Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
I was so angry I wanted to stomp my feet. Good grief, isn’t this just adding to the chaos! No wonder they say once you add a woman into the mix, things are bound to go wrong!
Just as I was burning with anxiety, Yang Yan somehow slipped up behind me. One hand clamped over my mouth, the other wrapped around my waist as he quietly dragged me backward. He didn’t stop until we were hidden in the shadowed area behind the stern cabin. Leaning close to my ear, he whispered, “The naval troops are coming aboard to search. I’ll take you underwater to hide!”
I panicked and bit down hard on his hand, furious. “If you’re looking to die, don’t drag me along with you! The current’s so strong here, if we go down, we’ll be swept away without a trace!”
Yang Yan raised his brows smugly and grinned. “That’s you. With me around, even the Water Dragon King can’t touch you.”
As if I’d believe him. Nothing that scoundrel says has any credibility. Earlier today he claimed he could only do the dog paddle, and now at night he’s turned into some white streak in the waves! Who would buy that!
He ignored whether I agreed or not. Turning his back to me, he began stripping off his clothes at lightning speed while urging me on. “Hurry up. Get rid of anything that’ll get in the way.”
His back was bare and solid. D*mn it, if Qi Sheng’s men caught us at this moment, it would really look like catching an adulterous pair red-handed!
Yang Yan turned and saw me still standing there blankly. “Hey? What are you thinking about?”
What was I thinking? My head was full of things! It was about to turn into a pot of porridge!
Who exactly was directing tonight’s grand drama? Qi Sheng or Lord Toilet? Neither arrived late, they were clearly both prepared. The question was, who was scheming against whom? Since both sides were pirate ships, which one would be more worthwhile for me to board?
Qi Sheng’s side might be legitimate, but under the watchful eyes of so many people, it was suffocating. If I were searched out from Lord Toilet’s boat like this, my reputation would be ruined beyond saving, and my career completely destroyed.
As for Lord Toilet’s boat? How long could that be relied upon? Eggs hatched from the same nest, how much better could he be?
The two ships drew closer and closer. From the warship opposite, grappling hooks were already extending toward us.
Yang Yan tied his discarded clothes into a messy bundle and tossed it into the river. Turning back, he urged me in a low voice, “Hurry up. Stop pretending to be shy! I’ll take you swimming under the hull. We absolutely can’t let Qi Sheng find you!”
Up at the bow, I couldn’t hear clearly how Lord Toilet was responding to Qi Sheng, only that Luli’s cries still rang out, moving heaven and earth.
A jolt went through my heart. No matter whose ship I stayed on, it was better than going underwater with Yang Yan!
Taking advantage of Yang Yan’s inattention, I shoved him hard and ran toward the bow.
There, Qi Sheng had just stepped onto this deck. Lord Toilet stood three paces away, bowing and greeting respectfully, “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
I rushed forward. Before anyone could react, I had already thrown myself in front of Qi Sheng. Then, like Luli, I dragged out a long cry: “Your Highness—”
The moment I shouted it, all psychological barriers vanished.
Putting on an expression of utter panic, I clutched Qi Sheng’s clothes tightly with both hands and choked out, “Someone tried to kill me. I fell into the water. It was Chu Wang’s ship that saved me!”
After saying that, I seemed unable to speak further, trembling nonstop.
Qi Sheng’s arm lifted, paused slightly in midair, then came down onto my shoulder, pulling me firmly into his embrace.
I felt utterly disgusted inside. D*mn it, if I didn’t think your ship was a bit steadier, I wouldn’t be putting myself through this whole act.
Behind me, I heard Lord Toilet say apologetically, “Your Highness, the Crown Princess was adrift late at night. I feared harming her reputation, so I did not dare announce it before the troops just now. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
Qi Sheng nodded gently. “It’s nothing. As long as she’s safe.”
D*mn, they’re all powerhouse actors. The Best Actress award is definitely mine, I just don’t know who the Best Actor will go to.
As I was thinking this, Comrade Luli, long the Best Supporting Actress, followed onto the ship. The moment she saw me, she rushed over, crying and laughing at once. “Miss! Miss! Thank goodness, you’re all right!”
Seizing the chance, I wriggled free from Qi Sheng’s arms, turned, and hugged Luli sincerely. Smiling softly, I said, “Silly girl, what could possibly happen to me? I’m lucky as can be!”
Nodding through tears, Luli wiped her eyes and was about to speak when her face suddenly changed drastically. She screamed and shoved me violently aside.
Caught off guard, I fell hard onto the deck. When I looked up again, a black short arrow had already embedded itself in front of Luli. Her body was slowly tipping backward.
We had only just crossed ships; behind her was the railing, and below that, the pitch-black, rushing river.
