Favor from above was never obtained by begging.

It was obtained through exchange.

Deng Yi had always believed this. Whether using money or other skills, it was all exchange, not begging.

Like those officials just now talking about Chu Ling.

Everyone said Chu Ling had lost His Majesty’s favor, but no one noticed that a person who had lost His Majesty’s favor still steadily held the position of Garrison General at the border commandery fortress for over ten years.

This meant that Chu Ling’s obtaining of His Majesty’s favor wasn’t begged for—it was exchanged.

Previously, Chu Ling had exchanged his talent for meteoric rise—everyone knew that. But after that, Chu Ling committed an offense yet wasn’t punished, so there must have been some unknown exchange.

Later, when Prince Zhongshan asked him to help arrange an introduction to Chu Ling if the opportunity arose, it further confirmed his speculation.

Of course, he didn’t mind helping with this favor.

Naturally, he didn’t plan to befriend Chu Ling. Regardless of who it was, he didn’t befriend anyone—only exchanged. But to better estimate value, one needed more understanding, so he didn’t mind Chu Ling’s daughter deliberately approaching him, or rather, currying favor with him.

This girl had made no attempt to hide that she was currying favor with him, from the moment she met him.

By rights, she should indeed curry favor with him—after all, he was the one sent to arrest her. But this girl’s character didn’t seem like someone willing to curry favor with others. Even while currying favor with him, the girl’s eyes were filled with pride.

This incident further confirmed his view—facing the Third Prince, this girl actually dared not retreat in the slightest.

Bow down and apologize to the Third Prince? Seek the Third Prince’s favor? She simply refused. She would only accept battle.

Both Chu Ling and his daughter were very interesting people. Deng Yi smiled.

He had now reached the Inner Court Gate, the most important palace gate leading to where the Emperor resided. The officials before the gate saw Deng Yi and greeted him with smiles. “Lord Deng is in good spirits today!”

Deng Yi smiled. “That’s right. After we finish our shift, let’s go drink. My treat.”

The officials all laughed. “Good, good!” “Lord Deng’s wine is the best!” “The food and drink Lord Deng prepares is also excellent.”

As the group was chatting and laughing, several eunuchs came hurrying from outside. Seeing these people, the officials quickly moved aside, but Deng Yi raised his hand to block them.

The officials were startled. Before they could say anything, Deng Yi had already said to the eunuchs, “Waist token.”

The eunuchs were also startled, seeming somewhat incredulous as they looked at Deng Yi blocking their path.

“Are you blind?” the lead eunuch scolded. “Don’t you know who I am?”

An official quickly said with an apologetic smile, “Eunuch Zhu, please calm your anger. Lord Deng is new here.”

Other officials hurriedly told Deng Yi in low voices, “This is Eunuch Zhu from the Crown Prince’s service,” urging him to quickly apologize.

Deng Yi didn’t move, saying, “This official knows Eunuch Zhu, which is why I ask for the waist token.”

Eunuch Zhu and the officials’ expressions immediately became even more ugly. Everyone understood all too clearly what this meant.

“Audacious!” Eunuch Zhu’s face flushed with anger. “You dare show disrespect to the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince may freely enter and exit the palace—this is His Majesty’s decree. You, a petty official, dare to sow discord—”

Behind him, several eunuchs glared menacingly. Because the Crown Prince favored those skilled in riding, archery, and great strength, the eunuchs around him were all tall and large. They immediately rubbed their fists together, ready to tear this petty official to pieces.

If they truly tore an official to death, the Crown Prince not only wouldn’t punish them, he would praise their martial courage.

The officials didn’t dare say a word. Only Deng Yi continued, “But you are not the Crown Prince.”

Eunuch Zhu was about to strike, but fortunately laughter came from inside the palace gate.

“Why has Eunuch Zhu only just arrived?” The newcomer was also a eunuch, his hair already white, his kindly face showing some reproach. “His Majesty has already asked several times.”

Seeing this old eunuch, Eunuch Zhu restrained his ferocity, but still said indignantly, “It’s not that this servant came late, Grandfather Qi—this servant can’t get through this gate.”

The old eunuch walked over. Probably understanding what had happened, he glanced at Deng Yi and said, “Ah, there’s a new person. This Eunuch Zhu came to deliver something for the Crown Prince. His Majesty is waiting.”

