Shao Yao wore a mournful expression. “Huahua didn’t cry. She only said that when the Hua Family no longer needs her, she’ll leave.”

“…Since when did I give you a mission to make her cry?”

“You said you wanted Huahua to let it all out. She didn’t.”

Gu Yanxi pressed a hand to his temple. “What happened with Master? Is Wu Yong’s poison truly beyond dissolving?”

“The poison itself can be dissolved. But Master says one portion of the Black Spider Silk poison from his supply has gone missing. He doesn’t know when it disappeared, and he has no idea whose hands it has fallen into. Master said he had no contact with anyone suspicious after leaving the residence, so there’s a strong likelihood it went missing within the manor.”

The warmth that had lingered in Gu Yanxi’s eyes vanished in an instant. “There’s a traitor within?”

“Yes.” Shao Yao forgot her own apprehension, brimming with dangerous intent as she advanced on Gu Yanxi. “Once you find the person, hand them over to me!”

Gu Yanxi gave no reply. For his part, he wanted even more to flay that person alive with his own hands.

“Shizi!” Shao Yao grew so anxious she switched to a formal address.

“Fine. You can use them to test your poison.”

Only then was Shao Yao satisfied. Her expression and bearing settled back into their usual serenity, as though nothing in the world particularly concerned her.

Gu Yanxi cast his gaze down to the gleaming silver hairpin in his hand. Among all of them, the only one who was always the same within and without was probably Hua Zhi alone. Content to be a daughter of the Hua Family, she had been so reluctant to appear in public that she had lived freely and unbothered within her own little corner of the world. But once she had taken charge of the household, she became sharp and resolute, entirely indifferent to what others said of her.

Shao Yao’s personality was as extreme as extreme could be — she herself had forgotten how extreme. But he remembered. The girl who from childhood would rather ruin herself than allow someone who had wronged her to escape into the ground — how could she ever be as pure and guileless as she appeared before Hua Zhi?

None of them among this group had any right to be pure and guileless.

“Yan-ge, I want to spend the new year with Huahua.”

Gu Yanxi looked up. “Bring plenty of things with you. Whatever she lacks, bring it.”

“Yes. Then I’ll be going.”

“If anyone comes recently using my name to summon you, pay them no heed. If I need to reach you, I will only send Chen Qing.”

Shao Yao’s brow creased. “The Wang manor again? Is someone about to die?”

“Whoever dies, they deserve it. It has nothing to do with you or me.”

“Yan-ge, I hate them.” Even though she remembered nothing, that hatred seemed to come with her into this life, taking root the moment she laid eyes on them and growing with every passing day.

Though the two of them looked nothing alike, in that moment no one would have doubted they were brother and sister. The same coldness in their expressions, the same angle at their lips — identical.

“Go find Chen Qing. Take whatever you think Hua Zhi can make use of.”

“Yes. Thank you, Yan-ge.” Shao Yao’s face brightened at once, and she darted to the door — then, with characteristic recklessness, hung off the doorframe and called back, “Yan-ge, Huahua says she’s not getting married. Do your best.”

The words were already out of her mouth and she had already fled by the time the full sentence landed. She was terrified Yan-ge would fly into a rage and come after her — hahaha!

Yet Gu Yanxi did not move. With turbulent winds gathering over the Great Qing Dynasty, he had no desire to bring Hua Zhi home as his wife at a time like this. Bound by the imperial family’s rules, nothing would be convenient, and that was certainly not something Hua Zhi would want.

Shao Yao made a quick trip home and returned with four carriage loads behind her. Bao Xia took one look and hurried back to bring her own young mistress out.

Hua Zhi stood looking at an exceptionally fine coral tree stuffed awkwardly upside-down into a corner, her eyelid twitching involuntarily. Chen Qing beside her wore an expression of someone who could not bear to look. There was treating things carelessly, and then there was this — and on top of that, doing it in full view of the young master’s beloved. The humiliation of it.

