Ashes to Crown

Chapter 157: Chapter 111: Bizarre

The atmosphere was a little strange.

Chu Zhao noticed it too. Uncle Zhong seemed displeased to see these people, and the girl’s attitude toward him wasn’t much better.

But one thing was certain: they definitely knew each other.

Good. That put Chu Zhao at ease.

Zhong Changrong was clearly relieved as well. Ignoring the girl’s attitude, he led the men behind him and charged into the alley to fight.

The fighting ended quickly.

The girl stood by the side of the road with her head turned away. She snorted and said, ”This place was surrounded a long time ago—”

She glanced at Zhong Changrong.

”If we’d been waiting for you, she’d be long dead.”

Having fought them himself, Zhong Changrong knew how skilled these assailants were. He didn’t deny it. His heart was filled with lingering fear, and his eyes showed nothing but remorse and self-blame.

”Ah Zhao, to think your life in the Capital City is so dangerous,” he murmured.

’No wonder Ah Zhao was so desperate to return to the Border County. It’s all my fault. I never should have stopped her.’

’If it weren’t for—’ He glanced at the girl, whose head was still turned away. ’—I would never have seen Ah Zhao again. I can’t even imagine what the General would do if he found out.’

Seeing Uncle Zhong looking as though he wanted to fall on his own sword, Chu Zhao quickly said, ”Uncle Zhong, this was just an accident. It’s not usually this dangerous for me.”

’An accident?’

The girl whistled from the side. ”I wouldn’t be so sure about ’other times.’ Miss Chu Zhao, your great reputation was built on fighting, wasn’t it?”

’That’s right. All along the road, he’d heard of his lady’s formidable reputation. As a man who had led soldiers for many years, Zhong Changrong knew how difficult it was to earn such renown. Especially with the General having been dormant in the Capital City for years, she was all alone, a newcomer. To gain such a name for herself, he couldn’t imagine how much she must have been wronged, harassed, and humiliated—’

’Zhong Changrong recalled what he’d heard at an old friend’s home earlier today: how the Chu Garden Literary Meeting began, how Miss Ah Zhao had been berated by those men, forced to lower her head and sign her name in defeat again and again—’

’At the time, he’d nearly drawn his blade and charged out to cut them down. Was the General’s daughter, the one he had raised so preciously, meant to be humiliated like this?’

’He hated himself even more. Back then, his lady had cried her eyes out, begging to return to the Border County, saying that home was wherever her father was. And yet, he had been so heartless—’

Seeing the scar on Zhong Changrong’s face contort, the girl beside them grew even more delighted. ”And another thing, you—”

”That’s enough,” Chu Zhao cut her off. ”You don’t know what you’re talking about, so don’t run your mouth. It’s not that serious at all.”

The girl shot her a fierce glare. ”Who are you to tell me what to do!”

She turned to face her directly. In the torchlight, Chu Zhao got a clear look at her. She was a cute, round-faced girl of about fifteen or sixteen, but her eyes were truly fierce—

Of course, Chu Zhao wasn’t afraid of her. ”You’re not me. You’re wrong about my life, so of course I’m going to step in.”

Xiao Man was left speechless, momentarily at a loss for a comeback. A young boy popped up beside her, giggling.

”What are you laughing at?” Xiao Man snapped, taking her frustration out on him. ”Is the cleanup done? Did any of them get away? You’ve clearly got too much time on your hands.”

Little Rabbit wasn’t the least bit afraid of her. He grinned at Chu Zhao. ”Big Sis Chu Zhao is really amazing.”

’He’s already calling me ”Big Sis”?’ Chu Zhao smiled at him, not wanting to argue about such things. ’Internal conflicts could be dealt with later.’ She turned to Zhong Changrong. ”Uncle Zhong, this is a matter of utmost urgency. Those men weren’t here for the Chu family—they came for this.”

Zhong Changrong suppressed his emotions and focused his attention on Chu Zhao.

”Uncle Zhong, this is—” Chu Zhao gestured to the child in front of her. ”...His Little Highness.”

’His Little Highness?’ Only then did Zhong Changrong’s gaze fall upon the child.

He had, of course, noticed from the start that his lady was with a child of about six or seven, but he hadn’t paid it any mind.

It was a little girl in a floral dress. Though her hair and clothes were somewhat disheveled, they couldn’t hide her delicate, doll-like features. It was clear at a glance that she came from a wealthy and noble family.

But upon closer inspection, he saw it was a boy disguised as a girl.

’His Little Highness? From where? In the Great Xia today, there weren’t many who could be called ”Highness”—’

”And this is—” Chu Zhao pointed to the old woman behind her.

