Chapter 375: The Student's Invitation

After the heavy downpour, a noticeable chill hung in the air, signaling that autumn was truly on its way. With the imperial exams just around the corner, the capital had seen an increase in students—each one donned in their formal robes, eager to prove their worth.

"Miss, we’ve received thirty-seven invitations this morning," Hua Zhi announced, still holding her breakfast in one hand while clutching a box she had brought in from outside with the other. Lately, this had become her favorite part of the day—receiving invitations at the gate. It was a small joy that she insisted on taking care of herself, not trusting anyone else to handle it.

"Thirty-seven? That's even more than last time," Ying Chun remarked with a smile, and the other maids shared in the happiness. It was a simple pleasure, but it meant a lot. Even with the difficulties they had faced, there were still plenty of people who remembered them, and that gave them a sense of warmth.

Hua Zhi looked down at the box, absently fiddling with its edges as a relaxed smile tugged at her lips. By now, with the thirty-seven new invitations, she had accumulated a total of ninety-one. And it was only the third day—six more to go before the autumn exams. It wasn’t much more they could do at this point, but there was a certain sense of restraint in their actions, a quiet acknowledgment that they had done all they could. They could only hold onto their beliefs, even if reluctantly, and support one another.

As she had done the past few days, Hua Zhi meticulously marked each invitation with her name, one by one.

*

On the 7th of September, Hua Zhi stood calmly in front of the mansion, waiting. She had a good grasp of the chaos unfolding outside, but she remained unruffled. She didn’t bat an eye when Gu Yanxi mentioned he needed to head to Yuzhou, following a lead from Hao Yue.

“Is this about the Chao Li clan?” she asked, her voice steady.

“Yeah,” Gu Yanxi replied, his expression hardening. “Yuan Shifang, Tong Yi, and the princess’s mother—they’re all tied to Yuzhou.”

Hua Zhi looked him squarely in the eye, sensing there was more to the story. “What’s going on?”

Gu Yanxi raised his head, his gaze distant.

Without missing a beat, Hua Zhi reached up and gently brushed the corner of his eye. “Your eyes are red. What’s troubling you?”

Her tone was light, almost casual, but there was no mistaking the exhaustion that showed in his eyes. He leaned into her touch, his voice soft but filled with weight.

“I’ve gone through every lead on the royal family,” he said, his words slow. “I’ve found six more remnants of the Chao Li clan, on top of the ones we’ve already uncovered. They’ve planted nearly twenty spies inside the royal family. If we’d waited any longer to catch them… the fallout could’ve been catastrophic.”

Hua Zhi nodded, understanding the gravity of it. “So now...?”

“We search again,” he said, determination hardening his features. “There could be more we missed. In situations like this, it’s better to kill an innocent than let one of them slip through the cracks.” His eyes, sharp and cold, reflected a ruthlessness that only someone driven by such high stakes could carry.

The Chao Li people had gone too far!

"I don't think there are many left from the Chao Li clan who have infiltrated our ranks," Hua Zhi said, still holding his hand, her other gently supporting his cheek. "Most of the ones we’ve found have been near the royal family. This suggests they’ve specifically targeted them, which kind of proves they don’t have the resources to spread out and do more. If they had enough people, they wouldn’t have been caught hanging around the royal circle."

Gu Yanxi gave a small nod. "I’ve already looked into the key ministers. There’s only one suspect."

They exchanged a brief, relieved glance. It would’ve been too much to handle if there had been more infiltrators.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. If you need anything, talk to Wang Rong. He’ll help you with whatever you need."

"Don’t worry. As long as I’m still in the Emperor’s good graces, I’m not dealing with anyone else. Even if there’s dissatisfaction, he’s not going to show it now, not with all the students around."

Gu Yanxi let out a bitter smile. Ah Zhi, she knew everything.

They had spent so much time apart since they first met, and in a way, they had grown used to it. The only difference now was the growing ache of longing. Hua Zhi's life had remained mostly the same.

