Chapter 376: I’m Right Here

Early the next morning, Hua Ling set off for Dazhu Temple.

The pile of name cards was noticeably bigger than the day before. Hua Zhi, sitting at her desk, methodically penned replies to each one. Once finished, she handed the stack over to Steward Xu with a calm yet firm reminder:

“No matter what kind of nonsense people spout, don’t lose your cool. Just treat it like background noise.”

Steward Xu accepted the notes with both hands and nodded earnestly. “Miss, rest assured. I’ve already spoken to everyone. Yesterday’s incident won’t repeat itself.”

Hua Zhi’s tone softened slightly as she gave her next instruction. “Send ten taels of silver to him. Make sure he gets proper care for his injuries.” She hadn’t expected one of the servants to get into a scuffle after overhearing someone talk trash about her. It left her with a twinge of guilt.

With Liyun Lane set to open tomorrow, every last detail had been ticked off the list, and the day had been a whirlwind of activity.

As the sun tilted westward, Hua Zhi glanced at the clock and headed to the backyard kitchen. It was time to make preserved meat. The task called for many hands, so a mix of servants and helpers from other quarters joined in. Over the past few days, they had prepared quite a stockpile, but the work wasn’t slowing down just yet.

Since she was still in mourning, Hua Zhi only sampled a tiny bit on the first day but promptly spat it out. She later sent some to Shao Yao, asking her to take note of the flavor. From that point on, every batch was taste-tested by Shao Yao, and so far, not a single complaint had come back.

“The production is still on the low side, Fourth Aunt. Could you arrange for more hands to help…” Hua Zhi was mid-sentence when she heard it—a voice cracking with panic, followed by the hurried clatter of footsteps. Her heart sank.

Drawing in a few steady breaths, she turned, her expression composed. The panic in the air seemed to ease, and the servants, who’d been startled, stilled as they turned toward the figure racing through the moon gate.

It was Dongzi.

The very person she had tasked with guarding Hua Ling.

Hua Zhi moved swiftly toward him, her voice sharp but steady. “What happened?”

Dongzi’s clothes were smeared with dirt, his face bruised, but he was in no state to care about his appearance. Breathless, he blurted out, “Third Miss—Young Master Wei of the Wei family has taken her!”

Hua Zhi bit down lightly on her tongue, forcing herself to remain calm. “Speak clearly!”

“Yes.” Dongzi slapped himself hard across the face, as if the pain might anchor him. “On the way back, we crossed paths with Young Master Wei. Third Miss didn’t want to stir up trouble, so she told us to avoid him. But somehow, he recognized the Hua family carriage. Instead of letting us pass, he tried to force open the curtain. Third Miss resisted, and things escalated. Suyun Mama was thrown from the carriage protecting Third Miss—she’s unconscious. They had more people, and we couldn’t hold them off. I… I failed…”

Another sharp slap landed on his cheek, his voice turning hoarse. “I ran back to report, while Chunshan stayed to track them.”

“Wei Chengxi?” Hua Zhi’s voice cut through like a blade.

“Yes.”

“How many?”

“Seven, including Young Master Wei.”

Without a second’s hesitation, Hua Zhi strode toward the courtyard’s exit.

Wu Shi, standing nearby, reached out instinctively. “Zhi’er…”

Hua Zhi paused, turning to face the room. She saw the somber faces of the servants, their hearts weighed down by worry for Hua Ling. But Hua Zhi only smiled, calm and resolute. “I’m here.”

Her unspoken promise was clear: I’ll bring her back. No matter what it takes. Even if the worst happens, I’ll shield her with everything I have. No one will lay a hand on her.

Wu Shi pressed a hand over her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks. She understood Zhi’er’s silent vow. Yes, they would protect their own.

“Stop standing around. Keep working. Do more, talk less.” Hua Zhi tossed the words over her shoulder as she left.

Wu Shi quickly turned to leave as well, heading for Xia Shi. At this moment, family disputes didn’t matter. They would need reinforcements, no matter where they came from.

If... they were willing to help?

Hua Zhi stormed straight to Wang Rong. He wasn’t just the Hua family’s martial arts master but also the personal bodyguard of the eldest miss.

“Mr. Wang, Wei Chengxi has kidnapped my third sister. I need you to use every skill you’ve got to find her,” she demanded, her tone sharp and unwavering.

Wang Rong’s expression tightened. He saw this as a personal failure and wasted no time on excuses. “Where was Third Miss last seen?”

“Dongzi, take Mr. Wang there right now,” Hua Zhi instructed with authority.

“Understood.”

Saving lives didn’t allow for hesitation. Without a word, Wang Rong and Dongzi set off immediately.

Hua Zhi, however, stood rooted in place, biting her finger in thought. Then she turned to Steward Xu, her voice calmer but no less commanding. “Steward Xu, go to the Zhu family yourself. Ask my grandmother to mobilize people for the search, and tell my cousin to get involved too.”

