The tightly closed mansion gate suddenly opened, startling the clamoring crowd outside.

They thought servants were coming out to drive them away.

But there were no servants, only two girls walking out. One of them initially squeezed to the front, but after crossing the threshold, was pushed aside by the girl behind her.

That girl stepped forward, with a small face, large eyes, and a calm expression.

“I am Chu Zhao,” she said. “What business do you have with me?”

So this is Chu Zhao? Much smaller than imagined! They had thought she would be an old spinster!

Someone couldn’t help but confirm: “Are you the Chu daughter the Third Prince mentioned?”

Chu Zhao said: “I don’t know what the Third Prince said, but if you’re looking for Chu Zhao, that’s me.”

So it is her. Another person stepped forward: “Miss Chu, did you claim that the people the Third Prince invited to the Wangchun Garden literary gathering are all superficial, not even as good as you?”

Chu Zhao smiled slightly: “I said that about my brother, but—” her gaze swept across everyone, “if you want to prove you’re not superficial, I can compete with you as well.”

What?

Before the people outside could react, the servant sent by Chu Lan to eavesdrop turned pale.

What’s going on? Wasn’t she supposed to apologize?

Miss Chu Zhao was issuing a challenge!

This is terrible, terrible, terrible—the servant turned and stumbled back inside, hearing the commotion rise again behind him.

“Everyone, please quiet down,” Chu Zhao raised her voice.

A-Le’s voice was even louder: “Silence!”

The clamor stopped, and everyone looked at the girl at the door.

The girl had a faint smile on her face: “Isn’t this what you all came for? Why are you so surprised by my words?”

The people outside had complex expressions, because no one expected her to agree to compete.

The Third Prince had posted such a notice outside his gate, but after learning the background, most people knew it wasn’t because this Chu girl was so learned and talented that the Third Prince respected her as a teacher who could examine others.

The Third Prince wanted to teach her a lesson.

Of course, the Third Prince was not vindictive, but was standing up for scholars, warning this young woman not to be too arrogant.

They didn’t expect this young woman to be arrogant either. They had come to question her, expecting the girl to bow her head and admit her mistake, say she couldn’t compare, that her previous actions were rash, and so on, then bring out the invitation card to return it, and the matter would be over.

Who would compete with a girl? It would be undignified.

Unexpectedly, this girl wanted to compete with them. This was truly childish ignorance and fearlessness.

“Miss Chu, do you want to compete?” a man asked.

The child’s face bore a smile, her eyes bright and black: “Of course. Since the Third Prince has announced it to the world, how could it be taken lightly? However,” she clasped her hands and thought seriously, “since you’ve come to compete with me, you should follow my arrangements, otherwise it would be chaotic and improper.”

She was serious about this. Someone hesitantly asked: “Naturally. How does Miss Chu want to arrange it?”

Chu Zhao smiled and said: “The Third Prince has Wangchun Garden, and this humble girl’s family also has a garden. Please, everyone, enter the garden, and we can sit face to face and compete.”

…

…

“She wants to compete with these people!”

Hiding in his study, Chu Lan heard the servant’s report and became even more distraught.

Madam Jiang also rushed in with her maids and servants: “Master, those people have all come in and are heading to Chu Garden. What should we do?”

What could be done? The people had already entered. Only he, as the head of the family, could make them leave, but wouldn’t that mean he was offending these people?

Chu Lan slapped the table again: “Just like her father! Always bringing trouble to the family, trouble!”

Madam Jiang was so anxious that she also slapped the table: “Quickly, tell us what to do! There are so many people—should we stop them? Drive them away? Or perhaps… entertain them?”

How to stop them? How to drive them away? How to entertain them? Chu Lan slapped the table once more: “Let’s see how she ends this. She’s disgracing herself!”

So they’re not going to do anything? Madam Jiang was both helpless and uneasy, her head faintly aching. When they had initially taken in Chu Zhao, they never expected so much trouble.

They should have expected it, given what kind of father she had.

“Madam,” a maid said cautiously, “Miss A-Tang has sent word that she will be staying at Miss Qi’s house for a few days, to keep Miss Qi company.”

Madam Jiang was both happy and sad: “Good, good. It’s fortunate A-Tang reacted quickly. Tell her not to come back, and tell A-Ke to go out and avoid this too. Alas, what is happening? Second Uncle ruined your entire life, and now his daughter is going to ruin your children’s lives.”

