Chapter 429: Regaining Composure
This sense of powerlessness wasn't new to him, but at this moment, it weighed particularly heavy on Gu Yanxi's heart.
He knew exactly what was happening yet could do nothing about it. He watched as his imperial uncle slid step by step toward the abyss, unable to pull him back. He saw the Great Qing Dynasty teetering on the brink of collapse yet couldn't stop his imperial uncle from pursuing his ambitious desires.
Over the years, he had accomplished so much, yet upon reflection, none of it truly mattered. The things that were truly important remained beyond his influence.
He had vowed to protect A Zhi, yet he had inadvertently dragged her into this mire. Now she was the one comforting him, telling him he wasn't completely useless.
But how could he accept being so utterly useless?
Gu Yanxi lifted his head, his expression resolute. "A Zhi, I will do better."
Hua Zhi pressed her forehead against the man's chest and nodded firmly. She refused to believe that with their combined efforts, they couldn't overcome an emperor whose power was steadily declining.
Before nightfall, Gu Yanxi returned briefly to the Heir Apparent Residence, then galloped out of the city at full speed.
No sooner had he left than Lai Fu arrived. Chen Qing relayed the message as instructed by the Heir: "The Heir received news about the remnants of the Chao Li Tribe and has gone to investigate immediately."
Lai Fu's mind raced with various thoughts, uncertain whether the Heir's departure at this time was intentional or coincidental. However, the reason given was undeniably impeccable.
As expected, although the Emperor was displeased upon hearing the news, he had no choice but to accept it. "Did he go alone?"
"Yes. According to Chen Qing, no horse can match Shadowtreader's speed, so the Heir took no one with him."
"Did he say whether he would return tonight?"
"I'm afraid not. Chen Qing mentioned the Heir went to Yuzhou."
Yuzhou again! Had it become the Chao Li Tribe's stronghold? The Emperor fumed inwardly, his anger toward the Chao Li Tribe intensifying as he thought of the grand court assembly the next day. If not for their restlessness, Yanxi wouldn't have left overnight. If Yanxi were here, he wouldn't have to worry about tomorrow's court matters alone.
"Go to the Seven Constellation Bureau and inquire about the court officials' movements today."
"Yes."
Hua Zhi didn't bother to inquire about the intensity of the court assembly, but Zhu Haodong specifically came to the Hua family to give her a detailed account.
"The censors didn't dare criticize His Majesty directly, so they focused on the floods in the south and the drought in the north. They also brought up the ongoing investigation into the grain storage deficit case. For once, civil and military officials were united in their opposition, yet His Majesty remained obstinate and forcibly issued several decrees. During the court session, a censor even crashed into a pillar in protest."
Hua Zhi had anticipated that this matter wouldn't be resolved peacefully and had expected possible bloodshed, but she hadn't foreseen it happening in this manner. "Did Grandfather express his stance?"
"Father didn't openly oppose it but exerted some influence behind the scenes. Zhi Er, none of us want you to take on this task. It offers you no benefits whatsoever, and if handled poorly, you'll be tainted by association."
"I know." Hua Zhi was fully aware of the consequences. Once it became known to the court officials that she had become the Emperor's financial tool, being pointed at and cursed would be considered lenient treatment. She could only imagine the slander that would spread. No one would likely believe she was forced into this situation; even if they knew, they would assume she had brought it upon herself through her own restlessness. As for her reasons for doing so, who would care?
"But the matter was still finalized, wasn't it?"
Zhu Haodong's expression turned sour. Not being a court official himself, he had fewer reservations. "You've always been clever. Is there any way to extricate yourself from this?"
"There's no way out. The Emperor is threatening me with the Hua and Zhu families. I can only move forward, not retreat."Thinking of the imperial decree that had reached the family, Zhu Haodong felt even more frustrated. "What exactly is the Emperor thinking? Does he truly believe the rumors that you can turn stone into gold? Why didn’t he ask you to test it on the spot and produce a piece of gold? No matter how skilled you are at making money, can you really earn enough to fund the construction of an entire river channel? Does he truly take you for a wealth god descending to the mortal realm to endure trials?"
Hua Zhi’s eyes curved into a smile. "Uncle, have you been reading too many storybooks lately?"
Zhu Haodong glared at her. "How can you still laugh at a time like this?"
"Don’t worry. Though I may not be able to do much else, I can still offer a few ideas. After all, I’m not the one executing them, and how far they can be implemented is beyond my control. It’s not my headache to bear, so I’m in no rush."
Having passed the most anxious period, Hua Zhi had calmed down over the past couple of days. With a clear mind, she could see things more clearly. Though it seemed like an immense burden was placed on her shoulders, all she really had to do was make money—and the initiative for that lay entirely in her hands. How to do it and to what extent were decisions she alone could control. At most, the Emperor could only use the Hua family to pressure her verbally. As long as he still needed her, he wouldn’t truly harm her.
With this realization, Hua Zhi felt reassured. Making money? That was the one thing she feared least.
Yet her uncle’s concern warmed her heart. The Zhu family had suffered because of her. Even if they had distanced themselves or avoided her because of it, she would have understood. But they hadn’t. She made a mental note, determined to repay the Zhu family’s kindness one day. Even if she couldn’t do it herself, the Hua family had plenty of people to help.
"By the way, Ziwen received an invitation from the Wei family today. They’re hosting a Pure Conversation Gathering in three days. How dare the Wei family do this? Aren’t they afraid no one will attend?"
"I received one too." Meeting her uncle’s surprised gaze, Hua Zhi smiled. "To be precise, the Hua family also received one."
"What is the Wei family trying to do? Flaunt their power? Isn’t their behavior a bit too unsightly?"
Whether they intended to humiliate the Hua family or announce to everyone that the Wei family would replace them—or both—Hua Zhi would not accept it!
"Uncle, could you please pass this on to my cousin and ask him to help spread the word about the Wei family’s actions? Let’s give them the fame they deserve."
"Of course, I’ll make sure it’s done."
He didn’t press further, and Hua Zhi didn’t mention that she would attend the gathering. Instead, she shifted the topic to business matters. "I heard the soap is selling extremely well."
"Yes, the palace’s chief steward placed an order with me today. He said the imperial consorts are very fond of it, and every noble household is scrambling to get their hands on some. Our workshop’s current output can’t keep up with the demand. I’m already planning to expand the workshop."
Since soap was a consumable and uniquely produced, operating on such a small scale was a waste. If she hadn’t given the formula to the Zhu family, she might have used it to fill the Emperor’s financial gap. Scaling it up would make it an extremely profitable venture.
With this in mind, Hua Zhi said, "Uncle, think about how vast the Great Qing Dynasty is, and yet you can’t even supply the capital. Doesn’t it pain you to miss out on so much money you could be making?"
"You can’t become fat with one bite. Let’s take it slowly." Even as he said this, Zhu Haodong rubbed his chest. "I didn’t think much of it before, but now that you mention it, it does hurt a little."
A sudden idea struck Hua Zhi. "Uncle, why not let me take over this business?"
"What do you plan to do?""Naturally, we should aim for a larger scale, but the profit distribution needs to be renegotiated." The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Hua Zhi's eyes sparkled brightly. "Let me think it over further. I'll discuss it with you once I've sorted out my thoughts."
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