On the way back, Hua Zhi didn’t say a single word. Her expression was cold, and her eyes seemed to overflow with murderous intent. Yingchun and Baoxia both simultaneously recalled that rainy night at the manor — even the chatty Baoxia clamped her mouth firmly shut, not daring to utter half a word.

Their young mistress was truly furious this time.

After boarding the carriage and having just stepped through the side gate, Hua Zhi was immediately pounced upon head-on. The scent of medicinal herbs filled her nose, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around the person.

“Hua Hua, Yan-ge said you were looking for me — I don’t have to go back!”

Hua Zhi patted the one nuzzling against her and acting spoiled, then took her hand and walked inside, saying as they went, “All done?”

“Mm, Master will be staying in the capital for a while, so they won’t need me over there.” Shao Yao bounced along cheerfully, her eyebrows nearly flying off her face with joy. It was plain to see that she was genuinely happy to be leaving the imperial palace.

Hua Zhi’s mood lifted somewhat. As they entered the front courtyard and saw Yan Xi waiting there, she felt no surprise.

Shao Yao suddenly sidled over conspiratorially and whispered, “Hua Hua, what’s going on between you and Yan-ge? Yan-ge has been so easy to talk to these past few days — something good must have happened, right?”

Hua Zhi pinched her cheek, led her toward Yan Xi, and asked, “Not busy?”

“As long as the people below aren’t just occupying their posts without doing their jobs, sitting in that position isn’t all that demanding.”

Yet getting those below to truly work diligently — how easily said. Even as the realm had shifted from a household’s world to a nation’s world, how many people had truly placed the nation before themselves? One must first satisfy one’s own needs, and only when something remains can one think of the nation. People are born selfish, and what is called selflessness is merely what one has no need for, or what one can obtain something better in exchange for.

Without Hua Zhi needing to give instructions, servants moved on their own to prepare refreshments and tea.

Hua Zhi was in a poor mood today and had no wish to waste what little good tea leaves remained.

Gu Yan Xi glanced at the chattering Shao Yao, and Shao Yao instantly fell silent.

“Yang Zheng refused?”

Hua Zhi let out a cold laugh. She didn’t want to be so sharp that she became unpleasant to behold, yet her edge leaked through every word she spoke. “Refused is putting it mildly — he wanted to bleed the Hua Family dry.”

Gu Yan Xi watched this version of Hua Zhi without blinking. “What do you plan to do?”

“His refusal changes nothing. I didn’t go today expecting him to relent — it was merely going through the motions. The one in a marriage with my little aunt is Yang Qi. As long as Yang Qi writes the letter of release, their separation is settled. Even if Yang Zheng wants to turn on us, what do I have to fear?”

Hua Zhi met Yan Xi’s gaze. “I know Yang Qi has a kept woman on the outside — one he’s quite fond of. He spends more than half the month living there. I need to borrow two people from you.”

“Calling on Wang Rong alone will be enough.”

“……” Being the martial arts instructor of the Hua Family was no easy thing — not only did he have to teach the children martial arts, he also had to serve as an enforcer.

“Cao Cao, your medicines are about to be put to use.”

Shao Yao grinned and slipped the bundle from her back, opening it to reveal rows upon rows of bottles and jars of all sizes. Hua Zhi had originally thought those were personal belongings Shao Yao had brought out of the palace with her…

“Hua Hua, tell me what kind you want. If I don’t have it I’ll go mix it up right now — it’s simple enough.”

“Something that makes a person wish they were dead, but leaves no lasting damage — and something other physicians can’t identify the cause of.”

“Just that?” Shao Yao looked thoroughly disappointed. This was the most basic variety — the worst of what she’d brought along already had that effect.

“He is Sui’an’s father, and that cannot be changed.” If nothing else, out of consideration for Sui’an, she needed to show some restraint. Caught between the Hua and Yang families, he was the one in the most difficult position. Though she had half a mind to keep him with the Hua Family, for the people of this world, clan ties were ingrained to the bone — it wasn’t as simple as treating him well and expecting him to forget his Yang surname and the Yang ancestors he bowed to.

