Chapter 182: A Beauty Like This
Early the next morning, Hua Zhi gathered all members of the Hua family for breakfast.
Normally, everyone ate separately, so the family knew that when the eldest young lady gathered them together, she must have important news to announce. Throughout the meal, everyone was distracted, wondering whether the announcement would be good or bad news.
Hua Zhi set down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth with tea, and then looked up to deliver the news she had kept until today. "Hua Jing is dead."
Everyone's expressions shifted. Although none of them liked that ungrateful eldest aunt, she was still part of the Hua family, and her sudden death left a sour taste in their hearts.
Wu Shi hesitated before asking, "Has someone come to report the death? What should we do?"
"Song Chenghao came to report it. I will go to pay my respects."
Wu Shi immediately objected. "Why not let me and the eldest sister-in-law go together?"
Madam Zhu hadn't yet grasped the underlying complexities, but knowing that Fourth Aunt and her daughter were close, she nodded in agreement.
"I must be the one to go."
Wu Shi grew anxious. "You are the head of the Hua family, that's true, but if you show your face, I'm worried..."
Hua Zhi was both amused and exasperated. Really, were they treating her like a celestial maiden? Although her face was quite attractive, it wasn't to the point where she couldn't show herself in public. "The more we hide, the more curious they become. If they want to see me, let them see."
"Zhi Er..."
Hua Zhi took out Hua Jing's life tablet. "It has to be me."
Even if they were still anxious, no one could argue further. The Hua family understood the significance of the life tablet, carved by the family's grandfather, father, or uncles. As long as this tablet remained in the Hua family, the person would always be considered part of it. Returning the tablet to Hua Jing made the quicker-witted among them realize that the eldest young lady intended to sever all ties with Hua Jing completely, even in death!
Wu Shi's throat tightened. Her youngest son's life tablet had been carved by Berlin, as he was now the eldest male in the family. Her eldest son's tablet had been carved by her husband, so she knew full well how important these tablets were to the Hua family.
Zhi Er was not the type to be unforgiving. If she was going to such lengths now, could it be that Hua Jing had done something else they weren't aware of?
"Berlin."
Hua Berlin quickly stood and acknowledged.
"Tomorrow is Qingming Festival. Steward Xu has prepared everything. You will be in charge of the sacrificial rites."
"Yes, Elder Sister."
Hua Zhi nodded and stood up. "If there's nothing else, everyone is dismissed."
Hua Xian seemed to want to say something, but Third Aunt shook her head at her. Now was not the right time.
Hua Xian bit her lip and lowered her head.
Third Aunt sighed inwardly and glanced at Hua Zhi's retreating figure. Just from the eldest young lady's demeanor, it was clear that her outing today was anything but simple. Better to wait until she had dealt with this matter.
"Zhi Er." Wu Shi hurried after her.
Hua Zhi turned and waited.
Wu Shi pulled her farther away and asked in a low voice, "Has something happened? Did Hua Jing do something harmful to the Hua family before she died?"
"Why would Fourth Aunt think that?"
"You don't look like you're going to pay respects—you look like you're going to whip her corpse." Wu Shi glared at her. "Tone down your aura a bit. Don't leave a bad reputation outside.""A notorious reputation is better than being weak and easily bullied, where everyone thinks they can step all over you." The Empress Dowager's protection had an expiration date, and she estimated it was probably about to run out. She truly didn't mind leaving behind a notorious reputation to buy herself more time—her network of connections wasn't yet fully established.
Wu Shi was no match for her in an argument, so she could only continue asking what she wanted to know. "Tell me, did Hua Jing do something before she died?"
Hua Zhi watched as Hua Ling and her two sisters gathered together, each holding a booklet and discussing something. They had long shed the hysteria of wanting to be teachers but failing, and no longer held themselves aloof, thinking themselves superior due to their talents. Even the relationship between the sisters had improved immeasurably compared to before. Such promising young women had nearly been ruined by Hua Jing.
"Hua Jing hanged herself. She hanged herself outside the Song family's main gate." Hua Zhi turned to look at Wu Shi, whose eyes were wide with shock. "Actually, at first, she intended to hang herself at the Hua family's residence, but she didn't succeed."
Wu Shi covered her mouth to stifle a scream. In that instant, she understood why Zhi Er wanted to whip the corpse—she felt the same urge!
"Notify the other three families to keep their doors closed and refrain from going to the Wu family to offer condolences."
"I understand." Wu Shi didn't ask why Hua Jing ultimately failed. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, but that she couldn't ask.
Although Hua Jing's death was disgraceful, the Song family had been established in the capital for many years, and Old Master Song now held a third-rank official position. The front of the Song residence was bustling with carriages and horses.
Amid the array of luxurious carriages, one that was too plain stood out conspicuously, leading to speculation about which impoverished relative of the Song family it belonged to. The maids accompanying it, however, were quite striking.
Shen Qi, riding on horseback beside his grandmother's carriage, couldn't help but take an extra glance at that carriage. When his eyes swept over the faces of the maids, his heart tightened abruptly. These were the Hua family's maids, and moreover, they all served the Hua family's eldest young lady—he had seen them before!
"Qi'er?"
Old Madam Shen glanced at her grandson through the raised window curtain. "What's the matter?"
Shen Qi collected himself. "It's nothing. What were you saying just now, Grandmother?"
"You can leave after escorting me here. I'll be going to the inner quarters later to speak with Old Madam Song. You may attend to your own affairs; there's no need to worry about me."
Originally, Shen Qi had planned to do just that—he had little interaction with the Song family's young masters and had only come to escort his grandmother. But now, how could he agree?
"Since we've already arrived at the gate, it wouldn't make sense to turn around and leave. I'll accompany you inside to offer incense."
Old Madam Shen was naturally very pleased, her mind drifting to the matter her elder brother from her maternal family had recently brought up. Marrying within the family was a good thing, and she hoped the ties between her natal and marital families could grow stronger. But...
Thinking of that child from the Hua family, Old Madam Shen sighed. What a pity. If the Hua family hadn't met with misfortune, such a capable young lady would have been part of their Shen family.
Over there, the Hua family's carriage came to a stop. The Song family's servants, who judged people by their appearances, paid no attention to such an ordinary carriage and went to guide other carriages instead.
Ying Chun lifted the curtain. "Young Lady, we've arrived."
Hua Zhi, who had been silent throughout the journey, supported herself with Su Momo's hand and stood up. She bent slightly and stepped out of the carriage, standing atop it as she surveyed the bustling scene. Gradually, the noisy front of the Song residence fell silent.
What is skin whiter than snow? What are brows and eyes like a painting? What are lips red without rouge? What are brows emerald without pencil?... All the descriptions of beauty from books were embodied before their eyes. Dressed in plain white, with a white flower in her hair, she appeared ethereal and aloof, as if untouched by worldly cares.The capital was never short of beauties, with annual rankings to prove it. Yet even the most stunning faces became ordinary after frequent sightings. Now, a fresh face of such extraordinary allure had emerged, and with a single comparison, it effortlessly overshadowed every beauty on the list.
The silence didn’t last long, as hushed discussions gradually arose. The identity of this beauty wasn’t hard to guess. Su Momo had often accompanied Old Madam of the Hua family in social circles around the capital, and with many ladies present today, quite a few recognized her. For Su Momo to attend so closely to a new face—who else could it be but the Hua family’s eldest daughter, who had never before appeared in the capital?
Recalling the rumors circulating in the capital, someone couldn’t help but mutter a soft curse under their breath. If this was what they called an "ugly woman," then what should all other women be called?!
OpenNovel