"If just saying it would be helpful, why would there be so much trouble?" Hua Zhi's smile was very faint. She did not laugh at Xiaoliu's naivety. At this age, he should have such naivety. However, in the face of facts, such naivety was too pale and helpless.
Xiao Liu knew that he had said nonsense, rubbed his face, and asked, "What should I do next? Wait for Brother Yan Xi to come over? What else do I need to do?"
"Let's go have fun with Zeng Xiangyan and the others. You don't need to do anything. If they ask us when we will be back, just say that we are waiting for a brother from the clan to join us." Hua Zhi frowned slightly. "I didn't expect that we would be delayed here for so long. If I had known, I wouldn't have brought you here. You can't leave the capital for too long. There are many people who want to pick such a big peach."
"But everyone knows that this peach has an owner. Can they take it away?"
"Knowing is one thing, but who will get it in the end is another. Even the emperor only looks at the result, not the process. You have to keep it safe by yourself."
Xiaoliu bit his lip. He had too few people at his disposal, and he was unable to arrange for them when he needed help.
"General Sun and Madam Sun didn't expect you to be forced to handle the situation on your own so early. Madam Sun has been integrating the Sun family's manpower for some time. When she returns this time, she will hand over some of the manpower and resources to you. When the time comes, you can hand over the business and money to me, and I will manage it for you."
"… good."
Seeing Xiaoliu with red eyes and childish manners, Hua Zhi's heart softened. She said softly before he could harden his heart and listen to her words, "Xiaoliu, no matter where you go in the future, I hope you won't be alone. It's not easy to live without someone to talk to. The Sun family may ask for something from you, but it's a fact that you are the only blood relative of General Sun and Madam Sun. Even if they are thinking about the family, they will definitely do it without hurting you, just like the Hua family."
Hua Zhi smiled, "It is true that you are close to the Hua family. If this can be accomplished, the Hua family will benefit the most. It's okay once or twice, but if it lasts for a long time, how can so many noble families in the capital agree to this? By then, there will be no shortage of gossip about the Hua family. Three people make a tiger, and even the greatest trust may be shaken..."
Xiao Liu interrupted her hastily, "Sister Hua, I can't!"
"It's not as simple as yes or no. It depends on your position and environment." Hua Zhi smiled. "If that time really comes, think about what I said today. The reason why the Hua family is sought after by scholars is because they are upright, loyal to the emperor and patriotic. If one day the people of the Hua family break this point, the Hua family built on this point will have nothing. There is no need to worry at all. Tolerance makes one great. I hope you can have a heart as broad as the sea. No one can stir up huge waves in your heart. No matter how much others provoke, they are just jumping clowns. This is not only for the Hua family, but for everyone."
Xiaoliu nodded vigorously. He would never become that kind of person, never!
Hua Zhi smiled as she looked at the child whose childishness had gradually worn away. "Never underestimate the people at any time. Do not trample on their hearts. They are indeed very weak and easily satisfied. As long as they can have enough food and clothing and can survive, they can endure being bullied honestly. But if someone cuts off their way to life and forces them to rebel together, no matter how powerful the army is, it will not be able to stop them. Just like when Daqing overthrew the Chaoli Kingdom, the people have always been the cornerstone of this world. Among the 40 million people in the Daqing Dynasty, 39 million or even more are ordinary people, and aristocratic families only account for a tiny part of them. That's why there is a saying that a government will prosper when it follows the will of the people, and a government will be abolished when it goes against the will of the people. The trend of the world is always based on the will of the people. If the will of the people is followed, everything will be smooth. If everything is smooth, everything will prosper. If you don't say that you love the people like your own children, you should at least keep them in mind. The people are not stupid, they know best who is good to them."
"Yes, I've written it all down." Xiao Liu patted his chest. It was getting hot, scalding hot. No one knew better than him what consequences Sister Hua was risking to say this. If he had a conscience, he could use these words to convict Sister Hua in the future. But she still said it, risking her life to teach him these great principles that no one had ever taught him. Just for this reason, he had to remind himself from time to time not to live a lonely life and not to waste Sister Hua's hard work.
Hua Zhi smiled and didn't mention it anymore.
She would never say such things again. Xiaoliu and Berlin were different after all. Even if Berlin was in his seventies or eighties, he was still her younger brother and he had to listen to whatever she said. But Xiaoliu could not do that. She could only plant a seed in his heart before his character was determined. How it would grow in the future was not up to her.
When the first snow fell in Jinyang, Hua Zhi waited for Yan Xi, who was covered in snow.
But when she went forward to greet him, she was rejected. "Don't give it to me, you are so cold. Go back to the house first. I will come after I pack up."
Hua Zhi also wanted him to feel more comfortable, so she quickly asked Nian Qiu to prepare hot water. She found Yan Xi's clothes from the package and warmed them by the brazier, then calculated the time and asked Xiao Liu to deliver them.
When Gu Yanxi came out after washing, a table full of hot meals was waiting for him.
He rushed here day and night after receiving the news, relying entirely on his good physical condition to sustain himself. Hungry and tired were inevitable. In front of Azhi, Gu Yanxi didn't care about anything and ate without even raising his head.
Hua Zhi kept picking up food for him and wanted to say something, but she was so heartbroken that she was afraid she would choke if she opened her mouth, so she simply kept her mouth shut and pushed the soup in front of him.
She felt upset, for Yan Xi and for herself.
The emperor doesn't trust them, but uses them to death. How can they be willing to work for a boss who is not friendly to them!
As a modern person, she could not remain calm and could only tell herself again and again that this was a royal society. Everything she disagreed with was taken for granted here. No one in power would reason with her, and she did not even have the right to resign.
That’s… fucked.
Her hand was wrapped in the man's warm palm. The man, who had put down his chopsticks at some point, frowned slightly, "Why is it still so cold? You look thinner. Why are you going out in such weather?"
"Not in the past two days. When the weather gets cold, no one wants to move." Hua Zhi stood up. "Don't be in a hurry to talk about this. Go get some sleep first. You look too ugly."
Gu Yanxi pulled her back and held her hands in her palms. "You just ate something. Take your time. Tell me about Jin Yang's situation."
"No need to be so anxious." Although she said that, Hua Zhi still summarized the current situation she knew.
"Do you suspect Zhu Ling and the gambling house owner are from the Chaoli tribe?"
"Whether they are related to the Chaoli tribe or not, it is certain that they are the ones behind Jinyang's becoming a gambling city. They are the ones who benefit the most, at least on the surface." Hua Zhi smiled, "If you participate in it, you will know that Jinyang can be described as thriving, but I asked Yu Mu to check. Jinyang's workshops have almost all closed in recent years. Many shops are closed because of frequent changes of owners. These superficial prosperity are too false."