Chapter 6: Miscellanea of Washington

Hua Zhuo selected the color, and Ba Xiu quickly ran to fetch a bundle of red threads of varying thickness. Qi Qiao helped to organize them, and then Ba Xiu began to teach.

Hua Zhuo smiled and said, "I was just asking casually, with nothing else to do, merely passing the time."

Ba Xiu blinked her eyes, clearly not understanding what Hua Zhuo was trying to find out. Does the young lady not know what the situation at home is now? Why ask this again at this moment?

The incident of nearly drowning at the age of eight had a significant impact, but in her previous life, she only gradually came to understand it later. Aside from a few key events, other memories have become vague, as after all, how much can an eight-year-old child truly remember

When Hua Zhuo fled from Huainan Prefecture, Hui Fang Garden had already fallen into disarray, deserted and empty. Those esteemed guests who usually carried themselves with pride were the first to flee when his father encountered trouble. In the end, among those who helped in seeking assistance, scarcely one in ten remained, which is truly lamentable

Since the time of the great-grandfather, through the generations of the grandfather and father, although Rong'an Hall may no longer possess its former glory, the saying goes that a thin dead camel is still larger than a horse. Rong'an Hall remains a prominent and distinguished family in Huainan Prefecture

Red, great fortune

Qiqiao moved a low stool and sat down beside her. Baxiuxiu, who loved to join in the fun, also ran over but did not bring a chair, instead squeezing onto the low stool with Qiqiao. Both little girls only sat on half of the stool, leaning and tilting awkwardly.

Ba Xiu clapped her hands and laughed, saying: "It's not difficult to pass the time. I'll go get some rope, and we can play the string game. Miss used to love playing this the most."

Hua Zhuo thought for a moment and said, "I am not sleepy yet, let us talk for a while."

"Miss, what would you like to say?" Baxiun moved closer and asked

Hua Zhuo hurriedly grabbed her and said, "I am already tired of this. Yes, you are the best at making nets, so teach me. I will make a blessing for my younger brother to ensure his safety and peace."

In the face of great waves, one can discern the true nature of people only through adversity. Furthermore, being grateful and repaying kindness is inherently a matter of course.

As for the inner courtyard, it has always been managed by the Fang family, with the assistance of Concubine Shuangcheng, thus there have never been any mistakes. The Fang family values frugality, so the number of maids and servants in the courtyard is not large. There are only a total of eight maids and two daughters-in-law running errands for the Fang family. The most capable are naturally the head maid, Sanchun, and the second maid, Sixi, with one in charge of the Fang family's clothing and food, and the other managing the family's financial accounts. Next are two second-tier maids named Wuzhen and Liushun. Qiqiao and Baixiu also served the Fang family; they entered the household at the age of seven and were trained by the Fang family for a full three years before being assigned to Huazhuo. The remaining four are rough maids who handle menial tasks such as cleaning and carrying.

Hua Zhuo also felt his body becoming heavier. The previous sweating had not been entirely effective, and now his head felt heavy again, with a slight tightness in his chest. He obediently put on the rabbit fur hat and donned the cloak, allowing the young woman to carry him back to the elegant pavilion.

Hua Zhuo pondered for a moment and said, "What is the current situation at home? Please tell me about it."

Before long, Shuangcheng brought over the little bundle resembling a small zongzi, the baby still four days shy of a full month. Compared to the appearance of a newborn monkey, the baby had grown a bit and had become chubby and fair. When Shuangcheng carried him, he was still sleeping soundly, his tiny fists clenched into little balls, wearing a tiger-head hat on his round head. He was as adorable as one could imagine.

In the past, Huazhuo did not pay much attention to this matter, but when she inadvertently heard Qiqiao and Baxiou mention the conflict between Huaxin and Huarun, she became alert. Qiqiao and Baxiou usually only stayed in Xiuge, and the fact that even they had heard about these issues indicates just how deep the conflict between Huaxin and Huarun has become

Hua Zhuo wished to embrace her younger brother, yet feared that her illness might infect him, leaving her only to gaze longingly at him. In her heart, she silently vowed that in this lifetime, she would protect her younger brother, ensuring that he grows up healthy, safe, and free from disaster and disease.

