In the carriage, the emperor expressionlessly flipped through the dossier in his hands, somewhat surprised that it was actually a daughter of the Bai family.
During his over a year with the Hua family, he had met Bai Mingxia several times. The Grand Tutor had often praised him, so he knew that Bai Mingxia was on good terms with the fourth son of the Hua family. When they were exiled, Bai Mingxia had even visited them at Yinshan Pass and had shown considerable care for the Hua family. Despite being reprimanded by his father and brothers for it, he never wavered in his intentions, which clearly demonstrated his excellent character.
Closing the dossier, the emperor looked up. "I recall that when military funds were being raised, the Bai family contributed a significant portion."
Lai Fu responded respectfully, "Although it was recorded under the Bai family's name, from what this old servant knows, it was actually provided by the third son of the Bai family."
"If I'm not mistaken, they had already divided the family property."
"Yet one brushstroke cannot write two different 'Bai' characters." Lai Fu smiled. "The old master of the Bai family insisted it be recorded under the family name—how could the third young master oppose that?"
The emperor was all too familiar with the affairs of noble families and felt increasingly that the current situation needed to change as soon as possible. While it was proper for the eldest legitimate son to head the family, that didn’t mean the other brothers should be suppressed without any chance to rise. If this continued, how many capable people would Daqing have left!
"Send someone to investigate how those who passed the Lock Hall Examination are faring now."
"This old servant obeys."
Glancing down at the dossier, the emperor felt a stir in his heart. What if he sent these individuals to be taught by the Grand Tutor...?
But after a moment’s thought, he dismissed the idea and simply instructed, "Keep an eye on them."
Lai Fu lowered his eyes and acknowledged the order, not daring to think too much about it.
Hua Zhi stayed at the Great Clumsy Temple for two days. When she left, the string of prayer beads, once again blessed, was back on her wrist. Whether it was psychological or not, since her serious illness, the feeling of lightness in her body seemed to have vanished, replaced by a sense of stability, as if her feet were firmly planted on solid ground.
Fiddling with the beads, Hua Zhi habitually pressed her left hand. Although it wasn’t completely useless, her left hand was far less nimble than her right. She had countless times felt grateful that it wasn’t her right hand that was injured, allowing her to still hold a brush and even conceal the injury from others.
Her hand warmed as a larger one covered hers, and a deep voice followed, "Is it uncomfortable again?"
Hua Zhi turned her hand to grasp his, looking up with a smile. "No, don’t worry. Didn’t Yu Lao say it will improve with time?"
But Yu Lao had also mentioned that it might not fully recover. Gu Yanxi spread her hand in his palm and skillfully began to massage it, saying, "You don’t need to endure or hold back in front of me. I can’t bear the pain or discomfort for you, but I can ease it like this."
After watching his lowered eyes for a long moment, Hua Zhi’s voice softened even more. "I will from now on."
Only then did Gu Yanxi smile, changing the subject. "Is it appropriate to leave Xiao Han at the Great Clumsy Temple? Aren’t you worried he might think you’re abandoning him?"
"How many people have you seen getting married with their disciples in tow? If even this can’t ease the unease in his heart, then he should spend more time learning from Master Banruo."
"Searching through history books, you’d probably be the only one marrying with a disciple." Gu Yanxi looked up, his eyes filled with laughter. "A few days there will be enough. By your side, he’ll feel secure, and with time, he’ll be fine."
"This is a kind of mental ailment, but I cannot be the medicine that cures them."Indeed, it was them. Wasn't the one in the palace the same? Gu Yanxi continued massaging the meridians in his hands, his mind clear. A Zhi was too warm-hearted, and they wanted to draw too much from her, unconsciously growing greedy. Yet their status destined them incapable of such greed. A Zhi had always been thorough in her considerations—how could she not see the hidden dangers? Preventing trouble beforehand was far better than letting things deteriorate.
"Xiao Han is intelligent; she'll understand."
Hua Zhi shook her head gently. Xiao Han's intelligence was undeniable, but some matters couldn't be resolved through cleverness alone. She hoped Master Banruo would grasp her meaning and enlighten him.
"Grandmother is preparing the returning-home ceremony tomorrow. Later, go check if anything is missing. It's her first time handling such matters, and I'm not sure if she's covered everything."
