When Zhu Ziwen heard that his cousin had arrived, he restrained himself for a moment before finally setting down his book and wandering over. His younger sister had acted inappropriately, and his mother only knew how to shield her. He ought to personally apologize to his cousin.
The Old Madam had always held this grandson in high regard, for despite being born into a family like theirs, he had willingly pursued the imperial examinations and achieved notable success. Seeing his inquiry, she did not conceal anything and pointed to the adjacent room, saying, "She's next door. She said she wants to speak with your mother and Second Aunt."
After a brief thought, Zhu Ziwen went to eavesdrop openly by the wall.
Inside the room, Hua Zhi had organized her thoughts. "Have you ever considered, Aunt, what would happen if word got out that your daughter angered Grandmother to the point of collapse? The Great Qing Dynasty governs with filial piety as its foundation. If this spreads, not only would it hinder marriage prospects, but she might even be sent to the family temple. After all your scheming, is this the outcome you desire?"
The First Madam’s face instantly paled, and she forced a smile. "Zhi Er, don’t frighten me like that. Although I acted improperly in the matter of the marriage..."
"I don’t mind. I never favored this marriage to begin with." Interrupting her self-justification, Hua Zhi laid everything bare. "I didn’t refuse because it would have been inappropriate. Grandfather and Grandmother wanted to strengthen family ties through this union, making it easier to protect my sister and me under the guise of kinship. I couldn’t disregard their goodwill. If you and Uncle had wholeheartedly supported this match, I would have had nothing to say and would have treated your daughter as my own sister. But you were unwilling—you only agreed because everyone else did. As for why you suddenly mustered the courage to oppose it later, it was because Uncle sided with you, wasn’t it?"
These words stripped the First Madam of her dignity, leaving her both ashamed and furious. Yet she had no idea this was only the beginning.
Hua Zhi knew exactly where to strike these people’s vulnerabilities. Speaking vaguely would only make them think you were ignorant, so she laid everything out plainly, leaving no room for ambiguity.
"Your daughter is merely a girl of thirteen or fourteen. Everything she knows and does comes from you. You shaped her into who she is, but she is still an individual with her own thoughts. If you had opposed this marriage from the start and never let Zhu Shan know about it, she would still be the well-mannered Zhu family girl preparing for marriage discussions—not someone who, after learning of her engagement and feeling her heart already leaning toward someone, suddenly faces opposition. Yes, marriages are decided by parents and matchmakers, but you cannot control whom her heart belongs to. And you should never have implied that the Hua family wished to break off the engagement, trampling her dignity as a young woman underfoot."
The First Madam turned away in embarrassment. She never expected Hua Zhi to have guessed even this!
It was precisely because she saw that her daughter had already set her heart on Berlin that she claimed the Hua family did not wish to proceed with the marriage, hoping to make her let go. Instead, it drove her to the opposite extreme, fostering hatred toward the Hua family and leading her to confront her aunt with those harsh words. Had she known her daughter would react so strongly, she would never have spoken that way.
Hua Zhi stretched out her hands to warm them by the stove. The glow of the blazing fire cast a healthy flush upon her complexion."The conflict between the two branches of the Zhu Family is common among noble households. Having both father and son serve in court is already the limit, so typically the eldest son enters officialdom while the second manages family enterprises, hoping for fraternal harmony and mutual support to ensure the family's prosperity. However, the elder branch, being officials, has always held themselves higher, intentionally or unintentionally suppressing their brothers. Over time, conflicts deepen, making true harmony impossible. My second aunt may not necessarily want to bring down the elder branch, but in such an environment, she must protect her own branch's interests and plan for her children, hence always seeking faults in the elder branch and opposing them at every turn. From your respective standpoints, neither of you is wrong, but from the perspective of the family's overall interests, neither of you is entirely right. Just like now, you've ended up hurting each other."
Hua Zhi looked up. "I've never understood why you'd rather make everyone suffer than coexist peacefully. The eldest uncle secures power for the family, while the second uncle generates wealth. They should support each other—the eldest uncle wouldn't need to risk corruption for money, and the second uncle could leverage the Zhu Family's influence to earn more. This seems ideal, so how did it come to this point of mutual intolerance?"
Both ladies were momentarily stunned. They had always thought about how to gain more for themselves, how to undermine the other without harming their own interests, how to sow discord in front of their mother-in-law... These were what they had been taught and all they knew.
The second wife felt this even more keenly. Even before marrying into the Zhu Family, her mother had instructed her on how to prevent the elder branch from draining the family's resources and how to stop their children from receiving more affection from her in-laws. After entering the household, her sole focus had been on defense, with no other considerations.
"Today, on my way here, I passed by Yunlai Restaurant and found it nearly deserted, with only a handful of customers. When it was under Second Master Bai's management, it was so popular that reservations were hard to come by. Its decline began after the brothers split the family. First Master Bai thought driving away his brother would let him monopolize the Bai family, but what happened? Within months, the family's businesses started shrinking. Can we say there are no capable people in the Bai family besides Second Master Bai? No, it's just that their talents don't lie in commerce."
Hua Zhi looked at them both. "Do you want to become the next Bai family? Or, eldest aunt, do you think you can do better than my younger uncle?"
The elder wife bit her lip. The words were too blunt, leaving her unsure how to respond, yet she couldn't help but wonder: if the Zhu Family were to split like the Bai family, would the elder branch fare better? In a division, the second branch would take a share, and given her brother-in-law's abilities, he'd likely thrive. Moreover, even if their father-in-law passed away, the elder branch couldn't refuse the second branch's requests to leverage the Zhu Family's influence.
After mulling it over, the elder wife realized that her years of conflict with the second branch had brought no benefits and had only earned her the disdain of her in-laws.
The second wife, however, felt her confidence grow. Hua Zhi's words had clarified things: the elder branch's official status was essential for protecting the Zhu Family. As long as they didn't overreach, she was content to live comfortably under their shelter.
Hua Zhi took a few sips of the tea Ying Chun had freshly brewed. Between the heated floors and the warm tea, she finally felt some warmth. She stood up and removed her cloak.Seeing the expressions on their faces, Hua Zhi knew her efforts today hadn't been in vain. She continued, "In everyone's eyes, the Zhu and Hua families are as close as sharing one pair of trousers. Since the Hua family has sided with the Sixth Prince, no one would believe if the Zhu family were to support anyone else. Now those who should know are aware that I'm being used by the Emperor, yet also disliked by him. But this is precisely what ensures my safety. As long as the Emperor needs me to handle affairs for him, he won't take my life. Even if that day truly comes, as long as I don't commit treason or betray the country, it definitely won't implicate the Zhu family. You needn't worry about this."
This was her second purpose in making such efforts today. Her uncle's change in attitude toward her had begun after her visit to the palace - how could she not know what he was concerned about? She wanted her uncle to understand this point clearly, to avoid doing anything unnecessary that might create future troubles.
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