Chapter 353: Veiled Agendas

The Flower Hall radiated a curated harmony, its joy as polished and brittle as fine porcelain.

Old Lady Zhu, ever the shrewd matriarch, was playing a game only she knew the rules to. Her concern wasn't whether Hua Zhi could hold her own—of course, she could. The real worry was how blatantly the others would try to bleed her dry, circling her like vultures around a lamb fattened for slaughter.

"You returned just yesterday, didn't you?" Old Lady Zhu remarked, her tone a blend of feigned innocence and razor-sharp subtext. "I was barely awake when you sent word for me. How charmingly urgent this all seems, though I haven’t the faintest idea what it’s about."

Trailing a calculated step behind, Hua Zhi made no move to interject. The silence left room for the inevitable: the fourth Grandaunt, whose flushed embarrassment did little to mask her eagerness to shift blame.

"It's... a delicate matter," the Grandaunt began, her voice trembling just enough to suggest guilt more than sorrow. "Frankly, it's humiliating. Hua Yan has somehow entangled herself with the Feng family’s son and—can you believe this?—has agreed to become a concubine. Never has the Hua family faced such disgrace. If not for the eldest granddaughter's timely return and her insistence on upholding propriety, I’d have been utterly lost in this mess."

The words, though soaked in self-pity, carried a bitterness that was impossible to miss.

Old Lady Zhu felt relieved by her honesty. Being in the aristocratic circle of the capital city, coupled with Feng Changyu's publicizing of the matter, how could she not know about it?

The matter had swiftly become the main course at every society tea table, paired with snide smiles and knowing glances. And as much as Madam Zhu might have preferred to slam the door on such sordid chatter, what could she really do? The Hua family’s dirty laundry was, after all, theirs to wash—or flaunt—however they pleased. Outsiders could only wrinkle their noses and look the other way.

Unexpectedly, Hua Zhi had already sent someone early in the morning to seek help. Where she could lend her assistance, she would do so properly. However, there was still concern that this matter would tarnish Hua Zhi's reputation, as she was a daughter of the Hua family and showcased herself publicly.

Glancing at her granddaughter, Old Lady Zhu put on a perfectly surprised expression.

“And so now…?” she prompted, letting the words hang with a flourish that invited—or perhaps demanded—further explanation.

The fourth branch's Old Lady looked at Hua Zhi, who continued, "For the sake of the Hua family’s reputation,” Hua Zhi began, each syllable deliberately chosen, “I would like to rely on Li Mama’s esteemed name in the capital. She can help confirm Hua Yan’s purity. I’ve already checked her myself—her vermillion marks remain intact. Regardless of the Feng family’s accusations, she is still a virgin, even if she does end up as a concubine.”

Hua Zhi stood up, bowed low, and addressed Li Mama directly, her voice honeyed with desperation. “Please, lend us your support.”

Li Mama declined with a polite smile, her words honeyed but sharp: "If your family’s girl truly remains untouched, I am merely stating the obvious. Accepting tour gratitude would be unnecessary."

"It is, after all, the Hua family’s misstep for entangling you in such sordid affairs,” Hua Zhi replied with an air of restrained courtesy, her tone brimming with subtle reproach. After extending her obligatory thanks, she settled back into her seat, adding coolly, “The Feng family’s sedan will arrive shortly. If there’s anything else you deem essential to prepare for her departure, please see to it.”

Meanwhile, Hua Yan’s mother stood crushed under the weight of her own helplessness. Though she saw her daughter as an extension of her very being, a piece of her heart carved out and offered up, she couldn’t deny the harsh reality they faced. Bitterness and resignation warred on her face as she bowed her head, offered a stiff curtsey, and quietly left the room, her steps laden with unspoken grief.

Old Lady Zhu looked around and said, "I will have the girls return to their rooms."

Hua Zhi, however, had no interest in theatrics or pretense. With a sharp gaze toward the door, she dismissed the suggestion outright. “There’s no need for such measures. Feng Changyu won’t be setting a foot inside.”

Without waiting for rebuttal, she took Hua Yan by the arm and resolutely led her toward the threshold, her intentions as clear as the finality in her step.

Under the resentful and angry gazes of many, Hua Yan remained silent with her head bowed.

"Hua Yan," Hua Zhi's voice cut through the oppressive quiet, her tone as crisp as the edge of a blade. "If you'd rather not carry the brand of someone who dabbles in clandestine affairs, you might want to accompany Li Mama for the examination."

The words struck like a lash. Hua Yan's face burned, the flush rising so fast it threatened to swallow her whole. She clung to her sleeves like they were the only shield she had left. The humiliation of such a process—it was unspeakable. But the alternative? To be left as fodder for whispers and judgment? That was a fate she could hardly endure.

"I’ll do as Cousin says," she managed, her voice trembling with the effort to sound steady.

Hua Zhi gave a slight smirk without much humor. Before she could say anything else, Li Mama stood up, and the maidservant quickly led the two to an adjacent room.

