The post station quieted down again, at least on the surface.
Zhu Changle tiptoed from room to room, pressing her ear against each door to listen. Father was comforting Mother, Second Brother was consoling Second Sister-in-law. Hmm, they were all qualified good husbands, Zhu Changle nodded approvingly, without the slightest guilt about eavesdropping. She returned to her own room and asked Aunt Feng, who was polishing her sword, "How are their casualties?"
"Half were injured, none dead. The formation wasn't broken, but if enemies come again tomorrow, those wounded won't be able to hold on. With the power imbalanced, the formation will easily break."
Indeed so. Zhu Changle lay on the bed, legs raised, hands behind her head. "All that thunder for such little rain. Tonight was just for show, it seems."
"Yes."
"Looks like they're quite determined to take our family's lives."
"They won't get them."
Zhu Changle smiled, changing position to face Aunt Feng. "You must all be feeling pent up."
Aunt Feng looked up. "I was just on a nearby island, same as you except for having an extra boat."
After a pause, she added, "And not as many monkeys."
Zhu Changle laughed so hard she pounded the bed. Among Master's people, Aunt Feng spoke the least and had the best skills. Since following Zhu Changle, in addition to these two "mosts," she'd added a third - most eager to fight. Master said Zhu Changle had corrupted her, but Zhu Changle felt wronged; Aunt Feng clearly loved fighting on her own.
"It's likely to get lively soon. Keep the bloodiest parts away from my family."
"Understood." Putting down the sword, Aunt Feng suggested, "I could follow those people and cut off the source."
"There are only two sources - Prime Minister Zhu and Grand Commander He. If we violate the law with martial arts, let alone whether we could successfully kill these two, the consequence would inevitably be disrupting the balance between the court and the Martial Arts World that has existed for years." Zhu Changle lay flat again. "I don't understand the grand principles, but I know this balance can't be destroyed, or everyone's lives will become difficult."
Aunt Feng nodded silently.
"We must move forward tomorrow. Be careful scouting the road, don't give them chances to cause trouble. Grandmother and Second Sister-in-law can't handle even the slightest bump."
"Understood."
When Zhu Changle proposed this suggestion at the dining table, no one objected. Although Lady Zhang worried about her daughter-in-law's health, the safety of the whole family took priority now, so she couldn't consider too much else.
"Lady Li, go ask the station master..." Remembering that neither the station master nor the attendants had shown their faces since morning, with the servants preparing all the meals, Lady Zhang changed course: "The station should have clean dried grass. Find some and pad all the carriages with a layer, especially thicker for Madam Xu's carriage."
"Yes, ma'am."
Zhu Changle sighed with some regret, "She won't let me transfer energy to her. It could make her more comfortable."
"People tend to fear the unknown. It's understandable," Zhu Changwang lowered his gaze, squeezing his powerless thighs. "However, at critical moments, we needn't worry about such things. Life is more important."
Zhu Changning glanced at his elder brother, not objecting. "I'll talk to her on the road."
"How much do you understand about internal energy? Saying something half-baked without really explaining will only make her more resistant. It's better not to mention it at all. Maybe we won't need it on this journey anyway."
Zhu Changwang's words always carried great weight in the Zhu family, and among his siblings, he had the authority of a father figure. Zhu Changning nodded in agreement.
Madam Xu ate alone in her room. Upon learning that they would continue the journey because of a single sentence from Zhu Changle, despite originally planning to rest for a day, Madam Xu couldn't help but darken her face. She didn't dare defy her mother-in-law and knew the family's current situation after last night, but she still showed her emotions when seeing Zhu Changle, turning away as if she hadn't seen or heard her.
Zhu Changle shrugged, helping her grandmother into the carriage while muttering softly, "Good thing Mother isn't here, or it would be even worse."
"I am here."
Zhu Changle looked up, smiling as she smoothed out her grandmother's furrowed brow and the corners of her tightly pressed lips. "If you get angry, it would be a big deal. Whoever makes my grandmother angry, I'll deal with them, pregnant or not, uncomfortable pregnant woman or not."
The old lady couldn't help but laugh, swatting away her hand as she stepped onto the wooden stool to enter the carriage. Madam Xu had indeed gone too far, but as Changle said, a pregnant woman about to give birth still had to travel with them, so they should be more tolerant for that reason. Thus, Changle could laugh it off.
"Let Granny Liang keep you company. I'll ride a horse today." Zhu Changle didn't get in, lifting the curtain to whisper to her grandmother, "Things won't be peaceful behind us. Don't be afraid if anything happens. They can't beat me."
"Grandmother isn't afraid." The old lady stroked her head. Her high ponytail made her look very neat, and the sword at her waist, far from being out of place, complemented her perfectly. She was the most spirited child the old lady had ever seen.
"With little Changle here, Grandmother isn't afraid at all."
Zhu Changle held her grandmother's hand, swinging it coquettishly, then whistled for her little shadow to come. She mounted the horse with a flip, lightly squeezed its belly, and galloped to the front.
Along the way, Xu Hanmei vomited twice, but she was tough and didn't ask to rest. When they reached the post station, she barely managed to drink some medicinal soup before falling asleep.
Zhu Changle worried about the child in her belly. Taking advantage of her second brother's absence during the evening meal, she secretly snuck into the room and transferred some internal energy to her second sister-in-law using her mental technique. Only after feeling her pulse become steady did she relax, then climbed out the window the way she came.
Aunt Feng clearly disapproved of her actions. "She dislikes you so openly. Why bother doing this?"
"It's fine if she doesn't like me and I don't like her. There's no need to prove it with lives at stake. As long as she's good to my second brother and my future nieces and nephews, it doesn't matter if she likes me or not. After all, I'm not the one living with her. When things settle down at home in the future, I won't be staying there anyway. We'll hardly ever see each other."
Zhu Changle was quite nonchalant about it, stretching luxuriously.
"Zhu Changle!" Lady Zhang's shout nearly made Zhu Changle, who was mid-stretch, pull a muscle. She stubbornly finished her stretch. Since she was going to be scolded anyway, she might as well make herself comfortable for it.
"This isn't our own home. Can't you behave more properly?" Lady Zhang walked over, so angry she kept poking Zhu Changle's forehead. What kind of young lady would stretch like that in a busy corridor, just like a common market woman?
"Mother, I'm hungry..." Zhu Changle whined in a drawn-out voice, trying to extinguish the fire.
"Stay hungry!" Lady Zhang glared at her, but her action of pulling her into the room was not the least bit hesitant. Even after sitting her down, she poked her forehead a few more times for good measure.
Meeting the amused gazes of her father and brothers, Zhu Changle blinked and whispered when she saw her mother walk away, "Hasn't Mother's voice gotten louder?"
Zhu Changwang nodded in agreement. "That's your achievement."
"Of course." Zhu Changle was extremely proud. "See how energetic Mother is!"
Indeed, she was energetic. Throughout this journey, Changle hadn't given Mother a chance to feel low-spirited. Zhu Changwang gave a thumbs up. Only a mother with such a temperament could keep such an energetic daughter in check.
