That night proved sleepless for many.
Gu Yanxi sat in his unlit study until daybreak, then went to fetch Shaoyao from the Hua family residence early the next morning to accompany him to the palace.
Though prepared to yield, Gu Yanxi had no intention of directly admitting fault. In his heart, he believed he had done nothing wrong. His willingness to compromise stemmed largely from the fact that the Emperor was his uncle and elder.
He simply brought the grumbling Shaoyao before the Emperor, watching intently as she took the imperial pulse. His expression darkened upon learning of the Emperor's physical depletion. Though he recognized the fragility of their uncle-nephew bond, he had never wished the Emperor ill.
Forced to drink another bowl of dark, bitter medicine, the Emperor nevertheless felt quite pleased. He struggled to keep his lips straight, unable to suppress their upward curve. While he hadn't heard any pleasant words from his nephew—when had the boy ever spoken sweetly?—the absence of cold, harsh words was consolation enough.
Once they departed, the Emperor abandoned restraint, smiling as he asked Lai Fu, "The boy has come around, hasn't he?"
Lai Fu breathed an inward sigh of relief. He had feared the Heir would persist in opposing the Emperor, creating opportunities for others. "The Heir has always been most concerned with Your Majesty's health."
Precisely. While others coveted the throne, this nephew cared for his person. The moment signs of physical weakness appeared, the boy grew anxious.
Immensely gratified, the Emperor smiled even as he complained, "Such an obstinate temper. Only I would indulge him so."
"That is indeed the Heir's nature, Your Majesty. This old servant heard he has barely slept these past few days—the lamps in the Seven Constellation Bureau burned through the night." Lai Fu stole a glance at the Emperor. "The Heir appears to have grown thinner."
"Just afraid I'll deal with that woman," the Emperor snorted. After a moment, he added as if in passing, "Weren't some rare goods delivered from the north recently? Shaoyao just said my constitution cannot withstand strong tonics. Select some and send them to the Heir Apparent Residence."
Lai Fu bowed in acknowledgment, privately noting that this storm had finally passed.
Back at the Seven Constellation Bureau, Shaoyao wore a miserable expression. "Yan Ge, must I guard the palace day and night again?"
Gu Yanxi dismissed the others, keeping only Chen Qing. "Any contact with Lai Fu would draw the Emperor's suspicion, but you're an exception. Moreover, staying close to His Majesty might allow you to help A Zhi."
If it could help Hua Hua... Shaoyao pressed her lips together and fell silent. Given the Emperor's attitude toward Hua Hua that day, she was clearly in danger.
"Remove the drug from Chen Qing's person."
Shaoyao sniffled, rummaging through her medicine chest until she produced a small bottle for Chen Qing. "Haoyue probably hasn't drugged you for a while—the scent has faded considerably."
"Our recent encounters were too brief. She had no opportunity." Chen Qing uncorked the bottle and sniffed, detecting no odor.
"Pour this into water and rinse yourself and your clothes thoroughly. That will neutralize it."
"Understood."
Gu Yanxi picked up several polished silver fragments from the table. "As a precaution, avoid Haoyue from now on."
"Yes."
"Shaoyao, find an opportunity to tell Lai Fu to show Haoyue some consideration—but not excessive favor. She holds little importance."Shaoyao listlessly responded with an agreement. The mere thought of being confined in the palace from now on drained her energy—the food was bland, the entertainment dull, and everyone wore masks of hypocrisy, spouting lies while convinced of their sincerity. It was utterly tedious.
"Chen Qing, gradually withdraw from matters at the Seven Constellation Bureau. The personnel at the Heir Apparent Residence have become too entangled with the bureau and must be separated. From now on, you need not handle official affairs, but continue utilizing any accessible resources."
"Yes, I understand."
"Assign more people to protect the Hua family. Additionally, detach a few individuals separately to monitor the capital's movements; they will be useful later."
"Understood."
Gu Yanxi looked down at the broken silver in his palm. A Zhi wanted Little Six to win the people's hearts, but public sentiment was the most easily swayed. Without prior preparations, that very public sentiment might well be claimed by others—snatching the fruits of labor was never a novel occurrence.
"Any progress on the Chao Li Tribe matter?"
Chen Qing shook his head. "None. They've been lying low recently—despite deploying so many people, we haven't caught even a trace of their trail."
"From now on, have subsequent reports delivered directly to me. You should gradually fade into the background."
"Yes."
Now that he had official approval, Gu Yanxi no longer concealed his movements. After handling urgent matters, he headed straight to the Hua family.
The emperor was displeased upon learning of this, but then reflected that his nephew was genuinely forthright. If it were anyone else—say, the fourth prince—aware of the emperor's dislike for his mother, he would likely reduce visits to her quarters. The comparison highlighted Yanxi's sincerity. With Lai Fu adding a few supportive remarks on the side, the emperor's displeasure soon dissipated.
The Hua household remained as tranquil as ever, yet even the typically slow-witted Madam Hua sensed something amiss. Her daughter, who usually came to pay morning respects, had been absent for several days. She sent a maid to discreetly check the front courtyard and learned her daughter was injured. Coupled with Zhiniang's sudden arrival, she couldn't help but worry.
But she firmly remembered her mother's advice: no matter how anxious, she must refrain from disturbing her daughter. She wasn't capable enough to assist Zhi Er; the least she could do was avoid adding to her burdens.
The rest of the household also behaved more dutifully than usual, as if the entire inner courtyard had fallen into silence.
Hua Zhi was not oblivious to this, but she had no bandwidth to address it now. Day after day, she remained in the study, drafting and revising proposal after proposal.
Liu Xiang emerged from the kitchen carrying hot water and spotted the man striding directly toward the study. She hurried after him—no one was attending the study at that moment.
"What brings you here at this hour?" Hua Zhi looked up, surprised to see him.
"Finished my tasks." Gu Yanxi walked to her side and glanced at what she was writing—clear, straightforward, and easily comprehensible.
"This one is just started, as a draft. Look at this instead." Hua Zhi picked up another nearly completed version from nearby and handed it to him. She then rose and walked to the side, immersing both hands in the hot water. The stiffness gradually eased, and the fingers of her right hand slowly straightened in the warmth.
Staring at her two visibly uneven hands—one plumper, the other slimmer—Hua Zhi recalled when they were once slender, with knuckles barely visible. A year of excessive writing had left thin calluses on her right fingertips and wrist.As she was lost in thought, Gu Yanxi sat down beside her. Looking at her hands, his eyes flickered with heartache. Young ladies from noble families never did rough work—their fingers were plump, joints unnoticeable, with dimples on the back of their hands, just like her left hand now. In contrast, her right hand seemed to belong to someone else: each finger was a size thinner than those on her left, with prominent joints and noticeably rougher skin around them.
Yet it was these very hands that had protected the Hua family.
Rolling up his sleeves, Gu Yanxi lifted A Zhi’s right hand from the water and began massaging it with slight pressure, starting from her little finger. Liu Xiang, whose task had been taken over, paused in surprise before setting the hand cream aside and retreating outside the door to keep watch.
Secretly, she thought it was quite nice that her young lady and Lu Xiansheng were like this. Even engaged couples from other families could only manage a furtive meeting before marriage—if they were lucky. Some wouldn’t even see each other’s faces until the wedding night when the veil was lifted. How could they compare to her young lady and Lu Xiansheng, who saw each other daily and clearly shared such a deep bond?
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