Wu Yong was tremendously efficient. Once matters were settled he sprang into action without pause — purchasing all the necessary items, then asking the old general Zhou Jing, who had long ties with the Wu family, to accompany him as a senior representative to the Regent’s residence to formally propose.
Gu Yanxi was very pleased that Wu Yong had voluntarily offered to spend half the year in the capital, and decided not to make things difficult for him any further. After deliberation, the wedding date was set for the twelfth day of the eighth month.
Hua Zhi set down her brush. “Send these to the embroiderers.”
“Yes.” Nian Qiu came forward and carefully blew the last pattern dry. Their young miss’s flower patterns were far finer than anything one could find outside.
With that task finished, Hua Zhi made her leisurely way toward the library. With her own wedding drawing near, the Hua Family was visibly caught up in preparations — servants walked as though swept along by a wind — which only made her appear all the more serenely unhurried by contrast, as though it were not she who was getting married.
“Shifu.” Zeng Han caught sight of her and quickly closed his book and came to pay his respects.
Hua Zhi smiled. “These days you spend more time in the library than in the clan school.”
Zeng Han pressed his lips together in a faint smile. In his more than a year at the Hua household he had changed considerably. Once a person of few words with a perpetually straight face, he now had something of an expression, and occasionally even smiled in Hua Zhi’s presence. By this point every member of the Hua household, young and old, enjoyed trying to coax a smile out of him.
She ruffled his head and went up to the second floor. She did not keep Xiao Han confined to a schedule — clan school lessons moved slowly, and if he did not wish to attend she did not force him. More reading was no bad thing.
Before long, Zeng Han came upstairs with an armful of books. He did not go to disturb his shifu but settled himself in a corner and read his own books quietly. Teacher and student even sat in the exact same posture.
The seventh day of the fourth month — the gift-offering ceremony.
From early morning the Hua Family’s front gate had a constant flow of visitors: civil and military officials, without exception, not one absent, regardless of whether there was any personal connection. They all understood the Hua Family would certainly not accept lavish gifts, so they came with the standard gift-ceremony offerings. Those on closer terms naturally brought more — a family like the Zhu household sent a whole procession of gifts large and small, and no one said a word against it.
Hua Zhi wore a set of fresh pink garments, her hair dressed in a flowing cloud-style arrangement, light makeup on her face. She looked exceedingly well in color — even somewhat slender as she still was, it did nothing to diminish her grace.
Madam Zhu turned her face away and quietly dabbed the corner of her eye. “Our young miss is getting married.”
“The Regent’s residence is if anything a little closer to your household than the Hua Family is.” Hua Zhi smiled — still the same stretch of the capital, just a different address. If there was any regret, it was that the Hua Family’s library was not the sort of thing you could find just anywhere. But no matter — the residence had no lack of money; she could build herself one, and there were still so many, many years ahead.
Thinking of it, Hua Zhi felt a small stirring of anticipation in her heart.
Just then Ying Chun came quickly to announce, “His Majesty has arrived.”
Hua Zhi was not surprised. She rose, smoothed her robes, took her grandmother by the arm, and walked outside. The other ladies in the room followed.
The Emperor came to the Hua Family often enough, but none of his visits had carried quite this much ceremony. Watching the one crate after another of things being carried in by the imperial guards, even Hua Yizheng did not know quite what to do. Strictly speaking, with Zhi’er marrying into the imperial family, the imperial family had no custom of sending gifts at this ceremony. Yet the Emperor was also Zhi’er’s student — the gesture was appropriate and the gifts were not out of place, but… this was simply too much.
Hua Zhi was also taken aback by the entire courtyard of things. After paying her respects, she said with a helpless smile, “Why has Your Majesty prepared quite this much?”
“We said once that when Grand Tutor married, we would send you off with ten li of red wedding gifts.” The Emperor looked at his Grand Tutor with smiling eyes. This gentle and graceful Grand Tutor was not a common sight — when he had first come to the Grand Tutor’s side, she was already holding up the household. In those days she had been sharp and commanding, swift and decisive. During her time as Grand Tutor as well, she had most often appeared in official robes. Come to think of it, this was the first time he had seen the Grand Tutor in rouge.
