“Weiwei, take your parents and leave.” Hua Zhi turned her calm gaze to Zeng Xiangling. “Surely Young Master Zeng has no objection to that.”
Zeng Xiangling smiled pleasantly and shook his head. “My apologies. I object.”
That one small, unobtrusive probe had told Hua Zhi something: he had no intention of letting the Yu Family walk out of here alive. That included her. Everyone in the Yu residence was to die — which meant Zeng Xiangling did not want outsiders learning his true face. If it were merely the matter of the Zhaoli Tribe, there was absolutely no need to go this far. The Yu Family knew nothing of his connection to them, so there was only one remaining explanation: it had something to do with her. He did not want anyone knowing it was by his hand that she had died.
It suddenly struck her — could it be that he intended to pin it on the Zhaoli Tribe?
But why?
No matter how she turned it over in her mind, the reasoning felt too flimsy. She signaled Bao Xia to support Yu Weiwei, and had Yu Mu and Jia Yang carry Old Master Yu and his wife into the main hall. Zeng Xiangling simply watched with a smiling expression, making no move to stop them.
It quickly became clear why.
From inside the hall, figures filed out one after another — an imposing group of men, each one powerfully built. Despite the deep cold, they wore only a single layer, muscles coiled beneath the fabric as though the slightest effort might split the cloth apart.
These were not people from Daqing.
One look was enough for Hua Zhi to be certain. Given Zeng Xiangling’s background, these could only be Zhaoli tribesmen.
At that same moment, sounds came from behind as well. Over a dozen men vaulted up onto the courtyard walls, each one with an arrow nocked and drawn, their bodies just as large and imposing, their bows appearing even larger than anything made in Daqing.
Yu Mu and the others slowly drew back toward the miss. Once they had formed a protective ring around Hua Zhi, her steady voice spoke again: “Take cover under the covered walkway. Surely Young Master Zeng will not begrudge his aunt and cousin a few more moments of life.”
“Miss Hua truly is a perceptive person. I do enjoy dealing with those who are perceptive.”
His consent given, Yu Mu and the others immediately moved the Yu family under the east wing walkway and then retreated at once to surround the miss, forming a tight circle around her.
Hua Zhi pushed Bao Xia aside from in front of her — it was useless. They held the high ground; no formation would keep her safe. If they wanted her life, they would not bother with Bao Xia first.
“Was the incident at the silver mine your doing, Young Master Zeng?”
“It was.” Seeing how composed Hua Zhi remained, Zeng Xiangling took a few steps closer, leaning in with deliberate menace. “There were forty-seven people in the stone quarry being used as a cover outside the silver mine. Not a single one was left alive. After all, without a sufficient number of casualties, how else was one to send the head of the Seven Constellation Bureau away?”
Hua Zhi did not react as he had anticipated — no change of expression, no flash of emotion. She simply looked steadily back at him. No grief, no elation, no rage, no resentment. “Beyond the blood debt, Young Master Zeng — what did you gain?”
“Trying to get me to talk?” Zeng Xiangling’s smile widened. He moved closer still, leaning in to inhale near Hua Zhi’s neck, like a beast marking a person with its scent. “I could gain a great many things — more than you could imagine. But… if you were willing to stay, to remain by my side, I would tell you everything. How does that sound?”
“Those who do not share the same path cannot work together. Young Master Zeng harbors vast ambitions, while I seek nothing more than good food and good drink for the rest of my days.”
“Miss Hua is plainly gifted with extraordinary talent — why bury yourself so?”
Hua Zhi suddenly laughed. She understood. “I could never quite work out what it was you were after. Now I think I see it. Young Master Zeng’s ambitions… are quite something.”
Zeng Xiangling had found his interest thoroughly piqued by her unruffled composure in the face of his steady pressure. When he heard her say this, he gave it no great thought. “Oh? Then by all means, Miss Hua — tell me. What are my ambitions?”
