At noon, Chen Dayi and his wife arrived.
As a student of Old Master Hua, he performed the full ceremonial bow upon arrival—three kneelings and nine prostrations without any hesitation. When Hua Zhi and others returned the courtesy, he avoided accepting it.
"I should have come earlier, but today was a grand court assembly. Although I wasn't qualified to attend, I was strictly ordered not to leave the government office." Chen Dayi looked full of remorse and gestured for his wife to step forward. "I cannot request leave now—if I do, it will be difficult to ask again later. It's better to save it for the funeral day. For these few days, let my wife help here, and I'll come after my duties."
Hua Zhi did not refuse, as she had no right to.
Chen Dayi's wife, née Liu, bore a gentle surname but was not soft in character. She handled matters methodically. With her cooperation with Wu Shi, Hua Zhi was completely freed from those trivial tasks.
Not long after Chen Dayi left, Mu Qing arrived, bringing his wife and children along.
Hua Zhi solemnly returned the courtesy.
Mu Qing presented the condolence money. "Some people couldn't come in person and asked me to bring this. Eldest Miss, I know you have a principled nature, but the world isn't simply black and white. It took me many years to understand this, and I don't want you to learn it only through hardship."
Hua Zhi remained silent for a moment before softly acknowledging in agreement.
She knew her own nature well—how stubborn she was, how intolerant of impurities. She was fully aware of the extra troubles this had caused her, yet she never changed. It wasn't that she didn't know it was unwise, but she lacked the motivation to change.
She would rather solve difficult problems than deal with the messy affairs at home.
But the Hua family now was not the same as in her previous life. They might each have their own selfish concerns, but none harbored ill intentions toward her. Her mother, though weak, protected and cherished her. Her younger brother, though young, already knew to shield her. She also had her grandfather who trusted her, and her fourth uncle who had prepared her dowry for over ten years. For their sake, she was willing to change.
Mu Qing hadn't expected her to agree so readily, assuming she was just responding casually. He signaled his servant to take the condolence money to the reception desk.
Madam Mu was a gentle and refined woman. She held Hua Zhi's hand and comforted her in soft tones. Hua Bolin seized the pause in her words to lead the master's family to the side room for rest.
No one else came until evening. Wu Shi had secretly wiped her tears several times, but Hua Zhi could only pretend not to notice—she couldn't offer comfort.
On the second morning of the vigil, Zhu Bowen arrived with his sons and grandsons.
Hua Zhi was surprised. She thought her maternal grandmother and second uncle's attendance was the limit of the Zhu family's stance, never expecting her grandfather to come as well, bringing all the Zhu family men.
"Grandfather..."
Zhu Bowen patted Berlin's shoulder and turned to his descendants. "Stay here and burn more paper offerings for me. Zhi Er, accompany your grandfather for a walk."
"Yes."
As Hua Zhi was about to lead her grandfather to the covered corridor—a good place for conversation—she heard him say from beside her, "I heard you reopened the clan school. Take me to see it."
The clan school had been closed since Old Madam fell unconscious. The courtyard appeared somewhat desolate, and the faint, indistinct sounds from beyond the wall felt unreal.
Zhu Bowen looked around and finally sat in the small octagonal pavilion. Gazing at his granddaughter, whom he hadn't seen in so long and who now seemed a completely different person, he asked, "Do you have anything you want to ask?"
"I'm very surprised by your visit today, Grandfather.""Worried the Zhu family might be implicated?" Zhu Bowen chuckled dryly twice. "Our families have been connected for decades, bound by marriage ties. If His Majesty intended to implicate us, he would have done so long ago. Yet in reality, he hasn't touched anyone associated with the Hua family. What does that tell you? My usual avoidance is merely to avoid drawing His Majesty's constant attention, hoping to remove you all from his sight sooner. If I hadn't come today, His Majesty might have accused our Zhu family of being heartless. By coming, regardless of what His Majesty thinks, those vile creatures will have to restrain themselves somewhat and refrain from causing trouble at such a time."
Hua Zhi frowned slightly. "Is someone targeting the Hua family?"
"You must be particularly wary of the Feng and Wei families. Years ago, a daughter of the Feng family took a fancy to a scholar who had just passed the imperial examinations. Despite him already having a beloved wife at home, she insisted on forcing him to write a letter of divorce and marry into the Feng family. That scholar was exceptionally principled and would rather die than agree. A promising young man was nearly driven to his death by their pressure. It was Yizheng who couldn't stand by and devised a plan to rescue him. The Feng family has held a grudge for years and has frequently created obstacles in court. They operate without scruples and won't show mercy just because the Hua family now consists only of women and children. In fact, they might become even more unrestrained. Be cautious. As for the Wei family, it's purely a matter of political differences. Wei Jing conducts himself improperly, yet he has gained His Majesty's great favor in recent years. The Wei descendants have all inherited his temperament. Keep your family members restrained and avoid crossing paths with them whenever possible."
"Yes, Zhi Er will remember."
"After your grandmother is buried, I'll have your eldest uncle come specifically to explain the distribution of power in the capital. You've been confined to the inner quarters these years and haven't seen outside affairs, but as head of household, you must understand these matters to avoid suffering great losses without knowing why."
Hua Zhi stood and bowed solemnly. "Zhi Er thanks Grandfather."
"We're family, no need for such formalities." Zhu Bowen motioned for her to sit. "The capital's waters have been too murky these past two years. There will be no stability until the Crown Prince is decided. I have to consider every step carefully, fearing I might stumble into a trap. You must also be more vigilant. I worry someone might set their sights on the Hua family."
Hua Zhi had been following his reasoning and was beginning to understand. "Does someone want to borrow the Hua family's reputation? Aren't they afraid this reputation might backfire and crush them?"
"Zhi Er, you underestimate the prestige of the Hua family's century-old name. Do you know what kind of reputation and status your grandfather holds among scholars? If not for concerns about being accused of gathering followers, those scholars would have protested long ago. When Berlin and the others gradually start going out, you'll discover what tremendous influence this represents. This influence may be useless to ordinary people, but to some, it's immensely valuable."
Zhu Bowen pointed upward. Hua Zhi confirmed her suspicion - ultimately, it was those restless princes again. Having already caused her grandfather's exile wasn't enough; they still coveted his good reputation and wanted to use it for themselves.
How utterly presumptuous.
A cold laugh formed in Hua Zhi's heart. She would rather shatter this reputation completely than let others exploit it!
"But you needn't worry too much. It probably won't happen immediately. They'll likely wait until fewer people are watching the Hua family before making their move. Zhi Er, I know you have your own plans. Think carefully about what to do. Just say the word if you need the Zhu family's help.""Yes, Zhi Er has remembered." If they negotiated reasonably, perhaps she would willingly give it; but if they intended to seize it by force, they had better be prepared to shed a layer of skin.
No one in this world is invincible—even among imperial princes, there is more than one.
The principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" was something she had learned in her previous life.
PS: Dear readers, be good and don't rush—the latter half of the chapter involves major plot developments and laying groundwork.
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