The wedding ceremony, known as the "Hun Li," is the matrimonial rite held at dusk, symbolizing the gradual transition between yin and yang.
Since afternoon, they had been counting the hours anxiously. When the groom finally entered the Hua family compound amid the joyful announcements of the wedding attendants, the fourth branch—who had been on edge for days—felt their hearts settle at last.
They dared not speak or dwell too deeply on their fears, worried that something might go wrong at the final moment.
Fortunately, the Cai Family proved trustworthy.
In the main hall, the Fourth Madame sat in the seat of honor, with the opposite side left vacant. Madame Wei sat at the lower left, followed by others in order of precedence. Hua Zhi, without false modesty, took the first seat on the right as the head of the eldest branch.
Cai Jieming, the eldest grandson of the Cai Family, wore deep maroon wedding robes. Tall and striding with vigor, he carried himself with the bearing of a military man.
Upon entering, his steps faltered slightly when he spotted the young face among the elders. He immediately recognized her identity, and recalling the rumors circulating in the capital, he couldn’t help but glance at her with curiosity a moment longer. Then, striding forward, he bowed deeply before the Fourth Madame.
The Fourth Madame looked at her maternal family’s junior with relief. "Jieming, I entrust our Qin’er to you. You must treat her well and walk side by side, supporting each other till your hair turns white."
"Yes, Jieming will not disappoint you."
Cai Jieming then bowed to Madame Wei, who offered her own exhortations. When greeting the others afterward, no grand gestures were required.
As the most esteemed among them, Cai Jieming first paid his respects to Hua Zhi. She returned a half-bow and said, "May you find happiness together."
Cai Jieming felt an indescribable strangeness inside. After murmuring his thanks, he found himself at a loss for further words. It was only when the wedding attendant prompted him that he continued bowing to the others.
Hua Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief as well. This was her first time experiencing such an occasion, and she felt quite unfamiliar with the proceedings. Fortunately, Cai Jieming seemed even more awkward than she was.
Hua Zhi did not join in the subsequent festivities, but from the lively sounds outside, she could tell the Cai Family had not treated this marriage lightly. Whether out of foresight or loyalty, their conduct spoke well of their character, suggesting they might be worth befriending.
Then, Hua Bolin’s voice rang out: "Brother-in-law, on behalf of all the men of the Hua family, I ask you: Will you treat Hua Qin well?"
The clamor instantly hushed. A line of children, led by Hua Bolin, blocked Cai Jieming’s path. The oldest among them was only fifteen, while their leader, Hua Bolin, was merely eleven. The rest were even younger. In that moment, they were the men of the Hua family, their tender shoulders striving to support the daughter about to marry into another family.
Suddenly, Cai Jieming recalled the day his grandfather summoned him to discuss this marriage. What stood out most was his grandfather’s words: "The Hua family’s foundation cannot be depleted in one generation. So long as their descendants strive, the Hua family will surely rise again."
These children before him were the Hua family’s descendants. They stood before him clear-eyed and upright, their chests puffed out with a man’s pride despite their lingering youth. Though he lacked his grandfather’s sharp discernment, he believed these children would indeed restore the Hua family’s fortunes.
Faced with such earnest gazes, he could not respond lightly. "I promise you, I will treat Hua Qin well."
Hua Bolin pressed his lips together, his expression still taut. "If you fail to keep your word, I will bring her home. Elder Sister said that the daughters of the Hua family are not like spilled water—their natal home will always be their refuge.""Alright." Beyond this single word, Cai Jieming didn't know what else to say. Hua Qin was his cousin—he knew her character and appreciated her talents. She possessed both the scholarly elegance and beauty characteristic of Hua family women. From the very beginning, he had been quite satisfied with this marriage arranged by their elders. Even though he had hesitated when the Hua family fell into misfortune, he ultimately resolved to marry her.
His promise to treat Hua Qin well wasn't merely to appease the Hua family.
The women of the Hua family were already weeping, their faces streaked with tears. They couldn't tell whether they were crying for themselves or for others.
Only Hua Zhi remained calm. She rose and walked to the doorway, watching her younger brothers outside. Still in mourning, the children wore deep blue robes, their hair neatly tied back, their young faces solemn. No one would laugh at them in such an atmosphere.
These were the children of the Hua family. As the old saying goes, "Rather bully the old than the young." With such offspring, who could say the Hua family had fallen?
Inside the room, Hua Qin's makeup was ruined by tears. She realized she truly wasn't afraid anymore—at worst, she could simply return to the Hua family. With such natal family support, what did it matter if she came back?
By the time Hua Zhi returned home, night had fallen. She wasn't surprised to see Yan Xi and gestured for him not to approach. First, she escorted her mother and aunts to the inner gate before returning.
"I heard it was quite lively."
"Lively in outside rumors, you mean." Hua Zhi smiled. The moonlight was beautiful, with a cool breeze gently blowing. Instead of going inside, they sat at the stone table in the courtyard.
Gu Yanxi placed the loquats he brought on the stone table, picking one up to peel. "Berlin is doing well—he can handle responsibilities."
Hua Zhi shook her head. "He's too young, too inexperienced. What are people saying about him outside?"
"They say he truly is a son of the Hua family, embodying the Hua family's integrity, that the family has a worthy successor."
"Such high praise?" Hua Zhi laughed incredulously. "That's setting him up for failure."
Gu Yanxi brought the peeled loquat to her lips. Hua Zhi unceremoniously bit into it, her tongue accidentally brushing his fingertip. Yanxi's heart trembled, but he pretended nonchalance as he withdrew his hand, rubbing it under the table before picking up another loquat to peel.
"With proper tempering, he can become truly capable. With you here, they won't have the chance to set him up for failure anyway. I've noticed that others' ten thousand words don't equal a single sentence from you where Berlin is concerned." Changing the subject while continuing to feed her, Yanxi asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"Too many things." Hua Zhi thought for a moment, listing them one by one. "I'll visit my maternal grandmother in the morning, then go to the estate in the afternoon. Xu Jie has already brought back a shipment of lychees—I need to teach them the preservation methods. They'll spoil if left too long."Considering how he'd recently taken to asking about her schedule, Hua Zhi simply shared the next day's plans as well." "The day after tomorrow, I'll visit another estate. The mushrooms are fruiting faster than I expected. Oh, and before going out, I need to establish distribution channels for the mushrooms."
Hua Zhi sighed inwardly, frustrated—when would these endless tasks ever be done?
"I'll arrange the distribution channels. I shouldn't just enjoy the benefits without contributing."
"Well said. Then I'll leave it to you."
Gu Yanxi glanced at her with soft eyes, feeding another loquat into her mouth. Though he hadn't eaten any himself, he felt sweetness spreading from his mouth to his heart.
Wiping his hands, he passed the remaining loquats in their basket to Su Momo. "Keep them chilled for tomorrow. If you like them, I'll bring more."
These were tribute fruits—large and sweet—only distributed to officials of the third rank and above. Of course, Gu Yanxi was special: the emperor had given him five baskets and permitted him to take more when these were finished.After returning to the capital, the time the two spent together drastically decreased. Gu Yanxi needed to handle the backlog of official duties at the Seven Constellation Bureau and make arrangements for future matters. No matter how much he trusted his subordinates' capabilities, he couldn't simply wash his hands of everything. Moreover, after his return, the Emperor had all the memorials sent to the Seven Constellation Bureau for him to review. The only time he could come was this brief moment, and he would have to continue working busily after going back.
Gu Yanxi felt it was better when they were outside—nearly half the day could be spent together. Unlike now, when even half an hour together had to be squeezed out from here and there.
PS: Actually, there were three updates today...
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