Xu Jie didn’t return until quite a while later.

After bowing to Wu Shi, he reported back to the First Young Miss: “This servant has made inquiries. Yang Qi hosted a banquet for the Wu Family’s First Master at Yunlai Restaurant yesterday.”

Hua Zhi looked toward Wu Shi, and Wu Shi looked back at her, bitterness permeating her eyes, her mouth, her very heart. These were her people from her maiden family — all that past affection now felt like something out of a dream, something she had conjured from her own imagination. Thinking of them now, she found their faces utterly repugnant.

“I understand. Let it be then. From this day forward, the Wu Family walks its road of wealth and glory, and I shall walk the narrow path as a daughter-in-law of the Hua Family.” Wu Shi rose to her feet, her expression remarkably composed, as though all the resentment and hatred within her were mere illusions — as though the Wu Family she spoke of had nothing to do with her at all.

Hua Zhi rose to see her out, and heard her Fourth Aunt say: “Zhi’er, however you wish to handle the Wu Family, handle it. There is no need to inform me of such matters in the future.”

“…Yes.”

Standing at the doorway, watching Fourth Aunt depart, Hua Zhi quietly tucked away that small pang of guilt into a place no one could see, then turned back to look at Xu Jie, who stood to the side with his head lowered. She walked slowly back to her writing desk and sat down, speaking gently: “There is something I had been meaning to discuss with you.”

“Yes, this servant is listening to your instructions.”

“The other day, when Steward Xu fell ill, it occurred to me that he is actually several years older than Grandfather. He has reached the age when he ought to be allowed a comfortable retirement.”

Xu Jie stiffened for a moment, then quickly interjected: “This servant understands. I will take my father to the estate at once—”

“What are you thinking? Would I simply discard someone who has served me well?” Hua Zhi rebuked him, then softened her tone. “Steward Xu has spent his entire life in this household. I only regret that I cannot let him retire at the old residence — I would never drive him from the manor. However, we must carefully seek out a suitable person to take over his duties, and when the time comes, Steward Xu will need to personally mentor whoever that is.”

Xu Jie felt a wave of relief wash over him, and then immediately felt ashamed of his own petty thinking, so he lowered his head even further.

“You need to manage affairs outside the manor, and Xu Ying is still too young. Whoever takes over can only be chosen from among the others. In this, I hope neither of you will have any objections.”

Xu Jie immediately knelt down. “This servant would never dare have any objections. There is no logic in a servant having objections toward their master.”

“Now that everything is clearly stated, everyone may set their minds at ease. I will not treat anyone poorly.” Hua Zhi made a gesture for him to rise. “Stand up. Go tell Xu Ying that starting tomorrow, he is to report to me directly. You are about to travel out, and I need someone to handle affairs that require running about outside.”

“Yes. This servant thanks the First Young Miss on his brother’s behalf for this opportunity.”

“I hope that I prosper, and that all of you prosper as well.” Hua Zhi spoke with meaningful intent. She placed people in positions she believed suited them, and did her best to free them from worry — in return, she only hoped they could give a few more measures of genuine loyalty to her as their mistress. Even if they could not reciprocate in kind, she hoped at least that neither side would let the other down.

Gu Yanxi had been coming to eat dinner here so often that it had become completely natural — no one in the entire courtyard found it unusual anymore. It was not that no one had noticed the peculiar nature of the two’s relationship, but no one had spoken of it openly.

In broader terms, the Hua Family needed the First Young Miss to hold things together — with her managing the household, her affairs were not to be gossiped about. In narrower terms, the two were always in plain sight of everyone and there had never been any impropriety between them. They simply spent a great deal of time together. Their First Young Miss had even dared to smash the mourning hall of the First Young Mistress, so what was unusual about her spending more time with someone?

By now even Shao Yao knew better than to hover near Huahua at this hour and invite the threatening glares from Yanxi’s eyes. Each evening at dinner, she would dutifully take her own generous portion from the kitchen and join Xiao Liu, along with Bailin. The three of them would eat and chat happily together.

The only time the two could spend alone was this one meal. Gu Yanxi cherished it greatly. Eating the dishes A’Zhi had served him, he only needed to lift his eyes to see the person dearest to him sitting right beside him. They faced each other without any awkwardness, without wariness, without conflict — it was such a gentle and pleasant arrangement that every time he came, he never wanted to leave.

Hua Zhi set down her chopsticks and lightly dabbed at her lips. “I have a tea gathering to attend tomorrow.”

“It’s good to keep in contact with the various families. There are some worth associating with.”

“This particular family certainly isn’t.” The corner of Hua Zhi’s mouth curved slightly upward, but the smile never reached her eyes. “The Wu Family and Yang Family have formed an alliance. Inviting me over is hardly likely to be their way of thanking me for dealing with Yang Qi.”

