After finishing most of the dishes and a bowl of soup, Gu Yanxi signaled Ying Chun to clear the table. He helped A Zhi up and guided her to the daybed, draping a blanket over her legs before pulling over a stool with his foot to sit beside her.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly remembered his grandmother’s gift. He rose again to retrieve the package he had set aside earlier and opened it. "From Grandmother."
The Empress Dowager? Hua Zhi immediately moved to rise from the daybed, but Gu Yanxi pressed her back down, placing the brocade box in her lap. "Stay seated. It’s just the two of us here—no one will accuse you of disrespect."
Hua Zhi thought it over and agreed. With no outsiders present, there was no need for such formalities.
Carefully opening the box, she was met with a full set of ruby jewelry. The style wasn’t in line with recent trends, but such pieces were perfect for lending gravitas to important occasions.
"I love it. I should express my gratitude to the Empress Dowager."
"She’s eager to meet you too and regrets that the timing isn’t right now. But she did say that from now on, you mustn’t skimp on the tributes you send her—they should match what Shaoyao receives."
Hua Zhi’s eyes curved into smiles. "I’ve been sending meals to Shaoyao regularly, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to do the same for the Empress Dowager. I’ll have Fu Dong prepare more appetizing dishes. Fresh mushrooms are delivered daily—have someone come by each day to take a small basket to her. Mushrooms are quite beneficial for health."
"Agreed." Gu Yanxi took the box and set it aside. Noticing her hands were cold, he quickly clasped them and tucked them under the blanket to warm. "It’s the nineteenth today. The year of mourning is almost over."
"Tomorrow, I’ll have the steward visit the Qin family to discuss the matter."
According to Daqing tradition, after the mourning period ends, the maternal family must provide a spirit house to be burned before mourning removal can take place. Those who are particularly thoughtful might also burn additional items for the deceased. Over the past year, relations between the Qin and Hua families had remained lukewarm. Hua Zhi held no high expectations of them, merely hoping they would at least remember to prepare the spirit house.
Gu Yanxi raised an eyebrow. "The steward?"
"The Qin family has shown little interest in maintaining ties with the Hua family. Why should I impose myself and invite disdain?"
Gu Yanxi, however, doubted this would remain the case. Even if the Qin family had initially intended to keep their distance, the establishment of the Seventh Division would likely change their stance. While positions in the capital were already filled, vacancies remained in the lower ranks. In a place like the capital, even a family as principled as the Huas couldn’t afford to remain aloof, let alone the Qins. He didn’t believe the Qin family would pass up such a lucrative opportunity.
But since the Qins had made their position clear earlier, A Zhi had no reason to seek them out eagerly.
Hua Zhi, however, hadn’t considered this angle. She simply felt a tinge of regret. "It’s a shame Berlin can’t make it back in time."
"Will Baiyu still serve as the chief officiant?"
"He’s the eldest among the brothers left at home."
Gu Yanxi was well-acquainted with the Hua family’s circumstances. Thinking of the messy affairs in various households, he felt a twinge of concern. "Baiyu has handled quite a few responsibilities during this period. When Berlin returns, regardless of how Berlin might feel, could Baiyu’s state of mind remain unaffected?"
"Such a large family can’t rely on just one person to hold everything together. Fingers vary in length, but only when clenched into a fist do they gain the strength to resist. If they can’t grasp this truth, their capabilities will remain limited. If Berlin can’t manage this, then it’s his own lack of ability—he can’t blame others." Hua Zhi extended her hand, fingers splayed one by one, then curled them back, forming a tight fist.She had always understood that in this world where families functioned units, sharing both glory and disgrace, an individual could achieve nothing alone. Every member of the Hua family who stepped outside represented the entire Hua clan.
"It's normal for Bai Yu to have ambitions. What matters is whether Berlin, as the eldest legitimate grandson of the Hua family, possesses the capability to make him submit. I have some confidence in him." Hua Zhi smiled faintly. She wasn't entirely without personal considerations either. Though Bai Yu was less than a year younger than Berlin, Berlin had already gained considerable experience outside. Even if Bai Yu chose to travel someday, he would still lag behind Berlin. If Berlin couldn't outmatch Bai Yu under these circumstances, she would personally appoint Bai Yu to lead the family.
Clearly, Gu Yanxi also believed that Berlin, taught by A Zhi, wouldn't lack such capability. He promptly set the matter aside. "Has he written to you?"
"Yes. He's encountered many challenges—after all, theory and practice are two different things. But his letters show no sign of discouragement. Did you directly bypass the local authorities to allocate him that land?"
"I exercised the authority of the Seven Constellation Bureau. Even if the Emperor found out, he wouldn't use this to criticize me." The Seven Constellation Bureau had been closely monitoring this matter, and in some aspects, Gu Yanxi understood it better than Hua Zhi. He continued, "Though Berlin's efforts haven't produced salt yet, the dispatched officials hold great expectations. They discovered local fishermen filtering salt themselves to save money. Though mixed with sand and of poor quality—I tasted it myself, somewhat bitter—it was indeed salt. Once properly processed, salt prices could drop, bringing blessings to the common people."
After a pause, Gu Yanxi added gravely, "The court would no longer need to be constrained by salt merchants either."
While Hua Zhi wasn't well-versed in politics, she could grasp the surface realities. It wasn't just their dynasty that suffered under salt merchants' control—throughout history, the wealthiest were always those who sucked the blood of salt workers while profiteering from the state.
"But the precondition is they don't end up nurturing another batch of private salt dealers colluding with officials."
"Learning from past mistakes, the Seven Constellation Bureau has been closely supervising this."
"It's impossible to completely eradicate it." Hua Zhi shook her head lightly. "Rather than letting others profit, we should keep it in our own hands."
Gu Yanxi fell silent—this wasn't merely about seizing advantages.
Hua Zhi smiled. "If salt prices drop to ten coins, the intermediate profits would be far less than before. But with large quantities, the profits could still be considerable. People would still rush to claim these gains for themselves. Instead of letting it fall into uncontrollable hands, why not have our own people block this loophole? What do you think?"
Gu Yanxi seriously considered the feasibility. It wasn't impossible, but... "Finding the right person won't be easy."
"The Sun family should soon be sending assistants to Little Six."
Gu Yanxi immediately understood A Zhi's implication. If Little Six controlled this private salt trade, should he ascend the throne someday, he would at least have a source to replenish his Private Treasury. He couldn't convict anyone over it, nor would it create estrangement between him and A Zhi. If he failed to ascend... but that possibility didn't exist!
"Let's proceed this way. The fewer who know about this, the better. Find an opportunity to discuss it thoroughly with him."Hua Zhi was not surprised by this outcome. While she still acted on emotion at times, Yan Xi had always been composed and would undoubtedly know better than her how to protect themselves. As for Little Six, both of them harbored some wariness in their hearts.
This was an inevitable consequence of their respective positions, something that could not be changed. All she could do was care for Little Six as much as possible, using this to make up for it.
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