Ashes to Crown

Chapter 128: Chapter 84: Casual

Her words were pleasant, but they were also sincere.

Xie Yanfang could clearly sense that she was very relaxed in his presence.

In fact, it had been like this since their first meeting, as if she knew him very well.

Few people, man or woman, could be so at ease upon first meeting him.

’Is this girl just innocent and naive? No, that’s not it. A child might be innocent and naive, but they’d be nervous and reserved around a stranger. On the contrary, only someone who has experienced the world and seen all walks of life could act this way.’

Xie Yanfang looked at Chu Zhao and nodded with a smile. "In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony, Miss Ah Zhao—" he said her name, "I’ll take care of this matter."

Chu Zhao nodded happily. "Alright. With Third Young Master Xie here, I can rest easy."

Xie Yanfang smiled. "And thank you, Miss Ah Zhao, for not jumping to conclusions. You came directly to me the moment you heard the news, so open and forthright. It puts my mind at ease to know someone like you."

Chu Zhao smiled and took her leave. Xie Yanfang rose to see her off, but she declined.

"Should I go see... Xie Yanlai?" Chu Zhao asked. "In any case, the two of us caused this trouble. I should let him know."

Xie Yanfang chuckled. "Miss Ah Zhao, please don’t trouble yourself over it." He called out, "Show Miss Ah Zhao to Yanlai’s room."

A servant, who had been waiting out of sight, immediately stepped forward to lead the way for Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao walked ahead. Xie Yanfang didn’t follow, standing where he was and watching her go.

Ah Le greeted her happily by the door, saying urgently, "Miss, I just saw Ah Jiu."

’He was just here?’ Chu Zhao was surprised. ’How did I not see him?’

"He probably came looking for Third Young Master Xie. When he saw you talking with him, he must have gotten scared of causing trouble and ran off," Ah Le said. "I was just about to talk to him about this, to tell him not to spread nonsense, but I didn’t get the chance."

Chu Zhao smiled. "It’s fine. I’m going to see him now, I’ll tell him myself."

Ah Le nodded and followed Chu Zhao as the servant led them toward a courtyard in another direction.

The girl disappeared from view. Xie Yanfang retracted his gaze and returned to the waterside pavilion, where Uncle Cai approached him.

"So it really was the Princely Heir of Zhongshan?" he asked with a frown. "What’s gotten into him? Did we do something to provoke him?"

"The King of Zhongshan sent his son all the way to the Capital City; it’d be stranger if he *didn’t* stir up some trouble," Xie Yanfang said, smiling at the empty seat and teacup across from him. "However, we didn’t provoke him. But he provoked Miss Chu."

Uncle Cai was taken aback. "The Princely Heir of Zhongshan is targeting Miss Chu? Not the Crown Prince?"

"When you were investigating this, you must have found out how Yanlai and Miss Chu were separated, right?" Xie Yanfang asked with a smile.

Uncle Cai nodded. "They ran into the Princely Heir of Zhongshan. He had been tasked with finding Miss Chu, so she had no choice but to return."

"So, as you can imagine, the Princely Heir of Zhongshan must have had a conflict with Miss Chu," Xie Yanfang smiled. "And the very reason Miss Chu said she and Yanlai were inseparable through life and death was because of the Princely Heir of Zhongshan."

"We know that as well. During our inquiries, one of Deng Yi’s men mentioned that Miss Chu had been disrespectful toward the Princely Heir," Uncle Cai said. "But—"

’Surely the Princely Heir wouldn’t hold a grudge against a young girl.’

"Of course he doesn’t hold a grudge," Xie Yanfang said. "In fact, since arriving in the Capital City, he’s interacted with Miss Chu more than anyone. He’s already visited Chu Garden twice. And, quite coincidentally, he even saved a drowning maid from the Chu Family there."

"Coincidentally." In Uncle Cai’s mind, that word held a different meaning entirely.

’There’s something going on between the Princely Heir of Zhongshan and Miss Chu.’

He frowned. "Miss Chu actually hid what’s going on between her and the Princely Heir! She’s deliberately using us as a shield!"

Xie Yanfang said, "Miss Ah Zhao didn’t exactly hide it. The moment she arrived, she frankly told me she said what she did to Yanlai because of the Princely Heir."

’It’s just that after saying her piece, she doesn’t bother clarifying what others might think next, or whether their assumptions are correct.’