Deng Yi looked at him. “Waist token.”

The old eunuch was stunned. “Oh my, you don’t even recognize me.” He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. “Can’t blame you though. I’m old and don’t often come out to walk around.”

The officials hurriedly said, “Lord Deng, this is Eunuch Qi from His Majesty’s service, attending to His Majesty’s daily needs.” They then explained to Eunuch Qi, “He’s new here, previously worked outside the palace, at the Guards Command. He’s never come to the palace before and doesn’t understand anything.”

Eunuch Qi said, “Oh? How did they assign someone who doesn’t understand anything?” His long eyebrows rose as he sized up Deng Yi. “You offended someone, didn’t you?”

This wasn’t something people could easily respond to. They laughed awkwardly.

Deng Yi didn’t answer either, only saying, “No one is born understanding everything. One learns step by step. Next time I see you, Eunuch, I won’t fail to recognize you. However—”

Before he could finish, Eunuch Qi reached out and produced his waist token. “This is my waist token. I came specifically to receive Eunuch Zhu. Is this acceptable?”

Eunuch Zhu sneered. “Why bother saying so much to him? Just throw him out.”

Deng Yi ignored him, accepting the waist token and examining it carefully. He nodded and stepped aside. “Please proceed.”

Eunuch Zhu looked him up and down. “Deng Yi, is it? This servant will remember you.”

Deng Yi bowed, saying, “I’ve just arrived here and don’t understand any of the rules. If I’ve caused offense, please be understanding. I will learn more about the protocols here and will absolutely not delay your business in the future.” He untied a jade pendant from his waist. “This is this official’s family heirloom jade. Please accept it, Eunuch.”

What kind of person was this? Eunuch Zhu was stunned. “You, you—”

Plenty of people gave gifts to eunuchs, but this was the first time seeing someone give a gift so publicly and so brazenly.

Was this petty official mocking him?

“Who wants your thing?” Eunuch Zhu angrily swept his sleeve, knocking Deng Yi’s jade pendant to the ground. “Move aside.”

Deng Yi complied and moved aside.

Eunuch Qi laughed heartily. “Alright, don’t get angry with him.” He pulled Eunuch Zhu inside, saying in a low voice, “He must have offended someone and been assigned here—when you go back, ask Young Master Yang and the others. You’ll probably learn his background.”

If he had offended someone and been thrown here to wait for him to cause trouble and be taught a lesson, then Eunuch Zhu wouldn’t want to be the one teaching that lesson. He could discipline people, but he wouldn’t be used as someone’s whip—not even by the National Uncle Yang’s household.

“Not just anyone can come to this palace gate,” he said angrily. “This servant will tell His Highness the Crown Prince to investigate them properly. This is outrageous!”

The two gradually walked away, disappearing into the deep palace.

Deng Yi bent down to pick up the jade pendant from the ground, then looked at the surrounding officials. Their expressions were complex.

“Apologies for startling everyone,” Deng Yi said with a smile, shaking the jade pendant. “Let me pawn this, and tonight I’ll help everyone recover from the shock.”

The officials felt both exasperated and amused. They now understood how Deng Yi conducted himself, and understood why despite giving gifts everywhere, he couldn’t keep any position.

“What are you after?” they said helplessly.

Deng Yi smiled. “After? No matter what happens, one cannot retreat without fighting, right?”

If you can’t win the fight, then bow your head.

This way, though some would mock you, some would also remember you.

He glanced toward the deep palace.

……

……

Compared to Deng Yi, this petty official dutifully guarding the gate, the Imperial Guards patrolling the palace were far more tactful. They stood at attention, eyes straight ahead, allowing the eunuchs to come and go freely.

A phoenix-eyed youth standing on the city wall yawned boredly and glanced at the Imperial Guards gathered nearby.

“Hey, is there any fresh news recently?” he asked.

The Imperial Guards shook their heads. “Where would there be so much fresh news?”

“Not necessarily.” The phoenix-eyed youth frowned, his long eyebrows rising. “Have you heard about that incident at Elegant Interest Pavilion in the city? A woman—”

Before he finished speaking, these Imperial Guards looked unbearable, surging forward to pinch his arms and press his shoulders, while others repeatedly bowed.

“My Ninth Master, spare us please. You’ve told this story how many times already?”

“You saw one spectacle, but you can’t talk about it for a lifetime, can you?”

