Inside the side gate of the Hua family residence, Ying Chun and Bao Xia paced back and forth, occasionally pressing their ears against the door to listen for any movement outside.
"Has she not returned yet?" Wu Shi and Madam Zhu arrived together, their expressions tinged with anxiety. During the national mourning period, there were many taboos, and it was unacceptable for anyone to be away from home.
After exchanging greetings, both maids shook their heads.
Wu Shi looked at Ying Chun. "You just came from Zhi Er's side—did she give you any instructions?"
There certainly were instructions, but the young lady had said they should only be revealed if she hadn't returned by tonight. Though Ying Chun was so worried she wished she could spill every detail immediately, she had to restrain herself.
Wu Shi understood. She felt quite helpless—these maids were too strong-willed and too loyal to Zhi Er. Even if she pressed them harshly, she likely wouldn’t get anything out of them.
Madam Zhu, standing nearby, spoke up. "As her mother, I should at least know where Zhi Er has gone."
Ying Chun bit her lip and finally told the truth. "The young lady... has entered the palace."
Madam Zhu was taken aback. "Did the Emperor summon her?"
Ying Chun lowered her head, resolved to say no more. The madam was unaware of the outside affairs, and the young lady had intentionally kept her in the dark—Ying Chun had to support her mistress.
Wu Shi, who understood more, knew that Zhi Er had suffered greatly during her previous visits to the palace. Without needing further details, her heart was already in her throat. She was deeply aware that the Hua family’s current stability relied entirely on Zhi Er, and she believed that as long as Zhi Er was present, the family would remain secure until the men of the Hua family returned or the younger sons grew up. Zhi Er was far too important to the Hua family—so important that Wu Shi didn’t dare dwell on what would become of them if anything happened to her.
Suddenly, Bao Xia turned and pulled the door open. Sure enough, the young lady’s carriage, which bore no family emblem, was slowly approaching, and following behind it... were the Imperial Guards!
Without a second thought, Bao Xia rushed out. Ying Chun was just as quick. Seeing their reaction, Madam Zhu and Wu Shi exchanged glances and stepped to the doorway. Upon seeing the scene outside, they instinctively followed the maids out.
The captain of the escorting Imperial Guards led his men in dismounting. They held their horses and did not advance further. Even when the Hua family had fallen from grace, they had never hit rock bottom. Now, given the new emperor’s relationship with the Hua family’s eldest daughter, it was only a matter of time before they returned to their former glory. The captain considered this assignment an opportunity to earn the Hua family’s favor.
The carriage came to a stop, but Hua Zhi did not step out immediately. Impatient, Bao Xia stepped forward and lifted the carriage curtain. The moment she saw inside, she regretted her rashness—unless utterly exhausted, the young lady would never have fallen asleep without trusted companions nearby.
Hua Zhi slept lightly; the moment the curtain was lifted, her eyes opened. Recognizing who it was, she covered a yawn, adjusted the cloak that clearly did not belong to her, and leaned against the inner wall of the carriage to bend and step down. The movement tugged at her wounds, and she let out a soft hiss. The two maids, already uneasy, felt their hearts leap into their throats. Their young lady and the palace were a bad match—she had never emerged unscathed from a visit, and this time was likely no exception. Ying Chun clearly remembered that the young lady had not been wearing this cloak when she entered the palace.
The two maids stepped forward, supporting her on either side. After a few steps, Hua Zhi remembered that Little Six had arranged for an escort. She paused and turned back, giving a slight bow to the guards—a gesture that maintained both her dignity and courtesy.The several men quickly returned the courtesy, watching her enter the house before exchanging bewildered glances and departing. The Imperial Guards were no ordinary military unit; most were scions of influential families in the capital. Though perhaps not the primary heirs or from already declining clans, they were fundamentally not common folk. Yet even they found Hua Zhi remarkably agreeable—no wonder the late emperor had personally appointed her as Grand Tutor, making her the first female official of the Daqing Dynasty.
The prosperity of the Hua family seemed imminent.
Upon entering, Hua Zhi chuckled lightly as she explained to her mother and Fourth Aunt, "I accidentally soiled my clothes in the palace. Little Six found a set for me to change into. All is well now."
Her smile was uncharacteristically radiant. "The Hua family... is safe."
Wu Shi covered her mouth, eyes wide with shock.
Hua Zhi nodded to her. "It’s exactly as you think. The late emperor’s final decree named Little Six as Crown Prince and me as Grand Tutor."
Even Madam Zhu now covered her mouth. Gr-Gr-Grand Tutor?!
Hua Zhi remained noncommittal about the official position. The late emperor had merely used it to bind her, ensuring she would devote herself entirely to his son. No court attendance required, no political participation permitted—it appeared to be an official post but ultimately amounted to little more than an empty title.
Fortunately, she had no real ambition for an official career. All she hoped for was that Little Six would grow up quickly, become a competent ruler, marry soon—then she could finally roam free under vast skies and seas.
"Madam, Fourth Madam, this humble maid oversteps, but the young mistress is exhausted. Perhaps she should rest first?"
Ying Chun’s reminder filled the mother with guilt. She nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, she does look weary. Go rest now."
Hua Zhi was indeed drained. Without further pleasantries with her family, she nodded and headed toward her own courtyard. She missed her bed desperately. And she was starving—famished enough to devour an entire cow.
A young maid had already scurried ahead. The entire courtyard sprang into action: hot water carried into rooms, fresh clothes laid out, dishes kept warm on the stove brought to the table... Watching these familiar scenes unfold, Hua Zhi felt her bones soften with relief. This was the life she yearned for—no frantic rushing about, no mental exertion, no need to pretend everything was fine while dead tired like a dog.
She wished to be surrounded by people capable of supporting the heavens, so she could righteously retreat to a corner and be protected—rather than having to prop up the household herself as the protector.
"Young mistress, please drink some soup to warm yourself first."
Hua Zhi took the towel to clean her hands, then gulped down the soup faster than ever before. The bone-chilling cold finally began to recede.
Ying Chun’s eyes reddened. She hurriedly served easily digestible dishes before her mistress, signaling Bao Xia with her eyes to rush to the kitchen.
Hua Zhi ate with her head down, her eyes greedier than her stomach, wanting to stuff everything into her mouth at once.
"Please slow down," Ying Chun urged as she refilled the soup bowl halfway, continuing to serve dishes without pause.
Too unsettled to wait, Madam and Fourth Aunt followed discreetly. They had intended to inquire in detail about the Grand Tutor appointment, but standing in the outer room and seeing Zhi Er’s state, they simultaneously softened their movements. After watching for a moment, they left hand in hand. Their questions could wait, but Zhi Er was truly hungry and exhausted.Even without asking, they knew how difficult it was for a woman to attain the position of Grand Tutor—how much she had sacrificed, how many unimaginable hardships she had endured in the palace, and how many dangers she had survived.
Exchanging a glance, they sighed simultaneously. The Hua family's crisis might have passed, and they themselves might be secure now, but what of Zhi Er's future? What was to be done about her marriage? After all, a woman still needed to marry into a good family!
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