Chapter 377: Forcing the Hand with a Coffin

"I stand here as living proof," Hua Zhi declared boldly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Since the head of the family refuses to step forward, I’ll carry the coffin and make them come to me."

As her words hung in the air, she strode forward, her presence daring and resolute. Behind her, the Hua family servants hoisted the coffin, their readiness to storm in evident in their every move.

The steward, caught between duty and fear, hesitated. Hua Zhi’s uncompromising stance left him at a loss. He was no match for someone so willing to risk everything. Just as he faltered, unsure how to respond, an authoritative voice cut in from the shadows.

"Don’t overstep your bounds."

An elderly woman from the Wei family emerged, leaning on her cane with a commanding air. Her gaze swept over Hua Zhi like a judge appraising a miscreant. "Young lady, your audacity is astonishing. Do you really think you can force the Wei family into a matter that has nothing to do with us?"

Hua Zhi didn’t flinch. Her lips curled into a wry smile as she fired back. "Allow me to ask, Old Madam, if I were to speak out, would you accuse me of disrespect? And if I stayed silent, would you take my silence as an admission of guilt?"

The old lady blinked, momentarily taken aback by Hua Zhi’s pointed logic. "I wouldn’t stoop to such petty behavior," she replied curtly.

"Glad we’ve cleared that up," Hua Zhi replied smoothly, her tone dripping with mock politeness. "I’m here to settle this matter, not to grovel or exchange pleasantries." Her sneer was sharp enough to cut stone. "If the Wei family wishes to maintain their honor, let the eldest son come out. Everything will be resolved then and there."

The old lady’s expression darkened. "Bold of you to think you can dictate terms to us. What position does my Wei family hold in your eyes?"

"Then answer me this," Hua Zhi shot back, her voice firm. "Is the eldest son of the Wei family here, or not?"

The old lady opened her mouth to respond, but Hua Zhi raised a finger in warning. "Careful, Old Madam. Remember, the heavens are watching. One lie, and the eldest son may find himself cursed by the gods."

"You—!" The old lady’s face flushed with anger, but Hua Zhi pressed on mercilessly.

"I’m listening," Hua Zhi taunted, her tone almost playful but underpinned with steel.

"Such insolence," the old lady hissed, her composure slipping. "Raised to be sharp-tongued and treacherous—typical of the Hua family!"

Hua Zhi leaned in, her eyes cold and unyielding. "Sharp-tongued? Treacherous? Maybe. But beware, Old Madam—I bite." Her voice turned icy as she added, "If my younger sister is unharmed, fine. But if she’s suffered even the slightest injury, I swear the Wei family won’t see the end of this."

The old woman scoffed, though her bravado wavered. "Such big words from a mere criminal’s daughter!"

"Exactly—a criminal’s daughter!" Hua Zhi shouted, taking another defiant step forward, the coffin looming behind her like a shadow of vengeance. The sight of it unsettled the old lady, who instinctively retreated, her composure cracking.

"If you won’t bring him out, Old Madam," Hua Zhi said, her voice low and ominous, "then I’ll find him myself."

"Niece, stop right there."

The commanding voice belonged to a middle-aged man with a scholarly air, courtesy of a neatly trimmed short beard. This was Wei Chenzhe, Wei Chengxi’s father.

The Wei family and the Hua family might have seemed to approach matters similarly, but beneath the surface, their foundations were worlds apart.

Hua Zhi offered a polite bow, her gaze steady as she looked up at the man who carried himself with unshaken arrogance. "The guard protecting my third sister witnessed your eldest son forcibly taking her away. By both logic and principle, I have every right to demand an explanation—and someone—from the Wei family."

Wei Chenzhe’s response was a smooth denial. "There’s no one you’re looking for here."

Unfazed, Hua Zhi’s tone sharpened. "Then perhaps you’d do me the courtesy of summoning Young Master Wei for a proper conversation."

The request made his brows knit together. "Niece, you’re putting me in a tight spot. If I yield to you, what happens to my dignity? What happens to the Wei family’s standing?"

Hua Zhi’s reply was cutting. "Your dignity is worth less than my sister’s life."

Chenzhe, undeterred, adopted a faux air of reason. "There’s no need to speak like this," he said, though his tone betrayed his smugness. After all, the once-dominant Hua family now stood cornered—a position he clearly relished.

But Hua Zhi only laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "So, Mr. Wei, am I supposed to just sit at home, wringing my hands, and wait for crumbs of information?"

He waved her concerns away with maddening nonchalance. "That girl simply took a wrong turn and has already returned home."

Her eyes narrowed. "If the roles were reversed and this had happened in the Wei family, would you handle it like this?"

