After deciding with Wu Zheng on the boat to leave the next day, Hua Zhi declined the invitation and returned to the inn.
"Take a good rest for a day. We don't know what the situation will be in Zhenyang tomorrow, so we need to be alert just in case."
Everyone agreed.
Hua Zhi went to the twins' room.
At this time, both of them were awake. Shaoyao habitually stepped forward to feel their pulses, glanced at the sister, curled her lips and stood aside.
Hua Zhi looked at the two of them. Normally, fraternal twins should not look alike, just like ordinary brothers and sisters. However, the facial features of these two were very similar, and they were very easy to recognize. The elder sister's timidity and the younger brother's responsibility were obvious at a glance. She could understand Shaoyao's dislike for her sister, but it was really too normal. She didn't react that much, she just couldn't say that she liked her.
"Have you discussed it?"
The younger brother pulled his sister to her knees and said, "Please take us away, young lady. We are willing to be your slaves and servants, and work like cows and horses for you."
Hua Zhi nodded slightly, "Hold Xia."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Write two indentures and have them sign them, and the price will be the same as the price we pay for buying a person in our mansion."
"Yes." Bao Xia looked at the two of them, "What are your names?"
"Our last name is Wu. My sister's name is Dashuang and mine is Xiaoshuang."
Baoxia immediately wrote two indentures and gave them to the twins along with twenty taels of silver. Nowadays, the price for buying a person in the Hua Mansion is ten taels of silver per person.
The younger brother became more determined to follow this beautiful lady. She could have refused to pay him any money, but she not only did so, but she also paid a high price. In Zhenyang, four taels of silver was enough to buy a servant.
"Baoxia, I'll leave them to you along the way. Teach them the rules of the Hua family, and also tell them some taboos in the capital."
"Yes, I know." The first thing I have to teach them is how to refer to themselves! They have no right to call themselves "I" in front of the young lady.
After returning to the house, Hua Zhi placed Wu Xiaoshuang's indenture contract in front of Xiao Liu and said, "This person is for you to use."
The Sixth Prince opened his eyes wide in surprise, "Sister Hua bought this person herself..."
"They can't be put together as siblings. This Li Xiaoshuang will be useful if he is properly trained." Hua Zhi smiled. "Other princes at your age already have countless people around them. You have too few people to use. Since Yan Xi has placed you with me, I have to consider these things for you, lest there is no one to use when you need someone. And as for your maternal grandfather, I sent a letter to your grandmother before I came out. The Sun family will not send anyone to you for the time being. If you have a clean family around you, those people will not be so reluctant to tolerate you. No matter what you want to do, you have to grow up smoothly first."
The Sixth Prince's eyes were filled with tears and he suddenly lowered his head, trying to hide his gaffe by holding the indenture contract in his hand. At this moment, he was extremely grateful to his eldest and fourth brothers. If it weren't for them, how would he have recognized Sister Hua
Hua Zhi was stunned for a moment when she saw him like this, but then she understood and couldn't help laughing. She didn't mean to do him any favor, but this child had been well-behaved in her side for several months. In her opinion, he was no different from her own brothers. What's more, the Sun family also provided shelter to the family in Yinshan Pass, so she just wanted to pay more attention to this child and didn't have any other thoughts.
"Since we are talking about this, Xiaoliu, I will open up to you a little bit."
The child raised his head, his eyes red.
"Your status determines that you can never be like other children. The Hua family is too comfortable. Even though Bolin is smart, he hasn't really seen much. Don't let the Hua family's environment affect you and make you lose your vigilance. The Hua family is a place for you to stay. It's a place you can come back to whenever you're tired or bored. But your world is in that imperial city. There are some things you can't avoid by retreating. No one will believe that a prince is not interested in that position. And those people in the palace are the ones you have to be on guard against for the rest of your life. Do you understand?"
"Where's Sister Hua? Sister Hua, do you believe that I'm not interested in that position?" The child was looking for an answer with a stubborn face. If even Sister Hua didn't believe him...
Hua Zhi smiled, "I don't need to think about this question. To use a less vivid analogy, all parents in the world want their sons to be successful and their daughters to be successful. If you are interested, it is just an ambition for me. If you are not interested, there are other ways to go. As long as you regard yourself as a member of the Hua family, even if you want to travel around the world, I can make you worry-free. Of course, if you really hold a high position one day, I also believe that you will protect the Hua family, right?"
The Sixth Prince's tears started to flow, falling in big drops, as if he wanted to shed all the tears he had been holding back for the past few years. He had never had any concept of home, and the palace could never be his home. His maternal grandparents loved him, but the first thing they thought of was his identity as a prince. The hug his grandmother gave him during the vegetarian meal that day was the limit of how close they could be.
He has been alone since his mother passed away. He can only see his father a few times a year, his grandmother whom he can only see on a few days, and his brothers whom he can never be close to... After all, the people he is closest to are just those guards, and they are not his family.
But now, Sister Hua gave him everything he wanted. It was natural for her to protect him from the wind and rain, make the most appropriate plans for him, trust him, teach him the truth, and guide him to find problems... He once envied Berlin for having everything, but now he has it.
This feeling was so good that he was greedy, and he couldn't help but want to get more, and want to... prevent others from getting it.
But he knew he couldn't.
Sister Hua now gives him the care that a non-biological but close brother would receive. If one day he crosses the line and Sister Hua no longer treats him as a brother, all this will be gone. He can only be a brother, which is the closest distance he can get to Sister Hua.
That's good.
Hua Zhi smiled softly, just like she did when she punished Berlin and Berlin realized his mistake and cried miserably. She pressed the handkerchief on Xiaoliu's face and said, "Don't hold it in in the future. Even if you don't want to tell me, you can tell Berlin. Only children have the right to cry. When you grow up, you can only cry secretly under the quilt."
These words made the child cry even more quickly, so Hua Zhi had no choice but to stop saying anything. She knew Yan Xi's plan and was also preparing for a rainy day, but Xiao Liu was too obedient. Many times she forgot his noble status and just regarded him as a child that deserved pity. This was probably because she did not respect the imperial power enough, so she dared to say that she felt sorry for a prince.
"Okay, stop crying. Shaoyao will laugh at you if she sees you."