Ashes to Crown

Chapter 73: Chapter 36: Secret Contemplation

Chu Zhao didn’t know what was happening.

The courtyard gate was locked. Although she could climb over the wall, there was no need to go out.

She was in her room writing a letter to her father. Besides, given the coming turmoil, staying hidden at home was the safest option.

Many people in the Capital City had suffered during that turmoil. Some families, being confidants of the Crown Prince, were deliberately eliminated. Most, however, were simply unlucky—collateral damage caused by the Third Prince, who was trying to escalate the situation by faking a bandit rebellion.

Back then, she and Xiao Xun had just married and were living in a palace outside the Capital City bestowed by the Emperor, waiting to depart for Zhongshan County. When the incident occurred, she had been very worried about her uncle’s family in the city. Fortunately, though Chu Garden was well-known, its remote location was far from the Crown Prince’s residence, and there were no homes of his confidants nearby, so they escaped the disaster.

So, in this life, as long as she stayed put at home, she would be safe.

Chu Zhao paused, her brush in hand. The memory of that turmoil made her heart grow heavy. Although she hadn’t witnessed the tragic events herself, her uncle’s family had come to see her a dozen or so days later, and the accounts from her aunt and Chu Tang were terrifying.

She had felt the impact herself. When she became the Empress and hosted her first banquet, not many people attended. Many of the young ladies she had once known were gone—they had either died in the turmoil or their families had met with misfortune, forcing them to leave the Capital City.

And those were the ones protected by high gates and deep walls. The common people from humbler households suffered even greater casualties.

”Miss?”

Ah Le came in from outside and saw the complex expression on her miss’s face—a mix of anger and sorrow. The brush in her hand was clenched so tightly it creaked.

Startled, she called out softly.

Chu Zhao snapped back to reality. Seeing Ah Le’s worried expression, she quickly reassured her, ”I’m fine, just thinking about some things.”

’Considering everything that’s happened, it’s normal for Miss to be angry,’ Ah Le thought, nodding.

”Young Master Ao Ke hasn’t gone out again; he hasn’t even left his room or his courtyard,” she reported, relaying the movements of the family. ”The master and mistress had an argument, but it was just an argument. There was no mention of doing anything more to you, Miss. Oh, but Miss Ah Tang did go out.”

’She must have gone out to gather information.’ Chu Zhao wasn’t concerned. ’Hearing things only from family wouldn’t be comprehensive enough. Of course Chu Tang would go to her friends to find out more.’

”Also, Mr. Zhang didn’t come looking for me,” Ah Le added.

She had even walked a few laps on the street outside their home, afraid that Zhang Gu might not remember how to find her.

Chu Zhao wasn’t surprised. Ah Jiu’s identity as a secret messenger was confidential; he wouldn’t be found so easily.

”Ah Le,” she called. ”Go out and ask around about someone else for me.”

Ah Le asked eagerly, ”Who, Miss?”

Chu Zhao said, ”Third Young Master Xie, Xie Yanfang.”

’Huh?’ Ah Le was a little surprised. She recalled how her miss had nearly thrown herself off the restaurant balcony when she saw Third Young Master Xie. ’Could it be that Miss is also interested in him?’

’Third Young Master Xie is so famous, and so many young ladies adore him. It’s only natural that my miss would like him too.’

”Miss,” she asked, ”what should I ask about?”

Chu Zhao didn’t know either. In both her past and present life, she had only ever heard his name. ”Anything. As long as it’s about him, it’s fine. The more, and the more detailed, the better.”

Ah Le asked no more questions. With an ”Alright,” she turned and left.

Watching Ah Le deftly vault over the courtyard wall, Chu Zhao sighed, her brows furrowing slightly. ’I have too few people—’

’It’s more than just having too few people. I have no one I can truly use, aside from Ah Le. The number of things and people to investigate is growing, and there’s more and more to be done—’

’At first, all I wanted was to escape the Capital City and the fate of marrying Xiao Xun. I didn’t think about anything else, nor could I have managed it.’

’But now that I’ve been pushed back into the Capital City, I can’t help but think about more, like how I can’t just stand by and watch that turmoil destroy so many innocent people.’

’Besides, if the Crown Prince doesn’t die, Xiao Xun can’t become the Emperor. That would be the only way to completely sever the ties to my previous life’s fate.’

’How can I keep the Crown Prince from dying?’

