Zhou Jiang leisurely fell behind, when suddenly she sensed something and turned her head to see Chu Tang walking back with large strides.

Oh—Zhou Jiang wasn’t surprised. She stepped aside and extended her hand in invitation, gesturing for her to go first.

Chu Tang passed by her.

Qi Leyun was about to cross the threshold when a gust of wind passed her as someone entered before her, nearly causing her to stumble.

“How rude—” Qi Leyun was about to scold, but looking up at the back of the person, her voice suddenly stopped.

Eh?

Why had Chu Tang come back?

This girl still wanted to save face by saying goodbye properly. Qi Leyun shook her head, exchanged glances with her companions, and they all hurriedly followed to stand beside Chu Tang.

When Chu Tang walked in, the laughter and conversation in the front hall instantly stopped. All eyes turned toward her. These gazes contained sympathy, silence, deliberation, impassivity, and more commonly, mockery, disdain, and schadenfreude.

No one spoke.

Unlike before, when they would call out “Miss Chu” or “Miss A-Tang” from afar upon seeing her.

The front hall was eerily quiet.

“Chu—” As the host, one had to act like a host, rising with a smile to greet her.

They couldn’t just leave someone standing there awkwardly.

But Chu Tang, who had walked in, didn’t show any awkwardness. Her gaze fell on those girls, and she happily walked toward them.

“What are you all talking about?” she asked with a smile. “You seem so happy.”

…

…

As Chu Zhao’s cousin, Chu Tang’s status had changed overnight.

But Chu Tang had no titles bestowed upon her. Everyone knew she was the Empress’s cousin, but she was still just a young girl.

More awkwardly, the Chu family elders were also commoners, and due to illness, they had closed their doors and didn’t go out, nor did they accept others’ visits. Only Chu Tang, this young girl, received calling cards and went out to socialize.

How to treat her was somewhat awkward for the hosts. Treating her as an honored guest wasn’t quite appropriate, but mistreating her wasn’t acceptable either.

However, Chu Tang hadn’t come to visit as an honored guest but to play with the girls of the family.

This was appropriate, and the hosts could properly and enthusiastically entertain her.

Of course, the matrons treated this young girl with more intimacy and respect than other girls, as well as flattery disguised as enthusiasm—

That was before. Now, the matrons’ expressions showed indifference, as if they were watching any other girl walk by.

The girls who saw her also seemed to release their childish nature for a moment.

“We weren’t saying anything,” one girl was the first to answer, blocking Chu Tang’s words. “And we’re not happy.”

This kind of conversation wasn’t unfamiliar to Chu Tang. Previously, when playing with the girls, due to her status, they didn’t need to speak politely to her.

When faced with this in the past, Chu Tang would either remain silent—this was to let others defend her (giving girls who didn’t get along with that girl a chance to play the good person), or she would ask dejectedly if she had done something wrong and ask them not to be angry. This dejection was being submissive, and seeing this, the girls wouldn’t target her further.

But this time—

“Really?” Chu Tang smiled, staring at the girl’s face, gently poking it. “I saw it. You were smiling so broadly.”

The girl’s face instantly flushed red. That wasn’t what she meant! Chu Tang was deliberately playing dumb!

Was this about whether they were smiling or not?

She was momentarily speechless.

Hah—Chu Tang thought to herself, she had wanted to do this many times before, but never had the chance. Now she finally had the opportunity.

It indeed felt satisfying.

“Miss A-Tang,” another girl stood up and said gravely, “We aren’t happy. How could we be? Do you know what time it is? Western Liang has already attacked Shangjun. Haven’t you heard? An entire city of civilians died.”

She then looked at Chu Tang with a half-smile.

“Could it be that Miss A-Tang doesn’t know? Hasn’t the Defense General told you about this tragedy?”

A girl beside her snorted: “This isn’t something to be proud of, not something to boast about. It’s not surprising that Miss A-Tang doesn’t know.”

More girls also became discourteous.

“Yes, we’re all grieving for the victims.”

“Yet Miss A-Tang says we’re happy.”

“Isn’t there a saying? How one’s heart is reflects how one sees others.”

“Oh—then Miss A-Tang must be very happy.”

