Chu Zhao didn’t know about what happened outside the capital, but she did feel that her reputation was different from before.

Almost every day there were visitors, mostly young women, but also some men.

The young women came to make friends, sitting down to chat, calling each other “sister.”

The men came to make acquaintances or to discuss poetry and philosophy.

There were also many invitations from aristocratic families.

Because they were no longer at Chu Garden, all visitors had to first pay respects to the family head. Jiang Shi and Chu Lan were both happy and unhappy about this.

Happy that the Chu family’s gate hall was lively, unhappy that these lively visitors would say less than three sentences before asking to see Chu Zhao, making them as family head seem more like message-relaying servants.

“This isn’t unusual,” Chu Lan sat in his bedroom and sneered. “Over ten years ago, when Second Brother enjoyed imperial favor, wasn’t it just like this?”

Back then too, men and women came in an endless stream—men to make connections, women to discuss marriage proposals.

“We’ve seen bustling gates before,” Chu Lan said with melancholy. “We’ve also tasted the danger beneath such bustle.”

Jiang Shi hesitated: “Are you saying there will be danger next? That can’t be right. After all, Zhao is a woman, not like Second Brother who was a man in official circles.”

A woman might make a fuss now, but in the future she’d marry, enter the inner chambers, care for her husband and children, and be isolated from the world.

Chu Lan snorted: “How would I know what those two, father and daughter, will do? Heaven knows.”

As the couple talked, Chu Tang entered with a beaming smile.

“Father, Mother, don’t worry about this,” she said. “I’ve already persuaded Zhao not to receive any more guests.”

Chu Lan asked: “She’s willing to listen? After making such a fuss for so long, wasn’t it all to show off?”

“Precisely because she wants to show off, that’s why I could persuade her,” Chu Tang sat down beside her mother. “Father, she’s going to participate in the Wangchun Garden literary gathering. Most of those coming to Chu Garden to join the excitement are mediocre people. Who truly talented would come mix with young women? People like Father, for instance.”

Chu Lan stroked his beard and nodded. That’s right, exactly so.

“So the Wangchun Garden literary gathering is what’s most important. If Zhao wants to show off, she must study and practice diligently.” Chu Tang smiled. “So I took it upon myself to give her Father’s study to use, telling her not to receive guests and to study behind closed doors.”

Chu Lan nodded with a smile: “Well done. Let her use it.”

Jiang Shi stroked her daughter’s shoulder, smiling: “It’s good we have Tang here.”

Chu Tang turned and grasped her mother’s hand: “I’m not working hard. I just need to coax her. It’s just that Father and Mother will have to work hard declining visitors.”

Chu Lan and Jiang Shi nodded: “Don’t worry, don’t worry. We’ll handle it.”

They couldn’t let their daughter be put in a difficult position.

……

……

Chu Tang wandered into the study and saw Chu Zhao browsing books in front of the bookshelf.

“Father has collected many treasures,” Chu Tang said, walking over to point them out to her. “There are also many annotations. Father has devoted half his life’s effort here.”

She smiled.

“Father’s literary skills are still presentable.”

Chu Lan had personally studied the Book of Documents under Master Zhu and could inherit Qiao Mountain Academy, so he did have scholarship. Chu Zhao nodded, acknowledging this point. In that previous life, she had studied under Chu Lan and deeply understood this. However, back then her studying was only to please Xiao Xun. She studied hastily, and Chu Lan taught perfunctorily.

“I’ve already obtained this study for you. Use it with peace of mind,” Chu Tang continued. “I’ve also done as you said and had Father and Mother decline visitors.”

Chu Zhao smiled and thanked her.

“Are you really going to work hard and improve yourself?” Chu Tang asked curiously.

Chu Zhao sat down, holding up a book and shaking it: “No matter how hard I work, I couldn’t possibly be invincible at the Wangchun Garden literary gathering. I know my own limits. Even at the Chu Garden literary gathering, I wasn’t unstoppable.”

Chu Tang smiled: “I thought you were holding your breath, wanting to amaze everyone with a single brilliant move.”

“Amazing everyone doesn’t necessarily mean winning,” Chu Zhao said lazily. “If I lose, wouldn’t I still have achieved it?”

Chu Tang laughed heartily.

What was important was never winning or losing, but daring to do it.

Moreover, she had no interest in fame and such. It was only because the Third Prince bullied her first that she struck back. Becoming famous was only so the world would know that her father hadn’t given birth to a useless daughter, that her father was a hero, and she as his daughter was the same.

To tell the truth, she didn’t want to participate in that literary gathering at all. Of course, heroes also needed to assess the situation. The Third Prince had sent someone to challenge her, so accepting the challenge was reasonable and proper. But if the Third Prince sent an invitation and she threw it away and didn’t participate, that would be arrogant and ungrateful.

Then the Third Prince would have sufficient reason to strike her down ruthlessly.

