The Wu Old Madam had already understood. That particular play would not work. If it were said that the Yang Old Madam had been struck by a young guest at a tea gathering hosted by the Wu Family, while the Wu Family stood by and did nothing, then the damaged reputation would not belong to Hua Zhi alone — the Wu Family would suffer as well, and the value of this garden as a gathering place would be greatly diminished.
“First Young Miss, you have misunderstood. How would the Wu Family wrong you? All of us here saw it — the Old Madam fell on her own. It has nothing to do with you. Would everyone not agree?”
Though they were not entirely certain why the Wu Family was saying this, since this gathering had been convened under the joint leadership of the Wu and Yang families, and the Wu Family had taken this position, naturally the others followed along. In an instant, the atmosphere took on an oddly harmonious quality.
The Yang Old Madam’s moaning suddenly grew louder. Everyone, by some unspoken agreement, let the conversation drop — and no one moved to approach her.
Left with no other option, the Wu Old Madam went and sat beside her to offer quiet reassurance.
The Yang Old Madam gripped her hand with a meaningful pressure, and her eyes blinked furiously in a series of urgent signals. The Wu Old Madam acted as though she noticed nothing. She had agreed to stand with the Yang Family — she had not agreed to stake the Wu Family’s reputation along with them.
The physician arrived quickly. As it happened, the one who came was Doctor Chu.
He was visibly startled to find Hua Zhi among those present. A man who was careful by nature, having frequented the households of many families over the years, he gave Hua Zhi no special treatment. He bowed to the assembled company all around, then took a seat at the lower position to take the Yang Old Madam’s pulse.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand and said: “The Old Madam has an excess of liver heat. She should take something to cool it. This physician will write out a prescription — please send someone to collect the medicine.”
The Yang Family granddaughter glanced at Hua Zhi, then pressed: “Is that all?”
“If you do not trust this physician, you are welcome to call for another. In that case, there is no need for me to write the prescription.” With that, Doctor Chu returned the paper to his medicine case. He gave no sign of offense throughout, yet every person present could see the Yang Family granddaughter had overstepped.
Doctor Chu was held in considerable regard throughout the capital. The various families and manors were more than happy to have him make house calls — partly because he was famously discreet, and partly because his medical skills were genuinely excellent. No one wished to get on the wrong side of such a physician. He had always been treated with great courtesy everywhere he went.
The Wu Old Madam quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “The young lady is only worried about her grandmother — she meant no offense, Doctor Chu. Please do not take it to heart. We will have the prescription written, and I will dispatch someone to accompany you to collect the medicine.”
With the mistress of the house having spoken, Doctor Chu had no suitable cause for further objection, and spread the paper out again to write the prescription.
As for the aggrieved expression on the Yang Family granddaughter’s face — no one paid it any attention.
Doctor Chu had barely departed before Hua Zhi, too, rose to take her leave. “In that case, I shall also bid my farewells.”
Zheng Shi quickly tried to detain her. “There is no hurry. Knowing you are observing mourning, I have specifically arranged a vegetarian spread. Please do not leave on account of what just happened — the tea gathering would have been rather lacking if things ended here.”
“I doubt I shall be attending gatherings of this kind in the future.” Hua Zhi paid no mind to the displeased expressions her words caused on several faces around the room. “I was rather curious before coming, but now that I am here, I find it is nothing more than this.”
She gave the assembled company a slight bow of farewell. “Good day.”
“Wait.” The Wu Old Madam called out reflexively, then found herself at a loss when Hua Zhi actually stopped. What was she to say now? Her worry was that if Hua Zhi returned home and made things difficult for Hai Tang, what then?
Hua Zhi calmly straightened her sleeves. “Before I came, my Fourth Aunt said that if the Old Madam said anything harsh, she hoped I would forgive it on her behalf. I wonder, Old Madam — how do you face this kind of loyalty she has shown you?”
Once you had chosen to be shameless, you had no right to build a virtuous reputation on top of it. To act in ways that harmed Fourth Aunt while simultaneously putting on a show of concern — she had no goodwill to spare on offering that woman comfort. Her only thought was how best to make her feel the sting.
She gave one final bow of farewell, and Hua Zhi departed without a backward glance.
No one had noticed it — from beginning to end, the power of the conversation had remained entirely in Hua Zhi’s hands. Every person present had been following the pace she set.
The Wu Old Madam managed a strained smile for the remaining guests. “Today’s gathering has indeed been…why don’t we call it here for today.”