The atmosphere in the room was tense, but Hua Zhi didn't attempt to comfort anyone. She couldn't find comfort herself and felt as heavy as lead. She longed to rest at home but had to deal with this matter personally.

"Grandmother," she said, turning her focus to the matriarch who had witnessed far more scandals than she'd ever admit, "would you mind serving as a witness? Your thumbprint is required on this document."

Old Lady Zhu took the contract with a sharp, appraising gaze, her expression faltering as she noted the already-imprinted thumbmark. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion swirling. "She agreed to this?"

"I offered her a way out," Hua Zhi replied, her tone almost casual, but laced with an undeniable venom. "She chose to fling herself headfirst down this road instead."

There had been a sliver of hope—perhaps, if Hua Yan had paused, reconsidered, or even hesitated at the sight of the contract that would sever all ties, things might have been different. But no, she had signed her name to the mess without a flicker of doubt, sealing her fate with a swiftness that sent a chill through everyone present.

Old Lady Zhu sighed inwardly as she rolled up her sleeve and left her own thumbprint.

Hua Yan didn't understand – without the support of her natal family, she was like a rootless floating weed, subjected to whatever manipulation the Feng family had in store for her.

"Eldest Miss, representatives from the Feng family have arrived."

"Close the gates and make them wait outside."

"Yes." The gatekeeper paused before adding, "Young Master Feng has brought several people with him as well."

"Good jokes always have an audience. Let them be. Ensure that the household guards the premises well."

"Yes."

In no time, Li Mama returned with a blushing Hua Yan, following a rather...invasive examination. As Hua Zhi stood up, she addressed Li Mama, "Li Mama."

"As the Eldest Miss stated, Hua Yan is untainted. I am willing to bear witness to this fact," Li Mama affirmed.

The women of the Hua family all breathed a sigh of relief. While this might be an insignificant matter to others, for them, it was a lifelong concern.

"Thank you for willing to wade through this murky water," Hua Zhi expressed her gratitude.

Li Mama waved her hand, not saying much. Having seen so many hidden dealings, Hua Zhi's openness made her feel particularly comfortable.

Hua Zhi cast a slow, deliberate gaze at Hua Yan. Beneath the weight of the moment, an infuriating flicker of hope lingered in her eyes—a hope that seemed to dance somewhere between unshakable confidence and an almost laughable delusion of grandeur.

With an air of unbothered poise, Hua Zhi shifted her attention to Bao Xia, who, without needing a word of instruction, stepped forward and produced a carefully arranged stack of silver notes. “Five thousand taels,” she began, her tone drenched in a syrupy sweetness that barely masked the underlying sting. “I’ve always said the girls of the Hua family come at a premium. Rest assured, I’m not one to shortchange anyone. Hua Yan, may all your dreams come true.”

The pile of silver notes wasn’t just a practical assortment of denominations; it was a message—loud and clear to anyone paying attention. This wasn’t charity or fortune falling from the heavens; this was the fruit of diligence, of labor, of intent. A quiet declaration that every shred of this transaction had been earned and accounted for.

Hua Yan’s eyes brimmed with tears, the kind that teetered on the edge of regret. For one dizzying moment, she questioned everything, the choices, the compromises. But the memory of her former life—a life of suffocating drudgery and missed opportunity—rose swiftly like a cold slap, snuffing out any flicker of doubt.

“Come along now,” Hua Zhi said, her voice razor-sharp and sugar-laced. “The Feng family’s sedan is waiting.”

*

Outside the Fourth Branch's Hua family's main gate, Feng Changyu stood in new attire, looking spirited and almost like a groom. Behind him was a blue sedan carried by two people. There was no music, no wedding festivities, no auspicious items – just a sign of a concubine's treatment.

Typically, a concubine would be discreetly carried into the house through the back door, making Feng Changyu's personal visit an exception.

"Hey, Feng Changyu, I heard that this mansion is rented. Is that true? The eldest Miss is truly formidable, managing to hold up this Hua family."

“Well, so it seems the place is under the Eldest Miss’s name now.” Feng Changyu’s gaze gleamed with a sharp, calculating edge, the kind that signaled he was more amused than impressed.

Those poor, oblivious fools—how could they genuinely believe that someone as elusive as the Eldest Miss would bother to hunker down in this backwater corner? As if she didn’t have better things to do.

But Feng Changyu, now he wasn’t just clever; he was strategic. Scooping up a member of the Hua family wasn’t just a random whim—it was a chess move, the kind that guaranteed a seat at the table.

Connections like that didn’t just happen; they were engineered. It was all about timing, wasn’t it?

The art of being at the right place, making the right move, and ensuring she couldn’t ignore him later.

The more his scheme unraveled in his mind, the more invincible he felt. His eyes locked on the door, its unyielding stillness taunting him. If only sheer will could pierce wood—he’d already have drilled through those stubborn panels to claim his prize.