She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

Upon hearing his father's words, Zhu Jing's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said softly, "Father, Man'er is currently focused on the affairs of the border prefecture. I think we should prioritize official matters for now. As for personal feelings, let things take their natural course."

Even so, a hint of melancholy still flashed in his eyes.

The Shen Man of today is no longer the timid and cautious country girl who used to seek cooperation with them.

She stood firmly at the center of power in the border city government, radiating an eye-catching light, like the brightest star in the night sky, her every move deeply influencing the fate of the city.

Under her meticulous governance, the border town has been revitalized like never before.

The once desolate streets are now lined with shops and bustling with pedestrians; the once impoverished people now live in peace and contentment, their faces beaming with happiness.

Many thorny problems were easily solved thanks to her decisive decisions and intelligent responses.

The people were deeply grateful to her, and her prestige soared throughout the city.

Looking at himself, he was just an ordinary scholar who resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown because he was tired of the power struggles in officialdom.

Although he had been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood and possessed some knowledge, he often felt overwhelmed once he found himself in the complex and ever-changing officialdom and amidst the heavy and trivial official duties.

There is a huge gap between the two, both in terms of social status and ability to handle affairs.

In terms of status, Shen Man is the powerful and respected city lord of Biancheng Prefecture, while he himself is just a commoner without any official position.

In terms of ability and achievement, Shen Man can revitalize a city, while she herself has accomplished nothing.

Such a huge gap made Zhu Jing feel not only deep love and admiration for Shen Man, but also an indescribable sense of inferiority.

In the past, he could express his feelings to her without any reservations, but now, he no longer has the courage to tell her the words he has kept hidden in his heart for so long.

Thinking of this, a trace of despair and helplessness appeared in Zhu Jing's eyes. He subconsciously clenched his fists, as if he could grasp that unattainable hope.

Zhu Linyuan didn't notice his son's disappointment. He nodded slightly, patted his son's shoulder, and said earnestly, "Jing'er, I'm very pleased that you think this way. But when it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes you need to be more proactive, so as not to leave any regrets."

Zhu Jing responded, but his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts. He knew Shen Man's ambitions and aspirations, and he also understood the many challenges she was facing.

At this time, he didn't want to burden her with his feelings.

The next morning, Zhu Jing arrived at the government office early to prepare for the education and rectification campaign.

When Shen Man saw him, her eyes showed appreciation. She said, "Zhu Jing, you've come at the right time. I've already had someone collect some information on the current state of education in Biancheng Prefecture. Take a look first, and then we can discuss specific directions for reform."

Zhu Jing took the documents and began to read them carefully. As he looked, his brows furrowed. The state of education in Biancheng Prefecture was even more severe than he had imagined. A shortage of teachers, inadequate teaching facilities, and outdated educational philosophies were all problems that urgently needed to be addressed.

"Lord Ding, in my opinion, the most urgent task is to recruit a group of knowledgeable and responsible teachers. Only by improving the quality of teachers can we fundamentally improve the educational situation in the border city prefecture."

Zhu Jing put down the documents and offered his own insights.

Shen Man nodded in agreement: "You're right. I'll have notices posted throughout the city to recruit talented people."

Furthermore, the repair and upgrading of school facilities cannot be neglected. I plan to allocate funds from the treasury for the construction of new schools and the purchase of teaching materials.

The two of them talked back and forth, completely engrossed in their discussion. Before they knew it, it was noon.

Shen Man then realized how quickly time had passed, and said with a smile, "We were so focused on discussing things that we forgot the time. Let's go have some lunch together."

The two sat facing each other in the small canteen of the government office. The atmosphere during the meal was somewhat awkward.

Shen Man noticed the unusual atmosphere and, in order to break the silence, she took the initiative to talk about some lighthearted topics, such as interesting stories about Xiaoyao Village and her daily life with Xueying.

Zhu Jing listened with great interest, occasionally revealing a knowing smile, and the tension in her heart gradually dissipated.

After lunch, Zhu Jing returned home and began drafting the first draft of the education rectification plan.

He was so engrossed in his work that he completely forgot about the passage of time. When he finally put down his pen and rubbed his aching wrists, night had already fallen outside the window.

Zhu Jing got up, walked to the window, and looked at the twinkling stars in the night sky. She couldn't help but think of Shen Man.

He knew that his feelings for her were already deeply rooted. To be able to meet her again and work side by side with her in this unfamiliar border town was already an immense stroke of luck for him.

He secretly resolved to make a name for himself in the border town, not only to realize his own ambitions, but also to stand closer to Shen Man and become her true support.

Meanwhile, Shen Man was also busy at the government office. After finishing a day's official duties, she felt extremely tired.

She walked into the courtyard, took a deep breath of the fresh night air, and her thoughts drifted to the distant Rongzhou.

She couldn't help but think of Chu Zhiyi, wondering how his anti-Japanese war was going, whether everything was going smoothly, and whether he had encountered any danger.

As she pondered, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

The situation in Rongzhou was always on her mind. Although she was in the border town, she kept a close eye on the news there.

However, affairs in the border town were too complicated for her to find out more.

She prayed silently in her heart, hoping that Chu Zhiyi would be safe and sound and that victory against the Japanese pirates would be achieved soon.

In the days that followed, Zhu Jing worked tirelessly day and night for the educational cause of Biancheng Prefecture.

With Shen Man's support, the construction of the new school is proceeding in an orderly manner.

The notice recruiting teachers attracted a large number of enthusiastic applicants as soon as it was posted.

Zhu Jing personally assessed the applicants and selected a group of highly learned and virtuous teachers for the newly built school.

Another half month passed in the blink of an eye. Just when everything was developing in a positive direction, a carriage that appeared at the city gate late at night broke the temporary peace of the border city.

The carriage slowly came to a stop at the city gate. The driver, looking flustered, hurriedly jumped off the carriage and pounded on the tightly closed city gate.

The soldiers guarding the city gate were awakened by the sudden commotion. They cautiously poked their heads out and shouted, "Who goes there? Why are you knocking on the door in the middle of the night?"

The coachman, panting heavily, called out urgently, "We've come from the capital. The person in the carriage is your Lord Ding's sister. Please open the door quickly and let us in!"