Keeping the grandson while expelling the son—anyone could see whom Zhu Bowen valued more. Though Zhu Ziwen was pleased, a bitterness crept into his heart, knowing that facing his father later would likely be difficult.
Zhu Bowen handed the imperial edict to the two of them. After they finished reading it, he relayed the contents word for word.
Upon hearing this, Hua Zhi’s face twisted slightly. "So, the Emperor stirred up such a fuss out of jealousy? Just like a mother-in-law resenting her daughter-in-law?"
Both the Zhu family grandfather and grandson stared at her in disbelief. What a terrible analogy!
"Not exactly. He genuinely wants to make use of you," Gu Yanxi shook his head. "I understand him. Part of it may be because I kept something from him, but more than that, he feels I’m no longer under his control. The person he favored was the obedient Gu Yanxi who followed his every command."
Hua Zhi nodded in understanding. "To put it simply, you were his possession. Even if he someday discarded you, you would still belong to him. Only he could cast you aside—you couldn’t be the one to drift away or prioritize someone else over him."
"..." The words were crude, but the reasoning wasn’t wrong. It did seem that way, yet something felt off!
Zhu Ziwen couldn’t help interjecting, "Cousin, the way you’re speaking today is a bit... ungrounded."
Immediately, he regretted his choice of words but couldn’t think of a better way to describe it.
"Just grasp the underlying meaning," Hua Zhi said, turning to Yanxi. "If you were to go back later and plead with him, would he retract his words and lift this burden from me?"
Without hesitation, Gu Yanxi shook his head. "No."
"Then you needn’t blame yourself for not yielding and causing trouble for me. As long as the task remains on my shoulders, nothing changes."
Gu Yanxi was indeed frustrated with his own lack of cleverness this time. If yielding could have persuaded the Emperor to go easy on A Zhi, he would have done so ten or a hundred times over. But it was useless. No matter how much he yielded, it wouldn’t matter. The Emperor sought to leave his mark in history, to ensure his reign didn’t appear mediocre, and achieving that required vast sums of money.
"However, he will provide you with more conveniences."
Hua Zhi smiled. "I’m not worried about that. By all appearances, he’s more anxious than I am. If he wants things done faster, he’ll have to open doors for me."
Gu Yanxi wanted to say it was more than that. The Emperor must have backup plans—he wouldn’t truly heap everything onto A Zhi alone. While he valued A Zhi and acknowledged her talent for making money, he likely saw her as the most crucial piece, not the entire puzzle.
First, there was the Ministry of Revenue, which managed the nation’s finances and grain. Having Minister Zhu cooperate must have been decided early on. Then there was the Ministry of Works, responsible for overseeing canal construction. The Emperor surely had arrangements for all of this. What he hadn’t anticipated was that before he could yield or offer these as consolation, A Zhi would present them as demands, provoking his humiliation and anger.
Moreover, "I fear the Emperor will constantly pressure you."
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. "It’d be strange if he didn’t. He can’t possibly allow me to drag this out for ten or eight years. But pressuring me won’t make things happen any faster."
Gu Yanxi gazed at her calmly but uttered something startling. "The Emperor’s health has deteriorated significantly due to the damage from alchemical toxins."
"Watch your words!" Zhu Bowen snapped sharply. Zhu Ziwen had already rushed to the door and pulled it open. The steward stood guard under the corridor, ensuring no one was nearby.He turned to his grandfather and shook his head, his heart pounding so fiercely it felt like it might leap from his mouth.
"Nothing's wrong, no one came near." Gu Yanxi's expression remained unchanged. Since entering the study, he had been paying close attention and knew that Zhu Haocheng had wanted to linger outside earlier but was dragged away by Zhu Haodong.
"Regardless of whether anyone is around, such words must not be spoken." Zhu Bowen looked at his granddaughter. "Especially you, Zhi Er. The sovereign is the sovereign, and we are all subjects of Daqing. I know you feel aggrieved, but even if you have to grit your teeth and swallow it, you must. Losing reverence in your heart is never a good thing."
"Yes, I remember." Hua Zhi truly did remember, having been awakened by her grandfather's previous admonition. But that didn't mean she would sacrifice herself for the Emperor without reservation.
"The words came from my mouth and have nothing to do with A Zhi." Gu Yanxi couldn't bear to see A Zhi being scolded and took the matter upon himself. "I said this not out of disrespect, but to make A Zhi aware that the Emperor cannot afford to delay and will certainly press the matter."
Hua Zhi suddenly understood—in this situation, the one suffering the most was actually Yanxi. The Emperor's actions felt like a betrayal of their familial bond, which was why he was unwilling to yield.
Shaking her head gently at her grandfather who was about to speak again, Hua Zhi changed the subject. "What do you plan to do about Haoyue?"
"She is a palace consort. Any interaction between us would bring no benefit to either of us. However, her entry into the palace is somewhat related to me. Later, I will have Lai Fu show her some consideration to make her life in the palace a bit easier. That is all I can do for her."
"What if Haoyue uses her methods to bewitch the Emperor..."
"She wouldn't dare."
Hua Zhi thought it over and agreed. Since there was no better solution, she decided to set the matter aside for now and turned her thoughts to the Fourth Prince. She suspected the Emperor's promotion of the Fourth Prince wasn't solely to counter Little Six but more likely to provoke Yanxi. Given the Emperor's current twisted mindset, he probably wanted Yanxi to know that he had not only a nephew but also a son to dote on?
Once again, Hua Zhi was reminded of a mother-in-law competing for attention with her daughter-in-law.
Old Master Zhu didn't press them about their cryptic exchange. Some matters, clearly troublesome, were better left unknown. Instead, he asked, "Little Six... how did the Sixth Prince end up at the Hua family? When did this happen?"
Hua Zhi recounted the circumstances of rescuing Little Six. "At the time, I didn't think too much about it. Seeing such a small child covered in blood, and with Shaoyao, a physician, by my side, I couldn't just stand by and let him die."
Others might not have intervened, but the old master didn't point this out. In the capital, avoiding trouble was a common understanding among its residents. "So he's been recuperating at the Hua family ever since?"
"Yes."
"Given your previous situation, the Emperor might not look favorably upon him."
"He favored the Eldest Prince, and what was the result? He gave him hope for over a decade but still didn't grant him the Crown Prince's position, driving him to a desperate end." Hua Zhi smiled faintly. "We are taking the path of practical action. Isn't it said that those who win the people's hearts win the empire? Then let Little Six first win the people's hearts."
Zhu Bowen pointed a finger at her in mock admonishment. He had no patience for the timid and weak, but someone as bold as Zhi Er truly worried him.But the thought of how many schemes she had laid and burdens she had borne in places unknown to them made his heart ache. Girls from other families at her age were either already married or preparing for marriage—none had to scheme over such matters like she did.
"Should we inform your grandfather about this?"
Hua Zhi thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Telling him would only cause him unnecessary worry. Let's keep it to ourselves."
Zhu Bowen didn't quite agree; such an important matter shouldn't be concealed. But before he could protest, Hua Zhi added, "Please don't tell Grandfather either, to avoid alarming him. Dealing with these vulgar affairs is my responsibility alone."
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