Hua Zhi suddenly felt light as a feather. Every ache and pain vanished. She practically floated toward the clan school.

As she drew closer, the voices grew clearer — and it was not just one group of children. There were two.

One group was reciting the Analects. The other was reciting the Spring and Autumn Annals.

In the older class’s room, there was no teacher present, yet the swaying of heads and the rhythm of the voices were perfectly in unison. In the younger class’s room, Bailin stood at the front leading the children through their recitation of the Analects.

Something like fireworks went off in Hua Zhi’s mind — brilliant, radiant, turning the whole world into vivid color. She thought: with heirs like these, how could the Hua Family possibly fail to flourish?

With children like these, no shadow, however vast, could block the sky above the Hua Family!

She lingered a little too long listening, and arrived late. The others were already waiting — the two aunts of the highest seniority among them were visibly displeased.

Wu Shi, who knew this niece of hers better than most, stepped in before anyone else could speak, her tone warm and smiling. “You call us here and then you’re the last one to arrive yourself — what were you doing?”

“I stopped by the clan school,” Hua Zhi answered without any sign of embarrassment, taking her seat at the head of the gathering. “All the children are there at their lessons. Not one is missing.”

Qi Shi was momentarily startled. “Didn’t you arrange this, Eldest Young Lady? My Ran’er left early this morning.”

“They’ve been through a great deal these past few days as well. Even if I want them to be diligent, I would never deny them the time to rest properly. That said, showing initiative in their studies is a good thing — there is no reason to stop them. I have already sent word to Master Mu — classes at the clan school will resume properly starting tomorrow.”

Even though the room was full of women and every heart ached for the children, no one raised a word of objection. The Hua Family had been scholars for generations — it was a matter of shared conviction among all the Hua Family wives that the children of the family must study.

Hua Zhi returned to the matter at hand. “I have called everyone together because there are several things I need to discuss. First matter — Liu Xiang, please show everyone.”

Liu Xiang took the gift ledger from the young lady and passed it to the aunts seated nearest to her. The two of them bent their heads together to look through it, then passed it along.

Hua Zhi said nothing, unhurriedly sipping her tea while she waited for everyone to finish reading.

Wu Shi finished reading and passed it to Hua Xin of the younger generation, then lowered her head to conceal her reddening eyes. Her own family had only contributed… only one hundred taels.

“The condolence gifts total five thousand nine hundred and fifty taels. The funeral expenses came to roughly two thousand six hundred taels. The remainder will be entered into the household accounts. The household bookkeeper is currently Nian Qiu.”

Zhu Shi’s lips moved. Then, remembering her mother’s and elder brother’s instructions, she pressed them firmly shut again. She would follow what Zhi’er said.

“Should we not hire a proper accountant?” Xia Shi ventured tentatively.

“Nian Qiu was trained personally by me. Everything a professional accountant knows, she knows. And there are things she knows that a professional accountant does not. The household accounts are kept openly — you are all free to inspect them at any time. I do not trust outside accountants. Do not forget that when the Hua Family fell into trouble, every last person in the accounts office fled without exception. The current state of the household finances is not suitable for outsiders to know about.”

Hua Zhi delivered her ruling and moved on to the second matter. “Starting tomorrow, the household’s purchasing affairs will be managed by Second Sister. The storeroom will be in Fourth Sister’s charge. Third Sister — you will be responsible for all the clan school’s needs. Roles will rotate every three months.”

No one in the Hua Family had expected Hua Zhi to distribute authority so soon after taking charge. The purchasing and storeroom arrangements made reasonable sense — managing these had always been the work of the inner quarters. But having a young unmarried woman responsible for the clan school’s needs…

Even Hua Ling had not expected this. The surprise brought with it a shiver of excitement. The clan school — what did it represent? The very foundation of a family. And yet it was the clan school’s affairs that the eldest sister had assigned to her first. Did that mean the eldest sister actually held her in high regard?

After all, nothing is harder than a first step. If the eldest sister had not believed her capable, why would she have singled her out first?

Hua Ling was too caught up in her excitement to notice that the point she was excited about was slightly off the mark.

Hua Zhi offered no further explanation. She simply said, “If there are no objections, the arrangements stand.”

Every branch had received something — naturally, there were no objections.

“The third matter: after the new year, I will be opening a new business. This new venture will bring in the collateral branches of the Hua Family. I am informing you of this now. If anyone has objections, speak up now — by the time it happens, I will no longer be listening to further opinions.”

Xia Shi had been wary of Hua Zhi ever since that earlier incident, but seeing benefits about to be distributed to others, she could not stop herself. “We ourselves have not yet recovered — why should we bring them in?”

“Because they also carry the Hua Family name.”

There were plenty of people with the Hua Family name, Xia Shi muttered inwardly — but she did not dare say any more.

The Second Aunt, who had not spoken until now, suddenly joined the conversation. “The Eldest Young Lady’s decisions are always sound. Only — might we perhaps take things a little more slowly? After all, there are still so many canned goods sitting in the estate.”

That the canned goods were not selling was something everyone in the Hua Family already knew. Their own silver was tied up in that stock — they could not help but be concerned. The roaring success of Green Moss Lane had given them confidence, but they had barely had time to celebrate before this second venture dealt them a sharp blow. They all feared the silver would be lost entirely.

Hua Zhi was not in the least surprised they would raise this. She answered them calmly. “I will sell them. They will not sit unsold.”

“And… would the business at Green Moss Lane also be entered into the household accounts? What are the arrangements?” Xia Shi asked, then immediately felt she had overstepped herself, and quickly added, “I don’t mean I want a share — I just wanted to know whether all of the family’s businesses will go into the household accounts.”

“That is correct. Going forward, all of the family’s businesses will be entered into the household accounts.”

So they would all have a share in that golden goose? Xia Shi’s face broke into an immediate smile. All her questions disappeared.

The others likewise had nothing further to say. Even if they could not access anything right now, it did not matter — so long as that business was there, their share would come in time.

“The aunts should not be idle either. Please discuss among yourselves and handle the arrangements for the Old Madam’s seventh day memorial rites. Also — around the sixth or seventh month of next year, I will be making another trip to the northern lands. When you have time, please sew some clothing — garments and shoes and socks, light and heavy both. Fourth Aunt, please also let the other three households know. By that time the weather should be fine, and I may rent a full caravan from the transport depot — so there should be more room to bring things.”

One task after another was assigned, with no one overlooked and no obvious favoritism shown. Knowing what was expected of them, the women’s hearts settled, and when they spoke to one another their eyes carried an involuntary warmth.

Hua Zhi looked on quietly, her own expression softening as well. She was fond of this family — because there was heart in it, because everyone wanted the Hua Family to prosper. That was why they could be drawn together so readily.

Even the weakest hand, when formed into a fist, carries force.

“Eldest Young Lady, the young master-cousin has arrived.”

Sui’an? Hua Zhi looked toward the doorway, her thoughts turning rapidly before settling on the image of the Second Aunt’s face, teetering on the verge of tears.

When Yang Sui’an walked in, his face covered in bruises, a foreboding settled in Hua Zhi’s chest. The room fell quiet, and the easy warmth of the moment vanished entirely.

The Third Aunt shot to her feet. “What happened to you? Who did this?”