Chapter 7 — This life is not a stepping stone

The government rushed to buy waterproof fabric, and some big merchants took the opportunity to raise prices. We still delivered thirty thousand furniture at the usual price, and also converted the dye factory's water wheel into a water scoop and put it on the dike to prevent flooding. The first time Han Le, the new Head of the Public Works Department in charge of river projects, came to see me, his boots were full of mud. He came from a cold background and did not like being polite, so he opened his mouth and asked:

“The drawing of the water wheel was drawn by you?”

“I improved it, the original drawing was made by Uncle Trieu.”

“Why must the labor be divided among the craftsmen?”

“Because it is inherently his merit.”

He looked at me.

“Very few people say that in the official field.”

“There are few in the market.”

We squatted in front of the river map and discussed for two hours. He never asked why a woman like me understood the world of water, nor did he say the words "as expected of someone the little marquis once noticed". He pointed out that my reel shaft was too small, so I immediately said that his water channel angle was wrong. Arguing until the end, both of them were full of anger. The next day, he brought the redrawn drawing and the water channel angle was also corrected. There is also a small line of text written at the bottom: The reel shaft has also been made thicker. Flip Dao hugs the drawing and smiles:

“Is Lord Han giving in?”

“He's just correcting a mistake.”

“Isn't that the same thing?”

“No.”

I flattened the drawing, a corner of my heart suddenly felt strangely relieved. It turns out that there really are people in this world who can argue with you until they're red-faced, but not because you're a woman and get angry because you're a woman. What he respects is not my identity, nor who I have saved. Just because what I say makes sense.

08

In his third year at the Marquis Palace, Cui Minh Thu still had no children. Mrs. Hau took charge and brought a concubine to the door. The woman soon became pregnant. Cui Minh Thu came to Bat Phan ward to find me, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he demanded the secret medical remedy from the female conservatory outside the city.

“The doctor said there is a nurse you have recruited who is very good at curing colds.”

I raised my eyes and looked at her:

"You don't have a cold."

Her expression stiffened. In my previous life, it was not until many years later that I realized that the person who was actually injured by the cold energy was me. Cui Minh Thu could not have children because of Le Canh Hanh. The child in that concubine's womb is not his either. In his previous life, Cui Minh Thu once investigated the truth, but was suppressed by Mrs. Hou. The Le family cannot admit that the only heir has a secret disease, so all the blame falls on the daughter-in-law.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

I pushed an old prescription sheet towards her. That is the pulse diagnosis record when Le Canh Hanh was sick and injured as a child. The doctor did not dare to write clearly, but only used a few extremely strong drugs that damaged the organs in the prescription.

“Find a trustworthy doctor and ask.”

After she finished watching, her hands began to shake.

“You already knew?”

“I just recently found out.”

“Why are you investigating him?”

"The Marquis sent people time and time again to inquire about the medical ladies in the female courtyard. I have to know what they want to do."

She tightened her grip on the prescription, her eyes suddenly filled with resentment.

“You came to see my jokes again.”

I quietly looked at her.

“If I want to see a joke, why do I need to give you evidence?”

She was stunned.

"Cui Minh Thu, you and I have an enemy. But women shouldn't Taking the blame for a man's secret illness is another matter."

Her lips trembled. A long time later, she took the prescription away without saying a word of thanks. Three days later, the Marquis spread the news that Concubine Luong had a miscarriage. Cui Minh Thu, out of jealousy, harmed others and was stripped of his housekeeper rights. I immediately realized something was wrong. That prescription was not brought to the medical shop, but fell into the hands of Mrs. Hou. Next to Thoi Minh Thu there are the eyes and ears of the Marquis Palace. That night, Le Canh Hanh stood outside the door of Bat Phan ward, his whole body soaked. His eyes were full of blood, the first sentence was:

“Why did you harm her?”

I sent someone to block him outside the door. Rain fell from the eaves in chains. He stood in the middle of the water, like the person who fell into the water and struggled three years ago.

"You gave the prescription to Minh Thu." He stared at me. "She brought the petition to question her mother, shocking Ngoc Nuong's vitality."

“So the Marquis immediately said that she harmed people?”

“Ngoc Nuong saw her push people with her own eyes.”

"Whose is the child in Ngoc Nuong's womb?"

His face suddenly turned cold:

“Shut up!”

I burst out laughing. It's like that again. When the truth hurts his face, his first reaction is not to investigate clearly, but to force the person telling the truth to shut up.

“Le Canh Hanh, before coming to find me, have you checked that prescription? Have you asked the old doctor yet? Have you checked to see if Luong Concubine had a miscarriage, was there anyone around?"

He was silent.

“Not at all.”

I answer for him.

“Because investigating is very troublesome. It's easy to blame me."

He clenched his fist:

“Minh Thu has received it.”

“Is being forced to admit guilt also called confession?”

“The Marquis does not use pictures!”

“No food, no medicine, locked in a leaky paradise, does that count as punishment?”

His face lost all color little by little. I immediately knew he was not aware. But ignorance does not mean innocence. In his previous life, Cui Minh Thu died like that. Every evil thing doesn't seem to be done by Le Canh Hanh himself, but every door is locked by his silence.

“If you don't trust her, then let's break up.”

I took out a pre-written letter of separation and threw it through the rain at his feet.

“Let her go. If you want to investigate me, I will assist you."

Le Canh Hanh bent down to pick it up. The paper got wet from the rain, and the ink gradually spread out.

“You begged me for her sake?”

"I'm not for her."

I looked towards the female park.

“For the sake of the women locked behind the door, I was not even asked the reason for my punishment.”