Ashes to Crown

Chapter 115: Chapter 73: Candor

This girl was trouble.

Xie Yanlai hadn’t forgotten what she’d done—spouting all sorts of nonsense to get her way.

But he, Xie Yanlai, was trouble too.

"You could have pestered anyone, but you just had to pester me." He chuckled with schadenfreude. "Now you’re stunned, aren’t you?"

He had tried to avoid her again and again, but the girl insisted on latching onto him.

’Now that there’s a misunderstanding, I’ll see how she gets out of this.’

Chu Zhao shot him a glance but ignored him, turning to look at Xie Yanfang.

After Uncle Cai had announced the guest, he had invited her to the rear courtyard, and Xie Yanlai had followed.

In contrast to the ordinary front courtyard, upon stepping through the gate to the rear courtyard, Chu Zhao was met with a scene of exquisite beauty rivaling that of Chu Garden. Past a path winding through flowers and green vines, a young master sitting by a stream came into view.

Compared to his appearance at the restaurant, Third Young Master Xie was much more casual at home today. His jet-black hair was held up with a wooden pin—or rather, a crooked twig. Chu Zhao couldn’t help but stare, suspecting he’d simply broken it off a nearby flowering tree because he couldn’t leave his hair down to receive a guest.

He wore a slightly worn white robe, cinched with a black-and-gold belt, and sat loosely on the ground. He held a fishing rod, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms.

"I didn’t realize Miss Chu was so well acquainted with my brother," he continued, watching the young man and woman whispering to each other. "It was rude of me not to greet you when we met at Yaqug Pavilion last time."

And it wasn’t just that he didn’t greet her.

"Also, about Chu Garden—"

Before he could finish, the girl took a step forward.

"Third Young Master Xie, you’ve misunderstood," she said. "I got to know Xie Yanlai for your sake."

Her words stunned both young masters of the Xie family.

The next moment, Xie Yanlai burst out laughing. ’Here we go again, here we go again. This scene isn’t unfamiliar. Right now, he’s Xiao Xun saving someone by the river, and Third Young Master Xie is me from back then!’

’Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk.’

Xie Yanfang, however, showed no anger or discomfort. After a moment of surprise, he smiled.

Xie Yanlai stood to the side, raising an eyebrow in a smirk. ’Third Young Master Xie has been surrounded by women since birth. He’s seen countless schemes they’ve used to get his attention. He’s a master at remaining untouched. He won’t believe or fall for this kind of nonsense!’

Xie Yanfang said, "Miss Chu, I have long admired your father, which is why I asked Yanlai to send my regards. I had no other intentions."

’Is he talking about the private message he had Xie Yanlai deliver to Father? Does he think I’m here on Father’s behalf? He’s misunderstood, too, but that doesn’t matter now.’

"Third Young Master Xie, what I did on the street just now was not to ruin your reputation," Chu Zhao continued. "It was to get a chance to see you."

Heh. Xie Yanlai clicked his tongue twice, looking at the girl’s sincere expression. ’Aside from looking a little less pitiful, she’s exactly like that Ah Fu back at the post station.’

’This sort of cheap trick is laughable to someone like Xie Yanfang. He’ll never fall for it.’

Xie Yanfang was a little surprised. "Miss Chu, you have business with me?"

Chu Zhao nodded. "I do." About to speak, she glanced around—

’Why look around? Just look at me,’ Xie Yanlai sneered inwardly.

"Yanlai," Xie Yanfang said, "you may leave."

Xie Yanlai sneered, turned, and walked away. He took a few steps, reaching the courtyard gate before looking back. He saw that Xie Yanfang had already put away his fishing rod.

"Du Qi," he called out. "Bring a seat for Miss Chu."

Du Qi, who was standing nearby, brought over a cattail cushion.

Chu Zhao didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down across from Xie Yanfang.

The girl cut straight to the chase. "Third Young Master Xie, what are your thoughts on the Third Prince?"

Hah! Xie Yanlai’s steps faltered, his foot landing on the threshold. The maids waiting at the courtyard gate thought he was about to fall and rushed over to support him.

Seeing the terrible wounds on Xie Yanlai’s back, the maids’ tears fell, but they didn’t dare cry out loud.

"What’s there to be afraid of? Are you scared someone will hear?" Xie Yanlai said. "Cry loudly! Let everyone hear you. Otherwise, wasn’t I beaten for nothing?"

The maids immediately began to wail, the sound so loud it made everyone’s ears ring.

"That’s enough," said Uncle Cai, who was standing nearby. "Quickly, help Young Master Yanlai back. We don’t want the Third Young Master to change his mind and send him to the dungeons."

