Little Yi Yi knew nothing of the commotion unfolding outside.
In her dazed state, she drifted into a dream.
In the dream appeared a small golden beast with a wide, gaping mouth and rather plain-looking features.
To her surprise, the beast spoke in a human voice: “Yi Yi, wake up quickly. Listen closely to what I have to tell you.”
Urged on by the creature, Yi Yi slowly regained her awareness and replied in her mind: “Ugly thing, why are you calling me?”
Hearing Yi Yi call her ugly, the beast contorted its face into a strange, almost human-like expression. “Who calls themselves ugly these days? I am but a fragment of the Nation-Protecting Divine Beast of Great Xia.”
At the thought that she herself might look as unattractive as this creature, the little girl grew instantly displeased. She puffed out her cheeks in anger. “I am not ugly! I am pretty!”
Many uncles and aunties had praised her looks, saying she was the most adorable little one they had ever seen.
“Very well, very well not ugly at all.”
“Now listen carefully, Yi Yi.”
The divine beast, named Ancestral Glutton, placated her half-heartedly before continuing: “Great Xia is facing a great calamity and stands in danger of being destroyed.”
“Your task in coming down to this mortal world is to aid your father, Emperor Jing Dongfang Mo. Right now, he has been struck by a poisonous curse and lies unconscious, hovering between life and death.”
“This fragment of mine has already expended much of its strength to protect you; soon it will merge completely with your being. You will gradually awaken your own divine beast powers.”
“Remember your mission is to save Great Xia!”
With that, the small golden beast dissolved into a stream of golden mist and flowed entirely into Yi Yi’s body.
In no time, Yi Yi’s condition, which had been critical, improved dramatically. The imperial physician tending to her noticed the change immediately and let out a soft sound of surprise.
He checked her pulse again to confirm, and when he saw the improvement was real, his face lit up with unconcealed joy.
Originally, the child had sustained a severe blow to a vital spot and lost a great deal of blood; by all rights, her life should have been slipping away. He had been worrying endlessly over this task, knowing full well that if anything went wrong, he would pay with his own head for this was the only heir of the Emperor!
Now that Yi Yi had recovered miraculously, the old physician’s spirits lifted completely. He could even look forward to a generous reward. Raising his voice, he called out proudly: “Your Grace, the Young Princess’s condition has greatly improved!”
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager hurried over from the main hall. Delighted by the news, she repeated her satisfaction: “Excellent! Most excellent! When we return, you shall be richly rewarded!”
Feeling her strength return, Yi Yi opened her eyes. Her large, round orbs were still a little unfocused as she tried to process everything the wide-mouthed beast had told her.
After a moment, she opened her mouth and began to wail loudly: “Mama! I want my Mama!”
The sound of her crying melted the Empress Dowager’s heart instantly. She gathered the chubby little girl into her arms and soothed her: “Don’t cry, Yi Yi. Grandmother is here.”
Yi Yi did not recognize this beautiful lady, yet an instinctive sense of kinship filled her with a strange feeling of safety. Sobbing with tears and snot running down her face, she still fumbled clumsily with the cloth wrapped around her head. “Grandma… find Mama… take Yi Yi.”
Her speech was still too young to pronounce “Grandmother” clearly, but the Empress Dowager did not mind in the least. She only found her little granddaughter utterly endearing. “Mama is resting right now. Yi Yi need not worry.”
When the Empress Dowager carried Yi Yi to the bedside, the imperial physician was just taking Jiang Wantang’s pulse. Seeing her enter, he quickly stood up and bowed, his expression hesitant and uneasy. “Your Grace… Miss Jiang has been given an aphrodisiac potion.”
This was a drug used only to stir carnal desire between men and women.
Now that Jiang Wantang had borne the Emperor’s child, she was by right his woman. Liu Fuhai had truly signed the death warrant not only for himself but for his entire clan.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the disaster looming over his family, Liu Fuhai had finally welcomed his savior his father, the County Magistrate.
“Father! Some madwoman has had me tied up! You must teach her a lesson for me!”
Not only had this woman ordered him bound, but she had also ordered him given thirty heavy blows with a rod!
