Wu Wei thought to herself: Don’t let Dongfang Rui’s cold and stern demeanor toward Gao Ningxue fool you—she truly cherished her disciple.
The two fell silent for a long while before Dongfang Rui spoke earnestly. “Wu Wei, you are an exceptionally clever person.”
Wu Wei’s heart inexplicably tightened. She always felt that the word “clever,” coming from Dongfang Rui, was not exactly a compliment. Wu Wei remained quiet, and Dongfang Rui didn’t seem to require a response. She continued, “But you must never narrow your own path. If you choose the wrong road from the start, you’ll only sink deeper and find it impossible to turn back. Could it be… that you wish to become another Qinglu County Magistrate?”
Dongfang Rui’s words struck Wu Wei like a thunderbolt. Dongfang Rui gazed at her calmly, those profound eyes seeming to have seen through everything long ago. Wu Wei met her gaze in return, her thoughts churning endlessly, yet she couldn’t utter a single word. She wanted to defend herself, but every time the words reached her lips… they refused to come out.
No wonder people called her the Jade-Faced Divine Strategist. The world’s evaluation of her—”seeing through all deceptions like fire illuminates the darkness, enforcing the law like an unyielding mountain”—was spot on.
She truly possessed eyes that pierced to the essence of things.
Dongfang Rui said, “Your cleverness lies in knowing how to go with the flow. You used the already-entangled Pingjia County Princess as a bargaining chip, gathering all the scattered, unrelated forces around you for your own use. From the staff at Hundred Flavors Building to the Bright Mirror Division outpost, and even my own appearance—every step was calculated precisely. You even caught the Qinglu County Magistrate off guard. Up to that point, I saw nothing wrong with your actions. But what came after? What was your goal? Did you intend to borrow the Bright Mirror Division’s authority to eliminate the Qinglu County Magistrate, who threatened your life?”
Wu Wei couldn’t help but defend herself. “They abused their power and perverted justice to cover up a murder first, and then tried to silence me afterward. I don’t see anything wrong with bringing them to justice!”
Dongfang Rui countered, “If this hadn’t happened to you, would you have stepped in?”
“My lord, that’s shifting the goalposts!”
Dongfang Rui shook her head. “I’m not blaming or making things difficult for you. I hope you’ll think carefully about how to ‘set your heart right.’ Few people in this world start out bold enough to commit heinous crimes. It begins with ambiguous mistakes, step by step, until they’ve strayed so far they commit acts that outrage both heaven and man. Which new imperial examination graduate, upon making the lists, isn’t brimming with ambition and vowing to be a good official who brings welfare to the people? Why then do we have corrupt officials and honest ones? Do you know what the Bright Mirror Division’s foundation is? Why it stands equal to the Ministry of Justice and above so many other offices? The answer lies in its name. ‘Bright Mirror’—it reflects people, illuminates objects, and upholds righteousness. The Bright Mirror Division is a vital instrument of the Imperial Court, not a sword for killing. Though the Qinglu County Magistrate severed all evidence pointing to him, if this case truly involves him, the Bright Mirror Division will never tolerate it. But you… is your heart driven by justice, or by eliminating rivals? If it’s the latter, then how is your current behavior any different from the county magistrate’s judgment against you in court?”
Before meeting Dongfang Rui, Wu Wei had never faced anyone who left her speechless twice in a single day, unable even to argue back.
Coming from a family of forensic experts on Blue Star and having received a fine education, Wu Wei understood laws and principles, and she knew what justice truly meant. That was precisely why she had no rebuttal—because Dongfang Rui was right.
Though her words felt like hands ripping away Wu Wei’s fig leaf, leaving her as exposed and humiliated as if she’d been stripped bare.
Wu Wei took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and said, “You’re right, my lord. More than half of my obsession with this stems from self-preservation. The Qinglu County Magistrate holds sway over everything here. I feared that once the storm passed, I wouldn’t survive on his turf. So I thought, rather than wait idly for death, why not uncover evidence of his crimes, bring him to justice, and resolve it once and for all?”
A flicker of surprise crossed Dongfang Rui’s usually placid eyes. She smiled and patted Wu Wei’s shoulder. “When I arrested you earlier, didn’t you argue fiercely with me about ‘presumption of innocence’?”
Wu Wei’s face flushed crimson. She gritted her teeth and muttered, “I stand corrected.”
“It’s nothing for young people to err. Knowing your mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue. Laws are made by men, but men cannot override the law, for people have biases and emotions. If you choose to abide by the law—even if the case strikes close to home, even if one day you hold the power of life and death—do not waver.”
“Yes.” Wu Wei felt deeply enlightened, ashamed not of pursuing the truth, but of the initial motive behind her pursuit.
