At the same time, Hua Zhi also came to the Hua family's villa outside the city.
In order to travel conveniently, she asked the housekeeper to buy two ponies. There were many women in the family, so a carriage was essential.
There were many people brought with them. Yingchun was left at home among the head maids, and the second-class maids brought four people. Butler Xu also selected six reliable servants from the front yard. He asked his second son Xu Ying to come with him, so he felt relieved.
This villa may not look big but the environment is very nice. It is surrounded by bamboo forest which makes rustling sounds when the wind blows. Even in such a hot day, you won't feel hot walking in it.
Fourth Uncle loved to invite his friends here to drink and have fun. He would spend almost half of the summer here. He was taken away here before. I don’t know if Fourth Uncle was awake or drunk at the time, but even if he was drunk, he must have been scared awake.
Hua Zhi laughed unkindly after imagining that scene, and her nose felt a little sour after laughing. Given Fourth Uncle's personality, he would probably get used to it quickly even if he was shocked at first. He had said long ago that since they all eat the royal family's food, anyone could be unlucky, and now it was the Hua family's turn.
“Miss…” Bao Xia looked at her young lady worriedly, feeling uncomfortable in her heart. The Fourth Master and the young lady were best friends, and he thought of all the good things for the young lady. She didn’t know if she was suffering now.
"I'm fine."
The eight servants from the villa all came over to pay their respects. Hua Zhixu helped them into the yard. It was obvious that they had tried their best to put things back to their original places, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not restore them to their original state. They could not produce the things that had been moved away.
Looking at those empty places, Hua Zhi felt sad again.
With just one word from the emperor, the Meridian Gate turned into a river of blood. This was the imperial power. In comparison, the Hua family was lucky to be merely exiled.
Hua Zhi walked to the backyard and ordered, "Xu Ying, follow me. Everyone else, go do your own thing."
"yes."
Xu Ying had been told by his father when he came out, so he followed without saying a word.
The Hua family tacitly accepted that this villa was a place for Hua Pingyang to play around. Normally, no one else would come here. However, Hua Zhi had come here several times with her fourth uncle. Every time, her fourth uncle would proudly pat a locust tree in the backyard and walk around it.
Fourth uncle thought that she had long forgotten everything about her childhood, but he didn't know that she even remembered the first words she heard when she was born. She would never forget that on her third birthday, Fourth uncle, who was still a young man, held her in his arms and whispered mysteriously in her ear that he would save up a generous dowry for her, which would make her look more proud than the ten-mile red makeup.
In this era where the dowry determines whether one is favored at home and whether one will be looked down upon after entering the husband's family, Hua Zhi knows that this is a complex relationship.
So every time her fourth uncle took a picture of the osmanthus tree, she knew that his secret was under the tree.
There, buried was the dowry prepared for her by her fourth uncle.
Hua Zhi stood in front of the tree for a moment, took two steps forward and tapped a spot with her toes, "Dig."
This kind of thing certainly didn't require several women. Xu Ying found a hoe from the utility room and tried to dig down. When she felt there was something underneath, she changed tools and slowly removed the top layer of soil, revealing the large box inside.
At Hua Zhi's signal, Xu Ying brought the box up, dug around in the pit, and reported, "Miss, there's more next to it. Do you want to keep digging?"
"Go on, go slower and use more force."
"yes."
The mud pit became bigger and bigger, and the aroma of wine filled the air. Hua Zhi stood on top and looked at the several rows of large wine jars sealed with red mud below. She held the base of her right hand with her left hand and bit the tip of her tongue with her teeth, using the pain to remind herself that she must not be weak at this moment.
In the Jiangnan area, families who love their daughters will bury rice wine after their daughters are born, and will dig it out to entertain guests when their daughters get married, so this wine is also called daughter's red.
She didn't know how her fourth uncle knew this story and buried so much wine under this old locust tree. If the Hua family hadn't had the accident, when she got married next year, these wines would be dug out and many girls would be envious. And she would probably cry.
Xu Ying thought that the Fourth Young Master drank the wine himself, and was about to ask what to do with the wine, but when he saw the eldest girl's expression, he tactfully shut up.
After a while, Hua Zhi squatted down and brushed off the dirt on the box, touched the edge of the box, took a deep breath, and opened the lid.
As expected, the box did not contain yellow or white things, and there did not seem to be many things. Instead, there were a variety of things, including calligraphy and paintings, antiques, gemstones, and even a pair of night pearls.
She counted them silently and found that the number was exactly fifteen, which was equal to her age. All of them must be priceless treasures that the famous Master Pingyang in the capital kept as treasures.
After washing her hands, Hua Zhi picked up a scroll of calligraphy and opened it, staring at the signature for a long time without moving her eyes away.
She was not interested in calligraphy and paintings, and had no hobby of collecting, but she knew everything she should know. For example, this unknown hermit was a famous calligrapher two dynasties ago. He was as famous for his stinginess as his calligraphy. According to legend, in order to prevent others from obtaining his works, he would burn each completed painting after he had appreciated it enough. The few works that circulated outside were all gifts he gave to his friends or people he could not refuse, such as the emperor of the time.
Because they are rare, they are even more valuable. Wu Wen Jushi's works have always been priceless and many collectors have been unable to obtain them. I really don't know where Fourth Uncle found them.
Putting it back carefully, Hua Zhi picked up the inkstone in the box and observed it carefully. As expected, she saw an engraved seal and two seals underneath. One of the three people was a person with detailed records in history books, and the other two were also great writers who were famous throughout the ages...
Taking another look at the other things, Hua Zhi thought, if she put all these things out during the wedding, who knows how many people would be tempted. If she didn't allow it, even a family of high status would not be able to prevent thieves from breaking into their door.
Putting down the inkstone, Hua Zhi closed the lid of the box. If these things were sold, it would be enough to support the Hua family's expenses for a few years, and there would be enough money left to send money to the north, so that grandparents, father and others could use the money to buy an easier life.
But is it difficult to make money? It is not difficult for Hua Zhi. The difficult part is how to spend the money in a quality and beneficial way, and finally become a helper to ensure that all the men in the Hua family return from the north.
What's more important is that she doesn't want to sell such a rare gift. Fourth Uncle has done what he said. He is really working hard to save up a splendid dowry for her. She will keep these things for the rest of her life. Even if she doesn't get married, these will still be her dowry!
"Xu Ying, you take someone to deliver the wine back in person. Be careful on the way and don't leave any jars behind."
"But you still have to go to the farm, how dare I go back first?"
"These wines were buried by my fourth uncle for more than ten years for use when I get married." Hua Zhi did not explain further, but Xu Ying instantly understood how important these wines were and nodded in agreement.