Gu Yanxi did not ask why, knowing the other party’s intentions, she still intended to go. He understood A’Zhi — knowing an opponent’s agenda and then dodging it was simply not something she would do. Even when the situation was unfavorable to her, she would reshape it into exactly what she wanted, then strike back hard against the other side’s own scheme.

That was his A’Zhi! He only regretted that he couldn’t witness it with his own eyes!

“I’ll send two people with you—”

“There’s no need. Could they actually come at me and scratch my face? And if they really did try to get physical, who knows which side would come out worse.”

Gu Yanxi laughed and shook his head. That was true — when it came to actual force, which of those women could be A’Zhi’s match? Thinking it over carefully, he realized there was truly nothing he could do to help here.

No — that wasn’t entirely true.

Gu Yanxi lowered his gaze and finished his last bite of rice. The women — he’d have no opportunity to intervene. The men — those he could handle.

The following day was the Grand Court Assembly. The dragon throne sat empty; below it, as had been the case for many days now, sat the leader of the Seven Constellation Division. Some could not help but wonder whether the person behind the mask was even the same individual each time.

Since the leader of the Seven Constellation Division had assumed the regency, there was no longer that phrase “speak if you have matters, and be dismissed if you do not.” In his words, if there was nothing to discuss, why convene a court assembly? By now, the assembled civil and military officials had grown accustomed to his rhythm and had slowly worked out a strategy for managing him — for instance, beginning memorials with the lowest-ranking officials first.

He listened to a few matters, none of them particularly significant, and Gu Yanxi waved his hand to call a halt. “Since none of you have anything to report, allow this official to speak.”

Everyone’s heart lurched, and all nerves drew taut, each person fearing their name would be called. This was not the first time it had happened, and more often than not, it was never good news.

“Yesterday, this official happened to pass by the capital prefectural office and witnessed quite an entertaining scene. Magistrate Wen, would you not say it was rather lively?”

The Prefect of the Capital, Wen Qing, trembled from head to toe, steeled his composure, and stepped out to respond: “This subordinate is terrified. It was merely some commoners who brought a dispute over unequal distribution of interests to the court. Because it was not fitting to handle it too lightly nor too severely, the matter took a longer time to resolve. It was not anticipated that you would happen to pass by at that moment — this subordinate’s handling of the matter was inadequate.”

“Oh? Unequal distribution of interests?”

Wen Qing gritted his teeth and confirmed that it was so.

Gu Yanxi let out a cold scoff and gestured for Laifu to bring the item forward. “How is it that, from this official’s perspective, the petition submitted does not read that way at all?”

Wen Qing took the paper, which had been crumpled from someone’s tight grip. One glance confirmed there was no mistake — it was the same petition he had reviewed yesterday. But he had already given orders for it to be dealt with. How could it still be here…

“Magistrate Wen, have you anything further to say?”

Wen Qing knelt prostrate on the ground and firmly refused to yield. “This subordinate was truly unaware of this matter. This official requests a thorough investigation.”

Wen Qing had not expected to be let off so lightly. He had been certain his official’s hat was as good as lost…

“As for the matter of Master Wu, mentioned in the petition — the issue of his promotion is to be set aside for the time being, to be deliberated at a later date.”

The moment he heard the leader of the Seven Constellation Division raise yesterday’s incident at the capital prefectural office, Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Wu Zhen, knew disaster had arrived. But watching the senior third-rank official position, nearly within his grasp, vanish with those few light words, his eyes went red.

What enormous price had he paid to finally cross that threshold into the upper third-rank positions? He had deployed every resource at his disposal, abandoned everything he could bear to abandon — had even, when the Hua Family fell into crisis, disregarded years of friendship and turned a blind eye — all for the sake of crossing that threshold. And now it was gone?

Just like that, it was gone?

Wu Shi clutched his chest as darkness swam before his eyes, yet he dared not faint. If he were to collapse here before the court, his entire Wu Family — over a hundred souls — would all be finished.

He was not Hua Yizheng. His womenfolk had no one to protect them!

Author’s Note: My son woke up this morning without a fever, and I was absolutely overjoyed. I took a bath and slept properly, thinking I would restore my energy and write an update — but before I could even finish catching up on my rest, he developed a fever again, shooting back up to 39.2 degrees Celsius. I truly am at a loss.

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. The one about using Huoxiang Zhengqi worked quite well — my deepest gratitude. Today even my editor came to compliment all of you, saying how could my readers be so wonderful. I told her: every reasonable and kind reader on Mige has gathered here with me. I truly mean it — thank you all so much for your understanding.

Though I cannot make up the missed updates, I still wish all students taking the college entrance examination the very best — go out there and do well. University is where your life truly begins.