After a busy day, Hua Zhi stepped out of her room after dinner and looked up at the golden-red sunset on the horizon, silently admiring its beauty.
Bao Xia hurried out and draped a cloak over her young mistress while chiding, "It's still cold this season, you mustn't be careless."
Hua Zhi obediently let her fasten the cloak before turning to Su Momo behind her. "The weather is fine, and we rarely come here. Let everyone take a walk and get some fresh air."
Su Momo curtsied and went inside to gather the others, never presuming to interfere with the young lady's decisions despite the respect shown to her.
Their eldest young lady needed no such interference.
Having been at the estate for two days, this was the first time the Hua family's masters and servants had ventured out. Though usually composed, the young maids couldn't help looking around with curiosity. Dongzi followed at a distance with his men, keeping watch to prevent any mishaps.
In early spring, with the ground just thawed, no greenery was visible in the sweeping view, offering little scenery. Yet everyone remained in high spirits.
Such lightness had been absent for so long. The tension that had gripped their hearts for days, leaving no room for relaxation, now seemed to lift in this desolate, open space.
Listening to the maids chattering behind her, Hua Zhi walked toward the sunset. She thought that once everything turned green and the estate affairs were settled, she might invite the girls who had been cooped up at home for months to come stay for a couple of days.
The sound of hoofbeats grew from afar. Dongzi and his men quickly closed in, shielding the eldest young lady while warily eyeing the direction of the noise. Hua Zhi felt a flicker of satisfaction—it seemed their months of martial training had borne some fruit.
She also looked toward the sound, more assured than her anxious guards and maids. With Lu Xiansheng's men stationed nearby, ordinary intruders couldn't get through. Since this rider hadn't been stopped, it must be one of their own.
Against the sunset, a man on a tall horse approached slowly. Backlit, Hua Zhi couldn't make out his expression clearly. Out of courtesy, she offered a faint smile.
Unaware of how breathtaking her smile appeared in the sunset's glow—its serenity, its naturalness—she didn't realize it gave Gu Yanxi the impression that her presence here was meant to welcome his return. His heart, hardened by a day of bloodshed and corpses, began to thaw.
Shadowtreader, who hadn't seen Hua Zhi for some time, nuzzled into her embrace. Hua Zhi patted its large head and stroked its mane before looking up at the motionless man. Their gazes met, neither shying away.
Hua Zhi's unwavering composure completely soothed Gu Yanxi's turbulent emotions. He dismounted and gently patted Shadowtreader's back, letting it roam freely.
"Are things at the estate proceeding smoothly?"
"Quite well." Compared to the affairs in the capital, it was as effortless as touching one hand with the other. Hua Zhi tactfully kept that thought to herself.
Gu Yanxi's lips curved slightly. He walked ahead first, and knowing he had something to discuss, Hua Zhi signaled the others to stay put before following.
Bao Xia grew anxious and wanted to follow. At home was one thing, but out here, if anyone saw them, the young lady's reputation could be ruined. Ying Chun held her back and looked to Su Momo.
Su Momo frowned in thought. "We won't get too close, but we must keep them in sight."This suggestion suited their intentions perfectly, so they promptly followed at a discreet distance, maintaining the same gap the guards had kept with them earlier.
The atmosphere was quiet but not stifling. Gu Yanxi tilted his head slightly, watching the person walking behind him out of the corner of his eye, then slowed his pace to let her draw closer. He enjoyed walking side by side with A Zhi. Though she initially adhered to propriety, after a few steps, she would invariably forget, as if walking shoulder-to-shoulder was her natural habit.
Sure enough, before long, the distance between them had narrowed from a full step to barely half a step.
"Shaoyao will be staying in the palace for a while."
"Hmm."
"Today, she craned her neck all day waiting for the meal you usually send, but it never came. She was quite displeased."
"...I imagine the palace wouldn’t let her go hungry or thirsty."
"It’s not the same." No matter how exquisite the palace dishes were, served lukewarm, they lost their charm. The Hua family’s meals, even when cold, had a unique flavor all their own.
Gu Yanxi stopped and turned around, his gaze falling on the group following them from a distance. Perhaps it was because the palace chefs were too preoccupied with power and wealth, their dishes carried a stale, decaying taste.
Hua Zhi followed his line of sight, and her eyes softened a little more.
"The Eldest Prince has conspired with the Celestial Master to present the Emperor with a Golden Elixir. His Majesty has been taking it for two months now."
Hua Zhi suddenly understood. So that was the reason—no wonder Lu Xiansheng had flown into such a rage. But although the Golden Elixir was far from beneficial, two months of use shouldn’t be a major concern. From what she knew of history, many emperors had spent their entire lives obsessed with refining and consuming elixirs in pursuit of immortality. Though they ultimately died, they still lived for decades. Two months was nothing.
"Shaoyao said the formula of that elixir is several times stronger than ordinary Golden Elixirs. It’s aimed at taking the Emperor’s life."
Hua Zhi was momentarily taken aback, then grasped the unspoken implication in his words. The Emperor was nearly fifty, and judging by the lifespans of previous emperors in the Great Qing Dynasty, he didn’t have many years left. If the elixir were tampered with...
How ruthless. Truly, there is no mercy in the imperial family.
"Shaoyao said this Golden Elixir is too potent. The damage it does to one’s foundation would be difficult to repair, even if her master were here." Gu Yanxi turned to gaze at the evening glow on the horizon. "Outsiders only think the current turmoil stems from the Emperor’s delay in appointing a Crown Prince. But how many know that His Majesty wishes more than anyone to name the Eldest Prince as his heir? That is the eldest son he personally raised and taught. Yet no matter how he instructed him, even going so far as to use his other sons as whetstones, the Eldest Prince never improved—in fact, he grew worse with each passing year. No matter how anxious the Emperor was, he couldn’t appoint such a failure as Crown Prince. By the time he finally gave up on his eldest son and turned his attention elsewhere, he found that his other grown sons had already become wolves."
Hua Zhi listened to these secrets she had no business hearing, remaining silent in this vast, secluded space perfectly suited for confidential talks. She knew Lu Xiansheng only needed a listener.
"With a stack of evidence in hand, in the end, I only submitted the most insignificant part, which implicated only the Eldest Prince. I didn’t tell His Majesty that the Second Prince’s influence has reached the northern border, nor did I reveal that the Third Prince might be involved in the affairs of the Flame Country. He has so few sons—I couldn’t let him lose three at once."As the sun set and the evening glow gradually faded, the sky instantly lost its previous brightness. Gu Yanxi looked at the woman who had remained silent all along and said, "The world believes the Emperor is the most noble person under heaven, yet I think he is the most pitiable soul in this world. Beyond imperial power, he possesses nothing."
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