Hua Zhi asked someone to pass a message to her grandfather, and she would go with Wu Yong when he arrived.
Everyone in the Hua family now obeys Hua Zhi'er's orders. Hua Yizhen didn't even consider the differences between men and women. He chatted with Wu Yong and then found an excuse to leave. Using the same method to restrain Zhi'er as the women in the inner house would be the greatest insult to her.
Although Wu Yong was a little surprised, he adapted well. He smiled and said, "The young lady looks quite thin."
"It's just a minor illness. I'll be fine after some rest." Hua Zhi took a sip of the medicinal tea. She felt disgusted but didn't show it on her face. Now, this kind of tea is waiting for her wherever she goes, even in the palace. What else can she say
"I heard that General Wu asked the Emperor to marry Shaoyao."
"Young lady, you are always speaking your mind, so I won't beat around the bush." Wu Yong said seriously, "I am sincere, so please say a few good words for me."
"You should think about how to get past me first."
Wu Yong was stunned, "Yes, I forgot that the eldest girl is now the regent princess."
Hua Zhi did not argue, but just said: "General Wu's aesthetic taste is different from that of ordinary people."
"Food and sex are human nature, and I am no exception. However, no matter how beautiful one's appearance is, it will become ordinary after a while. The pleasure of being with Shaoyao is something that others cannot give me. I like Shaoyao's frank and transparent nature, and I also like that she lives clearly and sees things clearly. To be honest, young lady, I am really tired of those inner house calculations that make it difficult for me to sleep peacefully. Please believe me, young lady, I made this decision after careful consideration. I want to ride horses with Shaoyao, and have a few moves or a battle on the sand table when I am free. Just thinking about such a day makes me happy."
"That's right." Hua Zhi nodded, "Marry Shaoyao as your principal wife, and bring in a few beautiful concubines, and we'll be all set."
Wu Yong had never thought about it this way, and he had never thought of marrying a wife without a concubine, but after hearing what the eldest girl said...
He thought for a moment, "If I promise not to take a concubine, will this be possible?"
"I can only say that if you agree to this, I will not stop you. The decision of whether this will succeed or not is in Shaoyao's hands. If she has no interest in you, no one can force her. If she agrees, no one will stop her." Hua Zhi gently slid the lid of the cup, "General Wu should also be aware of the consequences of not being able to do what he promised. Don't think that we can't do anything because we are far away. A daughter who is married off is like water spilled out. Such a thing will not happen to Shaoyao. I am willing to take back this basin of water at any time, so General Wu, don't make an impulsive decision. It is better to think it over before agreeing."
Wu Yong stood up and bowed solemnly, "Proposing to marry the princess is a decision I made after careful consideration. I have considered all the consequences, and I am also very clear that with the protection the regent has for the princess, if I dare to bully her, I will definitely not end up well. However... I often think of her. I was happiest when I was with her, and I was happy even when she mocked me. There was a time when I even kept thinking about coming to the capital for some reason, just to see her. This feeling should be love, I think it should be. Shaoyao is not beautiful, and it can even be said that she is uglier than the average person, but her eyes are the brightest I have ever seen, and both likes and dislikes can be seen from them. I want to cherish her and the feeling of falling in love with someone, which is not easy for us."
Hua Zhi was extremely picky, but she couldn't help being moved by the man's sincere expression and words. This was not a world where men and women could love freely. They were used to their parents' orders and matchmakers' words. Some people didn't even know what love was in their entire lives. Husbands and wives treated each other with respect, and showing a little more preference to one concubine was all the love he could give.
But Wu Yong analyzed this love, and she had to admit that it was indeed a feeling worth cherishing.
So she gave the most sincere reply, "I will ask Shaoyao carefully."
Wu Yong bowed, said goodbye and left.
"Are you feeling more at ease?" Hua Yi came in with a smile on his face. He could already understand why the younger generations in the family were so obedient to Zhier. Her protection was never just lip service, but real action.
Hua Zhi stood up and waited until her grandfather sat down before sitting down again. "I have always had a good impression of him. Grandfather, do you think highly of him?"
"I have worked with him for two years and I have gotten to know him a little bit. He is the only general of his generation who has some real skills. What's rare is that he has a chivalrous heart. Not all officials exiled to Yinshan Pass are truly guilty. Some were framed or wrongly accused. He has provided some protection, openly or covertly. Otherwise, some people would never have survived in that environment. In my opinion, this is a very good character."
Hua Zhi nodded. It was true. A person’s attitude towards the weak best revealed his true nature.
"You said it's good, so it can't be that bad. The only problem is that it's too far away."
This was the truth, and Hua Yizhen had nothing to say. She had been married far away for her whole life and she might not have many chances to go home. What's more, Wu Yong was different from the other garrisons. Yinshan Pass was the territory of their Wu family, and they had been guarding there for generations. They were not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial edict. The other garrisons at least had the opportunity to return to Beijing.
This matter was not something the Hua family could comment on, so Hua Yizheng stopped worrying about it and turned to talk about Zhier's own marriage. "You can take away any servants from the family you want to take away from the list. You don't have to worry about anything. You can also take away the business you have built up in the past two years. These are all your dowry."
"I will just take the vegetarian food and mushrooms. The mushroom business was originally a partnership between Yan Xi and me, and Shaoyao also took a part. When Shaoyao gets married, I will give this business to her. The vegetarian food needs to be managed by Fu Dong, and the idea is also with me. As for the others, leave them in the Hua family."
Hua Yizheng disagreed, "The Hua family's shops are back in business. Although some of them have to start from scratch and suffer a bit of loss, they will gradually get better. Besides, the Hua family's foundation is still there, and the emperor has given us various rewards for various reasons. It doesn't make sense for them to occupy your things."
"I was able to set up this business in two years. There are still many years to come. Are you still worried that I can't live a good life? Besides, Yan Xi's family is not bad. The late emperor gave him half of the private treasury. Moreover, I agreed at the time that these family businesses would be included in the public property, and each branch would have a share in the future. You can't let me go back on my word."
"You are right." Hua Yi was helpless, but in the end he did not agree to accept all of it. He included the most profitable Liyun Lane and Lutai Lane, along with the people, into the dowry. When the other branches of the Hua family found out, they had no objection. This was originally built by the eldest girl, so even if they were jealous, they should know whose they were jealous of.
PS: I tried to write a draft about Shaoyao and Zheng Zhi, but it didn’t feel right.