After one cup of tea, Gu Yanxi finally broke the silence — which had been comfortable rather than awkward. “Sixth Brother has no more problems.”
Hua Zhi refilled the tea, without looking up. “When Master Lu says ‘no more problems,’ does he mean he may return, or he may stay?”
“Stay. The Emperor has entrusted Sixth Brother to me and will ask no further questions.”
“Even if it was to protect A’Jian, I still find it heartless.” Hua Zhi set aside the emptied cup, looked up at Gu Yanxi. “For A’Jian’s sake, this is a form of banishment in all but name.”
Gu Yanxi smiled. She was already taking him under her wing — the little sixth prince who had come out of the imperial palace had surely long since noticed this vulnerability of A’Zhi’s, and was making good use of it. “The Emperor’s intention is for Sixth Brother to eventually take over my position.”
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. “That is quite different from what Master Lu himself decided.”
“I am the leader of the Seven Lodges Division, yet I can also manage all of court. Learn everything that ought to be learned, and whatever seat you sit in, you will sit in it securely.”
Such impeccable reasoning — Hua Zhi found she had no way to refute it. How could she? The example was right before her.
“I heard you plan to install underfloor heating in the clan school?”
Hua Zhi was not surprised that he knew — the slightest stir in the Hua household was surely known to him in full. In the past she would certainly have felt uncomfortable, as though she were being watched. But now was different from before. This kind of protection was precisely what she needed.
“Winter is cold, the children’s fingers stiffen until they can barely hold a brush, and they cannot concentrate.”
“Have you found someone for the work?”
Seeing A’Zhi look at him, Gu Yanxi let a smile show in his eyes. “I will send people to do it. You need not worry about anything else.”
“That would be more than welcome.” A household full of women — Hua Zhi was both worried about her family being disturbed, and, in her small-minded way, wary of the wives and concubines in the household taking notice of outside men and letting stray thoughts develop. She had originally planned to wait until Wu Da and the others had finished with the cellar at the manor, and then have him go and learn the techniques so he could handle this task as well.
Hua Zhi recalled something. She rose, went around to the writing desk, opened a drawer, and took out several silver banknotes, which she placed before Gu Yanxi. “These should have been returned to Master Lu long ago. With this year’s expansion into another shop, it was only recently that my hands were freed up — let me repay this first.”
Each silver banknote was one thousand taels. Five in all — just enough to settle the debt for those gold bars. As for the two great cloaks, Hua Zhi had no intention of repaying those in money. She was discerning enough to know they were priceless, and she intended to return them once she had procured fine pelts, so as not to owe too much to one person.
Gu Yanxi did not press the matter — he knew A’Zhi had no shortage of money.
“There is a business venture I would like to seek Master Lu’s protection for.”
“The one you are running at the manor?”
“Yes.”
Gu Yanxi rubbed the warm temperature of his teacup between his fingers. “I will connect you with the Lu Family.”
“For this venture, I would like Master Lu’s personal protection.” Hua Zhi’s expression did not change, but her tone carried a certainty that left Gu Yanxi slightly taken aback. “This venture brings in too much money. I cannot place my trust in others.”
Being trusted so unequivocally, Gu Yanxi’s ruffled feathers smoothed themselves at once, and he agreed without a second word.
His original intention had been to use this as an opportunity to help the Hua Family forge a connection with the Lu Family. His own protection cost A’Zhi nothing — however much she needed, he would give. And if a connection with the Lu Family were established, the Hua Family would gain an additional measure of security in the future.
He understood the Lu Family’s situation well. When his mother passed away, the Emperor’s compensation had been considerable — he had even elevated Great Uncle’s official rank by two levels. But high as the rank was, it was a nominal post. The title carried its prestige, and with the Lord of An Guo holding things in place, no one would dare look down on them. But the Lu Family had never had a head for business through several generations. In recent years, they had only dared to take in income from their manors, no longer willing to become entangled in the commerce of the capital. Yet living in the capital was not cheap — the social obligations alone amounted to enormous sums, and the household had already begun to feel the strain. He could only send heavier gifts at the new year and festivals; if he gave openly at other times, his grandfather would refuse to accept.
