Chapter 465: New Plaything
Gu Yanxi handed his tea to A Zhi, gently pushing it toward her lips, though his words were directed at Little Six. "Go back to your room and sort this out carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask for clarification. Don't waste A Zhi's thoughtful intentions."
Little Six obediently agreed. Reaching the doorway, he turned back to express his gratitude. Though Sister Hua had pushed him to the forefront, as Consort Zhen's son and General Sun's grandson, he could never truly escape his circumstances. He had already brushed shoulders with death once, and it was Sister Hua who had charted the most promising path toward light for him. Even if thorns lay ahead, she had given him the means to cut through them rather than stumble and fall beyond recovery.
He didn't view his relationship with the Hua family as merely mutually beneficial. After all, he had been the one to appear before Sister Hua first, calling her "sister" for half a year while she cared for him like a younger brother. Only then did subsequent events unfold—this chain of cause and effect was clear to him.
Hua Zhi smiled. "If you were like the other princes, I wouldn't bother with any of this."
It felt like praise. Little Six lowered his head, scratching his cheek before darting out the door, inexplicably fleeing as if escaping something.
Hua Zhi's smile softened. Little Six, whose emotions were still so transparent—she wondered how many more times she would see him like this.
Her hand suddenly felt empty, then warm again. Looking down at the steaming teacup, she curled her fingers slightly, her smile deepening. Such childish rivalry for attention—she wouldn't mind watching it for a lifetime.
"Though Wu Xing serves in the Seven Constellation Bureau, he answers to me. Very few within the bureau know about the black powder. Besides Wu Xing, only Chen Qing and I understand its function and potency. Even Wu Yong only knows the general idea. I'll suppress this matter for now, so don't worry about the Emperor learning of it."
"I'm concerned both about him finding out and causing chaos, and about impure intentions among those close to him or remnants of the Chao Li Tribe not yet eradicated. This could become an open secret."
"Don't worry, I've taken precautions." Rising, he brought over a thin blanket to drape over her knees. Only when he felt warmth returning to her fingertips did Gu Yanxi feel somewhat satisfied. No matter how thorny the mission, he could handle it—but A Zhi's health was something he couldn't restore overnight.
During this rare leisure time, Hua Zhi considered her pending tasks and refused to waste a moment. She had someone fetch large sheets of xuan paper, pasting layer upon layer and hanging them on the boat to dry. After countless layers, when the stiffness felt adequate, she cut them into equally sized cards to create playing cards. Numbers two through ten were straightforward—just replace Arabic numerals with Chinese characters. J, Q, K, and A could remain, but the three face card designs needed changing, and the Joker cards required adjustments to better suit Daqing's cultural context.
She explained the basic rules and emphasized the importance of certain cards before assigning Little Six to ponder them further.
Not wanting A Zhi to overexert herself, Gu Yanxi took over the work after she demonstrated. Hua Zhi, currently in hibernation mode, was more than happy to comply, clutching her hand warmer beneath the blanket as she directed operations.
"Sister Hua, is this acceptable?"
Nearly asleep, Hua Zhi took the cards and noticed his disheveled hair. "Nian Qiu, tidy his hair for him."
Little Six remained perfectly still, watching Sister Hua nervously, afraid he might have made some mistake.Nian Qiu covered her mouth to stifle a laugh while fetching a comb. Though aware he was a prince, prolonged exposure to his puppy-like attachment to their young mistress had eroded much of their awe toward him.
"Using tigers and lions for the joker cards works well, but these three face cards need further simplification. Ultimately, these are gambling tools—they should be clear and straightforward rather than ornate."
With clear direction, Little Six knew how to proceed. She eventually depicted bamboo for Jacks, osmanthus flowers for Queens, and azaleas for Kings—all common flora that wouldn't conflict with aristocratic floral preferences, thus avoiding unnecessary complications.
On their final day aboard, Hua Zhi taught them basic card games. Even Gu Yanxi struggled to control his urge to keep playing, let alone the impulsive Little Six.
"No wonder gambling is called a scourge," mused Gu Yanxi, handling cards already frayed from half a day's use. "If even we succumb this easily, imagine the damage if these spread publicly."
"Entertainment inventions are never meant to harm but to amuse," countered Hua Zhi. "Take leaf cards—they're essentially gambling tools too, yet every palace consort and noblewoman plays them. Gambling has existed since antiquity. Only Jin Yang fell prey to manipulation at such scale. Even if someone uses these... floral cards for gambling, they're far harder to rig than dice. Diverting Jin Yang's gambling obsession this way might actually help."
She smiled wryly. "It was a sudden inspiration. The outcome depends on your execution. Selling playing cards could become decent commerce too."
Only by redirecting Jin Yang's gambling addiction could normalcy return. Like that famous mahjong-obsessed city whose passion was universally known—its residents still worked diligently, for survival must always come first.
Gu Yanxi soon emerged from his spiraling thoughts upon hearing A Zhi's perspective, already strategizing how to proceed.
As the ship docked near Shen hour, wharf winds churned the river into whitecaps. Bundled tightly, Hua Zhi was shielded in Gu Yanxi's embrace all the way to the carriage.
Gasping for air, she hastily removed her scarf. "Nearly suffocated!"
Outside, Chen Qing reported quietly to the Heir: "Before departing, I received word—the Fourth Prince poisoned His Majesty against you. Though not fully believed, the Emperor is displeased you went straight to Yuzhou after returning from Yinshan Pass."
After a pause, he added: "Knowing Miss Hua went to Yuzhou, Your Majesty likely resents your immediate reunion with her."
Having prepared responses, Gu Yanxi tapped the carriage frame and lifted the curtain gently. "I'll report to the palace first. Jin Yang's matter can wait. Rest well—you slept poorly aboard."
"Alright," Hua Zhi complied softly, before whispering: "Don't confront him directly. Find his vulnerabilities."
Gu Yanxi stroked her cheek in acknowledgment, then glanced at Chen Qing who bowed in understanding.Apart from Chen Qing, Gu Yanxi also left behind all the people he had taken out this time. The situation was different from before—while the Emperor wouldn't lay a hand on his own money-making asset, that didn't mean others wouldn't try anything underhanded. Before leaving, he tossed Little Six into the carriage, as this one couldn't afford any mishaps either.
Little Six rubbed his sore bottom and sat by the door against the carriage wall. Only when the sound of hoofbeats could no longer be heard did he dare speak ill of others. "Brother Yanxi must be jealous that I get to accompany Sister Hua."
Hua Zhi nodded. "You're right. He is jealous."
Little Six: "..."
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