The remarks came one after another like stones, making the girls standing behind Chu Tang feel like they couldn’t stand there anymore, feeling both shame and anger. Qi Leyun stood in front of Chu Tang.

“What are you all doing?” they angrily shouted. “If you have something to say, say it properly. Why are you acting like this? A-Tang isn’t happy at all.”

The girl who spoke first and was questioned by Chu Tang laughed when she heard this. She stretched out her hand: “Isn’t she? I saw it. Miss A-Tang was smiling so broadly.”

This hand extended in front of Qi Leyun, pointing at Chu Tang standing behind her.

Qi Leyun felt both shame and anger, and she pushed the hand away: “What are you pointing at?”

This girl wasn’t easily intimidated either. She cried out: “Qi Leyun, how dare you hit me!”

The other girls immediately surged forward: “Qi Leyun, what are you doing?” “Qi Leyun, what business is this of yours?” “Qi Leyun, you sycophant!” “Their whole family is sycophants, still living in the Chu household, acting as if they’re the Empress’s family.”

The front hall instantly became noisy with quarreling.

The matrons, who could previously pretend that the girls were just speaking loudly while they coldly observed the commotion, could no longer ignore it.

They were about to come to blows.

Verbal jabs were one thing—those could be dismissed as children’s squabbles, and besides, they were all speaking the truth.

But if they started fighting and left marks, that wouldn’t be good.

Hitting people was always wrong.

“What’s going on here!” the matrons exclaimed, standing up and coming over, each calling their daughters. “No fighting!”

“We’re not fighting,” the girls all returned to their families’ sides, angry and aggrieved. “It’s Miss A-Tang bullying us with her power!”

Qi Leyun was so angry she wanted to charge over, but her mother held her tightly.

“Let me beat them up! They’re completely distorting the truth. I’m never talking to them again,” she said. “Now I understand why Chu Zhao hits people. It’s more satisfying to hit them—Chu Tang, hit them! Don’t let them accuse you of bullying without actually bullying them. What can they do about it?”

Qi’s mother scolded: “You troublemaker, be quiet!” She put her hand over Qi Leyun’s mouth, and two or three maids dragged her away.

Without Qi Leyun’s shouting, the front hall fell silent, somewhat awkwardly.

“How, how did this happen?” the hostess said with a bitter smile. “You children—”

One matron raised her hand and slapped her daughter twice: “How can you be so inconsiderate!” Then she curtsied to Chu Tang. “Miss Chu, please don’t take offense at her.”

This meant they weren’t treating Chu Tang as a child anymore.

She was the Empress’s cousin, of course, different from the children, using her power to bully others.

This made the girls even angrier.

“Why should she?” “Because her uncle couldn’t defend the border commandery well, causing civilians to suffer disaster?”

After being contradicted when she asked a question, Chu Tang had remained silent until now. Hearing this, she chuckled.

This laugh made everyone in the hall pause. She could still laugh?

Chu Tang laughed because she thought of Chu Zhao. She finally understood why Chu Zhao wanted to hit people when she heard those mocking words about her father. Indeed, as Qi Leyun said, it made one want to hit people.

However, hitting people now would be inappropriate.

“Madam, don’t worry,” she smiled at the matron who had spoken earlier. “It’s just a small matter. I won’t take it to heart.”

That matron was stunned. What did she mean? She was putting on airs now.

Chu Tang sat down on a chair beside her and reached out to shuffle the flower cards the girls had been playing with earlier.

“I know everyone is speaking rashly out of concern for the civilians and state affairs,” she said. “That’s good. We girls in the inner chambers should pay more attention to national affairs. This way, we understand the hardships of the world and the sufferings of the people.”

This was the demeanor of an Imperial Aunt? The matrons in the hall were stunned, then became angry.

What did she mean by speaking rashly?

“Speaking rashly means only seeing the surface, viewing the leopard through a tube, being self-righteous,” but before the matrons could question her, Chu Tang slapped the flower cards in her hand on the table and said with raised eyebrows.

The girls were taken aback, then erupted in commotion.

Well done, Chu Tang! No longer behaving cautiously as before, now she was learning from Chu Zhao to scold and hit people!