Chapter 21: Master of the Waterways

“Mother, you’ve truly lost your mind!”

Zhang Bigmouth saw Wei Jinyun plunging into the water, flailing his hands forward in panic. Unexpectedly, Wei Jinyun swam like a sleek fish and quickly grabbed the back of his coat.

“Are you trying to drown me?”

Zhang Bigmouth struggled in the water, yelling, “You may look slender, but your grip is surprisingly strong!” Not being a local of Pingjiang Prefecture, he wasn’t skilled at swimming either. “Let—let go...”

“Hand over the silver!” Wei Jinyun gripped his collar with one hand and pressed his head down like pushing a radish with the other. “Give it to me, quickly!”

With a gurgling sound, Zhang Bigmouth’s mouth and nose filled with river water. He struggled violently before gasping for air. “You little...”

Wei Jinyun flipped her hand and pressed his head down again.

“Gurgle, you—you little...”

The Linton River was crowded with boats, mostly small black-awning vessels. It was summer dusk, and with no work at hand, everyone leaned over the bows, watching the commotion. Even the pipa music from the pleasure boat abruptly stopped.

“Sir, should we dive in to help?”

Zhan Wenxing, one of Lu Lan’s men, scratched his head uncertainly. “But I’m afraid if I jump in, she’ll push me under too.”

This young lady was far too zealous about justice.

Lu Lan silently watched the figure, his gaze drifting to the right.

“Still yelling or not?”

Wei Jinyun’s voice mixed with the sound of water. “Hand over the money.”

At this moment, Zhang Bigmouth cursed his own large mouth, having swallowed a bellyful of the Linton River water. He finally surfaced, coughing violently and spitting out water, but before he could utter a word, he was pressed underwater again.

People inside the nearby shops by the Tianqing Temple came out to watch.

Zhang Renbai stood quietly by the river, holding a teacup, never closing his mouth. “Mother of mine, no wonder she has the strength of kneading dough.”

“Brother Renbai thinks sister is amazing too?”

Wei Fuling stood beside him, cheering on Wei Jinyun.

Wei Fuqupapped her forehead, already pondering how to explain that her usually bedridden sister could swim faster than she could.

An unruly sister.

After struggling back and forth more than ten times, Zhang Bigmouth finally lost the strength to resist, hanging his head dizzily, muttering occasionally, “I’ll, I’ll pay back the money...”

Wei Jinyun grabbed his collar with one hand and swam, dragging him toward the shore.

Zhan Wenxing seized the opportunity and, with another man, hauled Zhang Bigmouth onto the bank.

Wei Jinyun rested momentarily, just as she was about to climb ashore, a hand suddenly reached out in front of her.

If someone offered help, it was better to use it than to struggle alone. She didn’t hesitate and placed her hand forward.

But the hand retracted.

Hmm?

Trying to slip away!

Wei Jinyun wiped water droplets from her eyelashes and soon saw another object extended toward her.

It was jet black, hard in texture, adorned with intricate auspicious cloud patterns, and studded with copper pieces.

So familiar.

Lu Lan pressed down on the blade’s tip and handed her the scabbard.

The lotus blossoms along the Linton River bank were in full bloom. Several vibrant flowers had been knocked askew by Wei Jinyun and her companion, petals gently drifting around her.

She grasped the scabbard, and Lu Lan gave a slight tug, pulling her up onto the shore in one smooth motion.

Wet strands of hair clung to her cheek.

The sunset glow was vivid, but suddenly a fine drizzle began to fall, rippling across the river’s surface.

Wei Jinyun flicked water from her hair, barely drying her face before Wang Qiulan covered her head with a blanket, draping it down over half her body.

“Sister, I’m really going to be angry.”

Wei Fuqumuttered as she led her inside the shop.

“Sister, teach me to swim like you! Such superb skill—you're the best.”

Wei Fuling pushed Wei Jinyun from behind, glancing sideways at Lu Lan.

“Money, money, money...”

“We got it, we got it,” Brother Meng responded nearby. “No worries, Sister Wei, it’s all with me.”

Zhang Renbai still stood silently by the riverbank.

Lu Lan, dressed in a striking crimson official robe, approached him.

Zhang Renbai recognized Lu Lan immediately and quickly saluted.

Zhan Wenxing and the others restrained Zhang Bigmouth and took him into Li’s Delicatessen to shelter from the rain and to question Zhao Xiangping.

“What’s her name?”

Lu Lan asked calmly, standing opposite Zhang Renbai.

“She?” Zhang Renbai was momentarily stunned, then respectfully replied, “Reporting to Lord Lu, her name is Wei Jinyun.”

Lu Lan seemed to detect the doubt in Zhang Renbai’s eyes.

He coughed lightly. “Assist in the investigation, record for commendation.”

Zhang Renbai nodded in understanding.

The rain grew heavier, and the crowd dispersed quickly as the fine droplets fell steadily onto the river.

Lu Lan stood by the shore, plucked a lotus flower.

“Sir, the questioning is complete.”

Zhan Wenxing’s gaze fell on the lotus in Lu Lan’s hand, exchanging knowing looks with the man holding Zhang Bigmouth.

“This lotus is quite pretty, sir.”

The other man nodded with a forced smile. “That young lady Wei is truly a water expert.”

“Hmm, I’ll bring it back to my little sister.”

Lu Lan tugged the shackles from Zhang Bigmouth and slipped the lotus into the hole in the collar before him, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Watch it carefully. Don’t let it fall.”

Zhang Bigmouth nodded fervently.

Under the curtain of rain, the group donned straw raincoats and bamboo hats, heading toward the government office, with Zhang Bigmouth trailing behind the horse, eyes fixed on the lotus wet with raindrops.

“Sit properly.”

Wei Fuqusat beside Wei Jinyun, scooped a spoonful of ginger milk pudding, and fed it to her. “Sweet, isn’t it, dear sister?”

“Sweet, sweet!” Wei Jinyun wiped her hair with a clean handkerchief, grimacing. “A bit hot. Sister Fu, blow on it for me.”

“Sister Ling will blow, too.”

Wei Fuling came over, blowing hard on the still-setting ginger milk pudding.

On the table nearby lay slices of roasted duck and goose from Li’s Delicatessen, along with a full pot of ginger tea.

After finishing the ginger milk pudding, Wang Qiulan caught Wei Jinyun and forced tea into her.

She hadn’t drunk much rice wine, but the tea filled her up.

By the early night hour, Wei Jinyun sat in the courtyard eating roasted duck, with Wei Fuqusat by her side, helping to serve her.

“Is it tasty, sister?”

Wei Jinyun noticed something.

Lately, Wei Fuquhad been calling her “sister” more often than Wei Fuling.

She sat on the stool, took a bite of the duck leg, and leisurely said, “Delicious.”

“My sister used to swim, but after falling ill, she never went into the water again,” Wei Fuqumurmured, “Now, I don’t know whether you can still swim...”

She stood behind her, gently embracing her, voice catching. “But we and grandmother don’t want to lose a second sister.”

Rain dripped from the butterfly tiles, pattering softly.

“All right, all right.”

Wei Jinyun paused, tapping Wei Fuqu’s hand. “Sister Fu, I’ve learned my lesson.”

“You’ll probably forget it by tomorrow,” Wei Fuqusaid, producing another bowl of ginger soup. Her eyes gleamed in the candlelight, as if oblivious to the spicy ginger’s sting.

“Actually, having a sister like this is quite nice... but if you start setting up a stall, I’ll have to watch you every hour of the day.”