Chapter 452: Sense of Distance

Most of the Hua family were body cultivators; even those with spiritual roots practiced both body and spirit cultivation. Body cultivators required food, and specifically, highly nourishing food.

Hua Dalang took a blood-red fish over ten meters long from his storage ring; its body shimmered with a metallic luster, its scales embedded like red jade, and its tail fin still twitching slightly, clearly having died only recently, its blood qi not yet dispersed.

"What is this?" Second Aunt Hua exclaimed in delight.

Hua Dalang replied, "This is a dragon fish I hunted; eating it will strengthen one's qi and blood." Knowing his family needed meat, every time he returned home, he would always purchase some beast meat in advance.

Second Aunt Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua's eyes lit up; beaming with joy, they rolled up their sleeves and stepped forward to prepare the dragon fish.

Over the years, serving in the Xuan Yuan Manor kitchen, they had seen all kinds of beast meat and knew this dragon fish was a highly nourishing item for body cultivators.

The treatment at Xuan Yuan Manor was decent, but the distributed resources could only sustain basic cultivation; since body cultivators consumed so much, constantly improving one's strength required finding other methods.

The Hua family members in Xuan Yuan Manor basically performed logistical support duties, were almost never assigned external missions, and thus had few opportunities to earn extra income.

Fortunately, whenever Hua Dalang and Hua Liulang returned home, they would subsidize the family with some cultivation resources.

"Oh my! This is a treasure! Tonight we are in for a treat; we get to eat dragon fish!"

Hua Qiniang, Hua Baniang, and several other juniors also gathered around, chattering as they helped hold down the fish tail and sharpened their knives, their movements swift and practiced.

Old Lady Hua also brought out some ingredients she had saved over the days, too reluctant to eat herself, and handed them to Second Aunt Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua.

Soon, the kitchen echoed with the "swish-swish" of scaling and the chop of bones, mixed with a rich aroma of food, as the scent of hearth and home washed over everyone.

Listening to the laughter from the kitchen, Hua Changxi felt a momentary illusion of returning to the Hua family courtyard in Xiuzheng Fang; her heart felt warm yet somewhat empty.

Since embarking on the path of cultivation, she had long grown accustomed to solitude and focus; though her heart desired to draw near such intense domestic warmth, she no longer possessed the childhood enthusiasm to participate in it.

To dispel that inescapable sense of alienation in her heart, Hua Changxi could only strive to shift her attention; she looked at Lady Yao and spoke to her in a low voice.

"Mother, what is going on between Third Brother and Zhu Qinghuan?"

Hearing this, Lady Yao's face immediately broke into a smile: "That girl Qinghuan has an easygoing nature and acts with great propriety; both she and your third brother enjoy studying pharmacology, and through frequent interaction, they took a liking to each other."

Observing Lady Yao's reaction, Hua Changxi asked, "Mother, do you like Zhu Qinghuan very much?"

Lady Yao smiled and said, "Not only do I like her, but your grandfather and grandmother are also very satisfied." She paused, then added, "Why, do you not like her?"

Hua Changxi shook her head.

Lady Yao looked at her daughter, hesitated a moment before asking, "Do you feel that Qinghuan is deliberately approaching your third brother because of you?" As she spoke, she grasped Hua Changxi's hand.

"Ninth Daughter, Mother understands your concerns; perhaps Qinghuan indeed has such intentions, but she is genuinely good to Third Lang; haven't you noticed how much more steady and bright he has become nowadays?"

"Your third brother has actually been suppressing a great deal of drive within his heart."

"This is also my fault and your father's; we paid too little attention to him in the past."

"Among our five children, aside from Tenth Daughter who left home early, your father and I pinned all our hopes on your eldest brother; Liulang has a flighty nature and requires constant supervision, and as for you..."

Lady Yao glanced at Hua Changxi with a mix of helplessness and doting affection: "You were the most troublesome, giving your father and me the biggest headaches."

"And since your third brother has always been working in the family's medicine shop, your father and I thought his future was secured, so we inevitably neglected him somewhat."

