Blossom in Adversity

C37. Betrayal.

Chapter 37: Betrayal

Hua Zhi stood outside for a long time, the sound of her sobs restrained and sorrowful. The woman who had never known sorrow was now heartbroken, satisfied to receive such concern but also angered that someone was causing trouble in her absence.

Turning her gaze, Hua Zhi looked at Ying Chun.

Ying Chun nodded.

Only when the crying slowly stopped did Hua Zhi quietly leave.

In the main courtyard, the head maid, Liu Cui, looked puzzled as she was watched by two strong-willed women. She didn't know what she had done wrong, while the accompanying maid, Lin Mama, kept her head down, showing no signs of panic.

Seeing the eldest miss come out, Liu Cui tried to speak, but she was muffled by the two women on either side.

Hua Zhi, unabashedly, led the household servant through several courtyards back to her own residence. In her familiar surroundings, she showed a bit of exhaustion. After sitting in the carriage for so long and then returning without a break, her still-recovering body was feeling the strain.

After taking a few sips of ginseng tea, Hua Zhi looked at Lin Mama.

Her mother was known for her soft nature, but in all these years, nothing untoward had happened in the courtyard, mostly thanks to Lin Mama. Probably realizing her daughter's indecisive nature, her grandmother had long cultivated a maid to assist her.

With her father protecting her from the outside, and Lin Mama assisting her inside, her mother was able to maintain a simple mindset even when her children were grown. With Lin Mama's loyalty, there was no reason for her mother to neglect the family if the Hua family fell.

"Lin Mama, what happened to my mother in my absence?"

Lin Mama prostrated herself on the ground, her voice filled with guilt, "It was my fault. Recently, my son fell ill, and I asked for three days off to care for him. When I returned, I noticed that my lady's demeanor was off. Later, I overheard that the third lady said some unpleasant things, which upset my lady. Coincidentally, on that day, the eldest lady from the Zhu family sent someone over with a message, implying my lady should stop sending letters to her natal family, to avoid causing trouble for the eldest son. She also said...she also said the eldest miss had broken off her engagement, but the Zhu family's daughter was still going to get married..."

Hua Zhi's chuckle was laced with a bitter irony. Could her broken engagement truly be affecting the Zhu family's daughter's marriage?

Was her maternal family expected to simply offer a token of appeasement, a white silk cloth, to quell the rising tides of resentment and discontent?

The maids, too, were incensed.

Who was the person who had been pestering the Hua eldest lady before?

The Zhu family's eldest lady actions, fueled by a desire to preserve their own social standing, had inadvertently exposed the fragility of their relationships and the cold realities of a world governed by superficial appearances.

It had only been a short time since the Hua family's downfall, and now everything had turned cold too quickly!

"My mother sent letters to the Zhu family? Stand up and speak."

Lin Mama stood up, still obedient, "Not only my lady, but all the other rooms also sent letters back. You had previously said to cut off communication with your natal family, and the old madam hinted at it again, so everyone sent messages to the natal family."

"Do you know what was written in the letters?"

"I know. My lady was worried that she had written taboo words, so she let me take a look. It was just a few sentences expressing concern for the relatives on that side and worry for the Old Patriarch Zhu, instead of asking for their help or intervention. I don’t know how the eldest lady could see that it would cause trouble for the eldest son."