Ashes to Crown

Chapter 112: Chapter 70: Bewilderment

Xie Yanlai knew just how crazy this girl could be. First, she’d beaten people up, stolen money, and put on an act. Then, she’d provoked the Third Prince by organizing that Chu Garden Literary Meeting.

But this girl wasn’t some reckless brute; she was cunning and knew how to read a situation.

If she had seen him earlier at Yaqug Pavilion, Xie Yanlai was certain she would have jumped out, grabbed him, and shouted his name.

Because she was convinced she could keep blackmailing him, making him her errand boy to deliver a letter to her father.

But now, he was no longer that glamorous Young Master Xie, surrounded by admirers in a restaurant. He was still a Young Master Xie, yes, but he was also being publicly berated on the street under everyone’s gaze, his reputation in tatters, utterly disgraced.

At a time like this, not even a lunatic or an idiot would want to get involved with him.

’This damn girl has lost her mind!’

’Even if she still planned to use him, wouldn’t it be better to just watch the show from upstairs and wait for another chance?’

Xie Yanlai glared fiercely at the girl before him, and she looked back at him.

”So you’re from the Xie family,” she said, a faint, unreadable smile on her face. ”No wonder you were so secretive.”

’Is this really the time? She’s still talking about that?’

”Chu—” Xie Yanlai lowered his voice, grinding his teeth. ”You ran out here just to tell me that?”

He looked at her, his phoenix eyes filled with mockery.

”Did all those competitions break your brain?”

’This kid, still as sharp-tongued as ever!’ Chu Zhao thought, raising an eyebrow.

...

...

The clamor on the street died down. Countless gazes froze on the young man and the girl, no one sure what was happening.

”Who is that?” ”Is she the young master’s sister?” ”His wife?”

Many people whispered amongst themselves.

This girl was no longer an unknown, and someone quickly recognized her.

”It’s Miss Chu.” ”The Miss Chu from the Chu Garden Literary Meeting.” ”Who’s that?” ”Her? Oh, she’s something else.”

Many people immediately started explaining to those who didn’t know.

”Her father is Chu Ling. You all know Chu Ling, right?”

”Never heard of him. Does that mean she’s also the child of some powerful official?”

”Not exactly. This Miss Chu is formidable on her own, it has nothing to do with her father.” ”She’s done some incredible things herself. Though, her father is also quite amazing. It’s a long story—”

”Then make it short.”

The new recruit grabbed Zhang Gu, swaying left and right as he listened to the cacophony of explanations. His eyes shone with excitement. ’Amazing! In the Capital City, even a random girl who runs out onto the street has so many stories.’

At first, he had also thought she was the young man’s lover.

”So it’s the Chu Family’s Daughter.” ”But why did Miss Chu run out?” ”She probably couldn’t stand such a bloody scene.” ”It’s what you’d expect from a girl. The more talented and educated they are, the less they can stomach things like this.”

The new recruit heard this and nodded enthusiastically in agreement. But when he looked at Zhang Gu beside him, his expression was even stranger. He seemed both relieved and more nervous, his hands clasped tightly together, his eyes even shimmering with unshed tears—

Zhang Gu didn’t know how to describe his feelings. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, a hundred feelings all at once.

’I can’t believe Miss Chu is here too.’

’The lovers have finally met.’

’But to meet under such circumstances... how heartbroken she must be.’

While the crowd on the street murmured, the girls in the restaurant were also stunned.

”She didn’t just want a better view from the street?” Qi Leyun grabbed the railing, leaning out to get a better look, making sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her.

She had been staring intently. She saw Chu Zhao rush down, push through the crowd, and run right up to the young man. Then Chu Zhao spread her arms to shield him. After that, the young man turned and pulled Chu Zhao behind him, sheltering her.

The girls were instantly silent.

Qi Leyun turned to Chu Tang, asking the question on everyone’s mind: ”Does she know this Xie Yanlai?”

Chu Tang covered her face with her hand and said, ”What? I didn’t see anything. I don’t know anything, either. She hasn’t been in the Capital City for long, and we’re not actually that close.”

What? The girls erupted in an uproar.

’What is going on!’

If they didn’t know each other, what was Chu Zhao doing?

The young masters by the window were also stunned. Liang Qiang’s hand, holding his teacup, was frozen in place. He stared in disbelief at the girl on the street—or rather, where she should be. The young man was too tall and was blocking his view.

At first, he hadn’t even recognized that it was Chu Zhao. When he saw a girl suddenly rush out and shield the young man, he’d scoffed, wondering which love-struck maiden had lost her mind—

Everything happened so fast. Before he could get a clear look at the girl, she was pulled behind the young man for protection.

It wasn’t until the buzz of discussion started and he heard Chu Zhao’s name that he realized.

”This is impossible!” he said through gritted teeth, staring intently at the two on the street.

