Gu Yanxi wanted to say: I'm willing to bear the entire Hua family's burdens for you, willing to be relied upon by you, so you needn't leave yourself any retreat—just trust me. But meeting A Zhi's unwavering gaze, brimming with infinite resilience, he swallowed all these words.
If his A Zhi were like other women who depended on others, how could the Hua family have reached its current state? How could she possess that fierce determination to stake her life against others'?
He thought he was different from others, believed he already held A Zhi in the highest regard. Yet now he realized he was just like those ordinary people—selfishly wanting to keep someone who inherently deserved to soar freely tethered by his side.
Gu Yanxi smiled bitterly. He had grown greedy.
"Let Shaoyao go with you."
Hua Zhi was naturally pleased to bring Shaoyao along, but she still pressed, "Is she allowed to leave?"
"Yes, with her master stationed at the palace, it's sufficient." Gu Yanxi paused, then circled back to the previous topic. "This sand table..."
"Once we step out this door, you may use it however you wish, but there's no need to involve me. The timing isn't right now."
Seeing her finally relax her intensity, Gu Yanxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement. "I'll remember everything. There will come a time when it proves useful."
They exchanged a glance, their hearts in sync.
Suddenly, Gu Yanxi grinned. "Care for a match?"
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. "I'm game."
In the courtyard, Berlin was sparring with Shaoyao. Although Shaoyao was still familiarizing herself with the rules, Berlin had to tread carefully with every move to match her evenly. Watching them, Gu Yanxi felt a twinge of astonishment.
Since setting her ambition to become a female general, Shaoyao had immersed herself in military strategy books. Though she had neglected these studies in recent years, even the emperor once remarked on her innate talent and solid foundation. Yet now, Berlin, merely ten years old, could hold his own against her.
He couldn't help but glance at A Zhi, who was smiling faintly. She had truly taught Berlin too well. If only...
His gaze shifted to Little Six, and Gu Yanxi formed a plan.
In the end, Shaoyao won, though it was a pyrrhic victory. Rolling up her sleeves, she looked up eagerly. "Again."
Just as Hua Berlin was about to accept the challenge, Hua Zhi spoke up. "I'll take on Lu Xiansheng."
In the presence of others, Hua Zhi habitually addressed him as Lu Xiansheng. Gu Yanxi quite liked this form of address and stepped forward to nudge Shaoyao aside.
Hua Berlin, more perceptive, quickly yielded his spot when his elder sister approached. He wanted to see if this teacher who had so easily defeated him could stand against his sister.
Unfamiliar with Yanxi's tactical habits, Hua Zhi played conservatively, emphasizing stability to the extreme. Gu Yanxi, too, probed cautiously. Both possessed strong strategic vision, leaving no room for surprise maneuvers. For a while, it was impossible to tell who held the upper hand.
Exchanging a look, they simultaneously ended their probing and intensified their deployments. Advancing and retreating, the clash seemed to echo with the sounds of clashing arms and galloping horses. The battle remained deadlocked, neither side yielding an inch.
Hua Zhi deployed her cavalry, only to fall into Gu Yanxi's trap. Just as Gu Yanxi set up his serpent formation, Hua Zhi decapitated it, leaving the body immobilized.
By the end, both sides had nearly exhausted their forces, yet neither had breached the other's territory.
By then, night had fallen. Lanterns illuminated the courtyard, and several maids stood smiling by the sand table, holding lamps to light the scene.Yet the fighting spirit had not faded. Hua Zhi's hands trembled slightly, so she tucked them into her sleeves and looked up at the man who was watching her intently. She had always considered herself a peace-loving person, but now she had to admit—whether by nature or shaped by her previous life's circumstances—she was inherently quite combative.
"A Zhi has the talent to lead troops."
"Not at all. I only possess theoretical knowledge." Hua Zhi's smile was unusually bright, her eyes sparkling, clearly genuinely pleased.
Gu Yanxi didn't argue with her. The more he understood A Zhi, the more certain he became: if an army were truly placed in her hands, she might very well be able to train it. Had A Zhi been born in turbulent times, she would undoubtedly have been a formidable leader.
Completely unaware that she had been labeled a formidable leader, Hua Zhi rubbed her wrists. "Serve the meal. Everyone will eat here today."
The maid acknowledged the order and left.
Hua Zhi turned to Berlin, who was still dazed. Although she hadn't intentionally meant to discourage him, it was good for him to learn that there was always someone better and that not everyone would go easy on him like his older sister.
She then looked at the Sixth Prince. "How much of that game did you manage to remember?"
The Sixth Prince looked up, licking his dry lips. "About half."
"Very good. If you remembered half, Berlin must have remembered half as well. After the meal, return to your rooms and review it." Hua Zhi tied a lapel ribbon for him that had come undone at some point. "There's one in your courtyard too."
The Sixth Prince nodded gently, as if afraid that a stronger movement would loosen the newly tied ribbon.
Apart from Hua Zhi, who ate heartily, the others were somewhat distracted during the meal. Even Shaoyao, who usually treated eating as a serious matter in life, was unusually preoccupied.
After the meal, the others hurried off quickly. Left alone in the room with Gu Yanxi, he carefully chose his words to express his thoughts. "For your journey south, I'd like Little Six to accompany you."
"Agreed."
"..." A whole arsenal of persuasive arguments was abruptly cut off. Gu Yanxi coughed lightly. "I thought you wouldn't agree."
"Why wouldn't I? If possible, I'd like to take Berlin along too, but the Hua family can manage without me but not without him." Hua Zhi glanced at the row of travelogues and miscellaneous writings on the bookshelf. "No matter how many books they've read, it's no substitute for traveling and seeing what the world is really like. Only by witnessing it firsthand will they understand that some places are far better than described in books, while in others, mere survival is a struggle. No matter what path A Jian takes in the future, seeing these things will do him no harm."
Hua Zhi shifted her gaze back, a smile in her eyes. "Besides, I'm going on this trip to conduct business, not to kill or set fires. There shouldn't be any life-threatening dangers."
"Taking the water route?"
"Yes. There's a merchant from the south who makes two trips north each year, selling his goods along the way and then purchasing medicinal herbs and such to bring back. I've sent word to him. Tomorrow, I'll meet him at the dock."
"Will you travel with him?"
Hua Zhi shook her head. "That was the original plan, but I estimate he'll stay in the capital for at least half a month. I can't wait that long. I'll just ask him about the situation there. If he has connections, even better. As long as there's room for negotiation, I can pique his interest."
If only she could wait half a month... Gu Yanxi suppressed his longing. "I'll assign a few more people to you."
Hua Zhi didn't refuse. Even for the Sixth Prince's safety, she dared not be careless. "But not too many. We don't want to attract attention.""I know, just two people." Plus Shaoyao, who could handle the workload of several people, it would be enough.
PS: Took medicine, my mind is a mess. Chapter two is unpresentable. I'll rewrite it after the medicine wears off and update both chapters together tomorrow.
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