Bao Xia threw away all his usual manners and ran back quickly, "Miss, they are coming this way."
Hearing the noise getting closer, Hua Zhi looked up and said, "Continue to guard the door. This time we need to let them see us and run back in panic."
Baoxia swallowed and ran out.
"You will also be panicking in a while, don't suppress the fear in your heart."
"… yes."
The noise was close at hand, Bao Xia ran back, cleverly shouting as she ran, "Miss, there are officials, lots of officials."
Hua Zhi kicked over the small table with bottles and jars on it and went out to greet them. "What officials? Why are there officials in my house?"
At this time, the officers followed in with big strides, just one step slower than Bao Xia. The tall man in armor in the lead raised the token in his hand and said, "We are ordered to confiscate the property. Women please stay away."
This is no ordinary official! Hua Zhi's pupils shrank, this is the Imperial Guard!
The four maids were shaking with fear, but they still managed to stand upright and protect the young lady behind them, looking at the men in the room vigilantly.
The man was quite appreciative of their actions in protecting their master, and his tone sounded a little better, "Please stay away, so as not to ruin Miss Hua's reputation."
Hua Zhi looked nervous, nodded and stepped back, and the man suddenly said, "Wait."
The four maids were all nervous.
The man pointed at Hua Zhi's head and said, "Leave behind all the jewelry you are wearing."
Yes, it was a house search, and only letting her take off her jewelry was considered merciful. According to one house search she knew of, all family members, young and old, men, women, and children were only allowed to leave wearing only middle-length clothes, and were not allowed to take anything away.
Yingchun took off all the removable jewelry on the young lady and put them aside, then took off all the jewelry on her head and hands, and then immediately protected the young lady and retreated to the yard.
Fu Dong was so scared that his teeth were chattering, but he still mustered up the courage to go to the storage room next door, fetched a four-legged stool and helped the young lady sit down. The four of them surrounded her so that Hua Zhi couldn't even show her face.
About a quarter of an hour later, the people inside withdrew. The man in armor saw them like this and secretly praised them in his heart, saying that a servant is known by his master. The Hua family has a good family tradition, indeed. What a pity.
After everyone had left, Bao Xia tiptoed to the door to see that everyone had indeed left, and immediately closed the door. Then his legs went limp and he slid down to sit on the ground against the door. He tried several times but was unable to stand up.
Nian Qiu went over and helped the man to stand up. Although her legs were also weak, this was not the time to do so.
Back in the house, Fu Dong covered his mouth and wiped away tears when he saw the room turned upside down. The eyes of the others were also red.
This is where Hua Zhi has lived for more than ten years. Every place is decorated according to her wishes. She has lived here safely as the eldest daughter of the Hua family for fifteen years. But now, the Hua family that has protected her and given her fifteen years of stability is afraid that... the building is about to collapse.
Hua Zhi turned around and walked out. She was worried about her crybaby mother and her closest brother in the family.
"Miss, you can't go out now..." Yingchun hugged her, "They haven't left yet, you can't go out."
"I have to go see my mom and Berlin."
"I'll go, miss. I'll go too. You wait here for news." After saying this, she ran away without waiting for Hua Zhi's consent.
"Baochun, you go to the young master, and I'll go to the first lady." Nian Qiu said as he followed them out. Hua Zhi moved her lips, but in the end she didn't do anything to add to their burden.
"Yingchun, pack up the important things. I'm afraid we can't live here anymore." She didn't mention a more miserable ending. Confiscation of property has always been linked to exile and beheading, and female relatives are usually even more miserable. Becoming an official maid is the best ending. If one's luck is worse, one may even be demoted to Le Fang.
Hua Zhi was a little confused for a moment, not knowing which direction to put her efforts. In this era where imperial power was supreme, women had no say. She had always abided by the rules here and been a young lady who never left the house. She did not even raise any objection to the marriage arranged by her parents and the matchmaker. She was content with this seemingly unfree but stable life and did not want any changes.
But now it is no longer a question of whether she wants to or not. If it really comes to that, her grandmother will give each of them a white silk so that they will not be alone when they travel together.
There was another noise outside the door. The door was kicked open. Seeing Yingchun and Fudong hiding Hua Zhi inside, he sneered and said loudly, "The imperial edict has arrived. Miss Hua, please go to the front to receive it."
First the property was confiscated and then the imperial edict came. Hua Zhi couldn't imagine how angry the emperor was at that time.
This was a matter of great importance that could not be delayed, so the master and his two servants hurried to the front yard. They were already late, and Hua Zhi looked up to see her grandmother standing in the front with a calm expression and a straight body. Although the other members of the Hua family were panicked, they did not lose their composure. The upbringing they received since childhood had been engraved in their bones.
When grandpa is not around, grandma is the stabilizing force. As long as she doesn't fall, the Hua family will not be in chaos for the time being.
Hua Zhi walked to her mother who was biting her lips tightly to hold back her tears and gently held her hand to support her. With her other hand, she pulled her younger brother Hua Bailin to her side.
The eldest lady looked at her and held her hand tightly. Hua Bailin subconsciously leaned closer to her sister, unable to hide her panic.
"Kneel down, imperial decree."
Everyone in the Hua family, from the master to the servants, knelt down.
"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims that the head of the Imperial Academy, Hua Yizheng, has not thought about sharing the Emperor's worries but has instead stirred up a quarrel among the princes. He is to be stripped of his official position, his property confiscated, and all males over the age of ten in the Hua family to be exiled to the north. I decree this in gratitude."
"Long live the emperor."
Hua Zhi's tense heart relaxed. Ten years old. Fortunately, Berlin was only a few months away from turning ten!
The one who came to announce the decree was Lai Fu, the chief eunuch beside the emperor. He was a bit greedy, but he was a good person. Seeing that the Hua family still looked confused about the situation, he took the initiative to explain: "The Queen Mother made a timely petition to save you. If you have a chance, you must thank her for her kindness."
Without saying a word, the grandmother bowed again in the direction of the imperial palace. The other members of the Hua family followed suit, and Hua Zhi also bowed willingly.
Then the grandmother bowed to Lai Fu and said, "Thank you, Grandpa Lai Fu."
Lai Fu sighed secretly, "The emperor has ordered that all males over ten years old in the Hua family leave immediately."
Madam Hua took a deep breath to steady herself, turned around and looked at the room full of Hua family children and grandchildren, her voice a little unsteady, "Except for the third son Pingyang, all other children and grandchildren are here, please... count them, Grandpa."
Lai Fu unfolded the silk and checked the names one by one, and found that only Hua Pingyang, the youngest son of the Hua family, was missing.
"Madam, do you know where Master Pingyang has gone?"
"A villa outside the city."
"Thank you, old madam, for telling me." Lai Fu nodded to the leader of the royal guards. The leader of the royal guards made a gesture to his subordinates, and the royal guards walked towards every male in the Hua family who was over ten years old with a clear goal.
The second son of the third wife had just turned ten years old and was usually a little spoiled. At this moment, he held his mother tightly and refused to let go. The second wife also cried uncontrollably, causing the other women who had been holding back their tears to start crying as well.
Old Madam Hua closed her eyes and turned away, pretending not to see what was happening in front of her.
Hua Zhi held her brother Hua Bailin's hand tightly, feeling a kind of inappropriate relief in her heart. As for her other half-brother who was taken away, she could do nothing about it.