Chapter 387: The Uninvited Audience

The scholar nimbly climbed into the carriage, settling to one side with a practiced grace. Keeping his head respectfully lowered, he slid the basket closer to the figure across from him. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this is what the Hua family has sent over.”

No one had anticipated the emperor’s unexpected presence here. Without a word, he casually reached for the carriage window, lifting the curtain to glance toward the entrance of the Hua family’s residence. “Anything else worth mentioning?” he asked, his tone calm but commanding.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Hua Baiyu is overseeing this matter. Beyond the initial statements, there’s nothing else to add,” the scholar replied, his voice steady but cautious.

This southern part of the city wasn’t exactly impoverished, but, as always, everything was relative. Compared to the Hua family’s previous residence in Hualin Lane, this place felt decidedly modest. That said, for a family on the brink of confiscation and exile, it wasn’t half bad.

The emperor let out a soft chuckle, a rare break in his usual demeanor. His curiosity about Hua’s eldest miss had only grown stronger. He had fully expected her to make an appearance today, yet instead, she had sent a child to stand in for her. Such an unusual move—it was as audacious as it was intriguing.

Lai Fu didn’t dare so much as raise his brows, his palms slick with sweat. The emperor had initially instructed him to keep an eye on this matter, only to abruptly decide to handle it personally. Lai Fu couldn’t help but wonder—was this a sign the emperor no longer trusted him? That thought sent a chill down his spine.

Losing the emperor’s trust? That was as good as digging his own grave.

“Open it. Let me see,” the emperor commanded.

Snapping out of his anxious daze, Lai Fu steadied himself. He reached for the basket, carefully peeling away the oil paper to reveal three porcelain jars, each adorned with intricate blue floral patterns on a white glaze.

Stealing a glance at the emperor’s expression, Lai Fu wasted no time. He began with the jar on the left, prying it open and presenting it with both hands.

The emperor leaned in, peering inside. Without hesitation, he reached in, pulled out a cluster of fried noodles, and scrutinized it. He broke a piece off, sniffed it, then, to Lai Fu’s horror, popped it into his mouth.

“Your Majesty!” Lai Fu and a nearby scholar cried out in unison, panic lacing their voices. Lai Fu extended his hands pleadingly, his tone urgent. “Your Majesty, allow this humble servant to taste it first!”

The emperor waved off their protests, chewing methodically. He paused for a moment, then took another bite, his face calm, almost amused.

Lai Fu’s heart felt like it might leap straight out of his chest.

The emperor let out a low chuckle. “If she truly intended to poison me, she wouldn’t sacrifice this many scholars in the process.”

“Your Majesty’s wisdom is unparalleled,” Lai Fu managed to stammer, bowing deeply.

The emperor didn’t say a word. Without a hint of emotion, he picked up the jar and carefully placed the noodles back inside, as though sealing away the conversation itself.

Unperturbed, Lai Fu smoothly moved on. He set the first jar aside with practiced efficiency and reached for the second.

This time, the emperor fished out a piece of jerky. He examined it briefly before remarking, “If my memory serves, the Hua family should still be in mourning.”

The scholar, always prepared, replied calmly, “That’s correct. After conducting a thorough investigation, we confirmed that while this jerky was indeed made by the Hua family, no customs of mourning were breached. The family elder personally tested the jerky—chewed and spat it out—to ensure its quality.”

He paused, as if to underline his next statement. “Also, during the inquiry, we found that no one in the Hua family has consumed meat in the past year.”

The emperor listened in silence, his expression giving away nothing. Yet, as he tore off a piece of jerky and began chewing thoughtfully, his deliberate pace betrayed how much he savored it. One bite became another, and soon, the entire piece had vanished without him even realizing. A flicker of hunger lingered in his eyes, but his restraint was ironclad. His attention shifted to the third jar.

The scholar caught the unspoken question and stepped in promptly. “Ah, this one’s a fruit preserve,” he explained. “An idea from the Hua family’s eldest miss. It used to sell out at Yunlai Restaurant and became quite the hit for a time.”

Since it wasn’t convenient to eat preserves on the spot, the emperor merely studied the jar for a moment longer, then turned his attention outward. With a practiced gesture, he pulled aside the curtain to observe the scene beyond.

The line of people waiting outside had grown shorter, yet the crowd had hardly thinned. Scholars and their servants lingered near the Hua family gate, some clutching their baskets, others gazing with a mix of anticipation and frustration. Whispers flitted through the air, speculation rife about the eldest miss, who everyone assumed was behind that door. But no one dared to act out of turn.

As the last person finally received their basket, it became painfully clear: the eldest miss had no intention of making an appearance. Realization spread like ripples through the group, and one by one, they dispersed, small clusters melting away into the streets.

However, Hua Baiyu did not hurry to leave. He continued to wait behind the table for any possible arrivals. His eldest sister had instructed him to wait for half a day.

Seeing a carriage leaving in the distance, he paid it no mind and turned to his younger brothers, saying, "Not everyone needs to wait here. Those over eight years old can stay, while the others can rest."

No one insisted on staying. After such a long wait, everyone was tired. Xiao Han, the youngest and weakest among them, was trembling from exhaustion. Despite trying to conceal it, he was finally noticed to be unsteady on his feet and had to be supported by two older children as they walked inside.

In the courtyard, those who had not left while they were out were still present. Hua Zhi's gentle gaze swept over them, lingering a little longer on Xiao Han, who did not approach her. She simply spoke softly, "You've all worked hard. Go and have something to eat and rest."

"Yes, eldest sister."

Zheng Han was still being led away. Ever since the incident with the Wei family, everyone had accepted Zheng Han as part of the family, and today's shared experience only further cemented their bond. Unconsciously, they had come to see him as one of their own and treated him with extra care due to his young age.

Hua Zhi was pleased with this outcome. Relationships were built over time and would only continue to improve.

"Tell Bai Yu that they can take turns coming in to eat," she instructed.

The steward Xu went off, while Li De and his men gathered the remaining baskets in the courtyard.

"Let's all disperse. There won't be many people coming later."

Chen Mama knew that the eldest miss was an accommodating person open to suggestions. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Eldest Miss, should we stop preparing those items?"

"Not for now. Treating this as a business venture will require more than just your efforts. We need the whole workshop to be involved. However, I still need to focus on the seafood side of things, and I haven't decided whether to proceed with this."

Chen Mama had some disappointment. They were all loyal followers of the old lady, and the eldest Miss had taken them in, providing them with a place by her side. But with capable assistants already at her disposal, they didn't have much to do all day. They could have benefited from continuing work on those items and not just being idle.

Hua Zhi understood her thoughts but had no immediate plans to expand the business. A lack of manpower was one reason, and another was that the clientele for these items was limited and specific, catering mainly to merchants, escort agencies, and travelers who needed provisions on the go. The market was neither large nor small, with many substitutes available, making it unappealing to her.

There was actually a perfect place for these items, but she couldn't act on it alone, and she didn't want to undersell it to someone else. After all, she wasn't the one in charge, so she decided not to pursue it.

However, the maids who had been with her grandmother for decades wasted their time on trivial matters all day. After some thought, Hua Zhirou said, "I wonder if you would be willing to take charge of some matters for me."

Chen Mama brightened up. "Just give the orders, eldest miss."

"The seafood section is about to open, and I need someone to oversee the seafood items. It might be tedious, with a wide variety of items to be mindful of. I'm afraid Chen... "

"I'll go!" Chen Mama realized she had interrupted the eldest miss and quickly apologized.

Hua Zhi reassured her, "I will list out the important things you need to remember. Please pay attention to them."

"Yes, I will ensure everything is in order for you."