Chapter 385: The Hua Family—Breeding Scholars and Business Savvy

Hua Zhi had always been the kind of person who did exactly what she said she would. So, true to her word, the moment she got home, she brought Hua Ling along. Knowing full well that her own schedule didn’t allow for hands-on tutoring, she handed over the detailed account book for their thriving canned goods business and left Hua Ling to figure it out on her own.

Hua Ling, however, stared at the book like it was written in some alien script. Should she dive in or not? The hesitation was real.

"Don’t look so worried," Hua Zhi said with a smirk, her tone laced with mock nonchalance. "I’m not afraid of you learning from me. In fact, if you can get a grip on this business, I’ll hand it over to you. No strings attached. Think about it—you gain some skills, and I make more silver. Win-win, right?"

Though still feeling like she’d just been thrown into the deep end, Hua Ling tightened her grip on the book and nodded with determination. "I’ll work hard and learn everything I can."

"Good. Take your time." Hua Zhi gave an encouraging nod before shifting gears and diving into a different topic with Ying Chun, her right-hand person. The canned goods could wait; there were bigger fish to fry—literally.

The seafood business was next on her radar. Timing was everything, and she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was off. By now, the ship carrying their stock should’ve docked. So where was it? Rain and rising water levels in the south could’ve thrown a wrench into the works.

"Any news from the dock?" she asked, her sharp eyes betraying a hint of unease.

"I’ve already sent someone to check," Ying Chun replied calmly. "Ships from the south have been arriving recently, so the waterways should be open. Ours might just be a bit delayed."

Hua Zhi exhaled slowly, nodding. "Let’s hope so. We need to be ready to handle the stock the moment it lands. The quality has to be flawless if we want this seafood venture to make waves."

"Don’t worry," Ying Chun said with quiet confidence. "Everything’s in place. We’re ready whenever the ship is."

Hua Zhi leaned back slightly, her fingers tapping against the table. Plans were in motion, but patience was never her strong suit. For now, all they could do was wait.

Hua Ling stole a glance at Ying Chun. Though technically still slaves, the Hua family no longer saw them as mere servants. Unlike the others, these two wielded the authority to make business decisions on behalf of their mistress, a privilege unheard of for anyone else in their position. Their skills alone set them apart.

They weren’t scholars, but they repaid their eldest sister's trust with genuine loyalty—a living testament to the saying: “A gentleman would lay down his life for a friend.” Yet, as Hua Ling’s eyes wandered over the intricate numbers in the account book, a pang of envy hit her. She caught herself, though, shaking the feeling away. After all, wasn’t everyone envious of something?

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Chen Liang dashed in with the day’s earnings from Liyun Lane. The maidservants gathered around Hua Zhi, buzzing with excitement as she tallied the numbers.

“It’s double what Green Moss Alley made when it first opened,” Nian Qiu remarked, handing her the ledger.

Hua Zhi blinked in surprise. She had expected profits to surpass those of Green Moss Alley but hadn’t anticipated this kind of success. The numbers were impressive, no doubt—but now came the trickier part: deciding how to allocate the spoils.

Studying the account book, Hua Zhi weighed her options. The capital’s elite had their eyes on this flourishing business, and finding a partner to share the risks wouldn’t be hard. But was it necessary?

Frankly, Hua Zhi wasn’t overly concerned about interference. With forty-eight shops between the two lanes and thousands of customers spanning every social class, the business’s reputation rested on one thing: consistent quality. As long as she maintained that, no one could shake her standing.

Besides, her maternal grandfather was in a position of power, and she operated under the Zhu family’s banner. Sure, people might envy her success, but who would dare challenge the Zhu family outright? Partnerships, it seemed, were more hassle than help.

“This month, everyone’s wages will double,” Hua Zhi declared. “For Green Moss Alley and Liyun Lane employees, they’ll triple.”

The room erupted in cheers. Despite handling vast amounts of money, Ying Chun and Nian Qiu had always been scrupulous, keeping their mistress’s finances separate from their own. Only the money Hua Zhi handed them was theirs to keep.

