Chapter 541: What Is the Purpose?
Staying up late at night meant waking up later in the morning. Shaoyao, who had already eaten breakfast once, unabashedly joined in for a second meal, eating even more than Hua Zhi.
Although Bao Xia’s culinary skills were not quite on par with Fu Dong’s, she had been trained alongside Fu Dong since childhood, far surpassing the abilities of an ordinary cook. Being able to enjoy such satisfying food even while traveling left Shaoyao utterly content.
“Hua Hua, are you going to that place again today?”
“I promised Wang Yu earlier, so I must go. It’s fine if you don’t want to come along.”
“Of course, I’m going.” Shaoyao pulled out a small porcelain vial and handed it to Hua Hua. “Although the chronic poison Yu Weiwei was given can be cured, if it’s delayed for too long, even after detoxification, her body will be ruined. Give this to Yu Weiwei and have her find a way to feed it to her father. It can alleviate some of the toxicity, so when the time comes to detoxify, his body won’t deteriorate too severely.”
Hua Zhi nodded. “I’ve been going there to pass the time for half a day every day lately. She should find an opportunity to come out.”
Gu Yanxi looked over. “You go every day?”
“To make the act convincing, it’s good to let them think I’m addicted to gambling. Staying here for long with just the excuse of inspecting business dealings would hardly be believable.”
Deep down, Gu Yanxi still hoped A Zhi would return to the capital as soon as possible. Even though there were people with ill intentions there, and the Emperor’s hostility, the capital was also home to allies like the Zhu Family, the Sun Family, and the Lu Family. Moreover, no matter how intense the internal strife, they were still of the same clan.
But the Chao Li Tribe was different. He feared he might not be able to protect her.
Yet, no matter how worried he was, he would not force her to leave. His concern for A Zhi mirrored her concern for him. Just as she wished to stay by his side despite the danger, he wanted her to leave for her safety. Understanding her determination to stand with him against the enemy, he could not bring himself to refuse her.
Gu Yanxi gazed at A Zhi. What she lacked in physical strength, she more than made up for with her intellect. If she hadn’t come, even if he suspected Qi Qiu, he would have had to bide his time to avoid alerting the enemy. Yet, she had so skillfully connected with Yu Weiwei. His A Zhi was truly remarkable.
“This place is unlike any other. Be extra cautious when you go out.” Gu Yanxi picked up the topographic map lying nearby and unfolded it. “This was drawn by my subordinates of Jin Yang City. Study it carefully and familiarize yourself with it, so you won’t panic and lose your way if something happens.”
Hua Zhi looked at the surprisingly detailed map in astonishment. Yanxi truly had all kinds of talents under his command.
Shaoyao leaned in close to Hua Hua to look at the map together. Though she usually seemed impatient, when it mattered, she could be more patient than anyone.
After a short while, Hua Zhi had a clear mental picture of Jin Yang City’s terrain. She pushed the map toward Shaoyao and looked up, asking, “Are there arrangements outside the city?”
Gu Yanxi nodded. “I’ve stationed people for support and have also made contact with General Lu, who is stationed at the Green Willow Battalion in Yuzhou. If anything happens in Jin Yang, he will rush to our aid immediately.”
That’s right, Hua Zhi recalled that there were military garrisons in each of the nine provinces, all positioned near the prefectural cities. If they had already coordinated with them, their confidence would indeed be bolstered.
It was still early, so Hua Zhi took her time strolling through the city. After familiarizing herself with the layout, she headed toward the mansion. By now, she was a familiar face, and no one stopped her even without a local guide.
Three carriages were parked in the stables, clearly, someone had arrived earlier than her.In other gambling dens, playing cards were more popular since they offered more variations, but in this particular residence, mahjong was favored over cards. Although three people had already arrived, they hadn't started playing cards, instead chatting idly while waiting for more players. When they saw the generous Hua Ling arrive, their faces immediately lit up with smiles. Last time she came, she had lost nearly two thousand taels, and as a novice, winning a sum from her today shouldn't be difficult.
Wang Yu, mindful of her arrangement with Hua Ling, was one of the three early arrivals. Seeing Hua Ling keep her promise, Wang Yu felt even more favorably disposed toward her. She stood up and said, "Finally, we have one more. We couldn't start without enough players."
"Exactly, we could only shuffle the tiles to curb our itch," a young woman with her hair in a bun greeted Hua Zhi cheerfully.
Hua Zhi made no pretenses of modesty. She sat down in the vacant seat, grabbed the dice, and tossed them. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's play a few rounds."
"Haha, I just love Miss Hua's straightforwardness. Unlike some people who drag things out endlessly."
Hua Zhi continued playing the novice, her moves not particularly fast, but she paid her silver losses promptly. Unconsciously, they played until noon, wearing out Shaoyao, who had to feign enthusiasm for a game she disliked. She had nearly pinched her thighs purple trying to stay awake.
A cook was preparing lunch here, so the others naturally stayed. Hua Zhi glanced subtly at Wang Yu, then stood and said, "My stomach is delicate, so I won't eat outside to avoid discomfort."
The young woman who had won nearly a thousand taels from her looked at her as if she were a golden prize. "Will you come back this afternoon?"
"Probably not until tomorrow afternoon."
The young woman was somewhat disappointed. Even if Hua Zhi returned tomorrow, she might not get another chance to play with this "golden child"—so many others were waiting.
Wang Yu also rose. "I slipped away secretly and need to return as well. I'll come another day."
The two left openly together. Walking side by side along the covered corridor, Hua Zhi whispered, "Miss Wang, you might want to keep an eye on this place. Weiwei should be coming in a few days."
Wang Yu glanced around. "You went? How is Weiwei, really?"
"Miss Wang, sometimes doing nothing is the best course for others. After all, even if you knew, there's likely nothing you could do." Hua Zhi bowed slightly to her and walked ahead, leaving her behind.
Wang Yu never expected Hua Ling to say such a thing. Her mind went blank for a moment, but upon reflection, she had to admit Hua Ling's words made sense. Even if Weiwei was truly in trouble, or if her new husband wasn't a good man, what could she actually do?
As Hua Ling said, she was powerless. She was merely a daughter preparing for marriage at home, relying solely on her family's influence. But would her family intervene in the Yu family's affairs for her sake? Such a naive thought had never crossed her mind. Her worries would remain just that—worries, utterly useless.
Inside the carriage, Shaoyao asked quietly, "Hua Hua, is there something wrong with that Wang Yu?"
"Whether there's an issue with the Wang family behind her, I don't know, but she herself seems fine. She's genuinely concerned about Yu Weiwei, which is why she provoked me into visiting the Yu family. As an outsider with no ties to local forces, even if I learned something about the Yu family, it wouldn't affect them. She was considering the Yu family's interests."
"Then you...""That's exactly what the words imply. Her concern for Yu Weiwei might be genuine, but this concern won't make much difference. Given the Yu family's current situation, it might even unintentionally cause trouble for Yu Weiwei. If she's smart, she should know what to do."
Shaoyao suddenly understood—no wonder Hua Hua had spoken so bluntly.
Hua Zhi lifted the curtain to look outside. If Yu Weiwei could gain control of the Yu family, then as a live-in son-in-law, Qi Qiu wouldn't be able to accomplish much. Otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to poisoning to confine Yu Weiwei just days after their wedding.
What puzzled her was their motive. Was the Yu family obstructing their path, or was there something they needed from them?
PS: Is this the new update pattern—one chapter one day and three the next? It happened again today. Readers waiting for updates are truly angels.
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