The favor of those above was never obtained by begging.

It was earned through exchange.

Deng Yi had always believed this—whether using money or other abilities, it was always an exchange, never begging.

Take Chu Lai, whom those officials had just mentioned.

Everyone said Chu Lai had lost His Majesty’s favor, but no one noticed that a person who had supposedly lost His Majesty’s favor still firmly held the position of Defense General in a border fortress for over a decade.

This indicated that Chu Lai’s favor with His Majesty wasn’t begged for, but exchanged.

Previously, it was well known that Chu Lai had used his talents to soar to great heights, but after that, when Chu Lai committed an offense yet received no punishment, there must have been some unknown exchange.

Later, when the Prince of Zhongshan asked him to befriend Chu Lai if given the opportunity, it further confirmed his suspicions.

He certainly didn’t mind doing this favor.

Of course, he had no intention of befriending Chu Lai. Regardless of who it was, he didn’t form friendships—only exchanges. However, learning more would help him better assess value, so he didn’t mind Chu Lai’s daughter deliberately approaching him, or rather, trying to curry favor.

This girl had been trying to win his favor without disguise from the moment she met him.

Logically, she should try to win his favor, since he was the one who came to arrest her. But this girl’s personality didn’t seem like one who would willingly try to please others. Even while trying to win him over, the girl’s eyes were full of pride and aloofness.

This latest incident further confirmed his view—even facing the Third Prince, this girl dared not retreat at all.

Bow her head and apologize to the Third Prince? Curry favor with the Third Prince? She simply refused. She would only meet the challenge head-on.

Chu Lai and his daughter were indeed interesting people, Deng Yi thought with a smile.

By now, he had reached the Inner Court gate, the most heavily guarded palace gate leading to where the Emperor resided. The officials at the gate saw Deng Yi and greeted him with smiles: “Official Deng seems to be in a good mood today.”

Deng Yi smiled: “Indeed. When we’re off duty, let’s go drink. It’s on me.”

The officials all laughed, “Good, good.” “Official Deng’s wine is the best.” “Official Deng’s prepared dishes are also excellent.”

As they were laughing and talking, several eunuchs hurriedly approached from outside. Seeing them, the officials quickly made way, but Deng Yi raised his hand to block them.

The officials were startled and were about to say something, but it was too late—Deng Yi had already said to the eunuchs: “Your identification token.”

The eunuchs were also startled, seemingly in disbelief, looking at Deng Yi, who blocked their way.

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

An official hurriedly smiled apologetically: “Please calm your anger, Eunuch Zhu. Official Deng is new here.”

Other officials hurriedly whispered to Deng Yi, “This is Eunuch Zhu from the Crown Prince’s side,” urging him to apologize quickly.

Deng Yi didn’t move, saying: “I know Eunuch Zhu, which is why I’m asking for identification.”

Eunuch Zhu and the officials’ faces instantly darkened. The meaning of these words was all too clear to everyone.

“How dare you!” Eunuch Zhu’s face flushed with anger. “You dare disrespect the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince can freely enter and exit the palace—this is His Majesty’s decree. You, a mere minor official, dare to instigate—”

The eunuchs behind him glared fiercely. Because the Crown Prince favored riding, archery, and strength, the eunuchs around him were all tall and strong. They cracked their knuckles, ready to tear this minor official to pieces.

If they killed an official, not only would the Crown Prince not punish them, but he would praise their bravery.

The officials dared not say a word, but Deng Yi continued: “But you are not the Crown Prince.”

Eunuch Zhu was about to strike when laughter came from inside the palace gate.

“Why are you so late, Eunuch Zhu?” The newcomer was also a eunuch, with white hair and a kind face showing slight reproach. “His Majesty has asked several times already.”

Upon seeing this old eunuch, Eunuch Zhu put away his ferocity, though still angry: “It’s not this servant’s fault for being late, Elder Qi. This servant cannot enter the gate.”

The old eunuch came over, seemingly understanding the situation. He glanced at Deng Yi and said, “So there’s a new person here. This Eunuch Zhu is delivering something on behalf of the Crown Prince. His Majesty is waiting.”

Deng Yi looked at him: “Identification token.”

The old eunuch was stunned: “My goodness, you don’t recognize even me?” He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. “Can’t blame you though. I’m old and don’t often come out.”

The officials hurriedly explained: “Official Deng, this is Eunuch Qi who serves by His Majesty’s side and attends to His Majesty’s daily needs.” Then they explained to Eunuch Qi, “He’s new, previously from the Court of the Imperial Stables outside the palace. He’s never been to the palace and doesn’t understand anything.”

Eunuch Qi made a sound of understanding: “Why assign someone who doesn’t understand anything?” He raised an eyebrow, examining Deng Yi. “You’ve offended someone, haven’t you?”

No one wanted to respond to this question, only offering awkward smiles.

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

Before he could finish, Eunuch Qi took out his identification token: “This is my token. I came especially to meet Eunuch Zhu. Is that acceptable?”

Eunuch Zhu sneered: “Why bother explaining to him? Just have him thrown out.”

Ignoring him, Deng Yi took the token, examined it carefully, 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: “I’ve just arrived here and don’t understand the rules. If I’ve offended you, please forgive me. I will learn more about the customs here and will never delay your business in the future.” As he spoke, he untied a jade pendant from his waist. “This is a family heirloom. Please accept it, Eunuch.”

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

Many people gave gifts to eunuchs, but this was the first time he’d seen someone give a gift so openly and naturally.

Was this minor official mocking him?

“Who wants your trinket?” Eunuch Zhu angrily flicked his sleeve, knocking Deng Yi’s jade pendant to the ground. “Get out of the way.”

Deng Yi complied.

