Knowing full well why he had come, Hua Zhi rose and gave a curtsy. “Master Zheng.”
Zheng Zhi dispensed with pleasantries and returned the bow, then asked directly, “Is that Zeng Han the son of Zeng Xian? How did he come to be at the Hua Family?”
“Zeng Xian entrusted his son to me on his deathbed.” Saying this, Hua Zhi suddenly remembered what she had forgotten, and she offered a formal, deep bow. “It was through your introduction that I first went to call on Zeng Xian. That visit was the source of the bond that helped the Hua Family escape disaster. Your kindness is a great one, Master.”
“The bond was yours to form yourself. What does that have to do with me?” Zheng Zhi waved the matter off. Though he did not know the full details of what had happened at Yinshan Pass, a rough comparison of circumstances was enough to let him surmise the broad shape of it. “You have enrolled Zeng Han in the Hua Family clan school — do you intend to keep him with you from here on?”
“As long as he himself wishes to stay, that is the intention.” After a moment’s thought, Hua Zhi went ahead and explained Zeng Han’s situation. “His temperament has been shaped greatly by Zeng Xian’s influence. He is still young, so I would like to try influencing him gradually from the side. People live in communities — sooner or later he will need to interact with others. Even if, after making the attempt, he still wishes to keep to himself, it would be enough if he could at least get along well with the other Hua Family children.”
Zheng Zhi’s expression shifted slightly. “Nothing else?”
“Such as?”
“Have you given any thought to what path he will walk in the future?”
“That is his path — why should I be the one to decide it?” Hua Zhi smiled. “As long as he commits no crimes, whatever path he chooses, I will support it.”
A smile broke across Zheng Zhi’s face. “I am suddenly quite glad to have had ties with the Zeng Family in the past, and glad that I asked you to deliver that gift to him.”
“As am I.”
“His temperament cannot be changed by keeping him shut up at home. Once my three-year term is completed, let him come out and travel with me. Once he has seen more of the world and his horizons have opened, all of it will naturally sort itself out.”
A thought flickered through Hua Zhi’s mind. “Master Zheng, does this mean…”
“I wish to take Zeng Han as my student. Would you give your consent, young lady?”
Hua Zhi was glad for Xiao Han at heart, but did not agree on the spot. “I must first discuss it with Xiao Han. He is at the time in his life when he feels most without security — I cannot let him think I no longer want him and am handing him off to you.”
“Zeng Han is fortunate indeed.” Zheng Zhi cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and turned to leave. The longer he stayed in the Hua household and the more he came to understand of it, the more he found the young mistress exceptional. Her way of conducting herself, the breadth of her mind — not to speak of other women, but most men fell far short of her as well. It was as though she were born with a particular gift: no matter what stood before her, it could not obstruct her line of sight. She never set her eyes on the immediate moment, but always on the long road ahead. Whether it was Bailin, Sui An, Zeng Han, or that child of unusual origins, Xiao Liu — she was this way with all of them.
If she had been born a man, if she one day rose to a position of high authority — she would have been a blessing to Daqing. What a pity.
Unaware of the many thoughts stirring in Master Zheng’s heart, Hua Zhi was counting days on her fingers. The south was now in the aftermath of disaster, which meant the floodwaters should have largely receded. Upon receiving word, the fishing trade house should move quickly to prepare their goods — allowing for half a month to twenty days on the road, they would arrive after the autumn examinations but before the results were announced. That timing was actually just right for the opening.
Thinking of the examinations, Hua Zhi naturally thought of the literary gatherings. The Wei Family wished to take the Hua Family’s place — she could not say whether this was at the emperor’s direction. If it was, then the emperor wished to establish another family in their stead, to use it to weaken the Hua Family’s influence. Thinking of it this way, it truly seemed plausible.
If she remembered correctly, the man who had taken Grandfather’s place as chancellor of the Hanlin Academy was none other than the Wei Family’s Wei Rongwen.
How thorough. They really intended to take everything the Hua Family had.
Hua Zhi picked up her brush and wrote the character for “Wei” in large strokes, then drew a circle around it.
