Hua Zhi’s vision kept going dark. She knew clearly that she had not been hit anywhere vital — she was losing blood too quickly, that was all. With proper rest and care she would recover. But those below her didn’t know that.

She bit the tip of her tongue to keep herself from losing consciousness and gave her instructions: “Keep this quiet. Tomorrow, send someone — no, Nian Qiu, tomorrow go back and tell Grandmother that the fruit here is almost ready to come off the trees, and I’ll be staying a while to deal with things. Keep it from Ying Chun too for now. Let her tend to things at home with peace of mind. Tell her to send a batch of goods over here in seven days.”

She drew in a few labored breaths and continued: “Ask the steward for a team of people to work here — ones who can be trusted. No one from Second Aunt’s or Third Aunt’s households. However many the family can spare, I want them all.”

“Miss, at a time like this, won’t you please think of yourself.” Bao Xia’s voice was raw and hoarse, and her tears would not stop.

“Don’t worry. I’m all right. The wounds look severe, but none of them are in a vital place. Go check whether those three men are still alive — as long as there’s a breath left in them, do everything possible to save them. When daylight comes, have Wu Da go for a physician. When I lose consciousness in a while I may run a fever, but don’t panic. Clean the wounds with liquor. And — those vials the man just now gave us should contain medicine. Use that. He had no hostile intent.”

Hua Zhi fell back against the bed and felt the world spinning around her. “Whatever you do, don’t let Grandmother know—”

Her voice cut off abruptly. Bao Xia was so frightened she immediately checked for breath. Once she confirmed the young miss had only lost consciousness, she covered her mouth and wept openly.

Nian Qiu slapped herself across the face to force herself calm. “I’ll go find liquor. You look after the young miss.”

Outside, everyone was waiting.

Wu Da held the two ceramic vials. “Nian Qiu…”

Nian Qiu took them. “Are those three men still alive?”

Wu Da scrubbed his face hard. “Chen Liang didn’t make it. Liu Zi and San’er each took two cuts. I had Jie Zi and the others attend to them for now.”

“When it’s light, go for a physician.” Nian Qiu didn’t waste words. She turned back after two steps and added, “Bring two people with me to find liquor. Wu Da, you clean their wounds with liquor as well.”

“Yes.”

Everyone sprang into motion.

Fu Dong and Liu Xiang carried in a bucket of hot water and wiped the young miss down. They watched each time the liquor touched the wounds and the young miss flinched and convulsed in pain — even unconscious it was like that. They could not imagine what it must feel like.

&&&

Inside the study, a man turned a silver hairpin between his fingers while he listened to his subordinate’s report.

“Master, we have an answer. Shall we send people to retrieve the item?”

“No need. Report it up.” The man looked up, revealing a scar along his right cheek that ran from his ear to the corner of his mouth. “Has her identity been confirmed?”

“Yes. That is the eldest young miss of the Hua Family.” Seeing that the master was taking an unusual interest in someone, the one reporting told him everything he knew. “The Hua Family’s second and third young misses both have reputations for talent, while the eldest young miss has always kept a low profile and rarely attended social gatherings. On the occasions she did go out, she would cover her face with a veiled hat. There are rumors that she is unremarkable in appearance and not well-liked within the family. What is unexpected is that it is now she who is managing the Hua household. Not long ago, the Hua matriarch called upon the Shen Family in person to dissolve her engagement, and from what we have gathered, it was the Eldest Young Miss’s own doing.”

Unremarkable in appearance? The man pressed at the little spring clip and let the corner of his mouth curl slightly. Even in the disheveled state she had been in that night, one could see clearly that her features were fine and her beauty few could match. What was rarer was her character.

Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, who could have imagined that a young miss raised within sheltered halls of a great household could possess that kind of capacity for wagering everything — refusing to let her servants fight and die for her, yet single-handedly draining away most of Qin Zheng’s remaining strength to buy the others a fighting chance? Someone like that — what need would she have for reputation? What great household could she not manage? To a person like her, those so-called reputations were nothing but a burden.

By the time he arrived, he had caught the moment when she drove that hairpin into the original wound in Qin Zheng’s side, willingly taking a cut herself in exchange for wresting the weapon from his hand. Had her physical strength been sufficient, she might not have been the one to fall in the end.

To maintain a head that clear and cold under circumstances like those — not just for a woman, but for a grown man, it would not be a certainty.

The Hua Family had kept her this well concealed. Could it be that Hua Yizheng had anticipated this disaster for the Hua Family long in advance?

Or perhaps… she had concealed herself too thoroughly in her everyday life — so thoroughly that even Hua Yizheng did not know he had a granddaughter this exceptional?

Yes — that would explain why he had seen her riding hard through the streets that day. That day was the very day the Hua Family had been sentenced to exile and confiscation. She had likely begun managing the household at that very moment.

Truly interesting. The man looked down at the sharp silver hairpin in his palm. The thing itself was interesting too — the hairpins ladies used would never be this sharp. She was not even afraid of hurting herself.

There was a light knock at the door.

“Shizi, a message from the Prince. The Third Young Master has fallen ill and wishes to request Shao Yao’s attendance.”

“At this hour? It must be serious.” The man gave a cold, curling smile. “Though what business is it of mine? Let him die if he dies. Have Shao Yao make a trip to the Hua Family’s estate and bring several more vials of medicine.”

“…Yes.” The subordinate had long since grown accustomed to the master’s attitude toward the Prince and was not surprised. But to actually send Shao Yao to look in on the Hua Family’s eldest young miss — now that was worth pondering.

“Chen Qing, look into this whole matter again more carefully for me. Something tells me there’s the Second Prince’s handiwork somewhere in this. The man narrowed his eyes dangerously. He was a blade, yes — but a blade in the Emperor’s hand. He was not a tool for anyone else to use at will. If someone had forgotten that, he had no objection to making the lesson a memorable one.

The rain had stopped at some point. Pale light was beginning to show at the edge of the sky.

The carriage halted outside the estate. Nian Qiu and Wu Da went together — one to return to the main residence, one to summon a physician.

Inside the room, Fu Dong changed the cloth again and touched the side of the young miss’s neck. Her expression brightened. “The fever seems to have come down a little. Bao Xia, come feel.”

Bao Xia quickly extended her hand and pressed it there. Her face lifted too. “You’re right. It has come down a little.”

The two of them were deeply relieved. The young miss had not run a high fever — only slightly above normal. This was already far better than they had feared.

“Truly good medicine. Those two men should be all right as well, I would think.”

Bao Xia had made the decision herself to give one of the two vials to Liu Zi and San’er. Having been at the young miss’s side all these years, she knew her character well — however reluctant, it had to be given. After all, those two had been injured in the Hua Family’s service.

The young miss was fiercely protective of her own people. Even servants of the lowest standing — once the young miss regarded them as hers, she would shelter them.

A pity the medicine was so little in quantity. Even if they were sparing with it, there were only perhaps three more uses left. If only that remaining vial could be kept…

Bao Xia let out a quiet sigh and put the thought away.

“Bao Xia, there’s someone outside asking to be received.” Liu Xiang came in and said softly, “It’s a woman. She’s wearing a veiled hat. She says she was sent to treat the young miss’s injuries.”

Bao Xia frowned. The young miss had never been one to go out and about much — she had little contact even with her own sisters at home, let alone outsiders. What’s more, this had all happened last night, and the young miss had given strict orders for it to be kept quiet. By rights no one should know about it.

But she said she had come to treat the young miss’s injuries…