At that moment, the sound of hoofbeats approached. Hua Zhi turned to see General Lin returning – a military official who only attended court assemblies without holding regular administrative duties.
Hua Zhi walked back a few steps and performed a curtsy, no longer carrying herself as Grand Tutor Hua but as a daughter of the Hua family expressing gratitude for General Lin's care of their ancestral home.
General Lin sidestepped the formal gesture and made a token motion to assist her up. "There's no need for such formality, Your Excellency. The Lin family hasn't truly been able to do much for you."
Hua Zhi knew exactly how much they had done. The house had remained untouched for two years, yet from the outside it appeared exactly as before – not even a patch of moss could be seen, evidence of their meticulous care.
Looking at the Hua daughter who had endured such hardship over these two years, General Lin sighed inwardly. "You've finally achieved your wish. Now you must focus on recuperating properly, so as not to leave any lasting regrets."
"Yes."
General Lin then bowed to the Regent before turning to ascend his own residence's steps.
Watching him disappear through his gate, Hua Zhi finally turned back. Gazing at the door that seemed to beckon her, she suddenly felt the trepidation of returning home after long absence.
Slowly climbing the steps, she pressed the circular door knocker three times. The dull thuds echoed like a greeting. Her lips trembled slightly, caught between smiling and crying, as she pushed the door open with some effort.
The heavy door, unopened for two years, creaked sharply, yet to Hua Zhi it sounded more beautiful than any music. Crossing the threshold, she gently traced the familiar patterns on the screen wall before emerging into the courtyard. Unexpectedly, there was none of the disorder she had anticipated.
"His Majesty sent people to clean up early this morning," Gu Yanxi approached and supported her as they walked inward. "He didn't allow anyone beyond the second gate."
How thoughtful. Hua Zhi gazed fondly at every corner of the front courtyard, every plant and tree. Though she had rarely visited this area during her sixteen years growing up here, everything felt intimately familiar, as if etched into her memory.
Walking along the covered corridor, she noticed all fallen items had been righted and scattered objects neatly arranged, though the peeling paint hadn't yet been retouched. The flowers and plants stood withered in their blooming season, reminding her of the calamity the Hua family had endured.
The Library remained locked, as did the Scholarly Discussion Hall – these were the Hua family's landmarks. The new emperor had considerately prevented outsiders from entering. Hua Zhi sat on the Library steps, chin in hands as she looked up at the sky. Indeed, the view from here was the brightest.
"I won't be entering the palace."
Gu Yanxi crouched before her, smiling at her joyful expression. "Very well. I'll send word for the Hua family to dispatch people here. This place needs proper tending."
"Mm." Hua Zhi's eyes curved like crescent moons with happiness – an indescribable joy that made her feel weightless, as if floating without anchor.
"I used to spend most of my time in this Library," she said, eyes sparkling. "But I always came when my male cousins were attending Clan school. During those hours, this place would be nearly empty – only Grandfather could find me here." Her voice softened. "The Library didn't originally contain so many miscellaneous books. After Grandfather discovered my preference for them, he collected many more. He never thought reading them was improper."
So it was Old Master Hua who planted the seeds that led to A Zhi's unwavering protection of the family these past two years. Gu Yanxi asked gently, "Would the old master ever examine you on your readings?""No." Hua Zhi thought for a moment. "It shouldn't count either. It's just that whenever I finished reading a book, he would flip through it too, then casually ask me some questions. Does that count as testing?"
It does. Gu Yanxi leaned over and kissed her forehead. "The Old Master knew your capabilities well, that's why he felt at ease."
Thinking of her grandfather, Hua Zhi's expression filled with longing. "When they first started discussing marriage prospects for me, Grandfather asked if I had any thoughts. Looking back now, if I had said I wanted to marry someone specific back then, he would have made it happen for me. Even if I said I didn't want to marry at all, he would have indulged me. But at that time, I was determined to be a proper young lady from a respectable family—how could I have understood his intentions? So I just followed the arrangements made by my parents and the matchmaker. After the engagement was settled, he even warned Shen Qi several times."
Hua Zhi lowered her head with a faint smile. Over a decade of indulgence, over a decade of doting that others knew nothing about—how could she not repay him? If not for Grandfather covering for her, if not for him preventing Grandmother from restricting her both openly and discreetly, how could she have lived so freely and comfortably?
Now everything was in the past. But when Grandfather returned, she didn't know how to face him. She had promised him that not a single member of the Hua family would be lost, yet she had let Grandfather lose the most important person.
Her eyes gradually dimmed as Hua Zhi bent over, resting on her knees with sorrow.
Gu Yanxi understood A Zhi better than she understood herself, and naturally knew what she was thinking at this moment. He pulled her up and led her toward the steps. "Shall we start with the Library?"
"Of course." As the door opened, the sight of books filling the room lifted her spirits. Rolling up her sleeves with a cheerful smile, she said, "For the next few days, please everyone forget about me being the Grand Tutor. Until the Library is sorted out, I'm not going anywhere."
Hua Zhi turned back, her eyes shining. "I want to restore the old residence to how it was before Grandfather returns, especially this place. It must be returned to its original state."
"...Alright."
As it turned out, not only did Hua Zhi neglect her duties as Grand Tutor, but even the Regent was nowhere to be seen. Interestingly, the censors who normally would have submitted memorials over the slightest matter remained completely silent this time—but that's a story for later.
For now, the two worked together to set up the bookshelves and move them back into place. Hua Zhi smoothed out the folded corners of each book one by one and returned them to their proper categories according to classification. Though it was tedious work, she performed it with animated delight, occasionally holding up a book to tell Yanxi about amusing stories from when she read it—most of which were related to Old Master Hua.
The more Gu Yanxi learned, the clearer it became how Old Master Hua had cultivated A Zhi with seemingly casual but actually deliberate care. Back then, he must have simply not wanted this beautiful jade to be buried in dust. He never anticipated all the subsequent upheavals, yet it was precisely that appreciation for talent that ended up repaying him.
Noises came from outside—cheers filled with suppressed excitement and emotion. Leaning against a bookshelf, Hua Zhi smiled as she watched the doorway. Soon enough, someone came running into the Library. It was none other than Berlin.
"Elder Sister, I knew you'd be here."
Hua Zhi smiled. "Shouldn't you be at the palace at this hour?"
Hua Berlin scratched the back of his head. "His Majesty allowed me to leave the palace."
Just then, the others who had been slower arrived too. A bunch of Little Radishes peeked in through the doorway. Hua Zhi walked over to the entrance and counted them amid their chorus of "Elder Sister"—good, not a single one missing. They had all come.Not far away, several ladies of the Hua family were watching through tear-filled eyes, especially her mother, whose heaving shoulders suggested she was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Indeed, since the incident at the palace, Hua Zhi had remained there to recuperate and hadn't returned home.
"Berlin, take your younger brothers to organize the Library. Be careful."
"Yes."
Passing by Xiao Han, Hua Zhi gently patted his head. "Go ahead. You'll like it here."
Zeng Han's eyes sparkled as he nodded vigorously.
OpenNovel