Chu Lan’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He lay down on the couch facing inward, not saying a word.

He could only blame his bad luck.

…

…

Madam Jiang and Chu Lan acted as if they weren’t home, and Chu Zhao wasn’t surprised by this outcome.

She had already seen through her uncle and aunt’s personalities in these few days—timid and afraid of trouble. The regrettable thing was that in her previous life, she had been so foolish that she never saw, both respecting and fearing them, thinking everything they said was right, trying to please them in everything, and listening to them in all matters.

She could have been in charge of the Chu family all along.

Chu Zhao had A-Le arrange the servants to guide everyone to Chu Garden, then called for the household servants to prepare tea, snacks, and tables.

Since Madam Jiang and Chu Lan were avoiding everyone, the servants didn’t know what to do. The master and mistress could hide, but they couldn’t, so when A-Le came to direct them, they could only obey.

The Chu family was used to hosting guests in the garden, and everything was orderly and practiced. The people who came to the garden didn’t feel anything was amiss, and didn’t even think about the masters of the Chu family.

Well, that Chu Miss was already seated in front of a hall.

“My brother and I competed on the three trials outside Wangchun Garden,” she said. “Let’s follow the same format for our competition.”

Besides tea and snacks, writing tables with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were set out in front of the hall.

Even though they had already entered the house, everyone still inwardly marveled—this girl was serious.

“At the restaurant, my brother and I were judged by the onlookers. Let’s do the same this time, with everyone present as judges.”

The crowd looked at each other.

Chu Zhao looked at them: “Well then, who will go first?”

At this point, if they hesitated further, it would make them seem weak and unreasonable. A young man strode forward.

“I, Liu Yang from An City, seek guidance from Miss Chu.”

Chu Zhao sat upright, bowed, and extended her hand: “Mr. Liu, please.”

…

…

Chu Ke being incompetent didn’t mean others were too. Without even writing four columns of characters, as soon as that Liu gentleman put his brush to paper and wrote just one character, Chu Zhao knew she had lost.

Nevertheless, Chu Zhao still earnestly completed her paper. A-Le took the initiative to pick up both papers and display them to everyone.

The crowd loudly declared: “Mr. Liu’s writing is better.”

Chu Zhao didn’t argue or show any embarrassment or unease. She rose and stood before the chess board, saying again: “Mr. Liu, please.”

The chess match didn’t need three rounds either. After fifty moves, Chu Zhao abandoned her pieces and conceded: “Mr. Liu, you’ve won.”

Mr. Liu smiled faintly.

For the final talent showcase, Chu Zhao posed a question, and Mr. Liu spoke eloquently about it. The onlookers nodded in approval as they listened. As for the question Mr. Liu posed, Chu Zhao knew the answer, but her discourse was somewhat difficult—although she had studied diligently after entering the palace, she had later become disillusioned with Xiao Xun and had abandoned these studies for many years.

Who won and who lost was already clear.

Chu Zhao bowed to Mr. Liu: “Chu Zhao is not as good as Mr. Liu.”

Mr. Liu smiled, with a hint of malice, and took out a piece of paper: “Although many people have witnessed this, verbal agreements leave no proof. Please, Miss Chu, write it down on this paper.”

This isn’t necessary, thought A-Le, clenching her fist, wanting to punch this gentleman.

Chu Zhao remained calm and reached out to take it: “I accept the terms of the bet. I’ll do as you say.”

She earnestly bent over the paper, wrote on it, and handed it to Liu Yang.

Liu Yang took the paper and saw that besides writing “Chu Zhao’s writing, chess, and talents are inferior to An City’s Liu Yang,” she had also stamped it with her seal. He laughed heartily.

“Thank you. I have passed all four trials, and now I’ll go to Wangchun Garden to claim my admission.”

With that, he held up the paper and strode away with an air of importance.

So this is how the game is played! Interesting, interesting. The others recovered from their shock and surged forward with a roar.

“I want to compete with Miss Chu!”

“Miss Chu, quickly write me a certificate of defeat too!”

Some shouted, some laughed, the noise piercing. A-Le clenched her fists, both angry and sad. These grown men, bullying her young mistress, who was alone.

Chu Zhao’s face remained calm. She sat down at the table again and extended her hand: “Please, let the next person state their name.”