Eunuch Qi laughed heartily: “Come now, don’t be angry with him.” He pulled Eunuch Zhu inside, whispering, “He must have offended someone and been assigned here as punishment—go ask Young Master Yang and the others when you return, and you’ll probably learn his background.”

If he had indeed offended someone and been thrown here to await trouble and punishment, then Eunuch Zhu didn’t want to intervene. He could discipline people, but he wouldn’t be used as someone else’s whip—not even for the Yang family, related to the Emperor by marriage.

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

The two gradually disappeared into the depths of the palace.

Deng Yi bent down to pick up the jade pendant, then looked at the officials around him, who had complex expressions.

“Sorry for the disturbance,” Deng Yi said with a smile, dangling the jade pendant. “Let me pawn this, and tonight I’ll treat everyone to ease the shock.”

The officials were both annoyed and amused. They now understood Deng Yi’s way of doing things, and why he gave gifts everywhere yet couldn’t stay anywhere.

“What are you trying to achieve?” they asked helplessly.

Deng Yi smiled: “Achieve? Well, in any situation, one cannot retreat without fighting, right?”

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

This way, though some might mock you, others would remember you.

He glanced toward the depths of the palace.

…

…

Compared to Deng Yi’s dutiful gate-keeping, the imperial guards patrolling the palace were much more tactful, standing at attention with eyes straight ahead, allowing the eunuchs to come and go as they pleased.

A phoenix-eyed young man standing on the city wall yawned in boredom and glanced at the gathered imperial guards nearby.

“Hey, any news lately?” he asked.

The guards shook their heads: “How could there be so much news?”

“I’m not so sure about that,” the phoenix-eyed youth frowned, raising an eyebrow. “Have you heard about the incident at Yaqu Pavilion in the city? A woman—”

Before he could finish, the guards reacted as if they couldn’t bear it, rushing over to pinch his arms, press his shoulders, and some even repeatedly bowed.

“My Lord A-Jiu, spare us all, how many times have you told this story?”

“So you witnessed some excitement, but must you talk about it for the rest of your life?”

“Yan Lai, please go out again, maybe you’ll see something new to talk about.”

Go out? That was impossible. Xie Yan Lai scoffed. As the group was laughing and joking, a guard watching from the side suddenly remembered something.

“Speaking of new excitement, there is some,” he said. “Everyone knows about the incident at Yaqu Pavilion in the city—”

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

His words were interrupted by someone kicking him, though no one saw who did it. He could only yelp in pain.

The guard waved his hands: “No, I mean because of the Yaqu Pavilion incident, something new has happened, and it involves the Third Prince.”

Something involving the Third Prince? Everyone stopped laughing and looked at him.

Xie Yan Lai also looked over, his eyes sharpening, then immediately understood something and muttered with schadenfreude, “Serves him right, I knew this would happen.”

The others were all asking, “What happened?”

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

Although there was no fighting like at Yaqu Pavilion, what Miss Chu was enduring was far more painful than being beaten.

“Bowing her head in defeat again and again, writing and stamping documents for others—the humiliation is engraved on her, impossible to wash away for life.”

The other guards imagined themselves in that situation—they would rather die, or never show their faces in public again.

They were men after all; this Miss Chu was just a girl. What would become of her future?

“This Miss Chu is also to blame. The Third Prince just wanted her to admit her mistake,” one guard frowned. “If she had admitted defeat and apologized from the start, saying she couldn’t compare, wouldn’t that have been enough? No scholar would be hard on her.”

Another nodded: “Indeed, she’s just too arrogant. Since she has to admit defeat anyway, why go through all this?”

Someone scoffed with laughter.

“Nonsense.”

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

“Retreating without a fight is surrender,” he said. “Losing after fighting is not losing.”

If not losing, then what? The guards frowned.

“Besides, keep losing and you might just start winning,” the phoenix-eyed youth said with a laugh. “Once that happens, she can truly be arrogant.”

…

…

At a row of ten seats, the girl stood slightly bent before one person, her expression thoughtful. Then she picked up a chess piece and placed it down.

With this move, the situation on the chessboard instantly reversed, and the young man sitting across from her immediately turned pale. At the same time, the girl’s clear laughter fell upon his head.

“You’ve lost, sir.”

The spectators around, who had been watching, all shook their heads, indicating there was no hope of recovery. The young man accepted it straightforwardly, conceding defeat and about to leave, but was stopped by Chu Zhao.

“Please wait, sir,” she said. “Your calligraphy is inferior to mine, and your discourse on the earlier topic was less incisive. Now you’ve lost at chess as well. So I’ve won against you, correct?”

The young man turned to look at the girl. Her eyes were bright, her mouth curved in a smile—she was truly pleasant to behold. Well, he thought, consider it bringing a smile to a pretty face.

He nodded and cupped his hands: “I’ve lost.” As he was about to leave again, Chu Zhao once more called out for him to wait.

A maid also appeared, glaring fiercely as she blocked his path.

“Mr. Zhang,” Chu Zhao looked at him. The girl was only thirteen years old, shorter than all these men, but at this moment, she slightly raised her chin, her gaze falling from above, her expression both arrogant and cold. “Although there are many witnesses, verbal agreements leave no proof. Please write on this paper that ‘Yuan City’s Zhang Liang’s calligraphy, chess, and talents are inferior to Chu Zhao.'”

This Mr. Zhang was stunned, his face quickly turning red. The others around also frowned.

She had turned the words others had used against her back on them.

This girl had been admitting defeat for days, her attitude respectful and humble. Who would have thought that after winning just once, she would become so arrogant?

“Miss Chu, it’s just one victory,” someone said in a sarcastic tone.

Chu Zhao smiled slightly: “One victory is still a victory.”

Her gaze swept across everyone, her smile mocking.

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