’How could Chu Zhao protect that animal, that degenerate, that murderer and arsonist from the Xie family!’

’Chu Zhao is supposed to admire a young master like me—one with an upright background, skilled in both literature and martial arts, diligent, studious, humble, and poised!’

’That girl can’t be Chu Zhao! She must just look like her. Or maybe it’s the other Miss Chu, that... what’s-her-name... Chu Tang!’

The surrounding tide of discussion and shifting emotions seemed to stretch on, but in reality, it all happened in an instant.

In that same instant, the middle-aged man holding the whip was first shocked, then immediately informed by an attendant behind him: ”Chu Ling’s daughter.”

’Chu Ling’s daughter!’

The middle-aged man looked at the girl being sheltered by the young man.

”Miss Chu,” he asked in a deep voice. ”What do you think you are doing?”

...

...

Chu Zhao pulled her glare away from Xie Yanlai, gave him a shove, and stepped in front of the middle-aged man.

”I don’t think what you’re doing is right,” she said.

’Not right?’

The middle-aged man let out a humorless laugh. ”What do you mean, Miss Chu? Do you think it’s wrong for us to punish a family disciple who has taken so many lives? Or perhaps—” He gave a meaningful smile. ”—you feel that such heinous crimes are no big deal?”

The surrounding crowd burst into an uproar. Qi Leyun and the other girls forgot all about interrogating Chu Tang, while Liang Qiang, standing by the window, clenched his fists—

Behind the girl, Xie Yanlai sneered. ”Serves you right. You brought this on yourself.”

His voice was low enough that only the two of them could hear.

Chu Zhao ignored him. She paid no mind to the crowd’s uproar, nor did she show any anger at the middle-aged man’s provocation.

’What a joke,’ she thought. ’I, Chu Zhao, have died once already and just survived the Chu Garden Literary Meeting. This is nothing.’

”My meaning is, what your Xie family is doing is wrong,” she said. ”If you want to punish a disciple who has done wrong, you can just lock him up and punish him in private. Why must you make a public spectacle of it?”

The middle-aged man frowned. ”This boy committed a wicked deed and ruined the reputation of my Xie family. Of course we must announce it to the world and parade him through the streets in shame! The Xie family will never tolerate such behavior. How is this ’making a spectacle’? Are you suggesting, Miss Chu, that the world does not deserve to see this? That the Xie family should just punish him behind closed doors and hide the matter?”

With that, he cracked his long whip.

”The Xie family takes responsibility for its actions and does not hide its own faults.”

The surrounding crowd nodded one after another. That’s right, people always say not to air one’s dirty laundry in public, especially the aristocratic families and powerful clans. Just imagine if a disciple from the Zhao Family or Yang Family had done something like this—bah, what ’if’? The wicked deeds of the Zhao and Yang families are too numerous to count.

Who had ever seen those families punish their own? If a victim came to their door seeking justice, they’d be beaten away or even arrested.

And how many victims never even had the chance to speak out, and were simply eliminated—roots and all—to destroy the evidence of the crime?

The crowd’s expressions turned to sorrowful indignation. Thinking about it this way, and then looking at the Xie family, the difference was like heaven and earth.

And this Miss Chu still dared to say the Xie family was wrong!

The crowd’s expressions grew complicated, and their gazes toward Chu Zhao turned mocking. They recalled some old news. This Miss Chu had also done wrong; not only did she go unpunished for beating someone, but she even went to their home to curse at their elders.

Did she perhaps think that no child of a powerful family should ever be punished for their misdeeds?

Thank goodness there was still the Xie family in this world!

Seeing the instant surge of public outrage, Xie Yanlai let out a louder sneer from behind Chu Zhao. But her expression remained calm.

”Since the Xie family isn’t hiding this matter, then you should hand him over to the government. Let his crimes be judged, a life for a life. What exactly is the Xie family trying to accomplish by parading him through the streets in such a grand, public display?”

She glanced back at Xie Yanlai and gave him a push.

Caught off guard, Xie Yanlai was spun around by her push, exposing his bare back to the crowd.

Up close, the bloody back was truly horrifying.

Chu Zhao reached out, dabbed her finger on a bloody welt left by the rattan whip, and watched the tip turn red. She lifted it and examined it before her eyes.

”You let the world see this. You give him a beating like this, and you think that settles the matter?”

”You let the world see. You’ve punished him. Does that mean the people who died, died for nothing?”

”You let the world see. Does that mean the Xie family’s reputation will remain completely intact?”

At this point, she looked at the middle-aged man and smiled.

”I’ve long heard that the Third Young Master Xie is renowned for his integrity and strict discipline over the family’s disciples. So this is your method.”

The surrounding clamor came to a halt. The mocking expression on the middle-aged man’s face instantly froze.

’This woman is targeting the Third Young Master Xie?!’