If it were not the cold winter months, Hua Zhuo would indeed want to return to the Huifang Garden to take a look. She has always been very fond of this garden. Moreover, although most people had left at that time, there were still a few loyal individuals who had once assisted her father. However, most of them were unsuccessful scholars, and their ability to help was limited, ultimately not providing much assistance to her father. Yet, with this sentiment, Hua Zhuo felt grateful in her heart and wished to visit the garden to see them, thinking of ways to speak well of them in front of her father, hoping to give them more opportunities to stand out. However, most of them were unsuccessful scholars, and their ability to help was limited, ultimately not providing much assistance to her father. Yet, with this sentiment, Hua Zhuo felt grateful in her heart and wished to visit the garden to see them, thinking of ways to speak well of them in front of her father, hoping to give them more opportunities to stand out.

However, she misunderstood and only found it somewhat strange. After the young lady woke up from falling into the water, not only did she become more sensible, but her manner of speaking and acting also exhibited a certain air of maturity. Now, she even wishes to take charge of the household, as if she had grown up overnight

In fact, Hua Zhuo had already mastered the art of weaving nets, so there was no need for him to learn it. He merely used the act of weaving nets to engage the two young girls, speaking intermittently to draw them into conversation. This led the two girls to chatter away, allowing him to gather a fairly comprehensive understanding of the household situation. He then compared this with some fragmented memories, gradually piecing everything together.

Mr. Fang teased his son for a while, and seeing his daughter nestled beside him with a hint of fatigue on her face, he sent her back to her room

The secondary steward, Hua Ren, is in charge of the outer courtyard. He was originally a book boy by his father Hua Xu's side and grew up alongside his father, earning his trust from a young age. However, the relationship between Hua Ren and the third son of the chief steward, Hua Xin, is not very good. It is said that Hua Ren initially intended to propose to the maid Dushan, who served the Fang family, but was instead outmaneuvered by Hua Xin, who took her for himself. Now that the chief steward is aging and will inevitably retire in a few years, Hua Xin has been closely following the chief steward, indicating that the chief steward intends to cultivate his younger son to succeed him. Yet, Hua Ren is unwilling to settle for the position of a secondary steward, leading to some open and covert conflicts between the two.

"Miss, would you like to sleep a little longer?" Qiqiao observed her lack of energy and couldn't help but feel a bit concerned

This is also good, what color would the young lady like to choose

Apart from the current residence, this grand courtyard with three entrances, Rong'an Hall also has another garden covering an area of over one hundred acres, located by the picturesque Mochou Lake in Huainan Prefecture, named Huifang Garden. The garden is filled with various flowers and trees, and my father, Hua Xu, also hosts a group of literati and refined guests, who spend their days in the garden discussing poetry and writing, or enjoying music from string instruments, watching dances, or discussing the world over wine, wielding swords to criticize local chieftains

Liu Momo is the stewardess of the inner courtyard. She originally came as a maid accompanying her grandmother's dowry, and later married a long-serving attendant by her grandfather's side. Unfortunately, that attendant had a penchant for drinking, and one day, after getting drunk, he accidentally fell into the river and drowned. Liu Momo became a widow and, with a son who was not yet a year old, refused to remarry. Her grandmother kept her by her side because of her unwavering loyalty and her status as a trusted person. After Fang Shi married into the family, she retained Liu Momo as the stewardess of the inner courtyard, placing great trust in her.

Hua Zhuo smiled and said, "Don't crowd, Ba Xiu, don't snatch the short one from Qi Qiao, come sit on my side."

The one managing Huifang Garden is the chief steward, Huazhang. He originally served as a book boy by the side of his great-grandfather. Over time, having been with his great-grandfather for a long period, he gained extraordinary insights. Later, his grandfather discovered his exceptional capabilities and kept him by his side as the chief steward. In those years, when his father had not yet reached the age of twenty, he was able to support the vast Rong'an Hall, and Huazhang played an indispensable role in this.

However, now that Huazhang has grown older, although he still manages Huifang Garden, he is ultimately unable to keep up with the demands. Consequently, most of the affairs of Huifang Garden have fallen to his son. Huazhang has three sons: the eldest, Huazhong, has remained in their hometown of Jiulixi to oversee the family’s land and business; the second son, Huacheng, unfortunately had a short life and passed away early; the youngest, Huaxin, married the maid beside Fang and is a person of integrity. Now, the couple assists Huazhang in managing Huifang Garden.

She is sitting on a couch, which is already small and takes up little space. With the addition of the eight beauties, there is still a large portion of the couch left empty

Qiqiao chuckled and said, "Miss is only eight years old, yet she wishes to concern herself with family matters? Is it not a bit early to be learning how to manage the household?"