As long as it wasn’t serving tea and water or accompanying the young miss in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, A’Le was extremely efficient at getting things done.

She selected two fine horses, and she and Chu Zhao each mounted one. Carrying their bundles, they cracked their whips and urged the horses forward, galloping swiftly through the streets.

There were quite a few carriages and horses on the street, and women walking about as well, but female riders were rarely seen, immediately attracting the attention of passersby.

“Who are these people?”

“Country folk, probably—their dress is quite rustic.”

“These two girls aren’t very old, but their horsemanship is quite good. Must be from an acrobatic troupe.”

The common people laughed and pointed, watching the two girls on horseback flash past in the blink of an eye.

In a teahouse overlooking the street, a girl sat leaning by the window. Inside the room came the clear notes of a zither. Accompanying the music, her eyes would periodically close, then her head would nod, then she would jolt awake—

Repeating this cycle, this time her head lowered but before she was startled awake, she opened her eyes wide of her own accord.

“Hey!” she called out.

This exclamation disrupted the zither music in the room. The girl playing the instrument nearly struck a wrong note, and the girls appreciating the music were also startled.

“Qi Leyun, what are you doing?” “If you don’t want to listen, just go home.” “You don’t even know how to play the zither, yet you insisted on coming along.”

Complaints arose from all sides.

The girl called Qi Leyun didn’t apologize, but pointed outside with an even louder voice: “Look, everyone! It’s Chu Zhao!”

Chu Zhao?

The complaining girls stopped. The one playing the zither also ceased. They all surged toward the window.

“No way?” “Didn’t she run away?” “She must have been captured and brought back, right?” “Is she in a prisoner’s cart?”

The girls crowded by the window, watching the figures that had already galloped past on the street. Though they could only see the backs, they all recognized them.

“It really is Chu Zhao.”

“She’s actually returned.”

“My, it looks like she wasn’t captured and brought back.”

“Look, everyone, she seems to be heading toward the Liang estate.”

“Is she going to confess her guilt?”

Crowding at the window, the girls nearly leaned their bodies out. Qi Leyun, who had called out first, squeezed out from the window.

“Let’s hurry to the Liang estate to see,” she said, her face full of excitement. “See how Chu Zhao kowtows and admits her mistakes.”

This was much more interesting than listening to zither music.

After Chu Zhao ran away, the days had been lacking in entertainment. Now this country girl had returned—how wonderful!

“Miss, are we going to the Liang estate?”

A’Le was unfamiliar with the capital. After entering the capital, she hadn’t even familiarized herself with the Chu household before being cast aside by Chu Zhao. The Eldest Madam also found her displeasing and directly threw her to the lower-rank servants, confining her to the back courtyard to wash clothes endlessly.

She had originally thought Chu Zhao would go directly back to the Chu household, but Chu Zhao said to go to the Liang estate.

What was the young miss going to the Liang estate for?

Could it be to apologize?

Yesterday at the city outskirts, the Eldest Master wanted the young miss to go to the Liang estate, but the young miss would rather follow Deng Yi to prison than go. Now that she didn’t have to stay in prison, why still go to the Liang estate?

Chu Zhao looked at the street ahead, recalling the location of the Liang estate: “Precisely because I don’t have to stay in prison, I’m going to the Liang estate.”

A’Le half-understood, and stopped asking questions. In any case, wherever the young miss said to go, they would go. However, she gripped the reins tighter—if the young miss was going to apologize and be insulted or beaten by the Liang family, she absolutely would not stand by and watch. Even if she were bound and sent to the authorities, she would still beat them.

The Liang family knew Chu Zhao had returned, but they didn’t know Chu Zhao was heading to their home.

In the inner quarters, a maid carried freshly brewed medicine, walking slowly to the doorway. A fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl with willow-leaf eyebrows and apricot eyes came forward to meet her.

“Let me take it,” she said softly.

This girl wore a goose-yellow skirt and jacket, with only pearl earrings. Her appearance wasn’t absolutely stunning, but she was refined, elegant, dignified, and gracious.

Though as attentive as a maid, she was not a maid of the Liang family, but rather a young miss of the Chu family.

A Chu family young miss had struck their family’s young miss, but regarding this Miss Chu, the maid had not the slightest dissatisfaction. Instead, she yielded courteously, saying: “Miss A’Tang, you should rest. I’ll handle this.”

Chu Tang smiled and said: “I’ve rested for half the day already. Carrying medicine isn’t tiring.” As she spoke, she took it.