“Leave mine and Yanxi’s lives here in Jinyang, then lay the blame at the Zhaoli Tribe’s feet, letting the world believe we were killed by them. If someone then gives it a push, Daqing — for both public and private reasons — would be compelled to act. Otherwise, the hearts of the people would not be settled…”
Zeng Xiangling’s face darkened and he cut her off. “You think a silver tongue is enough to sow discord? Miss Hua’s scheme is quite something indeed.”
But Hua Zhi had already taken a step back into the protective circle around her. Her voice carried out steady and clear: “And what comes after that? Naturally, Daqing and the Zhaoli Tribe would go to war. Jinyang, far from the front lines, would remain a city of gambling — and a great portion of those gambling earnings would flow into your hands. You could profit from war. You could distribute your favor from a position of power. You could openly build your own forces. When both Daqing and the Zhaoli Tribe have bled themselves dry, you would raise your banner — and this magnificent land would take the name of Zeng. I believe it is I who should be calling your scheme quite something, Young Master Zeng.”
The entire company was struck dumb. It was fantastical to the extreme, yet somehow made perfect and terrifying sense. The Zhaoli tribesmen who had been sent deep into Daqing’s heartland were naturally fluent in Daqing speech, and those among them now shooting looks at Zeng Xiangling that had taken on a distinctly unfriendly cast.
Zeng Xiangling gave a cold snort. “If all it took to raise a banner was the movement of one’s lips, I would be very glad to do exactly as Miss Hua describes. Unfortunately, Miss Hua, for all that she is a woman, does not understand that to raise a banner one must first have a banner. I have no army, no weapons. To have such ambitions under those conditions would be inviting my own death. Miss Hua’s calculations are good, but she has calculated wrong.”
“You have silver.” Hua Zhi let out a light laugh. “Or is Young Master Zeng claiming to be a saint — that he has given every last coin of that vast fortune to the Zhaoli Tribe? If so, I should think rather highly of him for it: a man of Daqing who has carried out the act of treason with such outstanding dedication.”
Zeng Xiangling knew he had made a mistake — he should never have let his interest in her draw him into this back-and-forth in the first place, maneuvering himself into an impossible position. He took several steps back and said coldly: “If you suspect me, investigate all you like afterward. For now — move.”
Those words settled the Zhaoli tribesmen. Arrows trained on the group, and the others in the courtyard closed in.
This was not the most dangerous situation Hua Zhi had ever faced. Yet her opponents were the ones she could least afford to underestimate. She unfastened her cloak and held it in her hands, and her voice rang out clearly toward Zeng Xiangling: “In a time of chaos, a man of your conduct might well be called a powerful and cunning lord. But Daqing is at peace, and the hearts of the people are settled. What you are doing is dragging this land into war. Zeng Xiangling — you are no champion lifting the people toward a better life. You are nothing but a selfish and ruthless schemer. You do not deserve to live!”
“And yet here I stand, alive — while you are the one about to die.” Not a single ripple stirred in Zeng Xiangling’s heart. Every trace of goodwill he had held toward Hua Zhi had transformed into revulsion; he wished her gone immediately. He was still smiling, but his eyes shone with undisguised excitement. “Rumors speak of the Seven Constellation Bureau’s people as highly skilled fighters, and of the eldest daughter of the Hua Family as possessing considerable skill of her own. Then allow me to see just how considerable that skill is. Release the arrows.”
Yu Mu and three others wielded their long whips; four more drew their swords. The first volley of arrows was deflected and knocked to the ground.
Hua Zhi seized the opening and ran toward the east wing. The Yu Family was there — if she moved to the west, as long as she still cared about their lives, she would be forced to run back, and the advantage would shift. But standing in the open courtyard with no cover was equally untenable.
Shao Yao kicked open the door behind her with one foot. What was inside made Shao Yao’s body seize up. She spun around at once and pressed her hands over A’Zhi’s eyes.
Hua Zhi wrapped her fingers tightly around Shao Yao’s wrists and pulled them away. She stepped forward and took in the horror within, her chest heaving in great, shuddering breaths. These were the Yu Family’s servants. The men had died with their eyes wide open in accusation. The women — their clothing torn away, their bodies a ruin of blood and flesh.