With everything arranged, Hua Zhi turned around to find Lu Xiansheng already gone. The study door stood open, and after taking a few steps inside, she saw him sitting there as if he owned the place.
"Does Lu Xiansheng have business coming at this hour?" Sitting opposite him, Hua Zhi inquired.
Gu Yanxi gazed at the tea set still on the table, recalling how he had seen the two chatting and laughing when he arrived. For some reason, his heart soured intensely.
He knew perfectly well that A Zhi was not a frivolous person, yet her appreciation for this newly arrived teacher was evident at a glance—this filled him with a sense of crisis. He had never worried like this before because he deeply understood that someone as proud as A Zhi rarely found anyone in the capital worthy of her regard.
But now, one had appeared.
Like A Zhi, he disdained imperial power; like A Zhi, he did not strictly adhere to rules. In some beliefs, they could even be called kindred spirits. Yet these very similarities highlighted the greatest rift between them: the imperial power A Zhi scorned was what he possessed. He could not discard it, nor would he—he bore the surname Gu.
But for A Zhi, it was precisely this imperial power he held that separated her from her family, with no reunion in sight.
At this moment, the sense of crisis nearly overwhelmed him.
"Lu Xiansheng?" Receiving no response, Hua Zhi called out again, puzzled. Could it be that the emperor was on his deathbed? That would be good news!
"Is this the other teacher at the clan school?"
"Yes, Teacher Zheng Zhi."
Gu Yanxi lowered his gaze to the small teacup before him. "Is he outstanding?"
Hua Zhi found his question odd but answered, "If Lu Xiansheng is asking about his knowledge, yes, he is outstanding. But what I value more is his years of experience venturing outside. Children born and raised in the capital should not think the world is only as big as Beijing."
Gu Yanxi felt an even stronger urge to keep Zheng Zhi and A Zhi apart.
"Some words are best spoken behind closed doors; don’t let outsiders hear them."
Hua Zhi immediately understood he must have overheard much from outside. Upon reflection, she realized her carelessness—if it had been the Sixth Prince or someone from the inner quarters standing there, those words would have been ready-made leverage. Perhaps it couldn’t harm her now, but fortunes change; who knew what the future held?
Hua Zhi leaned forward slightly. "Thank you for the reminder, Lu Xiansheng. I will be more careful in the future."
"The fault is not yours."
Hua Zhi frowned slightly. "Does Lu Xiansheng intend to hold Teacher Zheng accountable?"
Gu Yanxi lifted his head to meet her gaze. "What if I do?"
"Punishing someone for their words is not the act of a wise ruler."
"I am no ruler; whether one is wise or not has nothing to do with me."
Hua Zhi felt a strange sensation—why did Gu Yanxi seem to be opposing her? Because of Zheng Zhi?
"Does Lu Xiansheng dislike Teacher Zheng?"
Gu Yanxi’s words caught in his throat, his heart in turmoil. He truly disliked Zheng Zhi, but the reason... was unspeakable.
How could he let A Zhi know that his dislike stemmed from jealousy? He envied Zheng Zhi’s shared ideals with A Zhi, envied how Zheng Zhi had earned A Zhi’s approval, envied that Zheng Zhi excelled in the very areas A Zhi did, envied how they understood each other’s unspoken meanings in conversation...He worried that Zheng Zhi was truly that exceptional, worried he could gain the Hua family's approval, but what he feared most was A Zhi being unable to marry out—that the Hua family elders would make her take a husband into the household. A Zhi was so outstanding; it wasn’t impossible that Zheng Zhi might agree.
Hua Zhi had no idea his thoughts had already wandered so far. Seeing his silence, she assumed he simply disliked Mr. Zheng. Choosing her words carefully, she said, "Though Mr. Zheng has drawn criticism, he spoke out for the Hua family’s grievances. I believe having scholars like him is a blessing for the Daqing Dynasty. If even scholars become mouthpieces for certain individuals or factions, a dynasty’s vitality is truly spent."
Gu Yanxi’s expression remained dark as still water. Hua Zhi continued, "I’ll remind Mr. Zheng to weigh his words carefully. The capital isn’t like other places—the slightest misstep could breach taboos. He’s clever; he’ll understand."
Not only did A Zhi speak up for Zheng Zhi, she even praised his intelligence. Gu Yanxi’s sense of crisis deepened. He resolved to investigate Zheng Zhi’s ancestry immediately—if he found even the slightest flaw, he’d have him thrown out of the capital!
Hua Zhi watched as Gu Yanxi stood up and walked out without a word, momentarily puzzled by his attitude. But then the man who had just left returned, took a small box from his sleeve, placed it in her hand, and turned to leave again.
"......"
After a dazed moment, Hua Zhi opened the box. Inside was another black iron hairpin, though its design differed slightly from the previous one.
She didn’t take it out, merely gazing at it quietly, guessing that Gu Yanxi had likely polished it himself bit by bit—just like the last one.
Ying Chun hurried in, and Hua Zhi swiftly closed the box.
Glancing at the box, Ying Chun said, "Miss, someone from Concubine Qiu’s maternal family in the third branch has come. They say her father is on the verge of death and wish to ask Concubine Qiu to return for one last visit."
Hua Zhi disliked getting entangled in inner household affairs. When she had to manage them, she focused on broader matters, leaving each branch’s internal affairs to their respective madams. Later, using busyness as an excuse, she handed over the inner household to Fourth Aunt to manage. Yet she remembered Concubine Qiu vividly.
Concubines were always chosen for their looks, and Concubine Qiu was no exception. At twenty-three or twenty-four, childless, she still retained a maidenly grace. Unlike the scholarly air of the Hua family’s concubines, who were literate and well-read, Concubine Qiu’s full waist and rounded hips made her uniquely striking, much favored by Third Uncle.
"What do you know about her family background?"
"I asked. Her father is a minor seventh-rank official, and both her brothers are scholars. They’re considered a family of letters."
Hua Zhi nodded. "Very well. Give her one hundred taels of silver, and pick two presentable but not overly extravagant items from the storeroom for her to take back. Have Mama Zhao accompany her. If the situation is dire, she may stay overnight at home."
"Yes."
No sooner had Concubine Qiu left than Third Madam went to Fourth Madam’s courtyard. Wu Shi wasn’t surprised by her visit and dismissed the servants. "I know what concerns you, but the Eldest Miss’s decision is correct. Although the Hua family is observing mourning behind closed doors, it’s unreasonable to forbid someone from seeing their dying father one last time. If we barred her and left such a great regret, how could she not hold resentment later?"
Xia Shi sighed. "I understand the reasoning, but I fear once this precedent is set, it will be hard to stop.""Do you think they could have their fathers die today and mothers tomorrow? With Zhi Er's temperament, if anyone dared stir up trouble, she'd divorce them on behalf of those men."
Thinking of their eldest young lady, Xia Shi also laughed, "You know what? She might actually do that. Alright then, I'll stop worrying. Let things take their course. With the eldest young lady keeping them in check, they can't possibly cause any real chaos."
The two sisters-in-law exchanged smiles. Even if there had been disagreements before, everything had been resolved over the past few months. As long as the Hua family prospered, nothing else mattered.
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