Not long after the group had settled in, Xia Hong personally came by for a visit.
“As the young master wished, the supply contract has been signed with An Tai.”
Xia Hong felt a weight lift from his chest. “I’ve worked with Merchant Wu before, and I’m certain this transaction will go smoothly as well.”
“That is the best outcome.”
Xia Hong took a sip of tea. “I wonder, when does the First Young Miss plan to depart?”
Hua Zhi’s eyes flickered slightly. “Tomorrow. Is there something amiss?”
“The sooner the First Young Miss leaves, the better.” Xia Hong hesitated briefly, then steeled himself and said, “If the First Young Miss is willing, I can have a boat prepared to take your group to the next dock where the passenger vessel stops.”
Hua Zhi set down her teacup. The information Xia Hong had let slip confirmed that Zheng Bei had no intention of letting the matter drop. Yet even knowing all of this, Xia Hong was still willing to risk standing against Zheng Bei to send them off. This showed that his character was genuinely decent — even if driven partly by self-interest, there was still some true integrity in him.
After a brief consideration, Hua Zhi asked, “Can Dong Lai Shipping hold up against Zheng Bei’s harassment?”
Xia Hong smiled bitterly. “Not to make the First Young Miss laugh, but in this Zhen Yang, the only family the Xia Family truly cannot afford to cross is the Zheng Family. No matter how large our business, we cannot match a family whose daughter is the wife of the Regional Governor’s Chief Steward. What I can wager on is whether he would be willing to fight a mutually destructive battle against the Xia Family over something that brings him no gain whatsoever. Though the Xia Family is not as powerful as the Zheng Family, we are no pushover either. If it truly came to a fight, we could bite off a considerable chunk of him.”
Hua Zhi smiled. “It seems I chose the right person. The young master has real backbone.”
Xia Hong could only smile bitterly in return.
“I appreciate the gesture, but if I truly drag Dong Lai Shipping into the water, I also worry that Zheng Bei might undermine our transaction. A problem with the supply source would be the real trouble for me.”
Xia Hong visibly relaxed — the decision had weighed heavily on him as well.
After seeing Xia Hong off, Hua Zhi glanced at everyone present. “Take turns keeping watch. I’ll say it again: do not cause any deaths.”
“Hua Hua, you’re too soft-hearted.” Shao Yao muttered under her breath, then when Hua Zhi looked over, she giggled and put on a completely innocent expression, as if she hadn’t said a word.
Hua Zhi quietly sighed. If she had a choice, she would rather not come into conflict with anyone. She was a person from a peaceful era — if money could solve a problem, she genuinely would not mind spending a sum to buy some peace. But what Zheng Bei wanted was clearly not money.
“After dealing with the Regional Governor of Jingzhou’s brother-in-law, can we even get out of Jingzhou?”
Shao Yao grinned and pulled out a token, giving it a little wave. “The Seven Lodges Division is conducting official business — all unrelated persons are to stand clear.”
That shameless display of borrowed authority was truly… Hua Zhi gave her a sideways glance, but seeing that gleeful grin, she couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Bao Xia, Xu Ying — no matter what happens after this, keep yourselves safe and protect the twins.”
“Yes.”
Bao Xia was a little nervous. Though she had been practicing martial arts for nearly half a year, she wasn’t sure whether she could actually hold her own in a real fight. She might not be able to help her mistress, but she absolutely could not become a burden to her.
“Xiao Liu, how many of Cao Dahai’s men could you handle at once?”
The Sixth Imperial Prince calculated briefly and answered, “Three or four would be no problem.”
“Very well then. Consider this a chance to put that to the test — such opportunities don’t come often.”
The Sixth Imperial Prince pressed his lips together, a small spark of excitement lighting in his eyes.
Yet from daytime into night, even past the curfew hour, there was no sign of any movement from Zheng Bei. Far from relaxing, Hua Zhi grew even more cautious.
As it turned out, Hua Zhi’s vigilance was never wasted.