"If Qinghuan hadn't told me that Third Lang has always wanted to gain your father's and my approval, to earn the family's esteem, I would never have known that this child was hiding so many things in his heart."

Looking at Hua Changxi, Lady Yao said, "I heard from Qinghuan that many things your third brother did at Danyuan Peak were somewhat rash and impetuous."

"However, he bears no ill will, nor is he considering only himself; he simply feels that since you are his younger sister and he is your elder brother, you are the closest kin, surely more reliable than outsiders."

"When you do not use him but instead use outsiders, he sees it as distrust; it hurts him deeply, so he cannot help but lose his temper with you."

"But he is already changing; he knows that at Danyuan Peak, he can no longer treat you as merely his little sister from home."

"Ninth Daughter, Mother knows you dislike the family interfering in your affairs, but regarding your third brother... could you treat him a little better?"

Hua Changxi said nothing, turning her head to look at Zhu Qinghuan, who was standing with Sheng Yuantang in the courtyard helping out; the two were chatting and laughing, their conversation and demeanor very familiar.

She was no longer the naive novice in power dynamics who, having failed the apprentice selection due to the Medical Bureau's backroom dealings, had been filled with indignation.

Regarding the operation and flow of power, she had already gained some understanding.

If one considered Danyuan Peak, Lingguang Hall, and Mount Wuzhi as a single ship, then she was the helmsman, determining the vessel's course.

To ensure the ship's normal operation and guarantee it sailed in the direction she desired, she inevitably had to employ people who acted according to her will.

Such people could be selected by constructing a complete screening system, but that would waste too much time.

To save energy and time, she was indeed using 'her own people'.

The absolute fairness and justice she hoped to achieve was, in practical terms, very difficult to implement.

Given this, why not give important roles to family members?

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered.

If something is difficult to achieve, should one compromise because of it?

"Mother, Danyuan Peak and Danding Peak have complete and transparent talent selection mechanisms; as long as Third Brother's ability is sufficient, he will not be buried."

Looking at her daughter, a trace of barely visible disappointment flashed in Lady Yao's eyes, yet she still spoke gently: "Your intention is good, but people all have degrees of closeness and distance; can you guarantee that those stewards you appoint will truly treat everyone fairly?"

Hua Changxi's gaze ceased flickering and became firm: "Some things may not be achievable to perfection, but I will strive to improve them." Danyuan Peak and Danding Peak should also install karma opinion collection boxes.

Lady Yao said no more, only sighing silently to herself.

After a moment of silence, Hua Changxi changed the subject: "Mother, what about Sister Yuantang and Eldest Brother? How are they doing?"

Hearing this, the smile in Lady Yao's eyes grew even warmer: "Yuantang is a steady child with a meticulous heart; she is thorough in both character and action. Your eldest brother may not say it aloud, but every time he mentions Yuantang, his gaze softens by three degrees."

"Our whole family likes her; even your grandmother says Yuantang is a fine girl hard to find even with a lantern."

Hua Changxi nodded; after discussing matters concerning Hua Dalang and Hua Sanlang, she found she could think of no other topics; even facing her own mother, it seemed as though an invisible mist separated them.

Lady Yao seemed to sense this estrangement as well and felt somewhat uneasy; the atmosphere between mother and daughter became somewhat stagnant.

Fortunately, at that moment, a loud greeting suddenly came from outside the courtyard: "I'm back!"

It was Hua Minghe.

Hua Changxi walked quickly out of the room and immediately saw a tall figure clad in Xuan Yuan armor striding through the courtyard gate; dust from the training grounds clung to his shoulder guards, beads of sweat dotted his temples, yet he looked vigorous and spirited.

"Ninth Daughter!"

Hua Minghe's voice was somewhat hoarse, his expression somewhat excited.

"Father."

Hua Changxi let Hua Minghe stride forward, pull her close, and look her up and down.

After a long while, Hua Minghe finally grinned, his rough large hand rubbing the crown of her head: "My Ninth Lady grows ever more beautiful."

Hua Changxi smiled brightly, then allowed Hua Minghe to lead her by the hand into the main hall.