Before reaching Yunbei, Zhu Changle had been preoccupied with thoughts of how to restore the river that had been deliberately diverted.
However, upon seeing it firsthand, she realized it wasn't such a simple matter. Without proper planning, not only would the upstream areas be flooded, but Yunbei itself couldn't handle sudden navigation. Forty years was enough time to change far too many things.
Standing at the mountaintop, watching the rapid waters of the gorge, Zhu Changle thought that while reopening the river was necessary, it couldn't be done forcefully - which was truly frustrating.
This frustration intensified as they returned along the dried riverbed. "Why is it easier to learn bad habits than good ones? Once people taste the freedom of doing wrong without consequences, who would want to endure the constraints of doing right?"
Qiuli understood the source of her frustration but didn't try to console her. She had clear principles and knew exactly what she could and couldn't do, which meant she could only be one of the good guys. Such a personality often led to disadvantages, yet fortunately, she had a rather unorthodox master who taught her how to maintain principles without being taken advantage of.
Sure enough, before long she was grinning mischievously again. "Water flows downhill naturally, just wait and see!"
Following her down to the dried riverbed, Qiuli smiled softly - this was the real Zhu Changle.
Although dried up for years, the riverbed hadn't been left empty. In places where irrigation was convenient, it had been converted into rice paddies or vegetable gardens. Some areas were littered with stones and garbage... The riverbed told the story of Yunbei's changes over forty years.
"Look, Qiuli, if I only thought about venting my anger, all these crops and vegetables that people worked so hard to grow would be destroyed."
"Mm."
"If navigation is restored in the future, they'll also lose these places they've turned into farmland."
"If you asked them, they would tell you without hesitation that they choose navigation," Qiuli watched the two horses chasing each other ahead. "It's not just you who wants to right this wrong - they want it even more."
Indeed, while she was merely outraged at witnessing it, they were the ones living it, suffering deeply from it.
Stretching lazily, Zhu Changle called her horse over. "Qiuli, let's race!"
The two horses excitedly pranced about, acting as if their previous friendliness had been fake. Zhu Changle laughed heartily as she spurred her horse forward, maintaining full speed even after entering the city, fully embodying the behavior of a young noble - though she herself barely remembered she was female.
They went directly to the Chengde Medical Clinic. Zhu Changle didn't hide anything about Tang Ming's father, relaying exactly what his grandfather had said, without embellishment or concealment.
"That's all I know. Your grandfather also said there's no evidence. I'm just passing on the message - you'll have to judge for yourself." Zhu Changle patted the package of healing salve. "The medicine will be handled the same way as last time. I'll be busy with other things later, so if you need anything, you can find me or my eldest brother at home."
Tang Ming was stunned by this news. He had been young when his father died and had simply accepted what the elders told him. Later, he went to live with his grandfather and spent his days working with medicinal herbs. How could he have known there might be hidden circumstances behind his father's death?
If this was true, if this was true, then his grudge against the Zhou family wasn't just about them threatening his loved ones - it was also about his father's life!
"I need to think this through carefully." Tang Ming stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Zhu."
"We're helping each other, no need for thanks." Zhu Changle waved her hand. "Let's work well together, we'll definitely take them down."
"Yes, I will do my utmost."
Upon returning home, Zhu Changle went straight to her grandmother's room and acted coquettishly for a while. After getting enough hugs and making enough playful sounds, she went to find her mother for food.
Knowing her daughter had gone half a day without food or drink, Lady Zhang was terribly worried. She instinctively called out "Lady Li" but received no response, then remembered she had sent Lady Li to Madam Xu's place. The comparison made her heart feel even more blocked - one person was being well-fed and cared for at home, yet constantly finding fault with the one who was busy working outside. What a situation!
She called for the serving maids outside to go to the kitchen and ordered several meat dishes. Lady Zhang said, "Just rest for today, no need to rush these few hours, alright?"
"I have to rush, Mother." Zhu Changle hugged her mother's waist and nuzzled against her. "They've endured for so many years. Children have grown up, the young have grown old, and the old have died. I want to move quickly, even faster, so they can live to see Yunbei emerge from the clouds into sunlight, see the river reopened for navigation, see Yunbei restore all its vitality."
"Changle..."
"These were things they should have had in the first place. Those who forcibly took them away should return them and face consequences. There may be no such thing as perfect fairness in the world, but there is righteousness."
Zhu Changle looked up at her mother, her voice soft but resolute. "Master Zhong says there's no difference between a female devil and a female hero - as long as you stand firm in righteousness, you can hold your head high before anyone."
Lady Zhang gently covered her daughter's too-bright eyes. Her expression was so determined, her sharp aura carrying an unstoppable force. Such a daughter was rare, or rather, she rarely showed this side to her family.
Master Zhong had truly taught her exceptionally well. Lady Zhang once again felt grateful for agreeing to let Changle leave home to learn martial arts those years ago.
"Our Changle is no weaker than any man, and will surely become someone people admire in the future."
Zhu Changle shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, no, I want to become someone people won't dare to mess with. When others know I'm not to be trifled with, they won't think of bullying me or the people I want to protect. That's better than being a respected martial arts master who's put on a pedestal but can't do anything."
"Did your master teach you this too?"
"Master teaches by example, and I take the essence while discarding the dross."
Lady Zhang laughed and tapped her forehead. These master and disciple must have had quite lively days together.
Soon the maid came to announce the food was ready. Two aromatic dishes were laid on the table. Zhu Changle stole a piece and ran out, cupping her hands around her mouth like a trumpet: "Qiuli, time to eat!"
This shout made several members of the Zhu family turn their heads, and it could even be faintly heard at the government office.
Luo Ding closed the book in his hands and smiled. "Clerk Li was right, your daughter is indeed very spirited."
"If Your Honor simply says she's unruly, I won't argue with that," Zhu Maonian said, turning thoughts over in his mind while keeping the conversation light.
"It's a pity I only have two sons. If I had a daughter, I would truly want her to spend more time with your daughter. Even if she couldn't learn much, it would be good if her temperament could be influenced somewhat."
"Haha, Your Honor sees other people's children as perfect, but if it were your own, you'd be worried. Just because she learned martial arts, she faced so much ridicule in the capital. It's only because she doesn't care - otherwise, she might have had to become a nun to find peace."
"Speaking of this, I'm very curious. Your daughter's skills must have taken many years to develop? They seem quite remarkable."
