Chapter 255: Era's Catalyst (24)

The moon hung high, and lanterns were lit in the Hua family courtyard.

In the courtyard, Old Madam Hua chatted with her daughter-in-law and granddaughters while occasionally glancing at the gate: "It's almost midnight—why aren't the eldest and the others back yet?"

Yao Shi also kept her eyes on the gate, her expression tense and worried.

The commotion at the Medical Office yesterday had been too big; now everyone in the capital knew a towering alchemical cauldron platform had appeared there.

According to news from the Earl's Mansion, the cauldron platform seemed to have emerged because of Jiuniang.

Was this supposed to be something good, something to celebrate?

But during dinner earlier, the head steward of the Earl's Mansion had rushed to the Hua home and summoned the old master and all the male members of the family to the Mansion.

Because of the head steward's tense and grim expression, Yao Shi's heart had been in her throat ever since.

Jiuniang rarely spoke at home about what happened at the Medical Office, and the Hua family had no way to inquire about internal details there. Most of what they now knew about Jiuniang came secondhand from the Earl's Mansion.

Over the past year or two, the Earl's Mansion had been paying more and more attention to their family. Every time a clan meeting was called, the male members were summoned, and each meeting would discuss Jiuniang.

Yao Shi felt that this clan meeting was probably about Jiuniang again.

"Creak..."

The courtyard gate was pushed open. Old Master Hua led the way, followed by Hua Minghe, Hua Ming'ang, and Hua Mingcheng, and then by Hua Sanlang and the other grandchildren.

Seeing the men of the Hua family all wearing tight expressions, Old Madam Hua, Yao Shi, and the other women felt a sudden jolt of unease.

"Old man, has something happened?"

Old Master Hua ignored Old Madam Hua and went straight into the main hall.

Seeing this, Old Madam Hua quickly followed, and the others also went inside.

After everyone was in the main hall, Old Master Hua snorted coldly: "Jiuniang has caused a huge disaster!"

Upon hearing this, Yao Shi's face suddenly turned pale. Before she could ask, Hua Minghe frowned and stepped forward to retort: "Father, how is it Jiuniang's fault? It's clearly the powerful aristocratic families who are pressuring her."

Old Master Hua glared at Hua Minghe: "It's still because Jiuniang acts willfully. If she had been willing to ask the Earl's Mansion for help and let them mediate, how could today's situation have come about?"

"I've said it before—Jiuniang is young and inexperienced. She obtained a secret realm, and it's like a child carrying a gold ingot while walking down the street; she can't protect it."

"The Earl's Mansion has sent word several times offering to help Jiuniang manage the secret realm. I told you to persuade her, but what did you do? You just let her do whatever she wanted."

"The capital is a deep pool. Even the Earl's Mansion has to be extremely cautious when trying to stand out, let alone our family."

"Ever since Jinuiang entered the Medical Office, she has grown more arrogant. First she looked down on me, and then when the clan wanted to get close to her, she acted as if they weren't worthy of her attention."

"I could overlook all that—behind closed doors, it's just family matters, clan matters. But now? She's so arrogant that she doesn't even consider the imperial family or the nobility worth her notice."

"If the imperial family really decides to come after us, do you think our family has any room to resist? Do you want to let the whole family be buried alive with that willful Jiuniang?"

Old Master Hua had long been boiling with anger toward Hua Changxi, this granddaughter who neither respected him nor cared about the family's interests. Now, frightened by the joint pressure from the imperial house and the nobles, he let loose, venting all his dissatisfaction and worry in one burst.

After hearing this, Hua Minghe's face darkened. He wanted to argue but found no grounds to refute.

Compared with the other younger family members, Jiuniang truly was a bit hard to discipline.

Yao Shi was frantic with worry and urgently tugged at Hua Minghe: "What exactly happened to Jiuniang?"

Hua Minghe sighed and quickly explained about Hua Changxi erecting the oath monument and publishing the apprentice recruitment notice.

After hearing this, Yao Shi was confused: "What's wrong with those two things Jiuniang did?"

Hua Ming'ang said loudly: "It's a huge problem! Sister-in-law, don't you realize? By acting like that, Jiuniang has incurred everyone's wrath."

Then he carefully explained to Yao Shi and the others exactly how Hua Changxi had infringed on the interests of all parties.

After hearing this, Yao Shi muttered, "The secret realm is Jiuniang's. You mean she can't even decide how to recruit people on her own?"

Hua Ming'ang said: "Yes, the secret realm is Jiuniang's, but the Medical Office is still a government department under the imperial purview. If the imperial family takes a dislike to Jiuniang, it's far too easy for them to make trouble for her."

Yao Shi fell silent.

Seeing that Hua Minghe and Yao Shi both kept quiet, Hua Ming'ang glanced at Old Master Hua and continued, "Big brother, sister-in-law, when you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head!"

"If the imperial family and the nobles join forces to oppose Jiuniang, she won't recruit a single person, and the entire Hua clan will suffer the consequences."

"In my opinion, you should go see Jiuniang right away and persuade her to bow her head to Prince Shou. As long as the imperial family relents, there won't be any more trouble."

Hearing this, Hua Minghe and Yao both furrowed their brows simultaneously.

Asking Ninth Lady to bow down to Prince Shou, wouldn't that mean letting Ninth Lady hand over control of the secret realm? As if she would ever agree!

Old Master Hua also knew his granddaughter's temperament and said, "Ninth Lady is too young and arrogant, she simply doesn't know the measure of dealing with others. The Elder Lord said that if Ninth Lady is willing to bow down, he is willing to come forward and negotiate with Prince Shou, and he won't let Ninth Lady suffer too much."

Seeing the eldest couple remain silent, Old Master Hua became angry: "This matter must be resolved!"

"Now that the matter has just happened, the sooner we resolve it, the smaller the impact. Do you really want to wait until our family and clan have suffered heavy losses before you're willing to discipline your precious daughter?"

Upon hearing this, Hua Minghe and Yao both showed helpless expressions.

After a moment, Hua Minghe spoke: "Father, I will go and persuade Ninth Lady."

Old Master Hua: "Go first thing tomorrow morning."

Hua Minghe gave a muffled "Mm" and then left the main hall, after which the others also took their leave.

After everyone had left, Old Madam Hua looked at Old Master Hua: "Did Ninth Lady really do wrong?"

Old Master Hua let out a long sigh: "Wealth stirs people's hearts. To obtain wealth but be unable to protect it—that is the fault!"

All parties want to carve up the resources in Ninth Lady's secret realm, but she even went and set up an Oath Stele, not letting any party gain an advantage. If everyone isn't against her, who else would they be against?

Old Master Hua grew up lonely and helpless, only having the great fortune to marry and have children. Now, with his children and grandchildren all around him, he doesn't want to see anything happen to the Hua family at all.

As for the ninth granddaughter who brought trouble to the family, even though she was the most outstanding in the family, at this moment, the old master couldn't bring himself to like her at all.

"If Ninth Lady doesn't change that temperament of hers, she is going to suffer a major fall!"

"In the past, she made small troubles, and whether good or bad, she bore them herself. But now, her actions are getting bigger and bigger. I truly fear that one day, our family and clan will incur a great calamity because of her!"

Hearing this, Old Madam Hua also showed a worried expression: "Then what can be done? The eldest couple probably won't be able to persuade Ninth Lady."

Old Master Hua was also very helpless; he didn't know what to do either. Once again, he thought regretfully that if only the promising young member of the family were not Ninth Lady.