Chu Lan woke with a start in his study to find the room filled with dusky yellow light.

It was already dusk? A whole day had passed, and he didn’t even know when he’d fallen asleep.

After a moment of disorientation, remembering what had happened earlier, he first listened carefully. He could faintly hear birdsong and people walking softly. Apart from that, there was no clamor or chaos.

Only then did Chu Lan call for someone. Young servants and maids ran in, calling out that the master was awake, pouring tea and water.

“Outside—how is it?” Chu Lan asked.

The servants knew what he was asking and scrambled to say, “Those people have all left.”

Chu Lan breathed a sigh of relief, then raised his brows and demanded, “What about Chu Zhao? Have her come see me!”

But the servants didn’t immediately run out. Instead, they exchanged glances.

“The competition in the garden came to a pause. After seeing everyone off, Miss A’Zhao had someone inform the Madam and Master that she was tired and needed to rest, and any matters could wait until tomorrow,” the maid said quietly.

Meaning she wouldn’t come even if summoned. Chu Lan threw his teacup onto the table. “Does she even have elders in her eyes? Who is the master of this household?”

Jiang Shi and Chu Ke entered from outside. Hearing this, they sneered.

“She hasn’t had elders in her eyes for a long time,” Jiang Shi said. “She’s been the master of this household for a while now.”

Chu Ke nodded. “That’s right, that’s right.” He sat down and said urgently, “I told you long ago Chu Zhao was mad, that we should quickly send her away. Father, you didn’t see how disgraceful she was today.”

Though Jiang Shi had told him to hide and not leave his room, upon hearing about this matter, Chu Ke had still secretly slipped out through the back door to spy.

“People went one by one to compete with her, with the others serving as judges. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, she was in complete disarray.”

“After losing, she would bow to them, then loudly say ‘Chu Zhao is inferior to so-and-so.’ Not only say it, but write it down and present it with both hands.”

“This wasn’t a competition—it was a trial. One trial after another, and she bowed her head in guilt each time.”

By the end, Chu Ke couldn’t bear to watch anymore. If it were him, he would have just jumped into the lake and drowned himself.

Though Chu Lan had imagined this scene, actually hearing it described still made his heart pound. For a scholar, this was truly unbearable humiliation. He said, “I knew all along she would bring humiliation on herself. When she competed with you, it was between siblings at home, just going through the motions. Did she really think she was so capable?” He then instructed Chu Ke, “These next few days you must definitely stay hidden. Otherwise, as her brother, you’ll certainly be dragged into competing. Alas, the Chu family’s reputation has truly been swept away.”

Chu Ke nodded. “I know, I know.”

Jiang Shi worried about her daughter. “A’Tang will certainly be mocked by others too.” She had a maid take a box of money to Chu Tang, so she could distribute it to those around her.

The family went to bed uneasily, but before dawn they were awakened by servants.

“Master, Madam, those people have come again.”

Chu Lan sat up, pulling on his clothes. “Why have they come again? Wasn’t yesterday enough to vent their anger? Didn’t Chu Zhao already admit defeat?”

The servant said, “They say Miss A’Zhao told them to come, that they’re going to continue competing.”

What was happening? Chu Lan angrily sent someone to summon Chu Zhao. This time Chu Zhao still didn’t come, but A’Le did.

“We haven’t finished competing,” she explained to Chu Lan. “There are so many people, and our miss is just one person. It’s impossible to finish in one day. So yesterday Miss agreed with everyone that they would compete for three hours each day.”

Chu Lan and Jiang Shi were dumbstruck, asking blankly, “Until when will this go on?”

A’Le said, “Miss said that since the Third Prince made her the examination challenge, naturally it will continue until Hope Spring Garden’s literary gathering is held.”

They’ve gone mad. Chu Lan and Jiang Shi had only this one thought. Before, saying Chu Zhao was mad was a rebuke, but now they wondered if Chu Zhao’s mind had truly broken.

……

……

Quite a few people had gathered in Chu Garden that morning—even more than yesterday—but it wasn’t as clamorous as yesterday. Most people clustered together speaking in low voices, while others admired Chu Garden’s scenery.

“I’ve long heard Chu Garden is elegant. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation,” someone sighed.

“I just didn’t expect Chu Garden to have such a mistress,” the person beside him said with a laugh. “Not elegant in the slightest.”