’Truth be told, she didn’t know who he was either—’

The old woman dismounted her horse and bowed to Zhong Changrong. ”Vice General Zhong.”

Zhong Changrong looked at the old woman—dressed in a floral blouse and matching headscarf, with a kind, pale face—who spoke with a man’s voice. ’Alright, another disguise,’ he thought.

”You—” he began, his guard up.

”Vice General Zhong,” said Eunuch Qi, ”I am Qi Xuan, from His Majesty’s personal retinue. Do you still remember me?”

’From His Majesty’s side?’ Zhong Changrong froze, staring at the eunuch’s face before recognition dawned. ”You’re Eunuch Qi!”

Tears welled in Eunuch Qi’s eyes. ”It is I, this old servant. Vice General Zhong, it has been many years.”

’Many years,’ Zhong Changrong lamented internally. ’It’s been almost twenty years.’

”Eunuch Qi, you’ve gotten so old,” he sighed.

Eunuch Qi chuckled. ”And you, the little brat who broke His Majesty’s vase and tried to hide the pieces under your bottom, have turned into a grizzled warrior.”

Recalling the embarrassing old story, Zhong Changrong chuckled. ’Ah, those were the days... best not to dwell on them.’ He reined in his thoughts and looked at the child before Chu Zhao. ”Then this must be—”

His expression was one of astonishment; he had already guessed.

Eunuch Qi nodded, his expression mournful. ”He is the son of the Crown Prince.”

’Now,’ he thought, ’he should be called the Crown Prince’s orphaned son.’

”What in the world has happened?” Zhong Changrong asked urgently.

...

...

”What’s the situation?”

Xiao Xun stood up and looked outside.

Tie Ying was already getting impatient. ”Why isn’t there any news yet? Chu Lan is taking too long.”

Xiao Xun said, ”He probably needs to think it over. After all, it’s the first time in his life he’s been entrusted with such great expectations.”

”But Your Highness explained everything to him so clearly,” Tie Ying said, pleading again. ”Your Highness, let me go.”

Xiao Xun gazed into the night. No matter how deep, the night would eventually pass. It was already a little brighter than before.

There was still no news from the Imperial Palace either.

’However, if the situation outside is resolved, then it won’t matter if there’s no word from the Imperial Palace.’

’The Emperor will have no other choice.’

”Alright,” he nodded. ”Go.”

Just as Tie Ying was about to leave, Ning Kun hurried in from outside. ”Your Highness, a message has arrived from the palace!”

’News from the palace?’ Tie Ying thought. ’If the Princely Heir is summoned to the palace, I definitely can’t leave.’ He stopped at once and stood by Xiao Xun’s side, watching Ning Kun lead someone inside.

The man was a wretched sight, his clothes stained with a good deal of blood. It had clearly been difficult to get a message out of the palace.

”Your Highness,” he said, pulling a scroll from within his robes. ”This is from Deng Yi, Grand Tutor Deng, for you.”

’Deng Yi, Grand Tutor Deng.’

Xiao Xun and the others noted the title with some surprise.

’We thought it was impressive enough that Deng Yi was guarding a gate in the Inner Palace,’ Xiao Xun mused. ’I never expected him to leap all the way to Grand Tutor. The title must be a new appointment.’

”This Deng Yi is truly something else,” he remarked. ”To have actually gained His Majesty’s trust.”

Ning Kun marveled once more. ”The Prince truly has a keen eye for talent.”

Xiao Xun said, ”I am not my father’s equal.”

’From his own dealings with the man, he knew this minor figure Deng Yi was no ordinary person, but he never imagined he could scheme his way up to the rank of Grand Tutor.’

’He recalled his father repeatedly bestowing lavish gifts of money on Deng Yi. The man truly had foresight.’

’His thoughts then turned to his father’s attitude toward Chu Zhao and his repeated wish for Xiao Xun to marry her. Did he value Chu Ling, or the young woman Chu Zhao herself?’

’Could it be that Chu Zhao is another Deng Yi?’

”Your Highness,” Ning Kun prompted, ”please, see what it says.”

The scroll was imperial yellow—it was an imperial edict.

The messenger added, ”Grand Tutor Deng says that as long as Your Highness sends out the edict, he will personally come to welcome you into the palace.”

’Those words... did not sound promising.’

Xiao Xun’s brow furrowed slightly as he took the scroll and unrolled it.

It was indeed an imperial edict, bearing the impression of the Jade Seal.

But the contents—

With a single glance, Xiao Xun, a man who rarely showed either great joy or great anger, flew into a rage and slammed the imperial edict to the ground.

”That low-life deserves to die!”