Chapter 278: Xiao Liu's Growth

Hua Zhi blinked, her face innocent, “What’s vinegar (jealous)?”

Gu Yanxi chuckled, “It’s sour. I had some a few days ago.”

Hua Zhi looked at him sideways.

“I’ve been soaking in a vat of vinegar every time Jiang Huanran tried to sweet-talk you.”

Hua Zhi smiled and rubbed against his shoulder, choosing not to explain. She did indeed have a good impression of Jiang Huanran, but it was nothing related to romantic feelings.

Gu Yanxi had only said it casually. He understood Ah Zhi, and how could he look down on her? He gently rubbed her cheek and said, “Xiao Liu has grown up a lot, it's all thanks to you.”

“Is there a reward?”

“Yes,” Gu Yanxi kissed her forehead, “A reward.”

Hua Zhi pushed him away in disgust, “Who wants a reward like that? Xiao Liu is very malleable, he wouldn't have been much worse off without me. By the way, when you see Haoyue, remember to ask her about Xiao Liu. I'm curious to see what she'll predict for him.”

“Noted.” Gu Yanxi chuckled. Xiao Liu probably wouldn’t have imagined that he was so cherished by Ah Zhi. “What about me? You’re worried about Xiao Liu, but not me?”

“Aren’t you being cherished by Haoyue?” Hua Zhi smiled, “Whether Haoyue is a real fortune teller or a fake one, she undoubtedly thinks highly of you. So, I guess you’ll do well in the future.”

“I don’t underestimate her.”

Hua Zhi looked up at the man's resolute chin. This man, so strong, so cold, was always so gentle in front of her. If this was what love looked like, she thought, she would be willing to pay the price for it.

“Yanxi, if one day the empire is right in front of you, would you be willing to take it?”

“Where would you be then?”

“… I don’t know.”

Gu Yanxi smiled, “I’ll be wherever you are, no matter where that is.”

Hua Zhi lowered her head and wrapped her arms around the man’s waist, remaining silent for a long time. She had always felt like a passive recipient of his affections, but at this moment, she realized that she had fallen for this man who stood above all others.

Even with mountains and rivers, grievances and hatreds separating them, love could still blossom.

As the moonlight gradually faded, Gu Yanxi carried Hua Zhi down the mountain.

Hua Zhi’s room was located halfway up the mountain. This family had vacated their best room for them, and they had even changed the bedsheets to clean ones with patches, using the best things in their home. Hua Zhi felt that she should give them the minimum respect and didn’t ask Bao Xia to change into her own things.

Early the next morning, Hua Zhi asked Xu Ying to invite Elder Tao and Liu Da.

The two arrived quickly, and Hua Zhi asked directly, "Are there any other places besides the landslide where that self-combustible substance can be found?"

Elder Tao and Liu Da discussed for a moment, and Liu Da replied, "There are two other places, but they are both underground, not far from the landslide."

Hua Zhi understood.

It seemed that the entire area was a coal mountain. Thinking about the final river route they had decided on, which avoided that area, she felt relieved. Since this substance wasn't needed for the time being, it might as well be left there. It would be a waste to simply discard it.

Knowing Hua Zhi's actions, Gu Yanxi merely smiled. From Hua Zhi's reaction yesterday when she saw the handful of the substance and her intentional avoidance of that area when planning the river route today, he vaguely understood that Hua Zhi was not as unfamiliar with that substance as she claimed. Perhaps she not only recognized it but also knew how to use it.

However, since Hua Zhi wasn't saying anything, she must have her reasons. With her nature, she would certainly not harm the Great Daqing Dynasty. As long as he knew this, it was enough.

When they left, they took Elder Tao with them. Everyone in the stone house came out and bowed deeply to the group. They had few interactions with others and didn't expect that they might not be able to help them once they left. They simply believed that these people could lead them out of their suffering.

The Sixth Prince's lips trembled as he shouted, "Pack your things. You can leave soon."

Those people couldn't understand, but they vaguely understood the meaning. Some people covered their faces and cried. It was really too difficult to live in such a place. In the past, no one dared to think about leaving, but now that the opportunity to leave was right in front of them, they realized how deep their longing was.

Hua Zhi gently patted Xiao Liu's shoulder and said, "Let's go."

The sixth prince clutched the hand on his shoulder, murmuring, "I don't understand. Why hasn't anyone been able to do something so simple for all these years?"

"Perhaps it's because it doesn't concern them directly," Hua Zhi replied. "It's not enough to just move people out of here. They've relied on each other for so many years and they certainly don't understand the rules outside. For the government, these people are unstable factors, so of course, they don't want to take them in."

"But these problems can be solved," the prince insisted. "They'll adapt, they'll gradually learn the rules outside, they'll find their way to survive. How can they just ignore them for so many years because of those reasons?"

Hua Zhi met his bewildered gaze. For a moment, she didn't know how to explain it to him. Finally, she sighed and summed it up with a universal phrase, "You'll understand when you grow up, Xiao Liu. Take this as a lesson. Don't become like them when you grow up."

The sixth prince instantly grasped a truth that he was supposed to understand only when he was older. He turned to look at the people who were still standing outside, waving them goodbye, their faces indistinct.

If growing up meant becoming like them, he didn't want to grow up at all.

From Lingzhou to Li County, the sixth prince didn't say a word the entire journey. Shao Yao tried to cheer him up, but Hua Zhi stopped her. It was good for him to think about things.

Gu Yanxi naturally wouldn't handle such a small matter himself. He assigned Yu Tao to take care of it and then prepared to take everyone to the inn. The sixth prince volunteered to go with him.

After staying in Li County for two days, Hua Zhi simply rested and pondered, paying no attention to anything else. However, everyone liked to talk to her, and she learned that the people from Ling Village had all moved to a picturesque valley at the foot of a mountain in Xishu Town.

They had named the new place Ling Village. She also learned that the Seven Stars Bureau had petitioned to merge Lingzhou into Li County and had started digging a low-lying area by the Wei River in Lingzhou. When the next flood came, they would open the floodgates in Lingzhou to divert the water into the deserted city, thus protecting the downstream areas.

Looking at the sixth prince, who was several shades darker and noticeably more mature than when they had left the capital, Hua Zhi didn't know whether to be happy or sigh. She had said she wanted him to have an easy life, but unintentionally, she seemed to have hastened his growth.

For someone of his status, it was probably a good thing.

Finally, it was time to return home. They had been away for over a month, and everyone was eager to get back.

Every day, Hua Zhi would lean comfortably in Gu Yanxi's arms as they raced on horseback. Sometimes, she would even hide her face in his cloak, resting her head on his warm chest as they swayed back and forth. After getting used to it, she could even fall asleep. Her absolute trust in him made Gu Yanxi's heart melt. He wished he could put a bed on the horse so she could sleep more comfortably.

On the day before Huaqin's wedding, in early July, Hua Zhi returned to the capital.

——— TNote:

• 吃醋 (chī cù): Literally translated as "to eat vinegar," this phrase doesn't mean someone is actually consuming vinegar.

• Figurative Meaning: In modern Chinese, "吃醋" means to be jealous or envious, especially in romantic relationships. It's akin to the English phrase "to be green with envy."

• Vinegar and Sourness: In Chinese culture, vinegar has a strong, sour taste. This taste has long been associated with negative emotions like jealousy and envy.