“I heard the Qiu Family rented a storefront and is planning to open a food business.”

Qiu Shi’s sobs caught in her throat, and a sense of dread already crept into her heart.

Hua Zhi met her gaze and smiled. “Bao Xia, take those food recipes and give them to Fu Dong. Have her improve them and then send them over to Lili Lane. When the shop opens, use them as a free gift — buy two food items and receive one portion as a bonus.”

“…” Qiu Shi stood there, completely stunned. If that were to happen — if that were truly to happen — then after all this frantic scheming, what had she actually gained besides dragging her own family down with her?

Steward Xu signaled the coarse-work servants to bind the woman. Qiu Shi offered no further resistance. She moved along with the pushing and shoving out of the main hall, and suddenly recalled the cautious, timid version of herself who had first entered the Hua Family household. The master had doted on her with great care, and even the Madam, though she harbored no fondness for her, had simply acted as if she didn’t exist — never withholding what was rightly hers. The Hua Family upheld a proper household code. Even the legitimate sons and daughters had always greeted her courteously as Qiu Yiniang. How happy those days had been.

Qiu Yiniang tilted her head back and gazed up at the bright, clear sky. If only she had had a child to stand by her side… if only her brother and sister-in-law hadn’t urged her on so relentlessly… if only — if only the master had still been here…

Qiu Shi suddenly burst into laughter — sharp and piercing, yet steeped in sorrow.

In that moment, it seemed as though no other sound existed in the entire Hua household aside from Qiu Shi’s laughter. The various concubines of the Hua Family, having lived under the same roof with this woman for years, watched her come to this end and felt an inexplicable pang of sorrow — the grief of one fox mourning another.

“I hope this sort of thing will not happen again. Dismissed.” Hua Zhi rose and walked toward the door. She paused when she saw Ying Chun and Nian Qiu kneeling just outside the entrance, but even though they were among her most relied-upon attendants, she did not let the matter slide. “Half a year’s monthly allowance will be docked. Should this happen again, there will be no need for you to continue serving me.”

Both young women acknowledged the punishment with reddened eyes.

Outside fell silent. The sound of retreating footsteps grew distant. The people remaining in the room glanced at one another, and for a moment their hearts were filled with a mixture of awe and apprehension toward Hua Zhi. None of them thought her actions were wrong, yet they all felt she was too cold-blooded — the kind of person one could not dare to draw close to.

Hua Bailin saw things clearly. He wanted to go after her, but Yang Sui’an, standing at his side, gripped him firmly by the arm and shook his head in a reassuring manner, gently steering him in the direction of the First Madam.

Hua Bailin understood what his elder cousin was implying. He bit down on his frustration inwardly, stepped forward, and helped his mother up before guiding her out. Yang Sui’an went over and took his own mother’s arm as well. The two of them supported the Third Great-Aunt as they left, and the others gradually dispersed one after another.

Emerging from his mother’s courtyard, Yang Sui’an was not at all surprised to find his younger cousin waiting just outside. He dismissed the attendants with a wave, and the two of them stepped onto the covered corridor.

“Earlier, when I stopped you from—”

“I know.” Hua Bailin cut off his elder cousin’s words, his voice low and sullen. “I understand what you meant, but Elder Cousin — don’t you think this is deeply hurtful to Elder Sister? Everything she’s done, who has she done it for? She’s been out there running herself ragged for so long, and the moment she comes home, without even a moment to rest, she has to deal with this rotten mess. And now they know to feel sorry for Qiu Shi? Qiu Shi was the one who did wrong. Should she not answer for her own actions? As the one who manages this household, is Elder Sister supposed to just brush this under the rug and wait for a next time, and a time after that, and an endless string of times to come?”

“I understand that you care deeply about Elder Sister, but don’t you think it’s actually a good thing for Elder Sister to maintain an authoritative image within the Hua household?”

Hua Bailin paused. He hadn’t considered it from that angle. He had simply felt that those people were utterly ungrateful — benefiting from Elder Sister’s protection while thinking her heartless, and fearing her because of it. Where was the sense in that?

