Chapter 356: Night Meeting Continued
Having eaten little at noon, Hua Zhi felt rather hungry and thus didn’t linger in bed, calling out for someone to attend to her.
Nian Qiu entered and nearly gasped aloud upon seeing a man present. Only after recognizing who it was did she press a hand to her chest, breathing rapidly. Had it been anyone else, she would have rushed forward to defend her mistress, but since it was Lu Xiansheng, she felt somewhat reassured. The relationship between him and her young lady didn’t need to be stated outright—they could all see it clearly.
Moreover, her young lady’s attitude was plain to see. They only needed to follow her commands.
"Bring some food. Yan Xi, have you had dinner?"
"Not yet."
"Make it a larger portion."
Nian Qiu acknowledged and withdrew. At the doorway, she stole a glance back and saw the tall man kneeling to help her young lady put on her shoes, while her young lady looked down at him with a smiling gaze. This scene remained etched in Nian Qiu’s memory for many, many years.
During the meal, Gu Yanxi brought up the matter of Haoyue. Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. "She’s come to the capital? Aren’t you worried she’ll stir up even more chaos in the imperial family?"
"She won’t get the chance." Placing a portion of food into A Zhi’s bowl, Gu Yanxi said calmly, "If she makes any suspicious moves, I’ll kill her. Compared to her prophecies, she herself is more dangerous."
Hua Zhi nodded in agreement. In the eyes of those in power, the identity Haoyue had chosen was indeed too perilous. Such a person was better destroyed than allowed to fall into others’ hands. She wondered how confident Haoyue must be to dare approach Yanxi so boldly.
Glancing at Yanxi, Hua Zhi lowered her head to eat. If Haoyue truly was a reincarnated person, her approach to Yanxi likely meant that Yanxi had survived the turmoil to the end and gained the greatest power—the throne? Would the Emperor bypass his own sons to pass the throne to Yanxi? Would the princes accept it? Would the ministers? If they did, what state must the Daqing Dynasty have been in at that time?
Haoyue must know all this, but she wouldn’t reveal it—it was her bargaining chip, unless Yanxi married her.
The princes would likely agree immediately, but Yanxi wouldn’t. He detested such coercion, had no ambition for the throne, and his heart belonged to her. This man had been too deeply wounded by his father and would never tread the same path.
"When you have time, come with me to see her."
Lost in thought, Hua Zhi had unconsciously taken a large mouthful of rice. She looked up, cheeks bulging, with a surprised expression.
Gu Yanxi chuckled and reached out to wipe her mouth.
Covering her mouth as she swallowed the rice, Hua Zhi hurriedly asked, "Take me? Is that alright?"
"Just to listen, it’s fine. Haoyue always gives me a sense of incongruity, but I can’t pinpoint what’s wrong. I’d like you to observe her for me."
Hua Zhi understood what he meant by incongruity, but she couldn’t explain it. She couldn’t very well say that Haoyue had lived a previous life and was now reliving it—such mystical talk would likely prompt Yanxi to ask how she knew.
"How about tomorrow afternoon?"
"Alright, I’ll have Chen Qing arrange it. Drink some soup."
Hua Zhi obediently picked up the bowl and drank half of it, then suddenly looked up as if remembering something. "Do you have any news of Berlin and the others? I haven’t had time to ask Ying Chun yet, and I don’t know if that lad has written."
"They’re in Xiangyang."
"Xiangyang? How did they…""It must have been Little Six's idea. He probably noticed something when we were making those preparations back then, so it's not surprising he'd want to go see for himself. Don't worry, they're all fine and have improved considerably. Seeing the outside world with their own eyes is more valuable than any teachings from great scholars. I'll secretly involve them in this disaster relief effort, but they can't show themselves. It's not yet time for him to reveal his capabilities."
Hua Zhi nodded in understanding. Indeed, if he were to reveal himself now, he would likely be targeted by his brothers.
Gu Yanxi set down his bowl and said in a low but solemn voice, "The Emperor seems inclined to construct the Lingzhou Grand Canal."
"You should know this isn't the right time," Hua Zhi said urgently. With both external threats and internal troubles already plaguing the empire, undertaking such a massive project now would exhaust the Daqing Dynasty, just like what happened to the Sui Dynasty back then.
"He didn't say it explicitly, but when he returned to the capital yesterday, he mentioned feeling unaccomplished. That's when I started suspecting this. If a grand canal were successfully built, it would be a monumental achievement benefiting generations to come, allowing him to face his ancestors with pride."
"But what if the Daqing Dynasty collapses under the strain? Would he then vanish without a trace and avoid facing his ancestors altogether?"
She truly dared to say anything—where did she get such courage? Gu Yanxi smiled wryly. "That's why he's waiting for the right opportunity."
Hua Zhi wasn't one to act impulsively, and she had already calmed down. "If the Chao Li Tribe issue is resolved first, constructing the grand canal might be feasible. The Daqing Dynasty has the resources to bear the cost, even if it strains the people and treasury. But if it's undertaken before then, Yanxi, the Chao Li Tribe is far from foolish now. This would be like handing our empire to them on a silver platter."
"What we both understand, how could the Emperor not know? Yet he still entertains this idea. In the past, I could dissuade him, but now it's becoming increasingly difficult. After all, he is the ruler and I his subject. I cannot override his decisions—the consequences would be too grave for me to bear."
In front of A Zhi, Gu Yanxi shed his usual resilient facade, as if he could withstand anything. He held her hand and chuckled softly, "I've become more cautious with my life now."
Hua Zhi looked at this man who shouldered so many burdens and suddenly felt her heart ache unbearably. She rose and walked to Yanxi's side, embracing his head and letting him lean against her to rest for a moment. She knew that throughout his upbringing, the Emperor had been like a father to him. He gave his all in service, yet often found himself overwhelmed.
An old tiger, its teeth nearly gone, still seeks to intimidate all creatures with its royal stripes and imposing frame before drawing its last breath. Even if it can no longer tear meat, it never forgets it is king, sometimes even feigning greater ferocity because of it.
The Emperor is now like that, but he is more terrifying than a toothless tiger because he wields the power of life and death. Even without teeth, a single word from him could still cause rivers of blood to flow.
The Emperor at this stage is the most dangerous, yet there is nothing they can do—neither escape nor stop him.
Leaning against the soft warmth behind him, Gu Yanxi felt his heart fill with comfort, devoid of any desire. He kissed the hand in his palm and said, "Don't worry. The Emperor still trusts me. I'll find a way to delay him—for as long as possible."
Hua Zhi looked down at the jade crown on Yanxi's head. "My first fifteen years were so peaceful. I don't know why everything suddenly fell into chaos. The Daqing Dynasty is in its golden age; I thought I could live out my life in stability.""Now that you mention it, I'm almost grateful for this chaos. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have had the chance to meet."
Indeed, there would have been no opportunity. Hua Zhi sighed, "Though it's only been about a year, it feels like we've lived through what should have taken a lifetime."
"No one else could have accomplished these things even in a lifetime." Gu Yanxi looked up, "Once all this is over, we'll stop doing anything. Whether traveling to see the world or staying home reading and painting—I'll be with you."
That was exactly the life she wanted. Yet, "Let's first survive these difficult times."
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