Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C344. Disbanding the Backyard.

Chapter 344: The Backyard’s Disbandment

Awakening groggily, the old man stirred from his restless slumber, the first hesitant rays of dawn barely breaking across the horizon. He moved mechanically, still tethered to the weight of sleep, his body following the familiar rhythm of early rising. It wasn’t unusual to find the study alight at such an hour; his eldest often burned the pre-dawn oil. But today, something in the air seemed different—tense, unsaid, and heavy.

When he pushed open the study door, the placid calm on his face shattered like porcelain hitting stone. His steps quickened, his voice sharpened. “What happened?”

Inside, Hua Zhi blinked up at him, her trance broken by the question. She tried to rise, a gesture of decorum despite her clear exhaustion, but her legs—numb from hours of kneeling—betrayed her. She crumpled gracelessly back to the floor, a faint echo of someone stretched far beyond their limits.

Shao Yao moved swiftly, crouching to help her up, her hands tender but efficient. Hua Yizheng, standing nearby, silently signaled his approval, his hand cutting a precise, unspoken command for Shao Yao to settle Hua Zhi into a chair.

The old man, his voice taut, repeated his demand. “What happened?”

Hua Zhi pressed a weary hand to her temple, her thoughts frayed and scattered. “Yan Xi… went to investigate,” she muttered, her words dragging like lead. “I’ll tell you once we confirm the details.”

Hua Yizheng’s eyes flicked to the map splayed out on the table, the gravity of the situation dawning in stark relief. He said nothing further, his silence deliberate, but the steel in his voice remained. “You haven’t slept all night. Go back and rest.”

She nodded, her compliance more reflex than decision. With Shao Yao’s diligent hands massaging life back into her legs, Hua Zhi rose, leaning on her attendant as they retreated. Yet rest, it seemed, was a luxury she wouldn’t afford that day.

Two scant hours passed before the insistent knock came. Wu Yong had arrived, his presence cutting through the fragile calm like a blade. Shao Yao bristled at the intrusion, her sharp glare wasted on Wu Yong’s unyielding resolve. Hua Zhi, roused from her fleeting sleep, dismissed her irritation. If Wu Yong was here, it could only mean trouble.

“General Wu,” she began, her voice hoarse but steady, “Yan Xi…”

But Wu Yong cut her off brusquely, his tone brooking no preamble. “I know. The Shizi’s men briefed me last night.”

His words hung in the air like a verdict. He hadn’t come for pleasantries; he’d come for action. Hua Zhi, reading the hard lines of his face, steeled herself. “General Wu,” she said, measured and deliberate, “please, explain.”

Without ceremony, Wu Yong delivered his bombshell. “I’ve released everyone from the backyard.”

Hua Zhi’s breath caught. She stared at him, blindsided by the audacity. “You… released them all?” Her voice wavered between disbelief and an edge she couldn’t quite suppress.

“Everyone,” he confirmed with a clipped nod. “From the master to the servants. Not even a female mosquito remains in my inner courtyard.”

His words carried a sting, a deliberate barb veiled in dry precision. Hua Zhi, still reeling, forced a breath and managed a quiet retort. “General Wu, sweeping away everyone in one stroke… Don’t you think that’s a bit excessive? Some of them were surely innocent.”

Wu Yong’s expression didn’t flicker. “Innocence is a luxury this situation can no longer afford,” he said, his tone sharp enough to slice through the air. And with that, the matter was settled—whether Hua Zhi liked it or not.