Ashes to Crown

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Departure

Hearing what Deng Yi said, both the Posthouse Minister and the driver looked visibly relieved and pleased.

”We will be sure to pass on the message,” the driver said. ”The Prince had hoped to have a long talk with you today, Lord Deng, but unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right.”

Deng Yi suddenly smiled, then grew pensive. ’Could it be that back then, it wasn’t that Chu Zhao didn’t want to associate with the Prince Zhongshan Mansion, but that she didn’t want *him* to associate with them?’

’The reports said Chu Ling sent a Deputy General to see Chu Zhao. Did Chu Ling instruct his daughter to do this during their brief meeting?’ He grew somewhat distracted.

”Lord Deng,” the Posthouse Minister said quickly. ”The Prince asks, is now the right time to go to the Capital City?”

Deng Yi snapped back to reality and patted the carriage door. ”This was just my fee for giving the Prince an opportunity to meet Miss Chu. Anything else... will have a separate price.”

The Posthouse Minister didn’t get annoyed. He just smiled. ”But of course, but of course.”

Deng Yi mused for a moment, his gaze turning toward the Capital City. ”Now is indeed a good time to go. His Majesty is in poor health, the Crown Prince’s position is not yet secure, and the Third Prince has come of age. You could say things are getting quite lively.”

The Posthouse Minister said delightedly, ”Then our Princely Heir shall escort Miss Chu to the Capital City.”

This was part of the original arrangement, but Deng Yi gave him a teasing look. ”Your Princely Heir failed to win her favor. Miss Chu won’t agree to his escort.”

The Posthouse Minister sighed. ”Yes, Lord Deng. The Prince anticipated that as well, which is why he asked for your assistance.”

Deng Yi shook his head. ”I can’t persuade Miss Chu. However,” he looked at the Posthouse Minister, ”if it’s a matter that falls within my official duties, rest assured I will not shirk my responsibility.”

With that, he clapped the Posthouse Minister on the shoulder, gestured for his guards to handle the money and valuables, and turned to leave.

The Posthouse Minister didn’t dare try to stop him, and simply stood there, lost in thought.

Deng Yi crossed the noisy rear courtyard. Just as he emerged, a guard stepped forward and whispered, ”Someone has been loitering over here.”

Deng Yi grunted. ”Who?”

’Someone dares to spy on me?’

The guard replied, ”It’s Miss Chu’s maidservant.”

Miss Chu... Deng Yi grew thoughtful.

”I was about to challenge her,” the guard whispered, ”but she was speaking with the Servants and asked for some medicinal herbs.”

The rear courtyard was a chaotic mix of people; anyone could be moving about.

The maidservant had a perfectly valid reason to be there. They had no right to question her, and for a moment, they even hesitated, wondering if they were just overthinking things.

Deng Yi said nothing. Just as he reached his own quarters, he saw a figure standing in the shadows under the eaves.

”Who’s there?” he asked, stopping in his tracks.

The guards following him immediately moved to step forward.

”Lord Deng, it’s me,” Chu Zhao said hastily, stepping out.

Deng Yi looked at the girl, who appeared even more petite and delicate in the darkness, and asked, ”What can I do for you, Miss Chu?”

Chu Zhao offered a curtsy. ”I wouldn’t dare give orders. I have a favor to ask of you, Lord Deng, and have been waiting for your return.”

’So her maid really was tracking my movements in the rear courtyard.’ Deng Yi smiled. ”You’re too kind, Miss Chu. Please, go on.”

Chu Zhao said, ”On the return journey, my cousin and I would like to ride in a carriage. He’s been through so much, his health can’t take much more. Now that I’ve been ’netted’ too, I want to make the journey easier on him. Otherwise, if something were to happen to him, I’d truly become the shame of my family for all time.”

’This girl certainly knows how to make fun of herself.’ Deng Yi smiled faintly.

Having said her piece, Chu Zhao called for Ah Le.

Ah Le stepped forward, carrying a chest.

Chu Zhao continued, ”In any case, this is our family’s affair, and we have burdened you, Lord Deng. I would like to offer this money for no other reason than to allow you and your men to travel a bit more comfortably, to eat and sleep well, and to suffer less from the cold and hardship.”

Deng Yi eyed the chest in the maid’s arms with interest. ’It looks like a fair amount of money and valuables. Not as much as the King of Zhongshan’s, of course, but for a girl like her, it’s a significant sum. And for me, money is money. I’ve never been one to complain that there’s too little.’

’He had experienced this girl’s open-handed generosity before. Impressive. Very impressive. Whether it was a Posthouse Minister, a courtesan, a traveling physician, or a court official like himself, Miss Chu treated everyone equally.’

