The tightly shut residence gate suddenly opened, startling the clamoring crowd outside.

They thought servants were coming out to drive them away.

But there were no servants—only two girls walked out. One had originally been squeezed to the front, but after crossing the threshold, she was pushed aside by the girl behind her.

That girl stepped forward—a small face, large eyes, calm expression.

“I am Chu Zhao,” she said. “What business do you have with me?”

She was Chu Zhao? Much younger than they’d imagined! They had thought she’d be an old spinster!

One person couldn’t help but confirm: “You’re the daughter of the Chu family the Third Prince mentioned?”

Chu Zhao said, “I don’t know what the Third Prince said, but if you’re looking for Chu Zhao, that’s me.”

So it really was her! Another person stepped forward: “Miss Chu, did you claim that the people invited to the Third Prince’s Hope Spring Garden literary gathering are nothing but empty show, not even as good as you?”

Chu Zhao smiled slightly. “I said that about my brother, but—” Her gaze swept over the assembled crowd. “If you all want to prove you’re not just empty show, I can also compete with you.”

What?

Before the people outside the gate could react, the servant inside the gate, whom Chu Lan had sent to eavesdrop, turned pale.

What was happening? Wasn’t she supposed to be coming to apologize?

Miss Chu Zhao was clearly issuing a challenge!

It was over, over, over—the servant turned and stumbled back inside, hearing the clamor rise again behind him outside the gate.

“Everyone, please quiet down,” Chu Zhao raised her voice.

A’Le’s voice was even louder: “Everyone be silent!”

The tumult stopped. The assembled crowd looked at the girl at the gate.

A faint smile graced the girl’s face. “Isn’t this what you all came for? Why are you so surprised when I say it?”

The expressions of those outside the gate were somewhat complex, because they hadn’t expected her to actually compete.

The Third Prince had posted such a notice outside the gate, but after learning the full story, most people also knew that this daughter of the Chu family wasn’t truly so learned and talented that the Third Prince revered her as a teacher who could examine the masses.

The Third Prince wanted to teach her a lesson.

Of course, the Third Prince wasn’t petty and vengeful—this was to defend scholars, to admonish this little girl not to be too arrogant.

They also didn’t think this little girl would dare be arrogant. They had come to question her. The girl would bow her head and apologize, say she couldn’t compare, that her earlier behavior had been rash, and so on. Then she would bring out that invitation and respectfully return it, and the matter would be over.

Who would actually compete with a girl? It would be beneath one’s dignity.

They hadn’t expected this girl to actually want to compete with them. This truly was the ignorance and fearlessness of a child.

“Miss Chu, do you truly want to compete?” a man asked.

The child’s face bore a smile, her eyes bright and black. “Of course! Since the Third Prince has already announced it to the world, how could it be child’s play? However—” She clasped her hands and thought seriously. “Since you’ve come to compete with me, you must follow my arrangements. Otherwise it will be too chaotic and unseemly.”

She was serious! One person hesitated before asking, “That’s only proper. How would Miss Chu like to arrange things?”

Chu Zhao said with a smile, “The Third Prince has Hope Spring Garden. This humble girl also has a garden at home. Please, everyone, enter the garden, and we’ll sit across from each other to compete.”

……

……

“She’s going to compete with these people!”

Chu Lan, hiding in his study, heard the servant’s report and became even more alarmed.

Jiang Shi also rushed in with servants and maids. “Master, those people have all entered and are heading to Chu Garden. What should we do?”

What to do? The people had already entered. Only he, as the family head, could drive them out by coming forward. Wouldn’t that make it seem like he was the one offending these people?

Chu Lan slammed the table again. “Just like her father! Only knows how to bring trouble to the family, bring trouble!”

Jiang Shi was so anxious she also slapped the table. “Quickly say what to do! So many people—should we stop them? Drive them away? Or perhaps receive them as guests?”

How to stop them? How to drive them away? How to receive them? Chu Lan slammed the table once more. “Let her see how this ends—bringing humiliation on herself!”

So they weren’t going to intervene? Jiang Shi felt both helpless and uneasy, her head throbbing faintly. When she had brought this Chu Zhao back, she never imagined there would be so much trouble.

Actually, she should have anticipated it—after all, she had such a father.

“Madam,” a maid said carefully, “Miss A’Tang sent word that she’ll temporarily stay at Miss Qi’s house these next few days to keep Miss Qi company.”

Jiang Shi felt both pleased and distressed. “Good, good. Fortunately A’Tang reacted quickly. Tell her not to come back. Have A’Ke also go out and avoid this quickly. Alas, what kind of situation is this? Second Uncle burdened you your whole life, and now his daughter is burdening your children.”

