It was obviously that the Emperor himself was close to death — what did it have to do with her? Haoyue bit her lip. Words like that, how could she possibly dare to say them aloud? Her thoughts raced, and she let her eyes rim with tears. “Obviously Shaoyao dislikes me. She’s already said she wants to have me confined, and yet you won’t even say a word in my defense. Can it be that you wish to have me confined as well?”
“What are you imagining?” The Emperor laughed and pinched her cheek. “She’s just a child who doesn’t know any better — surely you’re not going to quarrel with her over it.”
Haoyue gave a small huff and turned her face away.
Hua Zhi felt her cheeks aching from the effort of watching this performance. What on earth had she been summoned here for? She could not bear to watch this charade of affection for another moment.
“Alright, you go on back for now. You like that branch of coral, don’t you? I’ll have it sent to you.”
Haoyue knew the Emperor well. When he said this, it was her cue to leave. To linger any further would only breed his displeasure — she was far from satisfied, she had intended to stir things up a little more…
She cast a covert glance at Shaoyao, then withdrew gracefully and readily. This was precisely what the Emperor liked most about her — this kind of magnanimity, this ability to read the room and retreat at the right moment. It was rare in a woman. He had long since grown weary of the women in his harem who clung and pestered over nothing.
In a reasonably good mood, the Emperor looked at Hua Zhi and found her considerably less grating than usual. “That business from before — whose idea was it?”
Hua Zhi knew at once that “that business from before” referred to the rumor Yanxi had deliberately let spread. “Yanxi’s idea.”
“Quite familiar, how you address him.” The Emperor made a displeased sound. “Half the court right now are all but pointing their fingers at me and calling me a fool of a ruler. Give me an idea — how do I get them to stop standing in opposition to me?”
“Your Majesty sees clearly. This humble woman is no strategist and has no such capability as to devise schemes on your behalf. However, their opposition surely has its reasons. Resolve the root of that opposition, and the problem resolves itself.”
“Easier said than done. The reason they oppose me is that there is neither money nor manpower. I can rely on you to bring in money, but can I rely on you to conjure a million more people into existence?” The Emperor stood up and began pacing back and forth in agitation. “The salt affair — I’ve been hearing about it since last year and still nothing has come of it. When can the salt production begin?”
Since last year? Hua Zhi inwardly scoffed, but her expression remained composed. “Before the new year, this humble woman received a letter from her younger brother saying that progress is encouraging. Word should come before too long.”
“And the output? Will it truly be as high as you claimed?”
“Nothing in this world happens all at once. High output requires the construction of salt fields, manpower, materials, and proper management. These things lie outside the scope of what this humble woman is responsible for, and outside the scope of what she can interfere in.”
These words were not particularly courteous, but they were true. The Emperor did not take offense. If she were truly capable of extending her reach that far, even if Yanxi truly regarded her as his…he would not be able to tolerate it.
He sat back down in his original seat and fixed her with an unfriendly gaze. “They say you’re my money-churner. But after all this time, I haven’t seen you churn anything out for me. What do you have to say to that?”
“This humble woman’s answer remains the same — nothing in this world happens all at once. When all the groundwork is properly laid, the money will come rolling in. Anything that yields instant results is not a legitimate enterprise. If this humble woman dared to take such crooked paths, Grandfather would disregard Imperial decree, come rushing back, and administer the family law to deal with her personally.”
“So I’m just supposed to sit here and wait?”
“The salt merchants are already fat enough.” Hua Zhi raised her eyes. “Once it is proven that my method can produce salt in large quantities, what further reason is there for those merchants to exist? Do you know, Your Majesty — in Jiangnan, the price of salt has already risen to one hundred and twenty wen per catty.”
This had already been reported to him through the Seven Lodges Division. The Emperor knew it well. But what held his attention was not whether ordinary people could afford salt — it was Hua Zhi’s words: “the salt merchants are fat enough.” Fat enough meant ripe for the slaughter, did it not? When he thought of the fortunes those people had accumulated generation after generation, the Emperor felt a surge of excitement. That was no small sum.
Hua Zhi acted as though she had noticed nothing of his thoughts, and let fall what seemed like a casual remark: “When the people cannot afford salt, they have no strength to work. And then how is the Grand Canal to be dug?”
“Quite right — the price of salt should come down.” The Emperor could not seem to sit still and was on his feet again, pacing. “Besides this, is there any other way?”
“This humble woman has already sent people to search for something. If it can be found, it would add another profitable venture for Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“Sugar cane — as the name suggests, it can be used to produce sugar.”
Sugar was a fine thing — there was not a single consort in the palace who did not love it. Even if the Emperor was not clear on market prices, he knew it was not cheap. Still, “This is a trade that already exists everywhere. How much can really be made from it?”
“That depends on the quality. If this humble woman dares to bring it forward as a business venture, it is naturally not something the ordinary variety can compare to.”
The Emperor glanced at her and made a sound of displeasure. Much as he disliked her perpetual air of having everything under control, as long as she truly brought in substantial money for him, he supposed he could endure it.
A full hour later, Hua Zhi was finally permitted to leave. By the time the conversation wound down, even the show of deference she had forced herself to maintain had worn away. Perhaps in his prime he had once been the sky that sheltered Yanxi — but now, he was nothing more than an ordinary man gripped by the fear of death. No, not even an ordinary man — an ordinary man caused far less harm. A single word from this man could set rivers of blood flowing.
Lai Fu bowed respectfully and said, “Eldest Young Miss, this servant has been ordered to escort you out of the palace.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch.”
Snow was still drifting down in lazy flurries. Hua Zhi pulled her cloak tightly around herself. Coming out of the warm pavilion made the cold feel all the sharper.
Shaoyao had stayed close by Hua Zhi’s side throughout. She bore in mind Yanxi’s instructions — if Hua Zhi entered the palace for an imperial audience, she was not to leave her side for even a moment. But now something nagged at her, and seeing that Lai Fu was there to accompany Hua Zhi, she drew closer and said quietly, “I’ll go pay my respects to Master. Hua Zhi, you head back first.”
“Of course — since you’re already here, spend a little more time with Yu Lao.” Hua Zhi wanted to ask how the medicine was coming along, but thinking that Yu Lao himself must be even more anxious than she was, she held the question back.
The palace was filled at every turn with palace attendants and ladies-in-waiting, as well as sword-bearing guards patrolling throughout. Hua Zhi walked out with decorum, exchanging no words with Lai Fu and keeping her eyes forward without glancing about.
But some people — are simply unavoidable.
Seeing the elegantly dressed figure in palace robes waiting ahead, Hua Zhi did not slow her pace. When she drew close enough, she dipped into a curtsey. “This humble woman greets Lady Haoyue.”
A female official immediately stepped forward and rebuked her sharply, “How bold! You dare approach Her Ladyship without performing a full prostration?”
What a crude tactic. Hua Zhi felt a flicker of disappointment in Haoyue. She had expected that, as someone who had been reborn, her methods would be considerably more refined.
She had no intention of kneeling — those palace drama scenarios flashed through her mind. How was this kind of situation usually handled? Oh, right — see whose body is more fragile.
Hua Zhi’s body swayed slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Lai Fu. Lai Fu had not caught on at first, but when her body swayed again, he finally understood. “Lady Haoyue, the eldest young miss has a delicate constitution, and the cold today is especially bitter. Would you perhaps consider…”
“What is Eunuch Lai Fu suggesting? If a weak constitution exempts one from proper etiquette, would not the entire palace descend into disorder long ago? Or is it that Eunuch Lai Fu takes pity on a pretty face — and has forgotten that in this palace, the rules of propriety…”