Chapter 246: Di Jiaoyang, Happy Birthday

“Little princess, I’m afraid I can’t answer that question,” Feng Zhuo said.

“Oh.”

“However, I remember that our Tiansheng Dynasty has a book that records everything about the gods. The Unofficial History of the Dynasty is an ancient book that isn’t stored in the palace library.”

Ah Bao’s eyes lit up.

[Wow! There’s even an unofficial history.]

[Unofficial histories are often more exciting than the official ones. The events they describe are often true.]

[But…why does that book sound so familiar? I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before. Where could it be?]

Ah Bao was getting frustrated—she just couldn’t remember!

It was the kind of feeling where something was clearly familiar, but you couldn’t quite recall it. It was driving her crazy.

The little girl’s temper flared up, and she got so anxious that she felt like she was on fire.

Ah Bao tugged at Feng Zhuo’s sleeve. “Let’s find Father…”

[I need to ask my dad! He must know.]

The Tiansheng Emperor was in the imperial study, buried in a pile of memorials, while the old censor sat nearby, eyes closed, muttering to himself as if calculating something.

“Your Majesty, there will surely be a heavenly phenomenon tonight!”

“What special occasion is today? What’s the point of a heavenly phenomenon?”

Usually, these phenomena occurred on February 2, Ah Bao’s birthday.

But last year and this year were different.

The Tiansheng Emperor had grown used to it.

The old censor calculated again and again, but couldn’t figure it out. He sighed, “Your Majesty, my abilities are lacking. How about summoning Taoist Baiyun to the palace?”

Baiyun?

The Tiansheng Emperor’s eyelid twitched. He remembered hearing from Eunuch Xi earlier that Baiyun was likely consoling the seventh prince, who had been besieged by a group of flower girls today.

It had been quite a spectacle.

The Tiansheng Emperor smiled, “No need. Perhaps it’s just a delayed phenomenon.”

Maybe the heavens just remembered to send blessings for Ah Bao’s birthday, albeit late.

The Tiansheng Emperor was open-minded and took it in stride.

At that moment, the Dao of Heaven had just woken up and asked the on-duty divine officer what day it was.

“February 5th!”

The Dao of Heaven slapped his thigh. “Oh no! I forgot to send that little girl her heavenly phenomenon.”

He’d been too focused on sleeping and had completely forgotten.

“Quick, prepare a phenomenon! I need to wish Di Jiaoyang a happy birthday!” He originally wanted to send a special phenomenon this time, but his mind wasn’t working well, so he decided to just send some lightning with spiritual energy. If it struck, it would definitely give her a huge boost in spiritual energy.

Such a unique birthday gift—only he could think of it.

“Let’s send seven strikes, corresponding to the seven characters in ‘Di Jiaoyang, Happy Birthday.’”

Di Jiaoyang, a belated birthday gift!

—

Feng Zhuo was carrying Ah Bao toward the imperial study when the sky suddenly darkened, as if a storm was brewing.

Ah Bao looked up. [There’s no sign of rain or wind, so why did the weather change all of a sudden?]

[Oh no! It’s lightning!]

Crack!

A bolt of lightning struck down. If Feng Zhuo hadn’t dodged quickly, it would’ve hit him directly.

“Left, left, left…”

“Right, right, right…”

“Back, back, back…”

“Run, run, run…”

Ah Bao was in shock, her little mouth constantly muttering directions.

Feng Zhuo was quick and obedient. Wherever the little princess pointed, he jumped. They narrowly avoided all seven strikes.

[Damn! Why is this lightning so powerful this time? My hair! My face!]

[A girl’s most important features are her face and hair! Damn you, Dao of Heaven!]

Though she was young, Ah Bao’s natural love for beauty couldn’t be changed.

[Damn the Dao of Heaven! Is he crazy?]

Ah Bao was furious, clenching her tiny fists and glaring up at the sky. [Just wait!]

The Dao of Heaven sneezed. “Why do I feel like someone is thinking about me? Ah, it must be Di Jiaoyang, that little girl, happily praying and thanking me right now. Haha.”

In the imperial study, the Tiansheng Emperor looked up and saw a small, charred figure with an explosion of hair and a soot-covered face standing at the door.

Why did this little person look so familiar?

“Who are you…”

“Your daughter!” Ah Bao said with a stern face as she stomped into the hall with her short legs.

“What happened to your hair? And your face is all black? Did you sneak some snacks from the kitchen again?” Normally clean and tender, the little girl now looked like she had crawled out of a stove.

[Can I tell my father that I was struck by lightning?]

[Why was there lightning out of the blue today?]

[Wherever I went, the lightning followed, as if it had eyes, aiming right at me. If it weren’t for Feng Zhuo’s quick reflexes, it wouldn’t just be my hair that got singed—my whole body would be fried.]

Although it was quite dangerous, the Tiansheng Emperor found it strangely amusing. He got up, walked around the desk, picked Ah Bao up, and took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her face. “Is it my precious daughter? Let me see, have you been wronged today?”

“No wiping, no wiping,” Ah Bao shook her head and waved her little hands.

[I want to keep the evidence to settle the score with him!]

Him? Who was she talking about?

“Your face is dirty,” the Tiansheng Emperor said with a smile.

“Hmph.” Ah Bao lifted her chin. [I’ll leave it dirty just to show him.]

Tiansheng Emperor: …

Who is my daughter talking about?

Ah Bao remembered the important matter and said in a soft, babyish voice, “Daddy.”

The Tiansheng Emperor’s heart melted with joy. “Go ahead, my precious daughter. What is it that you need from Daddy?”

Ah Bao was his most beloved treasure, no exceptions.

Ah Bao’s eyes curved into crescent moons. “There’s a big book in the palace.”

At just over a year old, Ah Bao couldn’t articulate many words clearly, so she gestured with her little hands.

[It’s that book, The Unofficial History of the Empire.]

Ah Bao scratched her head, with black soot falling from her singed hair. “Cough cough, un… unofficial history.”

The Tiansheng Emperor raised an eyebrow. “Ah Bao is looking for the Unofficial History of the Empire?”

“Yes, yes.”

[I want to know why the Tiansheng Empire doesn’t have a national deity. I want to help Daddy and make our Tiansheng Empire the number one among the seven nations!]

The Tiansheng Emperor was deeply moved but held back his emotions. “That book is enshrined in the temple.”

[Oh! Yes, yes, yes! The temple! That’s why it sounded so familiar. I saw it there last time I visited. Oh no, I used it to prop up a table leg.]

Tiansheng Emperor: …

Though The Unofficial History of the Empire was just a book, because it came from the first founding emperor, the royal family cherished it immensely and kept it with the utmost care.

Moreover, since it recorded matters concerning the national deity, it wasn’t placed in the Imperial Library but was enshrined in the temple.

After all, the temple was even more secure than the library.

“Ah Bao wants to see that book?”

Ah Bao nodded her little head.

“That book has been around for a long time, and it bears the aura of our ancestors. Several senior ministers, including the Secretary of the Central Secretariant, are very strict about it, saying that it’s not to be touched.”