Ashes to Crown

Chapter 57: Chapter 21: Arrangements

Chu Ke slammed the invitation to the Wangchun Garden literary gathering heavily onto the table.

"Father, Mother, look, I got it," he said smugly.

Chu Lan and Jiang Family went to look at the invitation together, while a round-faced maidservant brought tea to Chu Ke.

Chu Ke didn’t take it, but drank from the cup while it was still in the maidservant’s hands. The round-faced maidservant stood on her tiptoes to serve him, and the two exchanged a sweet smile. Chu Lan saw this, dropped the invitation, and coughed loudly.

Chu Ke choked and coughed. The maidservant quickly lowered her head and retreated. Jiang Family shot Chu Lan a glare, resentful that he had startled their son.

Chu Lan didn’t scold him further, instead asking, "How did you get this?"

He had naturally heard about the Wangchun Garden event. Some of his friends had even said that as a renowned scholar associated with Minister Ouyang, he ought to go.

Of course, he was unwilling to go—if he had been invited, he might have considered it. But the one hosting the literary gathering was the high and mighty Third Prince, who not only didn’t send out invitations but even set up a challenge: only those who passed three tests at the gate could attend.

Of course, it wasn’t that he couldn’t pass them; it was just a bit too undignified.

He had secretly looked at the test questions his friends had copied down, and they weren’t easy.

’Considering Chu Ke’s aptitude—’

Hearing his father’s question and seeing the way he was being sized up, Chu Ke grew embarrassed and annoyed. "Of course I answered the questions to get it."

Chu Lan remained suspicious. "You answered that well?"

This time, Jiang Family was displeased. "What kind of thing is that to say? Ao Ke has been studying with you for over a decade!"

’If he’s not good, does that mean I’m no good either?’ Chu Lan frowned and cleared his throat. "It’s about scholarship. Am I not even allowed to ask about it?"

Chu Tang clapped for her brother from the side. "Brother is so amazing," she said, then asked with a smile, "Can I go? I’ve also studied with Father for over a decade."

Chu Ke quickly said, "I actually did ask for you, sister. But they said it’s a literary gathering for scholars, and women aren’t allowed."

Chu Tang sighed. "Women can be well-read too. Can’t we be considered scholars?"

"Don’t you go causing trouble," Chu Lan warned. "That’s the Third Prince we’re talking about."

Chu Tang smiled. "I won’t. I’m not Ah Zhao, after all."

Jiang Family smiled and pulled her down to sit, looking from her daughter to her son with deep satisfaction. ’The two children I’ve raised are the best of the best.’

Chu Lan began to lecture Chu Ke, telling him to study even harder from now on. He didn’t expect him to stand out at the gathering, but he had to at least avoid embarrassing himself.

Chu Ke grunted his agreement noncommittally while breathing an inward sigh of relief. ’The truth is, I have no idea how I got the invitation either. To be honest, of the three tests, I only answered two—’

’I just came to try my luck this time. There’s still a month left, after all.’

’I never expected to actually be sent an invitation.’

’Of course, I can’t tell anyone this. I can only say that I, Chu Ke, am exceptionally talented, and the Third Prince has a keen eye for hidden gems.’

"Oh, right, I went to visit the Heir of Zhongshan King," Chu Ke said, interrupting his father’s lecture with an animated expression. "But I didn’t get to see him. The people at the post house said he wasn’t in. However, the Princely Heir will definitely be at the literary gathering. Now that I have an invitation, I’ll be able to see him there."

’Then I’ll go talk to the Heir of Zhongshan King, and let more people see that I have a connection with him. And the Heir of Zhongshan King is sure to be sitting with the Third Prince, so the Third Prince will probably exchange a few words with me too—’

’And then I, Chu Ke, will have made a name for myself in the Capital City.’

"Father, you should have let me return to the Capital City sooner. I was wasting away at Qiao Mountain Academy."

As he said this, he sneezed and rubbed his nose.

"See? I’ve only just received the invitation, and so many people are already thinking about me! The sneezes won’t stop."

...

...

"Chu Ke."

Deep within Wangchun Garden, in a small pavilion atop a hill formed from the earth dug out for a lake, two fingers pinched a sheet of paper, shaking the name written upon it.

The fingers were a pasty, grayish-white, just like the Third Prince’s face, displaying a frailty that seemed to come from a life spent out of the sun.

"Xun," the Third Prince said, using his other hand to push back the hair falling into his eyes as he looked at Xiao Xun, who sat beside him. "Do you know him?"

Earlier, when the eunuchs had brought the day’s submissions, Xiao Xun, being present, had glanced at them as well. When he saw the paper with Chu Ke’s name on it, he paused briefly, smiled, and then looked away.

