Three days later, the ship finally entered the Maotou Ocean.

The sun had already set in the west, and vast twilight descended.

Meihong turned to look at Meng Jianqing, “Whatever I want to do, will you agree to it all?”

Meng Jianqing smiled, “If you wanted to cut off my head, I naturally wouldn’t agree.”

Meihong silently fell into his embrace, as if wanting to confirm Meng Jianqing’s reliability one final time before making her ultimate decision. After a long while, she said, “On this ship, besides the people I brought, no one else can remain.”

Meng Jianqing’s heart leaped.

Meihong raised her head to look at him. “You only need to stand aside and watch.”

However, this ship had been commandeered by Meng Jianqing, and his signature remained on file at the Hangzhou Maritime Trade Bureau.

Meihong stared intently at him.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Meng Jianqing said, “Very well, I agree.”

Meihong seemed somewhat surprised, her expression changing repeatedly, wondering what she was thinking.

Their method of dealing with the ship’s owner and crew was also somewhat unexpected for Meng Jianqing.

Sixteen people in total were dumped on an island so small it could only be called a reef, left with three days’ worth of fresh water and dried food, abandoned to their fate.

Meng Jianqing had originally thought they would sink these people into the sea.

Meihong silently watched the fleeting bewilderment on his face from the side.

She had deliberately made Meng Jianqing think she intended to kill these people to silence them.

But once the test result came out, she felt inexplicable regret and irritation.

She had underestimated Meng Jianqing’s cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness.

But what if this was merely for her sake? Because he thought this was her wish?

In that moment of fierce wind and towering waves, hanging between life and death, perhaps he truly would think and act this way?

The ship continued sailing south through the night. The sailor steering was very familiar with these waters, unhesitatingly choosing direction and navigating through patches of reefs and swift currents in the darkness.

Doubt arose in Meng Jianqing’s heart, “How are you so familiar with these waters?”

These waters had once been the domain of the Fang Guozhen brothers, but had no connection to Chen Youliang.

Meihong’s face in the night was like a brilliant pearl. “My mother’s surname was Fang. Among the people I brought, some are also former subordinates of Fang Guozhen.”

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright and clear, the tension and excitement in her heart evident beyond words.

Meng Jianqing secretly drew in a breath.

Perhaps even more surprising things awaited him ahead.

Meihong suddenly changed the subject, “I’ve never asked you—exactly what of Monk Shen’s background did you uncover to end up in such a predicament?”

Meng Jianqing asked in return, “How much do you know about Commander Shen?”

Meihong frowned, “Isn’t it just that he used to be a monk?”

Many thoughts flashed through Meng Jianqing’s mind in an instant—should he tell her?

Was Meihong still suspicious about why he’d been placed in such circumstances?

Perhaps only in that moment of fierce wind and towering waves, hanging between life and death, had she harbored no doubt about him whatsoever.

With this thought, Meng Jianqing quickly made his decision.

He said in a low voice, “Commander Shen’s original name was Shen Bai, from Xiao Shan.”

Meihong was stunned for a while before crying out softly in surprise, “So it was him!”

The Shen family of Xiao Shan was considered a prominent local clan, but unexpectedly was destroyed overnight in a great fire. If not for the youngest son, Shen Bai, who had already become a monk, it would have been complete family extinction. Rural rumors said the Shen family had committed evil deeds and thus brought this retribution upon themselves. As for what evil deeds, there were various folk tales, and people traveling on the Qiantang River had more or less heard something.

Meihong then said, “In those chaotic times, a monk having a bastard daughter or two wouldn’t be such a big deal, would it?”

But seeing Meng Jianqing’s strange expression, Meihong’s thoughts stirred, “You mean that great fire was connected to Shen Bai?”

Meng Jianqing said, “He wasn’t the one who set the fire—it was a concubine of the Shen family’s Fourth Master, Miss Shen’s mother.”

Meihong was stunned, her mind working through the implications, and couldn’t help but gasp, murmuring, “Monk Shen’s woman was truly extraordinary—no wonder he had to take his daughter to Xiaoxi Tian to raise her. If she didn’t hide in that place, she probably would have been killed long ago!”

The affair between Shen Bai and that woman who was nominally his grand-aunt—was it before he became a monk or after? What kind of background did that woman have to possess such resolve and methods? Had Shen Guangli not sought her out all these years because he finally learned the truth about the Shen family fire? What kind of experience would drive that woman to set such a mad conflagration?

Meihong pondered that woman’s appearance, becoming lost in thought.

Terrifying Commander Shen. In his youth, he had had such a woman. And he had fallen in love with such a woman—perhaps even now he had never forgotten her, never given up on her.

Who would love her this way? No matter who she was? No matter what she had done?

Meng Jianqing coldly added another sentence, “However, this isn’t the most terrible secret.”

Meihong was alarmed.

Meng Jianqing said, “The most terrible secret is that neither Miss Shen’s mother nor Commander Shen himself has any way of knowing whether Miss Shen is his daughter, his sister, his aunt, or his niece.”

If Shen Guangli knew what he had said, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to cut off.

After a long silence, Meihong sighed softly, “No wonder that Miss Shen just lives with Shen Guangli so mysteriously, vaguely never formally acknowledging their relationship.”

She turned toward Meng Jianqing again, laughing quietly, “If Shen Guangli knew what you said, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to cut off.”

What Meng Jianqing had been thinking was spoken word for word by Meihong.

Meng Jianqing couldn’t help but be startled.