Sitting on the steps with his back against the pillar, Gu Yanxi gazed at the sky. How could he want to go? Yet he had no choice but to.
Behind Shou’ai Pass lay the flat plains of Yanzhou. If the pass were lost, the iron hooves of the Chao Li Tribe could reach the capital in just half a month. How could he dare entrust Shou’ai Pass to a general who had never experienced war? If things went wrong, internal chaos would erupt first.
He was the most suitable candidate. Duke Dingguo knew this, which was why he had spoken those meaningless words. His surname was Gu, he was The Heir, and he was the head of the Seven Constellation Bureau. Whether it was his status, his achievements over the years, or his martial skills, he could command the respect of the border troops. Even if he didn’t volunteer to go, everyone would eventually realize that he was more suitable than anyone else.
He understood why A Zhi was so furious. No one—no one—wanted their beloved to go to the battlefield. It was a place of death; no one could guarantee they would return alive. He didn’t dare make such a promise to A Zhi either.
One for the nation, one for family. He wanted to choose family, but he could only choose the nation.
He couldn’t let the people of Daqing perish under the iron hooves. He couldn’t let A Zhi become a slave of a fallen nation. He had to fight for a chance of survival for everyone. If all else failed, he and A Zhi would face death together.
Just as A Zhi understood him, he understood A Zhi. If Daqing fell, A Zhi would not live in humiliation, and the Chao Li people would never spare her.
This was a deadlock, and he had to break it.
Inside the room, Hua Zhi closed her eyes and calmed herself for a moment before reopening them.
Ying Chun immediately handed her the teacup.
Stirring the tea with the lid, Hua Zhi asked, "How much silver can we mobilize?"
"Up to last month’s accounts, we have over 170,000 taels of silver."
Hua Zhi was not surprised by this amount. Although she hadn’t added any new lucrative businesses, the existing ones had flourished. The snack alley, now a bustling landmark in the capital, was immensely popular, while the food studio and seafood restaurant generated substantial daily profits. Even the earliest canned food business, managed by Bai Mingxia, had grown significantly. The monthly earnings, after deducting the distributed shares, were considerable—and this was despite having allocated part of the funds to purchase grain.
Ying Chun glanced at her mistress and continued, "As you previously instructed, most of the silver has been converted into gold bars and official silver, sealed and ready for use at any time."
"Send stewards to purchase large quantities of pork," Hua Zhi said, setting down the teacup and rising. "I will ask the Crown Prince to lend us his residence. There should still be many people there, and the supplies we prepared earlier can be used. You personally oversee this matter. The Crown Prince’s household staff must be verified against the roster provided by the stewards before they can be employed, as a precaution."
Ying Chun acknowledged the order. From the first sentence, she knew what her mistress intended to do—even though she had been so angry earlier…
The door opened, and Gu Yanxi sprang to his feet, looking at Hua Zhi almost pleadingly.
Hua Zhi brushed past him. "Go back. There’s no need to follow me."
How could Gu Yanxi not follow? He simply didn’t dare get too close, keeping three steps behind as he asked, "Where are you going?"
"To the palace."
Gu Yanxi hurried forward to stop her. "A Zhi, this matter—"
"Grand Tutors are forbidden from participating in politics. I will abide by the late emperor’s decree."
Seeing A Zhi, who seemed no different from usual yet was clearly changed, Gu Yanxi rushed forward in desperation and embraced her stiffened form. "A Zhi, I’m sorry."Hua Zhi did not struggle, allowing herself to be embraced fully in front of everyone. She felt like Wang Baochuan, who waited eighteen years in a cold kiln—her husband filled with ambitions to serve the country, while she was filled with helplessness she couldn't suppress. She almost wished she could tie him to her side with a belt so he wouldn't go anywhere.
Yet this helplessness, this anger, this boundless worry—she could only digest it all silently.
But she was not Wang Baochuan!
Pushing him away, Hua Zhi lowered her head to straighten her sleeves. "Go back. Don’t appear in my sight for the next couple of days."
She strode past him. Gu Yanxi chased after her a few steps but ultimately stopped. A Zhi was furious, and he didn’t want to add to her distress.
Though she had the privilege of entering without announcement, Hua Zhi still followed protocol by presenting her nameplate and waiting to be summoned.
The Crown Prince personally came out to greet her, stopping her before she could bow. Smiling, he asked, "Why has the Grand Tutor come?"
"I have a request to make, Your Highness."
The Crown Prince paused briefly, then nodded in understanding and gestured for her to enter.
Lai Fu dismissed the other attendants and personally attended to them.
"I wish to borrow Your Highness’s Eastern Palace."
Without asking what the Grand Tutor intended to use it for, the Crown Prince agreed immediately. "I will instruct everyone in the Eastern Palace to follow your orders."
"Thank you, Your Highness. But what I seek is something else."
"Grand Tutor, please speak."
Hua Zhi lifted her head, her clear gaze making the Crown Prince hold his breath. Then he watched as the Grand Tutor knelt before him. Startled, he moved to help her up. "Grand Tutor—"
"Your Highness." Hua Zhi’s voice was louder and weightier than usual, causing the Crown Prince to halt involuntarily.
Hua Zhi performed a formal salute, the kind used by court officials. "I humbly beg Your Highness to grant me permission to return to the Hua family Library."
Indeed, the Hua residence was still under seal. Despite the Grand Tutor’s great contributions, the benefits had not yet extended to her family. The Crown Prince pressed his lips together, thinking he could at least return the Hua family’s ancestral home first. But before he could speak, the Grand Tutor continued, "What I mean is, without anyone knowing—I wish to go quietly at night."
"There’s no need for that. I can—"
"It is not yet the right time, Your Highness is being impulsive." Hua Zhi interrupted the Crown Prince with great irreverence, clarifying further, "The Hua family Library contains many handwritten texts left by our ancestors. I have glanced through a few before, but at the time, I wasn’t interested in others’ life stories and didn’t pay much attention. Now, I wish to find the manuscripts of our ancestor Hua Jingyan and see if he left any wisdom that could benefit later generations."
The Grand Tutor already knew about the Chao Li Tribe’s invasion of the borders. The Crown Prince stepped forward and personally helped her up. "How could I have any reason to refuse? Isn’t it all for the sake of our Daqing’s realm?"
No, I just… want to give Gu Yanxi more leverage, Hua Zhi thought to herself. She truly had no grand ambitions. She didn’t seek fame in history, wasn’t a feminist, and had no intention of fighting for women’s rights. All she wanted was to live comfortably, with her family and friends safe and sound. Such a simple, humble wish—why was it so hard to achieve?
"I will go with you."
Hua Zhi thought for a moment. "Very well. Let’s bring Berlin along."
By then, it was nearly dark. As Hua Zhi prepared to take her leave, the Crown Prince said, "Berlin should be back soon. Grand Tutor, why not dine here? Lai Fu, send someone to inform my grandmother of this."
"Yes, Your Highness."Having spent decades in the palace, the Empress Dowager immediately recognized numerous aspects the Crown Prince had overlooked. She let out a long sigh and waved her hand at the messenger. In the face of such significant matters, what did those trivial taboos even matter?
PS: Don't dislike Yan Xi. Though bound by his status with many helpless constraints, he is doing his utmost to protect A Zhi.
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