Chapter 363: Entering Xuanyuan Manor

After Hua Changxi flew some distance away from the Xuanfu Mansion, her mood still hadn't improved.

Another person said she was heartless!

She couldn't understand—how was she heartless? Was not being tied to her family considered heartless?

Hua Changxi felt that, whether it was Jing Liao or Qin Feng, they both had almost harsh demands on "the strong." In their view, the strong should unconditionally help the weak; otherwise, they were heartless.

"Sigh~"

Hua Changxi discovered that even though spiritual energy had now recovered, she still didn't fit in with the people of this world.

"Different worldviews, no need to force integration."

Hua Changxi could only comfort herself like this, tossing Qin Feng's words out of her mind. After taking a deep breath, she quickly flew toward the capital.

At the same time, at the Dingyuan Earl Manor.

The Hua family gathered in the guest courtyard. Hua Dalang and Hua Liulang had also been here these past two days accompanying the family.

Second Uncle Hua paced back and forth in the living room with a dissatisfied expression: "What's wrong with Ninth Lady? She went to the Liangguo Duke Manor and then disappeared without a trace. She didn't even come to the Earl Manor to see us?"

Hua Liulang: "Ninth Lady probably had other urgent matters to attend to."

Second Uncle Hua: "She's busy, she's really busy. All of our family combined can't compare to the things in her hands." He paused and glanced at Hua Minghe and Yao Shi. "It's one thing for her to ignore people like us, but she doesn't even care about the parents who gave birth to her and raised her. Ninth Lady's heart... is cold enough."

Old Master Hua saw the eldest couple's expressions change and had to speak up to reprimand Second Uncle Hua: "Second, shut up. No one will take you for a mute if you don't speak."

Old Madam Hua also added: "Regardless, the people from the Liangguo Duke Manor have finally withdrawn and stopped keeping watch. Ninth Lady... still cares about the family."

Second Uncle Hua snorted: "Even if the Liangguo Duke Manor people have withdrawn, do we dare to go out? Don't let us leave the Earl Manor and then lose our lives."

Old Master Hua was also worried about this and looked at his eldest grandson, who had been silent all along: "Dalang, do you think the matter between our family and the Liangguo Duke Manor can really be settled?"

Hua Dalang looked at Old Master, then at the other Huas: "Grandfather, we need to be mentally prepared. Even if the Liangguo Duke Manor doesn't cause us trouble, our family must be extremely vigilant when going out."

Upon hearing this, Second Uncle Hua immediately became anxious: "Dalang, what do you mean? Could we still encounter other dangers?"

Hua Dalang: "...Let me put it this way: the current capital is like a chessboard. The Five Holy Lands, Xuanfu Mansion, the imperial family, and the noble aristocratic families are all vying to place their pieces and set up their strategies."

"And our family—fortunate and unfortunate—is already a piece on the chessboard."

Old Master Hua was anxious: "How could this be?"

Second Uncle Hua started shouting: "What else could it be? It must be because of Ninth Lady! Father, our family is really going to be ruined by Ninth Lady."

Hearing this, Hua Liulang couldn't help but speak up: "Second Uncle, you can't just push everything onto Ninth Lady whenever something happens. Cultivators are inherently defying heaven to fight for their lives. If you want to advance, you will encounter danger."

Hua Dalang also followed: "Yes, Second Uncle. Everything has pros and cons. Our family has at least made it onto the chessboard. Although we are not in control of our own fate, we can still make some noise of our own, unlike those who can't get on the chessboard and die without a sound."

"Being in the game, we can at least influence the direction of some matters. If we can find the right opportunity and strengthen ourselves, even a chess piece might one day become a player."

Second Uncle Hua's face darkened: "I don't have such grand ambitions as you. I just want Silang and the others to live well."

Hua Dalang let out a snicker: "Second Uncle, I'm afraid you don't know how chaotic the areas outside the capital are. Not to mention far-off places, take Nanxiang County in the southern suburbs of the capital. Nowadays, the people there are in dire straits, with entire villages being wiped out one after another."

"In times of chaos, unless you are strong enough, so-called living well is nothing but a delusion."

Second Uncle Hua was instantly rendered speechless.

Dingyuan Earl Manor, main courtyard.

