The breath of spring grew thicker with each passing day. The heavy winter robes had long since been put away — only Hua Zhi still clung to her warming pouch and refused to let it go.
“The household registrations and shop listings throughout the city have all been recorded and submitted. Per your instructions, this official has lifted the curfew order — though today there are still few people venturing outside.” After reporting the current state of Jinyang, Zhu Ling added, “This official’s colleagues have asked me to inquire on their behalf: what should they do next?”
“Nothing. They should wait for the new administrator to arrive.”
Zhu Ling wanted to ask about his own situation as well — his circumstances were clearly more complicated than the others — but the words were on his tongue and he swallowed them back. How to handle him was probably not a matter the Hua family’s First Young Miss had the authority to decide on her own.
“First Young Miss.” Chen Qing came striding in quickly. “Visitors from the capital have arrived.”
So they’ve finally come. Hua Zhi rose to her feet. Bao Xia immediately brought her cloak over and draped it around her shoulders. “Do you know who it is?”
Chen Qing’s expression was not a pleasant one. “Zhao Jingyu of the Zhao family — one of the Fourth Prince’s people.”
Hua Zhi’s mind gave a sudden loud buzz. One of the Fourth Prince’s people? She was unmistakably a supporter of the Sixth Prince — and yet the Emperor was sending someone from the Fourth Prince’s faction to take over the Jinyang she had worked so hard to stabilize?
She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked toward Zhu Ling. “Make your preparations — you will come back to the capital with me immediately.”
Zhu Ling felt a surge of joy, then hesitated. “May this official bring his daughter along?”
“Of course. We will not be coming back here.”
“Yes, sir — this official will go make preparations at once.” Zhu Ling left with a look of sheer relief on his face. Whoever was taking over Jinyang, staying on would mean nothing good for him. The capital might not be without its own difficulties, but compared to the other officials here, he trusted the First Young Miss of the Hua family far more — and the Seven Lodges Bureau behind her.
Chen Qing stepped forward and asked in a low voice, “First Young Miss, what should we do?”
“We don’t need to do anything. We take the silver and Zhu Ling, and we leave.” Hua Zhi gave a cold laugh. “They want Jinyang? Let them have it. Go notify our people — we depart in half an hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hua Zhi felt wretched inside — for herself, and for Yanxi. The two of them had plotted and maneuvered to pull the Chaoli tribe out by the roots, and Yanxi’s fate still hung unknown. Then the Fourth Prince, from the comfort of the capital, played a few small games of court intrigue — and this territory was carved right into his bowl. Whether this land would produce something sweet or something bitter, she still could not make peace with it in her heart.
People may have their biases. But things should not be allowed to chill a person’s heart like this.
“Young Miss…” Bao Xia came forward, not knowing what to say. Even she felt the injustice of it — for her young miss, for the Shizi. Were they to stay in the capital from now on and scheme over other people’s achievements? What was the point of suffering out there in the field if someone else reaped all the rewards?
Hua Zhi gathered her cloak closer around her, lifted her chin. “Go back to the room. Change clothes.”
The gates of Jinyang’s government office stood wide open, with two guards standing watch on either side.
A large and imposing procession approached. The carriage drew to a precise halt directly in front of the office gates. A footman lifted the curtain, and a man with a short neatly-trimmed beard ducked his way out. He stood on the step board first, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the scene for a moment — and no matter how flat he tried to keep the corners of his mouth, he could not quite suppress the self-satisfied gleam in his eyes.
Of course he was satisfied. Jinyang — what kind of place was Jinyang? This was practically a second capital. Even after being ravaged by the Chaoli tribe for years, the foundations were still here, and however long Hua Zhi had spent stirring things up, in the end did it not fall into his hands? How could he not be pleased?
He stifled a light cough. He stepped down from the carriage and shot a glance sideways. A footman understood at once and stepped forward to speak with the guards. “This is Lord Zhao, the new administrator of Jinyang. Why have you not gone to announce our arrival?”