Yang Sui’an leaned against a pillar, arms folded across his chest. His phoenix eyes, so reminiscent of Hua Xian’s, were full of cold contempt. “If not for Elder Sister’s decisive and forceful handling, this incident would have been like a switch being flipped — the Hua household would need to be on guard against such schemes every single day from here on out. It is precisely because Elder Sister acted as she did that she snuffed out any fledgling notions of trying one’s luck that Qiu Shi’s example might have kindled in others’ hearts. Haven’t you noticed? Elder Sister has never been fond of managing the inner courtyard’s affairs, and has always kept her distance from the various branches. If that’s the case, what harm is there in inspiring a measure of healthy fear? Would you or I grow distant from her because of it? Have any of the younger brothers shown any sign of disliking her or pulling away from her?”

No, they hadn’t. Everyone adored Elder Sister deeply. They practically tripped over themselves trying to impress her whenever they were in her presence, all in hopes of earning a word of praise from her. Hua Bailin had come around to the reasoning, yet a faint dissatisfaction still lingered in his heart.

Yang Sui’an understood that small irritation of his. Truth be told, he too found certain people to be incapable of recognizing a good thing. Without Elder Sister, where would any of them find such stability? Just look at the He Family, or the Zhen Family — which of them hadn’t fallen apart after losing the man who held the household together?

“Elder Cousin.”

Yang Sui’an looked at his younger cousin, who wore a troubled expression and was struggling to bring himself to speak.

“Elder Sister smells of medicine.”

Yang Sui’an’s heart lurched and his entire body went rigid. He cast his mind back, then shook his head. “Elder Sister has lost some weight, but there’s no sickly pallor to her. She doesn’t look ill.”

Hua Bailin gazed at the Hua household, which appeared as serene and undisturbed as ever. “I know Elder Sister was wounded. At the time she had only gone to the manor estate for a few days, but ended up staying more than a month before returning. Later, when I was sent to the manor estate as punishment for some mistake, I happened to hear from the servants there that intruders had broken in — Elder Sister had been hurt. From what they said, Elder Sister knows some self-defense techniques, and it was her that held the intruders at bay and bought everyone else a chance to get help. Elder Sister issued an order of silence, so I simply pretended not to know and said nothing to anyone. This time, Elder Sister was again delayed by some days before coming home, and the smell of medicine on her is the same as the one she used when she was injured that other time.”

Yang Sui’an paced back and forth, unable to contain his anxiety, then suddenly his eyes brightened. “Right — Liu Zi! Liu Zi went with Elder Sister. Go ask him.”

Hua Bailin leapt to his feet. “That’s right, Liu Zi! How could I have forgotten him? Though he should have gone back to his own home by now — when he comes by, we’ll ask him. He’d better tell us!”

The two brothers exchanged a glance, then deflated somewhat. Even if they found out, what then? There was nothing they would be able to do to help.

Hua Bailin rubbed his face vigorously. “Let’s go back to our rooms and read.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Hua Zhi, ignoring the two who stood before her with guilty expressions, first treated herself to a good, long soak in the bath. Ever since she had been injured, she had not been able to bathe properly, and had started to feel as though she carried an odor about her.

Splash!

Liu Xiang stepped out from behind the folding screen, holding a set of clothes, and looked at the young miss who had just stood up. “Miss?”

Hua Zhi settled back into the tub, her brow faintly creased. “Before now — had you noticed any smell of medicine on me?”

Liu Xiang’s gaze drifted downward, coming to rest on the pale pink scar peeking out from her shoulder. “I had.”

“Was it very noticeable?”

“One could smell it when standing close.”

Just as she had suspected. Hua Zhi cupped a handful of water and poured it over her head. What had come over her today? How had she failed to think of something so obvious? From the time she had arrived home until now, any number of people had been in close proximity to her — her mother, Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, Bailin…

Though none of the encounters had lasted long, and the medicine Shao Yao had prepared for her had quite a faint scent — was it possible no one had noticed?

Any desire to linger in the bath had evaporated. Hua Zhi stepped out of the tub. “Apply the medicine.”

Bao Xia had gone off somewhere on some errand, and the other two were still kneeling outside. Liu Xiang, hands trembling slightly, dusted the medicinal powder gently over the wound, spread it carefully, then wrapped it with soft cloth. She couldn’t help but be reminded of that night at the manor estate. This was already the second time. May the Hua Family’s ancestors watch over this young miss — let there never be a third.