At noon, Chen Dayi and his wife arrived.

As a student of Old Master Hua, he performed the full ceremonial rites upon arrival — three kneelings and nine prostrations, carried out without the slightest hesitation. When the Hua family members returned his salute, he stepped aside and refused to accept it.

“I should have come sooner. Today was the Grand Court Assembly. Though I have no standing to attend court, I was strictly ordered not to leave the office.” Chen Dayi’s face was filled with guilt. He gestured for his wife to step forward. “I cannot request leave now — if I take it now, it will be difficult to request again later. It would be better to save it for the day of the burial procession. For these next few days, I’ll leave my wife here to help, and I’ll come again once I’ve been dismissed from duty.”

Hua Zhi did not refuse. She had no grounds to.

Chen Dayi’s wife bore the surname Liu — a pleasant surname that did not at all reflect the woman’s soft-spoken nature, for she was someone who operated with precision and structure. With her and Wu Shi working alongside each other, Hua Zhi was finally freed entirely from those trivial matters.

Not long after Chen Dayi left, Mu Qing arrived — bringing his whole family, wife and children in tow.

Hua Zhi returned the greeting with full solemnity.

Mu Qing produced a monetary gift. “There are some who are unable to come in person and have entrusted me to deliver their condolence money. First Young Miss, I know you are someone who holds herself to a high standard and sees the world in clear terms. But this world is not simply black and white. It took me many years to truly understand that — and I hope you won’t have to learn it the hard way.”

Hua Zhi was silent for a moment, then dipped into a curtsy and acknowledged his words.

She knew herself better than anyone. How stubborn she was, how little tolerance she had for even a grain of sand in her eye — and because of that, how much she had suffered. Yet she had never changed. It wasn’t that she didn’t know it was a flaw. It was simply that she had never had the motivation to change.

She would rather tackle a difficult problem head-on than face the tangled mess within the household.

But the people of the Hua family now were no longer who they had been in her past life. They each may have had their own private concerns, yet none of them bore any wish to harm her. Her mother, though timid, sheltered and cherished her. Her younger brother, though young, already knew to stand before her as her shield. She had a grandfather who trusted her, and a Fourth Uncle who had spent more than ten years quietly preparing her dowry. For their sakes alone, she was willing to change.

Mu Qing had not expected to be taken seriously so quickly, and assumed she was merely responding out of politeness. He gestured for a servant to take the condolence money to the reception table to register the gift.

Madam Mu was a gentle woman who drew Hua Zhi close and offered a few soft words of comfort. Taking advantage of the pause in conversation, Hua Bailin led their honored guest’s family to the side chamber to rest.

No more visitors came for the rest of the day. Wu Shi had already quietly wiped away tears several times. Hua Zhi could only pretend not to notice — she had no way to offer comfort.

On the morning of the second day of the lying-in-state, Zhu Bowen arrived with his sons and grandsons.

Hua Zhi was taken aback. She had assumed that her maternal grandmother and Second Uncle’s arrival already represented the full extent of the Zhu family’s show of support. She had not imagined that her maternal grandfather himself would come — and that he would bring every male member of the Zhu family with him.

“Maternal Grandfather…”

Zhu Bowen patted Bailin on the shoulder, then turned to his gathered sons and grandsons. “Stay here and burn more paper offerings on my behalf.” He looked at Hua Zhi. “Zhi’er, walk with me.”

“Yes.”

Hua Zhi was about to lead her maternal grandfather to the covered corridor — a good place to speak privately — when she heard him say, “I heard you’ve reopened the clan school. Take me to have a look.”

The clan school had been closed ever since the Old Madam fell into unconsciousness. The courtyard looked somewhat desolate. From beyond the courtyard wall, muffled and indistinct sounds drifted in, lending everything an air of unreality.

Zhu Bowen looked around for a while before finally taking a seat in the small octagonal pavilion. He regarded his granddaughter — a girl he had not seen in a long while, who had clearly become an entirely different person — and asked, “Is there something you wish to ask?”

“I was surprised you came today, Maternal Grandfather.”