“As for the Lu Family — if Master Lu trusts them, I would be willing to offer two-tenths of the profit from the shop on Champion Street in exchange for their protection.”
“There is no need…”
Hua Zhi shook her head. “With so many businesses throughout the capital, every one of them has a tangled web of connections behind it. If not the Lu Family, I would find another family.”
Given the Hua Family’s current circumstances, they could not protect a business that brought in too much money on their own. And Hua Zhi — in both her lifetimes — had dealt only in large ventures.
Gu Yanxi saw the sense in what she said. He took back out the five thousand taels in silver banknotes he had just put away. “These — consider them as coming from the Lu Family’s share. Give them their portion of the profits when the time comes.”
Hua Zhi thought for a moment, then took three notes back out. “It can only be two-tenths of the profits. Master Lu should have confidence in the business I run.”
“Of course. I will arrange for someone from the Lu Family to come and discuss the details with you.”
“I would think Master Lu is in a position to speak for the Lu Family.”
Gu Yanxi was briefly taken aback, then understood what she meant. And she was right — if A’Zhi were willing to step forward and engage with people, she would not have spent all these years with so little visibility.
“Very well. I will make the decision.”
Hua Zhi tilted her head slightly in thanks and poured his tea once more.
Gu Yanxi looked at the row of tea canisters along the edge of the table and said, with a meaningful tone, “Even setting aside everything else, A’Zhi — just these tea leaves alone would be a considerable business venture.”
“If Master Lu likes them, I can teach you how to stir-fry the leaves.”
“A’Zhi must know this is a very lucrative business.”
“Grandfather once bought me a small tea garden. All the leaves you see here came from there. When the tea garden was confiscated along with everything else, these were all that remained.” Hua Zhi looked up with a faint smile. “I have no shortage of ways to earn money. This one, I do not intend to let it carry the smell of coin. But I do not stop others from taking it and turning a profit.”
He had been inadvertently implicated in this grievance. Gu Yanxi felt a pang of guilt. “I will go and get that tea garden back for you.”
Hua Zhi shook her head. “When there is nothing weighing on the heart, one has the spirit to indulge the mind. In my present state of mind, whatever tea I might stir-fry would come out burnt — best not to waste it. And I was not speaking idly just now — if Master Lu truly wants to use it to generate income, I will teach you the method.”
Gu Yanxi considered this, then shook his head. “I cannot spare the attention for it right now. Let it rest for the time being — we can speak of it later.”
Hua Zhi did not insist. The silver debt had been repaid, and even some of the debt of personal kindness had been somewhat addressed. Her mood was good.
“Who is outside? Go and call A’Jian.”
Nanny Su’s voice carried from without. “Yes, this old servant will go right away.”
The Sixth Prince came in dressed in a set of crisp new garments. He entered and greeted them quietly and properly. Having been fed well and well cared for by Fu Dong day after day, his cheeks were rosy and his color was excellent, his spirits full and bright — he had evidently been living very comfortably in the Hua household.
Seeing him in such a state, Gu Yanxi felt all the more certain that what the boy sought was not necessarily beyond reach.
“The Emperor has permitted you to remain with me. Cheng Qian — if you do not wish to return to the palace, you need not return.”
At these words the Sixth Prince’s heart gave a tremendous leap. He was of course glad he would not have to go back — and yet he felt an ache too. The wrong had not been his, and yet he was the one who could no longer return.
He did not long for that place that had no warmth to it. What pained him was that nobody cared where he was. When he had been in the palace, one more of him made no difference. Since he had left the palace, one less of him made no difference either. He was like the carved balustrades and jade railings that could be found everywhere in the palace — seemingly precious to look at, but not truly important to anyone.