Chapter 201 Where Do You Stand?

The purpose of entering had already been achieved. Just as Hua Zhi was about to get up and leave, she heard Lu Boxi say, "The Sixth Prince is here. Have you considered the consequences?"

Hua Zhi shifted herself back down and looked at Lu Boxi with a sudden smile. While others in the palace may have been unaware of the situation, the Duke of Anguo may have received some information.

So she decided to speak frankly, "The Sixth Prince is not currently residing in the palace. Instead, he has been tasked to accompany Prince Ling's son. A prince who does not reside in the palace is accompanying his grandmother to visit acquaintances. What consequences could there possibly be?"

Although her thoughts were confirmed, Lu Boxi was not reassured. When he received the news earlier, he and his father had not been able to understand the Emperor's intentions.

Was he trying to bring his nephew to the forefront and have him stand with the Sixth Prince?

What could be the reason?

It couldn't possibly be that the Sixth Prince was the designated heir apparent by the Emperor.

Lowering his gaze to the emerald green tea in his cup, he took a sip. It was slightly bitter, but there was a hint of sweetness. He took another sip.

Zhu Haocheng frowned in disapproval, but Hua Zhi chose not to explain further. She was grateful to the Zhu family and was close to them, but she had no intention of appeasing them. The Hua family had never bowed before, and they never would in the future.

Equality was the only way to maintain boundaries.

However, she couldn't control how others viewed the situation. After all, she didn't say anything, did she?

Footsteps could be heard outside, and Hua Zhi turned her head, gesturing for them to move aside.

Liu Xiang lifted the curtain, followed by a servant carrying dishes in white clothes, blue shoes, and neatly tied a blue cloth around their hair. Some of the dishes were steaming hot.

After they set everything down, they all bowed and silently left the room.

"This is quite interesting," Qin Gongyang raised an eyebrow. "Regardless of the taste, the presentation is quite good and comforting to look at."

Zhu Haocheng looked around. "There seems to be a lot, but the portions are small."

Hua Zhi smiled, teasingly. "Uncle, take a closer look."

As Zhu Haocheng looked closely, his eyes showed a hint of surprise. "Are all these dishes made with chicken?"

The other two also took a closer look.

Hua Zhi explained, "The specialty of this meal is that the guests choose a single ingredient, and twelve dishes are prepared using that ingredient. Four small dishes are related to the main ingredient. For example, the dishes on the table are all made with chicken, but each dish is prepared differently with different side dishes. The portions are decided based on the number of people. If ten people come, then ten portions are made. If only two people are there, then two portions are made. Today is different. Originally, it was three dishes for ten people, but since everyone was sitting separately, I had them prepare smaller portions. Each table will receive dishes made with three different ingredients, allowing everyone to taste a variety of flavors."

As they were speaking, the servant came in again, this time with a small portion of dishes made with fish.

The third time they came in, they brought bean sprouts that Fu Dong had personally grown, which filled the table.

The three of them were amazed, and Qin Gongyang shook his head, "This is truly..."

Hua Zhi felt a sense of accomplishment. There were originally twenty-eight cooking methods, and now she had only brought out half of them.

What a feat!

Taking the wine that Bao Xia handed her, Hua Zhi poured each of the three men a glass and said, "This wine, brewed according to ancient methods, is quite decent."

After setting down the wine jug, Hua Zhi bowed slightly and said, "Please enjoy."

Knowing that she had other people to attend to, the three men didn't keep her, even Lu Boxi nodded approvingly at her, indicating his acceptance.

Hua Zhi checked on the two young men in the private room, and seeing them chatting happily, she felt relieved. She politely declined their invitation to dine together and instead served her grandmother before heading downstairs.

She entered the room on the first floor, hidden behind green plants, secluded from view. Only insiders knew that there was a room here that was not open to the public.

Before she could push the door open, it was already pushed from the inside. Gu Yanxi smiled at her, took her hand, and led her inside, not letting go even after they sat down. "I thought you wouldn't be able to get away for a while. Those girls from those families seemed eager to learn from you."

Hua Zhi took the tea he offered and took several sips. "If learning was that easy, there wouldn't be the eighty-one trials. I just went in to greet them."

She had no interest in being their idol or leading them in rebellion against the societal injustices towards women. The age gap was too significant, and she had never intended to involve herself with them from the start.

Taking a cue from the maids, Gu Yanxi lightly massaged her fingers in the simple room with only a soft couch, a small table, a bookshelf, and a desk. Despite the simplicity, he felt content.

"Will you come here often in the future?"

"Hmm?" Hua Zhi didn't understand what he meant for a moment.

Gu Yanxi looked around and Hua Zhi understood, "For Fu Dong. She often has great ideas, writes them down, and tries them out. If they work well, she incorporates them into her recipes. She has a set at home, and so do the other senior maids."

Maintaining harmony among the servants was crucial.

"I see that they all have their unique abilities."

"Their courage is still lacking. After serving in the mansion for over a decade, the idea of being a servant is ingrained in them. It's not easy to change."

"Take it slow."

"Yeah, no rush." Hua Zhi tried to withdraw her hand, but couldn't, so she didn't mind. She looked at the man in front of her, with his gentle demeanor, and her voice softened, "Do you think the Lu family has figured something out?"

"Little Six?"

"Yeah, I told him that the Sixth Prince was sent by the Emperor to accompany the Shizi. He probably already thought about the issue of standing with which side."

"Let him ponder, I'll see his attitude. If it's what I want to see, I'll go to the Lu's as the Shizi."

"Is that appropriate?"

Gu Yanxi met her gaze, without any hostility in his eyes, "What's inappropriate about it?"

"I think it's a bit too early."

"He'll stand where he wants. As long as it's not revealed, we don't need to do anything for the Sixth Prince right now. The Emperor's focus isn't here anymore, so there's no harm. Let them interact early, it's beneficial for both sides."

Gu Yanxi leaned slightly forward, closer to her. "The Zhus don't need you to say much. Let them make their own decisions. The closer the relationship, the less these matters should be used to test it."

"I won't say anything, but the Zhu family should have noticed something."

"Even if they have, the Zhu family won't make a decision right away. Old Master Zhu is a cautious person. Unless he really sees potential in Little Six, he won't make a move. The Qin family is different."

"How so?" Hua Zhi recalled Qin Gongyang's attitude, which seemed unremarkable.

"The Qins are considered newcomers in the capital. Several princes have their eyes on them. They don't have the same confidence as the Zhus, and sooner or later, they'll have to pick a side. If the eldest stays out of trouble, they won't last long before leaning towards his side. Although they're more cautious now, they can't avoid it. Given what happened today, they will likely consider the Sixth Prince as one of their options. I guess they will reach out to the Lu family next. Rest assured, the Qins won't escape."

Hua Zhi raised her chin slightly. "At least it's my grandmother's maternal family, so go easy on them."

Gu Yanxi smiled subtly. "Understood."