Lychee preserves, beloved even in later generations, easily won over the crowd. Xu Jie cradled the ice-cold bowl with a heart burning with excitement. “This is only a small portion — there are three more ships behind. I was originally worried it might be too much, but now I’m not worried at all.”

“I intend to grow this business. Three ships aren’t enough — keep buying. The same goes for tangerines and peaches.”

After a brief consideration, Hua Zhi gave a specific figure. “Buy three times the amount purchased last year. Add three more ships of lychee.”

Xu Jie answered loudly in agreement.

“Liu Qi, the workshop needs to hire more workers. For the internal staff, I’ll request people from the branch family. For the outer courtyard, discuss it with Liu Jiang — don’t take just anyone. First consider the tenant farmers from the estate; if that’s not enough, look outside. Their backgrounds must be clean, and ideally they shouldn’t have any disreputable people in their families. It’s best to avoid recruiting outsiders if possible.”

“Yes, this one understands.”

With the larger quantities, the existing ice cellars were no longer sufficient. With so many matters weighing on her mind, Hua Zhi feared she might forget, and so she instructed Ying Chun: “Later, go send Wu Da and the others over here. A few more cellars need to be dug. Let them decide where on the estate — just make sure nothing collapses.”

Ying Chun answered brightly. After what had happened before, the already steady young woman had become even more composed.

Since she had made the trip out here, Hua Zhi made the most of it and worked to improve the workshop as best she could. She was thinking far ahead. The grandmother who had maintained their ties of friendship had already passed away, and for the past half year the Empress Dowager had shown not the slightest care toward the Hua Family. Her protection was more or less running out.

Although the preserve business was not moving in enormous volume, its price point was clear for anyone with discernment to see how substantial the profits were. She needed to be cautious and send a few more guards over as well.

Hua Bailin and the other two had returned early and, watching the steward brothers coming and going, grew all the more resolved in their plan to go out and travel.

Xiao Liu felt this most keenly. Hua Jiejie had endured six days on horseback, and upon returning had not rested for even a moment before burying herself in work right up until now. She seemed to never tire, with no time at all for herself — but could she truly not feel exhaustion?

Watching her reach up to rub her forehead again, Xiao Liu said quietly, “Bailin, if the Hua Family ever dares to wrong Hua Jiejie in the future, I will never forgive them.”

“You won’t need to be the one to do it — I’ll be the first one who won’t forgive them.” Hua Bailin’s eyes were filled with fierceness. Without their eldest sister the Hua Family would fall apart like scattered sand, without even the ability to protect themselves — yet without the burden of the Hua Family, who knew how freely their eldest sister could live.

Yang Sui’an said nothing, but the hand clasped behind his back tightened into a fist.

When at last everything had been arranged, Hua Zhi looked up and saw the three of them standing outside the door. Glancing at the hour, she knew it was time to head back. She rose and stepped outside, raising a hand to shield her eyes against the blazing sun. “Who won?”

Xiao Liu raised his hand with a grin and reported the result. “I won — Sui’an Gege was half a horse-length behind me.”

Yang Sui’an moved wordlessly to her side to block the sun for her. “If Bailin hadn’t made trouble, I might not have lost.”

“A loss is a loss — no amount of excuses changes that.” Bailin threw a brotherly arm around Xiao Liu’s shoulder. The two of them would squabble over wins and losses between themselves, but when facing others they stood united.

Shao Yao came running over cheerfully, carrying a basket full of lychees, her voice arriving before she did. “Huahua, are we leaving?”

“We’re leaving.” Hua Zhi looked helplessly at the basket piled almost to overflowing. “You’ve been eating all afternoon and still haven’t had enough? Aren’t you afraid of getting a nosebleed?”

“They’re delicious — even tribute goods aren’t this good.”

The moment the words “tribute goods” left her lips, Yang Sui’an couldn’t help but take another look at her. He had never known Shao Yao’s background, yet had long sensed vaguely that it was no ordinary one. Most families could not raise someone with such effortlessly carefree ways — and someone who had eaten tribute goods…

On the ride home, Yang Sui’an rode alongside the carriage and opened his mouth countless times without ever managing to bring up the matter of traveling. Their eldest sister was about to head north — would raising the idea of traveling now only make her worry more?

When they arrived home, it was still early. Hua Zhi singled out Yang Sui’an. “Come to the study.”

Yang Sui’an silently cursed himself. He had been too obvious — their eldest sister must have noticed something.

Hua Zhi did not ask anything. She entered the study and went straight back to work, as though she had forgotten it was she who had called him in.

The silence did not last long before Yang Sui’an could no longer hold himself back. “Eldest Sister, I have asked the academy for an extended leave of absence. I wish to go out and travel.”

“This is what kept you from speaking?”

“…Yes. I was wondering whether I should wait until Eldest Sister returned from the north before mentioning it, so as not to give you one more thing to worry about while you’re away.”

“Whenever family members travel far, I will worry — no matter when.” Hua Zhi quietly let out a breath of relief. She had thought something truly difficult to speak of had come up, and had carried that worry for quite some time. “Where are you planning to go?”

“I was thinking of heading to Yangzhou.”

“That’s not unreasonable. On your own?”

“I’m going too.” Hua Bailin, who had been eavesdropping outside, immediately jumped in. “Eldest Sister, I want to go with Cousin Sui’an.”

Hua Zhi’s instinct was to refuse, but she just barely caught herself before the words could come out. Bailin was a younger brother she had raised with her own hands, and her feelings for him were different from those for others — but that difference should not express itself this way.

In this world, boys could be married off at thirteen, and at eleven were already considered half grown. She could not both want Bailin to mature and keep him confined within a sheltered world. Growth in those conditions would be limited.

Seeing that he had not been immediately refused, Hua Bailin knew he had a chance. Just as he had done since he was small, he pressed close to his eldest sister’s side, tugging at her sleeve with a pitiful, pleading look.

Hua Zhi looked up. “Sui’an, I’ve agreed to your request. Go and speak with your mother properly first.”

“Yes.”

Yang Sui’an gave his younger cousin an apologetic look, then walked to the door, where he found Xiao Liu standing just behind it. He paused, about to speak, then saw Xiao Liu shake his head. Understanding immediately, he hesitated briefly, then moved to stand beside Xiao Liu and proceeded to eavesdrop quite openly.

Hua Zhi looked at her younger brother. She knew she would agree in the end — but she still needed to ask clearly. “Why do you want to go? You should know that given both your age and what you’ve learned so far, it isn’t yet the time for such a journey.”

“Going with Cousin, Eldest Sister can rest easy — he will certainly keep me safe.”

“I know Sui’an will protect you. What I want to know is your reason for making this decision.”

Hua Bailin lowered his head. After a long moment, a quiet voice came through. “Xiao Liu went away and came back feeling like a completely different person. These past two days, I’ve sometimes felt like I was facing a grown man when I’m with him. So I thought — if I went out and traveled too, maybe I could grow up all at once, just like him.”

So it was Xiao Liu who had stirred this in him. Recalling the changes in Xiao Liu after that journey, Hua Zhi understood perfectly what Bailin meant. But Xiao Liu had been with her, right under her watchful eye — whereas now Bailin would be going with fifteen-year-old Sui’an…

Yet she could not stand in his way. She could not block a child’s desire to grow, to become stronger. So be it — she would simply arrange for more people to accompany them.

Note: Chapter three is not yet finished. Updates will likely follow a pace of five chapters every two days during this period. Three chapters means making up for ones previously owed — please don’t rush.