Ashes to Crown

Chapter 75: Chapter 38: The Match

The tightly shut residence doors suddenly swung open, startling the clamoring crowd outside.

They thought a servant was coming out to shoo them away.

But there were no servants. Only two girls walked out. One of them had been pushing her way to the front, but after crossing the threshold, the girl behind her reached out and pushed her aside.

The girl who stepped forward had a small face, large eyes, and a calm expression.

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

’She’s Chu Zhao? She’s much younger than I imagined! I thought she’d be some old spinster!’

One person couldn’t help but ask for confirmation, "Are you the Chu Family’s Daughter the Third Prince spoke of?"

Chu Zhao said, "I don’t know what the Third Prince said. But if you’re looking for Chu Zhao, that’s me."

It really was her. Another person stepped forward. "Miss Chu, was it you who declared that the people invited by the Third Prince to the Wangchun Garden gathering were all for show and couldn’t even compare to you?"

Chu Zhao smiled. "I said that about my brother, but—" Her gaze swept over the crowd. "If you want to prove you aren’t all for show, I can compete with you as well."

What?

Before the people outside could react, the servant Chu Lan had sent to eavesdrop from inside the gates turned pale.

’What’s happening? Wasn’t she supposed to apologize?’

’Miss Chu Zhao is clearly throwing down the gauntlet!’

’It’s over, it’s over, it’s over—’ The servant turned and stumbled back inside, hearing the clamor erupt once more from beyond the gates behind him.

"Everyone, please be quiet for a moment," Chu Zhao said, raising her voice.

Ah Le’s voice was even louder. "All of you, shut your mouths!"

The uproar died down. The crowd looked at the girl at the gate.

A faint smile was on the girl’s face. "Isn’t this why all of you came? Why so surprised now that I’ve said it?"

The expressions on the faces of the people outside were a bit complicated. They hadn’t expected her to actually compete.

The Third Prince had posted such a notice outside his gates, but after learning the whole story, most people knew it wasn’t because this Chu Family’s Daughter was so erudite that the Third Prince regarded her as a teacher who could test everyone.

The Third Prince wanted to teach her a lesson.

Of course, the Third Prince wasn’t being petty; he was standing up for the scholars and warning this young woman not to be so brazen.

They hadn’t thought this young woman would dare to be so audacious. They had come to question her, expecting her to bow her head and admit fault. She would say she was no match for them, that her earlier behavior was rash, and then she would present the invitation and return it. That would have been the end of it.

Who would actually compete against a girl? It would be beneath them.

They never expected this girl would actually want to compete with them. This was truly the ignorant fearlessness of a child.

"Miss Chu, you truly wish to compete?" a man asked.

That "child" had a smile on her face, her eyes dark and bright. "Of course. Since the Third Prince has already announced it to the world, how can it be treated as a game? However," she clasped her hands and thought for a moment, "since you’ve come to compete with me, you must follow my arrangements. Otherwise, it will just be a chaotic mess."

’She’s actually serious.’ One person hesitated for a moment before asking, "That’s only natural. How does Miss Chu wish to arrange it?"

Chu Zhao said with a smile, "The Third Prince has his Wangchun Garden. My humble home also has a garden. I invite you all to enter the garden, and we can compete sitting across from one another."

...

...

"She’s going to compete with those people!"

Hiding in the study, Chu Lan grew even more alarmed upon hearing the servant’s report.

Madam Jiang also rushed in with her maids and servants. "Master, those people have all come in! They’re all heading to Chu Garden! What do we do?"

’What do we do?’ The people were already inside. Only he, the Family Head, could drive them out. But wouldn’t that mean he would be the one offending them?

Chu Lan slammed the table again. "Just like her father! Always causing trouble for the family, nothing but trouble!"

Madam Jiang, anxious, also slammed the table. "Just tell me what to do! There are so many of them! Should we stop them? Drive them out? Or... should we entertain them?"

’Stop them? Drive them out? Entertain them?’ Chu Lan slammed the table one last time. "Let’s see how she cleans up this mess. She’s just asking for humiliation!"

’So he’s just going to ignore it?’ Madam Jiang felt helpless and uneasy, a dull ache starting in her head. When they first brought Chu Zhao back, she never expected there would be so much trouble.

’Actually, I should have expected it. After all, Chu Zhao had a father like that.’

"Madam," a maidservant said cautiously, "Miss Ah Tang sent a message. She says she’ll be staying at Miss Qi’s home for a few days to keep her company."

