The more Hua Zhi thought of this, the more her heart sank. Yanxi’s skill with a blade was beyond question — he would not be holding the position of the Seven Lodges Bureau’s chief otherwise — yet how many men of his caliber existed in all of the Great Qing? Two fists cannot defeat four hands. She could not help but worry.

And the Chaoli tribe had been concealed within the Great Qing for so long — they had likely been studying him for many years. The one who strikes with intention has the advantage over the one who is caught off guard. Yanxi might not come out on top.

The more she tried not to think about it, the more she wanted to follow after him. Her martial skill might not match many others, but she carried in her mind the knowledge and perspective of another era — perhaps it would prove useful. Sometimes it did not require her to be capable of everything herself. She need only put forward an idea, a possibility, and those with the relevant expertise would fill in the rest. She only needed to be the catalyst.

She closed her eyes and held down this impulse, pressing harder with her hand. The pain made her hiss through her teeth. After a good while, her shoulder finally began to ease.

She dressed herself again, called Bao Xia inside to apply the medicine, and took the driver’s bench herself. She could not drive the carriage, but she could manage to let the horse follow the road ahead on its own.

The Zeng Family was close at hand. By now, the garrison troops that Yu Mu had dispatched had already arrived. The Zeng estate was completely surrounded.

With the entire city under lockdown, the carriage bearing no family crest was conspicuously out of place. Seeing a man in official uniform approaching, Hua Zhi stepped down from the carriage.

“Are you the eldest daughter?”

“I am.” Hua Zhi was not surprised he knew who she was — Yu Mu had likely anticipated she would come.

“This subordinate is Li He. I pay my respects to the eldest daughter.” Li He glanced briefly out of the corner of his eye at this young woman whom the newly appointed governor of Jinyang treated with such deference, and continued respectfully, “The Commander instructed that should this subordinate encounter you, he is to accompany you at your side.”

Hua Zhi nodded without declining the gesture of goodwill. “Are all the members of the Zeng Family present?”

“This subordinate does not know.” Li He explained, “The Commander gave orders only to surround the Zeng estate. All other arrangements were to await your arrival.”

That suited her just as well. Hua Zhi stepped forward toward the Zeng Family estate. The other garrison troops were all perceptive — seeing how their superior deferred to her, they tucked their tails in accordingly, bowed their heads, and made way.

The great doors of the Zeng estate were firmly shut. Hua Zhi politely gripped the door ring and knocked three times.

A moment passed. Three knocks again.

A brief pause. Three more knocks.

At last the door opened from within. Standing to receive her was the long-unseen elder patriarch of the Zeng Family, Zeng Xinyu. Supported by Zeng Xiangyan, his gaze was calm and composed. “This old man is slow to walk. Forgive the delay in answering.”

Hua Zhi offered a shallow bow. “Hua Zhi, of the Hua Family.”

Zeng Xiangyan’s lips moved. In the end, he said nothing.

Zeng Xinyu did not spare a glance at the garrison troops surrounding the estate. He looked at Hua Zhi and smiled with great warmth. “To meet you in person is worth far more than a thousand accounts of your name. The eldest daughter is worthy of the Hua surname.”

“You are too kind.”

“The Hua Family is most fortunate.” Zeng Xinyu stepped aside and gestured in welcome.

Hua Zhi crossed the threshold and stopped. “After you, please.”

Zeng Xinyu did not stand on ceremony, and set off ahead. Hua Zhi followed half a step behind and to his side. Along the way, she took in the deep courtyards and flourishing trees, the artificial hills and murmuring water. Even now, with catastrophe on the doorstep, the maids and servants wore looks of shock and fear — yet each performed their duties, and there was no sign of disorder.

This is not a family that rose overnight. Only the accumulation of generations produces a foundation of this depth. What a pity.

The party settled in the main hall, taking seats as host and guest. After the maids had served tea, they withdrew soundlessly to one side.

Hua Zhi raised the teacup to her lips in a polite gesture, set it down without truly drinking, then rose and gave Zeng Xiangyan — a man she had, in some sense, used — a proper bow. “I was not forthright with you before. I ask Young Master Zeng’s forgiveness.”

