Chapter 8 — This life is not a stepping stone

His voice was dry:

“What if we don't release it?”

“Tomorrow, the prescription, oral confession about the salary concubine's correspondence with the matron in the palace, and the stamped copy of the bank check that Mrs. Hau used to bribe the doctor will be brought to Kinh Trieu palace.”

Le Canh Hanh suddenly raised his head.

“Did you prepare in advance?”

“When I gave the prescription to Cui Minh Thu, I knew that the Marquis could kill people and destroy their mouths.”

I didn't tell him, what I'm really wary of is fate. Whatever happened in my previous life, in this life I will not let any of it be hidden in the dark.

“Le Canh Hanh, choose.”

“Save face for your Marquis, or keep the green hat on your head.”

Someone inside the door couldn't help but coughed. Le Canh Hanh's face changed from white to blue. He stood for a long time, finally tightened the letter of separation and turned to leave. The next day, the door of the Marquis's heavenly monastery was opened.

09

Toi Minh Thu does not get along. She tore up that separation letter.

"I am the official Marquis, so why should I give up my place to a concubine?"

She regained her housekeeper's rights, sold her salary, and dealt with all the subordinates who had betrayed her. Mrs. Hau was so angry that she was bedridden. Le Canh Hanh felt guilty towards her and did not bring in more people for half a year. She thought she won. But I know, she is just personally closing the only door that can leave the Marquis Palace. From then on, I no longer care about her affairs. Le Canh Hanh began to appear regularly in Bat Phan ward again. He brought evidence of the concubine and husband's embezzlement of the Marquis's property. I received it and transferred it to Kinh Trieu Palace. He gave it to the mandarin to use to travel on the Northern trade route. I returned it and told the merchant team to go do it themselves. He once waited outside the female park all night, just to say one sentence to me:

"You were right that year. I really couldn't protect anyone."

I sent the doorman to respond:

“It's okay to know.”

Later he learned not to bring things anymore, just stand from afar and watch. One time, when I and Han Le returned from the dike, Le Canh Hanh stood under a tree. The afternoon light fell on his shoulders, he looked at us talking side by side, his eyes were full of sadness that could not be hidden. Han Le asked:

“Should we avoid it?”

“The road is not his.”

We just go straight through. Le Canh Hanh suddenly called:

“Thanh Quy.”

I stopped walking. That was the first time I allowed him to finish his words. His throat moved slightly:

“If I hadn't married Minh Thu that day, would there have been anything between us…”

“No.”

“I haven't finished asking yet.”

“No matter what you ask, the answer is no.”

His eye sockets turned red:

“Do you hate me that much?”

“I don't hate you.”

That's a sincere statement. The debt from his previous life has not happened yet, and in this life he has not yet reached the level of the ten unforgivable evils. I only understand too well that if you want to be with such a person, you must first learn to look up, wait and forgive. But I don't want to do anything.

"Le Canh Hanh, I didn't choose you to punish you."

“Just because you're not good.”

That sentence hurts more than hatred. He stood there, not chasing after him for a long time. After walking a long way, Han Le asked:

“Do you always reject others without leaving room for retreat like that?”

"What's the use of leaving a way out? Invite him come again tomorrow?”

He thought for a moment then nodded:

“Makes sense.”

I glanced at him:

“Does Lord Han not find me harsh?”

“It's better to say it clearly than to use someone else's life to save your face.”

The wind blew across the riverbank, the young willow branches gently shook. I suddenly burst out laughing. In the fall of the fifth year, the Bac Ha dike broke. When the news came, thirty of our cargo ships were all downstream. If we do not immediately withdraw our people, the boat and its cargo will be completely destroyed. But if the boats are withdrawn, the three riverside districts will lack means to transport refugees. The shopkeepers all advised us to keep the goods. That was twenty thousand taels of silver, the five-year foundation of Bat Phan ward. We look at the river map and just ask:

“A broken boat can be rebuilt. What about people?”

That night, thirty cargo boats unloaded all their goods and went upstream to pick up refugees. Han Le led people to guard the dike, I was in charge of controlling the boat. The heavy rain beat down so that people could not open their eyes, the river surface was full of broken wood, livestock and even pieces of roofs. On the third day, a boat was swept into a whirlpool. On the boat were forty-seven women and children. I ordered the main ship to close in and personally tied the rope around my waist. Flip Dao hugged me tightly:

“Miss, you can't go!”

“I understand the situation.”

"That year people almost died of cold!"

The cold of the ice hole seemed to press against my bones. Of course I'm afraid. Reliving another life, I fear death more than anyone. But fear doesn't mean you have to kneel. I grabbed the rope and jumped onto the small boat. A wave crashed down, the boat almost stood upright. I gritted my teeth and brought the rope to the bow of the stuck boat. Just as the two boats were about to collide, another large rope flew from the shore, wrapping tightly around the mast. Han Le stood in waist-deep water, behind more than a hundred water workers. He shouted at me:

“Choi Thanh Quy, cut the left sail!”

“The water flows east, do you want the boat to capsize?”

“The dyke break is in the west, the return water will come immediately!”