By the end of October, the weather at Yinshan Pass had turned bitterly cold, to the point where water would freeze instantly. With deliberate effort, the ice on the city walls had already thickened to half a foot, and they continued to pour water down spoonful by spoonful, reinforcing this icy barrier.
"Not bad, is it? Old Master Hua’s idea. I’d like to see how they breach the gates of my Yinshan Pass."
It was indeed a brilliant plan. If the walls could all be fortified this way, Yinshan Pass would remain secure until the weather warmed. Of course, this was contingent on one condition: "Has the city been thoroughly cleared?"
"I can’t claim it’s entirely done. If there are any deeply hidden ones I’ve missed, there’s nothing I can do. I know what you’re worried about—rest assured, as long as those few in the capital behave themselves and don’t send all those demons and monsters my way, even if some remain hidden, I can handle them." Wu Yong’s smile was as cold as the wind on the walls. "I’ve shut down that black market. At a time like this, anyone still smuggling tea bricks and grain to the grasslands might as well offer them to me first."
Gu Yanxi gazed into the distant, pitch-black grasslands, uncertain whether they concealed anyone, and remarked calmly, "Those still fixated on such petty gains can be dealt with as needed. No one will dare challenge you. I’ll handle matters in the capital."
Wu Yong smiled, a hint of warmth finally reaching his eyes. It was precisely because he knew there was still someone like Gu Yanxi there that he could afford to be less restrained.
"Come, let me welcome you."
Though it was called a welcome, no alcohol was served. Gu Yanxi had been traveling for days, and despite the provisions A Zhi had prepared, nothing compared to a bowl of steaming hot soup in the heart of winter.
After the meal, Gu Yanxi took his bundle and headed to the Hua family’s residence. Wu Yong wanted to accompany him but was refused. Reluctantly, Wu Yong held his tongue—there would be time to see everything later; no need for him to say more.
In the main hall of the residence where the Hua family was staying, all the senior male members were gathered.
"Father, I suggest we keep the younger ones at home for now," said Hua Pingyang, who held the most authority among his generation. Seeing that no one else spoke, he broke the silence first. "They’ve made progress, but they’re still young. If something unexpected happens, they might panic or react too slowly. This time, they were lucky and only got injured. If anything serious were to happen, it would only bring you more grief."
Hua Pingyu added, "Zhi Er has promised to protect every family member in the capital and wait for our return. We can’t do less than her."
Hua Yizheng looked at the others. "Is this what you all think as well?"
"I’ll follow the eldest brother’s lead," Hua Yichen sighed. "Zhi Er’s method is a good one, but we must also consider the current situation. If the war hadn’t started, having them train with the military daily would indeed be beneficial. But the circumstances have changed now—we can’t treat it the same way."
Seeing that everyone else agreed, Hua Yizheng nodded. "I’ll speak with General Wu and have them placed under Pingyu’s command."
Hua Pingyang frowned. "Won’t that be inappropriate? There are quite a few of them."
"Those aged fourteen and above won’t receive special treatment," Hua Yizheng said sternly. "We were exiled after our family was convicted—we’re not here to live in comfort. Think about what exile is like for others. Remember the favor we’ve been shown, and cherish it. If anyone tries to overstep, they can go back to the quarry."
Everyone stiffened, suddenly realizing that over the past six months, they had grown somewhat complacent, forgetting they were convicted officials. If not for everyone’s united efforts, they would still be breaking stones somewhere—hardly in a position to decide what they wanted or didn’t want."This can be considered a blessing in disguise. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have the opportunity to be exposed to local governance affairs." Hua Yizheng looked at his eldest son. "Pay close attention to this matter."
"Yes, Father."
Just as Hua Yizheng was about to admonish everyone further, Chen Shan came to report, "Master, an esteemed guest has arrived."
An esteemed guest? Wu Yong visited regularly, and Chen Shan wouldn't refer to him as an esteemed guest. Then who could it be...
Hua Yizheng's heart skipped a beat. Before he could react, the person had already appeared in his line of sight. It was indeed him! Subconsciously, he glanced behind the visitor. Even though he had forbidden her from coming, not seeing her there still left him with an involuntary sense of disappointment.
Gu Yanxi noticed his expression and performed a junior's salute with clasped hands, saying, "A Zhi received Old Master Hua's letter the day before departure and dared not disobey. She entrusted me to deliver letters from everyone in the family."
Hua Pingyang took the letters. "Has Zhi Er's health improved?"
"She is currently recuperating." Gu Yanxi saluted the others as well. "I couldn't have stopped her from coming even if I tried. Fortunately, Old Master Hua's letter arrived just in time. The north is too cold, and given her condition, it's best if she avoids such travel. She said she would adjust her schedule to avoid the coldest months."
"How difficult for her." Hua Yizheng shook his head with a wry smile. In the past, she never worried about anything, living each day at the same leisurely pace as an old man like him. Now, however, she had to calculate everything meticulously. The more idle she was before, the busier she is now. He knew his granddaughter's temperament all too well—it truly was difficult for her.
After host and guest were seated and tea was served, Hua Pingyu couldn't wait to ask, "My father-in-law's letter was rather vague. Why would the Emperor's plan to build a canal involve Zhi Er? She's just a young woman with limited cleverness at best. With so many civil and military officials at court, can they not compare to one Zhi Er?"
"What the Emperor values is her ability to generate wealth." Gu Yanxi patiently explained, "Some time ago, a rumor suddenly spread in the capital claiming that A Zhi possessed the ability of turning stone into gold. When the several business ventures she had accumulated were discussed, everyone realized that each of her ventures indeed showed great promise. When this rumor reached the Emperor, it caught his interest. He wants to build this canal to cover up his decades of incompetence, but he lacks the funds."
"Watch your words!" Hua Yizheng frowned. The Hua family had served the throne loyally for generations and couldn't tolerate such talk. Even though the Hua family had been reduced to their current state, even though his granddaughter was now in the Emperor's grasp, he still felt anger. Yet some habits were too deeply ingrained to change.
Gu Yanxi lowered his gaze, feeling regret for the imperial family. Petty men were nurtured at court, sucking the lifeblood of the Great Qing, while loyal ministers were exiled thousands of miles away. Such was his imperial uncle's achievement.
"Was the rumor deliberately spread? How did they know the Emperor wanted to build a canal?"
"I've already investigated this matter. The rumor was spread by the Wei Family. It was coincidental—they originally intended to boost A Zhi's reputation to attract others' envy toward her, but they never expected to attract the Emperor's attention instead."
"Wei Rongwen!" Hua Yizheng gnashed his teeth in hatred.
"He has already been taught a lesson." Gu Yanxi briefly recounted how the Wei Family's Pure Conversation Gathering had been thoroughly shamed by A Zhi. "Now Wei Rongwen has been transferred from the Ministry of Revenue to the Ministry of Rites. When I left, the Emperor had found fault with him and penalized him a year's salary. He has already fallen out of the Emperor's favor and won't have smooth sailing from now on."
Yet the Hua family found no joy in this. Even if Wei Rongwen were beheaded, it wouldn't change the fact that Zhi Er had been wronged by him.As a father, Hua Pingyu reacted even more intensely. Though usually capable of effortlessly citing various historical allusions, he trembled with rage and could only spit out one sentence: "Bullying the weak with strength—shameless!"
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