The house where the Hua family lives now is actually quite large, but it is a little smaller than the former official residence.
There is a garden in the four courtyards in front and back, and each courtyard has a courtyard within a courtyard. This is what is called a deep courtyard.
Hua Zhi lives in the east courtyard of the second entrance. Compared with the west courtyard connected to the garden, this side is too quiet, but no one says that she is taking advantage. In fact, she would like to live further back. But times are different now. She has more people to meet and more things to deal with. It is inconvenient for her and others to live too far back.
My grandmother also lives in the second courtyard, but it is a bit far away from her courtyard.
Hua Zhi, wearing a white cloak, walked through the corridor to her grandmother's courtyard. When the servants saw her, they greeted her with more respect than before.
When the Hua family was on the verge of collapse, they thought the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing. It was the eldest daughter who held up the sky and allowed them to feel safe again. Now that the old lady has passed away, although it is a major turning point, the strange thing is that they are not as uneasy as they were when the Hua family was in trouble.
Maybe it’s because he knows that with a big girl around, no matter how big the problem is, it won’t be a problem.
Looking at the girl's thin but straight back, they could no longer remember what the girl looked like before.
The elders from the side branches of the Hua family were crying bitterly in front of the bed. Hua Zhi stood at the door and watched them, feeling sad. She could see that they were really sad. They had been sisters-in-law for decades and had had quarrels and dirty talks, but they had also known each other for decades and shared honor and disgrace.
"Zhi'er is back."
When the fourth aunt saw her, she turned around and hurriedly reminded the other two. They had only recently found out that Zhier had rushed back today to see the old lady off.
Hua Zhi bowed deeply to the three men according to the rules, and the three men came forward to support her.
The third aunt touched her thin arm, her eyes reddened again, "You've lost weight, lost weight."
The wives of the side branches were also kneeling inside and outside the palace, looking at her expectantly, but Hua Zhi said nothing more and just looked at her fourth aunt, "How are the preparations going?"
"I just sent someone to ask, and the funeral hall won't be ready until almost dark."
"I vaguely remember that there are time regulations for changing the coffin bed..." Hua Zhi suddenly remembered that she had forgotten something, "Have you invited the master who will perform the ritual?"
Wu had thought of all this. She nodded and said, "I asked Butler Xu to invite the master from Dayan Temple, but he hasn't come back yet."
Dayan Temple, Hua Zhi frowned. Dayan Temple was just a small temple with no more than twenty people in total, and it was impossible for them to move in full force, so the number of people was too small.
Mrs. Wu looked bitter, "I also want to go to Dazhuo Temple to invite him, but the Hua family may not be able to invite him now."
"You have to try it to know." Hua Zhi glanced around, "Berlin."
Hua Bailin, who was folding a treasure box with his younger brothers, hurried over.
"Write a note and invite the great master Prajnaparamita of Dazhuo Temple to come and see grandma off."
"I'll write it right away."
"Also." Hua Zhi looked at him, "You will be the one to write all the funeral notices."
"Eldest sister, I have already written it. I will go with my other brothers to announce the death tomorrow."
"Have you assigned them?"
"yes."
Hua Zhi didn't say anything to praise him, but just patted him on the shoulder. Hua Bailin was happy, as his eldest sister was finally not disappointed in him anymore.
Holding the written note, Hua Zhi handed it to Wu and said, "Send someone to meet with Butler Xu along the way, and ask him to return the letter from Dayan Temple and go to Dazhuo Temple again."
"But if it's Dazhuo Temple..."
"No, Master Prajna and my grandfather have always been friends."
Wu felt relieved and left in a hurry.
The three old ladies looked at each other, each with a meaningful look in their eyes.
My fourth uncle's wife suddenly said, "Zhi'er, the snow is getting stronger and stronger. It will be even colder at night. Should we ask Hua Jing to come inside and keep watch?"
"She is willing to be so sincere and filial to her grandmother, so I will certainly help her."
"We all know what happened. If the weather was fine, I wouldn't say anything, but if she gets sick from the cold in this weather, you'll be the one who suffers."
"No matter what the price, she can't enter the Hua family's door. She will never be able to enter until she dies!"
"If she insists on coming in..."
"She doesn't dare." Hua Zhi's eyes were full of sarcasm. "I'm actually looking forward to her rushing in."
She was willing to use her own notoriety to tell the world what good things Hua Jing had done, but people would eventually know.
Fourth uncle's wife wanted to say something else, but third uncle's wife tugged at her sleeve and shook her head slightly. Hua Zhi was determined to torture Hua Jing, and there was no need for them to conflict with Hua Zhi over Hua Jing. Hua Jing was not worth it.
Hua Zhi asked the servant to bring a drawing board. She did not plan to hire a painter and planned to paint her grandmother's portrait herself.
Over there, Gu Yanxi also learned from Chen Qing about the Hua family's invitation to a mage. He immediately wrote a letter, "Send someone to the Dazhuo Temple, quickly."
"yes."
Chen Qing went out for a while and came back soon.
Gu Yanxi was still wearing a big coat. He had just returned from the palace. The emperor's uncle was becoming more and more irritable. When he learned that Yan State had taken him as a sucker, he almost sent troops to besiege Yan State. It took him some time to calm down his anger.
"What's the situation at the Hua family now? Is anyone giving her trouble?"
Chen Qing glanced at his master and didn't know who was making things difficult for whom. He had followed Hua Zhi for half a day and saw her tormenting Hua Jing, but when he thought about what Hua Jing had done, he felt very happy.
He lowered his head and told the details of the Hua family. At the end, he said, "Before I came back, Miss Hua had already sent people to the Dazhuo Temple. From what she said, Master Prajna and Mr. Hua are friends."
Gu Yanxi stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back. The cold wind blew in, making things in the study make a clanking sound.
Friendship exists only when the person is around. Not everyone will take it seriously when the person is gone. Monk Prajna will remember his friendship with Hua Yizhen and take on this matter, but the other monks in Dazhuo Temple may not. Not all monks are aloof from the world.
But if only one person performed the ritual, the Hua family would lose face, even if the person who came was Prajna.
"Give Elder Yu another letter and ask him to rush to Yinshan Pass as soon as possible to tell Shaoyao Hua that Old Madam has passed away and come back as soon as possible. Also, this matter must not be disclosed to the Hua family."
"yes."
Thinking about the situation Hua Zhi is facing now, Gu Yanxi couldn't help but frown. She has been running all the way, and now she has to deal with this mess again when she comes back. She has to guard the body for seven days and worry about it all the time. No one can bear it.
If he had known earlier, he should have let Shaoyao come back with him, regardless of whether Wu Yong could survive until Mr. Yu arrived.
Chen Qing took a few steps closer to the prince and asked tentatively, "Do you need me to go and greet a few families and ask them to pay their respects?"
"No need." With too many idle people present, Hua Zhi would not be able to tell who is still sincere towards the Hua family, and this should be what she wants to understand most from this matter. This will determine how the Hua family will interact with the aristocratic families in the capital in the future. She also needs to figure out the real situation of the Hua family now.
PS: Kong Kong reads all the girls’ comments, love you girls.