Ashes to Crown

Chapter 39: Chapter 3: Passing Through

As long as it wasn’t serving tea or attending to her lady’s artistic pastimes, Ah Le was remarkably efficient.

She picked out two fine steeds. She and Chu Zhao each took one, and with bundles on their backs, they cracked their whips and galloped down the street.

The streets were bustling with carriages and pedestrians, including many women, but female riders were a rare sight. They instantly drew the gazes of the crowd.

”Who are they?”

”Country bumpkins, I’d say. Their clothes are so drab.”

”The two girls aren’t very old, but they’re decent riders. They must be from a traveling acrobat troupe.”

The onlookers chattered and pointed, watching as the two girls on horseback vanished in the blink of an eye.

In a teahouse overlooking the street, a young woman sat leaning against the window. From inside, the clear notes of a zither could be heard. Lulled by the music, her eyes would flutter shut and her head would nod, only for her to jolt awake with a start—

This pattern repeated until, on one occasion, her head dipped and she snapped her eyes wide open on her own, before she could be startled awake.

”Hey!” she called out.

Her voice shattered the music in the room. The girl playing the zither nearly struck a wrong note, and the others who were listening jumped in surprise.

”Qi Leyun, what are you doing?” ”If you don’t want to listen, you can just go home.” ”You don’t even know how to play, so why did you insist on coming with us?”

Complaints erupted from all sides.

The girl called Qi Leyun didn’t apologize. Instead, she pointed outside, her voice even louder. ”Look, it’s Chu Zhao!”

Chu Zhao?

The other girls stopped their complaining. The zither player fell silent. They all surged toward the window.

”No way!” ”Didn’t she run away?” ”She must have been captured and brought back!” ”Is she in a prisoner’s cart?”

The girls crowded the window, staring at the figures galloping past on the street below. Even though they could only see their retreating backs, everyone recognized her.

”It really is Chu Zhao.”

”She actually came back.”

”Huh. By the looks of it, she wasn’t dragged back.”

”Look, it seems like she’s heading for the Liang Mansion.”

”Is she going to admit her guilt?”

The girls were practically leaning out of the window. Qi Leyun, the one who had spotted her first, pushed her way out of the crowd.

”Let’s hurry to the Liang Mansion,” she said, her face alight with excitement. ”I want to see Chu Zhao kowtow and beg for forgiveness.”

’This is way more fun than listening to a zither.’

’Life had gotten so boring after Chu Zhao ran away. It’s great that this country bumpkin is back.’

”Miss, are we going to the Liang Mansion?”

Ah Le wasn’t familiar with the Capital City. She had barely gotten to know the Chu Family residence before Chu Zhao cast her aside. The First Madam had also taken a disliking to her and tossed her in with the lowest-ranking servants, locking her in the rear courtyard to do endless loads of laundry.

She had assumed Chu Zhao would head straight for the Chu Family home, but Chu Zhao had said they were going to the Liang Mansion.

’What is the mistress going to the Liang Mansion for?’

’Is she going there to make amends?’

’Yesterday, the master of the house had ordered her to go to the Liang Mansion, but Miss would rather have gone to prison with Deng Yi than obey. Now that she’s free, why is she going to the Liang Mansion willingly?’

Chu Zhao gazed at the street ahead, recalling the way to the Liang Mansion. ”That’s exactly why I’m going to the Liang Mansion—because I don’t have to go to prison.”

Ah Le was only half-sure she understood, but she didn’t ask any more questions. She would follow her mistress wherever she went. Still, she tightened her grip on the reins. ’If the Liang family insults or beats her while she’s apologizing, I absolutely won’t stand by and do nothing,’ she though. ’Even if they tie me up and hand me over to the authorities, I’ll beat them up first.’

The Liang family knew Chu Zhao was back, but they had no idea she was on her way to their home.

In the rear residence, a maidservant carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicine walked gracefully toward a doorway, where a girl of about fourteen or fifteen with willow-like brows and almond-shaped eyes stepped out to greet her.

”Let me take that,” she said softly.

The girl was dressed in a pale yellow gown and wore only a pair of pearl earrings. While not a peerless beauty, she carried herself with a refined, graceful, and dignified air.

Though she was as attentive as a servant, she was no maid of the Liang Family. She was a young lady of the Chu Family.

A young lady from the Chu Family had struck their own young lady, but the maidservant showed no resentment toward this particular Miss Chu. Instead, she yielded politely. ”Miss Ah Tang, you should be resting. I can do it.”

Chu Tang smiled. ”I’ve been resting all morning. Carrying a bowl of medicine is hardly tiring.” With that, she took the bowl.