This Miss Chu had been unknown before, but after inquiring these past few days, though she’d just arrived in the capital, she had already struck a young lady from an inner chamber and cursed at Temple Minister Liang’s gate. She truly wasn’t an elegant person.

Everyone laughed, then heard chaotic footsteps ahead.

“Miss Chu is coming!” “Look quickly!”

The crowd called to each other and looked toward the sound. First they saw several maids, and behind them a girl walking slowly.

Among the crowd were those who had come yesterday, and they could see at a glance that compared to yesterday’s haste, today’s Miss Chu had clearly dressed up.

The girl wore her hair in a single spiral bun, revealing her broad forehead. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were like ink, her eyes like stars, her cherry lips a small dot. She wore a goose-yellow garment that shimmered brilliantly in the spring garden.

Yesterday she had continuously bowed and admitted defeat, writing statements of Chu Zhao’s losses for so many people. But today she showed no dejection or anxiety whatsoever. Instead, her eyes were full of fighting spirit.

“Competing one by one is too slow and wastes everyone’s time,” Chu Zhao said. “How about ten people at once?”

Competing in calligraphy with ten people was possible—everyone could write their own. But what about chess and literary discussion? Those required focused concentration and deep thought. For her alone to compete with ten people in chess and discourse—wouldn’t that be absurd?

However, this was already absurd. Everyone came back to their senses—the Third Prince’s action was meant to have them all humiliate this daughter of the Chu family. After yesterday’s competition, not only was this daughter of the Chu family not ashamed, she had become even more arrogant.

She just couldn’t bow her head and apologize properly.

She refused to admit her error and insisted on suffering this humiliation.

“Very well!” A shout rang out from the crowd. “As Miss Chu wishes!”

Immediately ten people stepped forward. Chu Zhao sat at her seat and bowed to them calmly. “Young masters, please.”

……

……

The Third Prince’s Hope Spring Garden literary gathering had already become a grand event known to everyone in the capital, so when the name of the daughter of the Chu family appeared outside Hope Spring Garden’s gates, it immediately swept through the capital.

Even the officials inside the Imperial City were discussing it in low voices.

Compared to commoners watching the spectacle, they felt it more deeply.

“So she’s Chu Ling’s daughter.” “Who would have thought—how could this girl do such a thing?” “What’s so surprising? Which of Chu Ling’s actions wasn’t shocking?”

“Actually, this matter doesn’t have much to do with that girl.”

A different voice suddenly interjected.

The several officials gathered together were startled and hurriedly turned to look. Behind them stood Deng Yi.

Compared to their official robes, Deng Yi’s rank was somewhat lower, but this minor official who had offended the Zhao and Yang families and been assigned the menial task of guarding the palace gates often plied them with fine tea and wine.

Of course, they had received gifts from others too—gifts far more valuable than tea and wine. But Deng Yi’s generosity and sincerity in giving gifts made it seem he was offering not gifts but his very heart.

Though Deng Yi had offended the Zhao and Yang families, he hadn’t offended them, and they had no need to step on this minor official to win a smile from the Zhao and Yang families.

“Lord Deng,” they greeted with smiles. “On duty today as well?”

Deng Yi nodded.

How pitiful—as this gate-guarding petty official, he couldn’t even rest. The officials sympathized and chatted idly with him. “Lord Deng has also heard about Chu Ling’s daughter?” “Why do you say it doesn’t have much to do with the girl?” “Is there some inside story? Did that Chu Ling instigate it?”

Deng Yi smiled. “There’s no inside story. I mean that girl’s competition in Chu Garden isn’t her original intention.”

What did he mean it wasn’t the girl’s original intention? She was clearly the one who accepted the challenge and wanted to compete. The several officials were puzzled.

Deng Yi said, “Because originally it was just playful banter between her and her own brother, a private household matter. But when others issued her a challenge because of it, how could she retreat without fighting?”

With that, he walked past the group, pacing slowly toward the palace gates.

The several officials stood frozen. Others? Who were these others—wasn’t he talking about the Third Prince? Was this dissatisfaction with the Third Prince?

The group came back to their senses, their expressions helpless. This Deng Yi dared say anything!

No wonder he kept giving gifts while being demoted—he simply couldn’t win favor from those above.