The following morning, Hua Ling set off for Dazhu Temple.
That day, the stack of calling cards was several more than the day before. Hua Zhi wrote reply notes for each one and handed them to Steward Xu. “Even if you hear unpleasant things, there’s no need to get angry — just pretend you didn’t hear a word.”
Steward Xu received them with both hands. “First Young Miss, rest assured. I’ve already given my instructions — what happened yesterday will not happen again.”
“Send him ten taels of silver, and see that he rests and recovers properly.” Hua Zhi hadn’t expected that a servant would get into a conflict with someone simply for hearing her being spoken ill of, and come back injured for it.
Liqiyun Lane was opening tomorrow. With everything to be arranged and seen to, by the time she had sorted it all out, most of the day had already slipped away.
Glancing at the hour, Hua Zhi headed to the main kitchen in the rear courtyard. Making the dried meat required many hands, and the women from each household who weren’t occupied had all come to help — over the past few days, a fair amount had been produced.
Since they were still in the mourning period, Hua Zhi had only tasted a little on the very first day — and even spat out the scraps — then sent some samples to Shao Yao, asking her to memorize the taste. After each new batch was made, Shao Yao would taste-test it, and so far there had been no word that anything had gone wrong.
“The quantity is still a bit short. Fourth Aunt, please arrange more people to help—”
“First Young Miss!” The voice was nearly cracking, and it came along with the sound of rapid, urgent footsteps. Hua Zhi’s heart lurched and plummeted sharply.
She quietly took a few deep breaths. By the time she turned around, her expression had already returned to normal. The group of maids and servant women who had been startled by the commotion took one look at her composure, pressed their hands to their own chests, and steadied themselves. They turned to look at the figure running in through the moon gate.
It was Dongzi — the person she had arranged to stay close to Hua Ling!
Hua Zhi stepped forward quickly. “What has happened?”
Dongzi’s clothes were covered in dust, her face mottled with bruises, but none of that mattered to her now. She said urgently, “The Third Young Miss has been taken by the Wei family’s young master!”
Hua Zhi bit the tip of her tongue. “Tell me clearly!”
“Yes.” Dongzi slapped herself hard across the face to force herself to calm down. “On the way back, we ran into the Wei family’s eldest young master. The Third Young Miss had no wish to stir up trouble, and even had us move aside to let him pass. But we never expected — never expected that Young Master Wei somehow recognized the Hua family carriage. Not only did he block the way and refuse to let us through, he tried to forcibly lift the curtain. We naturally couldn’t allow that, and a conflict broke out. Nanny Su was kicked off the carriage while trying to protect the Third Young Miss — she’s still unconscious. There were too many of them, we couldn’t hold our own. I failed in my duty…”
Dongzi slapped herself again, and said hoarsely, “I came back to report. Chunshan is trying to follow their trail.”
“Wei Chengxi?”
“Yes.”
“How many were there on their side?”
“Seven, including Young Master Wei.”
Hua Zhi brushed past Dongzi and walked out at a swift pace.
Wu Shi couldn’t help but call out to her. “Zhier…”
Hua Zhi paused mid-step and turned back to look at the household — mistresses and servants alike, all stricken with worry over Hua Ling. She smiled. “I’ve got this.”
I’ve got this. I will do everything I can to keep her safe. Even if things come to the very worst, I will protect her so she can live out her days in peace — not a single person will be able to bully her.
Wu Shi covered her mouth, and tears streamed freely down her face. She understood what Zhier meant. Yes — our own girl, we protect ourselves.
“Don’t let the work stop — less talking, more doing.” With that, Wu Shi went to find Xia Shi. Difficult as it was, even with how strained things were between her and her own family, she needed to go and ask. And if, by chance — they were willing to help?
Hua Zhi went directly to Wang Rong. He was no longer merely the Hua family’s martial arts instructor; he was the First Young Miss’s personal guard.
“Mr. Wang, Wei Chengxi has taken Third Sister away. I need you — use every ability you have to find her.”
