When she got home, she was greeted by everyone as usual. Seeing that she looked good, they felt relieved and gathered together for breakfast and dinner. Zeng Han and Xiao Liu had basically grown up in the Hua family now, so they were naturally at the banquet.
After giving the letter to Fourth Aunt to deal with, Hua Zhi accompanied her mother back to the house, listening to her soft voice all the way, "During the days when you were not at home, the various branches and your mother's family suddenly started communicating again. I remember you said you wanted to cut off the communication, so I asked Lin Shuang to keep an eye on it. Before we could figure out what was going on, your Fourth Aunt directly closed the door and refused to let anyone in. She said that these people were coming for you, and if they were not careful, they would cause trouble for you. Mother did not understand all this, but I felt that it was not easy for your Fourth Aunt either. She suffered for me and had to do things that offended people. Now that you are back, you need to thank her. She treats you well."
"Yes, I understand. I'll be right back."
"There's no need to be so anxious. You just came back. Everyone knows you are tired. It's important for you to take a good rest and recuperate. Your fourth aunt will never hold it against you." Zhu felt very uncomfortable when she touched her daughter's cold fingertips. She used to be like a little stove, and her hands were always warm. Not like now. She was so busy and tired this year that she hurt her body. To be honest, she was useless as a mother and could not help in any way. This was true for her daughter and her son.
"By the way, Butler Xu sent me a letter from Berlin two days ago. It was full of good things, as if everything was great outside. Although I have never been far away, I know that it is not so good outside. He is filial and afraid of scaring me. I will not let him down. I will just pretend that I don't know. Zhi'er, you are smart and have your own ideas. You should guide him. Mother knows that you siblings have a good relationship, so he will listen to you. Teach him well. In the future, if he dares to treat you badly, mother will not want him."
This was probably the cruelest thing her mother could say. Hua Zhi hugged her. This was not a mother who became strong because of her children, but she did not think there was anything wrong with it. No matter how far she went, no matter how much she planned, no matter how cruel her heart became, as long as she looked back, her mother would still be standing here so softly, and she would have a place to return to.
"Dad is very popular in Yinshan Pass. There are even young ladies who want to wash his underwear for him."
Zhu patted her shoulder lightly as if to punish her, and then rubbed it reluctantly, glaring at her and saying, "Your father is not that kind of person. If it were in the past, he might have carried someone into the room, but now, with his temper, he would not drag a woman in to suffer. He thinks suffering is suffering."
Although it is a delicate dodder, it is also a resilient and proud dodder. Hua Zhi smiled, "I haven't finished my words yet. Dad is so scared that he has to wash his clothes with the bath water before he dares to go out."
Zhu's eyebrows immediately curved into a smile, with a light in her eyes that showed trust and longing. Even though they were thousands of miles apart, her emotions were still drawn to the other person. Hua Zhi felt that this was probably what love in this era was like.
After sending him into the house and chatting with him for a while, Hua Zhi said before leaving: "Don't worry about Bolin and me. I believe in his character. Even if he really changes his character one day, I will not die because of it. Your daughter is known as the God of Wealth who can turn stones into gold. Don't worry, it's only when others ask me for help."
Zhu nodded with red eyes, and as soon as the people left, she fell on the table and cried. She felt uncomfortable whenever she thought about the possibility of a breakup between them. How could money replace the betrayal of one's relatives
Gu Yanxi first went to the Qishusi through the secret passage. After putting on the mask, he went to the imperial study as usual, but was told that the emperor was at Yue Guiren's place at the moment.
Guessing his uncle's state of mind at the moment, he went directly to Noble Lady Yue's Rulan Palace as usual. When the palace servant saw him, he hurried inside to inform him, and he waited for a while before getting permission to enter the palace.
Gu Yanxi sneered. He didn't know anything yet, but he was so impatient to give him a warning.
"Your humble servant pays respect to His Majesty."
"Humph, you still remember to come back?" The emperor was furious and slammed the table and raised his voice, "You pass by my house without entering. Do you still have me in your eyes?"
"Your Majesty, calm down. Even if he had not been home before, he is back now, right? You kept complaining when I was away, and scolded me when I saw you. What can he do?"
Gu Yanxi looked up at Haoyue, who was smiling. She could speak to the emperor in such a casual manner, and the emperor seemed to be enjoying it. It took such a short time to realize what a great ability she had.
Haoyue smiled at him, picked up a piece of dried fruit and put it to the emperor's mouth. After the emperor ate it, his temper eased.
As if he just realized that his nephew was still kneeling, the emperor frowned and said, "What are you kneeling for? Why don't you get up?"
Gu Yanxi stood up and bowed, saying, "I have something important to report. Your Majesty, please move."
Haoyue was about to say something subconsciously, but in the end reason overcame impulse and he held back, his nails digging into his palms without him noticing.
"Can't you tell me here? Ah Yue is very tight-lipped."
“This is a matter of great importance.”
It must be no small matter for Yan Xi to say that it was of great importance. The emperor also knew the seriousness of the matter. He stood up, brushed his sleeves, spoke a few words to Haoyue in a gentle voice before leaving. Gu Yanxi inexplicably felt like a couple saying goodbye.
Haoyue sent him to the door, and his expression turned cold when he left his sight. In other words, did Hua Zhi come back too? The eldest daughter of the Hua family was just an unknown figure in her previous life, but she is so famous in this life. Could it be...
In the imperial study, Gu Yanxi had no intention of talking to the emperor, and said directly: "When I was still at Yinshan Pass, I received a letter sent by Azhi, saying that there was something wrong in Jinyang. I have always felt that Jinyang has a close relationship with the Chaoli tribe, so I did not dare to delay and immediately rushed to Jinyang overnight. When I got there, I followed the clues she found and found that the problem was far greater than expected. Do you know how the tax revenue situation in Yuzhou has been in recent years?"
"No one told me." The emperor was just mediocre, but he was not stupid to sit on the throne. He knew that his nephew did not go to Yuzhou for Hua Zhi but for business, so the anger in his heart dissipated and he directly ordered: "Call Zhu Bowen over."
Lai Fu was about to go out to make arrangements when he heard the prince say, "Master Zhu, please bring all the tax accounts of Jinyang for the past ten years."
"yes."
"Go on."
"Yes, I have personally seen that Jinyang has become a gambling city. The whole city is gambling, and anything can be used to place bets. Most of the workshops are closed, and the fields are also abandoned. This is definitely not the result of one year. Logically speaking, we should be able to see some problems from the land tax and business tax."
"Fang Hongzhi!"
Gu Yanxi lowered his eyes. He wished he could open the coffin and whip the corpse because he had caused such a disaster out of his own selfish motives!