Earl Hua and the Hereditary Prince Hua were also discussing Hua Changxi.

The Hereditary Prince Hua: "What is the matter with Ninth Lady Hua? She showed up but didn't come to see her own family at the first opportunity. Her conduct is truly baffling."

Earl Hua also couldn't quite understand Hua Changxi's way of thinking.

However, it did confirm one thing: Hua Changxi indeed didn't care much about the Hua family.

They hadn't seen each other for three years, and they had been oppressed by the Liangguo Duke Manor. If she truly cared, no matter how busy or urgent her matters were, she wouldn't have not even shown her face.

The Hereditary Prince Hua: "Father, our family has sheltered the Huas with good food and drink for three years. I feel like our efforts might go down the drain."

Earl Hua looked at his son: "You're too hung up on immediate gains and losses. Even if we really get no return at all, as long as Hua Changxi is alive and still bears the surname Hua, that is beneficial to us and to the entire Hua clan."

Just as the Hereditary Prince Hua was about to retort, they saw a gatekeeper running in with an excited face: "Earl, Prince, Hua Changxi has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Earl Hua and the Hereditary Prince Hua both stood up.

The Young Master Hua asked urgently, "Where is he?"

The doorman: "He's in the back, personally accompanied by the head steward. The head steward sent me to ask whether Hua Changxi should be taken directly to the guest courtyard or brought to the main courtyard?"

Lord Hua directly decided: "Bring him to the main courtyard." If he were taken to the guest courtyard, Hua Bin's family would have their reunion, but that would leave them out.

Lord Hua looked at Young Master Hua: "Go to the guest courtyard yourself and bring Hua Bin's family over."

Young Master Hua acknowledged and left at the same time as the doorman.

The guest courtyard where Hua Bin's family stayed was not far from the main courtyard, and Hua Changxi happened to run into the Hua family right at the entrance of the main courtyard.

"Ninth Girl."

Yao and Hua Minghe immediately rushed to Hua Changxi's side, pulling her over for a careful look.

"Have you recovered from your injuries? We haven't heard from you in three years—worried your father and me to death."

Aside from the male members of the Hua family, the women also came forward to ask Hua Changxi how she was doing.

Seeing that the women kept talking endlessly, Old Master Hua had to speak up: "Alright, the Lord and the Young Master are still waiting. Let Ninth Girl go in to pay her respects first; you can chat in detail later."

Only then did the Hua women stop, and led by Yao, they followed Old Master Hua and the others into the main hall of the Duke's main courtyard, with Hua Changxi in their midst.

Lord Hua did not lower his status by going out to greet Hua Changxi, even though she was the most prominent junior in the clan; instead, he sat steadily in the main hall waiting.

After entering the hall with her family, Hua Changxi took the initiative to perform a junior's courtesy to Lord Hua: "Thank you, Uncle, for looking after my family."

When the Hua family was bullied by the Duke of Liang's mansion, the Duke's mansion was willing to step forward and protect them—that favor had to be acknowledged.

Moreover, the Hua family looked in good spirits, showing that the Duke's reception had been very thoughtful.

Lord Hua smiled and said, "Those words are too formal. Your family are all members of the Hua clan, and clan members should naturally help each other."

Help each other...

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered. She looked at her own family, then at Lord Hua, and couldn't deny that this time the Duke's mansion had indeed helped her family through a difficult time.

Perhaps the Hua clan members weren't so useless after all?

Hua Dalang looked at Hua Changxi and couldn't help asking, "Ninth Girl, where have you been the past two days?"

Hua Changxi looked at him, took out a list of the Hua family members, stood up and handed it to Old Master Hua, then said, "I went to the Xuan Mansion. The five generals have agreed to take in all the Hua family members."

"Once you enter the Xuan Mansion, you will serve under General Lu Zhenting. He will assign you tasks based on your talents and aptitudes."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.

Second Uncle Hua was the first to jump up, both surprised and delighted, and asked, "Ninth Girl, do you mean our whole family are now members of the Xuan Mansion?"

Hua Changxi nodded. "The matter with the Duke of Liang's mansion was my fault for dragging the family into it. I can't guarantee that something similar won't happen again in the future, so I had to find a place that could protect you."

"The Xuan Mansion is the most suitable."