Master this time!”
Eldest Disciple’s attitude was firm.
Tang Rui’s mouth puckered, ready to cry. “Eldest Disciple, you said before that you’d protect me for a lifetime. So, the love has disappeared, hasn’t it?”
Eldest Disciple: “…”
It would be fine if you just ate a lot, but when we told you to study medicine, you studied poisons. Recently, you even became obsessed with Gu refining.
The Godly Doctor Valley, once a place of eternal spring with singing birds and fragrant flowers, had been turned into a tropical rainforest by you.
Going to the latrine at night meant either stepping on a poisonous insect or a venomous snake.
If we keep you for a few more days, the entire Godly Doctor Valley will be destroyed!
Eldest Disciple refused to negotiate. He pushed her little head back into the bundle, stuffed a milk bottle inside for good measure, and pulled the butterfly bow into a dead knot.
Tang Rui kicked her legs and struggled inside the bundle, her teeth squeaking against the milk bottle as she gnawed on it.
Eldest Disciple leaped across the stream carrying the bundle. From inside the cloth came a muffled, sobbing accusation: “Once my Golden Silkworm Gu is complete, I’ll use you for Gu testing first!”
…
Half a month later, a dark figure sneakily dropped the white cloth bundle at the entrance of the Prince Li Manor. After knocking loudly a few times, the figure vanished in a flash.
A moment later, the manor gates swung open. A servant poked his head out and immediately spotted the bundle on the ground.
With a suspicious look, the servant unwrapped it.
A resentful, round face came into view, with a ring of white milk residue around her small mouth.
The servant asked curiously, “Little girl, why are you here alone?”
Tang Rui held the milk bottle in one hand and fished out a crumpled letter from her bosom with the other, standing on her tiptoes to hand it to him. “I’m looking for my daddy.”
The servant said helplessly, “Little girl, this is the Prince Li Manor…”
There’s an eighty percent chance your daddy isn’t here.
Wait!
The servant looked at Tang Rui’s miniature, fleshy face and, thinking of something, gasped. He pointed at her with a trembling finger. “You, you, you… your father wouldn’t happen to be Prince Li, would he?”
“I dunno.” Tang Rui shook the letter in her hand, her arm getting tired. “My mommy’s suicide note.”
“Wait a moment, I’ll go report this immediately!” The servant took the letter, took a deep breath, and suddenly roared as he ran inside, “This is big! Master’s illegitimate daughter is here! Aaaaaah!”
The birds resting on the branches of the Prince Li Manor were startled into flight.
Princess Consort Li, who was drinking alone under the moon, missed her step and nearly fell into the lotus pond.
Consort Gu, who was acting melancholy, bit her own tongue and twitched in pain.
Concubine Zhu, who was feasting, choked on a piece of braised pork trotter and nearly died.
Concubine Li, who had just lain down, jolted upright in bed like a reanimated corpse.
Concubine Zhang, who was practicing martial arts, was so startled she let go of her grip; her three-foot blade shot out, grazing her maid’s scalp before piercing into the wall.
Concubine Liu, who was busy badmouthing the Princess Consort to her maid, had a sudden change of expression. she grabbed her maid’s hand so hard her nails pierced the skin. “Did you hear that? Did I mishear?”
“Mistress, won’t you know if you go look?” Let go, my arm, wahhh…
“Let’s go!” Concubine Liu immediately led her maid toward the front hall.
By the time she arrived, the women of the manor had already gathered.
Looking at the seat of honor, a little dumpling was sitting there, shaking her empty milk bottle.
“It’s all gone!” The little dumpling looked expectantly at Princess Consort Li. “Mother Consort, is there any milkie?”
“Yes, there is!” Princess Consort Li was both surprised and delighted, and she felt a slight urge to cry.
Prince Li had bad legs, which led to problems in that department as well.
It had been four years since she married into the manor, and all the women, including herself, were still virgins.
Now, she finally had a daughter!
Even if this daughter wasn’t her own, she was the Princess Consort. No matter how many children the Prince had, they would all be her children.
Princess Consort Li quickly took the milk bottle and handed it to her maid. “Quick, go fill this with milk for the Little Mistress.”
The maid took the bottle and hurried away.
The plump Concubine Zhu pushed past Princess Consort Li to reach Tang Rui. Like a magic trick, she produced a sauce-marinated pig trotter and waved it in front of her.
Tang Rui’s mouth immediately began to water. As the trotter moved left, her eyes moved left; as the trotter moved right, her eyes followed right.
Concubine Zhu said with a beam, “I am your Concubine Mother Zhu. Call me ‘Concubine Mother’ and I’ll treat you to this trotter.”
“Concubine Mother!” Tang Rui was very cooperative, giving a sweet shout before sucking back her drool.
Concubine Zhu’s eyes crinkled into slits as she laughed, generously handing over the trotter.
Tang Rui took the trotter and began to gnaw on it.
Master really should have said so earlier—her cheap daddy was this rich. Had she known, she wouldn’t have needed to be kicked out; she would have packed herself up and rolled down the mountain.
Consort Gu said coldly, “Concubine Mother? If you are a Concubine Mother, then what am I?”
Concubine Zhu laughed. “Don’t sweat the details. At most, you’ll be the First Concubine Mother and I’ll be the Second.”
Consort Gu gave a light huff. When she looked at Tang Rui again, her eyes held a hint of scrutiny. “They say she’s the Prince’s child, but has there been a blood-drop paternity test, or is there any other evidence? Sister, impersonating royal blood is a capital offense.”
Princess Consort Li’s brows furrowed slightly. “Consort Gu, this child is carved from the same mold as the Prince. Is there any need for a blood test?”
“That’s hard to say.” Consort Gu glanced at Tang Rui. “There are many people in this world who look alike. The Prince has difficulty moving his legs and is fundamentally incapable of fathering children. How could he have a child this old?”
Concubine Liu had long been dissatisfied. Seeing Consort Gu take the lead, she quickly added, “Indeed, Princess Consort. She isn’t your child anyway, so why are you in such a hurry? Although this child looks very much like the Prince, what kind of man is he? If he truly had a child wandering outside, how could he have ignored her for all these years?”
Princess Consort Li: “…”
Are you all insane?
The Prince is impotent. Unless we take lovers, we will never have children of our own in this lifetime.
Now that we finally have a child, instead of showing some affection, you’re all spewing venom. Do you really want to keep hearing outsiders say we’re destined to have no heirs?