Chu Zhao stepped down from the carriage and raised her head to take in Prince Zhongshan’s manor.

Prince Zhongshan was the late Emperor’s youngest son. Because he had broken his leg, he was originally supposed to remain in the capital, but Prince Zhongshan insisted on leaving, saying he didn’t want to spend his entire life in the capital. The late Emperor had no choice but to let him be enfeoffed as a prince and depart.

After leaving the capital, Prince Zhongshan never returned. He remained in this manor until his death.

As Prince Zhongshan’s daughter-in-law, she had never come to the manor either.

In that life, she and Xiao Xun married in the capital. Before they could return to Prince Zhongshan’s manor, the chaos among the princes occurred and the capital went under martial law. Then Xiao Xun was appointed Crown Prince.

Once appointed Crown Prince, he became the Emperor’s son and had no more connection to Prince Zhongshan. They never returned to Prince Zhongshan’s manor after that.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Chu Ke said with a snort. “Prince Zhongshan’s manor was designed by the late Emperor himself—like a miniature imperial palace.”

Chu Zhao glanced at him. “You talk as if you’ve actually seen the imperial palace.”

The Chu family’s background didn’t qualify them to enter the imperial palace. Actually, they should have been qualified originally, but it was all ruined by this second uncle—and she still had the nerve to talk! Chu Ke said angrily, “Even without seeing the imperial palace, one knows it’s beautiful.”

Deng Yi coughed lightly from the side. These two siblings truly quarreled the moment they spoke to each other. Being around them was quite unpleasant. Perhaps this was also why Miss Chu had fled the capital without a word.

“Let’s go in,” he said. “The Prince should be waiting.”

Chu Ke quickly assented, glared at Chu Zhao, and warned in a low voice, “Mind your manners. Don’t embarrass yourself at Prince Zhongshan’s manor.”

Chu Zhao said nothing. After entering, she was indeed steady and composed, keeping her head lowered without looking around. Even when she felt Prince Zhongshan watching her continuously, she still pretended not to notice.

“Miss Chu must be weary from the journey,” Prince Zhongshan said, taking the initiative to greet her after finishing pleasantries with Chu Ke and Deng Yi.

Chu Ke kept his head lowered and said, “I’m not weary. It’s the Prince and His Highness who have been troubled.”

Xiao Xun suppressed a laugh and gave his father a look. He had already told him—this Miss Chu wasn’t at all grateful to them. If not for them, her plan would have succeeded.

This girl very much disliked them.

Prince Zhongshan looked at the girl with her head bowed, appearing like a small bundle, and said with a smile, “I truly apologize. I didn’t know what was happening. I received a message saying someone was lost and helped search for them. I had no idea the young lady was simply going to see her father.”

Chu Ke quickly rose. “Your Highness is too kind—there’s no need to apologize. This was just my sister being willful.”

Xiao Xun couldn’t help teasing from the side, “So Miss Chu was forced to come by Young Master Chu? She told me earlier she wouldn’t come.”

This wretched girl dared to say such things! Chu Ke looked at Chu Zhao with shame and annoyance, trying to think how to smooth things over. Alas, this was his first time traveling so far from home, and also his first time meeting noble personages like princes and their sons—

“I wasn’t forced,” Chu Zhao spoke up first, raising her head. But she didn’t look at Xiao Xun or Prince Zhongshan. Instead, she looked at Deng Yi sitting to the side. “If it were just my brother and me, we would naturally avoid suspicion and not come to pay our respects to the Prince and His Highness. But now with Lord Deng here, with a court official present, there’s no need to avoid suspicion.”

When he first heard Miss Chu was avoiding suspicion and wouldn’t go to the manor, Deng Yi had actually believed this was Chu Ling’s instruction. Now hearing these words, he understood—this was again something Miss Chu had randomly made up herself.

She simply disliked the Prince Zhongshan and his son.

This was the first time he had encountered such a girl. Deng Yi suppressed his laughter and didn’t contradict her. Xiao Xun also didn’t mind—he had long experienced this girl’s temperament. Prince Zhongshan was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily.

“So that’s how it is,” he said, clapping his hands and nodding. “Miss Chu’s thinking is most thorough.”

Chu Zhao said, “Thank you, Your Highness,” then lowered her head and stopped speaking again.

Chu Ke bowed anxiously from the side. “Your Highness, please forgive her. My sister is just this willful. Ah, if she weren’t so willful, she wouldn’t have troubled Your Highness this time.”

Prince Zhongshan waved his hand with a smile. “Young Master Chu needn’t be so polite. This is nothing. Speaking of being willful, my own children are no better.” He called someone over. “Since you’re here, go meet my children and see the manor’s scenery. Sitting here is rather dull.”

