No one was more stunned than Luo Ding.
Watching that red figure land on the shore, his heart, hardened by years of training, now felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. It was as if someone was beating a drum inside, saying: The opportunity has come! His opportunity has come! Yunbei's opportunity has come!
After composing himself for a moment, Luo Ding said, "Your daughter... is truly surprising."
Zhu Maonian was still trying to process it himself. He knew his youngest daughter had learned some impressive martial arts, and he had witnessed her prowess on their journey here, but only now did he realize just how formidable she was!
"To be honest, Lord Luo, I'm quite astonished myself."
Luo Ding turned to him, "What do you mean by that, Lord Zhu?"
Having spent the past few days getting to know Luo Ding, Zhu Maonian was well aware that he was not the type to show any curiosity about his colleagues' daughters. Hearing this question, several thoughts raced through his mind, but he replied without hesitation.
"She's been learning martial arts from her master since she was little. I've heard her boast about being invincible, but only today did I realize those years of hard work weren't in vain."
As people on the dock gradually stood up, Luo Ding smiled, "Your daughter has quite the personality."
"Lord Luo's praise is well-deserved. Although her mother often worries about her unladylike behavior, most of the time we appreciate her lively and straightforward nature."
Zhu Maonian's face was filled with unmistakable pride, an emotion rarely seen so openly displayed by a high-ranking official who once held great power in the Capital City. As Luo Ding pondered various thoughts, he saw the girl, looking like a sea goddess, running towards them.
"Father, Father, wasn't I amazing?" Her voice reached them before she did. Zhu Changle, wrapped tightly in Qiuli's outer robe, her wet hair plastered to her head, certainly didn't look very proper. She knew not to come too close, and instead curtsied awkwardly from about ten paces away.
"Greetings, my lords."
Luo Ding smiled, "Miss Zhu, when you act, it's truly astounding."
"Oh, it's nothing, really nothing," Zhu Changle said, feigning modesty while clearly pleased.
"Disgraceful," Zhu Maonian tried to put on a stern face, intending to reprimand her, but he was too proud inside. The smile wouldn't leave his face, so he gave up the pretense and urged, "The wind is strong, hurry back and change your clothes."
"I just saw you here and wanted to say hello!" Zhu Changle curtsied again, "I won't be putting on any more shows. You should all head back quickly, my lords. This wind could make you ill."
Zhu Maonian deliberately paused for a moment, and sure enough, he heard Luo Ding respond in a gentle tone, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Zhu. We'll return immediately."
"Then I'll take my leave first."
Qiuli was leading two horses just two steps behind her. He patted Little Tail on the rump, and the horse trotted forward. After its master mounted, it very sensibly began to canter home.
Qiuli perfunctorily cupped his hands in greeting, then mounted his horse and followed.
Watching the two ride away, Luo Ding asked casually, "And who was that?"
"The son of an old friend," Zhu Maonian replied, turning his gaze from Qiuli's retreating figure towards the carriage nearby. When they had set out, he had suggested riding horses, but Luo Ding had politely declined, citing the greater safety of a carriage.
Before boarding the carriage, he glanced back and saw Luo Ding still staring in the direction of the dock. He wondered if Luo Ding was looking at the people, or at the damaged pier.
Back at home, Zhu Changle used her thief-like stealth to sneak back to her room and change clothes. She bundled up her wet clothes and tossed them into a corner, thinking she'd have to ask Aunt Feng to wash them secretly later. She absolutely couldn't let her mother see them.
She forgot, however, that her actions today were likely impossible to keep secret from anyone.
Leaving her room, she saw Qiuli waiting. She leaned in and whispered, "I'll have Aunt Feng wash your clothes before returning them to you."
Qiuli nodded slightly, "Shall we go?"
"Let's go, let's go!" Zhu Changle pulled him along as they ran out. Faintly hearing Lady Li's voice, she ran even faster.
Qiuli looked down at her hand clutching his sleeve, his expression inscrutable.
At the dock, everyone was both excited and agitated. They looked at each other, but no one spoke, as if afraid that saying something would wake them up, that what they had just witnessed was only a dream.
It did seem too dreamlike. How could a person be that powerful? They had lived by the sea all their lives and had witnessed the terrifying might of the ocean. That suffocating feeling made people want to retreat at the mere sight of it, to close their doors and seek shelter.
When Miss Zhu displayed her power, it was different. The scope wasn't as large, and the feeling was unlike anything they'd experienced before. They couldn't quite find the right words to describe it, but they felt that when the sea raged, it made them think of death. When Miss Zhu showed her power, it made them feel alive – alive with a vitality that made them believe they could survive.
If they could learn even a little from Miss Zhu – not much, just a fraction of her skill – Gu'an would never be able to bully them as before. Then, then... would they be able to come and go from Yunbei as they pleased, just as they imagined? Could they go to Gu'an whenever they wanted, and leave whenever they wished?
Just thinking about it made their blood boil. If it could become reality, if it could become reality...
Hearing the sound of hooves, seeing that figure in red approaching from afar, everyone instinctively went to greet her.
Zhu Changning also followed, but he wasn't going to welcome his sister. He was walking with these people. He had never seen such eager, fervent gazes before, like drowning men clutching at straws.
"Hahaha, you're all so enthusiastic! Do you believe me now?" Zhu Changle leaped down from her horse, lightly tapping her feet a few times to land on a rock on the dock. She clapped her hands and said, "Come on, come on, come on! It's already high noon, let's start practicing right away!"
Everyone nervously lined up in front of her, waiting for her instructions on how to practice.
Zhu Changle reached out her hand, and Aunt Feng passed her a sword. She pushed it away, "Not that. Where's my walking stick?"
Zhu Changning glared at her. He wanted to ask how that walking stick had ended up so precisely in his hands.
Zhu Changle took it and teased him with a wink, "Second brother, have you grown attached to this walking stick? Should I ask grandmother to give it to you as a gift?"
"Get on with it!"
"This is the main thing for me," Zhu Changle chuckled, twirling the walking stick. She pointed it at the crowd, "Zhou Zheng, bring your other seven guard brothers to the front. Everyone else, step back."
Without Zhou Zheng having to call them, the other seven immediately came forward.
"Wait a minute, something's not right here," Zhu Changle finally realized she had missed something, leaning on the walking stick with both hands. "Yunbei is a county town after all. Even if there's only one entrance to guard, there shouldn't be just eight guards. Second brother, do you know about this?"
Zhu Changning nodded slightly, "Normally, there should be four to five hundred guards. Given that Yunbei faces pirates and sea bandits, even a thousand would be reasonable."
Zhu Changle looked at Zhou Zheng, wondering where the others were.
