Chapter 18: The Dowry Prepared by Fourth Uncle
Meanwhile, Hua Zhi arrived at the Hua family's villa outside the city.
For convenience in traveling, she had Steward Xu purchase two ponies. With many female family members in the household, having a carriage was essential.
She brought a sizable entourage—only Ying Chun was left behind among the senior maids, while four second-tier maids accompanied her. Steward Xu also selected six reliable servants from the front courtyard. He sent his second son, Xu Ying, along for added reassurance.
The villa appeared modest but was set in an excellent environment, surrounded by a bamboo grove that rustled with each breeze. Even on such a hot day, walking through it didn’t feel oppressive.
Fourth Uncle had loved gathering friends here to drink and revel, spending nearly half of each summer at this villa. It was also here that he had been taken away. Hua Zhi wondered whether he had been sober or drunk at the time—though even if drunk, the shock must have sobered him up.
Imagining the scene, Hua Zhi chuckled unkindly, but her laughter soon gave way to a pang of sorrow. Knowing Fourth Uncle’s temperament, even if startled at first, he would have adapted quickly. He had often said, “We all depend on the imperial court for our livelihoods—anyone could face misfortune.” And now, it was the Hua family’s turn.
“Miss…” Bao Xia watched her mistress with concern, her own heart aching. Fourth Lord had always been closest to the young lady, saving every precious item for her. She wondered if he was suffering now.
“I’m fine.”
The villa’s eight servants came forward in unison to pay their respects. Hua Zhi gestured for them to rise and entered the courtyard. It was clear they had tried their best to restore things to their original places, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t replace what had been taken. The empty spots were a stark reminder.
Looking at those voids, Hua Zhi felt bitterness well up inside her.
A single word from the emperor, and blood would flow at the Meridian Gate—such was imperial power. By comparison, the Hua family’s exile could be considered fortunate.
Hua Zhi headed toward the rear courtyard, instructing, “Xu Ying, come with me. The rest of you, attend to your duties.”
“Yes.”
Xu Ying had been briefed by his father before leaving and followed without a word.
The Hua family tacitly regarded this villa as Hua Pingyang’s private playground; the others seldom visited. But Hua Zhi had accompanied her fourth uncle here several times. Each time, he would proudly pat the locust tree in the rear courtyard and stroll around it.
Fourth Uncle thought she had long forgotten her childhood memories, but she remembered even the first words she heard at birth. How could she forget? On her third birthday, when he was still a young man, he had held her in his arms and whispered mysteriously into her ear that he would save a generous dowry for her—one that would outshine even the famed “Ten miles of red dowry.”
In an era where a dowry signaled a woman’s status in her natal family and determined whether she would be respected in her marital home, Hua Zhi understood the profound sentiment behind his promise.
So, every time Fourth Uncle patted that locust tree, she knew his secret lay buried beneath it.
There, hidden underground, was the dowry he had prepared for her.
Hua Zhi stood before the tree for a long moment, then took two steps forward and tapped a spot with her toe. “Dig.”
This was no task for the women. Xu Ying fetched a hoe from the storage shed and carefully began digging. When he felt something solid beneath the soil, he switched to a smaller tool, gently clearing the earth until a large chest was revealed.At Hua Zhi's indication, Xu Ying carried the box up and scraped at the side of the earthen pit, reporting, "Eldest Miss, there are more beside it. Shall we continue digging?"
"Continue, but use your strength carefully."
"Yes."
The mud pit grew larger as they dug, with waves of wine aroma wafting through the air. Hua Zhi stood above, looking down at rows of large wine jars sealed with red clay. She dug her left hand tightly into the webbing of her right thumb, biting the tip of her tongue, using the pain to remind herself that she absolutely must not show weakness now.
In the Jiangnan region, families who cherished their daughters would bury yellow wine after their daughter's birth, only to dig it out for serving guests when the daughter married. Hence, this wine was also called Daughter Red.
She didn't know where Fourth Uncle had learned of this tradition, but he had buried so many jars of wine under this old locust tree. Had the Hua family not encountered misfortune, when these wines were dug up next year for her wedding, they would have been the envy of countless young women. And she—she probably would have cried.
Xu Ying thought this was wine for Fourth Young Master's own consumption. He looked up, about to ask how to handle these wines, but upon seeing Eldest Miss's expression, he wisely kept silent.
A moment later, Hua Zhi crouched down, brushed the mud off the box, felt its edges, took a deep breath, and lifted the lid.
As expected, the box did not contain gold or silver. The contents didn't seem plentiful, but they were varied—calligraphy and paintings, antiques, gemstones, and even a pair of luminous pearls.
She silently counted them: fifteen items in total, exactly matching her age. Each treasure collected by the renowned Pingyang Gentleman of the capital was likely priceless.
After cleaning her hands, Hua Zhi picked up a scroll of calligraphy and unrolled it. Her gaze lingered on the signature for a long time.
She had no particular interest in calligraphy and paintings, nor did she usually collect them, but she knew what was necessary. For instance, this Unheard-of Recluse was a calligraphy master from two dynasties ago, as famous for his stinginess as for his brushwork. It was said that to prevent others from obtaining his works, he would burn them after admiring them himself. The few pieces circulating outside were either gifts to close friends or given to those he couldn't refuse, such as the emperor of his time.
Their scarcity made them even more precious. Unheard-of Recluse's works had always been priceless and unobtainable, no matter how many collectors sought them. She truly had no idea where Fourth Uncle had found this.
Carefully putting it back, Hua Zhi picked up an inkstone from the box and examined it closely. Sure enough, she found one carved seal and two stamped seals at the bottom. One of the three was a figure documented in detail in historical records, while the other two were literary giants whose fame had endured through the ages...
Glancing at the other items, Hua Zhi thought: if these were displayed one by one during the wedding procession, countless people would burn with envy. If she didn't marry into a highly-ranked family, she probably wouldn't be able to prevent thieves from breaking in.
Setting down the inkstone, Hua Zhi closed the box lid. If these items were sold, the proceeds would be enough to support the Hua family's expenses for several years, with leftover funds to send silver to the northern border, allowing her grandfather, father, and the others to use money to secure an easier life.
But was earning money difficult? For Hua Zhi, it wasn't. The challenge lay in spending the earned money wisely and beneficially, ultimately turning it into leverage to ensure every man of the Hua family returned safely from the northern border.More importantly, she didn't want to sell such a rare token of affection. Fourth Uncle had kept his word—he had truly been earnestly accumulating a splendid dowry for her. These things she would carefully preserve for a lifetime. Even if she never married, this would remain her dowry!
"Xu Ying, take these wines back personally with the others. Be careful on the road—not a single jar can go missing."
"But Miss, you still need to go to the estate. How dare I return ahead of you?"
"This wine was buried by my fourth uncle over ten years ago, intended for my wedding day." Hua Zhi offered no further explanation, yet Xu Ying instantly understood the significance of the wine and lowered his head in acknowledgment.
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