Hua Zhi’s heart swelled with something soft and aching. She moved closer and gently stroked the back of her brother’s neck. Meeting the pleading in his eyes, she let nothing soften in her manner. “The Northern Territories are far colder than the capital. Grandfather is old. If he falls ill out there, what do you think the outcome would be? Before this I managed to send them some silver, but Grandfather is not only caring for our immediate family — there are the other branches who were implicated through him as well. That silver will not be enough. And in such a harsh and frozen land, even with silver, there are many things that simply cannot be bought. I must bring them from the capital.”

“But it does not have to be Elder Sister who goes personally. The household has so many servants — can they not go instead?”

“They do not carry the Hua name.” Hua Zhi sighed softly. Bolin did not understand: only a visit from a Hua Family member would truly set their grandfather’s heart at ease and relieve the worry that burdened them.

“Do not worry. Elder Sister will not set out without having thought everything through. Now let us return to what we were discussing. When Elder Sister is away, you will be the younger boys’ teacher. Can you do that?”

Hua Bolin gave a sharp nod, fierce and resolute. Elder Sister was going all the way out there — how could he still let her be troubled over something as small as this?

A smile surfaced in Hua Zhi’s eyes. “Then let us speak about the second matter. First let me ask you: what do you think of Master Mu?”

“He is excellent. Better than any of the other teachers.”

“Then would you be willing to enter his tutelage formally?”

Hua Bolin’s eyes lit up. “Master Mu would take me as his student?”

“Taking a teacher is a serious matter — of course I must ask you first. If Elder Sister made the decision for you, but you found you did not care for Master Mu, that would be a kindness turned to harm. Naturally, if you are not to Master Mu’s liking either, then it simply means there is no teacher-and-student bond between you. You are not to hold any resentment over it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Elder Sister.”

Hua Zhi tapped him on the forehead. “Crying one moment, laughing the next — have you no shame? Go and wash your face.”

After classes let out that afternoon, Hua Zhi called Mu Qing aside as he was preparing to leave. To avoid giving cause for gossip, they spoke out on the covered walkway.

Master Mu gave a broad, pleased laugh. “I will not hide it from the eldest young lady — I have developed a genuine fondness for the Sixth Young Master. I only held back from mentioning it because raising the matter now seemed like taking advantage of a difficult moment. The Hua Family has a century of distinguished heritage; how could I presume to bring such a lineage under the name of someone as unremarkable as myself.”

“In this young lady’s view, Master Mu is worthy of the title of teacher in every regard.”

To Mu Qing, no word of praise carried the weight of that single sentence. It was the highest recognition he had received across his many years as an educator.

He bowed with genuine solemnity. Hua Zhi quickly stepped aside, declining to receive it.

“Then this young lady will go and report to Grandmother, and we shall choose an auspicious date to see this happy affair properly concluded.”

“As the eldest young lady sees fit.”

Gu Yanxi, relying on his exceptionally keen hearing, had caught the better part of their conversation from a considerable distance. He offered Hua Zhi’s decision a measure of inward approval.

He had just finished looking into Mu Qing’s background. The man hailed from Yangzhou — a place that had produced no shortage of talent — and had placed in the top two across consecutive examinations. He had come to the capital aiming for nothing less than first place.

The reason he had fallen from such heights was partly his own youthful arrogance, and partly because there had been those unwilling to see another outshine them all. Hua Yi, recognizing talent, had been fortunate enough to bring him to the Hua clan school as a teacher. To enter his tutelage — it was no poor bargain.

“Yanxi-ge, are you still not leaving?”

The master of the house had not yet seen him out, but his own person had started urging him along. Gu Yanxi looked over at Shaoye, who could not seem to pound her herbs in peace. Something resembling the sorrow of a father watching his daughter leave home rose within him, unbidden.

“What happened at the clan school this morning?”

Shaoye covered her mouth and laughed for a good while first; when she finally dropped her hand, there was a ring of medicinal residue across her face. “The Second Young Lady and Third Young Lady of the Hua Family tried their hand at teaching in the clan school. Care to guess how it went?”

