Ashes to Crown

Chapter 64: Chapter 28: Brushing Shoulders

Chu Ke refused to admit defeat!

’What kind of world is this! What kind of injustice!’

He buried his head on the table, pounding his fist in frustration.

"A contest of talents, then! A contest of talents," he said. "I’ve been busy studying the *Book of Documents* and haven’t had time to practice my calligraphy. I’ve grown rusty."

This time, before Chu Zhao could speak, a bystander spoke up. He was still holding one of the sheets Chu Zhao had written earlier.

"Young Master Chu," he said, "I don’t think a contest of talents is necessary. Your sister is clearly also well-versed in the *Book of Documents*."

He looked at the paper in his hand, murmuring a few lines, his eyes filled with admiration.

"As expected of a student from the school of the great Minister Ouyang. Mr. Chu truly lives up to his reputation."

Chu Ke’s head shot up. ’What?’

"Mine too, it’s written superbly." Another young man, also holding a sheet, had a look of sudden enlightenment. "So that’s how this line should be interpreted."

Chu Ke leaped to his feet. ’My father is a disciple of the great Minister Ouyang, but Chu Zhao’s father is not!’

’What the hell does she know about the *Book of Documents*!’

"Give it to me!" he yelled, snatching the paper from the young man’s hand and looking down at it.

It turned out Chu Zhao had written four sheets of calligraphy, the content of which were four short essays on the *Book of Documents*.

At first, everyone was just looking at the calligraphy. The young lady’s handwriting was excellent. But upon closer reading, the short essays were also exquisitely written. When women studied, most simply read enough to know the origins of phrases. It was rare to see one write such a detailed analysis—after all, women didn’t need to rely on scholarship to establish themselves or seek fame and fortune.

"A great teacher truly produces a brilliant student. Worthy of a child from a family of scholars," a few of the older guests praised.

’A family of scholars? Chu Zhao was taught by my second uncle, and he’s a brute! I’m the real child from a family of scholars!’ Chu Ke snatched all the short essays and read them. He wanted to refute them, but he couldn’t find a single word to argue against.

"You!" He stared at Chu Zhao in disbelief. "My father never taught you. When did you secretly learn this?"

’Secretly learn?’ Chu Zhao scoffed, then sighed softly. ’I didn’t learn it in secret. My uncle really did teach me.’

She had married Xiao Xun and soon after became the Empress. The country was unstable, and she couldn’t help with anything, only serving to drag Xiao Xun down. So she had wanted to become better, to be worthy of her title as Empress. She diligently practiced the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The palace was full of master artisans, and the renowned ministers at court were pleased by her humble requests for instruction. Her uncle, in particular, had earnestly taught her the *Book of Documents*, saying it was the foundation upon which the Chu Family stood—

’What foundation? All these things I learned failed to please Xiao Xun, failed to make me a wise Empress, and ultimately, failed to save my life.’

Chu Zhao glanced around, only now noticing what a large crowd had gathered to watch.

’Then again, it wasn’t entirely useless. Today, these skills have won over these men. They no longer see me as worthless, arrogant, and unreasonable. Instead, they’ll think my lecturing Chu Ke is perfectly justified.’

"Did you think you were the only one who studied?" Chu Zhao berated Chu Ke. "Who here hasn’t worked harder than you? So many people study and still wouldn’t dare claim they are that good. But you? You go around showing off, shamelessly brandishing the invitation to the Third Prince’s literary gathering with such glee!"

She snatched the invitation from the table and placed it in Ah Le’s basket.

"You can’t even beat me. What right do you have to attend the Third Prince’s literary gathering? This invitation is no longer yours."

Chu Ke shrieked, "Chu Zhao—I’ll kill you!"

The young man lunged forward, but this time Chu Zhao didn’t have a chance to strike. Chu Ke was held back by the other young men.

"Ao Ke, don’t do this." "Young Master Ao Ke, let’s talk this out."

If he fought again now, he’d lose the moral high ground. Besides, he couldn’t win. He’d just get another beating for nothing, and all of them would be disgraced along with him.

Held fast by so many people, Chu Ke struggled in vain. He was mentally and physically exhausted. For the sake of this wretched girl, he had traveled so far in the freezing cold and suffered so much, yet he hadn’t shed a tear. When this wretched girl had beaten him over the head in public, he hadn’t shed a tear. But now, with his pride stripped away, the young man could no longer hold back. He raised a sleeve to cover his face and began to cry.

Chu Zhao ignored the weeping Chu Ke and turned to leave, with Ah Le following behind, carrying the basket.

The crowd parted to let them through. The girls standing at the back were a bit slower, and they suddenly found themselves face to face with Chu Zhao. The group, flustered, tried to think of something to say to ease the awkwardness, or at least not lose their imposing air—

Qi Leyun pointed a finger at her. "You actually deceived us!"