The Third Prince had noticed. He reached out, set that paper aside without even looking at it, and directly ordered a eunuch to send the man an invitation.

"Your Highness," Xiao Xun said with a laugh, "you’ve misjudged. What this person wrote is utter nonsense. That’s what I was just laughing at."

The Third Prince pointed at him. "Xun, you little rascal, you’ve been putting on airs since you were a child. If you didn’t know this person, you wouldn’t have given him a second glance even if he’d drawn a giant turtle on the page." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Don’t worry, there are no spies from the Crown Prince here. Spit it out. Who have you been secretly befriending in the Capital City?"

Xiao Xun put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "This person is anything but simple. His surname is Chu, his given name is Ke, and he is young and ignorant."

The Third Prince paused, stunned. ’Anything but simple? And yet young and ignorant?’

Xiao Xun burst out laughing. "I won’t tease you anymore. He’s Chu Ling’s nephew." He pointed at the name on the paper. "I traveled to the Capital City with him. You’re cooped up in the palace studying all day, so you probably don’t know why I’ve come to the Capital."

The Third Prince smiled. "I may be cooped up at home all day, but there’s nothing I don’t know. So he’s Chu Ling’s nephew. How can you even stand to look at someone like that?"

Xiao Xun said with a helpless air, "It was precisely because someone like him dared to submit an entry that I gave it a second look. Your Highness, you can’t blame me for this. You’re the one who sent out the invitation; you can ask for it back yourself."

As he said this, his smile turned somewhat gloating.

Seeing his gloating smile, the Third Prince wasn’t annoyed.

"So what if he’s that kind of person? If he dares to submit, I dare to have him come," he said, leaning back languidly. "If he brings disgrace to the scholarly arts, I’ll make him lose all his dignity."

"Ah, you. Why must you be like this?" Xiao Xun said in a low voice. "You are clever and quick-witted. If you were a little less eccentric, you would surely be more beloved."

The Third Prince pointed a finger at him. "Xiao Xun, those are bold words! You actually want me to win more of the people’s affection? If the Crown Prince were to hear that—"

He burst out with a loud laugh.

Xiao Xun, for his part, was not afraid. He laughed and said, "If my elder brother the Crown Prince hears and is displeased, he can just give me a beating. It’s not like he hasn’t beaten me before."

The Third Prince’s laughter faded, his expression becoming languid again. "Whether I’m eccentric or not, he’s never pleased. Since that’s the case, I should at least make myself happy."

Xiao Xun smiled, stood up, and took his leave. "In that case, I’ll invite my elder brother the Crown Prince to the literary gathering as well, just to make you even happier."

The Third Prince roared with laughter and, grabbing a slipper, threw it at him. "Do you believe I’d refuse the Crown Prince entry?"

Xiao Xun caught the slipper. "I believe it. Is there anything you wouldn’t dare to do?" He threw it back, then turned and left with a smile.

The Third Prince watched Xiao Xun’s departing figure, a smile playing on his lips. He murmured to himself, "That’s right. There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare to do."

....

....

Tie Ying drove the carriage carrying Xiao Xun back to the post house. An official from the post house greeted them with a smile and was about to list the day’s visitors.

Xiao Xun stopped them.

"I have come to the Capital City to report on my duties and ask for forgiveness. I will not be meeting with anyone unless commanded by His Majesty or invited by the Crown Prince," he said. "So I must trouble you, sirs, to decline on my behalf. I don’t need to know who came."

The officials laughed helplessly. "The Princely Heir is being too cautious."

Xiao Xun raised a sleeve to cover his mouth, leaned in, and whispered, "To be honest, I also dislike socializing. This is just a convenient excuse."

The officials burst out laughing. As expected, they stopped trying to announce his visitors. They watched Xiao Xun go inside with satisfied expressions. ’Good. This is the kind of awareness a Princely Heir should have. With awareness comes dignity.’

Leaving the officials behind, Xiao Xun entered the inner courtyard, where a blue-robed Scholar was already waiting. Tie Ying surveyed the area, then nodded to Xiao Xun. "We can speak freely now."

With that, he went outside to stand guard at the door.

"That Chu Ke came to visit the Princely Heir today," the blue-robed Scholar said. "His Highness wishes for you to find an opportunity to meet him."

Xiao Xun said, "I’ve already made arrangements. I will meet him at the Third Prince’s literary gathering, and also—" He smiled. "—save him."

The blue-robed Scholar broke into a smile and nodded with satisfaction. "That is even better. The Princely Heir’s methods are truly reassuring."

Xiao Xun pressed a golden clasp on his cuff, pulled out a slip of paper from within, and read its contents. "Why does Father-King want me to get closer to the Chu Family?"

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