”You are too kind, Miss Chu,” he said. ”In that case, it would be rude of me to refuse.”

A smile bloomed on the girl’s face in the dim light.

”Thank you, Lord Deng.” Chu Zhao offered another curtsy, then departed cheerfully with Ah Le.

Deng Yi watched them until they disappeared, then entered his room.

The room was brightly lit. A guard placed the chest on the table, opened it, and called out, ”Lord Deng, this is the money that was recovered on the road.”

Deng Yi walked over, glanced inside, and smiled. ”So it is.” He reached in and sifted through the money and jewels, picking up a hairpin. ”I recall Young Master Chu saying this was from his mother’s dowry.”

The guard nodded. ”Yes. Miss Chu gave it to that courtesan.” He then looked at Deng Yi with a peculiar expression. ”Miss Chu gave this to you, Lord Deng... Does Young Master Chu know?”

Young Master Chu didn’t seem like that type of person.

’Surely Miss Chu didn’t steal it again?!’

Deng Yi suddenly burst out laughing, a rare occurrence for him. He twirled the jeweled hairpin in his hand before tossing it back into the chest. ”Then that’s none of my business. I just accept the payment. Where the money comes from is irrelevant to me.”

...

...

The next day, when it was time to depart, Chu Ke, who had been sulking and reluctant, was suddenly overcome with delight when he saw two spacious carriages with large, sturdy wheels.

”Is this for me?” he asked.

”For us,” Chu Zhao corrected, watching Ah Le load their belongings onto the carriage. ”We’ll share one.”

The carriage would be a little cramped with two people. Chu Ke frowned. ”Then what about the other one?”

”That one is for Lord Deng,” Chu Zhao said, looking at him. ”Would you prefer to ride with Lord Deng, or would you prefer that I ride with him?”

Chu Ke was furious. ’I’d rather make you run alongside the carriage!’ He ignored Chu Zhao and started urging the servants to load their things. Chu Zhao paid him no mind, climbing into the carriage with Ah Le. She had little luggage and traveled light. She heard a flurry of activity outside, which was soon followed by Chu Ke’s loud shout—

A moment later, there was a sound of stomping footsteps, the carriage curtain was violently flung open, and Chu Ke’s contorted face appeared.

”Where’s my money! My chest of money, where is it?” he yelled. ”Chu Zhao, did you steal it again?”

Without even looking at him, Chu Zhao said, ”I didn’t.” She then pointed to the space around her. ”If you don’t believe me, search for yourself.”

Even though a single glance told him it wasn’t there, Chu Ke still huffily rummaged through Chu Zhao’s couple of bags. Of course, he found nothing.

”You... It must have been you who stole it,” he fumed, his eyes turning red with anger. ”Where did you hide it?”

Chu Zhao said, ”Cousin, we’re so far from home. What good would it do me to hide it here? Am I supposed to wait for it to multiply on its own?”

Chu Ke shot her a vicious glare, leaped from the carriage, and began searching for the money everywhere, throwing the entire posthouse into a chaotic uproar. The guests coming and going from the posthouse were mostly officials on business, and they certainly weren’t about to let him search their belongings at will. He nearly caused a serious incident.

Chu Zhao finally shouted for him to stop.

”Or, you could report it to the authorities. Let the local government investigate, and you can stay here and wait for the result.”

Chu Ke felt as if he had endured a lifetime of suffering. The young man was finally learning the true meaning of the saying, ”A thousand days at home are wonderful, but a single day on the road is fraught with hardship.” He didn’t want to spend another moment away from home and wished he could fly back instantly.

”Forget it,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. ”It’s all my fault. I lost it. I can’t blame anyone else.”

With that, he climbed back into the carriage and collapsed onto the cushions.

Chu Zhao tried to console him again. ”Besides, I was the one who stole that money in the first place, and I’ve already spent it all. It has nothing to do with you. Doesn’t thinking of it that way make you feel better?”

’Better my ass!’ Chu Ke was so furious he almost fainted. He yanked a blanket over his head. ’When I get back to the Capital City, I’ll have the Liang Family deal with Chu Zhao. And after they’re done with her, I’ll have Mom and Dad send this menace back to the Border County for good.’

’If she stays in the Capital City any longer, she’ll be the death of me! What’s the point of a great future if I’m not alive to see it!’

The carriage compartment fell quiet. Deng Yi glanced toward Miss Chu, who sat by her window, her expression calm, as if nothing had happened.

Miss Chu smiled at him.

He smiled back, withdrew his gaze, and raised a hand to signal his guards. ”Let’s move out.”