Hua Zhi was astonished. The Grand Empress Dowager... preparing her returning-home ceremony? That was quite an elevated standard.
Gu Yanxi was amused by her expression and reached out to stroke her cheek. "These ordinary matters common to regular families are rare for Grandmother. Since she finally has this opportunity, let her experience being an ordinary person. Don't focus on her status; as long as there's no breach of etiquette tomorrow, it'll be fine."
"Alright, I'll have Su Momo check later." Hua Zhi nuzzled his palm. "I notice Grandmother doesn't want to return to the palace. You should mention it to the Emperor—unless it's absolutely necessary for the Grand Empress Dowager to appear, don't make her go back. She's been confined for most of her life; that's enough."
Gu Yanxi agreed with a smile, knowing A Zhi was fulfilling a promise he had once made.
On the day of the young lady's return, the Hua family was extremely attentive, making various preparations early in the morning.
Madam Zhu dismissed the maids and personally adjusted her husband's attire, her tone unable to conceal worry. "Although there are no in-laws at the royal residence for Zhi Er to serve, the Grand Empress Dowager is stationed there. The rules are likely even stricter. I wonder how Zhi Er has been these past few days."
Hua Pingyu was equally concerned, but his words seemed meant to reassure his wife or himself. "She managed the complexities of the court effortlessly—how could she not handle trivial household matters? Our daughter is no ordinary woman. Later, don't ask unnecessary questions."
"Don't I know our daughter's capabilities? When all of you were absent, it was Zhi Er who managed the Hua family impeccably, without a single disturbance in the inner quarters." She gave him a reproachful look. "But... that's not our own home. It's the imperial family. Zhi Er married the Regent, who stands above all but one."
Hua Pingyu fell silent for a moment. "Our Hua family isn't one to be easily bullied."
Madam Zhu's eyes reddened. Though the Hua family was distinguished, what could they do against the imperial family?
Patting his distressed wife, Hua Pingyu didn't elaborate further. Some things could be mutually understood but not spoken aloud. Not to mention the Regent currently seemed sincere toward Zhi Er, but even if discord arose later, he wouldn't dare harm her.
Zhi Er was the Grand Tutor of the court, a genuine first-rank official. She needed no one else as her support—she was her own pillar. No other woman could match this, especially with the Emperor holding her in such high regard.
Setting aside external factors, was Zhi Er herself someone easily dealt with?
Hua Pingyu let out a heavy sigh. As parents, even knowing all this couldn't fully ease their hearts.Upon seeing their daughter, the couple's unease finally eased somewhat when they noticed her relaxed expression and the Regent King's ever-present gaze. As long as the two were on good terms, everything else could be easily resolved.
With the change in forms of address and the formal greetings exchanged, the Hua family clearly treated the Regent King with more familiarity and less formality. The room filled with cheerful laughter, and Gu Yanxi couldn't suppress his smile. "Has A Zhi's courtyard been tidied up?"
Hua Pingyu, maintaining the dignified air of a father-in-law, nodded reservedly. "Naturally. No matter when Zhi Er returns, there will always be a place for her to rest."
"Father-in-law misunderstands," Gu Yanxi leaned forward slightly. "That was previously A Zhi's private chamber, where a son-in-law like myself naturally had no place. But now that we'll be visiting frequently, surely you wouldn't keep A Zhi while driving me away?"
Everyone present was intelligent enough to immediately grasp the unspoken meaning in his words.
Hua Yizheng promptly laughed and said, "It has indeed been prepared, Your Highness can rest assured."
"Excellent." Gu Yanxi turned to A Zhi, who appeared surprised but maintained her composure. "When we left this morning, I already informed Grandmother that we would be staying at my in-laws' residence tonight. There's no need for you to rush to prepare for our return."
Hua Zhi felt a warmth in her heart, and her typically cool features instantly softened with affection. "Is that appropriate?"
"Of course. I've been acting as a live-in son-in-law for some time now - what could be improper about staying here?"
Nothing could be more proper indeed. Hua Zhi's smile unconsciously took on a sweet quality as their eyes met, revealing an intimacy that anyone could see. Watching this, the Hua family members finally felt even more reassured.
PS: Their story temporarily pauses here, with the focus shifting to supporting characters next.
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