Blossoms in Adversity

Ultimately, what Hua Zhi truly cared about was her maternal grandfather.

Once war broke out, the Ministry of Revenue would become the most tormented department, with demands for funds coming from every direction. If her grandfather were an irresponsible official, he could simply throw up his hands and claim there was no money—even killing him wouldn’t change that. But her grandfather was not that kind of man.

The reason her grandfather had maintained a deep friendship with her paternal grandfather for so many years was precisely because both were utterly conscientious individuals. When the time came, he would scrape together every last resource, even if it meant stripping their household bare. Since she now had an opportunity, why shouldn’t she prepare in advance?

She was genuinely afraid—afraid that if war broke out, the state would have no grain or funds, and soldiers, gaunt and starving, would be unable to win battles. She refused to live in an era of chaos, to become someone without a country or roots. The mere thought of that possibility made her break out in a cold sweat. Compared to that, what did doing a little extra work amount to?

Steeling herself, Hua Zhi looked up and laid out her plan fully. "Most of the funds from the gambling dens have already been divided up, leaving little behind. I don’t intend to touch those. The silver mine was originally controlled by the Chao Li Tribe. Now that everyone there is dead, we should be able to conceal a portion. Then there are all the noble families in Jin Yang City—they must return every bit they swallowed to ensure their safety. This will amount to a vast sum, and it won’t be difficult to manipulate the records."

Suddenly, an idea struck Hua Zhi. Who said she had to hand over the task of presenting the silver to someone else? Couldn’t she take it back with her when she returned?

Starting tomorrow, she would begin the inventory. She had ten days—more than enough!

If things went this way, skimming off a portion would be easy. This wasn’t like confiscating property where every item had to be listed. The silver extracted from the noble families was inherently untraceable, and she wouldn’t leave any written records. With everyone keeping their mouths shut, who would know exactly how much had been withheld?

The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Energized, Hua Zhi continued, "We either move the silver away or hide it. Is there a way?"

While the young lady spoke and pondered, Jia Yang’s mind had already been turning. The Seven Constellation Bureau, independent of the court and above all ministries for years, had its own channels. But Jin Yang’s situation was unique: internally, the noble families, stripped of their wealth, were watching closely; externally, the Green Willow Battalion stood guard. With so many eyes and mouths, complete secrecy would be difficult.

But not impossible.

"I need some time, and I may require General Lu’s cooperation."

"I will speak with General Lu. Be quick—this matter must be settled before officials from the capital arrive to take over."

"Yes." Jia Yang glanced up and, even in the dim light, could see the exhaustion on the young lady’s face. That such a major event in Jin Yang had proceeded without chaos was no small feat. From morning till now, she must have pushed herself to the limit, both physically and mentally.

Jia Yang decided to hold back the other matters he had intended to report. After all, the sky wouldn’t collapse anytime soon—they could wait until tomorrow.

Just as he was about to take his leave, the young lady spoke again, "Wait."

Hua Zhi handed him two letters. "Send these to the capital as soon as possible."

"Yes."

That day and night felt exceptionally long. Hua Zhi didn’t even know when she had fallen asleep. One moment she was washing her feet, and the next, when she opened her eyes, daylight was already filtering through the window.Rubbing her heavy head, Hua Zhi half-closed her eyes while contemplating the day's tasks. Peng Fangming would seek an audience to ease his mind, while Bao Xia needed to visit Yu Weiwei's side. Having detained the younger generation of various families at the horse racing track overnight, their clans were likely growing restless—they would probably come without much persuasion from Lü Xinming. The city's residents couldn't remain confined indefinitely; those living within the city walls could manage, but those from outside couldn't endure another night away. Today, they must return to their homes, and she still needed to devise ways to reassure the people...

Hua Zhi felt her headache intensifying.

Bao Xia quietly drew aside the bed curtains, unsurprised to find her mistress already awake. She stepped forward to help her up and began bustling around her.