The others read the room, exchanged a few pleasantries, and departed one after another. The Yang Old Madam lingered last, clearly wanting to say more. Zheng Shi could see from her mother-in-law’s expression that Hua Zhi’s parting words had wounded her, and quickly intercepted the Yang Old Madam, guiding her away while having all the servants step back as well.
Almost the moment the guests were gone, the Wu Old Madam covered her mouth and broke into anguished sobs. Her daughter — oh, her daughter…
Outside the Wu Family’s front gate, Doctor Chu had not yet departed. Hua Zhi was just about to go over and exchange a few words when a carriage came rushing up from the side, slowing only as it reached the gate before entering through a side entrance. A person leapt down from the carriage, ran up to Doctor Chu, said something to him, and took up his medicine case. Doctor Chu gave Hua Zhi a brief nod, then hurried inside.
Hua Zhi had no particular interest in whether someone in the Wu household had fallen ill. They were not on the same boat as her — if the boat capsized, it was of no concern to her.
She boarded her own carriage and instructed: “Go to Green Moss Lane.”
This was the first time Hua Zhi had passed through here all year. She did not go in — she simply had the carriage stop by the inner canal, watching the crowded lanes on the opposite bank as if viewing a string of coins piling up one after another.
Nian Qiu, who oversaw the accounts, was most keenly aware of the income this lane generated for the young miss. Even her voice was tinged with a smile as she spoke. “Steward Chen has mentioned several times that more staff are needed, but the household staff has been stretched thin, and with the food hall having taken away some of them, Elder Sister Ying Chun did not agree to it. However, Elder Sister Ying Chun has already been training people as fast as she can — this servant estimates that in about a month’s time, they should be ready to work.”
“She need not concern herself with that matter any longer. Nanny Su, take overall charge of this, and have Auntie Zhao and the others oversee it. They have experience in such matters.”
Nanny Su quickly acknowledged the task. Managing servants was indeed something she and her fellow auntie-matrons excelled at. She herself spent her days close to the young miss and was well occupied, but the other auntie-matrons had genuinely grown somewhat idle — and idleness, in their case, had made them uneasy.
“Nian Qiu — when you return, remember to tell Ying Chun to continue purchasing people into the household and to have the auntie-matrons oversee the selection.”
“Yes.”
Hua Zhi gazed across the inner canal toward the lane on the other side, which was still closed off for now. When the time came, she would clear out a storefront there just as she had done on Green Moss Lane, open it up, and build a bridge across the inner canal — business would take care of itself.
But first, she would need to train up another group of people to produce new dishes — and then there was that whole business dealing in seafood, which she could not do without Fu Dong. How was she to extract Fu Dong from the food hall operation?
She rubbed her temples. If she had known things would come to this, she would have trained more skilled cooks years ago.
“Go to the Zhu Family.”
Even in the days when the Hua Family was at its best, Hua Zhi only visited her maternal family once a year at the holidays. In those days, the Zhu Family’s attention had been fixed on Bailin — whether she came or not had been of little consequence to them.
After the Hua Family’s misfortunes began, this was her first visit — nearly a full year, by her reckoning. That quickly — the Hua Family had shattered apart, and so much time had passed. Hua Zhi fell into a slight daze, and only came back to herself when the carriage stopped moving.
The carriage pulled up at the rear lane of the Zhu Family. As she stepped out, Hua Zhi had already changed her appearance — the white flowers in her hair exchanged for a silver hairpin, the plain white outer robe replaced with a pale blue one. Calling upon them dressed this way was at least proper.
The Zhu Family servants recognized her and quickly ushered her inside, while another ran ahead to the rear courtyard to announce her arrival. By the time Hua Zhi reached the second courtyard, the Zhu Old Madam was already waiting, with Zhu Shan by her side.
“Elder Cousin.”
Hua Zhi smiled and nodded at her, then gave a deep bow of greeting to her maternal grandmother.
The Old Madam pulled her up and smiled so broadly her eyes became mere lines. “You so rarely come to the door — is something the matter? Next time, just send word. There is no need to be so formal with your grandmother.”
“First Uncle extended an invitation — I have come to play chess with Grandfather in his stead and avenge his honor.”
“Then you have chosen the wrong day. Today is the Grand Court Assembly — your grandfather will not be back until at least mid-afternoon.” The Old Madam took her by the arm and led her inside. “Your Second Uncle is in, though. We can all dine together later.”
“Yes.”
Author’s Note: Another double update today. My son has had no fever all day — I am so happy! Thank you all so very much for your concern. I will take a moment to catch my breath, and then begin making up the chapters I still owe. The storyline also needs some sorting out.