Blossom in Adversity

C11. Recalling the Past.

Chapter 11: Recalling the Past

Although the four madams had all left, the concubines in each room did not move. They did not have the confidence of the madams. Unlike the madams, who wielded a certain power and influence, the concubines were bound by their dependence on their husband's wealth. Their future, a delicate thread woven from financial security, was a constant source of worry.

Those with children clung to a semblance of hope, their offspring a potential lifeline in times of hardship. But for the childless concubines, the prospect of financial ruin was a terrifying specter that haunted their days and nights. The fear of destitution, of being cast adrift in a world that offered little compassion for the destitute, consumed their thoughts. Their lives, once defined by luxury and privilege, now teetered on the brink of despair.

Hua Zhi had originally wanted to talk about her own marriage, but seeing her grandmother looking tired, she held back. "Let's stop here. Let's all calm down these days and not think too much."

Everyone began to take their leave, and Hua Zhi walked behind. "Grandmother, please rest well. Your health is the most important thing."

The old madam looked at her granddaughter, whom she had never particularly favored before, and patted the edge of the bed, gesturing for her to sit down. She took out a ledger and a set of keys from under the pillow, gently feeling them and sighing, "A ledger that's been abandoned, a big box of keys to the storeroom, and now this is all that's left."

Placing the two items in Hua Zhi's hands, the old madam let out a long sigh. "I didn't pay much attention to the little resources we had on the estate before. Who would have thought that now that's all we have left to rely on. These keys are for the storeroom on this side. Even though the contents are gone, the space is spacious enough to store some things."

Hua Zhi was a bit surprised. She had thought that all the family properties had been confiscated...

Seeing what she was thinking, the old lady chuckled. "There are still two estates that haven't been sealed."

"How is that possible? Did the Emperor turn a blind eye?"

"It's all thanks to the Empress Dowager's favor."

If it weren't for the trouble in the family, Hua Zhi wouldn't have known that the Hua family had some old ties with the Empress Dowager. However, even now she didn't know who these ties were with.

Fortunately, the old lady didn't intend to hide it from her. "The Empress Dowager is a few years older than me and has some indirect relations with my mother's family. When her family had difficulties, my mother took pity on her for being a young girl and brought her back. We got along well, sleeping in the same bed for nearly two years. Later, when she got engaged, my mother secretly added to her dowry. When I got married, she also sent a generous gift."

Thinking back to their younger days, the old madam looked at her hands, which were no longer tender, and saw how many years had passed in the blink of an eye. However, those vivid memories had not faded with time but had instead become more frequent over the past two years.

"But the situation in the palace is complicated, and the Hua family has always held important positions. To avoid suspicion, we had to limit our contact. But the bond is still there, and this time, thanks to her, otherwise our Hua family might have..."

Just thinking about the consequences made the old madam feel incredibly grateful.

Hua Zhi frowned slightly. "The Imperial harem cannot interfere in politics. By doing this, isn't the Empress Dowager going against the Emperor's wishes? Could this make the Emperor unhappy?"