At the faint first light of dawn, Hua Zhi checked out of the inn and headed toward the dock. She had not gone far when she heard someone calling out behind her. “First Young Miss! First Young Miss, wait!”
Jiang Huanran came running out of the inn with his hair loose and disheveled, still tying the sash at his waist as he ran. The sight drew more than a few lingering glances from the early risers passing by.
Hua Zhi was mildly surprised. Had Jiang Huanran been staying at that same inn last night?
“First Young Miss, where are you headed so early?” Seeing that all the servants were carrying large bundles, he understood at once. “Is the First Young Miss heading back to the capital?”
“Yes. The business is finished and we’re returning to the capital.”
“I’ll be staying here for another half month or so.” Jiang Huanran was a little disappointed — he had been hoping to travel back together with her.
“Enjoy yourself, Young Master Jiang. Farewell.”
“Allow me to see you off.” Seeing Hua Zhi glance at him, Jiang Huanran gave a wide smile. “This counts as two old acquaintances meeting in a distant land. Surely the First Young Miss won’t deny me even this.”
Hua Zhi did not refuse. By modern standards, a coincidence like this would be more than enough to add someone on a messaging app and call them a friend. In this era, men and women did not keep friends across genders, but walking alongside each other for a stretch carried no social weight she needed to worry about.
The hour was still early, yet the dock was already bustling with people. Hua Zhi stopped in her tracks, just about to bid Jiang Huanran farewell, when she turned and saw that the dock entrance was blocked. There was movement behind them too. She spun around sharply — the people she had taken for ordinary passersby had all begun closing in around them.
So they had been waiting for her here all along!
Jiang Huanran, as a son of a prominent family, had at least a working knowledge of all the things a gentleman ought to know. Reading the situation at once, he dropped his cheerful, carefree manner and stepped in front of Hua Zhi, casually tying up his hair. “Does the First Young Miss know who these people are?”
“The brother-in-law of the Jingzhou Regional Governor. I’m afraid I’ve dragged Young Master Jiang into this.”
“Ha. Never mind the Regional Governor’s brother-in-law — even the Regional Governor himself wouldn’t make me flinch. You’re being too polite, First Young Miss. We people from the capital can’t let ourselves be pushed around when we’re away from home.” Though inwardly, he cursed — his sword was still back at the inn!
People from the capital were exclusionary toward outsiders but fiercely loyal to their own. Hua Zhi felt that firsthand and her impression of Jiang Huanran warmed a little.
The crowd parted, and a man who had powdered his face heavily yet had a naturally swarthy complexion beneath it all sauntered forward, fan in hand, wearing a thoroughly self-satisfied expression. “Running away? Weren’t you running so fast earlier — go on, keep running!”
Jiang Huanran’s face twisted in revulsion. “I’ve seen men who powder their faces before, but a specimen like this truly is a first. I’ve genuinely broadened my horizons today.”
Zheng Bei made straight for Hua Zhi. The closer he got, the more his eyes lit up. The rumors hadn’t lied — she really was a great beauty. Ha! She’d fallen right into his hands and thought she could still escape?
“A young lady like yourself, why suffer the wind and rain out here? Why not come with me — I’ll make sure you eat and drink like royalty, and live like an immortal—”
Smack. A sharp, crisp slap cut off the rest of his shameless words. Shao Yao’s figure flashed and she was back at Hua Zhi’s side, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping her hand with great force. “Must have half a pound of powder caked on that face.”
Zheng Bei pressed his hand to his cheek in disbelief. He had been struck! In all his years, no one had ever laid a single finger on him, and today he had been hit by an outsider!
Then Shao Yao’s words reached him. The humiliation and rage together nearly made him faint on the spot. His trembling finger swept across the assembled group. “Kill them! Leave that woman — kill all the rest! Kill every last one of them!”
What arrogance — the mere brother-in-law of a regional governor and he could casually order lives ended like this. Clearly the governor himself was no better sort. Watching Shao Yao plunge into the crowd with gleeful enthusiasm, Hua Zhi no longer tried to hold her back. Her goodwill did not extend to demanding her own people show restraint while those people were already calling for their deaths.