Without thinking, I lunged forward and barely managed to grab a corner of Luli’s clothing.
Out on the dark river surface, numerous small boats suddenly emerged, light and delicate, floating like willow leaves. Each was filled with black-clad men, crossbows aimed at the bow of this ship. Arrows rained down upon the deck behind me; chaos had already erupted. Guards on both ships hurriedly returned fire, but the large ships were exposed while the small boats lurked in darkness, casualties were unevenly matched.
Qi Sheng’s personal guards had already surrounded him tightly, swinging their weapons to knock away the bolts. Even Lord Toilet had two or three men shielding him.
I lay alone at the bow, clutching Luli’s clothes with all my strength, turning back toward the crowd and shouting, “Help! Help her!”
No one paid attention. Not a single person.
Luli’s body was heavy, terribly heavy. With my other hand I clung desperately to the railing, but she was dragging me slowly toward the edge.
Diet! Diet! If we survive this ship, I’ll make this girl lose weight no matter what!
One by one, Qi Sheng’s guards fell. The protective circle thinned, and at last he could see me. Slashing aside a bolt, he shouted angrily, “Let go of Luli and get behind me!”
If I hadn’t been clenching my teeth and straining so hard I couldn’t spare breath, I’d have spat at him already. You men can act like cowards, did you think I’d be one too?
Luli groaned, opened her eyes, and murmured, “Miss, let go. Following you hasn’t been in vain. In the next life, you’ll still be the young lady, and I’ll be the maid serving you.”
Most of my body was already hanging over the edge; I couldn’t even see the deck anymore. Hearing her, I snapped, “Spare me! You be the young lady next life!”
She misunderstood and burst into grateful tears. “No, no! You’ll still be the young lady, I’ll still be the maid, I’ll serve you!”
D*mn it. If it weren’t for the arrow you took for me, that line alone would’ve made me let go!
Sliding farther, the hand gripping the railing now had to bear both our weights. I was about to lose my grip when suddenly someone grabbed my belt from behind. I heard Qi Sheng shout, “Let go! I’ll pull you up!”
I turned to look at him. In the flicker of torchlight, I stared into his eyes and said clearly, word by word, “She is a weak woman. She is a life. I cannot let go.”
Qi Sheng froze, lips tightening, and exerted himself to haul both of us up.
Lord Toilet leaned over from the side, reaching to grab Luli beneath me. In a low voice he said, “Let go. I’ll pull her up.”
Only then did I release her and let him take Luli.
With that, the burden on Qi Sheng lessened by nearly half. He quickly hauled me back onto the deck. Only a few people remained standing there now, though the density of bolts had thinned. Several warships were already chasing the willow-leaf boats, the tide was turning.
I crawled over to check Luli’s wound. Thankfully, it hadn’t struck a vital point. She likely wouldn’t lose her life. I let out a breath of relief.
Before I could comfort her, however, the situation shifted again.
At some point, a willow-leaf boat had slipped past the blockade and charged straight to our ship. Several black-clad men leapt up like dark hawks, blades raised, lunging at the bow.
My heart tightened. I pressed Luli flat to the ground and hissed, “Lie still and play dead!”
Then I grabbed a sword from a fallen guard and rushed forward.
Qi Sheng and Lord Toilet were already fighting the attackers. I gripped the sword with both hands, standing outside the fray, jumping with them, searching for a chance to strike from the shadows.
Qi Sheng barked, half amused, “Get to the side! Why are you adding to the chaos!”
Before he finished speaking, one of the black-clad men felled a guard and suddenly lunged at me.
D*mn it, I hadn’t even gained any advantage, and now I was the one being ambushed. Instinctively I raised my sword with both hands to block. I hadn’t expected the force of his blade to be so great; my hands went numb and the sword flew from my grasp.
He swung again. I arched backward to dodge, forgetting the railing behind me. I fell into empty air.
That’s it. Grandfather’s little life ends here.
At the brink of life and death, everything seemed to slow. I saw with startling clarity.
Luli screamed, struggling to rise from the deck.
Qi Sheng and Lord Toilet both turned to look at me. The black-clad men fighting them seized the chance to slash….
A flicker of hesitation passed through Qi Sheng’s eyes. In the end, he turned back and took the blow meant for him.
Lord Toilet’s brows knit slightly. Twisting just enough to avoid a fatal strike to his back, he didn’t stop advancing toward me. Leaning forward, he grabbed my arm and, with a forceful pull and a turn of his waist, drew me into his embrace.
As we fell, I heard him whisper in my ear, “Once I give my word, I keep it.”
I was stunned, a thousand emotions surging through me.
Then, splash, we both plunged into the water. As the river closed over my head, there was only one question I wanted to ask him:
Can you even swim?
