The Youngest Daughter, Chang Le

Chapter 61

The crowd became agitated.

"Kill that horse!" Someone shouted, and those who were already riled up hurled whatever they had in their hands towards Little Tail.

Little Tail reared up and let out a loud neigh, looking as if it was ready to fight these people, while its master had already charged into the crowd and started fighting.

Seeing Zhu Changle snatch a stick and start swinging it around, hitting people left and right without anyone being able to touch her, Qiuli dismounted. He patted Little Tail with his fan, and his own horse, also intelligent, moved closer and nuzzled Little Tail affectionately, as if they were a couple.

Qiuli was startled by this thought. Looking at the two horses again, how could they possibly resemble a couple? How did he even come up with such an idea?

"You dare to fight with your mistress?" Zhu Changle was thoroughly enjoying beating people up. She swung her stick towards someone's backside, causing them to jump up and clutch their bottom in both pain and embarrassment. "You, you're a woman, how can you, how can you..."

"What's wrong with being a woman? You men can't even beat me!"

Being looked down upon by a woman was more than these men could bear. Someone threw the small shovel they were holding at her. Zhu Changle casually deflected it, sending it back towards the thrower's face. Amidst the gasps, Zhu Changle's figure blurred as she moved faster than the shovel, catching it in her hand.

Meeting the astonished gazes of the crowd, Zhu Changle gave a mirthless grin. She then proceeded to wildly swing the stick at them, causing them to jump around. Seeing that their anger was about to flare up again, Zhu Changle ran off.

"Father, your people are bullying me!" she cried.

"..."

Zhu Maonian, inside the carriage, was both amused and exasperated. "How does she manage to lie so blatantly in front of so many people?"

"With so many people against her, of course they're the ones bullying Changle," Lady Zhang said. Knowing her husband was about to get out, she adjusted his clothes and spoke softly, "She's thought of everything for you, but she'll have to bear the notoriety from now on."

Zhu Maonian looked at his daughter, who was lifting the curtain and pretending to be wronged. Her hair was wet and plastered to her face, but even as she feigned grievance, her eyes and brows were curved upwards in joy. He must have done many good deeds in his previous life to be trusted by the emperor in this one, able to fully realize his ambitions, and to have such a perfect daughter who kept his heart, hardened by years in officialdom, from turning completely to stone.

Indeed, Changle had thought of everything for him. Her seeming mischief was actually a message to the local bullies of Yunbei that the new magistrate had a daughter who wasn't to be trifled with. It also showed that she was not entirely obedient, willing to fight even in his presence. She would maintain this image as she moved about Yunbei, serving as the most direct and powerful deterrent, enough to support him until he could win the people's hearts with his achievements.

Whoever has the bigger fist speaks louder - this holds true everywhere.

Helping his daughter down from the carriage, he poked her forehead and then gently rubbed it. Zhu Maonian walked step by step towards the uneasy crowd, step by step towards what was to be his new starting point.

Zhu Changle didn't follow him. Instead, she climbed into the carriage and snuggled into her mother's arms, her voice soft and coaxing, "I didn't delay us for long."

"Mm-hmm."

"Second sister-in-law will dislike me even more now."

Lady Zhang held her little cotton-padded jacket, who was wet again, and patted her gently. From childhood to now, it was only during these rare moments when she wasn't being mischievous that she could hold her peacefully like this. "Anan's illness isn't urgent, it's probably just a cold. This short delay won't make much difference. Our Changle is so lovable, even if we subtract one person who likes her, there are still many, many more who do. Having her like you or not doesn't add much, and her dislike won't affect how lovable our Changle is."

After a moment of silence, Zhu Changle looked up, smiling so widely her eyes narrowed to slits. "What a coincidence, I think so too!"

Lady Zhang pinched her cheek. Everyone said the Zhu family had an unparalleled intelligent eldest son, but unfortunately, his intelligence had shortened his lifespan. She didn't want to think about how many people were secretly gloating behind that 'unfortunately'. So they never told others that the Zhu family's youngest daughter was equally intelligent. Later, when she went out to learn martial arts and was openly and secretly mocked, it actually made her feel relieved.

The Zhu family had enough smart people. Changle didn't need to be that smart; as long as she lived healthily, everything would be fine. That's why Changwang was able to convince her so easily back then, and her husband felt the same way.

"Remember to tell me later which of you three won."

"Do I even need to say it? It'll definitely be me."

Outside, Zhu Maonian stood with his hands behind his back. "I am Zhu Maonian, the newly appointed magistrate of Yunbei County."

Not all of these people were ordinary civilians. The four guards had a premonition when they heard that girl's words. Counting the number of carriages and horses in this entourage, and looking at Zhu Maonian's imposing manner, they already believed it in their hearts.

Of course, whether they believed it or not, they had no right to verify if this was really the new magistrate. At this moment, they needed to get through this immediate situation first.

The four guards knelt down together, "We have offended the magistrate, please forgive us."

"Those who don't know cannot be blamed," Zhu Maonian made a gesture of lifting them up, indicating for them to rise. "Your reaction suggests that the people of Gu'an have bullied you like this before?"

The guards glanced at each other secretly, not knowing how to respond. In truth, even if they said something, it wouldn't make any difference.

Zhu Maonian didn't press them. After a few words of encouragement, he turned and got back into the carriage. With Changle's groundwork, he only needed to make a brief appearance.

"Let's go, let's go," Zhu Changle jumped down from the other side, full of energy. She picked up the stick again and deliberately waved it as she passed by the group of people, scaring them into instinctively covering their backsides. Zhu Changle laughed heartily, her manner somewhat arrogant, yet strangely not causing people to feel disgusted.

Perhaps it was because her arrogance seemed a bit hollow, yet there wasn't a trace of tyranny about her, Qiuli concluded.

As they continued walking, Zhu Changle stopped laughing.

Poverty is often describable. One might say "gaunt with hunger" or "clothes barely covering the body" - there's usually a way to depict it. But Zhu Changle didn't know how to describe this place called Yunbei. At a glance, it could be summed up in one word: poor. It was as if that word was plastered everywhere.

There were some shops open on the neighboring street, but they were deserted. There were people on the road, walking with their heads down along the edges. A fishy smell could be detected everywhere... Qiuli had already taken out a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth.

"Why do I feel like all the houses we've seen since entering Yunbei are shorter than those in other places?" As far as the eye could see, there were only low buildings. Only in the distance could one see slightly taller structures. But this was the main street, which should have been the most prosperous part of the area.

"Haven't you noticed that the people here are all shorter too?" Dingding pointed out.

With Dingding's reminder, Zhu Changle looked along the street and indeed, it was true. The people were really not tall. Thinking back to the people they had seen at the city gate, weren't they a bit taller? Surely it couldn't be that all the taller, stronger people lived in that area, ready to fight with the people of Gu'an at any time?

Right, Zhu Changle remembered, there was someone beside her who knew about Yunbei! Although he said he only knew a little, his "little" was always quite substantial!