The maidservant didn’t protest further and followed her into the room. A girl sat on the bed, her brow tightly furrowed. This was the very Miss Liang who Chu Zhao had kicked into the lake, leaving her unconscious and near death.

However, aside from her slightly wan complexion and the melancholic air about her, she looked far from death’s door.

”Ah Tang.” Seeing Chu Tang approach with the medicine, she sat up straighter and reached out her hand. ”You’ve done enough. I can take it myself.”

Chu Tang sat on the edge of the bed. ”This medicine is too bitter. You won’t be able to finish it on your own.”

Miss Liang smiled. ”No wonder my mother can’t bear to let you go. You’re the only one who can handle me.”

Just as she said, Chu Tang began to feed her the medicine personally. A few sips of the bitter liquid would be followed by a piece of candied fruit, a patient and considerate rhythm.

”Don’t say that,” she sighed. ”If my sister hadn’t harmed you, you wouldn’t have to be drinking this bitter medicine at all.”

Miss Liang said quickly, ”Ah Tang, you are you, and Chu Zhao is Chu Zhao. I don’t blame you, and neither does my family.” She took Chu Tang’s hand. ”If anything, we feel more sympathy for you. It must be so difficult, having a sister like that.”

”Difficult or not, what can be done?” Chu Tang said, gently pulling her hand free to offer another spoonful of medicine. ”You can’t get out of drinking this just by holding my hand.”

Miss Liang chuckled, but even as she smiled, the melancholy clouding her features didn’t lift.

”Qin, don’t be sad.” Chu Tang noticed her expression and said earnestly, ”My father promised he won’t let her off easy. Even my uncle can’t be unreasonable in this. She hurt someone and made a mistake, so she must be punished. I swear to you, right here, that if she isn’t punished, I’ll—”

Liang Qin quickly stopped her from making an oath. ”My dear Ah Tang, we’ve known each other for years. Of course I know your heart. This has nothing to do with you.” She sighed softly. ”To be honest, I’m upset for a different reason.”

”Qin, you’re beautiful, talented, and come from an excellent family. What could possibly make you upset?” Chu Tang asked, feigning curiosity.

Liang Qin gave a small, self-deprecating laugh, but she was clearly pleased by the envy in Chu Tang’s eyes and the flattery in her words.

”Everyone has their troubles,” she said, fidgeting slightly. ”My family... they spoke to me about a marriage proposal.”

Chu Tang’s expression was a mixture of surprise, delight, and envy. ”Then it must be a wonderful match between well-matched families!”

Liang Qin nodded. ”Yes, his family background is excellent. It’s just...” She bit her lip. The matter was too shameful to speak of, but keeping it bottled up was suffocating. Finally, gritting her teeth, she whispered, ”The man... he refused. He ran away.”

Chu Tang almost laughed out loud. On the surface, however, her expression turned to one of fury. ”Then he is unworthy of you!” she declared, gripping Liang Qin’s hand. ”This is a blessing in disguise from the heavens, saving you from marrying the wrong man.”

Liang Qin felt a great sense of relief. She explained, ”It’s just so infuriating! The truth is, my family hadn’t even agreed to the match. It’s not like I’m unmarriageable.”

’Chu Tang didn’t believe a word of it. If her family hadn’t been keen on the match, why would she be so upset? No wonder Liang Qin had been so listless and distracted that day. That must be why she let Chu Zhao kick her into the water when she could have easily dodged.’

’Watching over her these past few days, seeing her so listless, I really thought her injuries were severe. Turns out her real wound was from a man.’

She pressed her lips into a faint smile and squeezed Liang Qin’s hand. ”Don’t dwell on it. Your true love is still out there waiting for you.”

Liang Qin nodded, then added a warning, ”Dear sister, you mustn’t tell anyone about this.”

Chu Tang nodded. ”Of course.” ’Of course,’ she thought, ’there are plenty of ways to spread news without saying a word myself.’

Just as the two were sharing this intimate moment, a maidservant burst in, flustered. ”Miss! Miss! That... that Chu Zhao is here!”

Chu Tang and Liang Qin exchanged a look, their expressions a mix of shock, delight, and apprehension.

”She came back yesterday,” Chu Tang said quickly. ”My father had her thrown in a cell to reflect on her actions. She must be here now to apologize and admit her wrongdoing.”

Liang Qin sank back onto the bed and snorted. ”I don’t want to see her.”

...

...

Chu Zhao stood outside the gates of the Liang Mansion as two female servants, who had clearly been alerted to her arrival, eyed her coldly.

”For Miss Chu to grace our mansion with her presence is truly an honor,” they said, their voices dripping with ice.

Chu Zhao nodded. ”I think so, too.”