Hua Zhi closed the account book and cast a lingering glance at the pile of silver coins. While business was booming, dealing with so many small denominations was a recurring headache. Every ten days or so, she had to rely on her maternal grandmother to exchange them for larger sums. It was an inconvenient but necessary task—one she wished she could manage herself. She made a mental note to ask Yanxi about it when he returned.

It had been days since she’d last seen him, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d uncovered. Surely, he’d return soon.

*

By the time anyone blinked, the calendar had flipped to the seventh day of the month—a day that, on the surface, was as unremarkable as any other. Yet, beneath the surface, the capital city thrummed with a quiet, almost electric anticipation.

The reason wasn’t hard to spot. Scholars, dressed in their finest robes, bustled purposefully toward a single destination. Today was the day of an appointment hosted by none other than the eldest daughter of the esteemed Hua family.

Hua Zhi stood on the veranda, her calm gaze taking in the orderly chaos below. Maids and servants carried baskets and lengths of decorative strings from the second gate, along the corridor, to the front courtyard. They worked like a well-oiled machine, arranging their burdens neatly before retreating to fetch more.

Her personal maid, Bao Xia, rushed over, slightly out of breath. “Miss, guests are already waiting.”

Hua Zhi nodded, her movements as measured as her thoughts. She turned to where her younger brothers stood in an orderly row, their small frames rigid with anticipation. Zheng Zhi, ever the aloof one, maintained an air of nonchalance, while Mu Qing's brows furrowed, his unease written plainly across his face. The contrast between the two was almost amusing.

The brothers, like their elder sister, wore scholarly robes. Despite their tender years, they carried themselves with the stern discipline expected of children born into the Hua family—a lineage synonymous with academic brilliance. From the moment they took their first steps, their destinies had been mapped out in ink and parchment.

And yet, Hua Zhi had long come to terms with the unyielding rules of this world. A world that left little room for women to carve out their own path. No matter—today wasn’t about her. Let the scholars deal with the scholars.

“Is everyone ready?” she asked, her tone even, though her sharp eyes missed nothing.

The children, young but determined, nodded in unison. “Yes, eldest sister.”

Her lips curved into a reassuring smile as she turned her attention to Bai Yu, who stood at the forefront in his elder brother Bai Lin’s absence. “And you, Bai Yu? Are you ready?”

The boy glanced over his shoulder, catching the expectant gazes of his siblings and the steady support of his eldest sister. Something shifted in his demeanor—he straightened his back, his expression calm yet resolute. “Yes, eldest sister. I’m ready.”

“Good.” Hua Zhi’s voice softened, though it carried the weight of responsibility. “When those doors open, remember this: you’re not just yourselves anymore. You carry the name of your grandfather, your uncles and aunts, your siblings—all of us. Do you understand?”

Their young faces nodded earnestly, but a pang tightened in her chest. The eldest of them wasn’t even ten years old. Xiao Han, the youngest, was barely four. They were just children. Yet here they were, marching forward like soldiers to defend the family’s honor.

If she could, she would have stepped into the fray for them without hesitation. But she couldn’t.

They were the Hua family’s future. As much as she temporarily bore the weight of their scholarly legacy, society’s gaze would always fall on the men of the family, even if they were just boys.

Her grip on reality was firm. She couldn’t rewrite the rules of the world, only navigate them.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she softened her tone even further. “Just like that day when you stood by me against the Wei family, you must now stand for the Hua family’s honor. Do you remember?”

“Yes, eldest sister,” they chorused.

“Good.” She took a step back, her voice steady yet brimming with quiet conviction. “Go on, then. Your eldest sister is right behind you.”

As they moved forward, Hua Zhi turned her head slightly, noticing her younger sisters had quietly gathered at her side. Behind them, the children who had yet to join the family school watched with wide eyes.

“We’re all here,” she said, her words more a promise to herself than to anyone else.