Ashes to Crown

Chapter 99: Chapter 58: This Person

The woman in the water wore a pale yellow dress, the most fashionable style in the Capital City. It was layered and tiered, resembling a yellow peony.

But the woman struggled so violently that the yellow peony bobbed up and down, a pitiful sight.

Xiao Xun knew the girl was terrified of water; he’d learned that the last time. The last time, he was only saving her, with no other intentions, so he had immediately lifted her up. This time, however, Xiao Xun was determined to teach her a lesson—by letting her swallow a few more mouthfuls of water.

’She won’t thank me for saving her life anyway.’

It was like that last time, and it would surely be the same this time. Xiao Xun knew that much for certain.

It didn’t matter. He hadn’t wanted her gratitude last time, and he didn’t want it this time either.

He just wanted everyone to see him save her. That was all.

He was sitting in the spot Chu Lan had arranged, the one closest to where she would fall in, and watched with his own eyes as the girl and another girl approached. The butler beside him said that was their family’s eldest young miss.

”Miss Ah Tang is the most reliable,” the butler said with a hint of a boast. ”Miss Ah Zhao has already been coaxed by her into being completely obedient.”

’Obedient?’ Xiao Xun thought. ’I doubt that word even exists in that girl’s mind.’

Still, no matter how temperamental someone was, they liked to be coaxed. With enough effort, anyone could be won over.

The two girls walked past, talking and laughing. Not long after, a scream rang out, followed by someone falling into the water—

’It’s starting.’

Xiao Xun rose to his feet at the same moment. Tie Ying grabbed his arm, leaped down with him from the high pavilion, and then flung him. Using the momentum, Xiao Xun flew into the lake.

At that moment, Chu Lan’s butler was still standing in the pavilion, not having processed what had just happened.

The yellow peony had already sunk. Only then did Xiao Xun dive under the surface. He reached out and caught the sinking girl—

Just like before, having suddenly grasped a lifeline, the girl wrapped around him like a water snake.

Xiao Xun threw a punch. The girl’s head snapped back, her temple hair flying, revealing her face.

Underwater, Xiao Xun’s eyes flew wide open.

’Her!’

...

...

Chu Tang’s eyes were wide, her face flushed red from lack of air.

She couldn’t make a sound. A hand was clamped tightly over her mouth, and she couldn’t move because another hand was pinning her in a crevice of the rockery.

Chu Tang heard a SPLASH from outside, followed by Ah Le’s scream, the clamor of voices, and then another SPLASH.

Everything was going just as she had imagined.

The only difference was that in her imagination, she was supposed to be in the water right now, not pinned in a rockery crevice by Chu Zhao.

She hadn’t even had time to process what had happened.

She had discussed it with her parents. She would be the one to lure Chu Zhao over, which would allow her to learn the location her parents had chosen for the ”accident.”

Once the Heir of Zhongshan King arrived and she received the signal, she was to call Chu Zhao over, stall her near the designated spot, and then walk over and fall into the water herself.

To make it foolproof, she had even worn the same style of dress as Chu Zhao’s underneath her clothes.

But she had just handed the account book to Chu Zhao, telling her to look at it there, and was making an excuse to go get something. She never expected that the moment she turned around, Chu Zhao would grab her, drag her behind the rockery, and shove her into a crevice.

Though shocked, Chu Tang wasn’t a fool. In that instant, she understood: Chu Zhao knew everything.

’I was wrong!’ She shook her head, making muffled sounds.

Amazingly, Chu Zhao seemed to understand. She smiled at her and moved the hand covering her mouth.

Chu Tang gasped for air, but aside from panting, she didn’t scream, cry out, or speak. She just listened to Ah Le’s shrill cry from outside.

”Miss—”

...

...

Standing by the lake, Ah Le stomped her feet in a panic. After her first cry of ”Miss,” the rest of her shouts were just ”Help!” and panicked screams, which continued until the drowning woman was lifted out of the water.

A crowd surged over from all corners of the garden. Everyone’s gaze was filled with anxious concern, and when they saw this scene, they all let out a cheer.

Ah Le cried out ”Miss” again, but this time she wasn’t looking at the water. She was looking behind her.

”Miss—” she shouted. ”Sister Linglong has been rescued—”

The onlookers were stunned for a moment. ’Linglong?’