“Worried the Zhu family would be implicated?” Zhu Bowen gave a short laugh. “The Zhu and Hua families have been close for decades, and are bound by marriage as well. If His Majesty had any intention of implicating us, it would have happened long ago. Yet in fact, His Majesty has not touched a single person connected to the Hua family. What does that tell you? I have been keeping my distance simply to avoid drawing His Majesty’s attention — it is better to let you all quietly step out of his line of sight. If I hadn’t come today, His Majesty might well remark that the Zhu family lacks loyalty. And now that I have come, whatever His Majesty may think, those scheming opportunists will at least restrain themselves and think twice before causing trouble at a time like this.”

Hua Zhi’s brow furrowed slightly. “Someone means to move against the Hua family?”

“The Feng family and the Wei family — you must be on guard against both. The Feng family’s daughter once set her sights on a scholar who had just passed the imperial examinations. Disregarding the fact that he already had a beloved wife at home, she forced him to write a letter of divorce and take her name. That scholar had a spine of steel and refused even at the cost of his life. A bright and spirited young man was nearly driven to his death by them. It was Yizheng who could not stand by and watch, and used some means to save him. The Feng family has harbored their resentment ever since and has used every opportunity over the years to trip up the Hua family in court. They are ruthless in how they operate — they will not show any mercy simply because the Hua family now consists only of women and young children. If anything, they may become even more brazen. Be careful. As for the Wei family, it is purely a matter of conflicting political views. That Wei Jing is a man of questionable conduct, yet he has managed to gain considerable favor with His Majesty these past years. The Wei sons take entirely after their father in temperament. Keep a close eye on your household members and avoid any run-ins with them.”

“Yes. Zhi’er will remember this.”

“Once your grandmother has been buried, I will have your eldest uncle come and walk you through the distribution of power and influence here in the capital. You have been confined to the inner quarters all these years and have had no view of the outside world. But now that you are head of the household, you must understand these things — otherwise you may suffer a great loss without ever knowing why.”

Hua Zhi rose and bowed deeply. “Zhi’er is grateful to Maternal Grandfather.”

“We are family. No need for such formalities.” Zhu Bowen gestured for her to sit. “The capital has been turbulent these past two years. Until the Crown Prince is established, there will be no stability. Every step I take, I must account for three moves ahead — I am afraid of being caught off guard if I am not careful. You must be vigilant as well. What worries me is that someone might set their sights on the Hua family.”

Hua Zhi had been following his train of thought, and was already beginning to understand. “Someone wishes to use the Hua family’s name? Aren’t they afraid that the very name they’re borrowing might crush them underfoot?”

“Zhi’er, you are underestimating the Hua family’s reputation — a banner that has stood for over a hundred years. Do you know what standing your grandfather holds among scholars? If people weren’t worried about yet another accusation of rallying followers around Yizheng, those scholars would have made an uproar long ago. As Bailin and the others gradually make their way out into the world, you will see for yourself just how formidable a force that represents. For ordinary people, such influence matters little — but for certain others, it is worth everything.”

Zhu Bowen pointed upward.

Hua Zhi confirmed the suspicion she had already harbored in her heart. When all was said and done, it came down to those imperial princes and their restless ambitions — not satisfied with having sent her grandfather into exile, they were now eyeing his good name, hoping to claim it for their own use.

How utterly shameless.

A cold laugh rose within her. She would rather see that name dragged through the mud than ever let it be used by another!

“You need not worry too much, though. It shouldn’t come to anything just yet. However they scheme, they’ll have to wait until fewer eyes are watching the Hua family before they dare act. Zhi’er, your grandfather knows you have a plan in mind. Think carefully about what you intend to do. If you need anything from the Zhu family, say the word.”

“Yes. Zhi’er will keep that in mind.” If they came to negotiate in good faith, she might consider giving something willingly. But if they intended to take by force — then they had best be prepared to leave with a layer of skin peeled off.

No one in this world was invincible. Not even an imperial prince — and there was more than one of those.

The principle that the enemy of one’s enemy is a friend — she had learned that in her past life.