Once the imperial family became entangled in something, things grew complicated.

But if she were to swallow this grievance and let it go — Hua Zhi could not do that. She didn’t even dare imagine: if she hadn’t arrived by such fortunate coincidence, if there hadn’t been a Jia Yang beside her, if she hadn’t been entrusted by Master Zheng to deliver something to Zeng Xian, if she hadn’t felt that passing moment of softness toward Zeng Han…

Without all those coincidences, not a single one of the Hua Family’s fifty-four members — nor any of their loyal servants — would have survived. How could she possibly talk herself into letting this quietly pass.

He wanted to pocket money, didn’t he? She could not personally lay a hand on him — but she could hand him a path to riches that led straight into hell.

“I have already had the Qixiu Division send both witnesses and evidence back to the capital.” Sensing A’Zhi’s tension, Gu Yanxi gave her his assurance. “I will give the Hua Family an answer.”

Hua Zhi felt a stab of guilt at having had so little faith in Yanxi even for a moment. She lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

Gu Yanxi gave a gentle shake of his head. “Professionally speaking, as a prince of Great Qing, he colluded with foreign enemies and poisoned the descendants of a loyal minister. Charging him with treason would not be unjust. The First Prince has fallen entirely from power. The Second Prince, holding the advantage of seniority, already has more opportunity than the others — I cannot let that opportunity truly fall into his hands. Great Qing cannot have a traitor as its Crown Prince. And on a personal level — I don’t want you to cut ties with me because of him.”

Hua Zhi pressed her lips together lightly. If Yanxi’s way of handling this had been to bury the whole matter, she would indeed have drawn a clear line between them.

Her silence was its own answer. Gu Yanxi gave a rueful smile. This identity of his — the one the world envied — had always been the very thing that stood between them. How like A’Zhi.

Hua Zhi suddenly looked up. “And you? What will happen to you?”

“Hmm?”

“If this whole matter is brought to light — what will happen to you?”

“I won’t implicate myself. All the evidence will be ironclad.”

Hua Zhi frowned. “Your imperial uncle trusts you — but this is still his son. He may well take it out on someone.”

“If he takes it out on someone, it means he already harbored displeasure toward that person. He has never once been displeased with me.”

“Which means — he might take it out on the Hua Family, since he has little affection there.”

Gu Yanxi paused. A’Zhi’s mind moved rather too quickly sometimes.

“True. If he cared for someone, he would shelter them regardless. That’s simply human nature.” Hua Zhi let all the tension drain from her body — including the indignation she had held on behalf of the Hua Family, on behalf of Hua Jingyan, that stubborn knot of resentment. She really wanted to throw the Hua Family’s rules in the Emperor’s face and make him see, generation after generation, how the Hua Family had lived.

No — the Emperor certainly knew. That founding ancestor of theirs had been a man of rare intelligence. In setting down those rules, he had never tried to conceal them. This was, in its way, the protective umbrella he had raised over the Hua Family. Only some emperors had clear eyes and clear hearts — while others were blind in both.

Looking at the man who was gripping her hand tightly even as his expression remained composed, Hua Zhi felt a tenderness for him too. In his position, when had he ever truly been at ease? She would not make things harder for him.

“Was my father seriously injured?”

“His vital points were not touched.” He had taken a fairly deep wound, but Gu Yanxi deliberately left that part unsaid. The Hua Family naturally would not say anything to worry A’Zhi needlessly either. What had already happened — why say it plainly and give her something more to worry over?

Hua Zhi felt her heart settle. She hadn’t expected her father to throw himself in front of her and take that blade.

“And the child — what do you plan to do with him?” Gu Yanxi shifted the subject with a light touch.

“Zeng Xian’s son? Take him back to the capital, I suppose. Oh — is his son on the list of the guilty?”

Gu Yanxi settled against the head of the bed so A’Zhi could lean against him, then told her everything about Zeng Xian’s situation, leaving nothing out. Without Zeng Xian’s hatred driving the telling, the account came across as quiet and plain. Even so, Hua Zhi was a long while in silence afterward. The world of officialdom truly was the darkest place under heaven. It had always been so, in every age.