She had no intention of telling Yanxi about this matter. Yanxi had already done everything in his power for her — and more than a few things beyond what he could safely do, taking risks she could only guess at. That was enough. If His Majesty wished to make use of the Wei Family, and Yanxi were to act against the Wei Family on her behalf, it would be tantamount to slapping the emperor in the face. Far too dangerous.
Setting that aside for now, Hua Zhi went to the clan school and fetched Zeng Han. Dressed in new clothes, his heart having found some steadiness, the boy looked in better spirits. There was even a glimmer of light in his eyes.
“Master Zheng was an old friend of your father’s. The first time I went to visit your father was at his introduction — do you remember?”
Zeng Han nodded.
“Today he came to find me. He has his eye on your natural gifts and wishes to take you as his student. Are you willing?”
Zeng Han did not think it over — he shook his head.
“Why not?”
“I want to stay with you.”
Just as she had expected. Hua Zhi felt a warm ache in her heart, but also a gentle helplessness. She drew the child down to sit with her, considered her words for a moment, then said in a soft voice: “Xiao Han, do you know what home means?”
Zeng Han only looked at her.
Hua Zhi did not mind his silence, and went on: “Home is the place you want to return to — no matter where you have gone, no matter how far you have flown — when you are tired, when you are weary. The Hua Family is your home. But I don’t want you to clip your own wings and keep yourself confined within this home forever, believing the world is no bigger than the small patch of sky above your head — never having seen mountains of wonder, never having journeyed across the open steppe, never having stood before the boundless expanse of the sea. Xiao Han, the world is vast. The capital is only a tiny corner of it, and Master Zheng is someone who can lead you out of it.”
Zeng Han’s eyes flickered with movement — it was clearly the stirring of desire — yet he reached out and gripped the sleeve of Hua Zhi’s robe tightly.
Hua Zhi smiled gently and took his small hand in her palm. “My learning cannot compare to Master Zheng’s, not by a great distance. His conduct and character are entirely trustworthy, and I would rest easy with you in his care. Home will be right here — it will not go anywhere. No matter when you return, your home will be waiting. Your room will always belong to you; no one can take it away. And all of this is talk for the future in any case. Master Zheng has a three-year term with the clan school, of which two and a half years remain. Even if you take him as your teacher, you will still live here at home. And if after those two years you are unwilling to travel with him, I will not press you.”
Zeng Han thought it over, and in the end gave a quiet nod. Because you want me to say yes — and so I will.
Hua Zhi could not conceal her delight. She was genuinely happy for Xiao Han from the bottom of her heart. Zheng Zhi was different from Mu Qing. Mu Qing had once thrown himself single-mindedly toward the imperial examinations — his learning was methodical, his foundation solid, his fundamentals thoroughly laid. The drawback was that he was too rigid. Among scholars of his kind, Mu Qing already ranked as exceptional.
If Mu Qing was of the academic school, then Zheng Zhi was of the experiential school — someone who truly put learning to use. His vast wealth of lived experience had forged a singular style in him. He might not be able to produce a top examination graduate, but he could produce a good official.
Zeng Han had no need to sit the examinations, and he would not necessarily become an official. It would be enough if he could absorb even two parts of Zheng Zhi’s ease and three parts of his broadness of mind. All Hua Zhi feared was that his temperament was the kind too easily prone to going to extremes.
Zheng Zhi was a man of formidable resolve — the moment he learned Zeng Han had agreed, he came himself. He signaled for a maid to pour a cup of tea for Zeng Han, settled into the seat of honor, and waited to receive the formal tea that marked the acceptance of a teacher.
Hua Zhi thought: “…”
Yet she still had to serve as the witness. Fortunately, she had already told Xiao Han what needed to be done. She sat to one side and watched as the child knelt on the kneeling cushion with both hands holding the cup aloft, and called out the word “Teacher.”
Zheng Zhi gave a satisfied nod and took the tea, drinking half the cup in one go. “I don’t hold with many formalities here — keeping to the Hua Family’s rules will do. Any question you have, come to me.”
“Yes.”
Hua Zhi had always thought that even Bailin’s taking of a teacher had been a fairly simple affair. But having this to compare it with, she realized that had already been more ceremony than not. Xiao Han’s was the truly bare-bones version. She would need to make up the proper ceremonial gifts for the formal discipleship after all.