Shao Yao asked nothing more of it. She pushed her medicine chest to one side, and her gaze followed Fu Dong’s every move as the dishes were being laid out.
Hua Zhi watched with amusement, led her to the table, picked up her chopsticks, and placed a spring roll on Shao Yao’s plate — it was, after all, made especially for a guest. As a patient herself, Hua Zhi was once again confined to plain, light porridge.
Shao Yao ate with her head down, not looking up until she had finished, then asked, “May I stay for midday meal as well?”
“Of course.” Hua Zhi rather liked Shao Yao’s straightforward manner and made a point of responding simply and directly in kind.
“I have some arrangements to see to. Do as you please.”
“May I come with you?”
Hua Zhi smiled. “You may go anywhere you like. There is nothing on this estate that needs to be kept from view.”
Shao Yao cheerfully put on her veiled hat and fell into step behind her. She had no memory of anything before the age of nine, and the people she spent her days with were almost all men. The few women she knew were ladies of the prince’s household — people she went out of her way to avoid, let alone seek out for conversation.
Strictly speaking, Hua Zhi was the very first person she had come to know on her own terms.
Shao Yao was thoroughly delighted. She only wanted to stay close to this friend. It felt as though the closer they were, the better their friendship would become.
The front courtyard was full of people. Liu Jiang and his sister were there too, standing in a corner, craning their necks toward the moon gate.
That night, Liu Juan had witnessed everything firsthand, and her gratitude toward the eldest young lady had risen sharply, straight into outright admiration. Her previously hazy and unformed sense of things had suddenly come into focus, as though something inside her had awakened. She had made up her mind to go into the eldest young lady’s service — to attend on her with the same wholehearted devotion as Sister Fu Dong, and to be protected by her in the same way.
Being a free person was better than being a servant — but if serving meant serving the eldest young lady, she was willing to enter bond status.
Liu Jiang, though he too admired the eldest young lady from the bottom of his heart, had no wish to see his sister doing the work of waiting on others. Yet his sister, who had always been compliant, was utterly resolved this time. Unable to talk her out of it, he was in fact very close to being talked around by her.
“She’s here.” Liu Juan gave an excited little gasp. Since that night, this was the first time she had seen the eldest young lady — she looked as though she had recovered somewhat.
Hua Zhi let herself be steadied by Bao Xia as she settled into the master’s chair on the covered walkway. She was just about to have someone bring another chair when she saw Shao Yao had already run off on her own to fetch one, returning to sit obediently at her side. The sight of it stirred something soft and tender — a genuine wish to treat her well.
Hua Zhi gathered every trace of expression from her eyes and looked out at the more than forty people assembled in the courtyard.
Her face and lips were still pale as chalk, yet that faint, quiet gaze — carrying a weight that allowed no room for doubt — sent cold prickles down the backs of those servants who had, on account of their past service under the masters, thought themselves worldly and harbored a degree of skepticism about Hua Zhi’s authority. It was as if every thought they had entertained had been seen clean through in a single glance.
Those who, like Xu Ying, had been anxious on her behalf felt their worry ease. Even injured, the eldest young lady was no tiger gone tame. Let no one dare underestimate her.
The courtyard fell silent.
Only when she had made her impression fully felt did Hua Zhi speak, unhurried as ever. “I requested people from Steward Xu because I intend to set up a workshop on this estate. Since it is a workshop, you have been brought here to work in it. Should anyone be unwilling, I will hold no grudge — there are other tasks to be assigned. But let me be plain from the start.”
The assembled servants exchanged glances. Even those who genuinely had reservations were not willing to be the first to step forward.
“Liu Qi — are you willing to serve as manager of this workshop?”
The unexpectedly singled-out Liu Qi startled for just a moment, then immediately stepped out and bowed. “Yes, this servant is willing.”
From the moment Liu Qi had entered the household, he had been at the old master’s side. When the old master was sentenced to exile, he had even considered following him to the place of banishment — only the old master’s refusal had kept him behind. With no guiding presence, he had spent his days not knowing what to do with himself.
