By this hour, the offices had already closed for the day. The group made straight for the place where the Hua Family was staying.

Hua Zhi couldn’t help pressing her heels into her horse’s flanks, silently urging it to go just a little faster — and yet at the same time she kept a firm grip on the reins, holding the speed back. The horse snorted in confusion, not knowing whether it was meant to run or not, and fell into a pattern of trotting a few steps, then walking a few, then trotting again.

Closer now.

And then, ahead — five figures came into view, walking in a line, their spines straight and slender. At the sight of those familiar silhouettes, Hua Zhi instinctively pulled hard on the reins. The horse reared up on its hind legs with a long, clear whinny.

Walking along the edge of the road, Hua Pingyang turned his head at random — and the moment he saw who was on horseback, he could not look away. He swung his whole body around at once, his voice trembling with shock and joy: “Zhi’er!”

The other four turned in an instant. Their gazes sought and found her all at once. Without thinking, their hands clenched into fists at their sides.

Hua Zhi swung down from the horse and prostrated herself on the ground. Her voice rang out clearly: “Zhi’er conveys the greetings of all the Hua Family remaining in the capital — her respects to Grandfather, to Father, to Second Uncle, to Third Uncle, to Fourth Uncle.”

Hua Yizheng’s hands trembled as he reached down to help her up. “Child, how did you — how did you…”

He had meant to ask how she had come again. But the moment she stood before him in the flesh, he realized at last that he had been waiting all along — hoping, deep down, that this granddaughter of his, who always did the unexpected, would come again. Come and tell him: at home, all is well. Everyone is well.

And now she had truly come.

As Hua Zhi’s father, Hua Pingyu stood with one hand clasped behind his back in a tight fist and raised the other to cover a light, deliberate cough. His face was written over with unmistakable pride — and yet he forced himself to say in a contrary tone: “What sort of get-up is this? You look a mess.”

Hua Yizheng shot his son a sharp look. “What kind of thing is that to say? Zhi’er looks lovely no matter what she wears!”

Hua Zhi’s eyes grew slightly damp, even as a full smile spread across her face. She spoke up for her awkward father: “Father is worried about me, that’s all. The wind and sand up north are fierce — dressing like this is more comfortable.”

She truly was dressed in a jumble of layers — a set of practical travel clothes underneath, and draped over them one large shawl of black and one of white, meant to block both sun and sand. After a full day’s travel, she was not a pretty picture, to say the least.

But Hua Zhi knew her father’s roundabout way of showing care. She could hear perfectly well the worry threaded through his contrarian words. All those years she had kept to herself in one corner of the house, she had truly missed much — many things, and many people.

“Old Master Hua, is this the Hua Family’s young lady — come to visit again?” The voice belonged to the same person they had run into on the street last time. Only then did the Hua family members notice that a fair number of people had gathered around them.

Hua Yizheng held his composure with measured dignity. “I had no idea she was coming — her letters never mentioned it. We’re blocking everyone’s way. We’ll head back now.”

“Not at all, not at all — the road is wide! Please, take your time.”

Hua Zhi stepped forward to take hold of her grandfather’s arm, and they walked together toward the rooms nearby. Someone had already heard the commotion and was coming out to meet them.

After two steps, Hua Zhi glanced back. Gu Yanxi pointed toward the inn over to the side. She understood and gave a small nod.

She had not tried to conceal this exchange, and the Hua Family members who caught it found their gazes lingering a moment longer on the man they knew as Master Lu. Clearly, things had happened in the past half year that they knew nothing of.

The thought gave Hua Yizheng pause, and his heart sank a little.

She greeted each member of the family in turn, then produced a large parcel of letters and distributed them. Hua Zhi went to the main hall to pay formal respects to her grandfather.

“Enough of these formalities.” Hua Yizheng was about to signal someone to help her up, then remembered that the household now had no maidservants — and it wouldn’t do to have a male servant come near Zhi’er. And Zhi’er herself had brought no maid along. By the time he thought to go help her himself, she had already risen.