Wu Wei raised her arm and bowed respectfully to Dongfang Rui. “Thank you for your guidance, my lord. I’ve learned my lesson and will take it as a lifelong warning: to reflect my heart in the bright mirror.”
Yesterday, Dongfang Rui had taught Wu Wei how to face crises. Today, she taught her how to set her heart right.
A faint approval appeared in Dongfang Rui’s eyes. “As coroner, your task is complete. The Bright Mirror Division will handle what follows. The outcome may not be what you hope—not every case resolves swiftly. But I can tell you this: the Bright Mirror Division shelves no unsolved case. As long as a dossier is filed, be it three, five, or ten years… it will one day be closed.”
“I understand.”
“It’s getting late, and I have official duties to attend to. Next time, no need for such trouble. The market stall you frequent—Chengji Blacksmith Shop—is the Bright Mirror Division’s outpost in Qinglu County.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
…
Wu Wei returned home. Embroider Maiden was in the courtyard and asked upon seeing her, “Where’s Lord Dongfang? Isn’t she staying for dinner?”
Wu Wei laughed. “Lord Dongfang is swamped with work. Besides, we don’t have anything fancy to offer her. What are you up to?”
“The water jar’s empty. I’m off to fetch some.”
“I’ll come with you!”
Wu Wei had originally planned to use her physics knowledge from her old world to rig a well straight into their courtyard for easy access. But now that they had money, they’d soon move away and wouldn’t need the hassle.
Thirty taels of silver was a lavish sum for settling down. They could pick a convenient spot, even dig a well right in the yard if they wanted!
Embroider Maiden shouldered the carrying pole while Wu Wei carried two wooden buckets as they walked toward the well. Wu Wei swung her bucket and said, “Embroider Maiden, let’s head to the market tomorrow. I still owe Hundred Flavors Building three taels. We can exchange the gold leaves for silver, settle the bill there, enjoy a good meal, buy some things, and drop by Second Sister’s on the way. I need to talk to Second Brother-in-law about buying land and moving. This old house is quiet enough, but it’s too close to the Charity Mortuary—too much drama. With rainy season coming, I’m worried about the thatch roof. Better to plan early.”
Embroider Maiden smiled faintly. “Whatever you say.”
Wu Wei asked, “Why always listen to me? This is your home—you’re the head of the household.”
“But you earned this household. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. As long as you don’t mind me.”
“Are you happy?”
Embroider Maiden nodded with a smile.
“Are you glad?”
“Yes!”
“I’m happy too!” Wu Wei’s smile was radiant and bright.
…
That night, Embroider Maiden took out the three gold leaves, along with their saved scraps of silver and copper coins, and placed them on the kang table. She sighed. “Weiwei, these past six months feel like a dream.”
“This is just the beginning. We’ve earned our first pot of gold—the hardest part. Life will only get better. My plan is: after buying land for the house, we’ll get some farmland too. Second Brother-in-law can help find reliable tenant farmers we know well. At year’s end, we’ll split the grain with them, sell the surplus rice at market for silver, and save it. We won’t neglect your craft either. With money, even if we hire folks to peddle your goods beyond Qinglu County, I’ll open new markets for you. That’ll bring in more silver, more land, and I’ll buy you a shop at the market too. You can be a boss lady!” Wu Wei had noticed Embroider Maiden’s envious gazes at the ready-made clothing stalls during market trips. Though she hadn’t said a word then, she’d tucked the idea away.
Wu Wei had observed that Embroider Maiden loved her craft. Despite years of exploitation by the Liu Family, she’d kept at needlework in her free time after splitting off. How fortunate to live off one’s passion?
While marveling at Wu Wei’s thoughtfulness, Embroider Maiden felt deeply moved. In this “thirty-tael” plan, everything was perfectly arranged for her, yet Wu Wei mentioned nothing about herself. Embroider Maiden couldn’t help asking, “What about you?”
Wu Wei froze, asking, “What?”
“What about you? This silver was all earned through your hard work. Don’t you want to do something with it?”
Wu Wei’s heart jolted. She struggled to keep her smile from faltering, but for the moment, she had no idea how to respond.
Yes, what about her?
Wu Wei didn’t belong to this era. Her family was all back on Blue Star, and she still carried too many regrets about their bonds. She hadn’t yet sat down with her closest kin for a calm, heartfelt talk—a proper reconciliation…
Her original plan had been simple: once the water temperature rose enough to make bathing feasible, she would search for a way to return home. But later, unable to rest easy about Embroider Maiden, she had quietly revised those plans. She decided to secure Embroider Maiden’s life before leaving. And after that?
The silver for settling down was no longer a concern. Building the house was merely a matter of time. Then what?
Gazing into Embroider Maiden’s eyes, glimmering with a hint of hope, Wu Wei could only fall silent.
This beautiful future had no place for Wu Wei.
