Gu Yanxi had wanted to say: I am willing to shoulder the burden of the entire Hua Family for you. I am willing to be depended upon. So do not leave yourself any distance — just trust me. But looking into A’Zhi’s eyes, which neither flinched nor wavered, carrying within them a resilience that seemed inexhaustible, he swallowed every one of those words back down.

If his A’Zhi were the kind of person who could lean on another the way others did, the Hua Family would never have come to where it stood today — and she would never have had that fierce, life-staking determination to fight with everything she had.

He had thought himself different from other men. He had thought he already held A’Zhi in the highest regard. Yet now he realized he was no different from ordinary people — selfishly wishing to keep someone who was meant to soar free tethered by his side.

Gu Yanxi smiled bitterly. He had grown greedy.

“Let Shao Yao go with you.”

Hua Zhi was glad to have Shao Yao along, but she still asked, “Is she free to leave?”

“She is. The Imperial Palace has her master holding things down — that is enough.” Gu Yanxi paused, then steered the conversation back. “Regarding the sand table…”

“Once you walk out that door, use it however you see fit. But there is no need to involve me — the timing is not right.”

Seeing that she had finally released that tension, Gu Yanxi quietly let out a breath of relief, nodded in agreement, and said, “I’ll keep that in mind. There will come a time when it is of use.”

The two exchanged a glance, their understanding mutual and unspoken.

Gu Yanxi suddenly smiled. “Shall we play a round?”

Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. “I accept.”

Out in the courtyard, Bailin was locked in battle with Shao Yao. Although Shao Yao was still familiarizing herself with the rules, Bailin nevertheless had to proceed with careful, calculated steps just to hold his own against her — which left Gu Yanxi quietly unsettled.

Ever since Shao Yao had set her heart on becoming a female general, she had spent her days immersed in books on military strategy. Though those years had been allowed to go to waste, even the Imperial Uncle had once remarked that she had natural talent, and her foundation had been built solidly. And yet here was Bailin — barely ten years old — already a match for her.

He could not help but look toward A’Zhi, who was watching with a faint smile on her lips. She had truly taught Bailin remarkably well. If only…

His gaze fell on Little Six. A plan took shape in Gu Yanxi’s mind.

In the end, it was Shao Yao who won — though it could only be called a hard-won victory. She rolled up her sleeves with great enthusiasm and looked up. “Again.”

Hua Bailin was about to accept the challenge when Hua Zhi spoke. “Let me play a round with Teacher Lu.”

In the presence of others, Hua Zhi still habitually addressed him as Teacher Lu. Gu Yanxi was rather fond of that form of address. He stepped forward and gently moved Shao Yao aside.

Hua Bailin had become perceptive by now — he promptly yielded his position when he saw his elder sister approach. He also wanted to see whether this teacher who had defeated him so easily was any match for his elder sister.

Not familiar with Yanxi’s commanding style, Hua Zhi played each move plainly and unadorned, bringing the single quality of steadiness to its absolute limit. Gu Yanxi, for his part, played only tentative probing moves. Both were people of exceptional strategic vision; neither could catch the other off guard with a surprise offensive, and for a time it was impossible to tell who held the upper hand.

They exchanged a glance. Both simultaneously ended their probing phase, and the pace of their formations expanded dramatically. In the ebb and flow of advance and retreat, it was as if the clash of spears and the thunder of warhorses could be heard. The battle locked tight — neither side yielded a single step.

Hua Zhi committed her cavalry and fell into a trap Gu Yanxi had laid. Gu Yanxi’s serpentine formation had barely taken shape before Hua Zhi devoured both its head and its tail, leaving only a motionless trunk in the middle.

By the end, both sides had nearly depleted their forces entirely, and yet neither had managed to breach the other’s territory.

By now the sky had gone dark. The lanterns throughout the courtyard were lit, and several maids stood smiling beside the sand table, holding lamps to illuminate it.

The will to fight had not subsided. Hua Zhi’s hands were trembling faintly. She tucked them into her sleeves and looked up to meet the gaze of the man staring back at her. She had always thought of herself as someone who loved peace — but now she could no longer deny that whether it was her nature or something her survival in her previous life had forged into her bones, she was, deep down, quite combative.

“A’Zhi has the makings of a military commander.”

“Not at all — I only have the ability to wage war on paper.” Hua Zhi’s smile was rare and bright, her eyes sparkling with genuine joy.

Gu Yanxi did not argue the point. The better he came to know A’Zhi, the more certain he became: if a real army were truly placed in her hands, she might very well be able to build it into something formidable. If A’Zhi had been born in a time of upheaval, she would have been a conqueror.

Completely unaware that she had just been branded a conqueror in someone’s mind, Hua Zhi rubbed her wrists. “Let’s set the table for dinner — everyone eats here tonight.”

The maids took their leave.

Hua Zhi looked toward Bailin, who was still lost in his thoughts. She had not intended to discourage him, but letting him see that there were always those more skilled was no bad thing. Not everyone would spare him the way his elder sister did.

She then turned to look at the Sixth Imperial Prince. “How much of that last round did you retain?”

The Sixth Imperial Prince looked up, licked his dry lips, and said, “About half.”

“Very good. Between you and Bailin, you likely each caught half. After dinner, go back to your rooms and review it together.” Hua Zhi reached over and retied a ribbon on his collar that had come undone at some point. “There’s one in your courtyard as well.”

The Sixth Imperial Prince nodded very gently, as though afraid that nodding too hard would loosen the ribbon she had just tied again.

That meal was the only one enjoyed with any real appetite by Hua Zhi alone. The others all ate with somewhat distracted minds — even Shao Yao, who normally treated eating as the most important event in life, was unusually preoccupied.

After the meal, the others scattered at a near-run, leaving just the two of them. In the quiet of the room, Gu Yanxi chose his words carefully and said what was on his mind. “For your journey south this time, I would like Little Six to remain by your side.”

“That is fine.”

“…” Every persuasive argument he had prepared was instantly rendered useless. Gu Yanxi gave a light cough. “I thought you would refuse.”

“Why would I refuse? If it were possible, I would bring Bailin along as well — but the Hua Family cannot afford to lose us both at once.” Hua Zhi looked at the row of travel books and miscellaneous records on the bookshelf. “No matter how many books one has read, it cannot compare to stepping outside and seeing the world for oneself. Only by witnessing it with their own eyes will they understand that some places are far better than any book describes, and some places struggle even to sustain life. Regardless of what path A’Jian may take in the future, seeing this world can do him no harm.”

Hua Zhi turned back, her eyes carrying a smile. “Besides, I am going south to conduct business, not to burn and pillage. There should be no threat to anyone’s life.”

“You’ll be going by water?”

“Yes. There is a merchant from the south who makes two trips north each year, selling his goods along the way before buying medicinal herbs and the like to bring back. I sent word to him, and I’m going to the docks tomorrow to meet him.”

“You plan to travel with him?”

Hua Zhi shook her head. “That was originally the idea, but by my estimate he won’t be leaving the capital for at least another half month. I cannot wait that long. I’ll go and get information from him about conditions down there first. If he has useful connections, all the better — as long as there is room to negotiate, I can give him reason to agree.”

If only she could wait half a month… Gu Yanxi suppressed the longing in his heart. “I’ll assign a few more people to you.”

Hua Zhi did not refuse. Even for the sake of the Sixth Imperial Prince’s safety alone, she could not afford to be careless. “The number cannot be too large — it will draw attention.”

“I know. Just two people.” And with Shao Yao, who was worth several fighters on her own, it would be enough.