Shen Qi looked at the person who was gradually approaching, and suddenly took a step forward, "The young lady will definitely be too busy today, so why don't you go and do your work first? We don't need the young lady to entertain us."
Jiang Huanran glanced at him and stepped forward to respond, "That's right, we don't need your hospitality."
Hua Zhi's gaze relaxed, and just as she was about to speak, she heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "If the young lady is interested, there is no reason for us to refuse."
Hua Zhi looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person from the Xia family should be her third aunt's brother.
Looking around, although her expression didn't reveal anything, her eyes couldn't lie. Hua Zhi covered her mouth and coughed twice, nodded to thank Shen Qi and Jiang Huanran, and then said: "Guests are guests, so we should entertain them. Please come in."
At this time, the Zhu brothers also came over. Hua Zhi shook her head at her uncle. Zhu Haodong understood and held his brother.
It was warm in the flower hall. When others came in, they took off their cloaks, but Hua Zhi just put down her hood. After being outside for so long, she felt a chill in her bones. She didn't want to be hard on her body.
Others did not notice anything, but Shen Qi could see something from her almost transparent pale face, and he felt suddenly filled with sorrow. How could pulling the Hua family back from the brink of ruin come without paying a price? The young lady who used to have a rosy complexion and lived happily with her maids was gone.
"Thank you all for coming. If my grandmother knew about this, she would be very happy."
"We are one family, so there is no need to be so polite, young lady." Someone immediately climbed up the pole. Hua Zhi looked at the Qi family and said, "The old lady is kind-hearted and deserves to be honored. We should show our gratitude to her."
"That's right. We are a family, so we prosper together and suffer together, don't you think so, young lady?"
Hua Zhi held the teacup to dispel the chill, and raised her head as if smiling when she heard the words, "We all prosper together, and we all suffer together?"
"Of course it is." The Qi family thought there was a chance and responded immediately. However, most people felt that Hua Zhi had some hidden meaning in her words and became wary.
As expected, Hua Zhi said, "When the Hua family was in great trouble, I saw that it had no impact on you. Or did I do something that happened?"
The room was quiet for a moment, and someone immediately said, "Everyone has been affected to some extent."
"That's the Hua family's fault. Let me apologize to you all." Hua Zhi put down the teacup, stood up and bowed.
He confessed so readily? Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. It was clearly going according to their wishes, so why did they feel so uneasy
At this time, they also came to their senses. If they were to say who among the people present had the highest seniority and was closest to the Hua family, it would have to be the Qin family. If the Qin family didn't speak at this time, who would
Urged by so many people's eyes, Qin Gongyang could only cough and speak, "Young lady is so capable and tolerant, I think my aunt can rest assured in her grave."
"Uncle, you are too kind. Hua Zhi cannot live up to your praise."
"I can handle it, of course I can handle it. I can't find anyone more capable than you in the capital."
Hua Zhi picked up Yingchun's tea cup again and chuckled, "My cousin, when you say that, I don't think you're praising me."
"Every word comes from the heart." Qin Gongyang's eyes were sincere, and there was no water in his words. He did not feel guilty. When he found out that the seventh part that stirred the entire capital was actually written by Hua Zhi, he thought there was something wrong with his ears. I'm afraid he is not the only one who is curious about how his uncle taught such a girl!
Thinking of his father blaming his sick mother, Qin Gongyang sighed in his heart. Hua Zhi had counted the Qin family as a part of the vegetarian meal that time. If his mother hadn't interfered, why would he bother to argue about this now? He would have just sat on the sidelines and watched like the Zhu brothers.
With these thoughts in mind, Qin Gongyang suddenly didn't want to beat around the bush, "Zhi'er, can we talk alone?"
Hua Zhi raised her eyebrows in surprise. Is he trying to hit a straight ball
Before she expressed her opinion, others were already anxious, "Who among us doesn't want to talk to the young lady alone? Sir Qin, please don't rush ahead by relying on your status!"
"Exactly."
"Master Qin, do you think you can have the best meal alone?"
"My brother-in-law and the eldest girl have always been close, so I should be the first to talk."
"… "
After listening to their internal fighting, Hua Zhi smiled, "Have you ever asked me if I am willing to talk to you? Or is it that you have made the decision and I can only obey?"
The hall suddenly went from noisy to the point where you could hear a pin drop. Yes, even if they argued over who was first, second, or third, what would that matter? There would be no hope if Hua Zhi disagreed.
The room was filled with awkwardness, and Hua Zhi had no intention of resolving the awkwardness. She continued to drink her tea slowly. Her body finally felt a little warm, but she really didn't want to go out and be blown by the cold wind for the time being.
She was sitting on the Diaoyutai, and everyone else was more anxious than her. After a while, someone broke the silence, "Miss, we are family after all. When there is a good thing, we should think of our family first, right?"
Hua Zhi looked at the person who was speaking. He looked unfamiliar. Nanny Su had said that he was from the Su family. "The Hua and Su families are indeed old friends. When my grandfather was alive, the two families had always interacted with each other. But I remember that when my grandmother passed away, the Su family only sent a steward, and he was a small steward at that. I wonder how painful it is to say that we are one of our own."
Without waiting for others to say anything, she uncovered their fig leaves one by one, "The Qiu, Hu, Tang, and Liu families all sent small stewards to offer condolences. They gave two hundred taels of silver as a favor, just like we had discussed it in advance. The Qi, Xia, and Wu families, who are legitimate in-laws, also gave two hundred taels of silver. The Wu family also sent Mr. Wu Er, and the other two families also sent stewards. You come to talk to me about your own people now? Where were you when I needed my own people? Are you afraid that you will get stuck with the Hua family and can't get rid of them? Or are you afraid that if you get too close to the Hua family, you will get into trouble?"
Hua Zhi's tone was calm. She was clearly angry, but she didn't show any emotion. She even smiled. "Hua Ling almost ruined her reputation. Third Aunt sent a nanny back to beg the Xia family for help, but the Xia family didn't even open the door. This is one of ours. I do business to support my family. They say I am willing to be lowly by showing my face in public. This is one of ours. Knowing Hua Jing's temper, you still openly and secretly encouraged her to come to her parents' home to ask for things. This is also one of ours. Don't tell me about one of ours. It will make me feel that this is a derogatory term."
After taking a sip of tea, Hua Zhi continued, "I know why you are here. The positions of the Seventh Division in the capital have been filled up, but there are still many more positions to be filled. You remembered me as your own and wanted to take a shortcut through me. But I'm sorry, I don't consider you my own anymore. The so-called shortcut doesn't work with me."
It was the first time for the people sitting here to see someone's face being stripped so thoroughly. Those who were named felt so ashamed and annoyed that they couldn't utter a word for a while.