Wang Rong considered it a lapse on his own part and had nothing to object. “Where was the Third Young Miss taken?”
“Dongzi, take Mr. Wang there.”
“Yes.”
Saving someone was urgent. The two of them wasted not a moment and left at once.
Hua Zhi bit at her fingertip. “Steward Xu, go to the Zhu family yourself. Ask my maternal grandmother to lend us people to search, and request that my cousin come forward as well.”
“Yes.”
No matter what, the Qixiu Bureau could not be involved. She couldn’t let anyone know the Bureau served her — she couldn’t bring trouble to Yanxi.
What else could be done? Hua Zhi forced herself to think clearly. The Wei family, the Wei family…
The Wei family’s side of things had to be sealed off — she needed to leave Hua Ling a way out.
“Li De, go and prepare twenty-four coffins for me. Never mind the size. Bring the able-bodied men of the household and carry them directly to the Wei family’s gate — quickly.”
Everyone was startled. What on earth was the First Young Miss planning?
Li De had been tutored long enough by Steward Xu and had taken his lessons to heart: whatever the First Young Miss commands, carry it out — no dawdling.
He didn’t stop to wonder what her purpose was. He answered respectfully and went off to the coffin shop without another word.
Then Hua Zhi went to the family school.
For the first time, she interrupted the two teachers’ lessons, and called all twenty-four children together.
“On her way back from praying for our grandmother at the temple, Hua Ling was abducted by Wei Chengxi of the Wei family.”
Zheng Zhi and Mu Qing both startled, their expressions turning grim. A young girl being taken — even if she came back completely unharmed, her reputation would be ruined.
Even the youngest of the children already understood the ways of the world. Hua Ling’s younger half-brother, Hua Baikong, stood up at once in agitation. “Elder Sister, I want to go rescue Third Sister.”
Hua Zhi patted his head and looked to the others. “What do you all think?”
The children wore the school’s uniform — their sleeves and hems all splattered here and there with ink. Now their faces were flushed with righteous fury. “Rescue Third Sister!”
“Good. Then follow me.”
As they left the school, Hua Zhi turned by chance and noticed that Xiao Han had come along too. “Xiao Han, you can’t come.”
Zeng Han glanced at the others. “Everyone’s going.”
His teacher Zheng Zhi spoke up. “He may go. His family’s connection to yours has already been brought to light before that person — there’s no issue.”
With Hua Ling on her mind, Hua Zhi thought it through quickly and raised no further objection. She nodded and headed out.
The Hua family’s main gate was rarely thrown open — yet on this day it stood wide. Hua Zhi walked at the front; the twenty-four children followed two by two behind her, arranged shortest to tallest. By any measure of their ages, the words “imposing” and “formidable” should have had nothing to do with them — yet somehow, that was exactly the feeling they gave.
The coffins arrived before they did.
Twenty-four coffins stood arranged neatly before the Wei family’s gate. The Wei family’s steward was cursing furiously and directing the household guards to smash them apart. The Hua family guards, after a year of training, were considerably stronger than before — and entirely unflinching. Chests puffed out, they met them head-on.
By the time Hua Zhi arrived, both sides were nearly coming to blows. Though the Wei family occupied a lofty position, there was no shortage of people who had come to watch the spectacle. Hua Zhi had drawn quite a crowd along the way herself.
As the servants reflected the character of their masters, the Wei household’s contempt for the Hua family extended to its steward, who couldn’t hold back the moment he caught sight of Hua Zhi. He went straight on the attack. “First Young Miss — what is the meaning of this? Do you think a show like this will let your shameless designs come to fruition?”
“The filth in a person’s own mind determines how far they’re willing to drag others.” Hua Zhi’s voice was cold and level. “I have come today to ask one thing: when did the Wei family take up banditry? What does it mean that the Wei family’s eldest young master has abducted my younger sister off the road?”
The Wei steward was inwardly startled, but his expression remained indignant. “No proof, no evidence — don’t go slandering people with wild accusations!”