Ashes to Crown

Chapter 84: Chapter 45: The Women, Part 2

It sounded a bit convoluted, but Chu Tang understood. Surprise filled her expression again as her gaze shifted to the maidservants.

The maidservants, quick on the uptake, immediately surrounded Chu Tang with paper and brushes.

Chu Tang took the opportunity to glance at the papers. She had been clever since childhood. In addition to the four arts—zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—she had also learned to manage the household from her mother, a woman of the Jiang family, at an early age. ’Only by keeping a firm grip on the money can you keep a firm grip on the family.’ This was a lesson she had learned long ago, so she knew what these documents were at a single glance.

These were the total expenses—and income—for the Chu Garden Literary Meeting.

In fact, from the moment the servant announced to Qi Leyun and the other girls that the refreshments were ”a special selection from the Drunken Immortal Tower,” she had suspected there was a major business venture at play.

”Let me manage this?” she said, tearing her eyes away from the papers to look at Chu Zhao. ”Ah Zhao, do you have any idea what this is—”

Before she could finish, Chu Zhao cut her off with a wave of her hand. ”The only thing I care about is the competition. Everything else is irrelevant to me. But these things have to be done for the competition to continue. So now it’s settled. You can handle the matters unrelated to the competition, and I can focus on my own business.”

Chu Tang’s gaze fell back to the papers. Seeing the numbers written on them, her hand, hanging at her side, involuntarily clenched into a fist.

”You trust me that much?” she asked, looking at Chu Zhao again, her tone serious. ”If I’m the one managing this, you can’t blame me whether it goes well or not.”

Chu Zhao smiled. ”Of course, I trust you. This is beneficial for you. I’m confident that, for your own sake, you’ll do an excellent job.”

With that, she patted Chu Tang’s hand.

”You handle your business, and I’ll go handle mine. It’s a win-win for both of us. Isn’t that perfect?”

She rose and walked away. Instead of picking up her book again, she went to the entrance of the hall and called out in a loud voice, ”Is everyone ready for today? Let’s see who comes out on top!”

The competition had lost its earlier scholarly refinement. Shouts and jeers erupted from the crowd.

”What’s there to see? You’re just a little girl, you’re no match for us.”

”You little brat from the Chu Family, let me show you what true scholarship is!”

Chu Zhao walked out slowly, facing the clamor. On the platform by the lake outside the hall, two seating areas had been prepared.

Chu Tang stood indoors, watching the girl take her seat with an unhurried grace. Then, she withdrew her gaze, turned, and sat down in a chair within the hall.

”Put everything here. I’ll take a look.”

The maidservants acknowledged with a ”yes,” set down the papers, and brought over counting rods, brushes, and ink. They then stood aside, waiting quietly for instructions.

...

...

After that first day, Qi Leyun and her friends started coming every day.

”That Chu Zhao... honestly,” Qi Leyun vented to her family. ”She just keeps losing, again and again. I don’t understand why she doesn’t just stop. It’s embarrassing for us just to watch her.”

’Oh, they’re just watching? Well, that’s fine, then. Seeing the Chu Family’s Daughter embarrass herself could be considered avenging the Third Prince. He couldn’t possibly blame mere spectators for watching a spectacle.’ With this thought, the adults in their families were reassured and no longer restricted the girls.

And so, even more girls started showing up to watch the spectacle.

Four servants carried a large table and set it up in Haitang Pavilion. The place was now too crowded to seat everyone; many of the girls had to stand in the covered walkways.

”Who’s treating everyone today?” Chu Tang came over with a smile. ”This must be costing quite a bit.”

”We’re all splitting the cost!” Qi Leyun announced loudly. Then, her face broke into a wide grin. ”I can’t believe it’s even cheaper than the Drunken Immortal Tower.”

Chu Tang laughed. ”You think this is cheap? I’ll have them make it even cheaper. For everyone who paid today, tomorrow’s table will be on the house.”

The girls were all delighted. It wasn’t that any of them were short on money, but it was a matter of prestige.

Qi Leyun clapped her hands. ”Ah Tang, you’re so thoughtful!”

But not everyone found Chu Tang so thoughtful. One girl, half-hiding her face with a fan, chuckled softly. ”Ah Tang, you’re the host. Why not be more generous? It would be much better if you didn’t charge us at all.”

Chu Tang sighed with a smile. ”I’d love to.” She pressed a hand to her chest. ”But alas, my hands are tied.” As she spoke, she glanced toward Tingyu Hall. ”I’m not exactly the one in charge here.”

’That’s right, Chu Zhao started all this.’ Qi Leyun shot the other girl a glare. ”Ah Tang is in a pitiful enough position as it is. First, she had no choice but to stay with my family, and now she’s been roped into working for Chu Zhao.”

The other girl glared back at Qi Leyun. ’What an idiot,’ she thought.

She lowered her fan and fixed her gaze on Chu Tang. ”Ah Tang, none of this has anything to do with you. Why put up with this nonsense? If you’re tired of living with the Qi Family, you can always come to my place. My father gifted me my own residence. You could come live with me.”

’Let’s see how you answer this one, Chu Tang,’ she thought. ’Putting on this act of being forced to work, talking about lowering prices and doing favors... Qi Leyun might be a fool, but I’m not. My family owns three restaurants. The refreshments here in Chu Garden are being served nonstop, like a flowing river. I can practically calculate the daily profit in my head.’