Zeng Xiangyan waited in the courtyard. Hearing the sound of the door opening, he looked up at the woman approaching gracefully. He wasn't unaware that Miss Hua was different from other women—her demeanor, her calm composure even during leisure activities, the genuine respect her brothers held for her—all these pointed to something remarkable.
But with so many women in the world, who decreed they must all be identical?
"Young Master Zeng."
Zeng Xiangyan stared fixedly at Hua Zhi, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. "My elder brother... did he truly betray the nation?"
"Yes." Hua Zhi gave him the answer without hesitation. "He assisted the Chao Li Tribe in turning Jin Yang into a gambling city, continuously funneling the silver proceeds to the tribe. This essentially bolstered the Chao Li Tribe's war funds. We did not wrong him—he indeed committed treason and has been executed."
Zeng Xiangyan's nose stung, and his eyes immediately reddened. That elder brother who always brought him various fine wines had truly done wrong—and was truly gone.
"But he still had fervor in his heart." Hua Zhi raised the account books in her hand. "This is his loyalty to Da Qing. With these two account books, I will surely be able to exonerate the other members of the Zeng family from this matter."
Zeng Xiangyan knew he ought to express his gratitude, but though he opened his mouth, not a single word emerged. In the end, he merely clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
Hua Zhi sidestepped to avoid accepting his grand gesture. "This was a transaction between me and your elder brother. He has already paid the price. The Zeng family should close their doors and await judgment quietly."
Having said this, Hua Zhi walked past him and headed out. There was still a mountain of matters waiting outside—she could delay no longer.
"Miss Hua." Zeng Xiangyan turned around. "I'd like to ask presumptuously—was the child who came with you last time truly your brother?"
"Whether he is or isn't—does it matter to you, Young Master Zeng?"
"It doesn't matter. I just... suddenly wanted to know."
Hua Zhi turned to look at the young nobleman who no longer possessed the carefree boldness of their first meeting. "He is His Highness the Sixth Prince."
Zeng Xiangyan's pupils contracted sharply. This was an answer he hadn't anticipated—the Sixth Prince? Yet he seemed no different from an ordinary heir. And for a prince to show such respect to Miss Hua—what did that imply...
"I am his teacher." Hua Zhi cut off his unrealistic speculations. "He holds a favorable impression of you, saying you're worth befriending. If not for inconvenient circumstances, he would have liked to become your friend."
Zeng Xiangyan smiled bitterly. "There's no need for you to deceive me with such words, Miss Hua."
"Why would I need to deceive you? Young Master Zeng, you are naturally unrestrained, clear-headed in handling matters, with your own principles and boundaries—these are exceedingly rare qualities. I hope you won't change due to your family's misfortune. I believe this is what your elder brother would have wished."
With a slight bow, Hua Zhi turned and strode away without further delay.
Zeng Xiangyan stood there for a long, long time, then covered his face as if caught between tears and laughter. His days of ease had ended. His life was truly beginning from this point.
The main gate swung open heavily and soon closed with equal force. Hua Zhi immediately spotted the soldiers waiting below the steps. Soldiers differed too—the manor guards clearly lacked imposing presence.
The young officer at the forefront stepped forward. "This humble officer, Liu Zheng, has come as ordered."
Hua Zhi nodded. "Has General Lu gone to the horse racing track?"
"Yes."Hua Zhi, leaning on Bao Xia's hand, boarded the carriage. "What's the situation at the silver mine?"
"Twenty-one people died at the quarry. Fourteen Chao Li tribesmen were hiding in the silver mine, all of whom have now been executed."
"What about our casualties?"
Liu Zheng paused. "Sixty-seven dead, twenty-nine injured, and two deputy generals severely wounded."
This was the disparity. Hua Zhi wasn't surprised by such heavy losses. Moreover, "Did the Seven Constellation Bureau's people arrive?"
"Yes. If they hadn't come in time, we might not have been able to stop them all, and the casualties would have been far greater." Liu Zheng's voice grew softer as he spoke. He had always heard about the prowess of the Chao Li Tribe, but witnessing it firsthand showed him just how formidable they were—their ferocity was enough to make one's legs go weak.
Having learned the situation there, Hua Zhi didn't press further. She instructed, "Leave half the men in the city to assist Jia Yang in capturing Qi Qiu and conduct a thorough sweep to ensure no one escapes. The rest will come with me to the horse racing track."
"Yes." Before going to arrange the personnel, Liu Zheng secretly glanced at the person giving orders. Before meeting her, he had inwardly grumbled about taking commands from a woman, unsure what tasks he might be assigned. But reality had defied his expectations—this person hadn't acted recklessly. Her questions were to the point, her commands made sense, and her presence was remarkably imposing. He hoped this wasn't just a fleeting display.
Inside the carriage, Hua Zhi buried herself in Yan Xi's cloak, closing her eyes to empty her mind for a moment. After a while, she picked up the account book and began examining it carefully.
From the accounts, it appeared that most of Jin Yang's prominent families were deeply involved. Given their shrewdness, she didn't believe they had noticed nothing amiss—they had simply benefited and chosen not to dig deeper.
Looking at the enormous figures recorded later, Hua Zhi closed the ledger. Good—fattened up, they were ready to be slaughtered.
At that moment, the horse racing track was filled with tension and alarm, devoid of its usual bustle and excitement. Anyone enjoying themselves would panic if suddenly surrounded by General Lu, clad in armor and leading the Green Willow Battalion's troops.
It was a race day, and the stands were packed. The men managed to hold their composure, but the women huddled together, trembling with fear.
General Lu had once socialized with these people, but after the Yuan Shifang incident—first being disciplined by the head of the Seven Constellation Bureau, then explicitly reprimanded by the Emperor—he no longer dared to be careless. Over the past six months, he had spent much more time drilling his troops.
Recalling the events at the silver mine, General Lu's mood soured further. He had no desire to engage with his former acquaintances in the stands, and his stern expression successfully silenced those attempting to seek favors.
For a time, the usually lively horse racing track fell into utter silence. The overly quiet atmosphere even affected the horses, which occasionally neighed anxiously, pacing restlessly in place.
In this context, Hua Zhi's carriage stood out conspicuously.
Squinting, General Lu remembered the Seven Constellation Bureau head's parting words: Hua Zhi's decisions represented his own. Suppressing his disdain, he adopted a relatively amiable expression.
After alighting from the carriage, Hua Zhi surveyed the surroundings, then approached General Lu and curtsied. "This humble girl, Hua Zhi, pays her respects to General Lu."
Her respectful attitude eased Lu Peiyu's mind considerably. He raised a hand in a gesture of modest refusal. "I am unworthy of such courtesy."Hua Zhi pretended not to detect the condescension in his words, merely retracting the account book she had intended to present as if it were never part of the plan. "This humble girl wishes to meet the manager of the horse racing track."
General Lu glanced at his deputy, who understood the cue and extended an inviting gesture. "All the managers and attendants of the horse racing track are gathered over here. Please follow me, miss."
Seeing that General Lu had no intention of joining them, Hua Zhi offered no further comment and followed the deputy toward several rooms below the viewing stand.
PS: Three updates tomorrow.
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