The news struck her hard enough that every flicker of anxiety and disquiet she had been feeling vanished. Knowing that Yanxi was held in high esteem was one thing; knowing he was likely being groomed toward a certain end was something else entirely.
“Aren’t the imperial princes envious?”
“Only Lai Fu is aware of the situation. Even if the princes have their suspicions, they dare not go and ask His Majesty directly. As for my end—” Gu Yanxi gave a cold smile, “—the imperial family has always been wary of the Qisu Division. When I wear my mask, none of them dare come near.”
And of course they were wary. The very existence of the Qisu Division was like a blade suspended above the heads of the imperial princes and the nobility. Hua Zhi understood perfectly, and her next question came all the more directly. “Will you take that seat?”
“No.” Gu Yanxi answered at once, with complete certainty. “Look at my imperial uncle’s entire life — what is there to envy? The imperial princes scheme for that seat; the ministers do all they can to cover his eyes, plug his ears, and seal his mouth. He guards against this one, guards against that one, sleeping with one eye open, day after day, year after year. What kind of life is that?”
Hua Zhi lowered her eyes and, glancing at the man’s dark robe, suddenly remembered what posture the two of them were in. She gently pushed outward. Gu Yanxi understood and released her, settling into the nearest seat beside her.
This topic was best left there. Hua Zhi turned to other matters. “Has there been any news from Hao Yue?”
Gu Yanxi looked at her intently. “The Hua Family’s exiled men have not a single survivor. The female relatives and young children who remained in the capital have taken shelter under the Zhu Family’s protection and are living quietly. Scholars and students throughout the realm are furious. Hao Yue has informed me that this autumn’s imperial examinations will see students attempting to seek justice for the Hua Family, and she also told me that the Second Prince will lose all remaining prospects because of this matter.”
Just as she had thought! Hua Zhi’s hands twisted together, and a thread of cold light ran through her eyes. If she and Yanxi had never met, if they had never gone to Yinshan Pass together, if she had not held on with everything she had, if Yanxi had not returned in time — every last one of the Hua Family’s number would have perished.
“A’Zhi.”
Hua Zhi looked up at him.
“She doesn’t know about you.” Gu Yanxi smiled. “Chen Qing guided her, yet she still has no knowledge of your existence — she has lumped you together with the other female members of the Hua Family. If she truly has the gift of prophecy, then A’Zhi, you fall outside her predictions. Or to put it another way — you are a variable.”
A variable for the entire Daqing dynasty.
“If it is because of this variable that I am — that the Hua Family suffers no casualties, then I am very glad to be this variable.” Hua Zhi was willing to claim the title, and willing to let herself shine brightly, to be a variable of use to Daqing — so long as they could keep clear of the dangers of a time of chaos. “As for the autumn examinations — what is your view?”
Gu Yanxi had clearly already given this thought. He answered without hesitation: “Even now, the scholars have shown remarkable restraint on the matter of the Hua Family. But during the examinations, scholars from across the realm will gather in the capital, and if someone deliberately stirs things up, I fear there may be moves unfavorable to the Hua Family. I will have Chen Qing personally keep watch over this — to prevent anyone from muddying those waters. Beyond that, following long-standing custom, a great many students will deliver calling cards to the Hua Family. This year, though everyone knows the men are not present, whether to demonstrate their regard for the Hua Family or for whatever other reason, I expect this custom will still be upheld. Have you made any plans?”
Hua Zhi considered for a moment. “What is His Majesty’s current attitude toward the Hua Family?”
“Suppression.”
Hua Zhi nodded. “As expected. But if I were to conduct some trade with the scholars, I imagine that even if His Majesty wishes to suppress the Hua Family, he would find nothing to object to.”
Gu Yanxi was briefly taken aback. Knowing A’Zhi as he did, she would never truly intend to profit from the students. So what she was really planning was…
“If the Hua Family’s own conduct is upright — no grievance against the court, no bitterness toward anyone — there is no aggrieved party left to exploit. What is there for anyone to stir up?”
