Hearing the words “giving a gift” from Deng Yi’s mouth, no wonder Chu Zhao was surprised. From when she first knew him, he was the Grand Tutor wielding great power, not to mention later on when he even dared to slap the Emperor.

Who could make Deng Yi give gifts?

Although the current Deng Yi wasn’t the future Deng Yi, it hadn’t been long until Deng Yi’s rise to prominence. She had thought that by now he already held an important position and was imposingly prestigious.

“Why does Lord Deng need to give gifts?” Chu Zhao asked curiously and carefully. “Lord Deng is so capable—”

If someone else had said this, it would sound like sarcasm. A person who had to give gifts to others, and not even at the same table but pretending to happen by and pay the bill—what kind of capable was that?

But this girl truly believed he was capable.

Her eyes didn’t lie.

What a coincidence—he also thought he was very capable.

Deng Yi smiled and said, “Because I offended someone and was demoted, so I need to curry favor with others to preserve my prospects.”

Offended someone? Well, the person Deng Yi offended was in for it. In another year—no, not even a year—by this winter Deng Yi would become an important figure. That person who ate a meal paid for by Deng Yi’s gift today might not even have the life to pay it back then. Chu Zhao raised her eyebrows and nodded: “Your Lordship will surely preserve your prospects.”

Saying this, she added with a grin:

“Since that’s the case, let me treat Your Lordship to this meal.”

Deng Yi glanced at her and said frankly, “Good. I truly don’t have extra money. I was originally planning to endure the shop’s disdainful looks and order one dish of beans and a pot of tea.”

Chu Zhao said happily, “Then that’s wonderful.”

If Deng Yi ate this meal from her, in the future he’d have to return the favor somehow, right?

Not having money to eat should logically be an embarrassing matter, but this girl’s reaction was as if she’d found a great bargain. Deng Yi found it somewhat amusing.

Chu Zhao had already called the shop assistant over. She first asked Deng Yi what he liked to eat. When Deng Yi said he could eat anything, as long as it filled his stomach, she stopped being polite. She and A’Le discussed and deliberated and picked and chose—they were truly going to eat a meal.

Deng Yi paid no attention to the two girls’ chattering and drank his tea while looking in one direction. When Chu Zhao finished ordering, he also stood up.

He said, “I’m going to greet someone.”

Chu Zhao nodded: “Lord Deng, please do as you wish.” She pointed at the table. “Come back to eat when you’re done.”

Deng Yi smiled, stood up, and left.

A’Le stared across the way and also stood up: “I’ll go see what Young Master Ah Ke is saying. More and more people are gathering around him.”

Chu Zhao nodded and also instructed A’Le: “See if there are any of Xiao Xun’s people around the young master.”

Miss really was very concerned about Xiao Xun. Now that they were no longer on the road, she was still guarding against him like this. A’Le responded affirmatively and left.

Chu Zhao sat alone. While drinking tea, she casually glanced down at the floor below and saw shop assistants still blocking the entrance, pulling and tugging with some people trying to enter. Looking down from above, she could see they were several young men—she could see their dark hair on top of their heads, all wearing fine brocade robes—

Another commotion arose on the third floor.

“It’s a painting!”

“A painting by Young Master Xie!”

Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze and looked up toward the third floor.

What exactly was happening on the third floor? The third floor was the most expensive level and should be the most refined. Why had it become like the first-floor hall today?

The several young men standing on the first floor also looked up.

One of them with slightly upturned phoenix eyes and thin lips sneered: “What’s so good about such a noisy place?”

If Chu Zhao had been looking down at this moment, she might have recognized him—it was the postal courier A’Jiu.

Except that now the postal courier A’Jiu no longer wore gray dusty robes or scarves and caps wrapped around his head and face. Instead, he wore a brocade long robe with a slender waist bound by a jade belt, fastened with gold silk and jade rings. His figure was straight and tall, his face radiant as the morning stars.

A young man beside him patted his shoulder: “Yanlai, stop being picky. If you keep picking, where else can we go? Do you want to treat us or not?”

