Qin Gongyang's expression remained genial, as if the Hua and Qin families were still as close as before. Pointing toward the spirit house, he said, "It was completed some days ago and has been placed at Great Clumsy Temple to absorb some incense blessings. I originally intended to invite Prajna Master along, but it turns out you had already sent for him a few days earlier. Just as well, we came together."
"So that's how it was. I thought you and the master had simply met by chance." Hua Zhi took a few steps forward to greet Prajna Master. "I must trouble you once again, Master."
Prajna Master glanced at the prayer beads on her wrist and gently pressed his palms together, reciting a Buddhist invocation.
"I have prepared a quiet room for you and the other masters to rest in. We will depart once the appointed time arrives."
"Your thoughtfulness is appreciated, Benefactor Hua."
The assembly of shaven-headed monks, both senior and junior, filed out after Steward Xu. Hua Zhi turned to Qin Gongyang, who remained standing in place. "It's cold outside, Cousin. Please go rest as well."
Li De immediately stepped forward to escort him.
Qin Gongyang knew he couldn't appear too eager—at the very least, he shouldn't be the first to broach sensitive matters. Smiling, he nodded and said, "Don't stay out in the courtyard either. Having snow melt on your clothes is unpleasant."
"Of course."
Hua Zhi had already intended to do just that and promptly moved toward the covered corridor. Her immediate compliance gave Qin Gongyang a momentary pause. Unlike his mother, he didn't assume that the Hua family should feel indebted simply because the Qin family showed friendliness. He had come prepared to speak a few conciliatory words, so her ready obedience felt strangely disconcerting.
But his hesitation lasted only a moment. Turning various thoughts over in his mind, Qin Gongyang followed Li De to the guest reception hall.
Soon after, members of the Xia, Wu, and Qi families arrived in quick succession. The women were led by Su Momo to the inner quarters, while the men were guided by Li De to the reception hall.
Next came Chen Dayi's wife, who brought news of her husband's whereabouts: "He said he'd make a brief appearance at his office before coming. He probably won't be much later than me."
"Master Chen is most considerate."
Then came Mr. Mu and Mr. Zheng. Given their unique relationship with the Hua family, they avoided the crowded reception hall and instead went together to the clan school, thinking it a good opportunity to tidy up the study.
Shen Qi of the Shen family arrived, followed by Lu Boxi of the Lu family, Jiang Huanran of the Jiang family, and Hua Qin of the Cai family—who came with her husband despite her advanced pregnancy. Yu Xiasheng came, as did members of the Liu, Peng, and Qi families... and so on. Those with genuine connections came, and even those without ties forced their way in with fabricated ones. The Hua residence, which had been quiet for so long, suddenly buzzed with activity.
In contrast, the Zhu family arrived rather late. The Old Madam explained to Hua Zhi upon seeing her, "We thought it would be crowded today, so we deliberately came later."
Hua Zhi greeted her two uncles, aunts, and male cousins standing behind her maternal grandmother. She hadn't expected so many from the Zhu family to come, though she wasn't surprised by Zhu Shan's absence.
"It is indeed crowded." Hua Zhi smiled. "Please don't trouble yourself with these matters. Go see Mother—she's probably been waiting with her neck stretched long."
"Teasing your mother again." The Old Madam poked Hua Zhi's forehead, unable to suppress her smile. "It's almost time. You should attend to your duties."
The female relatives followed to the inner quarters, while the two Zhu uncles preferred to avoid the reception hall. They stood under the corridor, their eyes fixed on Hua Zhi, who directed everything with calm authority.
"Whenever Mother used to joke about Zhi Er being short and wonder who she took after, I'd always argue that she wasn't short. But now that I look at her, she really isn't tall. Everyone around her seems taller and sturdier."
Zhu Haocheng laughed. "I never noticed until you mentioned it. Why did it never occur to me before that she's not tall?"Watching his elder brother who found the situation merely amusing without a shred of distress, Zhu Haodong swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together—further discussion would be pointless. With Zhi Er’s clear-cut sense of gratitude and grievance, his brother could see the Qin family’s losses outweighing their gains, yet failed to realize that continuing down this path would make him the next Qin family.
No, perhaps not. Given Zhi Er’s way of handling things, she would simply extract this elder uncle from the chain of interests without altering her treatment of the rest of the Zhu family. His brother, who prided himself on being clever, hadn’t noticed how many more white hairs their mother had gained recently or how often their father had been sighing lately.
Sighing inwardly, Zhu Haodong turned his gaze toward the stirring at the second gate. The young lads of the Hua family, tender as fledglings, filed out in identical plain garments, each carrying a small basket whose contents were unknown.
Hua Zhi spotted them too but did not approach, remaining where she was to watch Baiyu take charge.
Hua Baiyu understood his elder sister’s intent. Swallowing hard to steady his racing heart, he bowed respectfully to the assembled crowd before stepping forward to address Master Banruo with a solemn salute. "We trouble you, Master, to accompany us."
Master Banruo studied the children closely and nodded willingly. He had seen them on this same day last year—then, they were bewildered and lost. Now, their eyes held determination and a sense of responsibility. While the outside world praised the Hua family’s eldest young lady for her talent in turning stone into gold and her innate brilliance, in his view, her greatest achievement lay in governing the household. The vitality within the Hua family was truly rare.
The courtyard was already arranged with spirit tea, offerings, and incense curling skyward. As Buddhist chants rose, they knelt in reverence before carefully lifting the spirit house. The Hua children followed in pairs, hand in hand, braving the wind and snow on their way to the Hua family ancestral grave.
The scene held a power that struck deep into the heart. Even those present with selfish motives felt a pang of sorrow. The Hua family, once renowned and esteemed beyond compare, now relied solely on a group of youngsters to uphold its legacy. If Hua Jingyan knew of this in the afterlife…
But even the greatest shock fades. As the courtyard quieted and everyone’s thoughts returned to themselves, that twinge of sorrow was suppressed. After all, no other family’s troubles could outweigh their own.
Almost simultaneously, all eyes turned toward the Hua family’s eldest young lady, standing alone and aloof beneath the covered corridor. Yet no one dared break the silence first. Everyone knew now that she was not to be trifled with—they had even seen the Sixth Prince mingling among the Hua children earlier, a clear testament to their closeness. No one wanted to be the first to draw her ire.
Ying Chun hurried to her young lady’s side. "I inquired—the young masters’ baskets contain small items they prepared themselves and letters written to the Old Madam. They plan to burn them along with the spirit house after the ceremony."
Hua Zhi was surprised. "Whose idea was this? Did they hear something?"
"The Seventh Young Master proposed it. He overheard the Fourth and Third Madams discussing whether the Qin family would prepare extra items and if their own family should do the same. He took it to heart and had each of the young masters prepare something."
Hua Zhi pinched the bridge of her nose, dispelling the surge of emotion.
Ying Chun adjusted her young lady’s hood, her eyes red-rimmed. "The young masters are so sensible. You haven’t taught them in vain."
Hua Zhi smiled. Yes, they were all sensible—and would surely grow even more so in the future.
Well then, the next battle was hers to fight.Hua Zhi glanced at the crowd standing opposite her in the distance, tightened her cloak, and walked over. Wasn't this just a game of mutual deception and scheming? She had experienced it before—when had Hua Zhi ever been afraid!
OpenNovel