A son of the Xie family sent to the dungeons would no longer be worthy of being called a son of the Xie family. There would only be death waiting for him.

The maids didn’t dare to cry loudly anymore, nor did they let Xie Yanlai say anything else. They half-dragged, half-pulled him away.

The servants at the gate also retreated, leaving only Uncle Cai. The middle-aged man who had whipped Xie Yanlai earlier also came over. Uncle Cai bowed to him and addressed him as Seventh Master, showing he was a member of the Xie Family.

"Is she really here for Yanfang?" Seventh Master Xie asked, frowning as he looked inside. He could see the young master and the girl sitting opposite each other but couldn’t hear their conversation. "Is this Chu Ling’s doing?"

Uncle Cai shook his head. "We don’t know yet. The Third Young Master said we’ll have to wait and see."

"Xie Yanlai has been involved with Chu Ling’s daughter for some time now," Seventh Master Xie said, his face dark and his voice cold. "He actually hid it from the family. I’ve said it before, he’s an ungrateful wolf we’ve raised. I should have beaten him to death just now."

As he spoke, he clenched his fists with a vicious grin.

"Even though I’m no match for Du Qi, those last two lashes will be enough to keep that brat in bed for two months."

Uncle Cai smiled. "Seventh Master, please don’t be angry. Grateful or not, he’s still one of our family. You must be tired, Seventh Master. Please go get some rest."

Seventh Master Xie glanced once more at the two people sitting inside. The girl was small and skinny, still a child. Before Third Young Master Xie, she was insignificant. He gave a disdainful laugh and walked away.

...

...

’What a blunt child.’

Hearing Chu Zhao’s question, Third Young Master Xie smiled, showing no hesitation or difficulty. "My status and the Third Prince’s status are destined by heaven. Therefore, there’s no need for us to discuss our views of each other."

’A frank answer,’ Chu Zhao thought. ’It’s destined by heaven, meaning he and the Third Prince are irreconcilable.’ She said aloud, "The Third Prince is a very dangerous man. Third Young Master Xie, don’t think you’ll be safe just by avoiding him."

’Is she warning me that the Third Prince is malicious?’

’Or is she declaring her stance?’

’She believes the Third Prince is malicious and shouldn’t be approached—’

Xie Yanfang looked at the girl, thought for a moment, and asked, "Miss Chu, may I ask if these are your words, or your father’s?"

’If I say they’re my own words, a man like Third Young Master Xie won’t believe me,’ Chu Zhao thought. She replied, "They are my father’s."

Xie Yanfang sat up straight and gave the girl a formal bow. "Yanfang thanks General Chu for his guidance."

Chu Zhao accepted the bow calmly and made her point clearer. "Third Young Master, you mustn’t think that no matter how malicious the Third Prince is, he’s just a scholar who will only do what scholars do."

She looked at Xie Yanfang and lowered her voice.

"The Third Prince will kill, dares to kill, and wants to kill."

’Killing,’ Xie Yanfang thought as he looked at the girl. ’The Third Prince has already killed quite a few people.’ But he understood that the "person" the girl was referring to now was the Crown Prince.

Will, dares, wants.

Xie Yanfang’s expression grew focused. He considered this for a moment, then said solemnly, "I will remember this."

Chu Zhao let out a breath of relief. "Third Young Master, you can never fathom how terrifying the human heart can be, nor can you imagine the terrible things a seemingly harmless person is capable of."

Xie Yanfang nodded. "I would never presume to see through people’s hearts, nor would I claim to have anything under control. The world is unpredictable, and the human heart is unfathomable. No one can say with certainty what will happen next."

Chu Zhao smiled. "As long as you think that way, Third Young Master, I can rest easy."

Xie Yanfang gave a faint smile. "Miss Chu, there is something I don’t wish to hide from you—it’s what I was about to say earlier."

’What is it?’ Chu Zhao quickly asked, "Please, Third Young Master, go on."

"The matter of the Chu Garden Literary Meeting... actually, I was the cause of it," Xie Yanfang said, looking at the girl. "I was the one who made the Third Prince fly into a rage of shame at you."

Chu Zhao was stunned. ’It was him!’

Seeing the girl’s eyes instantly go wide, her porcelain-white face losing all of its previous precocious maturity, Xie Yanfang lowered his gaze and smiled. ’So this is what they mean by an unfathomable heart and an unpredictable world.’

’You kindly remind someone to be wary of a certain person.’

’And that very person has already used you to provoke them, all while sitting back to watch the tigers fight.’

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