Yet Shao Yao stood there beaming, hanging off Hua Zhi’s arm with a look of eager anticipation. “Huahua, I thought you could use all of this. Do you like it? Do you like it?”

Hua Zhi resisted the urge to pinch her own cheek and test its thickness. Since when had she given anyone the impression that she was the sort of person who would empty out someone’s entire storeroom? The combined value of all this was enough for the Hua Family to live in comfort for quite a few years without lifting a finger.

Shao Yao took Huahua’s silence for agreement and turned back with a gleeful shout. “Bao Xia, quick, call people to carry it all inside!”

Bao Xia stood there smiling serenely, eyes narrowed. She did not move.

Hua Zhi stepped forward, picked up the inkstone resting at the very top, and said, “This one Bailin will like. Please have the steward take the rest back.”

“Huahua…” Shao Yao latched on and began to make a scene, but a single unhurried glance from Huahua was enough to make her swallow the rest of her words.

Chen Qing gave a quiet cough to mask his amusement. “The young master said that these items are things Shao Yao earned herself through years of practicing medicine — they belong to no one else. Shao Yao may give them to whomever she pleases. Miss, please accept them without reservation.”

“I appreciate the thought.” Hua Zhi brought Shao Yao in front of her. “Two choices: stay with just the inkstone, or leave with everything.”

Shao Yao immediately snatched the inkstone, pressed it to her chest, and without sparing another glance for the other carriage loads, ran straight through the gate.

The maids all quietly fought back their laughter.

A smile reached Hua Zhi’s eyes as well. She gave Chen Qing a slight bow. “My apologies for the trouble, Steward Chen. Shao Yao has the temperament of a child — if she ever pulls something like this again, I’d ask Steward Chen to hold her back.”

Chen Qing had already anticipated this outcome and was entirely unsurprised. He drew forward the last carriage, lifted the rain cloth draped over its load to reveal bolts of fabric and various foodstuffs. “These are of modest value — a small token of sincere goodwill. I hope the eldest young lady will accept them.”

Hua Zhi looked at the undyed fabric and gave a gentle nod. “My thanks.”

As these things were carried inside, Hua Zhi swiftly put together a return gift for Chen Qing to bring back — canned goods made up part of it, and the rest was an assortment of Fu Dong’s pickled items and small prepared foods, none of which could be found outside.

“If your household finds them to your liking, just say the word to Shao Yao.”

Chen Qing smiled warmly. “Being tormented by Shao Yao’s longing looks all this time, I fear we may have no choice but to come and beg shamelessly.”

“You’ll be most welcome.”

Hua Zhi went back inside. Watching Shao Yao’s ingratiating expression, she felt nothing but fond exasperation. Ever since the two of them had first met, she had had the distinct sense of raising a daughter.

“Huahua…”

“I’m not angry.” Hua Zhi smiled at her. “You really want to give me things?”

Shao Yao nodded vigorously.

“Didn’t you say you’d blend me a one-of-a-kind fragrance? Give me that instead.”

Shao Yao’s eyes lit up. “Right! I can blend several special ones — ones that will be good for your health.”

“Wonderful.”

On the other side of things, Gu Yanxi had brought some more pickled items and foods into the palace and spent a while in conversation with his grandmother before being summoned away by someone sent from the Emperor.

The Empress Dowager’s smile gradually faded. She let out a long sigh. “Yuxiang, do you think I should stand in the way — or lend a hand?”

Yuxiang covered a smile. “I thought you had already made your peace with it long ago!”

The Empress Dowager also smiled, then sighed again. “My heart is still undecided. That young lady’s character is beyond reproach, and I care nothing for whether she is a criminal’s daughter — we even have ties from before. But the Hua Family… that name alone carries far too great an influence. If Xi’er were to marry that girl, it would be difficult to answer for to the Emperor. Everything Xi’er has today rests on the Emperor’s trust in him. Once that trust is even slightly diminished, he fears that…”

P.S.: Thank you, ladies, for the tips and monthly votes. I’m deeply touched, and I absolutely must post two updates today!