Hua Zhi had finally attained the carefree life she had always dreamed of, where she concerned herself with nothing except occasionally worrying about Shaoyao. Yet her complexion showed no improvement; she still appeared listless and weary.
"If this ordeal had at least brought out all the latent weaknesses in her body, it might have been for the better. But she stubbornly endured through it all," Yu Lao sighed softly, shaking his head as he watched the young Hua boy rushing over. "This isn't good for her—she's stretched too taut."
Gu Yanxi grew anxious. "Is there no other way?"
"Once her injuries have healed, I'll examine her again. For now, her body cannot withstand any further strain."
The worry etched between Gu Yanxi's brows refused to fade. Even Yu Lao spoke this way—what did it mean for A Zhi's condition...
"Greetings to The Heir, greetings to Yu Lao." Though desperate to fly to his elder sister's side, Hua Bolin patiently observed the proper courtesies first.
"Go ahead. Your elder sister should be awake now."
"Yes." Hua Bolin dashed toward her room. The capital's restrictions had only been lifted today, and he only knew his elder sister was injured—not how severely. The mere thought made his heart burn with anxiety. How many times had his elder sister been hurt now!
Stumbling over the threshold in his haste, he nearly fell. As he looked up, he met her eyes, which seemed softer than usual. His nose stung, and he rushed over to bury his face in her quilt, letting tears flow freely.
Three days of constant fear had finally released their grip, leaving his chest aching with relief.
Hua Zhi gently patted his head, offering no admonishments about men not shedding tears lightly—after all, no one wept without reason.
After a moment, Hua Bolin lifted his head, eyes red-rimmed. Seeing his elder sister's pale lips renewed his worry. "Are the injuries serious?"
"The wound just reopened several times, making it look worse than it is. No bones or tendons were damaged—it's nothing major." Not wanting the focus on herself, Hua Zhi turned the question back to him. "Is everything well at home?"
"Everything's fine. At first, some suspicious people were lurking outside, but Mr. Wang drove them off without a second thought. Even after he left, he arranged for guards."
Hua Zhi wasn't surprised and nodded. "What did you do?"
"I gathered everyone in Grandmother's large courtyard—the family members inside the rooms, maids attending closely, and servants guarding the yard. I counted everyone—not a single person missing."
Not bad at all. Hua Zhi smiled faintly. "Any suspicious individuals?"
Hua Bolin pressed his lips together. "There shouldn't be. I paid special attention."
Hua Zhi felt relatively reassured about this. Most servants in the Hua family had served for generations, and even newly purchased servants underwent strict screening—those with the slightest issues were never accepted. The Hua family had some talent in judging character, though unfortunately, she hadn't inherited this skill.
"Mother cried again, didn't she?"
"Her eyes are swollen. The courtyard isn't that large, and when the news came, everyone heard—we couldn't hide it."
Hua Zhi could easily imagine how the woman made of tears must have wept. She motioned for Berlin to lean closer and whispered in his ear, "After you return, quietly tell Mother that Father should be able to come back once this situation passes."Hua Bolin was so overjoyed he nearly leaped up, only barely restraining himself when his elder sister shushed him. Yet his excited tone still betrayed his exhilaration, "Once everyone returns, elder sister, you can finally rest."
Hua Zhi was taken aback for a moment before softly acknowledging, "Mm." Yes, once everyone returned, she would be free. She would sleep through night and day, never stepping beyond the inner gates, becoming the proper young lady of good breeding she ought to be... Anything would do, as long as this turmoil passed quickly and she could return to her once tranquil life.
Lowering her gaze to conceal her longing, Hua Zhi smiled, "Alright, you've seen me now. Go attend to His Highness. With so much happening, you should take this chance to learn more."
Hua Bolin naturally wished to stay by his elder sister's side longer, but being ever obedient, he reluctantly departed, glancing back repeatedly.
Nian Qiu covered her mouth with a chuckle, "The sixth young master may be capable outside, but before you, he hasn't changed a bit."
"It's good that he's capable." Her reputation had already grown too prominent. If he weren't competent, he would live his entire life in her shadow. By then, forget remaining as close as they were now—it would be fortunate if he didn't resent her.
Still, she believed the child she raised wouldn't be so limited in ability, nor possess such narrow-mindedness.
The doorway darkened as Gu Yanxi strode in, announcing, "A victory report has arrived from the south."
Hua Zhi immediately sat up straight, her gaze burning as she looked at Yanxi.
Gu Yanxi didn't keep her in suspense. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he promptly said, "Shaoyao has captured the ruler of the Flame Country and is escorting him to the capital."
Hua Zhi was so thrilled she could hardly remain seated. "Shaoyao sent the report?"
"She went to take command of Xinyu Pass." His sister's remarkable achievements filled Gu Yanxi's eyes with pride. "Her temperament—who knows whom she takes after—is utterly ruthless. After capturing the ruler, she either killed or imprisoned all other potential heirs in the royal family, leaving only the women and children wailing in despair."
"A clever move. In times like these, the resilience of women and children is fearsome. They would stop at nothing to bring their men back." Hua Zhi clapped her hands together, then winced as the motion tugged at her wound, gritting her teeth in pain. Even so, she thought, Shaoyao wouldn't be so meticulous—it must have been Zheng Zhi's influence.
"The south is no longer a concern. What about the other regions?"
Gu Yanxi carefully helped her lean against the headboard, avoiding her injury, then glanced at the water clock. Seeing there was still nearly half the time left, he continued unhurriedly, "The west is no longer a threat. The pressure now lies entirely in the north. The grassland tribes have always been difficult to deal with, and now, with their survival at stake, they would invade the borders even without the Chao Li Tribe."
For survival, who would simply wait for death? Hua Zhi's heart sank uncontrollably.
Taking the medicine bowl from a maid, Gu Yanxi took a small sip. It was bitterly unpleasant. If possible, he would gladly drink it in her stead. Bringing the bowl to A Zhi's lips, he added, "Don't worry. I've already dispatched reinforcements, and Wu Yong is no easy target to bully. With Old Master Hua's assistance, breaching our defenses won't be so simple for the enemy. Don't forget, Wu Xing was originally stationed at Yinshan Pass."
That's right—the black powder. Hua Zhi's tense heart eased slightly. She took the medicine bowl and downed its contents with the determination of downing a shot of liquor. The moment she set the bowl aside, a piece of preserved fruit was already placed in her mouth.Gu Yanxi placed the small dish of candied fruit within her easy reach, then looked up at her complexion that showed no sign of improvement. The worry in his heart simply wouldn't fade. This wasn't A Zhi's first time being injured, but compared to all previous instances—even the time at Yinshan Pass—she had never been this weak and listless.
Abnormality always signals trouble, and he couldn't help but worry.
PS: Another hospital visit tomorrow. Even with just the final touches left, I can't seem to write in peace.
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