Ashes to Crown

Chapter 108: Chapter 67: The Xie Incident

When he came to Chu Garden that day, he was not, of course, truly acting on the Third Prince’s orders. But after leaving Chu Garden, he immediately went to see the Third Prince.

”The Chu Garden Literary Meeting should be over,” he said to the Third Prince. ”I went to see it for myself. If this continues, it will be detrimental to you, Third Brother.”

The Third Prince sneered. ”Am I afraid of her? What detriment do I have to fear? The Crown Prince is a detriment to me, so should I kill myself out of fear?”

Xiao Xun gave a bitter smile. ”Third Brother, please don’t joke. What I mean is, this commotion can be a good thing or a bad thing. You, Third Brother, must turn it into a good thing.”

The Third Prince glanced at him. ”You’ve always been full of ideas since you were a boy. Go on, tell me. How do we turn this into a good thing?”

”By sharing in the joy, of course, and rejoicing with all under heaven,” Xiao Xun said sincerely. ”You, Third Brother, are magnanimous and tolerant, capable of indulging a mere girl’s antics.”

The Third Prince stared at him coldly. ”I am neither tolerant nor magnanimous.”

”Then handle the business first and teach the little woman a lesson later,” Xiao Xun said with a smile, shuffling forward a few steps on his knees to get closer to the Third Prince. ”Third Brother, Your Majesty is still waiting to see your literary meeting. You must make it lively and joyful so that Your Majesty can also be joyful.”

The Third Prince looked at him, his eyes dark and sinister. ”And you? Are you putting in all this effort for me just to be ’joyful’?”

Xiao Xun gave another bitter smile. ”Third Brother, this whole affair started because of me. If I hadn’t given that submission from the Young Master Chu a second glance that day, none of this would be happening. I made one trip to the Capital City and caused such a huge mess. I’ll never be able to be truly happy in this life. So, yes, I am indeed putting in all this effort so I can be happy again.”

The Third Prince roared with laughter.

He said, ”This matter isn’t your fault. It was instigated by the Crown Prince. He’s the one who incited my imperial sisters to use that little woman to humiliate me.”

Xiao Xun said earnestly, ”That’s why you mustn’t fall into his trap, Third Brother.”

The Third Prince glanced at him. ”Alright, I understand. It wasn’t easy for you to come to the Capital City. I can’t let you be frightened by all this.” With that, he summoned an attendant. ”Bring the name cards.”

Eunuchs entered holding the name cards and presented them to Xiao Xun.

Now, as Xiao Xun stepped through the door once more, his hands were empty. The matter was settled.

The Third Prince still showed no hint of joy. A perfectly good literary meeting had been ruined like this.

”Just you wait,” he said in a cold voice. ”I won’t let a single one of them off the hook!”

He raised an arrow in his hand. With a sharp CRACK, a pot in the distance shattered.

”Your Highness, since you can tolerate the world, then please invite the Crown Prince’s maternal cousin, Third Young Master Xie, to the meeting as well,” Xiao Xun proposed.

The Third Prince was, of course, familiar with the name Xie Yanfang. He also knew he had entered the Capital City, but the Third Prince had no intention of inviting him to the Wangchun Garden literary meeting.

The Crown Prince looked down on his literary meeting, and he, in turn, looked down on the Crown Prince’s people.

But now... ’If I can’t take my anger out on the Crown Prince, his follower can bear the brunt of it.’

”Someone, send him my invitation,” the Third Prince ordered with a sneer, his voice thick with malice. ”If he doesn’t come, it means he has no respect for me. I’ll have him thrown out of the Capital City, never to set foot in it again for the rest of his life.”

Xiao Xun smiled. ”Third Young Master Xie is surely not so foolish as to be ungrateful for your favor.”

A eunuch immediately left with the invitation. He returned in less than an hour, still holding the invitation—

The Third Prince’s expression turned grim. ”He’s just the Crown Prince’s maternal cousin, not the Crown Prince himself. If I killed him right now, the Crown Prince wouldn’t be able to make me pay with my life.”

The eunuch hurriedly said, ”Your Highness, Third Young Master Xie says something has happened at his home, and he is too ashamed to attend Your Highness’s literary meeting.”

Something happened?

Both the Third Prince and Xiao Xun were stunned for a moment. What could have happened to the Xie family?

....

....

The Chu Garden Literary Meeting was over. Chu Garden returned to its usual tranquility, no longer bustling with people and ringing with clamorous voices.

Chu Tang leaned against the railing and sighed softly. ”It’s strangely quiet.”