“Yanlai, please go out again. Maybe you’ll see new entertainment.”

Go out? Absolutely not. Xie Yanlai scoffed. As the group was laughing and joking, an Imperial Guard watching nearby suddenly remembered something.

“Hey, speaking of new entertainment, there really is some,” he said. “Everyone knows about that incident at Elegant Interest Pavilion in the city—”

The Imperial Guards immediately wailed. “We’ve all heard it!” “I’ve already memorized it!” “I dream about Miss Chu—”

At this point someone kicked him. He couldn’t see who, and could only cry out in pain.

That Imperial Guard waved his hand. “No, I mean because of the Elegant Interest Pavilion incident, it’s caused a new incident, also involving the Third Prince.”

Involving the Third Prince? The laughing crowd stopped and looked at him.

Xie Yanlai also looked over, his eyes focusing sharply. Then he seemed to understand something and muttered gleefully, “Serves them right. I knew it would be like this.”

Others were asking one after another, “What incident?”

“It’s that Miss Chu,” the Imperial Guard said. “After competing with her own brother, now the Third Prince is making her compete with everyone.”

Though there was no physical fighting like at Elegant Interest Pavilion, what Miss Chu was suffering was far more painful than being beaten.

“Bowing her head in surrender over and over, writing statements and affixing her seal for people—the humiliation is carved into her body. She’ll never wash it off in this lifetime.”

The other Imperial Guards imagined this scene happening to themselves—better to just die, or never show their face in public again.

They were at least men. How would this Miss Chu, a young lady, manage in the future?

“This Miss Chu is also to blame. The Third Prince clearly just wanted her to apologize,” one Imperial Guard frowned. “If she had admitted defeat and apologized from the start, said she couldn’t compare, wouldn’t that have been fine? What scholar would really make things difficult for her?”

Another nodded. “Exactly. She’s still too arrogant. Since it’s admitting defeat either way, what’s the point?”

Someone laughed derisively.

“Nonsense.”

Who? Everyone’s gazes followed the sound to see the phoenix-eyed youth leaning lazily against the city wall in the back.

“Retreating without fighting is admitting defeat,” he said. “Fighting and losing is not losing.”

If it’s not losing, what is it? The Imperial Guards frowned.

“Besides, losing and losing, who knows—maybe she’ll win eventually,” the phoenix-eyed youth said, laughing heartily. “Once that happens, she can be arrogant.”

……

……

In a row of ten seated positions, the girl stood slightly bent before one of them, her expression thoughtful. Then she picked up a chess piece and placed it down.

With this piece’s placement, the situation on the board instantly reversed. The complexion of the young man sitting across also instantly paled. Above his head fell the girl’s clear laughter.

“Young Master, you’ve lost.”

The onlookers watching the entire process all shook their heads, indicating there was no way to salvage the situation. The young man was quite straightforward—he abandoned his pieces in surrender and rose to leave, but was stopped by Chu Zhao.

“Young Master, please wait,” she said. “Your calligraphy is inferior to mine. Just now you were also less incisive on the discussion topic. Now you’ve also lost at chess. So I’ve beaten you, haven’t I?”

The young man turned to look at this girl. Her eyes sparkled brightly, her lips curved in a smile—she truly was pleasing to the eye. Forget it, consider it making a beauty smile.

He nodded and cupped his hands. “I’ve lost.” He was about to leave again, but was still called back by Chu Zhao’s “please wait.”

A maid also appeared, blocking his path with a menacing glare.

“Young Master Zhang,” Chu Zhao looked at him. The girl was only thirteen years old, shorter than these men, but at this moment she raised her chin slightly, her gaze falling from on high, her expression haughty and cold. “Though many witnessed this, verbal statements have no proof. Please write it down on this paper: Zhang Liang of Yuancheng is inferior to Chu Zhao in calligraphy, chess, and talent.”

Young Master Zhang was stunned, then his whole face flushed red. The others around also frowned.

She was actually throwing back at them what others had said to her before.

This woman—these past few days she had continuously admitted defeat with a respectful and humble attitude. Who knew that after winning just once, she would be so arrogant?

“Miss Chu, you’ve only won once,” someone said sarcastically.

Chu Zhao smiled. “Winning once is still winning.”

Her gaze swept over the crowd, her smile mocking.

“What? I can accept defeat, but you can’t?”