Hua Bailin was also expected to go and pay his respects to his mother, and Hua Zhi, reluctant to part with him, simply went along.
Madam Hua wept for a good while, one hand holding her daughter and one hand holding her son, looking back and forth between them with a joy that would not diminish. Her husband’s return was imminent, the Hua Family’s name had grown more glorious, her daughter was accomplished, her son exceptional — who in the capital these days did not envy her a little?
They kept their mother company through dinner, coaxed her until she was smiling and at ease, and only then did the siblings take their leave.
Walking slowly along the covered corridor, Hua Bailin felt a trace of regret. “I had hoped to return in time for this year’s provincial lock examination, but it seems I was one step too late.”
Hua Zhi was somewhat surprised. “When did this thought come to you?”
“Before I left for the journey last year.” Hua Bailin looked at the tips of his own shoes. He was raised by his elder sister, and though the years meant he had not read as many of the classics as those older than him, his elder sister had always been best at drawing on precedent and examples from across all learning — and she had never been the kind of person who read books without understanding them. Naturally he had been shaped by her influence. Whether in policy essays or in the analysis and unpacking of examination topics, he had always been praised by his teacher. It was then he had mentioned to his teacher his intention to sit the provincial examination, and his teacher had fully supported him.
He had not set his sights on soaring to glory in a single leap. He only wanted the world to know that the Hua Family still had its men, to let the world know that Hua Bailin was not the kind of coward who only knew how to hide behind his elder sister’s back. He wanted to take some of the burden from her shoulders.
But he had not made it back in time.
Hua Zhi flicked him a light snap on the forehead and beamed, wide and bright. She had raised this child herself — how could she not know what was in his heart? “With a new Emperor newly enthroned and all things in need of renewal, it is not impossible that an imperial grace examination will be announced next year. Make your preparations for that.”
Hua Bailin’s eyes lit up at once. Of course — a newly enthroned sovereign opening a grace examination was not unheard of in this dynasty. With another year, his preparations could be far more thorough!
“Does Bailin have any thoughts about what comes after?” Hua Zhi sat down on a cushion a maidservant had placed for her and patted the space beside her, beckoning her brother to sit.
Hua Bailin had a whole stomach full of things he had been wanting to say to his elder sister. He sat down at once and said his plans in a clear voice. “I want to enter the Hanlin Academy.”
“Why? Because you are a son of the Hua Family?”
“Yes — because I am a son of the Hua Family. It is true that one ought not speak ill of a parent, but Father genuinely is not suited to the ways of officialdom. If Grandfather steps down, Father may not be able to bear the weight of what is passed to him. And if one of the other uncles takes his place instead, Father would be left with no dignity — and might not be able to withstand the blow. I want to do well for the family and enter the Hanlin Academy as quickly as possible. With two pairs of eyes, we can cover more ground.”
“Bailin, you have overestimated yourself and underestimated Father.” Hua Zhi looked sideways at the half-moon hanging in the sky. “Father is not particularly skilled at navigating the subtleties of officialdom, but at the Hanlin Academy there is no need for such skill. If he were not suitable, Grandfather would not have chosen Father over Fourth Uncle.”
Hua Bailin was a little taken aback. Was that so?
Hua Zhi smiled and propped her head in one hand. “When the Hua Family returns, their official positions will be restored. There are already Grandfather and Father in the Hanlin Academy — that is enough. Though the world knows the Hanlin Academy is the Hua Family’s domain, there is no need to actually fill it entirely with Hua Family members.”
“Where does Elder Sister think I ought to go instead?”
“What do you think of Jinyang?” Hua Zhi turned to look at him. The moonlight seemed to fall directly into her eyes, setting them aglow. “To take a city that is nothing but a hollow shell and restore it to the vitality it once had — do you not find that a worthwhile challenge to take on?”
Hua Bailin was a young man — and one who had always looked to his elder sister as his north star. Once she said it like this, all other thoughts evaporated from his mind. Go to Jinyang. Absolutely go!
“Elder Sister, I will go to Jinyang!”