Gu Yanxi did not need to think. “Not well, I would imagine.”

“I snuck over to listen…” Catching the Shizi’s slight frown, Shaoye hurried to explain: “I wasn’t really sneaking — I was just on that side of the clan school, with a wall between us. They didn’t know I could hear.”

“We are guests at the Hua estate. Be more careful in how you conduct yourself. Do not cause trouble for Hua Zhi.”

“I know.” Shaoye herself felt she had been a little out of line. If someone had discovered her, it would have put Hua Hua in an awkward position. She needed to be more careful — she absolutely could not embarrass Hua Hua.

Gu Yanxi looked toward the covered walkway. “What did you hear?”

“Stumbling and halting the whole way through — so much worse than Hua Hua. Heaven and earth apart. And there they were, thinking themselves so impressive.” The pride on Shaoye’s face at that moment made her look for all the world as though she had been the one up in the sky. Gu Yanxi glanced at her, then returned his gaze to Hua Zhi.

Thorough memorization does not mean true understanding, and true understanding does not mean one can explain it to others. The fact that Hua Zhi could take to it with such ease did not mean others could as well. If teaching were so easily done, there would not have been so few female instructors over all these years — and none who earned the recognition that Hua Zhi had.

Seeing Hua Zhi walking in their direction, Shaoye scooped up her mortar and went forward to meet her. “Hua Hua, Fu Dong says there will be braised pork tonight!”

“Fu Dong’s skill improving is certainly thanks to you.” Taking her handkerchief, she wiped Shaoye’s face, then looked toward Gu Yanxi. “As it happens, I have something to discuss with Master Lu.”

Gu Yanxi raised an eyebrow. “Eldest Young Lady, please speak.”

“Among the household guards and servants, has Master Lu come across any whom he considers worth developing further?”

Gu Yanxi currently led two groups at the Hua estate. One was the Hua children, whose lessons took place in the morning. The other was a group of household guards and servants, handpicked by Hua Zhi for their loyalty and strong build — once properly trained, they could hold their own in a real crisis.

“I hope the eldest young lady will not mind my asking — what purpose does she have in mind? It will help me set the right standard for ‘worth developing.'”

“They must be able to endure prolonged travel, and capable of handling one or two dangerous individuals.” Hua Zhi’s expression remained placid as she used her handkerchief to wipe again at the spot on Shaoye’s face where she had just scratched herself.

Gu Yanxi grasped almost immediately what Hua Zhi intended these people for. He ran through the roster in his mind, adding and removing names as he considered. “How many does the eldest young lady require?”

“Four to six.”

“That is no difficulty.”

“Then I ask Master Lu to increase the training intensity for those individuals. I will have need of them before long.”

“Yes.”

Hua Zhi gave a slight bow, then stepped past him and made her way toward the inner courtyard. She had walked only a few steps when she stopped and turned back. “If this young lady wished to do some physical conditioning for herself, might Master Lu have any guidance to offer?”

Before Gu Yanxi could reply, Shaoye was already calling out: “I’ll teach you, Hua Hua — let me teach you!”

Hua Zhi paused, and then laughed. “Of course — how did I forget about you? Then I will not trouble Master Lu.”

Gu Yanxi took his leave with perfect composure, bowing gracefully as he departed. As he turned to go, he cast a brief glance at Shaoye, and Shaoye gave an involuntary shiver — only realizing, a beat too late, that she had perhaps done something wrong.

She thought it over and decided she had not actually committed any offense, and went back to talking eagerly with Hua Zhi. “Hua Hua, what do you want to learn? I know lightness techniques — incredibly convenient for gathering herbs. I also know swordwork, though I don’t use it often. Oh, and I know a set of palm techniques — they look wonderful when performed. You’d make them look even better, Hua Hua. Let me teach you!”

“…” Graceful palm techniques. That was not something Hua Zhi had any particular desire to learn.