The one who came to Chu Garden was Xiao Xun.
This time, it wasn't done stealthily but openly and honorably.
Seeing his arrival and hearing that the Chu Garden Literary Gathering could come to an end, everyone grew somewhat tense.
Was Chu Zhao going to be punished?
The girls instinctively gathered around Chu Zhao, pushing her further and further back—
"Qi Leyun," Chu Zhao said helplessly, "you're stepping on my foot."
Qi Leyun glared at her angrily: "Can't you move aside? Do you have to stand still and let me step on you?"
The men, unlike their usual gloating, frowned with concern and scolded in low voices, "Everyone, quiet down."
These girls really had no sense of the situation—utterly troublesome.
A few men stepped forward and bowed to Xiao Xun, asking, "Heir Apparent, this literary gathering began as a contest. While the gathering may end, the contest cannot. Truth is clarified through debate, and principles are illuminated through discussion. This is how scholars learn and grow through contention."
They were defending Chu Zhao, framing her actions as scholarly debate, turning a major issue into a minor one and even making it seem beneficial.
Everyone had forgotten their initial outrage upon hearing about the matter and no longer felt that this arrogant girl deserved punishment.
This girl had fought her way through with her own efforts. Xiao Xun looked at Chu Zhao. Surrendering and pleading for mercy wouldn't earn the sympathy of these scholars. Only by persevering and defeating the opponent, being regarded as a rival, could one be treated as an equal and receive support.
Wasn't he the same?
Now, he was willing to look at this girl with respect, no longer treating her casually.
"Everyone, there's no need to worry," he said with a slight smile. "The end of the Chu Garden Literary Gathering doesn't mean literary gatherings are over. It's merely a change of venue. The Third Prince's Hope Spring Garden Literary Gathering invites Miss Chu to participate. Your scholarly exchanges can continue as before."
Beside him stood a maidservant—the very one who had fallen into the water and been rescued, Linglong of the Chu family. She slowly approached Chu Zhao, holding an invitation.
"Miss Chu, your invitation," she said with a cheerful smile.
A Le, standing nearby, curled her lips in disdain. This wretched girl had only been gone a few days and was already addressing her as "Miss Chu."
The maidservant beside Chu Tang was even angrier.
"Sister Linglong," Dingdong said, "we're still packing your things. There's so much, and we haven't finished yet. Since you're here today, would you like to take some with you now?"
Linglong glanced at her, a faint, ambiguous smile on her lips. "No need. The Heir Apparent has provided me with everything I need. Consider those things a memento for my sisters—you can divide them among yourselves."
Dingdong gritted her teeth in resentment. This ungrateful wretch had discarded her former mistress like a worn-out shoe.
The undercurrents among the maidservants went unnoticed by the young ladies, who were all gathered around, examining the invitation in Chu Zhao's hand. It was unmistakably an invitation to the Third Prince's Hope Spring Garden Literary Gathering.
Chu Zhao was no stranger to it—she already had one in her possession.
"Miss Chu," Xiao Xun asked, "are you willing to come?"
He asked if she was willing, not if she dared. To dare was to go with solitary courage—even in defeat, one would be a hero. To be willing meant mutual consent—if she lost, she couldn't blame the other party.
Chu Zhao smiled. Whether it was daring or willingness, the outcome was the same: she would go. What was there to fear?
"Chu Zhao is willing to give it a try."
Qi Leyun couldn't help but ask Xiao Xun, "What about us? Don't we get invitations?"
The girls all turned their eyes to Xiao Xun. They no longer feared this as a calamity. Earlier, the men had said that literary gatherings were about skill—there were wins and losses, all part of scholarly pursuit.
Xiao Xun smiled. "The other young ladies may accompany Miss Chu using her invitation."The girls were immediately even more delighted, each telling Chu Zhao they wanted to bring themselves along.
"Naturally, everyone will go," Chu Zhao said, glancing at Qi Leyun with a smile. "Qi Leyun, you should study harder these next few days. Don’t embarrass us by losing when the time comes."
Qi Leyun scoffed, "You’d better worry about yourself first."
The girls all laughed.
A young man nearby drawled, "Hope Spring Garden is larger than Chu Garden. If you lose, the whole world will know."
The girls were unafraid, smiling as they reminded the young man, "Sir, you should first secure an invitation to the Hope Spring Garden Literary Gathering. Otherwise, whether you win or lose, no one in the world will know."
The young man froze—he truly hadn’t received one. His face flushed crimson, and he flicked his sleeve before storming off.
This time, none of the other young men spoke up for him, only muttering disdainfully, "Where did he come from, trying to act like an arrogant scholar?"
Arrogance requires genuine talent.
Laughter filled Chu Garden. After observing for some time, Chu Lan and Jiang Shi came forward to greet the guests.
"Heir Apparent, please come inside to talk," they said, bowing.
Xiao Xun glanced at Chu Zhao.
Her expression remained unreadable.
"Thank you," Xiao Xun replied with a deep dimpled smile. "I came on behalf of the Third Prince to deliver an invitation and must now return to report."
Chu Lan and Jiang Shi wanted to explain and beg for his forgiveness, but Xiao Xun refused. Their anxiety grew, yet they dared not insist, watching helplessly as he departed.
"Linglong, Linglong," Jiang Shi whispered, tugging at Linglong’s arm. "Remember to speak well of our family in front of the Heir Apparent."
Whose family? This wasn’t her family. Their fortunes, good or bad, had nothing to do with her. Linglong smiled faintly. "Madam Chu, I am merely a maid. How would I dare speak casually before the Heir Apparent?"
With that, she pushed Jiang Shi aside and hurried after Xiao Xun.
Jiang Shi fumed—that wretched maid! But if she dared treat her like this, did it mean the Heir Apparent held a grudge against them?
Meanwhile, Chu Lan was surrounded by others.
"Master Chu, congratulations!" "Miss Chu surpasses her master." "Master Chu, it feels like ages since we last saw you. We’ve missed you dearly."
Acquaintances and strangers alike approached Chu Lan with words of praise. He forced a smile and engaged in pleasantries. Under other circumstances, such flattery would have delighted him, but now, especially since the praise stemmed from Chu Zhao, he felt no joy at all—back in the day, he had received similar admiration because of Chu Ling, and what followed? The admiration was fleeting, but disasters came one after another.
…
…
Xiao Xun entered Spring Gazing Garden and arrived where the Third Prince was. He found the Third Prince sitting alone in the hall, tossing an arrow into a pot.
His expression was cold and wooden, a large handful of arrows in his grasp. He lifted his hand and threw—with a clang, the long-eared pot shattered.
A eunuch immediately stepped forward, replaced it with a new pot, and hastily retreated. A moment slower, and he would have lost his life.
The eunuchs and maids lining the corridors kept their heads bowed, not daring to make a sound.
Not far off lay the corpses of two eunuchs, feathered arrows protruding from their bodies.
Bloodstains from dragging remained on the steps.
Xiao Xun remembered how, as a child, the Third Prince had enjoyed throwing things at people.
Back then, young and weak, his throws only stung slightly—childish mischief that made onlookers laugh.
Now, he had reached the point where he could harm others at will. But such actions were no longer easily witnessed, and those who saw them would no longer laugh.
Xiao Xun ignored the corpses, stepping over the blood on the stairs as he entered."Third Imperial Brother," he said, "the matter has been settled."
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