*

"Miss, the third young lady is here."

Third Miss?

Hua Zhi had a lot on her mind, and for a moment, she was a bit confused. Which younger sister was the Third Miss?

When she saw the person, she remembered. It was her third younger sister, Hua Ling.

She had heard from her fourth aunt a few times that they took turns managing things and did a commendable job. Their relationship was now much more harmonious, but they were in charge of things that she didn't like to deal with, and she was often not at home. Their interactions were limited.

"Eldest sister."

Hua Zhi's smile was gentle. "It's rare to see you come to me. Is there something you need?"

Hua Ling looked at the thick files stacked on the desk and hesitantly tucked her hair behind her ear. "Am I disturbing you, eldest sister?"

"Not at all. I was just taking a break. Let's sit and talk."

Feeling relieved by Ying Chun's skill in serving tea, Hua Ling lowered her head. "Eldest sister, I dreamt of Grandmother yesterday. She looked very distressed, and I want to... I want to go to Dazhu Monastery to pray for her."

Hua Zhi remembered dreaming of Grandmother a few days ago, saying that she was suffering...

Seeing Hua Zhi's silence, Hua Ling thought she was being refused. Tears welled up in her eyes as she choked out, "Eldest sister, please let me go. Grandmother was extremely fond of me when she was alive. It's hard for me to see her in pain. I want to help her. Eldest sister, I... I..."

Hua Zhi let out a soft sigh. She wasn’t one to get too involved with other people, preferring to keep to herself. But Hua Ling and Hua Xin, those two sisters, had a way with words—charming and sweet. Hua Ling, in particular, had both talent and a good reputation outside, and it was clear from the way Grandmother adored her that she had earned it. Hua Zhi made a mental note to remember this, which meant there was no real reason to turn her down now.

"I'll arrange for two attendants to accompany you," she said. "But isn't Dazhu Monastery off-limits to visitors?"

Hua Ling, her face still streaked with tears but with a smile lighting up her features, replied brightly, "Yes, but it’s fine. I’ll head out early and be back in the afternoon. I’ll make sure the journey doesn’t take too long."

Hua Zhi nodded, her tone softening. "Alright, just dry your tears. Suyun Mama, get everything ready for them." She noticed the older woman's eyes welling up and paused for a moment, reconsidering her decision. "Actually, I’ll be sending a few things to Ven. Prajna myself. It might not be proper for a young lady like you to go. Suyun Mama, you go with her instead and make sure to bring some incense money for a ritual in honor of Grandmother."

Suyun Mama’s voice cracked as she responded in agreement.

Hua Ling, a little lighter on her feet now, started towards the door. But before stepping out, she couldn’t help but steal a quick glance back. They lived in the same house, yet the eldest sister was often too busy to be around much. She was always tied up managing the household, handling family matters, preparing for the elder relatives up North, and sorting out whatever problems arose at home. Most of her time was spent in the front yard dealing with those responsibilities, leaving the back quieter and more peaceful by contrast.

They knew they couldn’t offer much help, so they just tried to take care of their own little things and stay out of her way.

If it hadn’t been for... If it hadn’t been for the dream she had last night, Hua Ling probably wouldn’t have dared to disturb her eldest sister. After all, Hua Zhi was always so busy.

"Tell Liu Xiang to let Lan Qiao know," Hua Zhi said, still immersed in thought. "The mushrooms coming tomorrow need to be kept. Set some aside for Shi Zhai and prepare a carriage of them for Suyun Mama to take. And don’t forget to pack some mushroom powder and a few jars of mushroom oil."

"Yes, Miss."

Hua Zhi absentmindedly touched the bracelet on her wrist, a constant reminder, as she jotted down the recipe for the mushroom oil and some other ideas for using the mushrooms. She planned to send these along with Suyun Mama the next day. Ven. Prajna had supported the Hua family when Grandmother passed, and Hua Zhi wanted to express her gratitude.

That had been the most challenging time the Hua family had faced.