The mourning hall fell into a deathly silence, even the sutra chanting happened to cease at that moment.
The onlookers then remembered that the eldest lady of the Hua family had indeed been gravely ill. Those who had visited her knew she could only lie in bed all day, without even the strength to sit up—how could she possibly have had the energy to hang a white silk ribbon from that high beam?
Could it be that the Song family truly couldn’t tolerate Hua Jing any longer? Yet without the Hua family, with Old Master Song’s limited capabilities, how could he have climbed to the third-rank position?
If the Song family truly had a hand in this matter, then…
Many people’s gazes toward the Song family members grew subtly complex.
“The fact is, Hua Jing hung a white silk ribbon in front of the Song family’s main gate, causing the Song family great embarrassment.” As these words were spoken, an elderly man emerged from behind the crowd—it was Song Haoqing, the patriarch of the Song family. His features were exceptionally dignified, and even in his advanced age, he retained a handsome appearance. Neither Song Zhengzu nor Song Chenghao resembled him.
With one hand behind his back, Song Haoqing approached Hua Zhi. “Why is the Hua family’s young lady so aggressive the moment she arrives? Those who know would think you’re here to pay respects; those who don’t would assume you’re here for revenge.”
Trying to intimidate her with authority? Hua Zhi lifted her chin slightly, her eyebrows instantly sharpening with defiance. “A sick woman, walking from the locked rear courtyard to the front courtyard, evading the gatekeeper, opening the main gate, and hanging herself in front of it—it seems Hua Jing must have drugged the entire household before taking action, to so successfully avoid all the Song family’s servants and guards.”
Song Haoqing faltered, but before he could speak, Hua Zhi continued, “Or does Old Master Song have a more convincing explanation?”
“That is the truth. How would I know how she managed it?”
Hua Zhi nodded, praising, “Truly remarkable skill.”
This praise for “remarkable skill” left it unclear whether she meant Hua Jing or the Song family.
Seeing everyone’s thoughts being swayed by Hua Zhi, Song Chenghao hurriedly interjected, “Cousin, we truly don’t know how Mother managed it…”
“Sui An is only fourteen, yet he protected his mother. Song Chenghao, what about you?”
Hua Zhi’s presence intensified. Without making any grand gestures, she stood there, cold-eyed and stern, radiating an aura of icy resolve. “You haven’t even pretended to grieve, too busy calculating what benefits Hua Jing’s death could bring you. Song Chenghao, your eyes are smiling—haven’t you noticed?”
Song Chenghao instinctively lowered his head, then quickly raised it again upon realizing his reaction.
Hua Zhi scanned the crowd, a wave of sorrow inexplicably rising in her heart. A person had passed away, yet no one truly mourned or grieved for her. Was Hua Jing such a failure in life, or is human nature simply this cold?
“Hua Zhi, have you forgotten how you treated Hua Jing before? Now you come here pretending to mourn like a cat crying over a dead mouse…”
“When did I ever cry?” Hua Zhi cut off Song Zhengzu’s words. The once-proud scholar was now merely a shell of a man, hollowed out by debauchery. She produced the ancestral tablet, causing those familiar with the Hua family to gasp in shock. “I came to return Hua Jing’s ancestral tablet to her. From today onward, Hua Jing and her children will have no further ties to the Hua family. The Hua and Song families shall go their separate ways.”
Hua Zhi stepped forward and threw the tablet into the funeral brazier. Ignoring the stunned crowd, she turned and walked away.
Song Zhengzu’s furious roar echoed behind her, “Hua Zhi, you vicious woman! You won’t even let Hua Jing rest in peace!”The maidservants were so furious their faces flushed crimson, fists clenched tightly, wishing they could tear apart the man who had spoken such vicious words.
Yet Hua Zhi smiled. She turned to look at Song Zhengzu, who had completely lost his composure. "If she cannot rest in peace after death, the ancestors of the Hua family will be waiting for her underground—my grandmother will be waiting for her!"
"How dare a clueless little brat like you spout such nonsense here? Who do you think you are? The Song family—"
"Enough." Song Haoqing shot a warning glare at his eldest son, then turned to Hua Zhi with an air of paternal authority. "On such serious matters, a young lady of the Hua family should not speak recklessly."
"The decisions I make are ones even my grandfather would not oppose if he were here. There is no need for Elder Song to trouble himself with this."
Song Haoqing had long wanted to sever ties with the Hua family. Previously, he couldn’t take the initiative without inviting criticism, but now, it wasn’t him who had brought it up!
He let out a long sigh. "If this is the wish of the Hua family, how could I stand in the way?"
"Elder Song has been troubled." Whether the words were sincere or sarcastic remained unclear. Hua Zhi walked away without looking back, and everyone instinctively made way for her. Dressed in plain white, she moved like a blazing flame, burning a path through the crowd.
They were all wrong—so wrong. This was no aloof celestial beauty; she was a thorny yet radiant rose!
Stepping out of the Song residence, Hua Zhi boarded the carriage under the gaze of the onlookers. No sooner had she settled in than Bao Xia said, "Miss, Young Master Shen is here."
Hua Zhi lifted the carriage curtain. "Is there something else, Young Master Shen?"
Shen Qi’s eyes couldn’t conceal his dejection. Having just witnessed her fiery spirit, he could only listen as she calmly addressed him as "Young Master Shen."
"I plan to travel north. If you have anything you’d like to send, Miss, please prepare it. I’ll likely depart in about ten days."
Hua Zhi’s expression softened slightly. "Does your family know of your plans, Young Master Shen?"
"I am the teacher’s student—that will never change. It’s not inappropriate for a student to visit their teacher."
"If you’re certain about going, why not arrange to meet with Bai Mingxia of the Bai family? He is also heading north. Traveling together would provide companionship." Hua Zhi leaned forward slightly. "I thank you for your kindness, Master Shen."
Shen Qi smiled bitterly and bowed in return. As the carriage departed, he had no reason to stop it.
On the return journey, Su Momo did not join her in the carriage. Alone inside, Hua Zhi seemed to collapse like a soldier after a battle, her shoulders slumping as if all her energy had drained away. Exhaustion permeated her entire being. She closed her eyes to rest briefly, knowing she couldn’t afford to appear this way upon arriving home.
Suddenly, the carriage curtain was flung open. Without the carriage stopping, Gu Yanxi climbed in.
Hua Zhi’s nerves tensed then relaxed. She didn’t move.
Gu Yanxi didn’t mention that he had been present earlier, nor did he voice his heartache. Instead, he unwrapped a warm oil-paper package and offered it to her. "This is a new pastry from Zhilan Shop. They learned from Green Moss Alley’s peach blossom cakes—the filling is made with flower jam. Try it and see how it tastes."
The pastry was fragrant, though not with the scent of flowers but with the aroma of the cake itself. Suddenly, Hua Zhi felt a pang of hunger. She took it and was about to bite into it when she paused, broke it in half, and handed one piece back to him.
Gu Yanxi smiled, accepted it, and took a bite. Even the sweetness he usually disliked tasted different this time.After finishing half of it, Hua Zhi commented, "The pastry is good, but the filling is too greasy. It's not as tasty as the sauce Fu Dong prepares. The children would probably like it too. I'll have Fu Dong make some for us later."
Gu Yanxi smiled and agreed. Seeing her spirits lift a little eased his own heart. A Zhi would never know how much he had wanted to stand by her side earlier, to shield her from facing those malicious intents alone. But he hadn't, because he knew A Zhi wouldn't have liked that.
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