Her words had barely faded when footsteps and laughter sounded from behind her. Girls were calling out, ”Where’s Ah Zhao?” and ”Chu Zhao, hurry up!”

’Quiet is better,’ Chu Tang thought, turning to face the approaching girls. ”What are you all doing at my house so early? Here for breakfast?”

”Are the refreshments from Drunken Immortal Tower still being delivered?” Qi Leyun asked, rubbing her stomach. ”I’ve gotten used to them. It feels strange now that they’ve suddenly stopped.”

Chu Tang scoffed. ”If they were only delivering for you, it would be quite expensive.”

Qi Leyun grabbed her. ”You little miser! Don’t think I don’t know how much money you made. Hurry up and treat me.”

The other girls also came forward, laughing and teasing.

”Is Sister Ah Tang going to treat us?” Chu Zhao’s voice came from behind.

Chu Tang struggled free from the group of girls. ”I’ve known you all for so long. Who here has ever seen me treat anyone? I’m always the one freeloading off others.”

The girls all burst into laughter.

”Then I’ll treat everyone,” Chu Zhao said with a smile. ”We’re tired of Drunken Immortal Tower. I’ll take you all to Yaqug Pavilion.”

The girls immediately cheered and laughed, while Chu Tang shot a glare at Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao glanced at her and said, ”The money will come from my share.”

Chu Tang’s face instantly bloomed into a radiant smile. ”Wonderful, wonderful! I’m going too.”

The girls laughed again. They all knew that Chu Zhao and Chu Tang had made a good deal of money from the Chu Garden Literary Meeting, so they didn’t stand on ceremony, thronging around Chu Zhao as they headed out the door.

Yaqug Pavilion wasn’t as lively today as it was the last time they came.

Because Third Young Master Xie wasn’t here.

However, the presence of Miss Chu Zhao stirred up a new kind of excitement.

The restaurant staff greeted them enthusiastically. Miss Chu Zhao had booked half of the third floor. Hearing that Chu Zhao was hosting a banquet, other young ladies who were already in the restaurant also came up to take the opportunity to get acquainted.

The third floor was filled with chatter and laughter. The girls played music, composed poetry, and painted with bold strokes, even sending their works down to the guests on the first and second floors for their appreciation.

The guests on the first and second floors all received fine wine from Chu Zhao as a thank-you gift for their critiques. Far from finding the girls’ behavior annoying, they all offered praise.

”One can only imagine how lively the Wangchun Garden literary meeting will be.”

”It’s a pity we can’t participate.”

”But I heard that even if you’re not competing, you can still go and watch.”

”Really? In that case, I can’t miss out on the excitement.”

”Then I should go and toast the Chu Family’s Daughter right now.”

Yaqug Pavilion grew even livelier, and the street outside suddenly became boisterous as well. Crowds of people ran in one direction, and people in the street-side shops all peered the same way.

Although their gatherings now were more than just listening to boring music and exchanging dull pleasantries, Qi Leyun still found her mind wandering to the street scene from time to time. Leaning against the window, she was the first to notice the commotion outside.

”Look, who’s coming?” she called out to the others.

Could it be Third Young Master Xie?

Third Young Master Xie rarely went out. In all the time he’d been in the Capital City, he had only been seen once. He was truly a man known only by his reputation.

At the mention of Third Young Master Xie’s name, the other girls all looked outside, Chu Zhao included. For the past few days, Ah Le had been trying to find out about Third Young Master Xie, but unfortunately, while he had gathered many rumors, they amounted to nothing upon closer inspection—

This Third Young Master Xie’s fame was known throughout the world, yet no one knew the slightest personal detail about him—what he liked, what he did day to day, what he excelled at, who his friends were—nothing at all.

’This is an exceptionally cautious man.’ Chu Zhao became even more determined to get to know him.

”Third Young Master Xie will also attend the Wangchun Garden literary meeting, won’t he?”

”Then we’ll be able to compete in the same event.”

The girls chattered and laughed as they watched the street, spotting a large group of people approaching in the distance.

Was it really Third Young Master Xie on an outing?

”No, it’s not!” Some of the maids who had been sent to gather news returned, their expressions agitated.

Hearing it wasn’t him, more than half of the girls looked away, but they were puzzled. If it wasn’t Third Young Master Xie, why were the maids so worked up?

”But it’s people from Third Young Master Xie’s family!” the maids said excitedly. Then their brows furrowed, and they pressed their hands to their chests, their expressions filled with worry. ”Third Young Master Xie’s family has gotten into terrible trouble. He must be so anxious right now.”