’If I rush over and tell the Crown Prince that the Third Prince is going to kill his entire family... setting aside whether the Crown Prince would have me dragged out and beheaded as a madwoman, I can’t even get an audience with him in the first place.’

’But there is one person who is easier to see than the Crown Prince, and who is in the best position to change his destiny: Xie Yanfang.’

In terms of connections, he is the Crown Prince’s brother-in-law.

In terms of destiny, he was capable of and dared to defy Xiao Xun’s ascension to the throne, leading a rebellion against him.

In terms of ability, there was even less to say. The man had prestige and power. Right up until her death as Empress, Xiao Xun and the court had still not succeeded in quelling his rebellion.

’If I leak some information to him, hint at the Third Prince’s schemes, Xie Yanfang will surely be able to do something.’

’Once the Crown Prince’s fate is changed, then Xiao Xun’s, Xie Yanfang’s, her own—the fates of many people could all be changed.’

Chu Zhao took a deep breath and focused, trying to carefully recall the details of the Third Prince’s plot against the Crown Prince.

...

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Chu Tang was also trying to recall things carefully, but faced with the expectant gazes of the other girls, she could only shake her head.

”I honestly had no idea she knew so much,” she said helplessly. ”This cousin of mine kept even me in the dark.”

The girls looked displeased.

Qi Leyun went a step further, asking, ”You two didn’t conspire together to make fools of us, did you? One of you pretends to be an ignorant country bumpkin, letting us mock and ridicule her. Then, just when we’re feeling smug, she reveals her true talents, leaving us stunned, looking pathetic and ridiculous.”

That’s how it always goes in the storybooks.

They always laughed when they read such stories, but it wasn’t so funny when they became the characters in one.

Chu Tang gave a bitter smile. ”What good would that do me? Would I do something that doesn’t benefit me?”

’That’s probably true,’ the girls thought, nodding again.

”I’m the same as you all; we’re all ridiculous in her eyes,” Chu Tang said. ”I came out to ask around and get a clear picture so I’d know where we stand. I don’t want my family to be played for fools by her. My poor brother... he’ll never be able to show his face in public again.”

The thought of Chu Ke brought a mix of pity, amusement, and resentment to the girls’ faces.

”What’s the deal with your brother?” ”It really does seem like she’s playing your family for fools.” ”Speaking of which, who’s more talented, you or her?” ”Looking at her calligraphy, Ah Tang, I’d say you fall a bit short.”

Chu Tang sat amongst the girls, letting them tease her. She only replied helplessly, ”In terms of cunning alone, I’m no match for her.”

Qi Leyun snorted. ”You’re both from the Chu Family. How can there be such a big difference?”

This line had previously been used to mock Chu Zhao and flatter Chu Tang. Now that it was reversed, Qi Leyun found it quite effective. She disliked Chu Zhao, but she didn’t care for Chu Tang’s attitude either.

’If Chu Zhao looks down on people openly, then Chu Tang does it secretly.’

And ”people,” in this case, specifically meant her, Qi Leyun.

She didn’t usually say anything, but that didn’t mean she was unaware. Today, she had finally found a chance for revenge.

Chu Tang’s smile was a bit strained. ’So this is the downside of having a formidable female cousin in the family.’ Just as she was about to say something, a young man suddenly approached from the side.

”Excuse me.” He bowed, then looked up at Chu Tang. ”Are you the Chu Family’s Daughter? I overheard your conversation.”

’What does he mean?’ Chu Tang froze. Looking at the man’s expression, she saw he wasn’t exactly a dashing young nobleman; in fact, there was a fierce aura in his eyes—

”No.” Her instincts made her shake her head immediately. ”I’m not.”

The man wasn’t one for pleasantries. Hearing her reply, he bowed again. ”My apologies for disturbing you.” Then he turned and walked away.

The other girls still hadn’t processed what had just happened.

”What was that about?” ”What did he ask?” ”Does he know Ah Tang?”

But Chu Tang didn’t speak. She turned and looked downstairs. The man from before had already descended the stairs, where many other young men were gathered. They were speaking with him, and though their voices were low, the combined sound of the crowd drifted up.

”The Chu Family’s Daughter.” ”That’s what was written outside Wangchun Garden.” ”Then let’s go.” ”I’d like to see what kind of woman she is.”

Then someone else ran in, waving his hand and shouting, ”I found out where the Chu Family’s Daughter lives!” ”Follow me!”

In an instant, all the young men who had been there before surged out.

Chu Tang pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding. She had a very bad feeling about this!