A manager at this moment came running over with a smile all over his face: “Young Master Yanlai, we’ve saved a seat for you. Please come in.”

Saying this, he looked at the phoenix-eyed youth with an even more respectful smile.

“Third Young Master is also here.”

Hearing this, the other several young men showed delighted expressions. Only A’Jiu immediately turned around—

Fortunately, the others moved quickly to embrace him, stop him, and hold him back.

“You can’t leave.”

“How can you leave now!”

“He’s here, how can you go?”

They forcibly dragged A’Jiu inside. The commotion dispersed, and new commotion surged at the entrance.

The third floor rose and fell in waves, but soon quieted again. Apart from more people moving about, nothing else could be seen. Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze.

“Miss.” A’Le came running back at this moment, her expression indignant. “Young Master Ah Ke is talking about the General again.”

Chu Zhao frowned and looked across. She saw Chu Ke’s expression was agitated, seemingly even somewhat grief-stricken—

This posture she was very familiar with. Her uncle’s family always put on this kind of victim appearance.

“Moreover,” A’Le said in a low voice, pointing over there, “I just heard Young Master Ah Ke call one of the young masters ‘Young Master Liang.’ He seems to be that Miss Liang’s brother. He was even linking arms with him talking, cursing Miss and the General together.”

Truly not knowing friend from foe, kin from enemy. Chu Zhao slapped her chopsticks on the table, stood up, and walked toward that side. A’Le hurriedly followed, not forgetting to carry her basket.

……

……

Chu Ke looked at the invitation in his hand. The invitation itself wasn’t exquisite, but the Third Prince’s seal on it was the most precious marking.

“I never thought there would be a day when I could catch the Third Prince’s eye,” he said, his voice somewhat choked with emotion.

A young man beside him leaning against the railing, seemingly drunk, raised his hand and said loudly: “Young Master Ah Ke is being too modest. Your learning is exceptional. I, Liang Qiang, admire you most.”

Chu Ke nodded at him with a smile, then sighed deeply: “I have some learning—and why only me? My father has it too. But what’s the result? Misfortune befell our family. We have no face to see people and can only avoid the world.”

Saying this, his expression became angry.

“I have learning and ambition, but all because of Second Uncle’s burden, I can’t display them!”

The young men around him had obviously heard this many times. Some laughed, some nodded, and some chimed in: “Isn’t that right? That second uncle of yours really harmed you all deeply. Otherwise, Ah Ke, you would have achieved success and fame long ago.”

Chu Ke sneered: “I originally wanted to atone for my crimes through merit, throw down this brush and join the military. But I never expected he would actually drive me back—”

Before he could finish, a cold laugh rang out.

“What utter nonsense!”

Along with the voice came a humming sound—a wine pot came flying over.

Caught off guard, Chu Ke was hit in the head and fell backward with a loud cry.

The surrounding young men were also stunned. Only then did they see a girl standing nearby. Her dress was plain but her appearance and bearing were extraordinary. Behind her followed a maid carrying a basket and a shop assistant.

The shop assistant’s expression was blank, his hands holding up a tray—the wine pot from the tray was gone.

Who was this person?

Could it be that Chu Ke had gotten himself into some romantic debt before even becoming famous?

Their thoughts were in chaos. Before they could ask, that girl rushed over in two or three steps, grabbed the scrolls of calligraphy and paintings piled on the table, and began beating the fallen Chu Ke mercilessly.

“Making you talk nonsense!”

“Try cursing my father one more time!”

“Today I’ll show you how I break your legs!”

Chu Ke let out miserable screams. The surrounding young men also erupted in chaos and tried to pull her away, but the maid carrying the basket was also very fierce. She actually pulled out a washing club from her basket and began wildly pounding the young men.

Everyone present were scholars who had also been drinking. For a moment they couldn’t avoid her and were beaten about, falling this way and that while crying out.

This side was like a stone thrown into a lake—the commotion spread in all directions.

Countless gazes looked over.

“A fight, a fight—”