That night was a sleepless one for many.
Gu Yanxi sat in his unlit study until dawn, and early the next morning he collected Shao Yao from outside the Hua Family’s gate to bring her into the palace.
Though he had already decided to yield, Gu Yanxi still did not go directly to admit fault — in his heart, he did not feel he had done anything wrong. His willingness to yield came more from the fact that this was his uncle, an elder.
He simply hauled the whimpering Shao Yao in front of the Emperor, watched as she took his pulse, and when he learned that the Emperor’s health was depleted, his expression darkened considerably. He had long seen through the frailty of the bond between uncle and nephew — one that could not withstand the slightest strain — yet he had never once wished any ill upon the Emperor.
The Emperor, forced once again to drink down a bowl of dark, bitter medicine, was nonetheless in remarkably good spirits. The corners of his mouth kept creeping upward no matter how hard he tried to hold them down. Though no flattering words were spoken, this young man had never been one for pleasantries — speaking without cold indifference was already the highest one could hope for.
The moment the visitor left, the Emperor stopped holding back, eyes crinkling with a smile as he asked Laifu, “The boy has come around, hasn’t he?”
Laifu exhaled quietly with relief — he had been worried that Shizi might truly keep butting heads with the Emperor and hand others an opportunity to rise. “Shizi has always been most attentive to Your Majesty’s health.”
Indeed. While others had their eyes fixed on that throne, this young man had his eyes fixed on his health — and the moment he saw the slightest depletion, he grew anxious.
The Emperor was privately quite pleased with himself. Smiling, he grumbled all the same: “That stubborn, unyielding temperament of his — only this Emperor indulges it.”
“That is simply Shizi’s nature. This old servant has heard that Shizi has barely slept these past few days, the lights in Qisu Division burning through every night.” Laifu cast a furtive glance at the Emperor. “This old servant noticed that Shizi seems to have grown somewhat thinner.”
“He was just afraid this Emperor would deal with that woman, wasn’t he?” The Emperor gave a huff, then a moment later, as if thinking of it by chance, issued a casual order: “Didn’t the north send some fine things the other day? Shao Yao just said this Emperor is too depleted to take supplements — pick out a few and send them to Shizi’s residence.”
Laifu bowed in acknowledgment, privately thinking that this storm had finally passed.
Inside Qisu Division, Shao Yao wore a look of pure misery. “Yanxi, do I have to be cooped up in this palace every single day again?”
Gu Yanxi kept Chen Qing behind and dismissed the others. “If anyone else makes contact with Laifu, the Emperor will notice. You won’t draw that attention, and besides, staying close to the Emperor might give you opportunities to help A’Zhi.”
Help Huahua — Shao Yao pursed her lips and said nothing. Given the way the Emperor had looked at Huahua that day, Huahua was in real danger.
“Remove the poison from Chen Qing.”
Shao Yao sniffled, rummaged through the medicine chest until she had turned it nearly upside down, and fished out a small bottle which she handed to Chen Qing. “Hao Yue probably hasn’t administered anything on you for a while now — the trace is much fainter.”
“The last few times we met it was always rushed. She had no opportunity.” Chen Qing uncorked the bottle and brought it to her nose — not a hint of scent.
“Take it back and pour it into water. Rinse yourself and your clothes thoroughly and it will be neutralized.”
“Understood.”
Gu Yanxi picked up the few small pieces of silver from the table that he had been turning in his fingers until they shone. “As a precaution, keep your distance from Hao Yue from now on.”
“Yes.”
“Shao Yao, find a moment to mention to Laifu that he should look after Hao Yue somewhat — but not too much. She is not important.”
Shao Yao responded listlessly. Just thinking about being confined to the palace again sapped all her energy — the food was nothing worth eating, there was nothing worth doing for fun, and everyone wore a face that seemed painted on, uttering falsehoods while convincing themselves they spoke the truth. Utterly tiresome.
“Chen Qing, begin gradually stepping back from affairs here at Qisu Division. The personnel from Shizi’s residence have become too entangled with Qisu Division — they must be separated. From now on, you need not manage matters on the official side, but any resources available to you, continue to use them.”