Madam Jiang was both relieved and distressed. "Good, good. It’s a good thing Ah Tang reacted quickly. Tell her not to come back. Have Ao Ke go out and lie low for a while too. Sigh, what a mess. Your second uncle wore you out his whole life, and now his daughter is going to bring harm to your children."

Chu Lan’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He threw himself onto the daybed, faced the wall, and didn’t say another word.

’He could only blame his own bad luck.’

...

...

Madam Jiang and Chu Lan acted as if they weren’t even home. Chu Zhao was not surprised by this outcome.

In the past few days, she had come to see her uncle and aunt’s true nature clearly. They were timid and conflict-averse. Regrettably, she had been so foolish in her past life that she’d never realized it. She had spent a lifetime respecting and fearing them, thinking they were always right, trying to please and obey them at every turn.

In reality, she could have been the one in charge of this Chu Family all along.

Chu Zhao had Ah Le arrange for servants to lead the crowd to Chu Garden. She then called for the household staff to prepare tea, snacks, and tables.

With Madam Jiang and Chu Lan both avoiding the matter, the servants didn’t know what to do. The master and madam could hide, but they couldn’t. So when Ah Le came to give them orders, they could only obey.

The Chu Family often hosted guests in their garden, so the staff was extremely practiced and orderly. The people who arrived in the garden didn’t feel anything was amiss; they didn’t even think to ask about the master of the house.

Miss Chu was already seated before a hall.

"The competition between my brother and I was based on the three trials outside Wangchun Garden," she said. "Let’s follow the same format for our competition."

Besides the tea and snacks, tables had been set up before the hall with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Even though they were already inside her home, everyone once again marveled inwardly. ’This girl is really serious.’

"When I competed with my brother at the restaurant, the onlookers acted as judges. Let’s do the same this time. All of you present can be the judges."

The crowd looked at one another.

Chu Zhao looked at them. "So, who’s first?"

At this point, if they continued to hesitate, it would make them look like they lacked conviction. A young man strode forward.

"I, Liu Yang of An City, wish to ask for Miss Chu’s guidance."

Chu Zhao sat upright and gave a small bow, then gestured with her hand. "Mr. Liu, please."

...

...

Chu Ke was a good-for-nothing, but that didn’t mean everyone else was. He didn’t even need to write a full piece. The moment Mr. Liu’s brush touched the paper and formed a single character, Chu Zhao knew she had lost.

Despite this, Chu Zhao still finished writing her page conscientiously. Ah Le proactively picked up both their papers to show the crowd.

The crowd said loudly, "Mr. Liu’s writing is excellent."

Chu Zhao didn’t argue, nor did she seem embarrassed or uneasy. She stood up, moved to the Go board, and said again, "Mr. Liu, please."

They didn’t need three games of Go either. After fifty moves, Chu Zhao surrendered her pieces. "Mr. Liu, you win."

Mr. Liu smiled nonchalantly.

For the final test of talent, Chu Zhao asked a question, and Mr. Liu answered eloquently, earning nods of approval from the crowd as they listened. As for the question Mr. Liu posed, Chu Zhao knew the answer, but articulating it would be difficult. Although she had studied diligently after entering the palace, she had later grown disillusioned with Xiao Xun and had neglected these skills for many years.

The winner and loser were already clear.

Chu Zhao bowed her head to Mr. Liu in a gesture of respect. "Chu Zhao is not Mr. Liu’s equal."

Mr. Liu smiled, a hint of malice in his expression. He took out a sheet of paper. "Although many people have witnessed this, words alone are no proof. I must ask Miss Chu to write it down on this paper."

’Is that really necessary?’ Ah Le clenched her fists, wanting to punch the man.

Chu Zhao’s expression was serene. She reached out and took the paper. "A bet is a bet. I will do as you say."

She did indeed lean over the table, write seriously on the paper, and hand it to Liu Yang.

Liu Yang took the paper. Seeing that it not only stated that Chu Zhao’s calligraphy, Go, and talent were inferior to Liu Yang of An City, but also bore Chu Zhao’s personal seal, he burst out laughing.

"Many thanks. I have passed the four trials. Now I’m off to Wangchun Garden to collect the entry pass."

With that, he held the paper high and sauntered off.

’So that’s how you play this game! Interesting, interesting!’ The rest of the crowd snapped out of their shock and surged forward with a roar.

"I’ll compete with Miss Chu!"

"Miss Chu, hurry up and write me a proof of defeat too!"

Some shouted, some laughed. The din was deafening. Ah Le clenched her fists, feeling both furious and heartbroken. ’All these grown men, ganging up on my lady.’

Chu Zhao’s face remained calm. She sat down at the table again and extended a hand. "The next challenger, please state your name."

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