Chu Zhao didn’t know about what happened outside the capital, but she did feel that her reputation was different from before.
Almost every day there were visitors, mostly young women, but also some men.
The young women came to make friends, sitting down to chat, calling each other “sister.”
The men came to make acquaintances or to discuss poetry and philosophy.
There were also many invitations from aristocratic families.
Because they were no longer at Chu Garden, all visitors had to first pay respects to the family head. Jiang Shi and Chu Lan were both happy and unhappy about this.
Happy that the Chu family’s gate hall was lively, unhappy that these lively visitors would say less than three sentences before asking to see Chu Zhao, making them as family head seem more like message-relaying servants.
“This isn’t unusual,” Chu Lan sat in his bedroom and sneered. “Over ten years ago, when Second Brother enjoyed imperial favor, wasn’t it just like this?”
Back then too, men and women came in an endless stream—men to make connections, women to discuss marriage proposals.
“We’ve seen bustling gates before,” Chu Lan said with melancholy. “We’ve also tasted the danger beneath such bustle.”
Jiang Shi hesitated: “Are you saying there will be danger next? That can’t be right. After all, Zhao is a woman, not like Second Brother who was a man in official circles.”
A woman might make a fuss now, but in the future she’d marry, enter the inner chambers, care for her husband and children, and be isolated from the world.
Chu Lan snorted: “How would I know what those two, father and daughter, will do? Heaven knows.”
As the couple talked, Chu Tang entered with a beaming smile.
“Father, Mother, don’t worry about this,” she said. “I’ve already persuaded Zhao not to receive any more guests.”
Chu Lan asked: “She’s willing to listen? After making such a fuss for so long, wasn’t it all to show off?”
“Precisely because she wants to show off, that’s why I could persuade her,” Chu Tang sat down beside her mother. “Father, she’s going to participate in the Wangchun Garden literary gathering. Most of those coming to Chu Garden to join the excitement are mediocre people. Who truly talented would come mix with young women? People like Father, for instance.”
Chu Lan stroked his beard and nodded. That’s right, exactly so.
“So the Wangchun Garden literary gathering is what’s most important. If Zhao wants to show off, she must study and practice diligently.” Chu Tang smiled. “So I took it upon myself to give her Father’s study to use, telling her not to receive guests and to study behind closed doors.”
Chu Lan nodded with a smile: “Well done. Let her use it.”
Jiang Shi stroked her daughter’s shoulder, smiling: “It’s good we have Tang here.”
Chu Tang turned and grasped her mother’s hand: “I’m not working hard. I just need to coax her. It’s just that Father and Mother will have to work hard declining visitors.”
Chu Lan and Jiang Shi nodded: “Don’t worry, don’t worry. We’ll handle it.”
They couldn’t let their daughter be put in a difficult position.
……
……
Chu Tang wandered into the study and saw Chu Zhao browsing books in front of the bookshelf.
“Father has collected many treasures,” Chu Tang said, walking over to point them out to her. “There are also many annotations. Father has devoted half his life’s effort here.”
She smiled.
“Father’s literary skills are still presentable.”
Chu Lan had personally studied the Book of Documents under Master Zhu and could inherit Qiao Mountain Academy, so he did have scholarship. Chu Zhao nodded, acknowledging this point. In that previous life, she had studied under Chu Lan and deeply understood this. However, back then her studying was only to please Xiao Xun. She studied hastily, and Chu Lan taught perfunctorily.
“I’ve already obtained this study for you. Use it with peace of mind,” Chu Tang continued. “I’ve also done as you said and had Father and Mother decline visitors.”
Chu Zhao smiled and thanked her.
“Are you really going to work hard and improve yourself?” Chu Tang asked curiously.
Chu Zhao sat down, holding up a book and shaking it: “No matter how hard I work, I couldn’t possibly be invincible at the Wangchun Garden literary gathering. I know my own limits. Even at the Chu Garden literary gathering, I wasn’t unstoppable.”
Chu Tang smiled: “I thought you were holding your breath, wanting to amaze everyone with a single brilliant move.”
“Amazing everyone doesn’t necessarily mean winning,” Chu Zhao said lazily. “If I lose, wouldn’t I still have achieved it?”
Chu Tang laughed heartily.
What was important was never winning or losing, but daring to do it.
Moreover, she had no interest in fame and such. It was only because the Third Prince bullied her first that she struck back. Becoming famous was only so the world would know that her father hadn’t given birth to a useless daughter, that her father was a hero, and she as his daughter was the same.
To tell the truth, she didn’t want to participate in that literary gathering at all. Of course, heroes also needed to assess the situation. The Third Prince had sent someone to challenge her, so accepting the challenge was reasonable and proper. But if the Third Prince sent an invitation and she threw it away and didn’t participate, that would be arrogant and ungrateful.
Then the Third Prince would have sufficient reason to strike her down ruthlessly.
“I’m just going to join the fun,” Chu Zhao said. “To boost everyone’s morale.”
And to respond to whatever difficulties the Third Prince would create on the spot.
“When the time comes, you all keep your distance from me.”
Chu Zhao reminded with a smile, to avoid being implicated.
Chu Tang nodded: “Then I won’t go.”
Chu Zhao chuckled, then said: “Actually, you should go take a look.”
She looked at this cousin.
“Go and see what imperial power and nobility are like—their unpredictable moods, their unfathomable tempers. Elder Sister should understand better what dangers hide beneath the glamor.”