Ashes to Crown

Chapter 137: Chapter 93: Entering the Garden

But their journey to Wangchun Garden was not a smooth one.

The Capital City was under lockdown.

People and carriages were being cleared from the main streets—and right on the route to Wangchun Garden, no less.

Chu Zhao and Chu Tang’s carriage was herded into a side alley, which was now packed solid with people and other vehicles.

”What’s going on?” Chu Tang’s new personal maid asked anxiously from her seat at the front of the carriage.

Ah Le hopped down, navigated the throng to see what was happening, and returned.

”It’s the Crown Prince’s procession,” she said. ”He brought a huge retinue—the Crown Princess Consort and the young prince are with him, too.”

Chu Zhao asked urgently, ”Where are they going? To Wangchun Garden?”

’The Crown Prince didn’t go in my past life.’

’If he’s going to Wangchun Garden, will the Third Prince try to trap them and slaughter everyone? With the Crown Princess Consort and the young prince there, it would be a perfect opportunity to wipe them all out at once. But that’s impossible. Wangchun Garden is too chaotic, too full of people—’

Ah Le shook her head. ”No, it looks like they’re going hunting, or perhaps to a martial competition. There are tons of soldiers and cavalry, and a lot of Mounted Archery Officers.”

A helpful bystander nearby added, ”And that’s not all. They’ve been calling out along the way, saying that any strongmen or skilled mounted archers can come to the Hunting Garden to compete. The winner will be granted an official position by the Crown Prince himself.”

Becoming an official just by winning a contest—that was a much grander gesture than the Third Prince’s literary gathering.

Scholars flocked to the literary gathering hoping to make a name for themselves, but their ultimate goal was much the same: to gain official titles and promotions.

’The Crown Prince is really throwing a wrench in the Third Prince’s plans. He’s blocking the road and his rival’s ambitions all at once.’

’None of this happened in my past life. I never realized the Crown Prince had such an imposing presence. Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention.’

’But is it safe to go hunting?’

’Then again’—Chu Zhao gave a bitter smile—’is it any safer to stay home? In my last life, the Crown Prince was massacred in the Eastern Palace.’

”Ah Zhao, what are you thinking about?” Chu Tang asked.

Chu Zhao’s thoughts were interrupted. She turned to look at Chu Tang, who was sitting beside her.

Chu Tang studied her face intently. ”Is something wrong? Maybe I shouldn’t go, after all.”

Chu Zhao let out a laugh. ”In broad daylight, at such a grand public event? The Third Prince is far more afraid of things going wrong than you are.” With that, she took Chu Tang’s arm and instructed their driver, ”Set off the moment the road is clear.”

After the Crown Prince’s magnificent procession passed, the congested roads finally began to clear. But the sheer volume of people and carriages meant they were stuck in another jam for a long time right outside Wangchun Garden.

Qi Leyun, in a nearby carriage, lifted the curtain. Fanning herself, causing the numerous pearl and jade ornaments in her hair to sway, she remarked, ”Would you call this an inauspicious start for the Third Prince?”

A girl in the next carriage over warned her, ”Don’t speak so freely.”

But Qi Leyun was unfazed. ”I’m not the one who made it inauspicious.”

Just as they were chatting, the road finally cleared. Imperial guard eunuchs arrived to direct traffic and park the carriages. The crowd quieted, no longer daring to joke around, and entered Wangchun Garden in a semblance of order.

Once inside, they realized the traffic jam caused by the Crown Prince’s procession hadn’t dampened the opening atmosphere of the literary gathering at all. This was because the Third Prince had opened up the library in one of the main halls, allowing everyone to browse the collection.

This was the Imperial Family’s private collection, filled with countless rare manuscripts. Scholar and spectator alike could not resist such a temptation. They flooded into the hall, losing themselves in a sea of books. Far from being anxious about the delay, they now wished the road had been blocked even longer so they could have had more time before others arrived.

The books soothed the anxiety of the early arrivals while stoking the fears of the latecomers that they were missing out. The atmosphere in Wangchun Garden was thus both joyous and peaceful.

”The Third Prince is pretty impressive,” Qi Leyun whispered to the other girls.

’Of course the Third Prince is impressive. He’s capable enough to have the Crown Prince killed,’ Chu Zhao thought, not joining the girls’ discussion. ’That kind of impressive is just disgusting!’

Chu Zhao’s gaze swept over the crowd, and she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

”Third Young Master Xie,” she called out.

A nobly dressed young man on the flower-lined path turned around. Looking at the girl, he offered a slight smile that made the blooming summer flowers beside them pale in comparison.

Qi Leyun and the other girls were transfixed. By the time they snapped out of it, Chu Zhao had already run over to him. They watched as Xie Yanfang bowed apologetically to his companions before leading Chu Zhao away.