“Yes, Miss,” Xu replied, bowing slightly before hurrying away.

Hua Zhi’s mind raced. She couldn’t involve the Seven Stars Bureau in this. No one could find out she had a hand in using them, especially not Yan Xi. It would stir up unnecessary trouble.

But what else could she do?

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to focus. The Wei family. The Wei family… Her thoughts sharpened. She had to neutralize this threat from them once and for all, ensuring Hua Ling had a way out of this mess.

“Li De!” she called out, her voice cutting through the air. “Prepare 24 coffins for me—any size will do. And gather every strong man in the household to carry them straight to the Wei family’s doorstep. Do it now!”

The room fell silent. Everyone froze, stunned by the sheer audacity of her order. What on earth was the eldest miss planning?

But Li De didn’t pause to question her. Years under Steward Xu’s training had taught him to follow orders without hesitation. He bowed deeply and replied, “Right away, Miss,” before heading off to the coffin shop.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, their curiosity piqued and their nerves rattled. What game was Hua Zhi playing now?

Hua Zhi made her way to the ancestral clan's school, a place where tradition was as old as the walls themselves. For the first time, she barged in, disrupting not one but two teachers mid-lesson, summoning twenty-four wide-eyed students with an urgency they’d never seen from her before.

“Hua Ling was taken by Wei Chengxi from the Wei family,” she announced, her tone sharp and cutting through the air, “on her way back from praying for Grandmother.”

The room stilled. Zheng Zhi and Mu Qing exchanged glances, their frowns speaking volumes. A young woman abducted? Even if she made it back unharmed, her reputation would be in shreds.

Among the gathered children, one boy shot to his feet—Hua Ling’s younger brother, Hua Baikong. His face was pale but determined. “Elder Sister, I’ll go save Third Sister!” he declared, fists clenched tightly.

Hua Zhi softened, placing a steadying hand on his head. Her gaze swept over the rest of them, a challenge in her eyes. “What about the rest of you? What do you think?”

They stood in their ink-stained uniforms, the marks of their studies forgotten in the heat of the moment. Their collective indignation was palpable, their voices rising as one: “We’ll save Third Sister!”

“Good,” Hua Zhi said simply, her voice firm. “Then follow me.”

The group spilled out of the school like a tide of resolve, but Hua Zhi’s sharp eyes caught something as she turned—a shadow lingering at the edge of the group. It was Xiaohan.

“Xiaohan, you’re not coming,” she called over her shoulder, voice laced with authority.

But before Xiaohan could answer, Zeng Han—usually one to hang back—spoke up instead, addressing the others: “All of you, go.”

Their teacher, Zheng Zhi, interjected, his tone measured but firm. “Let him go. His family’s ties to yours are well-known to the Wei family. If anyone can go, it’s him.”

Hua Zhi hesitated, her worry for Hua Ling pulling at her, but after a beat of consideration, she nodded. Without another word, she led the makeshift rescue team out, her steps as steady as her resolve.

*

The gates of the Hua residence, usually kept firmly shut, stood wide open today in a rare spectacle. At the forefront, Hua Zhi strode out with an air of authority, leading twenty-four children in an impressive formation—paired off from the shortest to the tallest. Though young, their presence was anything but innocent; they carried a sharp, almost unsettling energy that hinted at more than just youthful exuberance.

Curiously, it wasn’t the people who arrived first—it was the coffins. Twenty-four of them, arranged with unnerving precision, now stood in front of the Wei residence like a silent accusation.

The Wei family steward, caught off guard, barked orders to have the coffins smashed. But the Hua guards, bolstered by a year of rigorous training, held their ground with unwavering resolve. Shoulders squared and chests puffed, they weren’t about to be pushed around.

By the time Hua Zhi and her entourage arrived, tensions between the two sides were simmering on the edge of chaos. The Wei family, perched atop their social ladder, was clearly rattled, but Hua Zhi’s calculated theatrics had drawn a crowd—an audience for what was about to unfold.

The steward, embodying the Wei family’s condescension, wasted no time in lashing out. His sneer was palpable as he addressed Hua Zhi. “What’s the meaning of this, young miss? Do you think pulling a stunt like this will help you achieve your underhanded schemes?”

Hua Zhi’s expression didn’t flinch; her tone cut through his bluster like ice. “Don’t project your dirt onto me,” she shot back. “I’m here to ask one simple question: since when did the Wei family start acting like common bandits? What exactly did the esteemed Eldest Master Wei mean by abducting my younger sister?”

The steward faltered for a split second, visibly thrown off, but he recovered quickly enough to double down. “Such accusations are outrageous! Don’t think you can slander us without proof!”

The crowd murmured, a mix of curiosity and unease rippling through their ranks. Hua Zhi’s cold, steady gaze remained locked on the steward, a storm brewing just behind her eyes.

———TN: I can carve out some time for translating and editing, but I have to warn you—it won’t be the most polished work. Hope that’s alright with you!