Chapter 339: What I Do, What She Wants

Wu Yong still showed up daily, his persistence unyielding despite the smirks and sharp looks Hua Zhi threw his way. Each glance was a blade, slicing at his pride, but he took it all without a word. Hua Zhi, of course, didn’t lift a finger to stop him. Why would she? Watching someone pine for Cao Cao had become her favorite pastime.

With Cao Cao's dull nature, he wouldn't confess until she did, so the one suffering wouldn't be Cao Cao. Hu Yizheng was astute and could see Wu Yong's intentions. As the pair sparred in the courtyard that day, he strolled over to his granddaughter, his voice low but direct. “How long are you going to let this circus play out?”

"He can't gain any advantage." Whether emotionally or in terms of martial prowess, Shao Yao couldn't be bested by Wu Yong. Even if she was slightly inferior in skill, she had plenty of hidden abilities up her sleeve.

Hua Zhi turned her head, "Grandfather, have you heard the rumors outside?"

"Rumors?” He gave a knowing grunt, his eyes flicking to the boy sitting obediently by Hua Zhi’s feet, flipping through a book like the world outside didn’t exist. “You think I don’t hear every damn word?”

“If you’re not bothered, then neither am I,” he said with a shrug.

Her smile curled with something between jest and warning. “You might want to get used to it, though. When we head back to the capital, the stories about me might curl your hair. Can’t have you fainting in shock.”

“It’s nothing more than what’s expected from the daughters of my Hua family,” Hu Yizheng replied, his tone almost defiant.

“Exactly,” Hua Zhi agreed, the smile fading into something more somber.

'No matter how filthy the rumors, it all comes down to protecting this family. My name, my reputation—if they’re tarnished, it’s for the sake of the Hua bloodline. Whether or not anyone in this family remembers that when the time comes…'

'I just need to be able to look myself in the mirror.'

The Hua family might not deserve her sacrifices, but they’d damn well benefit from them.

"What's the relationship between Shao Yao and the Shizi?"

Yan Xi's true identity had already been figured out, so Hua Zhi wasn’t bothering with pretense anymore. “Grandfather, you're aware of what happened in the Prince Ling Palace, right?” she asked, her tone casual, but there was a sharp edge to it.

“The whole capital knows about it—who could forget?” he replied, clearly amused by the reminder.

“Well, Shao Yao was that blood-soaked sister the Shizi carried out of the palace.”

It was her?!

Back then, everyone thought that girl had met her end, but now it turned out her appearance had been completely wrecked? A twisted kind of fate.

No wonder she had always been so close with the Shizi.

“She was saved by Master Yu, but the thing is, she can’t remember a thing from before. Eventually, she became his disciple and learned his medical skills.”

The grandfather and granddaughter had never discussed Yan Xi's identity before. It was an uncomfortable truth that neither of them had ever openly discussed. Now, Hu Yizheng, her grandfather, couldn’t hold it back any longer. “Now that the Shizi’s identity has been exposed, what’s your next move? And what’s he planning? If the emperor finds out about your... relationship, things might get messy.”

“No plans,” Hua Zhi shrugged, her expression sharp and indifferent. “We’ll take it as it comes. If it leads to something, then fine. If the emperor becomes an obstacle, so be it. He understands my determination, and I get his limitations. In the end, no matter what happens, we won’t blame or resent each other. That’s all that matters.”

“Can you really say that you won’t feel any resentment?”

“Why would I?” Huazhi leaned back, chin resting on her hand, eyes sparkling as the man approached, her smile growing ever so mischievous. “When we’re together, we give it all. There’s no pretending, no faking it. Our feelings aren’t some forceful match made by others. If things don’t work out in the end, it’s not like we’ll go blaming each other, is it? We were always in it for real.”

Hu Yizheng sighed as he watched the man approaching. He didn't say anything else and just left.

Yes, if she could see through her own feelings so clearly, how could she resent the Hua family for hindering her marriage?

If Hua Zhi had been such a narrow-minded child, she wouldn't have carried the Hua family to where it was today, nor would she have captured the heart of the Shizi.

"Why are you here again? I thought we were supposed to meet in the capital."

Gu Yanxi looked down at the well-looking person with a slight distance between them, the yard was small enough for him to hear her words clearly. For a moment, he didn't know whether to be annoyed by how well she saw through him or admire her nonchalance.

