Sitting on the steps, Gu Yanxi leaned against the pillar and looked at the sky. He didn't want to go, but he had to go.
Behind the pass is the vast and flat Yanzhou. Once lost, half a month would be enough for the Chaoli tribe to march straight to the capital. How could he dare to hand over the guarding of the pass to a general who had never experienced a war? If something went wrong, there would be chaos inside.
He is the most suitable candidate. Duke Dingguo knew it, so he said those words which were as good as saying nothing. His surname is Gu, he is the crown prince, and he is also the leader of the Seven Stars Division. No matter his identity, his contributions over the years, or his skills, he can control the soldiers at the border. Even if he does not take the initiative to offer to go, everyone will find that he is more suitable than anyone else in the end.
He understood why Azhi was so angry. No one, no one wanted their loved one to go to the battlefield. It was a deadly place. No one dared to say that they could come back alive. No one, and he dared not to guarantee this to Azhi.
One is country, the other is family. He wants to choose family, but he can only choose country.
He couldn't let the people of Daqing die under the iron hoof, and he couldn't let Azhi become a slave of a conquered country. He had to fight for a glimmer of hope for everyone. If it really didn't work, he and Azhi would go to the underworld together.
Just as Azhi understood him, he also understood Azhi. If Daqing was destroyed, Azhi would not live in humiliation, and Chao Liren would never let Azhi go.
This is a dead end, and he needs to break it.
Inside the house, Hua Zhi closed her eyes and remained quiet for a moment before opening them again.
Yingchun immediately presented the teacup in her hand.
Hua Zhi lowered her head, twisted the lid of the cup and wiped the tea, and asked, "How much money can be used?"
"As of last month, the balance of payments was over 170,000 taels."
Hua Zhi was not surprised by this number. Although she did not have any new businesses, she had already made some progress in those businesses. Not only had they become a crowded snack alley in the capital, but her vegetarian and seafood businesses were also making a fortune. The earliest canned food business was now being expanded by Bai Mingxia. Every month, apart from the money she distributed, a large portion of her earnings came from her own business, because she had already used part of it to buy grain.
Yingchun looked up at the young lady and continued, "Because you instructed me before, most of the silver and money have been exchanged for gold bars and official silver and sealed up for use at any time."
"Tell the steward to send people out to buy a large amount of pork." Hua Zhi put down her teacup and stood up. "I'm going to ask the prince to borrow his palace. There should be quite a few people staying there. The things I prepared before can also be used. You personally take people to take charge of this matter. The people in the prince's palace need to ask the steward for a roster and check them one by one before they can be used, just in case."
Yingchun responded. She knew what the young lady wanted to do after hearing the first sentence. She was so angry before...
The door opened, Gu Yanxi jumped up, and looked at Hua Zhi almost in a flattering manner.
Hua Zhi passed him by and said, "Go back. You don't have to follow me."
There was no way Gu Yanxi would not follow him. He just didn't dare to follow too closely. He asked from three steps away, "Where are you going?"
"Enter the palace."
Gu Yanxi hurried forward to stop her, "Azhi, you..."
"The Grand Master is not allowed to participate in politics. I will obey the late emperor's will."
Seeing Ah Zhi, who seemed the same as usual but was clearly different, Gu Yanxi rushed forward and hugged the stiff person in her arms, "Ah Zhi, I'm sorry."
Hua Zhi did not struggle and let herself be embraced in public. She felt like Wang Baochuan, who had to wait in the cold kiln for eighteen years. Her husband was full of revenge and she was helpless but unable to stop him. She only wished she could tie him up with a belt and not let him go anywhere.
She could only silently digest this helplessness, this anger, and this endless worry.
But she is not Wang Baochuan!
Pushing the person away, Hua Zhi lowered her head and straightened her sleeves, "Go back, and don't appear in my sight for the next two days."
Hua Zhi walked past him and walked away. Gu Yanxi chased her for two steps but finally stopped. Hua Zhi was angry and he didn't want to make things difficult for her.
Although she had the privilege of not having to be informed, Hua Zhi still followed the rules and handed in her name card and waited to be summoned.
The prince personally came to the outside of the palace to greet him. He supported the man without waiting for him to bow down, and asked with a smile, "Why are you here, Master?"
"I have something to ask of you."
The prince was stunned for a moment, nodded in understanding, and extended his hand to invite.
Lai Fu dismissed the others and served them personally.
"I would like to borrow the Prince's Mansion from Your Highness."
The prince did not ask the Grand Tutor what he wanted to use it for, and directly agreed, "I will pass on instructions later, and tell everyone in the Prince's Mansion to obey the Grand Tutor's orders."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I would like to ask for something else."
"Master, please speak."
Hua Zhi raised her head, her clear eyes made the prince hold his breath, and then he saw the tutor kneeling down towards him. He was startled and hurried to help, "Tutor..."
"Your Highness." Hua Zhi's voice was louder and heavier than usual, causing the prince to stop his actions involuntarily.
Hua Zhi crossed her arms and saluted, which was the etiquette of a court official. "Your Highness, I would like to ask for your mercy and allow me to go back to the Hua family library."
Yes, the Hua family is still sealed. Even if the Grand Tutor has made great contributions, he still cannot benefit the Hua family. The prince pursed his lips and thought about at least returning the old house of the Hua family. But before he could open his mouth, he heard the Grand Tutor say again: "What I mean is that I will go there quietly at night without letting anyone know."
"No need to do that, I can..."
"It's not the right time yet. Your Highness is being impulsive." Hua Zhi interrupted the prince disrespectfully and made it clearer. "The Hua family's library has handwritten letters left by many of the Hua family's ancestors. I have read a few of them, but I was not interested in their lives at that time, so I didn't read them carefully. I want to find the handwritten letters of my ancestor Hua Jingyan to see if he left any words to benefit future generations."
The Grand Tutor knew about the Chaoli tribe's invasion of the border, and the Crown Prince stepped forward to help the man up. "Why should I disagree? Isn't it all for the sake of my Daqing kingdom?"
No, I just... want to give Gu Yanxi some capital, Hua Zhi said in her heart, she really didn't have any lofty ambitions, she didn't want to leave her name in history, she was not a feminist and didn't intend to fight for anything for women, she just wanted to live comfortably, and her family and friends were all living well. It was such a simple and plain wish, why was it so difficult
"I will go with you."
Hua Zhi thought about it for a while and said, "Okay, let's ask Berlin to come along."
It was getting dark, and Hua Zhi wanted to leave. The prince said, "Binlin should be back soon. Master, you can have dinner here. Lai Fu, send someone to report this to Grandmother."
"yes."
The Queen Mother had been in the palace for decades, and she immediately thought of many things that the Prince had not thought of. She sighed deeply and waved to the visitor. In the face of such a major event, those taboos were nothing.
PS: Don’t hate Yan Xi. He has many frustrations due to being bound by his identity, but he is also trying his best to protect Azhi.