Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

"Yulang, I really like this fireworks surprise." Shen Yuezhen said happily, holding Murong Yu's hand.

"I didn't prepare it; it was probably arranged by my uncle. But I'm glad you like it," Murong Yu said with a smile.

"Why did you come here? My purse!" Shen Yuezhen suddenly remembered and hurriedly pointed to the wishing lanterns in the river, saying worriedly.

"Don't worry, I've already instructed my servants, they'll definitely get it." Murong Yu affectionately patted Shen Yuezhen's head. "I came here to watch the fireworks with you."

"It looks like fireworks from the direction of the Glazed Pagoda in the north of the city. I want to get closer to see," Shen Yuezhen said, then suddenly remembered something and quickly turned around, saying, "Sister Yun Chu..."

"Don't worry about me, you all go ahead," Yun Chu said with a smile.

Shen Yuezhen glanced at the opposite bank, where Gu Ruoxiao was still standing. She instructed him, "Your brother-in-law will probably be coming to find you soon, so don't wander off."

"Okay, hurry up and go, or you won't be able to get a good spot," Yun Chu joked.

The two quickly followed the crowd toward the north of the city.

Yun Chu turned around and looked at Gu Ruoxiao. He nodded to her and then disappeared.

"Miss?" Mo Han asked from behind.

"Let's go back," Yun Chu said.

Yun Chu walked against the flow of people, lost in thought, feeling that something was amiss.

Upon entering the manor gate, there were noticeably fewer guards than usual.

"Mo Han, let's go check the kitchen first," Yun Chu instructed.

The two arrived at the small kitchen from that day, but it was empty. Yun Chu touched the medicine stove; it was cold. Why hadn't any medicine been brewed today? Was it because it wasn't needed anymore, or was it simply unnecessary? Her intuition told her something was wrong.

"Do you remember that maid from the other day?" Yun Chu asked Mo Han.

Mo Han nodded.

"Take me to her."

They soon found her at the side gate of the manor. The maid was carrying a bundle; was she planning to run away? Yun Chu wondered.

"Where are you going?" Yun Chu asked.

"My family member is seriously ill, and I need to go home for a few days," the maid said, trembling as she lay on the ground.

Yun Chu looked at her and decided to get straight to the point, "Why didn't you brew any medicine today?"

Upon hearing this, the maidservant prostrated herself even lower.

“You deliberately spilled the medicine on me that day,” Yun Chu continued. “You wanted me to discover something, didn’t you?”

"This servant does not understand what Your Excellency is saying?"

Mo Han drew her sword, and the maid trembled in fright.

"Don't you want to save those children anymore?"

Upon hearing this, the maid who was lying on the ground suddenly looked up at Yun Chu, her eyes filled with pleading and hope, "Please, Madam, save those children."

"what is going on?"

"My name is Zisu. I've been at the manor for over three years. Because of my decent skills, I've always worked in the kitchen. Over two years ago, a maidservant who was a pharmacist died of illness, and I took over her job. Every day, I brew and deliver medicine to the back of the mountain. I discovered that the medicine I was brewing was infertile, and it was being given to the children. I wanted to rebel, but I was powerless to do so. The manor is under the control of the young master, and Steward Wang Qi is his henchman. He has a group of guards watching us every day, so I dare not make any rash moves. Few outsiders have come to the mountain in recent years. The young master and young mistress finally came, and they even brought you to the manor. I wanted to find a way to arouse your suspicion so that you could help those children." As she spoke, Zisu's eyes reddened.

"Why me?" Yun Chu couldn't help but ask.

Zisu said somewhat embarrassedly, "Young Madam is too naive and may not understand. You and Young Master Xiao are obviously from a wealthy and noble family. This contraceptive soup should be commonly seen in the backyards and inner quarters of your family, right? Besides, I heard that you healed Young Madam's foot injury, so you must know a little about medicine and might be able to tell me. That's why I thought I'd take a gamble."

"So when you realized we hadn't suspected anything or made any move, you decided to run away today?"

“No, I want to save those children,” Zisu said sincerely.

Yun Chu reached out and helped her up. "Don't worry, they went to the back mountain to rescue those children."

Zisu widened her eyes and shook her head. "They're not in the back mountain."

"What did you say?" Yun Chu asked, frowning.

"Today, the master sent people to move them to the firecracker workshop in the north of the city."

"North of the city? What's the connection between the firecracker workshop and the glazed pagoda?" Yun Chu had a vague sense of unease.

“The Glazed Pagoda and the Firecracker Workshop are separated by only one wall,” Zisu said.

"The Glazed Pagoda set off fireworks today. Was it supplied by the firecracker shop?" Mo Han interjected.

"Normally, we wouldn't set them off at the Glazed Pagoda, because sparks would easily fall onto the firecracker shop. Although it would be more beautiful to set them off at the Glazed Pagoda, the firecracker shop would have been cleared out a couple of days ago if we were going to do it there," Zisu said, puzzled.

Yun Chu closed her eyes. So that was Wang Xiang's plan. The impromptu fireworks extravaganza, sparks falling into the firecracker workshop and causing a fire, and even arson, he was trying to create an accident to kill and cover up the crime.

"Mo Han, go and inform the young master about this immediately. Zi Su, take me to the firecracker shop," Yun Chu ordered.

"Miss!" Mo Han said with a hint of worry.

"Go now!" Yun Chu shouted sternly.

"Then please be careful, Miss." Mo Han nodded, then disappeared in a flash.

"Madam, is the young master going to..." Zisu asked anxiously.

"We need to get to the firecracker shop as soon as possible, or those children will die."

"Alright, I know a shortcut. I'll take you there, Madam." Zisu hurriedly led the way.

Following the path, Yun Chu and Zi Su quickly arrived at the town's main street. The streets and alleys were still bustling with people, some happily watching acrobatics, others excitedly guessing riddles. Everyone was completely unaware of the disaster that was about to unfold in the distance.

“Madam, the firecracker shop is in that direction.” Zisu pointed to a spot not far away. “We have to go this way; that direction leads to the Glazed Pagoda.”

Suddenly Yun Chu stopped. She looked up at the sky. What was that?

Seeing that Yun Chu hadn't followed, Zi Su quickly turned around and asked, "Madam?" Following her gaze upwards, she muttered to herself, "Is that a Kongming lantern?"

At this moment, four Kongming lanterns were floating at the four corners of the top floor of the firecracker shop, but the lanterns seemed to be pulled by strings and could not rise into the sky. The sparks burning inside kept falling down.

"Damn it!" Yun Chu cursed inwardly.

Just then, they passed by the archery stall. Yun Chu tossed down a bag of silver coins and said, "I'll buy these arrows and bow." She grabbed the longbow and arrowheads and hurried after Zi Su.

Yun Chuyue estimated the location and stopped, and Zisu also stopped, puzzled.

Yun Chu nocked an arrow, aimed at the rope tethering the Kongming lantern not far away, narrowed her eyes, focused her mind, locked onto the target, adjusted her breathing, and released with all her might. With a whoosh, the arrow shot through the air, heading straight for the target and severing the tether. The Kongming lantern seemed to break free of its restraints and rush towards freedom.

"Madam!" Zisu exclaimed in surprise, she hadn't expected the person beside her to be such a master.

With one arrow hitting its mark, Yun Chu picked up another arrow from the quiver, nocked it, and continued aiming.