Hua Zhi's injuries had improved significantly after nearly half a month of recovery, so even if she went to the kitchen to cook noodles, Shaoyao wouldn't stop her anymore.
She methodically boiled water, added the noodles, and tossed in various vegetables. Soon, a steaming bowl of generously loaded noodles was ready. Gu Yanxi's gaze never left her figure, his mind free of schemes, thoughts of the country, or the Chao Li Tribe—everything had vanished, leaving only that one person.
"Come eat."
He finished the entire large bowl of noodles, drinking every last drop of the broth.
Hua Zhi then led him to the room shared by her father and fourth uncle, borrowing her father's bed. After tidying up, she urged him to sleep, disregarding that he had just eaten. She felt this man was clearly exhausted enough to fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.
Gu Yanxi was remarkably obedient. Told to sleep, he truly removed his outer robe, kicked off his shoes, and got into bed, then looked at Hua Zhi with pleading eyes.
Hua Zhi sat by the bedside, straightened his blanket, and said gently, "Sleep now."
Gu Yanxi grasped her hand, pressed it against his cheek, and didn't let go, closing his eyes. Within moments, his breathing became deep and even.
Hua Zhi waited another quarter-hour, confirming he was sound asleep before gently withdrawing her hand. She gazed at the man who had softened entirely in slumber, the dark circles under his eyes now quite noticeable. She realized she had genuinely grown fond of this man—he was strong-willed yet disciplined, knew what he wanted and worked tirelessly toward it. He was loyal; even when deeply disappointed, he never wavered, burying his sorrow deep inside.
She gently pulled the blanket over him and rose to leave the room. She didn't want to be the one who caused him pain, but what could she do? It was the son of the very person to whom he pledged his loyalty who had nearly uprooted her family.
When Gu Yanxi woke, dusk was falling. Someone was speaking softly outside—not A Zhi's voice—so he didn't bother listening closely, allowing himself a moment of idleness.
Recalling how A Zhi had treated him that day, Gu Yanxi smiled. A Zhi was the type who yielded to kindness but not force—perhaps occasional displays of vulnerability might bring unexpected rewards in the future.
The door creaked open softly as Shaoyao tiptoed in. Meeting his open eyes, she abandoned her stealthy demeanor, bouncing over to sit on the edge of the bed. "How's Second Prince doing?"
"Under house arrest."
Shaoyao gritted her teeth. "That's all?"
Gu Yanxi didn't answer, sitting up to get out of bed. "Where's A Zhi?"
"Teaching Zeng Han calligraphy. Yan Ge, why go easy on Second Prince after such outrageous behavior? Just because he's a royal heir?"
Gu Yanxi stood and walked out. If this matter were to be explained, he'd rather A Zhi hear it first.
Hua Zhi happened to emerge from another room, unsurprised to see him awake—in fact, he'd slept longer than she expected.
"Are you hungry? I saved food for you."
"Not yet." Gu Yanxi walked up to her. Hmm, her complexion did look better.
Hua Zhi didn't press him, turning to lead him back inside. Shaoyao tried to follow but wilted under a faint glance—Yan Ge was so annoying! Why did he have to come back after returning to the capital!
And that Wu Yong—why had he returned so early today? She hadn't even had her fill of fun yet!
The two who entered the room sat facing each other. Though Hua Zhi didn't ask, Gu Yanxi felt compelled to explain proactively, "I came here under orders this time."
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. "I might mistakenly think you brought commendations.""You know things won't be that simple." Gu Yanxi detailed the events in the capital, concluding, "A Zhi, no matter how significant other matters may seem, none compare to the importance of the Chao Li Tribe. Having studied history extensively, you must be aware of that period which nearly meant destruction for the Central Plains."
Hua Zhi's expression had darkened during his account. That hundred-year period represented an unprecedented darkness in China's five-thousand-year civilization, which had been ruled by foreign tribes multiple times before. The Han people were a vast ethnic group—no matter which tribe ruled them, eventually that ruling tribe would become assimilated. They admired the brilliant civilization they lacked, and once they obtained it, they treasured it like precious jewels. How could they bear to destroy it?
But the Chao Li Tribe was different. After conquering the Central Plains, they treated its people as slaves and regarded its civilization as worthless. They still only acknowledged the beliefs of their own tribe. The century under Chao Li Tribe rule was a hundred years of utter darkness for the Central Plains people. Countless texts were destroyed, numerous scholars were killed. To survive, they abandoned their writing brushes, hid their books, and became slaves to the Chao Li people. Yet in secret, they quietly accumulated strength, which later enabled Emperor Taizu's rallying cry, the assistance of strategist Hua Jingyan, and the establishment of the current Daqing Dynasty.
It was true that no matter how important other matters seemed, none compared to the Chao Li Tribe. However, "Yan Xi, have you forgotten that to resist external threats, we must first secure internal stability? All adult princes have already entered court and taken up official duties. If war breaks out, as imperial princes they will inevitably manage affairs—such as provisions and troop deployments. Can you feel at ease with that?"
Hua Zhi rested her cheek on her hand and tilted her head to look at him. "If you were to lead the troops into battle, with them managing your rear—could you truly feel secure?"
No!
Gu Yanxi didn't need to think twice to arrive at the answer. Among those princes, there wasn't a single one he would trust to watch his back.
"You're right. To resist external threats, we must first secure internal stability."
Seeing that he had taken her point, Hua Zhi didn't press further. She too was worried—everyone could see how much the Emperor valued and trusted Yan Xi. If the day came when he needed to lead troops, would those princes who envied him seize the opportunity to strike? They wouldn't consider whether the Daqing Dynasty could still withstand the Chao Li Tribe's invasion without him—they would only see the immediate benefits before their eyes.
She truly didn't trust those people.
"As for the First Prince, these past few days since Jia Yang has been recovering well, I noticed he was bored with nothing to do, so I had him follow the First Prince. I told him to report any developments directly to you. As a commoner, I dare not involve myself in imperial family matters."
Gu Yanxi raised an eyebrow. "What made you think to investigate him?"
"Nothing in particular. While others might not know the details of what happened here recently, the First Prince likely does. I wanted to see how he would react." Hua Zhi turned over an upside-down cup and poured tea. "I've always felt that the First Prince might still be holding some trump card—one that, if played right, could completely turn his fortunes around."
"Why do you get that feeling?"
"He didn't take advantage of the Second Prince's misfortune to attack him when he was down. Moreover, he managed to distance himself too cleanly from the whole affair. From what I know, the relationship between those brothers can't be described as friendly."
Gu Yanxi looked deeply at A Zhi. "I already gave the order after entering the city. Jia Yang should have joined them by now.""That's even better." Hua Zhi's suspicion of the crown prince was purely instinctive—without reason or evidence. She simply felt that under these circumstances, the crown prince ought to be jumping at the chance to viciously trample the second prince. She certainly didn't believe that exile could fundamentally change a person's nature.
PS: This part is a bit rough, one more chapter to go.
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