Hua Zhi helped her mother sit down and then greeted her Fourth Aunt.
Wu Shi raised her up, and looking at her niece, who had grown yet another degree thinner, quietly sighed to herself. Up close, one could faintly catch the smell of medicine on her…
Her eyes met her sister-in-law’s, and she understood — her sister-in-law had likely caught the scent as well. But she could tell that A’Zhi did not wish for her mother to know, so she too pretended not to notice.
“It was only a rat that was caught. Was there really any need to rush over here without even catching your breath?”
Hua Zhi could hardly say she had been frightened into it — she had come over without giving it much thought.
By this time, Bao Xia had already come back from the kitchen with a few plates of pastries. Their young mistress had been putting up with hardship these past few days.
Hua Zhi took a piece and ate it to quiet the eager gnawing feeling in her stomach. She did not want to seem too desperate — that would make the family think she had been suffering out there.
“Has Concubine Qiu said anything?”
“She begged me to let her go.” Xia Shi pushed the plate of pastries closer toward A’Zhi. “Said the family had run into trouble and she needed silver, which was why she did what she did — but that doesn’t hold up. Whatever the reason, stealing is wrong. The Hua Family cannot set such a precedent.”
Hua Zhi glanced at the plate of pastries. She held back from reaching for another piece and turned to give an instruction: “Notify everyone in the household to gather in the main reception hall within a quarter of an hour.”
The servants of the Third Household immediately summoned the maids and went room to room to spread the word.
Hua Zhi rose and helped her mother to her feet. “Third Aunt, please have Concubine Qiu brought over as well. She is, after all, one of Third Uncle’s people — give her the dignity she is owed.”
Xia Shi did not know how the eldest young mistress planned to handle Concubine Qiu, but she caught the meaning in those words well enough. No matter what Concubine Qiu had done, she was still a member of the Third Household, and if she lost face, the Third Household would be shamed along with her.
The news of Hua Zhi’s return thus spread through the Hua household in this manner. Within less than a quarter of an hour, every member of the family, young and old, had assembled. Hua Bailin had practically run there. The moment he caught sight of his elder sister, he cast every rule aside and charged straight at her. “Elder Sister!”
“Where have all your manners gone?” Hua Zhi rapped him lightly on the forehead, though her eyes were full of laughter.
Hua Bailin pouted. “Why were you gone so long? I’ve been craning my neck waiting for you.”
“I had to see things properly handled before I could come back.” Hua Zhi gave him a gentle push, and Bailin, taking the cue, withdrew to his proper place.
She paid her respects to the elders and received the bows of the younger generation in turn, then looked toward Third Aunt. “Have Concubine Qiu brought forward.”
The assembled family had already anticipated this. The only matter that could send the eldest young mistress here to deal with things before she had even stopped to rest was this one affair.
Concubine Qiu had once been the most favored concubine of the Third Household — young and pretty, her face full and well-rounded, the kind of face that would hold its shape even as youth faded, given a comfortable life to live.
Now she was escorted in by two stout matrons. Though her clothing was neat and her hair properly dressed, her eyes darted about evasively, her expression panicked. Not a trace remained of her former sprightly charm.
Catching sight of Hua Zhi, she broke free from the matrons’ grip and rushed forward, dropping to her knees with a thud. Her voice trembling, she begged: “Eldest Young Mistress, I know I was wrong — I truly know I was wrong. Please, for the sake of the Master, spare me. Do you remember? I once sewed clothes for you and the Sixth Young Master — for you and the Sixth Young Master! If nothing else, please, if you can find it in your heart to look at the sincerity with which I once served every single person in the Hua Family — forgive me, let me go. I will never dare do it again. Eldest Young Mistress, please, Eldest Young Mistress…”
Hua Zhi did remember. When Concubine Qiu had first entered the Hua household, she had been only seventeen — shy and bashful, unable to meet anyone’s eye when she spoke, and her embroidery was exceptional. Not only she and Bailin, but the other brothers and sisters of the household had all received gifts from her hands at one time or another. Virtually no one in the Hua household had ever had a bad feeling toward this concubine who, though favored, was not the type to make enemies.