To put it plainly, the one she was protecting was Hua Family daughter Hua Xian; Sui’an was simply a bonus.

Shao Yao pursed her lips. If it were up to her, she’d torture the man to death and revive him a few times before she could call her heart’s resentment satisfied. But since Hua Hua was the head of the household and had to think about more, she understood — at most, once the letter of release was in hand, she’d slip away and torment Yang Qi a few more times on her own.

Thinking this, Shao Yao cheered right back up.

Gu Yan Xi glanced at her, saw through every bit of her scheming, and made no move to stop it. Things inconvenient for Hua Zhi came quite naturally to Shao Yao.

The days were growing longer. Yang Qi, wishing to please his father, had stayed home to dine with his parents before heading out, and the sky was still bright.

Thinking of what his heart’s treasure had agreed to the night before, Yang Qi felt a blaze of warmth in his chest, and even his footsteps grew lighter.

He strode into the carriage and impatiently told the driver to hurry.

He sat back with his eyes closed, humming a tune and letting his mind wander. Right in the middle of those pleasant daydreams, the carriage came to a halt. He was delighted — when one was in a good mood, even the road seemed shorter than usual.

He lifted the curtain and stepped out. The moment he looked up, the smile froze on his face. Where was this?

He looked down at the driver’s seat — Wang Rong was sitting there, flashing him a broad white grin. On instinct, Yang Qi started to retreat back into the carriage. Wang Rong gave the whip a flick, curling it around his waist, and with a subtle application of force sent him cleanly off the carriage and onto the ground, without so much as a stumble.

Wang Rong nodded with satisfaction. Good — his skill with the whip hadn’t deteriorated.

“Who are you?! What do you want?! I’m telling you, I’m a Yang Family man — you don’t want to live, kidnapping me like this…!” Yang Qi blustered with outward ferocity and inner terror, his eyes darting about to assess the courtyard he’d landed in. An utterly ordinary place — he had no idea where he was, but he was certain they were still within the capital. The carriage simply hadn’t traveled far enough to have left the city.

Hua Zhi walked out of the main hall. Gu Yan Xi and Shao Yao flanked her on either side. All three walked at an unhurried pace, perfectly in step.

Whatever Yang Qi didn’t understand before became clear in that instant. In rage and fury he lunged toward her — Wang Rong cracked the whip again, pulling him right back to where he stood. This time the whip didn’t leave his waist, and it tightened around him in warning.

Yang Qi didn’t dare move. Yet his fury burned even hotter. “Hua Zhi, what do you think you’re doing?! I am your uncle by marriage!”

“Not for much longer.” Hua Zhi looked at Yang Qi’s pitifully craven expression, unable to fathom how her grandmother had ever betrothed her little aunt to a man like this. “I hear you want to repudiate your wife.”

“I’ll write the letter of repudiation the moment I get home!”

Hua Zhi remained unmoved. “I also hear you want the Hua Family’s resources.”

The moment those words landed, greed instantly overtook the fear in his heart. Yang Qi lifted his chin with a haughty air. “If you hand over the Hua Family’s resources, I could consider treating this as if it never happened — and I can give you the letter of release you want.”

“The letter of release I’ll have. The Hua Family’s resources — don’t even dream of it.”

Yang Qi flew into a fit of humiliated rage. “Hua Zhi, I’m telling you — Hua Xian is finished! I’m going home to repudiate her this very night. She’s committed all seven grounds for repudiation. Once she leaves the Yang Family, there’s nowhere for her to go but death…!”

“You’re overthinking it.” Hua Zhi glanced at Wang Rong. Wang Rong understood. The whip uncoiled from around Yang Qi, and before he could react, something was stuffed into his mouth. Hard on the heels of that, a wave of agonizing pain tore through his stomach — fists like iron, landing one after another on his abdomen until every organ felt wrung out in pain.

Shao Yao’s eyes darted about. She darted back inside, dragged out a chair, placed it behind Hua Hua, and attentively helped her sit down.