Eventually, he simply bent down to embrace her, "How can I not come when I hear that? I feel like I'm in danger of being abandoned at any moment."

Hua Zhi smirked, one eyebrow arched, clearly unimpressed by his boldness. “You’re shameless, flaunting this in front of my family like it's some private affair,” she said, her tone sharp yet somehow playful. But then, without missing a beat, she slid her arms around him in return, her words turning unexpectedly tender. “But if I ever marry… It’ll be you. Does that make you feel secure, now?”

For a brief, heart-stopping moment, Yan Xi froze, as though the weight of her words hit him harder than he expected. But just as quickly, he loosened his grip and pulled back, his gaze locked onto hers. His voice came out thick with promise, almost a growl. “That day will come. I’m counting on it.”

Hua Zhi, flustered under the intensity of his stare, quickly cleared her throat and looked away, like a cat caught in a trap. “Go. Greet my grandfather,” she muttered, suddenly feeling the need to regain some composure.

Yan Xi didn’t miss a beat. “As you command,” he replied with that cocky grin of his, before turning away.

The Hua family members exchanged looks, blinking in astonishment.

Was that really public flirting?!

Yet, for some reason, none of them could muster a complaint. In fact, it felt... right, like there was nothing wrong with what they'd just witnessed at all.

As she lowered her head unintentionally, Hua Zhi met the gaze of Zeng Han, and suddenly felt a bit flustered. To say such sweet words in front of the child...

When she raised her head again, to her surprise, Shao Yao gave them a thumbs up, probably leaving Wu Yong in shock.

Feeling like she had done something remarkable, Hua Zhi got up and casually went back inside as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, as soon as Yan Xi entered the study, he performed a respectful gesture.

Hua Yizheng eventually sat down.

Intending to quickly attend to business and then go to Ah Zhi's side, Yan Xi didn't sit down either and went on, "There are traces of the Chaoli tribe behind the Yingshan Pass incident. The emperor has issued a decree for the Hua family to collaborate with General Wu to guard the Yingshan Pass. The Second Prince, incited by others, has acted against the interests of the Hua family. The emperor has confined the Second Prince to his residence, awaiting the completion of the investigation before passing judgment."

At the mention of the decree, Hua Yizheng stood up, and after hearing the news, he knelt towards the direction of the capital, "This humble servant obeys the command."

Yan Xi found the term "humble servant" harsh to the ears, but even so, the emperor didn't mention anything about restoring the Hua family's status. Yan Xi could only hold back his emotions and advised Hua Yizheng to do the same, "Old Sir, the time has not yet come."

Deeply bowing towards Yan Xi, Hu Yizheng understood that without the Shizi's intervention, the matter of guarding the Yingshan Pass might not have been brought to light. With this decree, the actions taken by the Hua family at Yingshan Pass would be out in the open, and even if the Hua family sought resurrection, they would earn the respect and acknowledgment of others.

Yan Xi evaded the gesture and said, "As long as Old Sir doesn't blame me."

"I understand the reasoning behind it. I won't be ungrateful. Thank you, Your Highness."

"What I do is simply what she wants." Yan Xi bowed and turned to leave.

"What I do is simply what she wants," Hu Yizheng murmured to himself before smiling and patting his forehead. It seemed he didn't need to worry too much about Ah Zhi – those two!

Hua Zhi had already prepared tea and was waiting. When she heard footsteps, she looked towards the door. The two locked eyes, and after a momentary pause, Yan Xi entered the room.

Without asking about the outcome of his visit, Hua Zhi changed her mind and retrieved the tea placed across from her, instead pouring a glass of plain water for him.

Raising an eyebrow, Yan Xi asked, "Why?"

"You need to rest."

Having traveled back and forth thousands of miles in a short amount of time and likely remaining in the capital, it was evident that he hadn't had much time to rest along the way. Despite his appearance being as sharp as a sword, everyone gets tired eventually, even if he appeared strong.

Warmed by such a simple statement, Yan Xi's expression softened. The tough shell around him cracked silently, revealing a tender heart inside, and he gently held Ah Zhi's hand and nodded obediently.

Suddenly feeling a pang of heartache, Hua Zhi said, "I'll make you something to eat. After you've eaten, you can rest."

"Okay."