And yet she was the first to crack. When word came that the trouble had originated with her, Hua Zhi had been genuinely taken aback. She gestured to the matrons to help Concubine Qiu up, and had a maid bring a chair for her to sit on. This treatment caused a flicker of hope to rise in Concubine Qiu’s heart.
Xia Shi’s brow furrowed. She opened her mouth to speak, but Wu Shi, seated beside her, caught her sleeve and gave a small shake of her head.
“The Hua Family may not be as prosperous as it once was — but allow me to ask Concubine Qiu: in this past year, has the Hua Family ever made your life difficult?”
Concubine Qiu bit her lip and gave a small shake of her head. This was the truth — even in the hardest stretch of days, neither the Old Madam nor, later, Hua Zhi, had ever touched the concubines’ private allowances.
“Allow me to ask Concubine Qiu another question: has Third Aunt, in Third Uncle’s absence, made life difficult for you?”
Concubine Qiu lowered her head. She could not in good conscience claim that her mistress had treated them poorly — in truth, over this past year, the mistress had shown them a measure more leniency than when the Master had still been at home.
“Has the Hua Family wronged you in any way?”
“Have any of the Hua Family’s children failed to show you respect simply because you are a concubine, simply because you have no children of your own?”
“Has any member of the Hua household, master or servant, ever harbored impure intentions toward you?”
Concubine Qiu sat with her head bowed, silent, her two hands twisting against each other in restless agitation.
“You thought of your birth family and acted against the Hua Family — yet you call it loyalty. Concubine Qiu, do you know that in all its generations, the Hua Family has never once had a thief within its walls? What did the Qiu family promise you? That you could go home and be the mistress of the house? That they would find you another good match?”
Concubine Qiu’s head snapped up, her face stricken with alarm.
Hua Zhi smiled. “What have I ever done to make you think I am soft-hearted? Did you believe that if you begged me a little, I would let this matter pass?”
Concubine Qiu could no longer stay seated. Her knees gave way and she sank to the floor again. “Eldest Young Mistress…”
“Everyone must face the consequences of their own actions. Steward Xu — take Concubine Qiu to the authorities.”
To the authorities? Would that not be airing the family’s shame in public?
Xia Shi hesitated before speaking: “If we make such a scene of it, I fear the Hua Family will become the talk of the capital all over again. Would that not be unwise?”
“That is likely what Concubine Qiu calculated as well — that the Hua Family values its reputation, and would never broadcast such a thing openly. And since I took over the household management, I have never been fond of using those old rules to keep people in line. She probably thought she would suffer some punishment and be sent back to the Qiu family, and as the Qiu family’s benefactress she would be able to live well.” Hua Zhi looked at Concubine Qiu, whose face had shifted to one of stunned disbelief, and smiled. “Am I right?”
The assembled household exchanged glances. Not one person raised another word of objection.
“The one who did wrong does not bear the Hua name. I see no reason to feel ashamed. Steward Xu — take my calling card. Request that the Magistrate strictly punish a thief.”
“Eldest Young Mistress!” Concubine Qiu finally understood, jolted awake as though from a dream. The eldest young mistress was not bluffing — she truly intended to report it to the authorities! How could she? Once it went before an official, what life would she have left? Even if she could manage to come out of it alive and return home, the Qiu family would never take back a daughter with a criminal record. No — no, she could not let this happen!
Concubine Qiu lunged forward on her knees. Hua Bailin had already been watching for something like this — he immediately stepped in front of his elder sister to block her. The stout matrons, half a step behind, caught up at last and pressed Concubine Qiu firmly to the ground.
Concubine Qiu could not break free. She strained to raise her head and look toward Hua Zhi, no longer daring to use any of her former tactics. Tears streaked her face. “Eldest Young Mistress, please, for the sake of the three years I spent with the Master — spare me. Spare me. I will serve as a servant, I will be the Hua Family’s ox and horse, whatever you ask of me I will do. Eldest Young Mistress, please, Eldest Young Mistress…”
Some had already turned away, unable to watch. Hua Zhi had no desire to make a woman suffer either, but this matter could not be quietly settled. If she could not make an example of one to warn the rest, this affair would be only a beginning, and the Hua Family would know no peace.