Gratifyingly, it all went quite well. Bailin was not rigid in his thinking — his mind was quick — yet he was also shaped by the values of this world, loyal to the court and to the imperial family. No matter how indignant he felt, the most he would say was that Grandfather had done no wrong, that the Hua Family had done no wrong.

Unlike her. She harbored resentment toward the imperial family — because she had been born and raised under a different sky, shaped by an education wholly unlike anything in this world. That was why she could feel such bitterness.

She took a sip of her now-cold tea and picked up where she had left off. “If Grandfather erred at all, it was only in saying a few words he should not have said. The Emperor may have lashed out at him in his fury, but once the storm passes, there may yet be room to turn things around. I will find a way to bring our family home.”

Hua Bailin nodded vigorously, not for a moment thinking his elder sister was overreaching herself. “I — Elder Sister, what should I do?”

“What were you in such a hurry to come find me for?” Hua Zhi suddenly changed the subject.

“Elder Sister, I—”

“I do not recall ever teaching you to speak in half-sentences and trailing off. Or is that what one of your teachers has been showing you?”

At those words, Hua Bailin forgot all about whether his idea was appropriate and blurted out his intentions at once, chin stubbornly lifted. “I want to go study at an academy!”

“I will not stop you from going to an academy — but not now.” She could not bear to send the child out into the storm at this precarious time, to be mocked and looked down upon. That manner of tempering one’s character was not to her taste, and she did not believe having such experiences was necessarily any good for a person.

“I have already sent Steward Xu to deliver name cards to the former teachers of the clan school. We will see how many are willing to come. Regardless, the clan school must be rebuilt. In the meantime, you are to take charge of the younger brothers and see that everyone keeps up with their studies, so nothing falls by the wayside.” She paused, then added: “Not only the children of the main branch — those of the collateral branches as well. I hope you can be a good elder brother to all of them. Gather everyone together — you are the future of the Hua Family. The more accomplished you become, the greater the chance that Grandfather and Father will be allowed to come home.”

“I am very willing.” Hua Bailin bit his lip. “But they may not be willing to come.”

“They will come.” No matter how much resentment the adults harbored, no one would wish to hold back a child’s future.

Hua Bailin was not so optimistic. He was not ignorant of things — he could see clearly the state the Hua Family was in. Even if some of the former clan school teachers still remembered old ties, how many would actually come? And trying to find new ones — who would be willing to come to them now?

But looking at his elder sister, who had so many things to worry over, he swallowed all those concerns back down. At the worst, he would study on his own. The family’s books had not been confiscated — when they left the old estate, the greater part of Grandfather’s library had been brought along. He refused to believe he could not make something of himself with that.

“I understand. Elder Sister, do not worry — I will look after the younger brothers.”

Hua Zhi looked at Hua Bailin the way one might look at a small white cabbage forced into ripeness too soon. Her heart ached with it — yet she had no thought of changing course. This age had no room for the overly naive. Environment shaped everything, and with the Hua Family plunging from the heights to the depths in a single blow, there was no need for anyone to push or rush him — he would grow up fast enough on his own.

Still. It hurt.

Hua Zhi raised her arm to ruffle his hair, but as her hand drew near she changed her mind and let it rest on his shoulder instead. No matter how much her heart ached, she would not let weakness show. “There is a great deal to manage at home, and having you take the most important task off my hands will make things much easier for me. When you are not busy, remember to spend more time with Mother as well.”

“Yes, Elder Sister.” Entrusted with something that mattered, Hua Bailin stood straighter than before, a look of determined purpose on his face. Managing a bunch of little ones — let any of them try to be difficult!

“I will leave you to your work, Elder Sister. I am going to study now.”

“Go — and remember to get up and move around after a while.”

“I will.”

She watched the sapling-straight figure of her younger brother step into the sunlight and gradually fade into the distance, and a smile found its way to the corner of her lips. With a brother like this, and a grandmother willing to entrust the greater part of the household into her hands — she would pour everything she had into bringing the Hua Family back.

Bao Xia caught sight of that smile and broke into one of her own. “Looking at the Sixth Young Master, all spirited and chest puffed out — someone who didn’t know better would think he was heading off to battle!”

“Our young masters have no need to go to battle.” Ying Chun briskly set about making a fresh pot of tea for her Young Miss, then began kneading the knuckles of her hands. “Miss, Xu Jie and the others have arrived. This servant had them wait in the side hall first.”

“Bring them in. It is already the eighth month — some things will not wait.”

“Yes.”

Xu Jie, being Steward Xu’s son and already a minor steward himself, was quietly looked to as the head of the three.

“We greet the Young Miss.”

All three were family-born servants — their entire families were part of the household. Hua Zhi skipped the pleasantries entirely and said directly: “From now on, you will be at my disposal.”

“Yes. We await your instructions.”

“Xu Jie — you and Zuo Fei are to prepare yourselves and set out for the Jiangnan region as soon as possible. According to the geographical records, that area is abundant in tangerines, and in past years merchants have transported them by water to the northern prefectures. Buy up as much as you can and have it shipped by boat to the capital.”

Xu Jie had not expected to be given this kind of errand. Wanting to be sure, he asked: “When you say as much as possible, does the Young Miss have a figure in mind?”

“Buy as much as can be had. On your return journey, you may hire an armed escort from a security firm.”

This was a substantial undertaking! Was the Young Miss intending to go into the fruit trade? Xu Jie had half a mind to ask more, but recalling his father’s instructions, he swallowed the question and gave a clear-voiced reply of assent.

Nian Qiu stepped forward and presented a bank note. When Xu Jie saw the amount written on it, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest — one thousand taels! The Young Miss trusted him to this degree!

“Young Miss, rest assured — this servant will see the errand done!”

“I give it to you because I trust you.” Hua Zhi turned to Liu Yueming. “As I recall, by the latter part of the eighth month, white peaches are sold all over the capital. Is that about when they ripen?”

“In reply to the Young Miss — there should be seven or eight days before they come off the trees.”

Hua Zhi nodded. “Go to the surrounding areas and see whether you can secure the white peaches before they are picked. Once they are harvested, have the sellers bring them directly to the estate south of the city. Have you been there before?”

“Yes — this servant once accompanied the Third Master there.”

“Good. All the white peaches are to be delivered there.”

“Yes.”

Nian Qiu handed him two pouches of loose silver, which Liu Yueming received with both hands.

“Pay a deposit and draw up a contract first. Have them bring the contract to the estate south of the city — payment and delivery to be made on the spot. The contract must specify that if anyone passes off inferior goods, we reserve the right to withhold the remaining payment.”

“Yes. This servant will remember.”

Hua Zhi said nothing about what he should do if the silver ran short. Running a business required one to think for oneself — it was not a matter of waiting to be pushed along at every step. These three were the ones she intended to cultivate and place in visible positions. There would be no shortage of situations requiring them to make their own judgments in the future. She had no use for marionettes.

“Set out as soon as you can. Xu Jie — pick two people from the household to take with you. If anything comes up on the road, your safety comes first.”

“Yes.”