’Chu Zhao had been hiding her skills from them, pretending to know nothing. What was she trying to do? Was she planning to humiliate them like this, too?’

"How despicable!" "So devious!" "Shameless!"

The girls muttered their curses one after another, but Chu Zhao paid them no mind. Accompanied by the girls’ discontent and Chu Ke’s sobs, she sauntered away.

’It was almost laughable. Not even when she was the Empress had she ever been surrounded by so many people.’

As she reached the staircase, a person, also surrounded by a crowd, was descending from the third floor.

Chu Zhao instinctively looked up. It was a young master, currently speaking to someone behind him, showing only his profile.

That one profile was more than enough. ’He’s so handsome,’ was Chu Zhao’s only thought. Radiant and otherworldly.

Moreover, this young master was surrounded by adoring gazes, bright-eyed stares, and cheerful faces. Not like her, with weeping, cursing, and meaningful glares trailing behind her.

He had descended from the heavens on auspicious, colorful clouds, while she had crawled out from the muck and mire, treading on withered branches and rotten leaves.

Thinking of this contrast, Chu Zhao couldn’t help but smile.

Just then, the young master happened to turn his head and saw the girl’s smile.

They were very close now, close enough to see the smooth, fine skin of each other’s cheeks.

Meeting the girl’s smile, he also smiled faintly, like a night-blooming cereus coming into flower.

’Is he smiling at me?’ Chu Zhao froze for a second. ’It must be a misunderstanding, right? I wasn’t greeting him. Still, for a beauty like that, I should of course return the favor with a warm smile of my own—’

But before she had the chance to smile again, the clamor behind her suddenly intensified, accompanied by thundering footsteps and the tinkling of jade pendants.

"Third Young Master Xie!"

"Mr. Xie!"

The girls standing at the back instantly rushed forward, shoving her aside. Qi Leyun, the fastest of them, even stepped on her foot.

’That wretched girl!’ Chu Zhao bent her knee and lifted her foot. Ah Le quickly steadied her. Looking ahead again, the handsome young master who had been coming downstairs was now completely submerged in the crowd. Nothing could be seen of him, only a mob of people packed onto the staircase.

’What is going on!’ Chu Zhao rubbed her foot, then put it down and steadied herself. ’With this many people, they should be careful not to make the stairs collapse!’

She led Ah Le further into the room, skirting around the staircase to return to her seat.

The seat was empty. Deng Yi was gone.

The food on the plates was half-eaten, and two wine pots were still on the table.

"Miss Chu." The waiter, who had been standing nearby, greeted her with a beaming smile when he saw her return. "Congratulations on your triumphant return."

His attitude was much warmer than before. He even remembered her surname and offered his congratulations. Chu Zhao smiled faintly.

"Lord Deng has already eaten and said he had to leave on urgent business," the waiter said, then asked tentatively, "Miss Chu, would you like to order anything else? Lord Deng had quite an appetite, he ate a lot."

Chu Zhao understood his meaning. He was hinting that the bill hadn’t been paid.

So Deng Yi had indeed left without paying. ’But this is good, too. It’s much more advantageous for Deng Yi to owe me a meal than for me to owe him one.’

"Bring me a pot of wine as well," she said. She was happy today, but—there wasn’t really that much to be happy about.

The waiter saw a layer of melancholy cloud the girl’s smiling face and quickly agreed before leaving, lest she decide not to pay and start crying—

Chu Zhao leaned against the back of her chair and let out a soft breath.

"Miss, you’re so amazing," Ah Le said, looking at Chu Zhao with a face full of admiration.

Chu Zhao shook her head. "Not amazing. If I were truly amazing, none of this would be necessary."

’I wouldn’t have had to die, I wouldn’t have been reborn, and I wouldn’t have to be here competing with Chu Ke.’

’What is there to be proud of? Ugh.’

She looked across the room. Chu Ke was surrounded by his companions, his earlier smugness gone, replaced by a dejected slump.

’With this lesson, Chu Ke won’t have the face to go out, which will also save him from getting his legs broken. He should be content with that.’

Her gaze then drifted downward, where she saw that Qi Leyun and her group of girls had followed the young master down to the first floor. The crowd in the main hall had grown even larger, with everyone swarming around that man.

’Who is this person? Is he really that popular? How come I don’t know him? What did Qi Leyun call him earlier? Xie, Third Young Master Xie—’

Xie!

Mr. Xie!

The thought flashed through her mind, and Chu Zhao shot up from her seat. She lunged toward the railing to look down at the first floor, leaning so far over that half her body was hanging out.

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