’She looked so pleased seeing me deep in thought.’

Xie Yanfang chuckled softly.

"This Miss Chu..." Uncle Cai said, displeased. "I can’t believe you didn’t question her, Young Master. You just went along with her wishes."

"It’s irrelevant," Xie Yanfang said calmly. "The Princely Heir’s actions are indeed a slight against the Xie family. As long as he’s targeting us, we must naturally respond. What’s going on between him and Miss Chu has nothing to do with us."

Uncle Cai shook his head, resigned. "As you wish, Young Master." Then he asked, "But what about Miss Chu and Yanlai? Is there something between them?"

’Her stopping the punishment on the street... was it really just to meet Third Young Master Xie? Now I’m starting to have my doubts.’

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily. "Repetition breeds belief, Uncle Cai. Even you’ve been swayed by the rumors. That statement... there’s really no need to take it seriously. Miss Ah Zhao has already explained it quite clearly."

"I know the statement itself means nothing," Uncle Cai said, his face grim. "But why didn’t Yanlai even mention something like this to the family? His feelings for this Miss Chu must not be ordinary."

Xie Yanfang pushed the tea set aside, took out a thick stack of letters and notes, and said casually, "Because in his eyes, she was just a stranger he passed by. Not worth mentioning to everyone."

He paused at this.

’Then again,’ he thought, ’just now, when I mentioned Yanlai never told the family, Miss Ah Zhao immediately pointed out that Yanlai never told her his identity either. After their chance encounter, she didn’t know who he was until she saw him being punished on the street.’

He smiled at the thought.

’They’re both kind-hearted strangers, it seems.’

He didn’t say this aloud to Uncle Cai.

But Uncle Cai was still going on. "You see? Miss Chu is still concerned enough to go see Yanlai."

Xie Yanfang looked at the slightly agitated old man and asked, "Uncle Cai, even if there is something unusual between Yanlai and Miss Chu, so what?"

Uncle Cai froze for a moment. ’Yes, so what?’

"It’s not as if *I’m* the one with an unusual relationship with Miss Chu," Xie Yanfang said, giving the old servant a smile.

’If it were Third Young Master Xie who had an unusual relationship with Miss Chu, that would indeed be far more alarming than it being Yanlai. After all, the Third Young Master is no ordinary man.’

Uncle Cai shot Xie Yanfang a look, then with fond exasperation, produced another stack of letters and documents. "These need to go out today. Young Master, you must see to them before sunset."

...

...

Chu Zhao stood in the room, looking at the unmoving boy on the bed. He was lying face down, turned toward the wall, showing her only the back of his head—an even more obscured view than when he had been bundled in a scarf and hat on their journey.

"Miss Chu," a maidservant said, offering her a cup of tea. "Please, have some tea."

Chu Zhao smiled at her. "No, thank you. I’ve already had some."

Another maidservant brought over a round stool. "Miss Chu, please, have a seat."

Chu Zhao shook her head. "No, I’ll stand." She looked toward the bed. "I can see more clearly from here."

At that, one of the maidservants walked to the bedside and said enthusiastically, "Then allow me to lift the blanket for you, Miss, so you can see—"

Hearing this, Xie Yanlai, who had been pretending to sleep, could no longer bear it.

"Who is the master here?" he demanded. "Am I still in my own home?"

The maidservants stifled their smiles and stepped back.

"Young Master, Miss Chu brought medicine. She can look at your injuries for you," the maidservant who had offered to lift the blanket explained.

Xie Yanlai scoffed. "Are you implying my Third Brother isn’t having my injuries treated?"

The maidservant’s face paled, and she lowered her head.

"So you’re this fierce at home, too. And just as fierce with girls," Chu Zhao remarked. "Consistent, at least."

Xie Yanlai shot her a cold look. "Miss Chu must be quite popular walking down the streets now, with everyone’s eyes on her. Are you satisfied?"

He let out a loud, mocking laugh.

Chu Zhao hummed in agreement, staring at him, and then smiled as well. "It’s just a shame you can’t go out on the street. That’s why I came especially to see this gloating look on your face."

The maidservants, who had already retreated, glanced at one another. ’What are these two talking about? Are they mocking each other?’

They certainly seemed to be enjoying their mutual mockery. The maids lowered their heads and retreated even further.

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