Chu Garden suddenly seemed to become lively.

Both those entering and those leaving noticed it.

Of course, Chu Garden had always been lively, but it had become a somewhat lazy sort of liveliness. The initial novelty had passed. They had figured out this girl Chu Zhao’s abilities—she did indeed have real talent and learning, but not enough to awe everyone under heaven.

How could awing everyone under heaven be so easy? None of them could achieve such a feat either.

So when this little woman Chu Zhao arrogantly challenged everyone under heaven to compete, it was simply inviting humiliation.

A little woman could win a few times, but most of the time she would lose. They had grown tired of watching her be humiliated. Now they were just waiting for when this little woman could no longer endure it and would admit defeat to end the matter.

But at this moment, Chu Garden was like a stone thrown into water, splashing up waves again.

“What’s happening?” “Did someone else lose?”

People inquired one after another—because of the lazy boredom, many had stopped watching the matches. It was better to admire Chu Garden’s scenery instead.

The servants in Chu Garden were very efficient. Whatever was needed could be delivered immediately. Sitting here was much more comfortable than going to wine houses or teahouses.

Hearing the inquiries, Chu Garden’s servants immediately answered: “Just now, Young Master Pengcheng defeated Miss Chu, and then a young lady asked Young Master Pengcheng for instruction in chess.”

Oh my! Another girl wanted to compete too?

Everyone was very surprised and curious. Those who were leaving turned around one after another, while those who had just entered quickened their pace.

Chu Garden’s servants also reacted alertly: “Quick, go tell Miss A’Tang that sales won’t decrease—there will be more.”

When Miss Zhou ran out shouting those words, Chu Tang, who was concentrating on calculating accounts, was also startled. She put down her counting rods and stood on the second floor looking down.

“Has A’Jiang gone mad?” she said in surprise.

The maids stood to one side somewhat uneasy. This was an unexpected situation, and they didn’t know what to do either. “Should we pull Miss A’Jiang away?”

This competition was targeted at Miss Chu Zhao. All the trouble was being borne by Chu Zhao alone.

But if another young lady suddenly jumped in, what would things become?

Chu Tang looked downstairs. She also couldn’t quite understand it. This Zhou Jiang was just a very ordinary aristocratic family’s young lady—well-behaved and gentle, at most with the little temper that all girls have. What madness had seized her?

Standing up for Chu Zhao?

“Miss A’Tang, Miss A’Tang.” A servant came thumping up the stairs from below, relaying the news that the number of guests had increased.

Chu Tang slapped the window railing: “Go tell Drunken Immortal House that we’re adjusting the price of tea and snacks. Also tell Cherish Ink Pavilion that we’re raising prices too. From now on, the anthology won’t feature only A’Zhao as the sole woman.”

Having said this, she glanced downstairs again, then withdrew her gaze and walked back to her desk. She picked up the counting rods and had the maids keep count, focusing intently on her work.

Whether Chu Zhao was going mad or other young ladies were going mad, it was their own business. She wouldn’t interfere anymore. She would just manage her own affairs properly.

……

……

The girls in the pavilion had all stood up, nervously watching this side. They didn’t dare come over.

Chu Zhao stood behind Miss Zhou, watching her place stones one by one.

“So this is how it should be played,” she couldn’t help but say. “I made a mistake with this move earlier.”

Miss Zhou slapped down a chess piece and shouted: “Observers should remain silent!”

How fierce! Chu Zhao smiled and stopped talking. Across from her, Young Master Pengcheng frowned. In the sunlight, sweat could faintly be seen emerging on his forehead. This girl who had just appeared was indeed very fierce—her chess style was very aggressive.

This girl seemed to play chess without thinking. She came out with killing moves right from the start, pressing forward step by step.

A woman!

Young Master Pengcheng was extremely annoyed, but he couldn’t respond and could only retreat step by step, retreating again and again until there was nowhere left to retreat.

He held a chess piece for a long time without being able to place it. The people surrounding them were also silent, each one thinking hard, but ultimately shaking their heads.

Young Master Pengcheng wasn’t someone who couldn’t accept defeat. He abandoned his pieces, admitted defeat, got up and left.

“Young Master, don’t worry. This doesn’t count as losing to me,” Chu Zhao hastily said from behind. “You can still say that I’m not as good as you.”