She really is beautiful, the Emperor thought. This Grand Tutor was his teacher, his Grand Tutor, and his elder cousin by marriage — as an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. From now on she would truly be family.
Crate after crate of things continued to be carried in. Hua Zhi said nothing further in refusal. Lately whispers had begun to multiply — she understood that the Emperor was using this manner to proclaim to the world: he and the Hua Family had not grown distant, he and his Grand Tutor were still close.
Yet — truly, it was too much. The Hua Family had already been scraping together a dowry by every means available, and adding all this on top — the dowry procession’s head might have entered the Regent’s residence while the tail still had not left the door.
The two of them did not linger there. Hua Zhi led him to the main reception hall, with the Hua Family’s fathers and sons providing company.
“Your subject will be rather derelict in her duties for a little while.”
“That is entirely proper. Grand Tutor need only rest well — whenever you feel the time is right, resume the duties of Grand Tutor at your convenience.”
Hua Zhi smiled and agreed. “Now that the realm is at peace, your subject looks forward to seeing Your Majesty bring about a prosperous age.”
“We dare not be anything less than diligent.”
“Speaking of which, your subject has something to request of Your Majesty.”
“Grand Tutor, please speak.”
“After some time has passed, your subject hopes to invite the Grand Empress Dowager out of the palace for a short stay. Yanxi has always wished to show his grandmother this kindness, and once promised as much.”
The Emperor nodded. “Grandmother has spent her whole life confined within the palace. If she wishes to go out for a walk, we have no reason whatsoever to stop her.”
The two of them spoke in the manner of family making casual conversation — the hierarchy of rank and status still present, yet the manner between them was entirely at ease. The Hua Family’s fathers and sons had witnessed the two of them together before, yet they were surprised anew each time.
The lavishness of the gift-offering ceremony already foretold how magnificent the eighth would be.
Heaven too was obliging — the day arrived bright and clear, without a breath of wind.
The Hua Family’s gates inside and out were plastered with red celebration characters. Masters and servants alike had put on their most festive dress, smiling, their footsteps light.
The family shrine remained quiet and still. Hua Zhi knelt on the prayer mat. Amid the drifting threads of incense smoke, she bowed her head and pressed it to the ground three times in deep reverence.
She had lived under the Hua Family’s shelter and been given wealth and privilege, along with a birth more advantaged than that of the great majority of people in the world. Had she not been a daughter of the Hua Family, no one would have taken any notice of her at all — let alone allowed her to accomplish all that she had later done. Everything rested on the foundation of her being a Hua.
She had thought the Hua Family would grow distant from her — after all, this was a world where men held power. How many could truly endure being outshone by a woman? Yet as it turned out, the Hua Family was an exception. Everyone worried about her health, went to every length for her wedding. The elders trusted her, those of her own generation depended on her, and no one had ever once used her being a woman against her. Everything that had been lacking in her previous life — this life, heaven had given back to her in full.
Hua Zhi rose and stepped before the memorial tablet of her grandmother. She paid her respects separately there. She thanked this woman too — this woman who had not been particularly close to her, yet who at the final moment had given her the greatest trust.
Had she not had the courage to let go, the Hua Family would likely have gone through a period of internal strife before it could reorganize. A family that had gone through internal strife could never, whatever else might happen, achieve the unity that the Hua Family had known afterward. This woman had perhaps been somewhat tenderhearted, yet she had not failed her children and grandchildren, had not failed her family. She had been worthy of everyone.
I am getting married, Grandmother. You met him — he was once here at the family home as a martial arts instructor, that man called Master Lu. He is a Shizi, and he is very good to me. Wholly and without reserve, with all his heart — he holds nothing back. I am fond of him too. Very fond. We will be well — just as you and Grandfather were.
I will be very happy.