Chu Lan sighed: “I am ashamed. I have an unruly daughter in my family, so disgraceful.”
Xiao Xun said: “Children are mischievous. Scholar Chu can teach her slowly.” Apparently not wanting to mention this child, he changed the subject. “I’ve long heard of Scholar Chu’s great name as an outstanding disciple of Master Zhu.”
Chu Lan studied under the Zhu clan of Jiujiang and now taught at Qiaoshan Academy, quite renowned among scholars. Hearing that even Xiao Xun, far away in Zhongshan Commandery, knew of him, he smiled with some pride and said modestly: “The heir is too kind. Not disgracing my teacher’s name is enough—I dare not claim to be an outstanding disciple.”
Xiao Xun said: “There’s one passage I’ve never quite understood. Since I happen to meet Scholar Chu today, may I ask for your guidance?”
Chu Lan quickly said: “Please speak, Your Highness.”
Seeing them conversing happily, Deng Yi’s expression remained calm without any dissatisfaction.
But this harmonious scholarly exchange was unceremoniously interrupted by Chu Zhao.
“Uncle,” she called loudly, lifting the carriage curtain. “The heir is entering the capital and must first pay respects to His Majesty. Should His Majesty be kept waiting for him?”
This was said quite impolitely. Xiao Xun was fine with it, having grown accustomed to the girl’s attitude, but Chu Lan was startled by these treasonous words—this attitude was just like her father’s, that rebellious son who dragged down the Chu family!
“Shut your mouth!” He turned and shouted, unable to continue talking with Xiao Xun. He strode over and pointed at her. “Get out of the carriage!”
Then he turned and called his people.
“Bind her for me.”
When the tall scholar Chu Lan lost his temper, he was quite frightening.
The servants indeed surged forward to pull Chu Zhao from the carriage. A’Le blocked the carriage door, swinging her hands and kicking her feet. Three or four male servants actually couldn’t get near.
Chu Zhao leaned against the window, neither anxious nor annoyed, neither panicked nor moving.
The scene became noisy and passersby looked over. Xiao Xun’s carriage was magnificent, and everyone’s gazes couldn’t help but fall on him.
Xiao Xun felt very embarrassed.
Deng Yi watched with suppressed laughter for a while before stepping forward to resolve the situation. He thanked Xiao Xun again, asked him to go to the hostel first to await His Majesty’s summons, and officials from the hostel ahead also took over.
Xiao Xun didn’t even have time to take leave of Chu Lan before lowering the curtain and driving away.
Chu Lan only managed to salute in farewell. Chu Ke’s teeth itched with hatred even more.
“Father, did you see? On the road Chu Zhao was even more rebellious, disrespectful to the heir,” he said angrily.
Chu Lan’s expression was grim as he looked at Chu Zhao sitting calmly in the carriage. He truly hadn’t seen it—this niece was actually so capable of causing trouble. Had he known, he never should have let her come back.
Actually, he should have known earlier. Growing up with Chu Ling—when the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam goes askew!
“Are you all eating for nothing?” he shouted in a deep voice. “You can’t even handle a little girl?”
Then he looked at Chu Zhao.
“Unfilial rebel girl, bind her and bring her down!”
With the family head’s order, the servants weren’t polite. Of course it wasn’t that they really couldn’t handle the little girl—they had just been holding back. Now that the master told them to act, then—
“Why are you binding me?” Chu Zhao shouted, her voice shrill, startling the servants who had rolled up their sleeves to act.
“To bind you to go apologize to Young Lady Liang,” Chu Lan shouted.
Chu Zhao said: “I won’t go to the Liang family.”
Chu Lan sneered: “You won’t go? Your aunt and your older sister are both there being punished on your behalf. What, do you still want to go home to wash up, eat, and sleep peacefully?”
Chu Zhao said: “Even if I apologize, I don’t need to go to the Liang family. Since the Liang family filed charges against me, the authorities should handle it.” She looked at Deng Yi. “Lord Deng, I should go with you to the yamen.”
The yamen? Chu Lan’s eyelids twitched. What was this wretched girl saying? Did she know what going to the yamen meant? Once a woman entered the yamen jail, her reputation was ruined.
If she was willing to go to the yamen, why did she run in the first place! Wasn’t it because she was afraid and fled?
Deng Yi wasn’t surprised, nor did he think it was a threat to Chu Lan. For this girl, being bound and going to the Liang family to bow her head was truly worse than going to sit in the yamen jail.
Though actually, when he said earlier he’d treat her like a criminal, he was joking.
However, he looked at the hopeful eyes of the girl sitting in the carriage.
“Yes,” he said, looking at Chu Lan. “Scholar Chu, I must first take the criminal back to report.”
……
……
(End of Volume One)