This scene quickly spread throughout the area.

Hearty laughter rang out atop the palace city walls.

“What did I tell you? Just as I said.” Xie Yanlai crossed his arms and laughed loudly. “Lively enough for you, isn’t it?”

If that girl just kept losing, it would be quite boring. In a competition between two people, winning some and losing some makes it truly exciting. The other imperial guards all nodded in agreement.

“When Miss Chu provoked them like that, the scholars became truly enraged.” An imperial guard who had gone to watch in person described the scene. “The fight was quite heated. What’s that phrase again? A war of words! Not a trace of elegance left.”

“That sounds excellent.” “It’s the first time seeing scholars fight like this.” “Worth going to see.” “Can anyone enter?”

The other imperial guards grew interested and began asking questions.

The guard who had been there said: “Anyone can enter, whoever wants to. Now more and more people are gathering. If you go too late, you won’t get a spot up front, and then it won’t be as satisfying to watch.”

So the imperial guards began calling to each other about going, but Xie Yanlai leaned against the wall without moving.

“Aren’t you going?” the others asked. “Don’t you love watching excitement the most?”

He had been talking about the commotion at the restaurant for several days.

“It’s too lively, I find it noisy.” Xie Yanlai said lazily.

What’s this about? Someone thought of something and laughed: “Third Young Master Xie is still in the capital, so Young Master Yanlai cannot act freely.”

The others also realized this and laughed one after another.

“That’s right, ever since Third Young Master Xie arrived, Yanlai hasn’t even left the house.”

“No more drinking, no more visiting pleasure houses.”

“I heard from people in your household that you were punished by Third Young Master a while ago?”

“Third Young Master is virtuous and upright, so those of you in the family can only suffer along with him.”

“But I really don’t know which to choose.” One imperial guard frowned with melancholy. “I’d also like to have an elder brother like Third Young Master, but thinking about having to endure such constraints makes me unwilling.”

The others spat back “Keep dreaming.” “Your family couldn’t produce someone like Third Young Master in several generations.” “Don’t trouble yourself with worry.”

Everyone urged Xie Yanlai again: “What’s there to fear? We’ll go secretly, Third Young Master won’t know.” “If he finds out, so what? It’s just a beating. Have you become such a coward, Yanlai?”

But no matter how everyone teased him, Xie Yanlai remained unmoved, insisting stubbornly that he didn’t like watching excitement: “A group of men competing with a woman—not even a woman, a young girl. This young master has no interest in watching.”

The imperial guards laughed: “It’s precisely because it’s unprecedented that we should go watch. A group of men competing with a young girl—if we miss this chance, who knows when we’ll see such a thing again.”

So everyone went off in a group. At the palace gate as they mounted their horses, they looked back and saw the phoenix-eyed youth standing alone on the city wall.

“Not really a proper young master after all.” One imperial guard said softly, his eyes carrying a trace of mockery. “I see the other young masters of the Xie family play however they want. Even when Third Young Master beats or scolds them, they don’t cower like this.”

“That Third Young Master would acknowledge him as a brother is already his good fortune.” Another imperial guard said. “Giving him the dignity of being a Xie family young master—if he himself doesn’t know his place, then he’s truly mud that can’t stick to a wall.”

An imperial guard laughed sharply and flicked his riding crop: “This piece of mud can only patch walls at best.”

The imperial guards raised their whips and spurred their horses, calling out loudly as their hooves tapped lightly forward on the imperial avenue. They soon reached the bustling streets, where everyone moved aside for them.

Those who could serve as imperial guards, stationed at the imperial palace, were all sons of noble families, drawing countless envious gazes.

Though they wore the same military robes, the robes of Zhang Gu and the others couldn’t compare to these imperial guards, and their bearing and presence were even less comparable.

Those served at the imperial palace, after all. Zhang Gu and the others also watched with some envy as these imperial guards galloped past.

“I heard A’Jiu was originally supposed to be an imperial guard too. I wonder if his punishment has been lifted.” One courier soldier said. “Is he now as imposing as they are? It’s a pity we’ve never seen him.”

One courier soldier curled his lip: “Even if we saw him, we wouldn’t recognize him. A’Jiu in these clothes would definitely look completely different.”

Another courier soldier nodded, his expression carrying some reminiscence: “A’Jiu was good-looking. Even when he wore ragged clothes with us, he was still very handsome.”

How much more beautiful he must be in fine garments.

Beautiful—Zhang Gu thought, so that’s why Miss Chu remained so infatuated and devoted.

“No matter what, if we can see him, we should still greet him.” He said quietly.

