When she was suddenly blocked at the gate back then, Chu Zhao had wondered who told the Third Prince.

After all, she and Chu Ke were like dust in the capital—how would the Third Prince notice them?

Someone must have framed them.

However, she had speculated the one who framed them might be Xiao Xun. She hadn’t thought of Young Master Xie the Third at all.

There was no reason, no connection whatsoever.

“I did this not because I have any grudge against Miss Chu or General Chu,” Xie Yanfang said. “It was just to embarrass the Third Prince. When I went to visit the Crown Prince, I mentioned the Third Prince’s literary gathering. The Princess happened to come complaining that the Third Prince wouldn’t allow women to participate, so I told the Crown Prince that there was a Miss Chu Zhao who defeated her brother who was qualified to attend the Third Prince’s literary gathering. If women were this capable, where did the Third Prince get the arrogance to say women couldn’t participate?”

So that’s how it was. Chu Zhao was somewhat distracted and didn’t pay much attention to the earlier part—the matter about the Third Prince and the Princess. In that life, it was the same, but in that life, there was no matter involving her and Chu Ke, so in that life, no women ultimately participated in the Third Prince’s Wangchun Garden literary gathering.

In this life, so this was how things had changed.

She looked at Xie Yanfang and suddenly smiled.

She hadn’t expected that because of one competition with Chu Ke, Xie Yanfang in the restaurant would notice her.

In that life, she was an empress, but after her death, Xie Wolf probably wouldn’t have cared.

Perhaps not expecting this girl to smile, Xie Yanfang paused slightly, then also smiled: “However, Miss Chu, I didn’t do this to fight injustice for women, nor because I admired Miss Chu’s talents. I just wanted to make the Third Prince uncomfortable.”

After speaking, he sat properly and bowed again.

“Just as Miss Chu asked about my view of the Third Prince, my status and the Third Prince’s status destine these things to happen.”

“Miss Chu came to warn me about the Third Prince—this is trust and regard for me, Xie Yanfang. So I cannot hide from Miss Chu that the harsh treatment Miss Chu suffered from the Third Prince today was all because of me.”

Chu Zhao understood. Xie Yanfang thought that because of her conflict with the Third Prince, she held animosity toward the Third Prince, so she ran over to show goodwill to the Crown Prince’s side.

This Xie Yanfang was truly interesting—frankly telling her that all of this originated because of him, and that he wasn’t a good person to her either.

But so what? She never considered Xie Wolf a good person anyway.

“So that’s how it is,” Chu Zhao nodded, looking at Xie Yanfang. “I was wondering how the Third Prince learned of this matter, and moreover, the rumors were embellished and exaggerated. It turns out it was Young Master Xie the Third’s handiwork.”

She smiled slightly.

“Young Master the Third is truly formidable. Now the Third Prince’s literary gathering is quite frustrating, and half the limelight has been stolen.”

Xie Yanfang looked at the smile on the girl’s face and also smiled: “No, I should say Miss Chu is formidable. When I used Miss Chu to provoke the Third Prince, I didn’t anticipate today would come. Miss Chu’s capability exceeded my expectations.”

Chu Zhao picked up the teacup before her and said: “Since I’m so formidable, Young Master the Third must believe what I just said. Scholars don’t necessarily only do scholarly things, and the Crown Prince’s martial prowess doesn’t necessarily mean he can be fearless.”

The struggle between the two princes was actually clear for everyone to see, but everyone thought the Crown Prince would take the Third Prince’s life. After all, the Crown Prince was brave with a group of warriors under him. No one would think the first to strike would be the Third Prince, nor would they expect the Crown Prince, who always loved martial arts and archery, would be killed.

She emphasized this sentence heavily.

Xie Yanfang picked up his teacup and gently clinked it with Chu Zhao’s.

“Please rest assured, Miss Chu,” he said solemnly. “I will certainly keep it in mind.”

Chu Zhao smiled and drank the tea in one gulp.

Xie Yanfang also drank it in one gulp. He poured tea again and lifted it: “Miss Chu doesn’t hold past grievances—I cannot act as if nothing happened, and an apology has no real meaning. So what I owe Miss Chu, I will definitely repay in the future.”

After speaking, he drank it in one gulp.

Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled: “Young Master the Third needn’t be so polite. It’s not really a past grievance. I didn’t come because of the conflict between the Third Prince and me. Young Master the Third, you were also at the restaurant and witnessed firsthand—if I truly respected the Third Prince, I wouldn’t have had that public dispute with my brother.”

After speaking, she picked up her teacup and also drank it in one gulp.

This showed she originally had animosity toward the Third Prince. Xie Yanfang understood and poured tea for both of them, lifting his cup again.

“Then no more needs to be said. I’m very pleased to meet Miss Chu,” he said with a smile.

Chu Zhao looked at the elegant gentleman before her. She hadn’t expected that in this life she could sit and drink with Xie Wolf. She picked up her teacup and gently clinked it with his, and both drank in one gulp.

After three cups of tea, what needed to be said was clear. Chu Zhao rose to take her leave.

Xie Yanfang didn’t urge her to stay and rose to see her off.

“Young Master the Third needn’t see me off,” Chu Zhao said, blinking and smiling. “After all, I just questioned Young Master the Third’s reputation on the main street.”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily: “Precisely because of this, I must see you off to show I’ve heeded Miss Chu’s questioning, humbly accepted instruction and acknowledged my error. My reputation will be restored immediately.”

……

……

Just as Chu Zhao had said, many people followed the carriage to the Xie family gate. Seeing it entered the family residence rather than going to the magistrate’s office, they all discussed in low voices.

But also as Butler Cai had said, the people only discussed, were curious, and speculated—there was no indignation, much less anyone stepping forward to question.

During this time, quite a few people found it boring and dispersed.

Qi Leyun and the other girls never left, sitting in groups of two or three in carriages, lifting the curtains to look this way while discussing.

“I don’t believe she dares hit Young Master the Third,” Qi Leyun said.

Another girl laughed: “She’d also have to be able to beat him. Young Master the Third isn’t Liang Qin, nor is he a weak gentleman like Chu Ke.”

That was true, but it also wasn’t a matter of being able to beat him or not. Just thinking of Chu Zhao scuffling with Young Master Xie the Third—such a scene they absolutely couldn’t accept!

As they were discussing, the Xie family gate opened. Some girls squeezed toward the carriage window, some lifted the curtain higher, some simply jumped down, watching Chu Zhao walk out the gate, then turn around, bow inward, and smile.

The Xie family gate was too small! The girls could only barely see a figure inside, the figure slowly returning the bow.

Even seeing only a shadow, they could recognize it was Young Master Xie the Third.

The girls couldn’t help but surge forward, but unfortunately Chu Zhao also turned and walked toward them. The courtyard gate slowly closed behind her—nothing more could be seen.

“Why did you leave so quickly!” Qi Leyun stamped her foot and grabbed Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao smiled: “I didn’t leave quickly.”

The girls surrounded her with a barrage of questions: “Did Young Master Xie the Third see you out?” “You saw Young Master Xie the Third?” “Did you fight with Young Master Xie the Third?”

“What are you talking about?” Chu Zhao laughed. “How could I fight with an elegant gentleman like Young Master Xie the Third?”

Qi Leyun snorted: “I know now—you just found an excuse to see Young Master Xie the Third!”

This was doing things in reverse—through scolding, obtaining the opportunity to see Young Master Xie the Third.

“I even had tea with Young Master Xie the Third,” Chu Zhao said to her with a grin. “Young Master Xie the Third brewed it himself.”

The girls wailed even more.

“So frustrating!” “So envious!” “Chu Zhao, you’re so wicked!”

Should they also learn from Chu Zhao and go scold Young Master Xie the Third?

How could they bear to!

Facing someone like Young Master Xie the Third, how could they open their mouths!

Only Chu Zhao, this reckless person! This heartless person!

The girls clustered around this reckless, heartless person, competing to ride in the same carriage with her, leaving in a lively commotion.

Watching this scene, the onlooking crowd also dispersed in a hubbub.

These young ladies really could cause trouble!

To see Young Master Xie the Third, they dared make any scene!

Young Master Xie the Third could be considered burdened by his reputation.

As for that whipped Xie family son, no one thought of him for the moment.

Actually, someone did—there were still two people at the street corner.

Xin Ding squatted at the street corner, his feet numb.

“I didn’t expect you, Chief Zhang, a capital person, would still love watching excitement so much,” he said.