“Since he did them, he can’t stop people from talking about it!” Qi Leyun sneered.
The other girls also returned to their earlier attitudes, their expressions either disdainful or mocking, all talking at once about past events.
“Your father even beat my second uncle back then. They were both commandants, but just because my second uncle wouldn’t allow your father to leave the formation without permission.”
“Back then your father sent soldiers to seize the memorial impeaching him and burned it in the street. Many people saw it.”
Chu Tang sighed softly: “Why bring all this up? It was all in the past. Azhao, you too—quarreling over this, dredging it up again and again, who’s really humiliating Second Uncle?”
Hearing these words, Chu Zhao still didn’t rush over to hit anyone. She sat in the chair and reached out to pluck a string on the instrument, the twang interrupting the girls’ voices.
“But His Majesty did not condemn my father for any of this,” Chu Zhao said. “The court did not punish my father either, so he is not guilty.”
Qi Leyun sneered: “That’s because His Majesty is magnanimous and benevolent, but officials and common people don’t need to be magnanimous toward such vile behavior. Your father did it, so others can talk about it. What, do you want to silence everyone in the world?”
Chu Zhao stood up.
Qi Leyun instinctively took a step back, and the other girls were also startled.
“You’re all right, but as far as I’m concerned, unless the court and His Majesty pronounce him guilty, my father is innocent. I cannot remain unmoved when you insult him.” Chu Zhao still didn’t rush over to hit anyone, but slowly walked toward them. “You can say whatever you want behind my back, however you want, but don’t do it in front of me, don’t let me hear it. Otherwise, if you insult my father and I don’t teach you a lesson, I would be an unfilial wretch. Family protects family, family shields family. It’s perfectly justified for me to hit you.”
As she spoke, she had already moved close to Qi Leyun.
Qi Leyun’s body stiffened but she didn’t retreat further—one more step back and she would fall out of the pavilion.
“I came today to tell you all this.” Chu Zhao reached out and patted Qi Leyun’s shoulder. “From now on, don’t come looking for me, don’t appear before me. We have nothing to do with each other.”
This wretched girl! They hadn’t even said anything yet, and she was already telling them to stay away from her first. Qi Leyun glared and gritted her teeth.
But Chu Zhao didn’t look at her anymore. She glanced at Chu Tang.
“Atang,” she said, gesturing around. “Is our family’s garden beautiful?”
What was this about? Was she going to forbid the girls from coming to play? “Our family”—with that “our,” this household wasn’t hers alone. Chu Tang smiled and said: “It’s beautiful.”
Chu Zhao said: “Such a beautiful garden, after all these years, still in the Chu family’s hands—what do you think that’s because of?”
Of course the Chu family’s garden would remain with the Chu family. Because of what? Chu Tang was taken aback.
Chu Zhao said nothing more. She walked out of the pavilion, casually breaking off a willow branch. As she walked, she waved it about, humming a tune.
The girls watched the figure swaying and walking slowly like the willow branch, their ears filled with Chu Zhao’s humming, not knowing what to say for a moment.
One girl stared blankly and couldn’t help saying: “She’s humming the piece I played earlier.”
That piece was very difficult. She had practiced for a long time and specially came to perform it for others.
Now hearing Chu Zhao hum it with flowing grace, not missing a single note, she was even more accomplished than the girl herself.