Hua Zhi’s smile grew even more radiant. She pinched her brother’s cheek — that face that no longer carried any trace of the child he had been after this journey away. Jinyang had not been reduced to what it was because of her, but it had been through her hands that the pretense of its prosperity had been stripped away. She had long thought about this: once Little Six’s transition was steady, she would arrange for the matter of the silver she and Yanxi had intercepted to be made known. She understood Yanxi — she knew he harbored no attachment to high office, and had long wanted to step back. Once that matter became public, without either of them needing to do another thing, the officials at court would use it as grounds to petition loudly for his censure. And then when Yanxi submitted his own memorial requesting resignation, Little Six would find it difficult to detain him — and moreover, with Yanxi proactively offering up the point of vulnerability himself, Little Six could rest easier.
Fully retiring would not be possible, but requesting assignment to Jinyang should be achievable.
She wanted to play whatever small part she could in restoring life to Jinyang. This intention she had never spoken aloud to anyone — yet it was a genuine plan she had.
For now though it was out of reach. For at least three or four years yet, she and Yanxi could not leave the capital.
What a pity that Bailin was still so young. Next year he would only be thirteen — and even if he truly passed the examination, given his age they would hold him back somewhat, not entrust him with anything of real consequence.
“Work toward your goal. When you have free time, you might go and seek out Zhu Ling — he was once the judicial commissioner of Jinyang. And there is also Xu Ze: he has served in Jinyang from the very start of his career and knows it more thoroughly than anyone.” After a brief moment of thought, Hua Zhi added, “Since you have now decided on this path, I will need to make arrangements on your behalf early. I will ask whether he would be willing to serve as your advisor.”
“Does Elder Sister think very highly of him?”
“There are many people whose aspirations go unrecognized. But a person who, after many years without recognition, still has light in their eyes — that is not commonly found. Such people tend to have something they hold to with great tenacity, a composure of spirit, a resilience that does not break easily. It is people like this who are most likely to go far.” Hua Zhi looked at her brother, who had been listening with total absorption, and smiled. “Bailin, you should learn how to manage and lead those beneath you. From now on, come to me each day for an hour of instruction.”
“Yes, Elder Sister.”
“One more thing — keep the right measure of distance with the Crown Prince. I am not telling you to grow distant from him — only that he is, after all, no longer simply Little Six.”
Bailin pressed his lips together, nodded, and said, “Yes, Elder Sister. I understand.”
The next morning, the siblings entered the palace together.
The Crown Prince was very glad to see Bailin after their long separation. He strode over and personally raised the figure who had dropped into a bow, thumping his shoulders with such enthusiasm they rang out with each blow. “You have finally returned. Has everything over there been put on the right track?”
“Yes. Everything that needed to be taught has been taught. We need only wait for the salt fields to expand before output will rise. By the end of the year I expect production will be quite considerable.”
The Crown Prince was overjoyed. This was a great undertaking accomplished through his own efforts. If it came to fruition, every common person in Great Qing would benefit — how could he not be glad?
He turned to look at the Grand Tutor with a trace of anticipation. “And those salt merchants — have they been dealt with?”
“It is a little too early for that. It will be far easier to deal with them after they have gone through their initial burst of energy and grown weary. There is no need to go head-to-head with them now, just as they have all joined forces. Their alliance will not hold for long.”
“Correct. Right now they are at their peak energy, just itching for a confrontation with the court. No need to rise to the challenge — let us see whether they outlast this Crown Prince, or this Crown Prince outlasts them.”
That one phrase — this Crown Prince — made Bailin involuntarily look up at the childhood companion with whom he had once shared a blanket. He was truly different now. Little Six was the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince was more than just Little Six. Elder Sister was right.
Hua Zhi gave a small satisfied nod at Little Six’s quickness of response. She had encouraged the late Emperor to go after the salt merchants as a way of keeping him too occupied to scheme against her and Yanxi. But now that the one sitting on that throne had changed to Little Six, her approach had naturally shifted — aligning with that temporary alliance and waging a war of attrition was by far the most fitting strategy.