Zhou Jiang leisurely lagged behind when he suddenly sensed something and turned around to see Chu Tang striding back.
Oh—Zhou Jiang showed no surprise, stepping aside and even gesturing with an outstretched hand to let her pass first.
Chu Tang swept past her.
Qi Leyun was about to step over the threshold when a gust of wind brushed past—someone had cut in front of her, nearly making her stumble.
"Watch where—" The furious Qi Leyun was about to curse, but when she looked up and recognized the retreating figure, her voice abruptly cut off.
Huh?
Why had Chu Tang come back?
This girl still wants to save face by formally taking her leave, Qi Leyun shook her head again, exchanging glances with her companions before they all hurried to catch up and stand beside Chu Tang.
As Chu Tang entered, the chatter and laughter in the front hall instantly died down. All eyes turned to her—some filled with pity, others silent and contemplative, many maintaining neutral expressions, but most carrying mockery, disdain, or outright schadenfreude.
No one spoke.
Unlike before, when people would greet her from afar with cheerful calls of "Miss Chu" or "Miss A-Tang."
The front hall fell into an eerie silence.
"Chu—" The host, ever mindful of propriety, rose with a smile to greet her.
They couldn't just leave her standing there—how awkward.
But Chu Tang showed no trace of awkwardness as she stepped inside. Her gaze settled on the group of young women, and she cheerfully approached them.
"What were you all discussing?" she asked with a smile. "You seemed so delighted."
……
……
As Chu Zhao's cousin, Chu Tang's status had transformed overnight.
Yet Chu Tang herself received no official titles or rewards. Everyone knew she was the Empress's cousin, but she remained just a young woman.
What made it more awkward was that the Chu family elders were commoners without official status, and due to illness, they secluded themselves at home, refusing visitors. Only young Chu Tang accepted name cards and moved about in society.
Hosts faced dilemmas in entertaining her—treating her as an honored guest seemed inappropriate, but neglecting her was also impossible.
However, Chu Tang never visited as an honored guest. She came solely to socialize with the young women of the household.
This made things appropriate—hosts could receive her with both propriety and warmth.
Of course, the matrons treated this young woman with more intimacy and respect than other girls, their enthusiasm thinly veiling sycophancy—
That was before. Now, the matrons' expressions showed indifference, as if watching just another girl walk by.
The young women, upon seeing her, seemed to instantly revert to childish behaviors.
"Nothing important," one girl retorted first, cutting off Chu Tang's inquiry. "And we weren't particularly happy."
This kind of exchange wasn't unfamiliar to Chu Tang. Previously, when she mingled with these girls, her status meant no one felt obligated to be polite to her.
In such situations, Chu Tang would either remain silent—allowing others to defend her (giving rival girls opportunities to play the hero)—or pitifully ask "Did I do something wrong? Please don't be angry," her meekness making the girls back off.
But this time—
"Really?" Chu Tang laughed, staring directly at the girl's face and lightly tapping her cheek. "I saw it clearly—you were laughing so heartily."
The girl's face flushed crimson instantly. That wasn't what she meant! How dare Chu Tang play dumb and press the issue!
This wasn't about whether anyone was laughing or not!
The girl found herself speechless.
Heh—Chu Tang thought inwardly. She'd often wanted to act like this before but never had the chance. Now, finally, the opportunity had arrived.It was indeed quite satisfying.
"Miss A-Tang," another girl stood up and said gravely, "We're not happy. How could we be happy? What times are these? Western Liang has already attacked Shangjun, haven't you heard? An entire city's population was slaughtered."
As she spoke, she looked at Chu Tang with a mocking smile.
"Could it be that Miss A-Tang doesn't know? Didn't the Garrison General tell you about such tragic events?"
A girl nearby sneered: "This isn't some glorious achievement that can be boasted about. It's not strange if Miss A-Tang doesn't know."
More girls began speaking bluntly.
"Yes, we're all mourning for the victims."
"Yet Miss A-Tang says we're happy."
"Isn't there a saying? What's in your heart is how you see others."
"Oh—so Miss A-Tang must be very happy then."