The maid didn’t stop her again and followed behind her into the room, looking at a girl sitting on the bed with furrowed brows. This was the Liang family’s young miss who had been kicked into the lake by Chu Zhao, fallen unconscious, and nearly lost her life.

But looking at her slightly pale complexion and the melancholy between her brows, she didn’t appear to be at death’s door.

“A’Tang.” Seeing Chu Tang bring the medicine, she even sat up straight and reached out. “Don’t trouble yourself. I can do it myself.”

Chu Tang sat down by the bed: “This medicine is bitter. You can’t get it down by yourself.”

Miss Liang smiled: “No wonder my mother is reluctant to let you leave. Only you can manage me.”

Chu Tang indeed personally fed her the medicine, feeding a few spoonfuls of medicine, then a bite of candied fruit—patient and considerate.

“Don’t say such things,” she sighed. “If it weren’t for my younger sister harming you, you wouldn’t need to take this bitter medicine.”

Miss Liang hastily said: “A’Tang, you are you, and Chu Zhao is Chu Zhao. I haven’t blamed you, and our family hasn’t blamed you either.” She grasped Chu Tang’s hand. “On the contrary, we sympathize with you more. Having such a younger sister, you really have it too hard.”

“Even if it’s hard, there’s nothing to be done,” Chu Tang said, withdrawing her hand and feeding Miss Liang a spoonful of medicine. “Holding my hand to avoid taking medicine won’t work either.”

Miss Liang was amused, but even though she smiled, the melancholy between her brows didn’t ease.

“A’Qin, don’t be sad,” Chu Tang noticed and said earnestly. “My father said he absolutely won’t let her off lightly. Even Uncle cannot be unreasonable. She struck someone and committed an offense—she must be punished. I promise you here—if she isn’t punished, I’ll—”

Liang Qin hastily stopped her from making vows: “Good A’Tang, we’ve known each other for so many years—I still don’t know your heart? This matter has nothing to do with you.” Speaking of this, she sighed softly. “My bad mood actually has another reason.”

Chu Tang asked curiously: “A’Qin, you’re talented and beautiful, with good family background too. Can you still have bad moods?”

Liang Qin smiled wryly, but was very satisfied with the envy in Chu Tang’s eyes and the flattery in her words.

“Everyone has disappointments,” she said, then hesitated. “My family has discussed a marriage match for me.”

Chu Tang was surprised, delighted, and envious: “Then it must certainly be a good match of equal social standing.”

Liang Qin nodded: “Yes, the family background is quite good. It’s just…” She bit her lower lip. This matter was shameful and difficult to speak of, but if she didn’t say it, she felt truly stifled. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said in a low voice: “That person refused and ran away.”

Chu Tang nearly laughed out loud, but her expression changed to anger: “Then he’s not worthy of you.” She grasped Liang Qin’s hand. “Heaven has eyes, saving you from marrying the wrong person.”

Liang Qin felt much more comfortable in her heart and explained to her: “It’s truly infuriating. Actually, our family hadn’t even agreed yet. It’s not like I can’t get married.”

Chu Tang didn’t believe these words at all. If they didn’t want to agree, why would they be angry? No wonder that day Liang Qin was listless and distracted, which was why she could be kicked into the water by Chu Zhao—she clearly could have dodged.

These past days keeping watch, seeing her dispirited appearance, she had truly thought the injury was severe. It turned out this injury was because of a man.

She smiled with pursed lips, holding Liang Qin’s hand: “Don’t think about it. Your good marriage match lies ahead.”

Liang Qin nodded, then instructed: “Good sister, you mustn’t tell anyone else.”

Chu Tang nodded: “Of course.” Of course—there were many ways to spread news without having to say it herself.

The two were speaking intimately when a maid outside ran in flustered: “Miss, Miss, that Chu Zhao has come!”

Chu Tang and Liang Qin looked at each other, surprised, delighted, and also apprehensive.

“She returned yesterday,” Chu Tang said hastily. “Father directly confined her to a prison cell to reflect. Now she’s come to apologize and admit her mistakes.”

Liang Qin lay back on the bed and snorted: “I don’t want to see her.”

……

……

Chu Zhao stood outside the Liang estate gate. Two matrons who had come upon hearing the news looked her over with cold faces.

“For Miss Chu to deign to set foot in our estate—truly our honor,” they said coldly.

Chu Zhao nodded: “I think so too.”

The two matrons thought they had heard wrong. What did she say?