Hua Zhi’s smile turned sly; she had clearly already settled on a plan. Gu Yanxi smiled lightly and touched the corner of her mouth, asking no further questions. A’Zhi’s approach always looked straightforward and easy to counter, and it could seem blunt in how it dealt with problems — but it worked.
“By the way, I’ve set aside a twenty-percent share of the seafood venture for you as well.”
Gu Yanxi’s brow furrowed and he was about to decline, but Hua Zhi stopped him. “I still need to make use of your name in Zhenyang. I’m afraid you’ll need to send a trusted person there to establish a fixed point of operations, and I’ll also need to use your channels to have some ice made. It stays warm there longer than in the north — having no ice on the ship simply won’t do.”
“Even so, there is no need to give me a share of the profits. Your ice-making formula is practically a venture with no outlay, and the silver it has brought in for me this year alone is no small sum.”
“Yanxi, I don’t want to take advantage of you. Even when I do ask something of you, I want it to be on terms where you don’t lose out — that’s the only way I can feel at ease.” Hua Zhi smoothed a strand of hair at her temple and raised her head to look at him. Her eyes held a soft, starlit quality that made it impossible to refuse her. “I want us to be equals. At any moment, I want to be able to face you with a clear conscience — never having to feel that I owe you something and hang my head before you.”
“…Very well. As you wish.” Whatever you wish. One day, everything I have will be yours regardless.
The hour was growing late and Gu Yanxi could not stay much longer. Hua Zhi remembered that some mushroom powder had been freshly dried that day, went to the side room to fetch some, and had Ying Chun wrap up some pickled vegetables and the like for him to take back. Without needing to say a word, Gu Yanxi understood it was for his grandmother. A’Zhi was always soft-hearted toward those close to her — and if the recipient was an elder or a child, all the more so.
The following morning, Hua Zhi kept Fu Dong back alone.
“I want to make some dried meat. Lan Qiao has never done it before. Take some time to teach her. Time is short, so make as large a quantity as you can — don’t worry about having too much left over; even if we end up selling it, there will be no shortage of buyers.”
Fu Dong pressed her lips together and said softly, “The vegetarian restaurant side can be gradually handed over now. This servant will personally oversee the dried meat.”
“With you overseeing it, I’m naturally at ease. But Fu Dong — you need to learn to let go, just as I let go with all of you. Don’t be afraid that others will do things imperfectly. I always allowed you to make mistakes, didn’t I? You just need to keep an eye on things at the end.”
Fu Dong flushed and said yes, the words stirring memories of the past. All of them had started out doing everything with trembling caution, and yet here they each were now, managing a large domain of responsibilities. That was precisely because their young mistress had been willing to let go. She really ought to learn from that example — after all, with her keeping the final watch, anything that went wrong could simply be redone.
“And not just the dried meat — some fried noodles as well.”
The so-called fried noodles were the simplest possible instant noodles. She used to make a small batch now and then to satisfy a craving — and truth be told, the maids had all been rather fond of them. But since the mourning period began, she had not made them once. Just speaking of it now, Hua Zhi found herself swallowing. She told herself that once the mourning period was over, she would eat a proper, filling portion.
“Make as large a quantity as you can with those as well. Now that the weather has turned cooler, they’ll keep.”
“Yes.”
“The pickled vegetables will likely all be used up this time around. When we make them this year, we’ll need to put up a much larger batch.”
This was all well within Fu Dong’s area of expertise. Even while speaking gently, she gave clear-headed answers: “Yes, this servant had been thinking the same. I already mentioned it to Ying Chun earlier and asked her to procure more large crocks. Space here at the house is tight, so I was thinking of claiming a plot of land at the mushroom-growing manor to use specifically for this. Pickled vegetables have been especially popular over at the restaurant, and if they’re used at the seafood venture as well, I worry a small quantity won’t be enough to keep up with demand.”
“That decision is yours to make.”
“Yes.”