This indeed didn’t seem like the home Chu Tang was familiar with.
Not that it was crowded—Chu Garden had hosted quite a few large banquets before (held by other powerful families borrowing Chu Garden).
There were many servants in Chu Garden. When they saw her, they bowed in greeting, then continued busily on their way.
She really had become like a guest. One servant even said enthusiastically: “Miss Tang, there’s a pavilion over there that’s perfect for you all to sit. It’s close, you can see clearly, and it won’t be crowded.”
Chu Tang was both amused and exasperated. She had the servant lead Qi Leyun and the others to sit there.
“You don’t need to attend to me anymore.” She said to the servant. “I’m going to see Zhao.”
How ridiculous. She was also a young miss of this household—did she need their hospitality and guidance?
The servant immediately led Qi Leyun and the others away. Chu Tang could still hear him recommending today’s tea and refreshments to Qi Leyun’s group.
“…specially supplied by Intoxicated Immortal Restaurant. Young ladies, choose what you like, and it’ll be delivered in a quarter hour…”
“…Since there are many young ladies, why not order this full set? It includes both tea and refreshments, and it’s even cheaper…”
These young ladies were all wealthy and never cared about cheap or expensive, only about novelty. Sure enough, Chu Tang saw several young ladies take the menu and point at various items—
Had their home become a restaurant? Had the servants become waiters?
Chu Tang passed through the crowd and corridors to reach the Fish-Listening Hall.
Here was a spacious hall on four sides, directly facing the lake. The platform in front of the hall was wide, the pond water vast and clear, with artificial mountains, corridors, and pavilions surrounding it at varying heights. From any position, one could see this place.
She spotted Chu Zhao at a glance.
That girl wore something very simple, light pink and blue-gray, but sitting in the hall, she was radiant.
Today’s competition hadn’t started yet. Some people were chatting and laughing, some were preparing for today’s matches, and others were loudly shouting about how Miss Chu was this or that.
That girl held a scroll in her hands, reading seriously, completely ignoring the outside clamor.
As Chu Tang approached, the maids standing outside the hall seemed both surprised and pleased: “Miss Tang.”
Chu Tang glanced at the maids, recognizing them as the senior maids serving Chu Ke. She smiled: “You’ve all come to help? That makes sense. Since brother isn’t home, you’d be idle anyway.”
One maid looked awkward. In the past, she would have tearfully said that Miss Zhao had captured her—which was also true, but after being captured, she had willingly chosen not to leave. To then push the blame onto Miss Zhao—
Even just considering the money she’d received in these short days, she couldn’t be so unconscionable!
“I am the young master’s servant. With him away from home, this servant does some work for the household.” The maid said with slightly lowered eyes.
Was this sarcasm? While servants worked for the household, their young master and miss hid away?
Impressive. For Chu Zhao’s sake, this maid actually dared to engage in verbal sparring with her.
Chu Tang raised her eyebrows, about to say something, when a nearby maid called out loudly: “Miss Zhao, Miss Tang is here.”
It was better for them as maids not to confront a young miss. Let the young ladies talk among themselves.
The maid’s voice was loud, awakening Chu Zhao from her focused reading.
Chu Zhao lifted her head, her eyes momentarily blank, then she saw Chu Tang and her expression lit up: “Ah Tang, you’ve come! Come over quickly.”
Chu Tang hesitated briefly, then walked over with a smile: “This has really become quite a spectacle. I heard it being discussed everywhere outside.”
Chu Zhao nodded earnestly, not bothering with pleasantries: “Your timing is perfect.” She turned and called for A’Le.
The hall wasn’t occupied by just her alone. A’Le and other maids and servants were there. Some servants were checking the paper, desks, and chess pieces to be used in today’s competitions. Several maids surrounded A’Le, holding brushes and paper, saying something. A’Le looked like she had a splitting headache but didn’t dare disturb Miss.
Hearing Chu Zhao call her, A’Le quickly responded, but then looked distressed: “Miss, I still haven’t finished calculating—”
Chu Zhao smiled and pushed Chu Tang over: “You don’t need to calculate anymore. Miss Tang is here. From now on, leave all these matters to her.”
A’Le was overjoyed and immediately escaped from the circle of maids.
The maids were somewhat surprised. Chu Tang also couldn’t hide her surprise.
She smiled and said: “I just came to look around, and you’re already assigning me work? I wouldn’t dare interfere in your affairs.”
What Chu Zhao was doing would offend the Third Prince.
Chu Zhao understood the meaning in Chu Tang’s smiling words. What kind of person this cousin was—in her previous life she hadn’t paid attention and hadn’t seen clearly, but in this life, she saw through her at a glance.
Once a person breaks free from constraints, this world becomes very clear.
“I’m not asking you to do what I’m doing.” Chu Zhao said, pointing at those maids. “I’m asking you to do everything except what I’m doing.”
It sounded a bit convoluted, but Chu Tang understood. Her expression showed surprise again as her gaze turned to those maids.
The maids were also quick. They immediately surrounded Chu Tang with their papers and brushes.
Chu Tang glanced at them instinctively. She had been intelligent since childhood. Besides music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she had early on learned household management from Jiang Shi—keeping money in hand was how one kept hold of a household. This was a principle she’d long understood. So she immediately recognized what this was.
This was all the expenses for this Chu Garden Literary Gathering, and the income.
Actually, from the moment the servant mentioned “specially supplied by Intoxicated Immortal Restaurant” to Qi Leyun’s group, she had guessed there was big business here.
“You want me to manage this?” She said, forcefully withdrawing her gaze to look at Chu Zhao. “Ah Zhao, do you know this is—”
Before she could finish, Chu Zhao waved her hand to interrupt: “I only know my task is competing. Everything else is inconsequential to me, but because the competition must continue, I have no choice but to handle them. Now it’s perfect—you’ll handle these matters unrelated to competition, and I can focus on my work.”
Chu Tang’s gaze returned to those papers, seeing the numbers written on them. Her hanging hand couldn’t help but clench—
“You trust me that much?” She looked at Chu Zhao again and said seriously. “If these fall under my management, whether I manage them well or not, you can’t blame me.”