Chapter 289 - The Man Who Provides Support

The wedding, or hunli, took place at dusk—the moment when day fades into night, symbolizing the shift from one phase to another.

The family had been on edge since the afternoon, anxiously waiting for the perfect moment. The tension that had been building up in the Hua family's fourth branch finally started to ease when the groom arrived, announced joyously by the matchmaker. They had dared not get their hopes up, constantly bracing for something to go wrong, but thankfully, the Cai family lived up to their reputation.

Inside the main hall, the fourth Old Madam sat in the seat of honor, with an empty spot across from her. Wei shi took a seat to her lower left, and others followed in order. Hua Zhi, without a shred of modesty, took the top spot on the right as the head of the first branch.

Cai Jieming, the eldest grandson of the Cai family, entered wearing a deep crimson wedding robe. His tall frame and confident stride gave off a distinctly martial vibe. The moment he stepped into the hall, his eyes caught sight of a familiar face among the elders—she was young, but unmistakably recognized. The rumors from the capital flashed in his mind, and he couldn’t resist sneaking a few extra glances. But he quickly composed himself and moved forward to bow formally to the fourth Old Madam.

The fourth Old Madam regarded him with satisfaction, a glint of pride in her eyes as she spoke, "Jie Ming, I’m entrusting my Qin'er to you. You must treat her well and cherish each other for the rest of your lives."

Cai Jieming replied confidently, "I won’t disappoint you."

Next, he turned to Wei shi, offering his formal greetings. After that, he greeted the others with less ceremony.

As the eldest, Cai Jieming greeted Hua Zhi first. She gave him a half bow in return and offered a simple, "I wish you both happiness."

For a moment, an odd unease crept over Cai Jieming. After thanking her, he struggled to find the right words to say. It was only the matchmaker’s nudge that reminded him to continue with the formalities.

Meanwhile, Hua Zhi silently exhaled. It was her first time attending such a ceremony, and the whole affair was unfamiliar to her. But at least Cai Jieming seemed just as uncomfortable as she felt.

Hua Zhi didn't stay for the festivities, but listening to the commotion outside, she knew that the Cai family had indeed not taken this marriage lightly. Whether it was due to foresight or a sense of loyalty, their behavior indicated that they were people of good character.

At this moment, Bailin's voice rang out, "Brother-in-law, on behalf of all the men of the Hua family, I ask you one question: Will you treat Hua Qin well?"

The noise instantly subsided. A line of young boys, led by Hua Bailin, stood in front of Cai Jieming. The oldest was only fifteen, and Bailin himself was just eleven. Despite their youth, they stood tall, their expressions serious as they took on the role of protectors for their soon-to-be-married sister.

Cai Jieming suddenly recalled his grandfather's words when he was told about this marriage. What he remembered most was his grandfather saying, "The foundation of the Hua family cannot be destroyed in one generation. As long as the descendants of the Hua family are capable, the family will rise again."

These children before him were the descendants of the Hua family. They stood before him with clear eyes, their chests puffed out, acting like grown men. Though still full of childishness, they were determined to protect their family. Without his grandfather's wisdom, he still believed that these children would one day restore the glory of the Hua family.

Looking at their earnest expressions, he could only reply, "I promise you, I will treat Hua Qin well."

Bailin pursed his lips, his expression still tight. "If you break your promise, I will bring her back home. My eldest sister said that the daughters of the Hua family are not water that has been poured out. Our family home will always be their support."

"Yes," Cai Jieming could say nothing else.

Hua Qin was his cousin. He knew her character and her talents. She possessed the unique bookish charm and beauty of the Hua women. From the beginning, he had been very satisfied with this arranged marriage, even though he had hesitated due to the Hua family's downfall. In the end, he had firmly decided to marry her.

He said he would treat Hua Qin well, and he meant it, not just to appease the Hua family.

The women of the Hua family were already in tears. It was hard to tell whether they were crying for themselves or for someone else.

But Hua Zhi? She didn’t falter for a second.

She walked straight to the door, her eyes locked on her younger brothers standing outside. They were all dressed in deep blue mourning robes, their hair perfectly tied. Their faces, young and serious, wore the gravity of the moment. In this atmosphere, no one would dare mock them.

These were the Hua family's children. As the old saying goes, no one dares to bully the elderly or the young.

So, who could claim the Hua family was truly falling apart with descendants like these?

When Hua Zhi returned home, night had already fallen. She saw Yan Xi and gave him a sharp gesture, signaling for him to stay back. She sent her mother and the other women through the second gate first, then returned herself.

*

"I heard it's quite lively."

"It must be the lively news from outside." Hua Zhi smiled. The moonlight was perfect, a gentle breeze blowing. They didn't go inside but sat beside the stone table in the courtyard.

Gu Yanxi placed the loquats he had brought on the stone table, picked one, and peeled it. "Bailin is very capable, handling things well."

Hua Zhi shook her head, "He's too young and has experienced too little. What are people saying about him?"

"They say he is worthy of being from the Hua family, displaying the spirit of the Hua family and ensuring its continuity."

"Such high praise?" Hua Zhi chuckled. "They might be exaggerating."

Gu Yanxi brought the peeled loquat to her lips, and Hua Zhi bit into it without hesitation. Her tongue grazed his fingertips, making Gu Yanxi's heart tremble. He casually withdrew his hand under the table, rubbed it, then picked up another loquat to peel.

"A proper sharpening can make someone very useful. With you around, they won't have a chance to exaggerate. I see that when you're with Bailin, nothing anyone says can compare to your words," Gu Yanxi continued to feed her while changing the subject. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"There's a lot to do," Hua Zhi thought for a moment and listed out, "In the morning, I'll visit my maternal grandmother's house, then in the afternoon, I need to go to the farm. Xu Jie has brought back a boatload of lychees, and I have to teach them how to preserve them, as they might spoil if left for too long."

Thinking about how he always liked to ask about her schedule recently, Hua Zhi went ahead and mentioned the day after tomorrow as well. "The day after tomorrow, I have to go to another estate. The mushrooms are growing faster than I expected. I need to work on expanding the market for them before I leave."

Hua Zhi sighed inwardly at how there never seemed to be enough time to catch a break from all these tasks.

"I'll handle the market expansion. We can't just sit back and reap the rewards without putting in the work," Gu Yanxi stated sharply.

"That’s exactly right. I’ll leave it in your hands then," came the reply.

Gu Yanxi glanced at her, his gaze soft but focused. He offered her another loquat. He hadn’t eaten any himself, but the sweetness of the fruit seemed to fill him, warmth spreading from her lips to his heart.

After wiping his hands clean, he gathered the remaining loquats and handed them to Suyun Mama. "Keep these chilled for tomorrow. If you like them, I can send more."

These loquats were a rare, prized gift—tribute fruits, large and exceptionally sweet. Only officials ranked third or higher could receive a basket. But Gu Yanxi was special. The emperor had given him five baskets, allowing him to indulge freely before taking more.

Since their return to the capital, their time together had shrunk significantly. Gu Yanxi was buried in the mountain of paperwork left behind by the Bureau of Seven Stars, not to mention his plans for the future.

Though he trusted his subordinates, he couldn't leave everything to them. After all, the emperor had sent him a mountain of documents to review, all requiring his personal attention. He had little time here, and once he returned to his duties, he would be swamped once again.

Gu Yanxi found that he preferred the days when they were out in the field together, where they could spend hours by each other's side. It was far different from now, where even a few minutes together felt rushed, like they were always on the clock.

———TN: "Alright, just one more chapter. I don't have much time, so let's make this quick."