Zeng Xiangyan smiled, and the smile was bleak. “There is no need for this, eldest daughter. I have thought it over carefully. You did not deliberately seek me out, nor did you ever deceive me. Even toward the end, when you made use of the opportunity that presented itself — it was because Jinyang genuinely had a problem. My younger brother merely accompanied me in learning about Jinyang. He never extracted information from me or pried into anything. How could I place blame?”

Though the facts were as he said, the first foothold she had gained in understanding Jinyang had indeed come through this man. Among all of Jinyang, he was the only one toward whom she felt even a trace of guilt — though there was no need to put that into words.

She bowed once more and returned to her seat, turning her attention to Zeng Xinyu, seated at the head. “Would it be possible to ask the First Madam to come? I have some questions for her.”

“If the eldest daughter wishes to see her, certainly.” Zeng Xinyu glanced at the household steward, who bowed and departed. “If it were anyone else come to my door, I would still worry they had come with deliberate designs against our Zeng Family. But I trust the Hua Family.”

“I am grateful for your confidence.” Hua Zhi inclined her upper body in a slight bow, but her words were entirely without softness. “First, I wish to ask you — were you aware of Zeng Xianglin’s act of treason?”

Father and son both startled at once. Zeng Xiangyan shot to his feet. “Eldest daughter, have you perhaps misunderstood something? How could my elder brother possibly commit treason?”

Hua Zhi trusted her own judgment. These two before her were genuinely unaware of what Zeng Xianglin had done all these years. Even with a heart turned black, he had protected his family.

She drew the cloak closer and dipped her head, breathing in without quite thinking about it. Then she raised her eyes. “Zeng Xianglin not only served the Chaoli tribe — he also harbored treasonous ambitions. He was brought to justice earlier today.”

Zeng Xinyu swayed. He pressed his fingers hard into the armrest of his chair, bit down on the tip of his tongue, and willed himself not to collapse. He pushed aside his younger son’s steadying hands, and his eyes blazed as he looked toward Hua Zhi. “I knew, to some degree, that Honglin had been privately mining the silver veins. I warned him it would draw envious eyes. With our estate surrounded, I assumed it was connected to that matter. But it turns out…”

He drew a deep breath. His voice was rough and low when he spoke again. “Honglin… committed treason and harbored treasonous ambitions. Does the eldest daughter have proof?”

“Those who judged him guilty were the Seven Lodges Bureau.” Hua Zhi first set the authority of the Seven Lodges Bureau in place, fixing the charge in stone. Looking at the ashen faces of father and son, she continued. “Zeng Xianglin sacrificed the lives of over forty men at the outer quarry of the silver mine to draw away the chief of the Seven Lodges Bureau. He then used Yu Weiwei as bait to threaten me into going to the Yu estate, where he had Chaoli tribespeople lying in ambush. His intention was to frame both our deaths on the Chaoli tribe, provoking a war between the two nations. If you do not believe it, you may go to the Yu estate and see for yourself. Chaoli tribespeople can be recognized by their appearance alone — though Master Zeng may also encounter another scene there that beggars description.”

Hua Zhi lowered her gaze. “The Yu Family — saving the three family members themselves — was left without a single soul.”

“The Yu — the Yu Family?”

“Master Yu’s illness was not an illness. It was poison. Yu Weiwei’s husband Qi Qiu was also Zeng Xianglin’s man. Only days after Yu Weiwei’s marriage, she was poisoned. Swallowing the silver mine was not enough — he had no intention of sparing the lives of those three. And as for yourself — your condition may not be illness either.”

The man who had moments ago been stricken with grief heard that final sentence and stopped, stunned. Not illness? He had suffered from this headache for many years. There were times when the pain was so severe he beat his head against the wall and wished he could simply die — and now he was being told it was not illness?

Zeng Xiangyan rose and bowed deeply. “Please speak plainly, eldest daughter. What is the matter with my father?”

“I am not a physician. These are only my suspicions. The specifics will only become clear once my people arrive, and we can address it after. For now, this can wait.” Hua Zhi looked at father and son. “I have told you this only so that you may understand — we did not wrong Zeng Xianglin. His death was not undeserved.”