After their morning practice there was a quarter-hour of rest, during which they ate a little cake and caught their breath before it was time to begin their studies.

From the corner of his eye, Gu Yanxi watched Hua Zhi enter the schoolroom, then strolled idly over after her. Everyone in the front courtyard knew him as the eldest young lady’s newly engaged martial arts instructor, and no one barred his way.

Drawing closer, he could hear Hua Zhi’s voice as she taught — clear and unhurried, it seeped into one’s chest and made it impossible not to listen.

Gu Yanxi leaned against a corridor pillar, narrowed his eyes, and looked out at the sky. A pity Hua Zhi was born a daughter; if she had been a son, what could the Hua Family not have achieved? Even this present calamity might well have been forestalled by her. Being confined to the inner household was far too small a world for her.

Not until the noise of the children’s clamor spilled out did Gu Yanxi realize he had been standing there listening for half an hour. It was too late to slip away, so he simply stepped out from behind the pillar with perfect composure. Hua Zhi had not yet emerged, but he came face to face with Mu Qing.

The two had caught a brief glimpse of each other that morning and each knew the other’s role.

Gu Yanxi, esteeming his character, took the initiative and bowed with cupped hands. “Lu Yanxi pays his respects to Master Mu.”

Mu Qing returned the bow. “Master Lu.”

They exchanged a glance and both smiled, then went their separate ways. The friendship between men of virtue is as light as water; there was no need yet to speak in depth at so early an acquaintance.

Seeing that Hua Zhi had not yet come out, Gu Yanxi took the opportunity to withdraw. He made his way east toward the small courtyard where Hua Zhi rested between lessons and, at a glance, spotted Shaoye in the courtyard grinding herbs. Not wishing to intrude, he beckoned her over. “Where did the medicinal herbs come from?”

“I had them sent over. Oh — and Hua Hua gave me this.” Shaoye drew out a book from the pouch at her side — the one she habitually filled with various medicines — and presented it to Gu Yanxi with a look of a person showing off a treasure.

“The Rao’s Medical Canon?” Gu Yanxi was somewhat surprised to find a medical text he had long sought to locate in the Hua Family’s possession, though given the sheer extent of their collection, it was not beyond reason. “They managed to bring their books out?”

“Most of them. Hua Hua says that of the twenty carts they brought with them, fifteen were nothing but books. She told me to start with this one, and she’ll search to see if there are any more.”

The number of people Gu Yanxi genuinely admired was small. The Hua Family’s founding ancestor was among them. In the one hundred and seventy years since the founding of the Great Qing dynasty, fewer than five families had maintained their heritage for a century or more. The other four had all suffered decline at one point or another — the worst had come close to extinction — but the Hua Family had endured, steadily, all this time.

Emperors over several generations had spoken of the Hua Family’s founding ancestor. Hua Jingyan, who had once risen to the position of Grand Counselor, was a man of profound wisdom. So long as the Hua Family did not betray their forebears or abandon their clan rules, the family could not fall — one or two generations of mediocrity would never undermine the foundation.

Even now, struck by this undeserved catastrophe — their home confiscated, the family exiled — they appeared to have fallen to the very bottom. Yet looking at those children with the light still burning steadily in their eyes, he knew that the Hua Family’s rise was only a matter of time. They were the family’s kindling. When they grew up, the family would rise with them — and more than that, Hua Zhi, who held everything steady, was still there.

Shaoye leaned in close and asked quietly, “Shi… Yanxi-ge, were you eavesdropping just now?”

“That was open and aboveboard listening.”

“Ha, well either way you were listening. What did you think? Hua Hua is brilliant, isn’t she?”

“Given that even you can follow along, the level is clearly quite respectable.”

Shaoye felt not the slightest sting from being belittled and nodded in wholehearted agreement. “Absolutely. In a little while I plan to drag a small stool out and sit right outside the schoolroom to listen.”

“Why wait until then?”

“Because in a little while I’ll be more familiar with the Hua Family! Even if someone catches me, they won’t think I’m lurking around with bad intentions. Right now it won’t do — the Hua Family’s servants are still wary of me!”