The guards exchanged an uncertain look. One of them turned and ran inside quickly. They were of no importance, yet they had eyes — they could see plainly that the visitors meant no good. During these days working under First Young Miss, they had felt nothing but satisfaction at a job well done, and they had no wish to see that quiet, action-first young woman come out the worse for it.
By now Hua Zhi had changed into a formal outer robe, her hair pinned up, her face carrying a light touch of powder and color. After hearing the guard’s report, Chen Qing was so furious her hands had clenched into fists — yet Hua Zhi’s own expression remained composed. She set down the warming pouch she had been cradling, smiled faintly, and said, “Go and tell him: every official at Jinyang’s government office has been relieved of their duties. I’m afraid there is no one qualified to receive him. Please have Lord Zhao see himself in — so we may proceed with the handover.”
The guard looked alarmed and uncertain, not knowing what to do.
Hua Zhi thought again and immediately realized she was making things difficult for him. She was leaving; this soldier still had to go on making a living here.
“Chen Qing, you go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chen Qing relayed the words not changing a single character. She waited at the gate for a moment. Zhao Jingyu — who had already been imagining any number of grand entrances for himself — went rigid in the face. Then he thought again: he was the one who had plucked someone else’s ripe fruit; it was only natural he should be generous. After all, he was the one who had come out ahead, and the other side had already taken a tremendous loss — was he not going to allow them even a show of displeasure?
Thinking of it this way, he felt cheerful again. He gave Chen Qing a dignified nod. “It is this official who failed to give advance notice — there is no blame to be placed on you.”
“…” Chen Qing barely managed not to let out a derisive laugh. Blame them? Blame the Seven Lodges Bureau? The Seven Lodges Bureau had accomplished the greatest feat of this entire operation. Who did Zhao Jingyu think he was to talk about blaming them? And if he wanted to humble Hua Zhi — that was even more laughable. Hua Zhi had brought Jinyang to order; anyone with even a trace of brains, no matter how little genuine gratitude they felt, would at least have a few polite words at the ready, wouldn’t they?
In the main hall, Hua Zhi sat at the upper seat and raised her teacup for a slow, unhurried sip. The sound of footsteps came from far off and drew near. When she saw the man enter, she did no more than raise her brow slightly, then set the teacup down with unhurried composure and rose with a slight incline of her head.
“Lord Zhao.”
Zhao Jingyu returned the greeting with a clasped-hands bow. “First Young Miss, I have long admired your name.”
Hua Zhi smiled. “I fear it is not much of a name to admire. Since Lord Zhao has arrived, please accept the handover — and then I may take my leave.”
“Look at this — First Young Miss is leaving the moment this official arrives. Someone who didn’t know better might think First Young Miss had something against me.”
“Lord Zhao is too kind. Let us proceed with the handover.”
Hua Zhi glanced back; Zhu Ling understood and stepped forward, presenting several volumes of records. “These documents detail the arrangements made during this period. For all other matters, my lord may consult the other staff.”
Zhao Jingyu’s attendant accepted them. He then looked again at Hua Zhi. “Is this everything that needs to be handed over?”
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. “What exactly does Lord Zhao mean?”
Zhao Jingyu had come here specifically to pick the ripe fruit and claim the credit; his purpose was direct and clear. He said immediately, “This official heard in the capital that a considerable amount of silver belonging to the Chaoli tribe was found. Where is it being held?”
“In exactly the place where it belongs.”
“And what does First Young Miss mean by that? This official has been appointed the administrator of Jinyang — what falls within the jurisdiction of Jinyang is this official’s proper concern.”
“Lord Zhao need not use the title of administrator to frighten me.” Hua Zhi smiled and produced Yanxi’s seal of authority, raising the banner of the Seven Lodges Bureau. “Can a Jinyang administrator really exercise authority over the Seven Lodges Bureau’s operations?”
Zhao Jingyu felt as though a mouthful of old blood had clogged in his throat, unable to rise or fall. His entire chest ached. Why in the world was the Seven Lodges Bureau head’s seal of authority in the hands of a woman?!