Qi Leyun stomped her foot in frustration. ”Chu Zhao is keeping him all to herself! We’re supposed to be good friends, but she’s not sharing at all.”

Another girl nodded in agreement, equally displeased. ”Even when she marries into the Xie family, it won’t do us any good. It’s not like we’ll get to see Third Young Master Xie whenever we want.”

The other girls were with her on the first point, but the second left them baffled. Why would she be marrying into the Xie family?

”You think Third Young Master Xie has taken a fancy to her?” ”No way! It’s because of... you-know-who.” ”Xie Yanlai.” ”Wow, you actually remembered his name.” ”Could the rumors be true, then?” ”Impossible. She’s definitely just using this as an excuse to get close to Third Young Master Xie.”

The girls chattered amongst themselves, but Qi Leyun and two others remained silent, their expressions enigmatic.

Before, they would have thought the same thing. But that was before they had seen Xie Yanlai wearing clothes—well, dressed like a proper noble son. That had changed their perspective.

Now, it was just as likely that Chu Zhao was getting close to Third Young Master Xie for Xie Yanlai’s sake.

....

....

”Xie Yanlai isn’t here, is he?”

Chu Zhao asked Xie Yanfang, glancing around.

”I saw him wandering the streets yesterday.”

Xie Yanfang shook his head. ”He’s not here. But he’s started a post at the Forbidden Guard Camp.”

As he said this, he saw the girl’s eyes widen in surprise.

He smiled and added, ”I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. Said he was tired of lying around at home and wanted to go out in public himself, just to see who dared to laugh at him.”

’Who would dare mock him to his face? He’s a son of the Xie family, after all. Those who wanted to gossip and laugh behind his back now have to bite their tongues. They might even have to force themselves to show fake concern for Xie Yanlai’s injuries—’

’Making other people miserable is exactly what he loves to do.’

Chu Zhao smiled, dismissing the thought of Xie Yanlai. ”Third Young Master Xie, what are you doing here?”

Xie Yanfang smiled. ’He was standing right in front of her, yet the first person she asked about was someone else.’

The girl’s expression was solemn, worried, and anxious.

”You should be with the Crown Prince! It’s so dangerous for him to go out alone.”

’Of course, Xie Yanfang knew—and he knew that she also knew—that the Crown Prince wasn’t truly ’alone.’ He was surrounded by people: his guards, his tutors, his Strength Officials, men from the Yang Family, and even men sent by the Emperor himself—’

’What she meant was that, in her eyes, he was the only one truly capable of protecting the Crown Prince.’

He had grown up surrounded by praise and admiration, but looking into her earnest eyes now, he couldn’t help but break into a smile.

He sobered, leaning closer to whisper, ”The Crown Prince has more than enough security. I’m here to personally keep an eye on the Third Prince. With me watching him, I’ll notice if he makes a single unusual move. And it’s not just him. I have people watching the entire Wangchun Garden, and the Zhao Family.”

He looked at Chu Zhao.

”Please, rest assured, Miss Ah Zhao.”

’With Xie Lang watching over a beast like the Third Prince, she could indeed rest easy.’ Chu Zhao smiled and nodded.

The girl looked as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, her joy overflowing. Xie Yanfang couldn’t help but smile in response. ’She’s so happy. Well, I should make her even happier.’

”Miss Ah Zhao,” he said, ”your father’s men have arrived in the Capital City.”

’Father’s men?’ Chu Zhao froze, then asked nervously, ”Who? Did something happen?”

”Don’t worry, your father is fine. It’s not about him,” Xie Yanfang quickly reassured her. ’The Crown Prince said that Chu Ling doesn’t have long to live, so she must know—’

’I can’t frighten her.’

’Just now, her face went deathly pale for a moment, and she’d muttered something about ”it not being time yet”—he wasn’t sure what she meant by that.’

”It’s a Deputy General surnamed Zhong. He came to the Capital to present a memorial to the throne on your father’s behalf,” Xie Yanfang continued to reassure her. ”And... to take you home.”

For a moment, Chu Zhao stopped breathing. She could feel a fireworks display exploding behind her eyes, a bursting dam of emotion.

”Really?” she asked, her voice louder than intended. She stared at Xie Yanfang, her eyes wide, as if his next words held the power of life and death.

Xie Yanfang’s voice softened, as if he were afraid the slightest breeze might shatter the girl before him.

”It’s true. They’re staying at the Capital Camp right now. My men met them personally. They know you’re at the literary gathering and said they wanted to come see you.”

He paused, then softly called her name.

”Ah Zhao, if you want to see them this very instant, I’ll have them brought here right now.”