“Understood.”
“Increase the guards protecting the Hua Family. Additionally, pull a few people separately to monitor the mood among the capital’s populace — they will be needed later.”
“Yes.”
Gu Yanxi lowered his gaze to the silver pieces in his palm. A’Zhi wanted Xiao Liu to win the people’s hearts, yet popular sentiment was the easiest thing to sway. Without preparation in advance, those hearts might end up belonging to someone else by the time they were needed. The business of picking fruit after another had done the planting was nothing new.
“Any progress on the Chaoli Tribe matter?”
Chen Qing shook his head. “None. They have gone very deep into hiding lately. We have had so many people out searching and haven’t caught a trace of them.”
“Going forward, have them report directly to me. You gradually withdraw.”
“Yes.”
Now that things were out in the open, Gu Yanxi no longer bothered to conceal himself. Once the pressing matters were dealt with, he went to the Hua Family.
When the Emperor learned of this he was naturally displeased — then he reconsidered and thought that this nephew of his was genuine in his nature. If it were someone else, not to look far, take the Fourth Prince — if he knew the Emperor disapproved of his consort mother, he would probably stop visiting her altogether. Compared side by side, the difference in character was plain to see. With Laifu adding a few words beside his ear to tip the scales, this small displeasure dissipated.
The Hua Family was as quiet as always, yet even the First Madam — who was by nature slow to notice things — had sensed that something was off in the household. The daughter who used to come to pay her respects each morning had not been seen for several days. She had sent a maid to secretly check the front courtyard and learned that her daughter had been injured. Thinking then of Zhi Niang’s sudden visit, she could not help but worry.
Yet she held fast to her mother’s words, suppressing her anxiety no matter how great, and did not go to disturb her daughter. She was not capable enough to be of help to A’Zhi — the only thing she could do was not add to her burdens.
Everyone else had also become more dutiful than before, and the inner courtyard had sunk into a kind of collective stillness.
Hua Zhi was not unaware of this, but she had no attention to spare for it at present — she spent her days in the study, drafting proposal after proposal, revising and refining.
Liu Xiang came out of the kitchen carrying a basin of hot water and at once caught sight of the man striding in directly toward the study. She hurried to follow — there was no one attending in the study right now.
“Why are you here at this hour?” Hua Zhi looked up, pleasantly surprised.
“Finished my business.” Gu Yanxi walked to her side and looked at what she had written — clear, direct, very easy to follow.
“I’ve only just started that one. For the final version, look at this.” Hua Zhi picked up another draft from beside her — one nearly complete — and handed it to him. She then rose and moved to one side, submerging both hands in the hot water to soak. The stiffness slowly dissolved, and her right hand’s fingers gradually unfurled in the water.
Looking at her two hands — plainly mismatched in size and fullness — Hua Zhi thought of how her fingers had once been slender and tapering, with no visible knuckles at all. A year of writing so much had left thin calluses on the pads of her right hand’s fingers and along her wrist.
While she was lost in thought, Gu Yanxi settled beside her. His gaze fell on her hands, and a flash of tenderness crossed his eyes. The hands of a noble young lady were meant to be untouched by rough work — fingers rounded, knuckles hidden, small dimples on the back of each hand — just like her left hand as it was now. Compared side by side, her right hand looked as though it belonged to someone else entirely: each finger a size thinner than the left, knuckles prominent, the skin over them visibly rougher.
Yet it was these hands that had kept the Hua Family standing.
Rolling up his sleeve, Gu Yanxi lifted A’Zhi’s right hand from the water, starting from the little finger and applying a gentle but firm pressure as he kneaded. Liu Xiang, who had been relieved of her duty, blinked, set the hand cream to one side, and retreated to stand guard outside the door.
Privately, she felt quietly that it was quite nice, this thing between Miss and Mr. Lu. Couples in other households who had made a formal betrothal were lucky to steal a single guarded meeting before the wedding — and those were the fortunate ones. Some did not even glimpse their partner’s face until the bridal veil was lifted on the wedding night. How could any of them compare to Miss and Mr. Lu, who saw each other every day? Their affection was plain for anyone to see.