The manor steward said with a smile, “The Princess Consort is already waiting with everyone.”

Chu Ke was both surprised and delighted. Meeting the Princess Consort and the manor’s young masters and young ladies—this would count as establishing a connection, wouldn’t it? He quickly stood up.

But Chu Zhao sat steadily, only looking at Deng Yi to the side.

Deng Yi noticed and asked, “Does Miss Chu have some instruction?”

“Are you going?” Chu Zhao asked.

Deng Yi laughed despite himself. How could he go to the manor’s inner quarters? He was neither female family nor a child. “I’m not going.”

Chu Zhao nodded, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. “Then I won’t go either.”

Everyone’s eyes fell on her again. Chu Ke’s face flushed red. He wanted nothing more than to kick Chu Zhao to her feet. In the past, he couldn’t be bothered with this cousin—he hadn’t realized she was so detestable.

“Your Highness, please forgive me,” Chu Zhao said, standing up. “Your Highness surely knows that I came here because Lord Deng pursued me after I committed an offense in the capital. So I’m still essentially a criminal and shouldn’t leave Lord Deng’s side. Furthermore, I’m in no mood to meet the Princess Consort and the young ladies—speaking with them would be inconvenient.”

At this point, she glanced at Prince Zhongshan.

“If by some stroke of luck, when I return this time I can settle this matter safely, and have the opportunity to see Your Highness again, I will certainly pay my respects to the Princess Consort.”

The earlier words still had some pretense, but these last words held no disguise. Prince Zhongshan understood—this time the girl was caught, and Prince Zhongshan’s manor was an accomplice. The young lady was in no mood to visit her enemies and exchange pleasantries with them.

Chu Ling’s daughter was truly like a small beast. Prince Zhongshan was slightly stunned. He had some difficulty remembering what Chu Ling was like. It seemed similar—handsome and scholarly in appearance, seemingly quite gentle, but with words sharp as a blade. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so favored by the imperial brother. This type of fierce general at heart was most to the imperial brother’s taste—

He had wanted to see this Miss Chu out of curiosity about her appearance, but having seen her, he paid no attention to her looks the entire time. What she brought to mind wasn’t what her mother must have been like, but rather Chu Ling himself.

Prince Zhongshan nodded. “Miss Chu is correct. This prince was thoughtless. This occasion is indeed unsuitable for socializing and pleasantries.”

Chu Ke said urgently, “Your Highness is too kind—please don’t pay attention to her nonsense.”

Prince Zhongshan smiled. “Young Master Chu is the one being too kind. Miss Chu—” He no longer acknowledged this young man surnamed Chu, only looking at the young lady surnamed Chu. “Please forgive me. This prince is a prince of Great Xia. When entrusted by court officials, I should do my utmost. I have no personal bias against you, young lady.”

Chu Zhao bowed respectfully to Prince Zhongshan. “Receiving the sovereign’s stipend, one serves the sovereign’s interests. Your Highness did nothing wrong. This humble woman holds no resentment toward Your Highness. If anyone is to blame, blame—”

“Blame this official?” Deng Yi, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

Look at this! This wretched girl had offended both sides in one stroke! Chu Ke was truly furious. At this very moment, he deeply regretted bringing Chu Zhao to the manor—who could have imagined that facing a powerful noble like Prince Zhongshan, Chu Zhao would dare to speak such nonsense?

“Of course I won’t blame Lord Deng either,” Chu Zhao said, looking at him with a smile. “First, I should blame myself for hitting someone. Second, blame myself for fleeing without permission. And finally, blame myself for being full of flaws, lacking skill, being exposed and caught. So it’s all my own fault—I can’t blame anyone else.”

Deng Yi laughed heartily. Prince Zhongshan also roared with laughter. Xiao Xun pursed his lips to the side, his two dimples deepening.

Chu Ke stood dumbly, not knowing whether to laugh or not. What were they all laughing about?

“This time I’ve come to thank Your Highness and His Highness for their assistance,” Deng Yi said, looking at Prince Zhongshan and bowing.

Prince Zhongshan nodded with a smile. “Lord Deng needn’t be so polite. Please give my regards to Minister Zhou.”

Deng Yi assented and stood again. “The criminal has been apprehended. I’ve come to report to Your Highness. This official will now take his leave.”

When he mentioned “criminal,” he pointed at Chu Zhao.

This time Chu Ke understood. His face went rigid. Damn that Chu Zhao! Look at you spouting off—now you’re truly being treated as a criminal!