“The Supreme General has never been a god.” Chang Yue’s deep eyes were filled with darkness: “Even if he is, he is the god of death.”
"Then what was the purpose of all those things he did before?"
"What bound him was the old lady's dying words. He had promised her that he would do everything in his power to protect Ye Kingdom from destruction for fifteen years. After the fifteen years were up, everything would be as he wished."
"Now that the fifteen-year period has come to an end?" she suddenly realized.
But why fifteen years, and not a lifetime or ten years or something like that? Is there any significance to setting it at fifteen years?
“That’s right, but when the fifteen-year period came, the Kingdom of Ye was not destroyed by the general. He was even willing to continue to protect the Kingdom of Ye and lead troops to fight against it…” At this point, Chang Yue’s expression turned strange. He seemed to want to laugh, but due to the stiff facial muscles that had been under his control for many years, he was unable to show a happy look.
His eyes, like a dried-up well gaining new life, gushed forth with the light of water: "Madam, he changed for you. He wanted to protect someone in his heart, and in turn, to protect the country where she lived..." As he said this, he knelt down and kowtowed to her firmly.
is that so?
Oh, I see.
She recalled a conversation she had with Yuan Xingzhou, in which he repeatedly asked her if such a corrupt and decadent country had any reason to exist. She said yes.
He asked her, "What is the most precious thing in this world?"
She believed it was a human life.
He was indeed learning from her.
"Please, don't abandon him. I don't ask you to forgive his deceitful and extreme actions. I only ask that you not abandon him easily. Just give him a sliver of hope, just a sliver of hope, so that he can have something to look forward to, someone to care for, and a home to return to for the rest of his life."
Zheng Quchi quickly helped him up, but he stubbornly refused to get up, insisting on waiting for her to give him an answer.
"Uncle Chang, I understand what you mean, but I can't promise you anything. Many things in this world should follow their own natural course. You can't force it, otherwise it will only become a bad relationship."
After she finished speaking, she helped the person up again. This time, Chang Yue understood what was happening and stood up.
“But I’ve remembered your words. Although I don’t know if we can stay together as husband and wife, I will at least be loyal to him as ruler and subject, and do my best to help him build a better country.” Her voice was gentle but firm.
Chang Yue finally understood. His wife was completely oblivious to love. Compared to a powerful husband, she probably needed a king who would allow her to fully utilize her talents.
No wonder the general insisted on giving his wife an official position despite all the objections; he understood her, knew what she wanted, and knew how to keep her here permanently.
It seems that he doesn't need to help anymore. Perhaps the general had long ago decided to spend his life with his wife, not necessarily to be together every day, but to be together for a long time.
"Do you know about Phoenix Tears?" Zheng Quchi suddenly asked.
A dark glint flashed in Chang Yue's eyes. He lowered his head and said, "I cannot say more about this matter, but I believe that if Madam wants to know, the General will definitely tell you. However, this battle is dangerous, and I do not know when the General will be able to return."
Zheng Quchi felt that given the current heavy atmosphere, she would feel embarrassed to stay in the house without expressing her concerns.
“Yes, I don’t know anything about military operations, let alone the current situation in the fields. If he really encounters danger, we are probably too far away to help him.”
She was just saying it casually. Why would a seasoned general like him need a novice like her to worry about him?
Unexpectedly, Chang Yue took her words as concern, thinking that she wanted to know about the general's recent situation but didn't know how to find out. So he quickly said, "Madam, this old servant can deliver the message for you. If you want to know anything, you can write a letter directly to ask the general."
Is there such a linear operation?
Zheng Quchi: "...Yes, is that so?"
"Madam, it's a rare treat that you've returned to the manor today. Why don't you go to the study and write right away?"
"Isn't there a need to be in such a hurry?" Zheng Quchi took a step back, intending to retreat.
But the old fox was still the most cunning. He blocked her escape route with a single sentence: "I heard that Madam wants to take over the water conservancy project in Cangling County. In my opinion, instead of wasting time waiting for them to weigh the pros and cons, we should report this matter directly to His Highness. Such a great undertaking that benefits the country and the people should not be delayed because of some selfish and narrow-minded people."
Zheng Quchi was suddenly caught off guard and his vitals were seized.
Of course!
The Minister of Works and the Water Conservancy Bureau did not agree with her making such a big fuss. What if she really raised enough money to start the project, but they insisted that the Cangling Dam alone could solve the flood problem and rejected her application?
"...How long will it take to make this round trip?"
"No more than three days."
So fast? It seems they have their own communication channels. Zheng Quchi thinks people should avoid taking detours. In a few decades of life, there isn't enough time to do anything worthwhile, so why waste time on all sorts of troubles and entanglements?
So she promptly went and wrote a letter.
But as soon as she picked up her pen, she was stumped.
Unfortunately, her Chinese language skills were not high enough to write anything profound or mysterious. In the end, she stopped worrying and simply wrote: "You are fighting the war abroad, and I am building the country. Let us watch over and help each other. Don't die, and return home in glory."
Very well, twenty simple words summed it all up, but in the end she didn't mention her own affairs, mainly because she was too embarrassed to ask someone on the battlefield to be distracted by her.
However, a few days later, Sikong summoned her. He stared at her for a long time with a complicated and profound look, and then said, "Master Craftsman Zheng, I entrust you with full responsibility for the flood control in Cangling County. Are you capable of taking on this responsibility?"
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