Chapter 3: Leave It to Me!
Those who were to be taken away had been taken, and the crowd retreated in a flurry. Eunuch Lai Fu remained until last: "Old Madam, you have only one hour to pack your belongings. This is already an exceptional grace from the Emperor. Please make preparations promptly."
"Yes, this old woman thanks His Majesty for his mercy. I will surely leave with the entire family within the allotted time."
After Lai Fu had also departed, Old Madam Hua could no longer hold herself together and collapsed weakly. Those around her hurriedly supported her, and Su Momo, who had served the old madam for decades, firmly pressed her philtrum. The old madam gradually regained consciousness.
Looking at the room full of terrified women and children, the old madam smiled bitterly, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes. They were either children who understood nothing or shallow women who only cared about immediate gains and losses. How could the Hua family overcome this calamity?
Hua Zhi felt a pang of sorrow seeing her grandmother weeping uncontrollably. This was the first time she had seen her grandmother cry. No matter the circumstances, her grandmother had always been composed, as if her mere presence could prevent any disaster. But now, even her grandmother had been crushed by this tremendous upheaval. The Hua family had completely lost its protector.
Scanning the room, among the four wives of the Hua family, the first wife was known for her fragility and sentimentality—the type who would weep at the sight of withered leaves on the ground. She could not be relied upon in such times.
The second wife, being born of a concubine, had no say in family matters. Even if she had the intention to step forward, her grandmother would never allow it, nor would the other wives permit someone of lower status to overshadow them.
The third wife came from the humblest background among the Hua family's daughters-in-law. Her origins meant her perspective could never support the now precarious Hua family. Moreover, her hard-won legitimate son had been taken away, and it was uncertain how long it would take for her to recover from the blow.
Hua Zhi actually held high hopes for the fourth wife, who had both the background and vision. However...
She smiled wryly at the sight of the fourth wife's prominent pregnancy. Under normal circumstances, she might have pushed her to step up, with Hua Zhi offering advice behind the scenes. But how could they burden a pregnant woman with such pressure now?
A great century-old family, yet when it came down to it, there was no one capable of holding the fort. It was clear that the men of the Hua family had not dishonored their ancestors' reputation, but the women of this generation fell far short.
Hua Zhi didn't know what to feel. Once forced to harden her heart, she had thought she could live peacefully until old age in this lifetime. Now, she was being pushed onto the path of a strong woman, and under such dire circumstances. She could only hope her fate would not be too tragic.
Pulling her younger brother to their mother's side to support her, Hua Zhi released her hand and stepped forward. Hua Bolin's heart skipped a beat, and he called out softly, "Elder Sister!"
Hua Zhi turned back with a smile, her eyes filled with helplessness. "Take good care of Mother."
Hua Bolin didn't yet understand what emotions were contained in that gaze; he only felt an unbearable ache in his heart. As he grew older, he would come to realize what price his sister had been willing to pay to step forward and that his pain at that moment was actually heartache for her.
Hua Zhi pushed through the crowd, took a few steps forward, and knelt before her grandmother. Meeting her grandmother's gaze, she asked gently, "Grandmother, do you trust me?"
Trust her? The old madam raised her hand to touch her eldest granddaughter's face. "You are a descendant of the Hua family."
Because you are a descendant of the Hua family, of course I trust you!
Hua Zhi nodded. "Then temporarily entrust the authority of managing the household to me."Old Madam quietly observed her for a moment, pleasantly surprised to find no trace of the obvious fear and panic seen in others. Indeed, this was the granddaughter personally taught by the old master.
"Very well, I entrust this household of elderly, weak, women, and children to you."
Hua Zhi smiled slightly and stood to address everyone. "We only have one hour. Now, please return and gather whatever you believe should be taken along. We must leave this place first."
Second Madam hesitated before asking, "Leave here... for where?"
"Wherever it may be, we must depart first," Hua Zhi replied without hesitation, speaking to everyone. "This is the official residence of a second-rank minister. With Grandfather stripped of his position, we naturally no longer have the right to live here."
"To the southern city residence," Old Madam interjected. "That place won't be sealed."
No one questioned why it wouldn't be sealed. With someone taking charge, the terrified women only sought a safe refuge.
"Remember to bring the knee and wrist guards used by Grandfather and Father during winter. Be quick."
No one dared be careless about this matter. Even First Madam tightly held her son, who had nearly been taken away, and returned to pack.
As Hua Zhi turned to speak, Old Madam spoke first, her expression noticeably more relaxed. "You should hurry and pack too. For the Hua family's sake, I will endure."
"Only by preserving ourselves can we plan for the future, Grandmother. This round doesn't determine the final outcome—we still have a chance to turn things around." Hua Zhi performed a slight curtsey and quickly left with several maids. One hour was truly not much time.
Old Madam covered her eyes and suddenly laughed. "Before, I never understood why the old master neglected other outstanding grandchildren in the family yet doted so much on Zhi Er. Wasn't she just well-behaved? There are plenty of such girls in other families. Only now do I understand—the old master wasn't mistaken; I was the one who misjudged."
"Indeed, this servant also failed to see the young lady's courage before."
"Come, help me back. Time is short."
Upon entering her courtyard, Hua Zhi immediately began giving orders. "Take everything out and divide it into five portions. Each of us will carry one part. Bring as many seasonal clothes as possible, and pack any other items you think might be useful."
Inside the room, everyone set to their tasks. While packing, Nian Qiu asked, "Will we be searched when we leave?"
"Probably not. They've already searched the house once. Those people believe that even if we've hidden some things, it wouldn't be much. No one would risk the Empress Dowager's displeasure over such trivial matters."
Bao Chun suddenly understood. "That's right. The women of the Hua family were spared by the Empress Dowager. If they searched us, wouldn't that be disrespectful to Her Majesty?"
Hua Zhi walked to the inner part of the canopy bed. The cabinet stood open, its contents of books showing signs of disturbance—likely checked for hidden banknotes—with two volumes lying on the floor.
She selected three books from the cabinet, placed them in her bundle, then ceased packing and sat aside to contemplate their next steps.Since Grandfather and Father served in the same court and held the same official rank, they must have been stripped of their Official Uniforms on the spot and immediately sent into exile. Meanwhile, the imperial guards set out to raid the Hua residence. The raid itself lasted about two hours in total. Factoring in all the time before and after, Grandfather has likely been on the road for two hours now. She needed to make some preparations—Grandfather couldn’t leave like this. The northern frontier turns cold early, and by the time they arrive, it will already be chilly. Yet now, Grandfather is still wearing thin clothing...
Rubbing her forehead, Hua Zhi closed her eyes and carefully considered everything. Unconsciously, time slipped by.
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