The congee was thick, and the soup richly aromatic—both had clearly been simmering for hours. Hua Zhi consumed every last drop, savoring the care behind it. "Eat well too. Later, go to the Yu family to relay some messages for me."

Bao Xia resisted, "Miss, if you send me away again, you'll have no one left to order about."

"Just go quickly and return. It's not far, and I'm not sending you away permanently." Tapping her forehead lightly, Hua Zhi gestured for her to finish the remaining half-pot of congee before rising and leaving the room.

As expected, Jia Yang was already waiting outside.

"Eldest Miss, Peng Fangming requests an audience."

"No rush." Hua Zhi raised her voice, "Commandant Liu."

Liu Zheng hurried over from nearby, "Your subordinate is here."

"Send someone to the horse racing track. Have General Lu detain those young masters and ladies until noon before releasing them, and invite General Lu to enter the city as well."

"Yes."

Bao Xia, having finished her meal hastily, caught up. Hua Zhi handed her a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and led the way out.

After sending both on their tasks, Hua Zhi met Peng Fangming in the main hall.

"I am Peng Fangming, paying my respects to the young lady."

Hua Zhi took the host's seat, "You know of me?"

"Yes, Lord Yu gave instructions when he visited the Peng family yesterday."

Saving the need for lengthy explanations, Hua Zhi nodded, "What brings you here?"

Peng Fangming remained respectful, "Lord Yu commanded the Peng family to fully assist Eldest Miss in handling Jin Yang's affairs. We await your instructions."

Jin Yang's matters should be handled by its people. After a moment's thought, Hua Zhi said, "With Jin Yang nearly at a standstill, I request the Peng family employ all means to maintain basic operations before the restrictions are lifted."

Peng Fangming's heart skipped a beat. This...

"If Young Master Peng finds this difficult, I can seek other methods. There's no need to force it."

Recalling his father's instructions before leaving home, Peng Fangming gritted his teeth, "The Peng family will follow your command."

"The Peng family's contributions will not be overlooked—you may rest assured of that."

This was precisely the assurance the Peng family sought. Peng Fangming's expression immediately brightened as he bowed deeply, "We are merely fulfilling our duty and dare not claim merit."

Hua Zhi lifted her teacup to signal the end of the audience. While Jin Yang's prominent families trembled with fear, only the Peng family had emerged unscathed. This wasn't an ideal time to take the lead, but since they couldn't resist the opportunity, she would grant it. As for the consequences, they were none of her concern.

Turning these thoughts over, she drank half a cup of tea before looking up, "Attendant."

Li He entered from outside, "What are your orders, Miss?"

"Deliver a message to Lord Zhu: until the capital sends reinforcements, he remains responsible for Jin Yang's governance."

"Yes."

Hua Zhi turned to Jia Yang, "Has Qi Qiu been interrogated?""Yes, I interrogated him through the night yesterday." Jia Yang had prepared his report in advance. "His maternal clan is in Yanzhou, though hardly anyone remains there now. The parents he had in Jinyang weren't his real parents. Before coming to Jinyang, he lived continuously in Linhu, Yanzhou—that place is close to Yuyi. He'd been there before... searching for his roots. He admitted to having met the Wise Man, describing him as fair-skinned and beardless, with features more resembling those of Daqing people, appearing to be around forty years old."

"That doesn't make sense. If the Chao Li Tribe has only one Wise Man, he couldn't possibly be only around forty." Hua Zhi frowned. "What else did he say?"

Jia Yang shook his head. "He kept repeating the same things. I'm afraid we won't be able to get anything more out of him."

The Chao Li Tribe is actually quite wary of these people, no wonder Zhu Ling decided to abandon the darkness for the light.

PS: I wasn't quite in the right state today. Usually I write two chapters, but after editing... the word count falls short. Today I wrote five thousand words before daring to edit, and fortunately I did write five thousand, because now only four thousand remain...