Since the eldest young lady now held the reins of the Hua Family, he was naturally willing to follow her direction.
“A number of you have helped the masters of this household handle affairs before — your abilities are without question. It is only because we are short on people right now that I am asking a great sword to cut what a small knife could manage. Once this busy stretch has passed, there will be other matters for you to attend to. If any of you genuinely cannot manage this work, report to Liu Qi — I will not press you.”
What Hua Zhi said was not entirely meant to placate them. The truth was that while she had been injured, she had not explained things clearly enough. The workshop she intended to set up was one where the more careful and dexterous women would do the greater part of the work. Steward Xu had chosen an even mix of men and women — and to say nothing of the servants, even the serving women and maidservants among them looked sharp and capable. Asking them to do this sort of small work was genuinely a waste of their talents.
She should have been clearer. It would have been better to have Steward Xu transfer people from her mother’s and grandmother’s quarters. But that could not be changed now — the matter had to be seen through to completion before anything else could be addressed.
Hua Zhi rose to her feet, making herself look as commanding as possible. “Let me be plain at the outset: I am not as gentle-hearted as my grandmother. Do not take me for easy to fool simply because I am young. I will not mistreat you — but I ask in return that you think of the Hua Family, protect its stability, and keep its affairs close to your chest. Should anyone test the boundaries, I will not be lenient. That said, I will not treat you poorly either — for the duration of your time in this workshop, your monthly wages will be double the usual rate.”
The carrot and the stick, delivered in swift succession. A ripple of barely suppressed pleasure moved through the assembly. Even those who had felt some face to lose and were privately reluctant found their resistance softening. Whether they worked in the household or here, it was work either way — and yes, perhaps it would be a little more demanding, but double wages! A little extra effort was more than worth it.
Having taken in the expressions of the assembled group, Hua Zhi said a few more words before dismissing them, keeping only Liu Qi behind.
“Wu Da — has the cellar been dug?”
“Yes, it is finished. There is still some dampness in it at the moment. Another day should see it right.”
Hua Zhi nodded and turned to Liu Qi. “Move all the maidservants and serving women to the rear quarters and all the manservants to the servants’ rooms in the outer section. The front courtyard will serve as the workshop for the time being. Things in the rooms that can still be used, keep and use. Those that cannot, clear a room to store them. No unnecessary items are to remain in the rooms. There is no time to build a proper workshop — we will have to make do with this arrangement.”
“Yes.”
“Since the workshop has been placed in your hands, all arrangements fall to you. Should anyone put on airs and refuse to follow your direction, bring it to me. One more thing — peaches spoil easily. Once they come down from the trees, they must be moved to the cellar immediately.”
Liu Qi took note and began turning over the details in his mind at once. Having something concrete to manage, his spirits were noticeably better than they had been of late.
Shao Yao sat to one side and watched as one matter after another was seen to. Something about it struck her oddly — the composure of it, the effortless command. In that moment, her good friend put her strangely in mind of Shizi.
“Are you bored?” With Liu Qi sent off, Hua Zhi no longer tried to hold herself upright, and let Bao Xia guide her back to her seat. Seeing Shao Yao’s distracted expression, she asked with a smile.
Shao Yao shook her head. “Not at all. You are very capable.”
“No one is born knowing these things.” Hua Zhi smiled and accepted the teacup from Fu Dong’s hands, drinking half before setting it aside. Feeling some strength return, she gestured for Bao Xia to help her up. “Come back to the room — I’ll show you a trick.”
Shao Yao nodded eagerly, her veiled hat swaying in rippling circles.
Back in the room, Hua Zhi rested for a while before calling for a bucket of water and two basins — one large, one small — to be brought in. “Everyone out. Close the door behind you.”
Bao Xia and the others filed out one by one. After pulling the door shut, she and Nian Qiu posted themselves on either side of the doorway. “Move well back from here.”
None of them knew what their mistress had in mind, but clearly it was something of great importance — not a word of it should be overheard.