That was Shaoye — perceptive to the bone. Gu Yanxi brushed the medicinal powder off her clothing. “I had someone buy a residence nearby. Do you want to come and have a look with me?”

“No. I want to stay with Hua Hua.”

“…” Gu Yanxi had no choice but to go back on his own.

That day was the one arranged for the Second and Third young ladies to hold their lessons.

Hua Zhi arrived at the front courtyard a little earlier than usual, and with Hua Bolin at their head, the Hua Family boys gathered their spirits — their fists hit harder than before.

Gu Yanxi left them to carry on and walked over to offer his greeting. “Eldest Young Lady.”

Hua Zhi gave a slight bow. “My sisters will be coming to the front courtyard today. I ask that Master Lu take care to keep a distance.”

Gu Yanxi grasped her meaning immediately. “I will leave when the time comes.”

“I am sorry to trouble you.”

“There is no need for that, Eldest Young Lady.”

Gu Yanxi dismissed the class a little ahead of time, did not linger, and left through the side gate.

When Hua Zhi received this report, her impression of him improved a shade more. She liked people who understood what was left unsaid and knew where the limits lay. A pity she could not take this one into her own service.

“Where is Grass Grass?”

“She went to pester Fu Dong — she wants to eat fried small fish.” Bao Xia covered her mouth to laugh. The first time they met she had barely said two words, kept everything as plain and simple as possible, and looked utterly unapproachable; it was only once they knew her that she turned out to be this easy to win over. She had been saying sweet things all morning just to get one serving of fried fish.

Hua Zhi found nothing surprising about it at all. With such an enthusiastic little food-lover around, Fu Dong’s culinary skills were apparently set for another round of improvement.

“Do not let her leave the courtyard before the Second and Third young ladies have gone.”

“Yes, this servant will remember.”

“What has Ying Chun gone to do?”

“The supplier who brings the ceramic jars for the workshop came to settle accounts. She and Nian Qiu went to handle it.”

Hua Zhi asked nothing more. Grass Grass had once said that her maids were well trained, and that compliment she dared to accept. Search all of the capital and you would struggle to find maids to compare with hers — though that was also because she had indulged and trusted them fully. Ordinary matters needed no arrangement from her at all; they were handled flawlessly without her needing to intervene.

Liu Xiang came shuffling in to announce: “Young Lady, the Second Young Lady and Third Young Lady have arrived.”

At once the backs of every maid in the room straightened, each one composing herself to a picture of propriety. Hua Zhi found it amusing but said nothing, letting them earn her credit in their own way.

The Hua Family had long held to the convention that daughters received single-character given names and sons received two-character given names. It was nothing deliberate — the older generations had simply done it this way, and those who came after continued the practice.

Hua Xin, the Second Young Lady, was of the Second Branch. Though in age, looks, and reputation she was more or less on a level with the Third Young Lady, Hua Ling, she had always been overshadowed by Hua Ling, owing to her father being a concubine-born son. This was evident even in how they entered the room: no matter how quickly Hua Xin walked, Hua Ling was always a steady half-step ahead of her, claiming the superior position.

“Elder Sister.”

The greeting came in perfect unison. Hua Zhi smiled gently and returned it. She rose and said, “The lesson is nearly due to begin. Go on ahead. Today there is no need to follow the curriculum — arrange it between yourselves. Simply teach what you are each most capable of.”

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts trembling with barely contained excitement.

In the past, such a thought would never have occurred to them as anything other than an impossible fantasy. But the moment they learned that their elder sister — never known for any particular accomplishment — had become a female instructor, something ignited inside them. If even an elder sister with no reputation for learning could stand up as a teacher, surely they, with their established names, had far better claim to it?

Before they had even begun to think of how to win their grandmother over, their grandmother had given them the opportunity herself. They would accept it gladly!

Watching the two march off with such resolute energy, Hua Zhi sighed with something like wistfulness. “How wonderful, to be young.”

“…” The maids exchanged glances. Their young lady was not yet sixteen — and already she considered herself no longer young?