It was not until the curfew hour approached that Hua Zhi finally emerged from the room. Gu Yanxi and Shaoyao had been waiting by the door. Upon seeing her, Shaoyao nearly rushed forward, but Gu Yanxi swiftly pulled her back.
Hua Zhi turned and curtsied slightly, bidding them to take care before walking toward the door. She had already said all that needed to be said, and what remained unsaid would forever stay that way.
As usual, Hua Pingyang accompanied her to the inn, while Hua Bolin followed behind. Only after seeing her off did he stop at the doorway. At twelve years old, he had read many books and understood many truths. He knew that warmth was not merely the glow of fire or the heat of the sun. There were people whose mere glance could warm one’s heart.
Just as she stepped outside, Hua Zhi suddenly turned back. She stood at the foot of the steps, while Hua Bolin stood atop them, his already slightly taller stature appearing even more pronounced.
Hua Bolin hurried down two steps so that his elder sister could look at him at eye level.
"Do you have a letter you’d like me to bring to your mother?"
Hua Bolin’s eyes lit up. Of course, he had written one, but he hadn’t dared to ask. He knew his elder sister did not like his mother—after all, children of the main household seldom favored siblings born of concubines.
"You can finish writing it tonight and bring it to the inn tomorrow morning. Let Bolin know as well. If there’s anything else you’d like to send, you may, but don’t make it too heavy. I’m afraid there’s already quite a lot to carry."
Hua Bolin nodded repeatedly, refraining from taking out the letter he had already prepared. This way, he would have a reason to see his elder sister off the next morning.
"Take care of yourself and of Father."
"I will, Elder Sister."
Hua Zhi glanced at the people still gathered in the courtyard. As she turned, the hem of her cloak lifted sharply, her movements brisk and resolute. Though she appeared to be a delicate woman with no physical strength, at that moment, she seemed imbued with boundless power, as though nothing could defeat her.
Gu Yanxi’s eyes flickered several times. Even knowing that Hua Pingyang was observing him, he did not look away. He had no intention of hiding his feelings. From beginning to end, the only obstacle he faced was Hua Zhi herself, not anyone else.
That evening, as Hua Zhi packed her belongings, she spoke to Shaoyao, who was clinging to her. "Grandfather’s illness must be eradicated at the root. Make a few more trips to see him. If he asks you anything, don’t answer—just say you don’t know. Especially regarding Grandmother’s condition, you must not let him find out."
Shaoyao nodded listlessly.
"Don’t stay too long in this freezing cold. Once you’ve gathered the herbs, return quickly. Don’t be reckless if you encounter trouble—this isn’t the capital, after all."
Shaoyao nodded again.
"If you have time, help my father and younger brother regulate their health." Hua Zhi tied the last knot of her bundle and pulled Shaoyao down to sit beside her on the bed. "I’m worried they might fall ill from the cold. It’s truly freezing here."
"Hua Hua, you underestimate them. Master says humans are the most adaptable species in the world. Wherever they go, they learn to adapt."
Yes, countless mighty species had vanished into the long river of history, yet fragile humanity had continued to thrive generation after generation—and would surely endure far into the future.
Gently stroking Shaoyao’s uneven face, Hua Zhi asked, "You’re a highly skilled physician yourself. Is there no way to remove the scars on your face? What does your master say? Has he offered any advice?"
"Master said it’s impossible to remove them completely, but he can make them less noticeable. However, the required herbs are extremely hard to find. It’s been years, and we still haven’t gathered them all.""As long as it exists in this world, there will come a day when we can gather it all. We can afford to wait."
Shaoyao nodded vigorously. "Yan Ge said the same thing."
The two chattered softly for half the night before falling asleep with their heads pressed together. Listening to Hua Hua's breathing grow long and steady, Shaoyao opened her eyes, quietly got up, gathered her clothes, moved further away to dress, and slipped out the door like a stealthy thief.
In the darkness, Hua Zhi opened her eyes. She heard the neighboring door open and close, and though no further sounds reached her, she could sense that the two had departed.
She had always been a light sleeper. The first night she hadn't noticed because she was utterly exhausted, but how could she have failed to realize that someone was missing from beside her during the later two nights?
It might be true that they had discovered valuable medicinal herbs, but what truly compelled Shaoyao to stay was likely this necessity to go out in the middle of the night.
Meanwhile, Shaoyao and Gu Yanxi entered the general's residence with familiar ease.
Wu Yong had been waiting. Just as he was about to speak, Shaoyao cut him off, "Quick, take off your clothes."
"..." Wu Yong felt he ought to be more magnanimous. If a young lady didn't mind such matters, he should be even more open and unashamed. So what if he had to strip completely? Off!
Gritting his teeth, Wu Yong stripped bare and lay stiffly on the bed, his body rigid as a corpse. Shaoyao resisted pointing out this truth, adjusted the lamp to be brighter, spread out the golden needles, and picked one up.
Golden needles were not as hard as silver ones, requiring internal strength to guide them—which was why using golden needles was so exhausting.
Most of the needles were applied around the triangular area. Shaoyao inserted them without blinking, as if her hands were indeed working on a corpse. Wu Yong secretly felt grateful that he was currently incapacitated; otherwise, being watched like this would surely provoke some masculine reaction. But if he dared show any reaction, the heir probably wouldn't just scowl darkly.
"I'll be leaving tomorrow," Gu Yanxi said, preferring not to watch, and sat down by the table to pour himself a cup of tea.
"Is the Hua family's eldest young lady returning?" Wu Yong's tone held a teasing note. These days, the most talked-about topic at Yinshan Pass was the arrival of the Hua family's eldest young lady from the capital. He had initially admired her, but when he learned that Gu Yanxi—the heir whom the Emperor had raised like his own son—was accompanying her as her martial arts instructor, his admiration turned to reverence!
She was the second person in the world who dared to order Gu Shizi around.
The first was the current Emperor.
A woman with such capability—traveling to Yinshan Pass was nothing surprising; even venturing beyond the pass wouldn't astonish him. Would an ordinary woman catch Gu Shizi's eye?
"Since you know, show a little more consideration to the Hua family."
Wu Yong hadn't expected him to admit it so readily. Instinctively, he glanced over, lifting his upper body slightly, only to be pushed back down by Shaoyao. "Stay still."
"Sorry, sorry." Wu Yong hurriedly lay back properly. He was somewhat intimidated by Shaoyao—understandably, as this female doctor was truly fearless. At times, it felt as if she didn't even consider herself female.
"Shizi, if the Emperor finds out you've taken a liking to the woman from the Hua family whom he just punished, have you considered the consequences?"
"He won't know for now."
Perhaps because they had once survived life-and-death situations together and were now far from the Emperor's reach, Wu Yong spoke without much restraint. "Right under his nose—can you really keep it hidden?"Gu Yanxi gazed at the gently flickering candlelight, his eyes softening at the thought of Hua Zhi. "It's fine. If we can no longer keep it from him, just tell him. Even if he opposes it initially, he will eventually agree."
Compared to marrying the daughter of a powerful official, wedding the daughter of a disgraced official would undoubtedly put that solitary ruler more at ease. Any objections, upon realizing this, would only remain superficial.
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