’Who’s Linglong?’

’Wasn’t it Chu Zhao who fell in?’

Everyone’s gaze followed Ah Le’s to the back, where they saw Chu Zhao walk out from behind a nearby rockery, still holding a rolled-up account book, a look of shock on her face.

”What’s going on?” she shouted. ”Ah Tang and I were checking the accounts! Didn’t I tell you all to go watch the event first?”

”We were just about to go!” Ah Le yelled at the top of her lungs. ”We were in such a hurry, afraid we’d be late, so we were walking really fast, and Sister Linglong missed her step and fell into the lake!”

Chu Zhao had already rushed over to the edge of the lake, looking at the rescued person being brought to the bank, and at the rescuer.

”Thank goodness someone saved Sister Linglong!” Ah Le shouted again from behind her. ”I wonder who this hero is!”

Since the person who fell in wasn’t Chu Zhao, the onlookers relaxed considerably. And now that the maid had been rescued, everyone’s attention turned to the one who saved her.

’Who is he?’

’Such a fast reaction.’

’He dove in so decisively.’

’He’s clearly an excellent swimmer. He brought her to the surface in just a few moves.’

It was a young gentleman. His white brocade robes billowed in the water like clouds, and his jet-black hair floated behind him, revealing a smooth forehead and a high-bridged nose. His lips were pressed together, forming two deep dimples on his cheeks, making him look like a river god.

Many people came and went through Chu Garden, and anyone with outstanding talent or looks was usually remembered. But this young man was a new face.

’I wonder which noble family he’s from?’

Chu Zhao stood on the bank, looking down at the man in the water, her expression one of astonishment. ”Princely Heir!”

’Princely Heir?’

The people around them froze when they heard this.

The line of the Great Xia Emperor had always produced few heirs, so not many could be called ”Princely Heir.” The title was even rarer in the Capital City. Could it be—

”The Heir of Zhongshan King!” Ah Le shouted right after Chu Zhao, her voice loud enough for the entire Chu Garden to hear. ”It’s you!”

The Heir of Zhongshan King! It’s actually the Heir of Zhongshan King!

The Heir of Zhongshan King has come to Chu Garden!

Chu Garden erupted in an uproar.

...

...

The commotion flew over walls and rooftops, reaching Chu Lan’s study. Chu Lan, who had already retreated to the doorway, took another step back.

The butler was terrified, and Jiang Family was also at a loss.

”Master, you should hurry over,” they urged.

”At a time like this, what’s the point of going over?” Chu Lan muttered.

Things had happened as planned, but they were also completely different. The one who fell in the water wasn’t Chu Zhao, and Xiao Xun, who was supposed to just watch from the sidelines, had actually jumped in to save someone.

”No matter what, the Princely Heir saved someone. As the hosts, we should go and express our thanks,” said Jiang Family. ”We must treat him as a guest of honor.”

Although Chu Lan hadn’t figured out exactly what went wrong, he guessed the entire affair was compromised. He flicked his sleeve. ”I don’t know anything! Just say I’m ill and can’t see anyone!”

...

...

But even without Chu Lan and his wife, Chu Garden was able to handle the situation properly.

After identifying the rescuer, Chu Zhao had the servants immediately pull Xiao Xun out of the lake and take him indoors, while also summoning a doctor to examine him.

Chu Garden had hired a doctor from the very first day of the literary conference. He was meant to deal with brawls, or cases of people harming themselves after losing or going mad after winning. None of that had happened, but the doctor finally had a use.

Chu Zhao then had Ah Le ”invite” the butler over. Chu Lan could hide, but the butler couldn’t.

When the butler arrived, he was forced to admit, ”The Princely Heir is here for the literary conference, not to arrest or reprimand anyone. He has already met with the master, and the master is aware of his presence.” This reassured the crowd.

It made sense. The crowd calmed down. If the Heir of Zhongshan King were here on orders to arrest someone, why would he bother with someone from Chu Garden falling into the water? He’d just let them drown, and good riddance.

No one in Chu Garden tried to flee, and the panic subsided. The crowd began to discuss the events with curiosity and excitement, looking toward the room where Xiao Xun was, hoping to catch another glimpse of him.