Chapter 373: The Scriptures of Each Family

As the opening of Liyun Lane drew near, Hua Zhi paused for a final look. Chen Liang, the steward, had everything meticulously arranged. The area, now calm and quiet, had lost all traces of the previous chaos. It seemed no different from Green Moss Alley.

The street in Green Moss Alley, however, was far from tranquil. The bustling crowd moved through the alley as Hua Zhi stood by the riverbank, taking it all in without stepping closer.

"Miss, Master Bai is here."

At the sound of the announcement, Hua Zhi turned to see Bai Mingxia, standing tall with an air of authority.

"Uncle," Hua Zhi greeted, bowing in respect.

Bai Mingxia dismounted gracefully and joined her, his gaze fixed on the lane ahead. "There are so many eyes on this deal now. You’ve done well, getting the Zhu family involved," he said.

Hua Zhi understood what he meant. If the Hua family had been handling this deal, she would have found it impossible to manage. People would go to great lengths for wealth, and just the thought of her own family's internal affairs made Bai Mingxia visibly disgusted.

"You look like you've lost some weight, Uncle."

It was more than just a few pounds. His clothes hung loosely on his frame, his appearance noticeably thinner. Hua Zhi could guess the cause. She had heard about the Bai family’s internal splits during a recent visit to her maternal grandmother’s, though she had no idea if Bai Mingxia had achieved what he was aiming for.

Bai Mingxia gave a faint smile. "I’ve separated from my family," he said, his voice cool but laden with meaning.

Hua Zhi nodded, a slight acknowledgment, though she chose not to probe further.

He looked at her then, his eyes betraying a sharp, almost cruel mockery. "I knew my dear brother wouldn’t let me get the upper hand, but I didn’t expect him to be this ruthless. He only gave me a handful of shops and thirty thousand taels of silver. Hell, that's not even the dowry for a legitimate daughter of the Bai family."

"I thought the one responsible for the division was the Bai family patriarch?" Hua Zhi responded, her tone as composed as ever.

Bai Mingxia's tense expression revealed a hint of pain. Yes, how could the elder brother be in charge of the split?

That was why he was even more upset.

Because he took the lead, he endured, backed off, and compromised. Wasn't that enough?

How much money did he earn for the family in the past few years?

How much benefit did his network of relationships provide for the family?

Why couldn't they see what he had done, only remembering that he was the youngest son, unable to compete with his elder brother for assets?

If he had actually taken it, so be it, it would have been fair. But did he take it?

Wasn't it always his elder brother who was being so aggressive?

Always claiming not to let him suffer, but he suffered greatly in the end.

That was family for you.

"What's wrong with that? I think it's quite good."

Bai Mingxia looked at Hua Zhi.

Hua Zhi smiled, looked up at the clear sky, where a row of swifts flew by, signaling the approaching autumn. "It's better to see things clearly at thirty than to be completely taken advantage of at forty or fifty and then kicked out."

"...I'm still a few years away from thirty!"

"Isn't that even better? It's just money, you can always earn more. When everyone knows you've been taken advantage of, your older brother has already lost. People naturally sympathize with the weak. Your older brother can defend his interests as the eldest, but if he goes too far, he'll be seen as heartless. Even if your parents have to stand on his side for now, they may feel guilty towards you and not be happy with your older brother. The future is long, and who can say for sure who will have the last laugh."

Bai Mingxia suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over him, as if a fog had lifted in his mind. He thought back to the past few days: his father’s hair had turned white overnight, his mother had been holding him in tears, his older brother had been coldly turned away when he tried to greet their parents, and his nephew couldn’t even meet his eyes.

Yes, it seemed his older brother might be facing some tough times ahead, too.

And maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t actually lost more than he had gained.

With a newfound clarity in his heart, Bai Mingxia felt his spirits lift. His handsome face regained some of its usual vigor. He turned toward the girl, who had barely said a word up until now, and noticed how much more composed she had become in just a few days.

"So, are you still sticking to what you said earlier?" he asked casually.

Hua Zhi immediately caught the drift of his words. "The fruits for making preserved fruit should be ready for harvest around now. Uncle, if you could lend a hand at the manor, your niece would be forever grateful."

Bai Mingxia chuckled lightly. She hadn’t mentioned anything about him going to the manor to oversee things, but managing the shop didn’t require his constant presence. It made more sense to go over and check the goods personally to make sure there wasn’t anything shady going on in the workshop.

"Alright, I’ll go handle it for a few days."

"It’s not for me, Uncle. It’s still your own business," Hua Zhi corrected him, slightly.

Since returning home, she had been caught up in a whirlwind of tasks. The sale of the preserved fruits had been something Xu Jie had reported on a few times already. If Uncle Bai was willing to step in, that would be perfect. Once he gave the go-ahead, they could start moving the goods.

With that, they both acknowledged their responsibilities and parted ways, each headed in different directions to tend to their own affairs.

*

Hua Zhi walked into the courtyard, pausing when she spotted Shao Yao, slumped and looking completely defeated. Her brows furrowed. Had Yan Xi been giving them a hard time? But no, at this hour, he should still be at the palace, acting as the emperor's proxy.

"Huahua," Shao Yao called out with a pitiful glance, "I have to leave for a while."

"Is it for a mission?" Hua Zhi asked, though she had a feeling it was something more urgent.

"No," Shao Yao replied, "I have to take over for my master."

Hua Zhi dismissed the others around them and gently led Shao Yao into the study. "Is your master leaving the palace?"

"Yeah," Shao Yao nodded, "He says the herbs he's been looking for are almost ready to harvest, so he needs to get going. If he waits any longer, he'll miss the window. He’s in a hurry." Shao Yao touched their face absently. "Honestly, I don’t mind this face. I’ve gotten used to it."

"But if there's a chance to improve it, whether for your master, for Yan Xi, or even for me, I’m not going to let it slide," Hua Zhi said firmly.

"I know." Shao Yao leaned against Hua Zhi, knowing full well she wouldn’t be able to talk her way out of it. She had no choice but to follow along.

"In a few days, when the jerky is ready, I’ll have Yan Xi bring it to you," Hua Zhi said, giving Shao Yao a reassuring pat on the head.

While Yan Xi could easily leave the palace when needed, Shao Yao had to stay on call as a personal physician there. Hua Zhi sighed. "I’ll also ask Yan Xi if he can arrange someone to bring you food while you’re stuck there."

Shao Yao's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she grabbed Hua Zhi’s hand, shaking it excitedly. "That's a brilliant idea! Yan Ge listens to you, Huahua, you’ve got to convince him for me!"

Hua Zhi smiled and gave her a playful pinch on the cheek, the only thing that seemed to cheer her up.

Just then, Liu Xiang, who had been waiting at the door, glanced over at the courtyard and reported, "Miss, Mr. Zheng has arrived."

Hua Zhi nodded and turned to the peonies nearby. "Has the medicine been prepared?"

"It's ready, and it should be fine," came the response.

A wave of relief washed over Hua Zhi. She’d asked Shao Yao to make a special anti-allergy medicine since some people couldn’t eat seafood. The idea was simple: if someone had an allergic reaction after eating at the restaurant, they could take the pill to ease the symptoms. Hua Zhi planned to include a note about it in the restaurant to head off any complaints or accusations against seafood.

"While you’re not in the palace, go prepare some more for stock," Hua Zhi instructed.

Shao Yao nodded without hesitation, knowing exactly what needed to be done. As they left to head to the neighboring pharmacy, they passed by Zheng Zhi, who was entering the study.