“So Zeng Xian never registered Zeng Han in the local household records here? The child is still unregistered — a person without official existence?”

“Yes. After we return to the capital, the child will need to go through proper channels under my name first. The Hua Family cannot afford to have anyone seize on this as a handle against you.”

Hua Zhi nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.”

When the person who usually seemed so invincible — proof against all five poisons — said something like that, it was always especially heartening. Gu Yanxi touched his forehead to hers. “I’ll also take the opportunity to have Zeng Xian’s case overturned. It will serve Zeng Han well in the long run.”

“Will that bring trouble onto you?”

Seeing that her greater concern was for him, Gu Yanxi smiled. Even when speaking of something so far from pleasant, somehow, as long as the person he was speaking to was A’Zhi, all ill feeling vanished.

“That sum of money ultimately ended up in the Second Prince’s pocket. Having the conviction overturned is nothing more than adding another straw to his load. The Qixiu Division has done this kind of thing before and will do it again. It has always been the Qixiu Division that steps forward whenever a member of the imperial family commits a crime. This matter is no different from any of those.”

Only then did Hua Zhi feel genuinely somewhat at ease. As long as there was precedent, all was well.

Drowsiness crept in slowly. Hua Zhi, remembering Shao Yao’s advice, didn’t fight it. She nestled against Yanxi and asked one last question. “Has your identity been exposed?”

“I never said so outright, but they’ve likely guessed.”

Gu Yanxi kissed her hand gently. “Sleep. These are small matters.”

They were hardly small matters — they were a very significant matter of meeting family, Hua Zhi thought as sleep took her.

Her breathing lengthened and slowed. Gu Yanxi rose carefully, lifted her with both hands, slid the pillow out from behind her, and gently lay her back down. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching A’Zhi — whose lips were as pale as her face — and lightly wiped away the perspiration on her brow, smoothing aside strands of hair that had stuck together.

From the moment she woke, she hadn’t made a single sound of pain. But how could it truly not hurt? She was simply enduring it, nothing more.

Outside in the corridor, it wasn’t only Shao Yao waiting there — Zeng Han and Hua Pingyu were there as well.

The moment Gu Yanxi stepped out, Shao Yao sprang to her feet. “Is Hua Hua asleep?”

“Yes. How much longer will she need to sleep?”

“I remember Master saying it depends on the person — the stronger the constitution, the longer the sleep, but just how long, even Master couldn’t say.”

Gu Yanxi nodded. “Go and keep watch.”

“You don’t need to tell me.” Shao Yao muttered, turned on her heel, and headed back in. But just as she lifted one foot over the threshold, a small gust of air swept past her side — the child who had been crouching nearby had darted through ahead of her with a whoosh.

Shao Yao thought about it and let it go. Given Hua Hua’s nature, this little one would eventually become part of the Hua Family — that was practically a foregone conclusion. Sooner or later he would be one of their own, so there was no point in making a fuss over it now.

Gu Yanxi stepped up to Hua Pingyu and cupped his hands in salute. “I ask Second Uncle to take me to see Elder Master Hua.”

Hua Pingyu studied him for a long moment, then allowed a servant to support him as he led the way toward the front study.

Hua Yizheng showed no surprise at Gu Yanxi’s arrival. Though he had already guessed his identity, his manner didn’t change much. He dismissed the others and said to his eldest son: “Stand watch at the door.”

“Yes.”

The two men settled into their seats, and Gu Yanxi came directly to the point. “I ask Elder Master to submit a memorial setting out in full detail the attack on the Hua Family.”

“If it is set out in full, Zhi’er’s role in all this will become known to the world.”

“And if it does?”

Hua Yizheng looked at him long and steadily. “If it becomes known to the world, who would dare marry her afterward? Is my Hua Family’s daughter to be matched with a military family?”

Gu Yanxi smiled. “No. They will have no chance.”