"We don’t need to dwell on hypotheticals," he replied smoothly.

"But it has happened—to the Hua family—and this is how I’ve chosen to respond."

Hua Zhi’s expression shifted suddenly. Her sharp edges softened into something calm and deliberate, almost eerie. She adjusted a stray strand of hair, then gestured behind her—to 24 coffins lined in stark precision and the 24 children, aged six to ten, standing solemnly by.

"If anything happens to my sister," she began, her voice now dangerously measured, "I will climb into one of these coffins myself, along with them, and take up permanent residence in the Wei family’s courtyard."

Her voice grew icier with each word. "If my family cannot find peace, then neither will yours. And I will make sure the world knows exactly how the Wei family treats those who once stood by them."

The quiet power of her words hung heavy in the air, making it clear: this wasn’t a mere family squabble anymore—it was a declaration of war.

To put it bluntly, this was a classic case of mutually assured destruction—no winners, only losers. Everyone involved was bound to take a hit, but Hua Zhi had already decided she wasn’t playing by conventional rules. Extreme or not, she couldn’t care less.

Her plan was straightforward: as long as the Wei family valued their reputation, she’d act as though her sister, Hua Ling, hadn’t been wronged. That was the endgame she envisioned—locating Hua Ling and maintaining the facade that nothing had happened. No evidence, no harm. It was the cleanest way to ensure Hua Ling could stay under the Hua family’s protection without inviting chaos.

But Hua Zhi knew the reality. The Hua family couldn’t just sweep this under the rug and hope for peace. If Wei Chengxi dared to spread rumors, then fine—she’d make the scandal so explosive that no one would leave unscathed.

Wei Chenzhe, outwardly composed but inwardly cursing his eldest son, tried to downplay the situation. “Miss Hua, there’s no need to jump to conclusions. Xixi isn’t even here. I sent him to visit an acquaintance this morning, so this has nothing to do with him…”

Bang!

A resounding crash interrupted him. Heads turned in unison toward the source of the commotion. Someone—no, something—had been tossed into the coffin at the rear. The figure landed headfirst, legs stiffly sticking up, muttering incoherently as they struggled.

While others squinted to make sense of the scene, Wei Chenzhe’s expression twisted with recognition. It was his son, without a doubt. Meanwhile, the doting grandmother of the eldest grandson wasted no time. Supported by her nanny, she hurried over, calling out in distress to her precious boy.

Perched on his tall horse, Zhu Ziwen locked eyes with Hua Zhi and offered her a subtle nod. The message was clear, even without words.

Hua Zhi’s chest tightened, her pulse quickened, and she forced herself to take several deep breaths. Calm down. It’s okay. As long as she’s safe, nothing else matters.

The low rumble of wheels drew attention as a carriage approached. The servants, recognizing their own, hurried to clear a path. The vehicle came to a halt, and as the curtains were drawn back, the figure inside was revealed.

Hua Zhi was about to step forward, but her steps faltered when she caught sight of Hua Ling. Supported by her maid, her sister emerged with painstaking effort, every movement betraying the sheer willpower it took to walk. Yet, there was a quiet strength in her that was impossible to ignore.

Hua Zhi froze, realizing that in this moment, Hua Ling’s silent determination said more than a thousand words ever could. Sometimes, standing tall spoke louder than speaking up.

“I am Hua Ling. Greetings, Mr. Wei,” she said, her voice calm but laced with an unmistakable edge.

Wei Chenzhe forced a strained smile, which barely registered as polite. “Ah, Niece, this situation... it’s a bit—”

“If I hadn’t seen Mr. Wei once before, back when I accompanied Mother,” Hua Ling interrupted, her tone sharp and unrelenting, “I might have assumed a rogue had sprung up from beneath the Emperor’s heel. Regardless of whether others consented, and even with guards lying flat on the ground, you’d still find a way to send invitations to view flowers, wouldn’t you? If my cousin from the Zhu family hadn’t arrived when he did, my reputation would’ve been thoroughly destroyed at the hands of your son. If this is the standard of the Wei family, perhaps it’s best for all of us to keep our distance from now on.”

Wei Chenzhe’s face darkened instantly, his composure cracking. He could already imagine the fallout if this scandal leaked out—how it would utterly tarnish the younger generation’s standing within the Wei family.

“Niece, there seems to be some misunderstanding,” he began, grasping at straws. “Xixi has always admired you. What you’re describing… it must have been an impulsive act, fueled by feelings he couldn’t quite express properly. Allow me to apologize on his behalf. I beg you, forgive him just this once.”

———TN:Lingling... you're a real warrior! Stand your ground, keep your head up high, and show that jerk what you're made of. Teach him a lesson he won’t forget!