“I’m just going to join the fun,” Chu Zhao said. “To boost everyone’s morale.”

And to respond to whatever difficulties the Third Prince would create on the spot.

“When the time comes, you all keep your distance from me.”

Chu Zhao reminded with a smile, to avoid being implicated.

Chu Tang nodded: “Then I won’t go.”

Chu Zhao chuckled, then said: “Actually, you should go take a look.”

She looked at this cousin.

“Go and see what imperial power and nobility are like—their unpredictable moods, their unfathomable tempers. Elder Sister should understand better what dangers hide beneath the glamor.”

In that previous life, Chu Tang had relied on her being empress to marry into a good family, yet was cast aside. In the end, she even went mad and came to assassinate her. From any angle, she was a confused person. But looking at her now, although Chu Tang was cold and unfeeling, her mind was very sharp. Perhaps in that previous life she had been dazzled by power and glamor, her ambition fed until she became arrogant and ignorant, leading to that outcome.

“Elder Sister is intelligent. I hope Elder Sister can see more and see more clearly, with a clear mind and clear eyes. That way, the world’s evils won’t easily harm Elder Sister.”

“Elder Sister, don’t worry. As long as you don’t follow me, even if I cause trouble, it won’t implicate you.”

The girl spoke these words with a calm expression. Listening to her, Chu Tang felt strange instead, as if the girl wasn’t treating her as family—

They, in fact, also hadn’t treated her as family.

Chu Tang was silent for a moment, then nodded: “All right. I’ll also go and see. Only by seeing much can one seek benefit and avoid harm.”

The two sisters were talking when a maidservant cautiously entered.

“Young Misses, Miss Qi is here.”

Jiang Shi had said that Chu Zhao and Chu Tang were studying behind closed doors and not receiving guests, but Qi Leyun immediately said she had scholarly questions to ask.

“After all, everyone is going to Chu Garden together. If I don’t study well, they’ll also be embarrassed along with me,” Qi Leyun said with confidence.

Jiang Shi had no way to argue with the young lady and could only let her in.

“What’s there to study at home?” Qi Leyun pushed past the maidservant and entered. “The Wangchun Garden literary gathering was fought for by everyone together, so naturally we should discuss it together.”

She grabbed Chu Zhao’s hand.

“Everyone is waiting for you at the Yaqu Pavilion.”

Chu Zhao smiled and walked with her. Chu Tang asked from behind in annoyance: “What about me?”

Qi Leyun waved her hand: “You stay home and study well.”

Chu Tang spat and followed them.

……

……

When Qi Leyun pulled Chu Zhao into the private room, it was already full of young women.

Seeing Chu Zhao, they all beckoned: “Come quickly.” “Miss Zhao, sit here with me.”

Qi Leyun ignored them and pulled Chu Zhao to sit in the center.

Chu Tang didn’t follow further, casually finding a seat. Soon she was laughing and chatting intimately with the girls over there.

“What’s the matter today?” Chu Zhao asked with a smile, looking around the room. There wasn’t even a wine feast laid out. “I thought everyone was treating me to drinks.”

“No eating. There’s a matter to discuss,” one girl said.

Before she finished speaking, Qi Leyun raised her hand to interrupt: “Wait. First close all the windows.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “It’s so hot—why close the windows?”

But the girls had already gotten up and indeed closed all the windows. Qi Leyun stood by the window and snorted, glancing at her sideways: “To prevent someone from seeing something they shouldn’t from the window and running off, abandoning us.”

This referred to the incident with A’Jiu last time. Chu Zhao laughed heartily.

“All right, the windows are closed. I won’t run away,” she said.

One girl hesitated and said: “Zhao, we asked you here because recently there have been rumors—”

Before she finished speaking, the door was suddenly shoved open and a girl rushed in.

“Chu Zhao!” that girl shrieked. “You shameless wretch!”

Chu Zhao paused, looked at this girl, and asked: “Who are you?”

That girl’s face was full of anger. Suddenly being asked this question, her anger nearly choked her into falling backward.

“Chu Zhao, stop pretending to be stupid,” she shrieked.

Qi Leyun stood up beside them: “Liang Qin, if you have something to say, say it properly. What’s all this shouting?”

So it was Liang Qin. Chu Zhao felt somewhat helpless. Although she had kicked Miss Liang the moment she opened her eyes, she actually hadn’t looked carefully. After all, she had mistaken Liang Qin for Noble Consort Liang. Later she never saw her again, so she really hadn’t remembered what Liang Qin looked like.

Liang Qin wasn’t as beautiful as Noble Consort Liang.

Thinking of Noble Consort Liang, Chu Zhao’s expression became bland: “Miss Liang, it’s been a while. How have I been shameless?”

Liang Qin looked at her and sneered: “You hit me in order to ruin my marriage prospects! For the sake of a man, you even dragged in your father, saying I humiliated your father. By doing such things, you’re the one humiliating your father. You’re truly shameless!”