He had never suffered such humiliation in his entire life. His heart burned with rage, and he longed to tear her apart limb by limb.
Seeing his son beaten and bruised, the County Magistrate was filled with distress. “Rest assured, my boy. There is no one in Huzhou I fear!”
Huzhou had long been his domain. Within its borders, he decided who lived and who died.
Stroking his plump belly, the Magistrate bellowed at his guards: “Bring that woman out to me! For hurting my son so badly, none of you shall leave this place alive today!”
The Empress Dowager soon received word from the main hall. After giving final instructions to the physician, she carried Yi Yi there herself.
As for the little girl, she was now pressing her chubby hands over her mouth as if to hide her own cries, yet still whispering softly for her mother. Her eyes glistened with tears, looking utterly pitiful.
She was a sensible child; she knew her mother was sick and needed rest, so she must be good and not disturb her.
The Jiang residence was small, and the main hall lay only a short distance from the bedchamber.
“Magistrate Liu, you certainly carry yourself with great authority! Since when did Huzhou become your personal fiefdom, where your word is law?”
The Empress Dowager walked in slowly, Yi Yi still in her arms, and took her seat directly at the head of the hall.
The Magistrate stroked his beard slowly and snorted in disdain. “As the County Magistrate of Huzhou, who else but I should hold authority here?”
This woman had dared to sit in the master’s seat without permission, clearly showing no respect for him!
Though her bearing was imposing and she was clearly someone of standing, this was still Huzhou. In his territory, even a dragon must bow down and crawl like a worm.
But in the next second, the Magistrate himself felt as if he had turned into a worm. His eyes widened in terror as Chiying revealed a golden seal.
Engraved upon it were nine intertwined dragons, vivid and lifelike, radiating immense power and majesty.
It was the Nine-Dragon Imperial Seal!
To see this seal was the same as standing before the Emperor himself.
Magistrate Liu’s legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
The Imperial Capital, Bianjing, lay thousands of li away yet his foolish son had somehow managed to provoke someone of such stature.
“Magistrate Liu, so you do recognize this object.”
“Under heaven, all lands belong to the Emperor. You, a mere county magistrate, have abused your power here, treating Huzhou as your own private domain!”
With these words, the Empress Dowager had effectively charged him with treason.
The Magistrate threw himself flat on the floor, trembling. “Your servant dares not! My loyalty to Great Xia is as clear as the sun and moon!”
No sooner had he spoken than he turned around and began slapping his own son hard across the face.
Liu Fuhai was dazed by the blows. Even with his limited wit, he now understood: the woman seated above was someone even his father could not afford to offend.
Damn it! So Jiang Wantang was connected to people of such high rank!
As the Magistrate continued beating his son, Yi Yi found the sight rather entertaining. She raised her chubby little hands and cheered: “Hit him! Hit him! Bad uncle hit baby!”
The child thought the Magistrate was a good man, for he was finally punishing the uncle who had hurt her it felt like justice was being served.
The Empress Dowager found her silly little granddaughter adorable yet again. Worried that her excitement might reopen her wounds, she gently held Yi Yi’s hands down. “Be good, Yi Yi. Stay still. If you move too much, your head will hurt again.”
Obediently, the little girl lowered her hands, though she still chattered on, chanting: “Hit him! Hit him! Go, go!”
Father and son continued their struggle one tiring himself out, the other beaten half-conscious but since no one of higher rank had ordered them to stop, the beating went on.
The chubby little girl, however, seemed to have endless energy, cheering nonstop for nearly half an hour.
In the end, it was the Empress Dowager who had to intervene.
So much vitality truly just like her father.
Yi Yi blinked her big, black, grape-like eyes in confusion and asked: “Why? No more hitting?”
Her expression was so sweet and innocent that the Empress Dowager laughed openly. “Because Grandmother needs to finish our business quickly, so we can go and see your Mama.”
Yi Yi nodded obediently, as if she understood perfectly.
“Magistrate Liu, let me make myself known. I am the Empress Dowager of this realm. Yi Yi is the only child of Emperor Jing and the only Princess of Great Xia.”