These days he had been trying to get acquainted with imperial guards, hoping to find out if there was someone called A’Jiu among them, but unfortunately he’d never gotten the chance.

“Zhang Tou’er, A’Jiu must be very happy now.” The earlier courier soldier said. “Having so many sons of noble families as companions.”

Those young men came from good backgrounds, good families. They could surely play together and talk together with A’Jiu—kindred spirits and close friends. They certainly wouldn’t bully A’Jiu—

Zhang Gu spat: “You little rascal still dare to talk! Among those of us from poor backgrounds who dared to bully A’Jiu, you were the worst troublemaker. That snake in A’Jiu’s bedding was your doing.”

That courier soldier chuckled and shrank his neck: “How was I supposed to know? If I’d known he came from a good background—” He drew out his tone, “I would have put two snakes in his bedding!” Having said this, he scampered off ahead.

After all, A’Jiu’s revenge had been to put three snakes in his bedding.

He wasn’t afraid of snakes at all.

Zhang Gu and the others laughed heartily and chased after him through the bustling marketplace.

On the palace walls, imperial guards came and went. Seeing the phoenix-eyed youth standing alone on this side, some greeted him warmly, others nodded with a smile.

Xie Yanlai’s expression remained haughty, neither acknowledging nor responding.

He knew these sons of noble families looked down on him, but they wouldn’t mock or bully him. Instead they were quite enthusiastic about playing with him, drinking and laughing with him.

Because what they were really laughing and playing with wasn’t him, but his status.

His status, besides bringing him this false enthusiasm, also brought him trouble.

Xie Yanlai crossed his arms and looked into the distance. What right did he have to watch others’ excitement, especially that foolish girl’s?

She was foolish enough to treat him as a lifeline.

……

……

On the streets, imperial guards rushed to watch the excitement, and in a grand mansion, Liang Qiang was also hurrying to leave.

Liang Qin and several girls blocked his way.

Liang Qin asked: “Has that Chu Zhao still not admitted defeat?”

Liang Qiang laughed heartily: “Admit defeat? Miss Chu is fighting more courageously than ever, and moreover, she’s not losing every time—she’s started winning now.”

Qi Leyun stepped forward: “How is that possible!”

Standing at the back, Chu Tang nodded: “With so many people coming to compete, there must be some mediocre ones.”

If Chu Zhao could defeat the mediocre Chu Ke, naturally she could also defeat other mediocre scholars. There were plenty of mediocre scholars in the world—many people were even inferior to her.

“So how long will she keep this up?” A girl asked. “Losing constantly would be one thing, but winning makes it even harder to end gracefully, doesn’t it?”

Many people couldn’t accept losing, especially losing to a young girl. Wouldn’t that make things even more endless?

Liang Qiang nodded with a smile: “Exactly. Now even more people are going to Chu Garden, and the competitions have become quite intense.”

What did “intense” mean? The girls exchanged glances.

“They’re no longer being polite to Miss Chu.” Liang Qiang said, sighing lightly. “Before, they would stop at the right point, but now they must vent their frustration and won’t let anyone save face.”

How heartbreaking. A young girl being a bit arrogant was nothing—being bullied like this was truly excessive.

“I can’t talk to you anymore.” He said. “I need to go right away and support Miss Chu.”

With that, he hurried off.

That girl admired him. If he went now and stood nearby, she would feel reassured when she saw him.

Alas, this was all he could help her with. As for marriage, he had no say in the matter.

Liang Qin and the girls called after him several times without success, watching the young man rush off as if on fire.

“Will this just go on endlessly?” Qi Leyun said, looking at Chu Tang with sympathy. “Then you still can’t go home.”

Poor thing. Because of this sister, Chu Tang couldn’t return home.

“It’s fine, just stay comfortably at my house.” Qi Leyun said generously, happy to show favor to someone who disdained her.

But Chu Tang shook her head and said thoughtfully: “I think we should go take a look too.”

Go to that kind of occasion? The girls looked at each other. They all knew Chu Zhao—how embarrassing would it be to be implicated?

“Don’t you all think,” Chu Tang looked at everyone, her eyes bright, “that this competition is growing in momentum? Doesn’t it resemble the Small Spring-Gazing Garden Literary Gathering?”

……

……

Night had shrouded the capital. The capital was as brilliant as daylight, and in this radiance, the Xie family residence was unremarkable.

Where Third Young Master Xie resided was even more like an isolated island, cut off from the world’s prosperity.

“The Small Spring-Gazing Garden Literary Gathering?”

Xie Yanfang set down his brush and looked at the old servant before him, his picturesque features slightly surprised in the lamplight.

“That Miss Chu actually hasn’t admitted defeat?”