Where would he have the face to say that! Besides, he had won against Chu Zhao but still lost to a woman—what was the difference! Young Master Pengcheng flicked his sleeves and left in quick steps.

But this girl with the fierce chess style was just as arrogant as Chu Zhao. She stood up and pointed at Young Master Pengcheng’s retreating back, shouting:

“You won against one woman and dare to boast shamelessly, looking down on everyone, thinking all women under heaven are inferior to you?”

These were the very words Young Master Pengcheng had used to scold Chu Zhao, now thrown back at him.

How arrogant!

The surrounding crowd erupted in commotion.

The expressions of the girls in the corridors and pavilions also changed from shock to confusion.

“A’Jiang,” one girl murmured. “She’s actually this fierce.”

It was completely unnoticeable before.

They had all played together since childhood and knew each other thoroughly. Miss Zhou had clearly been a girl of few words, quiet and well-behaved. Her family were masters of chess, so naturally she could play too. She often played with her sisters, winning some and losing some, never showing that her skills were much superior to others. And even when she won, she had never been this aggressive.

Some were confused by Miss Zhou’s unfamiliar temperament, while others were confused by her behavior.

“Is A’Jiang helping Chu Zhao?” Qi Leyun asked. “When did she become so close with Chu Zhao?”

To rush out in such a situation, teach a lesson to and defeat the person who had beaten Chu Zhao—wasn’t this venting anger on Chu Zhao’s behalf?

This kind of conduct was what books called risking everything for a friend, wasn’t it?

A girl nearby laughed softly: “You’re overthinking it. It’s not for that reason.”

Then why? Qi Leyun looked at her.

The girl said: “For herself.”

To stand out at such a time, provoking everyone’s anger—what good did this do for herself? Qi Leyun was even more confused.

The girl said nothing more, looking toward Miss Zhou who had taken Chu Zhao’s place standing at the competition seat.

Miss Zhou’s entire person was enveloped in a radiance never seen before.

……

……

Chu Zhao looked at the girl who had taken her place and cleared her throat: “This, Miss, what is your honored surname?”

The thirteen-year-old Chu Zhao might have known this young lady, but she truly had no impression of her at all.

Was this young lady invincible at chess? How come in that previous life she had never heard her name?

Before A’Jiang could speak, she was held in her grandfather’s arms watching chess.

When she learned to speak, she could already play against her grandfather.

At first it was naturally a child’s game, but one time she made a move that made her grandfather think for the time it took to drink a cup of tea. After that, grandfather began to regard her differently.

She began learning chess from her grandfather. By the time she was ten years old, there were few people left in the family who could play against her.

“If you were a boy, grandfather could recommend you to the Hanlin Academy right now,” grandfather had once said with a smile.

She asked grandfather somewhat confused: “Can’t I do it because I’m a daughter?”

Grandfather laughed heartily, and others in the family were laughing too.

“A daughter certainly cannot,” grandfather said with some helplessness and some regret. “Boys learning chess can establish themselves and make a living, while daughters learning chess can only use it for amusement.”

However, Mother had a different explanation.

“Daughters learning chess can also establish themselves and make a living, but this life and livelihood belongs to their future husband.” Mother held her hand and said, “A’Jiang, you must remember, you play chess to please your husband. You can beat him, but you cannot always beat him. Win or lose, your purpose is to make your husband happy.”

She did as Mother said, restraining her edge, deliberately losing when playing chess. Sure enough, those at home and outside who had been unhappy when she beat them at chess now liked her again.

But every deep night, sitting alone by lamplight, she would play against herself, with fierce momentum. There was satisfaction, but also anger.

She clearly had superior chess skills, but because she was a daughter, she had to hide them.

The affection others had for her was actually exchanged for her surrenders again and again. What meaning did such affection have?

These past few days, watching Chu Zhao surrender again and again, enter battle again and again, whether winning or losing, it was all under her own control. Even if those people hated her, so what? She lost with satisfaction, won with abandon.

Merely a woman, merely a woman—so what!

She also wanted to be this satisfied once!

Zhou Jiang turned back to look at Chu Zhao and said: “After I defeat these people, you will know my name.”

Chu Zhao was startled, then smiled: “Then I wish you fame throughout Chu Garden, Miss.”

Having said this, she retreated backward.

Zhou Jiang’s hands hidden in her sleeves trembled slightly. She stepped forward and looked at everyone, asking loudly: “Who else? Who dares to battle with me!”