One remark after another struck like blows. The girls standing behind Chu Tang felt they could no longer stand their ground, feeling both ashamed and furious. Qi Leyun stepped in front of Chu Tang.
"What are you all doing?" they shouted angrily too. "If you have something to say, say it properly! Why be like this? A-Tang isn't happy at all."
The girl who had spoken first and been questioned by Chu Tang laughed at these words. She stretched out her hand: "No? I saw it myself—Miss A-Tang, smiling so broadly."
Her hand reached past Qi Leyun, pointing at Chu Tang who stood behind her.
Qi Leyun, flushed with shame and anger, swatted the hand away: "Stop pointing like that!"
This girl wasn't one to be trifled with either. "Aiya!" she cried. "Qi Leyun, how dare you hit me!"
The other girls immediately surged forward. "Qi Leyun, what are you doing?" "Qi Leyun, this is none of your business!" "Qi Leyun, you bootlicker!" "Their whole family are bootlickers, still living in the Chu residence to this day, acting like they're the Empress's family."
The front hall instantly descended into chaos.
The matrons who had previously been able to pretend it was just girls being loud while watching coldly from the sidelines could no longer remain uninvolved.
This was about to turn into a physical fight.
Verbal barbs were one thing—they could be dismissed as childish squabbles. Besides, what was being said was true.
But if it came to blows and left marks, that would be unacceptable.
Hitting people was always wrong.
"What's going on here!" the matrons exclaimed, rising and coming over, each calling their own daughters. "No arguing!"
"We're not arguing," the girls protested as they returned to their families, angry and aggrieved. "It's Miss A-Tang bullying us with her influence!"
Qi Leyun was so furious she wanted to charge forward, but her mother held her back firmly.
"Let me beat them up once," she said. "They're completely twisting the truth. I never want to speak to them again. Now I understand why Chu Zhao hit people—hitting is much more satisfying. Chu Tang, you hit them! Since they're accusing you of bullying with your influence anyway, why not actually bully them? What can they do?"
Mother Qi scolded: "You wretched child, shut your mouth!" She covered Qi Leyun's mouth with her hand, and two or three maids dragged her away.
With Qi Leyun's shouting gone, the front hall fell into an awkward silence.
"This—everything was fine, how did—" the hostess said with a bitter smile. "You children—"
One matron slapped her daughter twice: "How could you be so unreasonable!" Then she curtsied to Chu Tang. "Miss Chu, please don't take it to heart with her."
This was clearly no longer treating Chu Tang as a child.
As the Empress's sister, of course she was different from ordinary children—bullying others with her influence.This remark only angered the girls further.
"On what grounds?" "On the grounds that her uncle failed to defend the Border Commandery, causing the people to suffer?"
Chu Tang, who had remained silent since her earlier question was rebutted, suddenly chuckled at this point.
Her laughter stunned everyone in the hall—how could she still find this amusing?
Chu Tang laughed because she was reminded of Chu Zhao. She finally understood why Chu Zhao had wanted to hit people upon hearing those mocking remarks about her father. Just as Qi Leyun had said, it truly made one feel like striking out.
However, resorting to violence now would be inappropriate.
"Madam, pay it no mind," she said with a smile, looking at the lady who had spoken earlier. "It’s merely a trivial matter; I won’t take it to heart."
The lady was taken aback. What did she mean? Was she really putting on such a condescending air?
Chu Tang sat down in a nearby chair and casually flicked the flower cards the girls had been playing with on the table.
"I understand that everyone’s careless words stem from concern for the people and state affairs," she said. "That’s a good thing. We young ladies in the inner quarters should also pay more attention to matters of the state, so we can better understand the hardships of the world and the suffering of the people."
Is this the demeanor of a state aunt? The ladies in the hall were stunned, then grew furious.
What did she mean by "careless words"!
"Careless words mean only seeing the surface, drawing conclusions from limited views, and being self-righteous." But before the ladies could question her, Chu Tang slapped the flower cards in her hand onto the table and raised her eyebrows sharply.
The girls were taken aback, then erupted in an uproar.
How dare you, Chu Tang! Instead of keeping your head down like before, you’ve learned to curse and strike people like Chu Zhao!
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