Chapter 15: Hua Family's Bolin
Xu Jie, as the eldest son of Xu Dongjin, had been taught everything he needed to know and now served as a minor steward in the front courtyard. Being employed by the current head of the Hua family was naturally an excellent opportunity.
Having spent his entire life in the capital and witnessed decades of officialdom's ups and downs alongside the old master, he knew that fortunes could change at any moment. The more critical the times, the more important it was to prove his worth—so that when the family recovered, they would not forget his contributions.
Xu Dongjin bustled about with hurried steps, yet a smile graced his face. Being busy was good—it meant the Hua family had not hit rock bottom. The eldest young lady was truly remarkable; she handled affairs with clarity and decisiveness, steadying the Hua family with such composure. Watching her, she somewhat resembled the old master in his youth.
Xu Dongjin suddenly halted. Yes, indeed—just like the old master. Even when matters were urgent enough to singe one’s eyebrows, she remained impeccably dressed and spoke unhurriedly, calming even those who were initially frantic.
A surge of hope welled up in Xu Dongjin’s heart. He must carry out the eldest young lady’s instructions even more diligently. And as for the others, he needed to give them a good talking-to—they must not slack in serving the eldest young lady.
"Miss, please rest for a while. You’ve been busy all morning." Ying Chun entered carrying a food box, while Bao Xia seized the moment to gently take the brush from her mistress’s hand. She wiped Hua Zhi’s hands with a damp cloth, her heart aching at the sight of her mistress’s fingers stiff from holding the brush for too long.
After the meal, the four maidservants attended to Hua Zhi meticulously—some massaging her hands, others kneading her shoulders, and others pressing her feet. Comforted and relaxed, Hua Zhi took a short nap before resuming her work.
Balancing work and rest—this was crucial.
There was much to be done, but fortunately, after years of training, the four senior maids had become quite capable, each able to share her burdens.
After Nian Qiu presented the preliminary budget she had prepared, Hua Zhi nodded. "This will suffice. Proceed with the detailed accounts."
"Yes." Nian Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. Previously, it had all been training and practice—this was her first time handling real tasks. Thankfully, she hadn’t made any mistakes.
"Miss, the Sixth Young Master is here." In the Hua family, male and female descendants were ranked separately. Although Hua Bolin was the legitimate son of the main branch, he was the sixth among the brothers.
As soon as the young maid finished speaking, Hua Bolin strode in hurriedly. "Elder Sister."
Hua Zhi gazed at him quietly, her calm demeanor causing Hua Bolin to unconsciously slow his pace, straighten his back, square his shoulders, and settle his racing heart. His breathing gradually steadied.
The anxiety that had plagued him for days was soothed in that moment. His elder sister—who had never interfered with his studies, never gossiped behind others’ backs, but had always played with him and told him stories—sat there steadfastly. Even without saying a word, she made him feel that the Hua family’s current predicament was nothing to fear.
Standing before the desk and seeing the still-wet ink on the paper, Hua Bolin flushed with shame. How difficult it must be for his elder sister to manage the household—he ought to be sharing her burdens, not troubling her with trivial matters.
"Berlin, are you afraid?"
Hua Bolin looked up. Afraid? It seemed there wasn’t much fear in his heart—only unease. Unease about the changing circumstances around him, unease about the uncertain future.
"I’m not afraid, Elder Sister. I will help you. Although I’m not skilled in these practical affairs yet, I will learn quickly.""I won't stop you from learning these things, but Berlin, you need to broaden your perspective."
Hua Zhi glanced at Ying Chun, who understood immediately. She set aside her tasks and led everyone out, closing the door behind them. She and Nian Qiu then stood guard on either side of the entrance.
Seeing his sister beckon, Hua Bolin approached, slightly bowing his head to look at this person who, though not tall, gave him a sense of security.
"Berlin, though you're not yet ten, you are now the eldest son in our family. I must shoulder the responsibilities of this household, and you too have your own duties."
"I... I don't know what to do."
Hua Zhi reached out to straighten his collar. This child, who usually relied on his cleverness and didn't study diligently, was already forcing himself to face reality. "Berlin, do you know why our grandfather was exiled by His Majesty?"
Hua Bolin asked urgently, "Why? Does Elder Sister know?"
"His Majesty has six sons. Three of the princes are now adults. The empress passed away early without bearing a son, and His Majesty never appointed another empress. So in terms of status, they're all equal, and each believes he has the right to that position. Among the four princes, the eldest and third princes are the most powerful and compete most fiercely. The second prince is slightly less powerful, but the conflicts between the eldest and third princes might well have been stirred up by him."
Hua Zhi paused before continuing, "Not long ago, the rivalry between the two princes flared up again, dragging in many unrelated people. Grandfather somehow ended up speaking out about this matter, which enraged His Majesty, and our Hua family was punished."
True to his heritage as a descendant of the Hua family, Hua Bolin immediately grasped the key issue. "His Majesty blamed Grandfather for involving himself in the factional struggles?"
"Among those unrelated people was the fourth prince."
"How old is the fourth prince?"
"Fifteen."
"So the two princes were joining forces to eliminate a potential rival? Could the fourth prince really pose a threat to them?"
Hua Zhi smiled—his reaction was good. "The fourth prince's mother is the Imperial Noble Consort."
There is only one Imperial Noble Consort in the court. Her father is a retired veteran general, and her elder brother is the mighty general guarding the border, holding real military power. Once such a person matures, he would become the greatest threat, which is why the other princes could temporarily set aside their grievances to join forces.
Though only ten years old, Hua Bolin, born into the Hua family, seemed to have an innate sensitivity to political affairs. "What is the fourth prince's current condition?"
"He remains unconscious. In my view, the fourth prince might have entered the fray voluntarily. It's better to be proactive than passive."
"His Majesty is wise, how could he..."
"His Majesty likely understands the situation perfectly. Precisely because he knows, he vents his anger—because the one injured is his son, and the ones who injured his son are also his sons."
Hua Bolin's face flushed red with indignation. "How innocent Grandfather is! How innocent our Hua family is!"
Hua Zhi sighed inwardly. This was an era where imperial authority reigned supreme—what could be done about innocence? Mastering civil and military arts to serve the imperial family was how people of this time realized their self-worth. The reason the Hua family could be called an aristocratic family was because they produced high-ranking officials generation after generation. This was completely different from the world she had once known.
That's why she never spoke of freedom, never stood out as special, and never thought to flaunt knowledge from that other world here. If not for the Hua family's misfortune, she would have been content to live the life expected of a young lady from a prominent family. As long as one wasn't too greedy, such a life wasn't necessarily unbearable.Berlin had always been clingy toward her since childhood, and she cherished this younger brother dearly. She never imposed upon him values or ideologies that didn't belong to this era, knowing such incompatible beliefs would only bring him catastrophic consequences.
What she did most often was adapt and retell the stories of many famous figures and great minds from that other world, sharing them as tales to broaden his horizons and vision. She wanted him to understand how vast the world truly was, and to never become a frog at the bottom of a well.
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