Chu Lan’s face was black as the bottom of a pot. He lay down on the couch, turned to face the wall, and didn’t say another word.

He could only blame his poor fate.

……

……

Jiang Shi and Chu Lan acted as if they weren’t home. Chu Zhao wasn’t surprised by this outcome.

She had already seen clearly her uncle and aunt’s temperament these past few days—timid and fearful. Unfortunately, in her previous life she had been so foolish that she never saw it clearly her entire life. She had both respected and feared them, thinking everything they said was right, trying to please them in every way, listening to them.

In truth, this Chu household could be entirely under her control.

Chu Zhao had A’Le arrange the servants to guide everyone to Chu Garden, then summoned the household servants to prepare tea, refreshments, tables, and writing implements.

Both Jiang Shi and Chu Lan avoided showing themselves. The servants didn’t know what to do either. Though the master and mistress could hide, they couldn’t hide. So when A’Le came to direct them, they could only obediently comply.

Because the Chu family’s garden frequently entertained guests, they were extremely practiced and organized. The people arriving at the garden didn’t notice anything amiss at all—they didn’t even think about the Chu family’s masters.

Well, that Miss Chu was already seated before a hall.

“I competed with my brother on the three challenges outside Hope Spring Garden,” she said. “So I’ll also use these for competing with everyone.”

Besides refreshments, tables with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were set out before the hall.

Although they had already entered the household gate, everyone still silently marveled again—this girl was serious!

“When my brother and I competed at the wine shop, the onlookers served as judges. So this time will be the same—let everyone present serve as judges.”

The assembled crowd looked at each other.

Chu Zhao looked at them. “So then, who will go first?”

Having come this far, if they acted timid and shrinking now, it would make them seem in the wrong and lacking confidence. A young man strode forward.

“I am Liu Yang from Ancheng. I request Miss Chu’s instruction.”

Chu Zhao sat upright and bowed, extending her hand. “Young Master Liu, please.”

……

……

Chu Ke was a waste, but that didn’t mean others were. Without needing to write four characters, from the moment Young Master Liu’s brush landed on the paper and wrote a single character, Chu Zhao knew she had lost.

Even so, Chu Zhao still conscientiously finished writing a page. A’Le proactively took both papers and displayed them for everyone to see.

The crowd said loudly, “Young Master Liu writes well.”

Chu Zhao didn’t argue or show embarrassment or unease. She stood and came before the chess board, saying again, “Young Master Liu, please.”

The chess game also didn’t require three rounds. After fifty moves, Chu Zhao abandoned her pieces in surrender. “Young Master Liu, you’ve won.”

Young Master Liu smiled indifferently.

For the final talent display, Chu Zhao posed a question. Young Master Liu discoursed eloquently. Everyone listened while nodding in approval. As for the topic Young Master Liu posed, Chu Zhao did know it, but found the exposition somewhat difficult—though she had studied diligently after entering the palace, later when she became disheartened with Xiao Xun, she had abandoned these pursuits for many years.

Who won and who lost was already clear.

Chu Zhao bowed her head to Young Master Liu. “Chu Zhao is inferior to Young Master Liu.”

Young Master Liu smiled, with a hint of malice, and produced a sheet of paper. “Though many witnessed this, verbal statements have no proof. Please write it down on this paper, Miss Chu.”

This wasn’t necessary, was it? A’Le clenched her fists, wanting to punch this young master.

Chu Zhao’s expression remained calm as she extended her hand to accept it. “Willing to bet means willing to accept defeat. I’ll do as you say, Young Master.”

She truly did earnestly write on the paper at the desk and handed it to Liu Yang.

Liu Yang accepted the paper. Seeing that besides writing that Chu Zhao was inferior to Liu Yang of Ancheng in calligraphy, chess, and talent, it also bore Chu Zhao’s seal, he laughed heartily.

“Many thanks! I’ve passed all four challenges. Now I’ll go to Hope Spring Garden to collect my invitation.”

With that, he held up the paper and departed at a leisurely pace.

So this was how it worked! Interesting, interesting! The others recovered from their shock and surged forward in a clamor.

“I’ll compete with Miss Chu!”

“Miss Chu, quickly write me a statement of surrender too!”

Some shouted, some laughed—the noise was piercing. A’Le clenched her fists, both angry and distressed. These grown men were bullying Miss alone.

Chu Zhao’s expression remained calm. She sat down at the desk again and extended her hand. “Please have the next person announce their name.”