Hua Zhi paid her formal respects to her father and three uncles as well. Even those who wished to decline found themselves accepting when she insisted. What she represented at this moment was not only herself — she stood for everyone at home. This bow, all of them had the right to receive.

As summer days were long, the hour was still not late, but it was growing toward evening. Hua Pingyu looked at his daughter — road-worn and dusty — and swallowed down every question he wanted to ask about home. He suggested: “There’s no rush for any of this. Let Zhi’er go rest first. Father, tomorrow you needn’t go to the office. I’ll go in your place.”

“No need.” Hua Pingyang stepped in. “Tomorrow I’ll go and request leave for all of us. The superior will grant it.”

“That works. Youngest, you go.”

“Yes.”

Hua Yizheng looked at his granddaughter. “Are you staying at the same inn as last time?”

“Yes.”

“Then the same arrangement as last time — your Fourth Uncle will stay with you.”

Hua Zhi glanced at her fourth uncle and agreed.

“Go and rest early. We’ll talk properly tomorrow.”

Hua Zhi rose and gave a slight bow. “Rest easy, Grandfather. At home, all is well. Everyone is well.”

The bittersweet ache that had never quite settled in Hua Yizheng’s chest surged up again. She had traveled a thousand li for this — and what she had delivered was this one sentence. What he had longed and waited for, through all his hoping — was also this one sentence.

And now, at last, she had brought it to him.

“Go.”

Coming out of the main hall, every younger member of the family was still there — not a single one had left. It was clear their elders had been taking great care to shelter them. Even after all they had endured, the trials had only matured them — their eyes were still clear and honest, their bearing still full of the quiet dignity of scholars.

Some here were older than her; some younger. She made no distinction. She bowed to them all together, and said once more: “At home, all is well. Everyone is well. There is nothing to worry about. I’ll come tomorrow and tell you everything properly.”

The half-brothers Hua Baili and Hua Baixiang responded the most loudly of all — she was their eldest sister!

Coming out of the courtyard, Fourth Uncle Hua Pingyang had just been about to take this chance to have a good talk with his niece when he caught sight of that irritating man. He had made an impression on him the last time they’d met — leaving Hua Pingyang both concerned for Zhi’er and, against his better judgment, somewhat reassured.

Being a man himself, he knew better than to take a man’s word at face value. And yet every time he thought of this particular man, he sensed something trustworthy in him. A man who wasn’t genuinely devoted wouldn’t accompany someone on a thousand-li journey. And a man who wasn’t genuinely devoted wouldn’t look at Zhi’er with eyes that soft. Gentleness from someone capable of swift and decisive action — that was the rarest kind.

Only he didn’t know what the two of them were to each other now.

Gu Yanxi clasped his hands in greeting. “Fourth Master Hua.”

Hua Pingyang returned the courtesy. “Master Lu.”

It had been some days since A’Zhi had started calling him Yanxi, so hearing this form of address again struck him as slightly unfamiliar. Gu Yanxi glanced at A’Zhi, then stepped to the side and gestured forward. “The rooms are ready. A room has been arranged for Fourth Master Hua as well.”

Hua Pingyang offered a measured word of thanks.

The dynamic between the two men gave Hua Zhi the distinct and inexplicable impression of a father eying the scoundrel who had spirited away his daughter — and the image flustered her enough that she cast about hastily for a change of subject. “Fourth Uncle, has everyone been keeping well these past months?”

“Everyone has.” Hua Pingyang’s expression eased. “That physician friend of yours has remarkable skill. Father’s illness is fully cured, and the minor ailments the others had are nearly all resolved. I’ve entered the garrison commander’s service, and your grandfather and eldest uncle have been helping Commander Wu Yong put Yinshan Pass in better order — with notable results. The Hua Family, in some measure, has at least gained a foothold for itself now.”

“That is wonderful news.” The brightness returned to Hua Zhi’s smile. As long as the Hua Family could establish itself firmly here, that was enough. She would not ask for more. The rest would have to be fought for — back in the capital.

Author’s note: End of the month — please vote if you can!