Prince Su, whose name was Wu Wansheng, was the Emperor’s brother, though they shared the same father but different mothers. Wu Wanchang in the capital, who was Wu Lianqi’s father, was the Emperor’s full brother from the same parents.
The current Emperor had four brothers. Aside from Wu Wanchang, the other three had gone to their respective fiefdoms after the Emperor’s ascension to guard the borders of Great Zhou. Naturally, to prevent military power from becoming too concentrated in the hands of his three brothers and potentially breeding ambition, the Emperor simultaneously appointed four Grand Marshals and eight Generals, each commanding a powerful army, thereby achieving the dual purposes of diluting and monitoring the authority of the three princes. The Xiao family was one of the forces the Emperor personally cultivated. Therefore, Xiao Mingrou’s attempts to avoid marrying the Emperor were completely futile. For the Emperor to secure the loyalty of subjects like the Xiao family, he had to firmly bind their interests together with his own. And this binding was tightest through marital relations. The saying “glory and ruin shared together” had proven effective since ancient times.
Moreover, Prince Su could be considered Xiao Wei’s mentor. When Xiao Wei was young, he followed his father into the military camp and spent two years under Prince Su’s command, learning military strategy, battle formations, and the art of leading troops.
Now, Yuan Cheng was asking Xiao Wei to set aside such a relationship and protect Mo Zi in front of Prince Su, plunging this young general who had been taught since childhood to be loyal to the sovereign and love his country into an intense internal struggle.
Zhong An, the only person on this ship who truly understood him, saw his furrowed brow and tense, teeth-clenching expression, and could only speak up. It couldn’t really be called persuasion or consolation—just a casual conversation.
“I know it’s troubling, but the more you think about it now, the more complicated it becomes. Why not just do what your heart tells you?”
Xiao Wei looked at him. “Do what my heart tells me? Zhong An, even you’ve been led astray by them.” He smiled helplessly. “I really can’t help but be impressed.”
Zhong An disagreed. “How have I been led astray? How am I not aware of it myself?”
“Acting on impulse and following your heart, as if nothing matters except considering things from your own perspective.” Xiao Wei’s tone had nothing to do with criticism or sarcasm. “Others still try to hide and conceal it, afraid people will know they’re pursuing small advantages. But they’re different—open and aboveboard, as if it’s perfectly natural and justified. Meanwhile, being loyally devoted to country and sovereign has become something only fools do.”
Zhong An choked, and after clearing his throat, quickly said, “Those with different paths cannot make plans together.” Then, suddenly realizing he had categorized Xiao Wei as separate from Mo Zi, he tried to remedy it. “However, people do change. You say they’ve led me astray, but couldn’t they also change somewhat because of us? Mo Zi’s action to ambush and capture the Daqiu ships was precisely out of consideration for this mission’s compensation, and also taking the Emperor into account.”
Xiao Wei wasn’t optimistic though. Those two had extremely strong wills. “Everything else is negotiable. I just fear Yuan Cheng has unspeakable plans. This person is truly resourceful and cunning. It’s a pity he has a blood feud with Great Zhou’s Wu clan, so no matter what, he cannot possibly serve the Emperor with genuine loyalty.” Suddenly recalling Yuan Cheng’s words about plotting for only one person, and thinking of how he and Mo Zi often displayed unconscious rapport on the ship, he couldn’t help feeling restless. How could a dignified man live only to plot for one woman? It was nothing more than sweet talk meant to please. He himself would never stoop to saying such things.
Zhong An also clearly understood Xiao Wei’s aversion to Yuan Cheng. It was like an extremely angular person encountering an extremely smooth one—everything looked wrong no matter how you viewed it. “How many people are genuinely loyal to the Emperor? Even a whole court of ministers all have their own agendas.”
“I naturally know that. But Yuan Cheng is different. He’s very—” Searching for the right words, he finally said, “dangerous. There’s already been a perverse and sinister atmosphere growing in Great Zhou, and meeting him is like encountering spring rain—it grows uncontrollably massive. That’s why I cannot coexist peacefully with him. He clearly has the great talent to govern the realm and assist the Emperor, yet as a person he’s so dark, and his methods lack integrity. I’m worried we’ve been manipulated by him again this time.”
When it came to matters concerning Mo Zi, this old friend of his was manipulated by Yuan Cheng every single time. Zhong An could only keep this thought to himself—even the best of friends couldn’t be that blunt.
“Have your feelings toward Mo Zi changed?” He was very curious whether Xiao Wei still wanted to marry her after her identity had become completely clear.
Xiao Wei didn’t answer. His silence precisely indicated his feelings hadn’t changed. Not only had they not changed, but the more experiences he shared with her, the less he could look away. Could there be another woman in this world as remarkable as her? There would never be another. He could understand the King of Daqiu humbling himself before her, because she was a woman worthy of being cherished by a man like a priceless treasure.
His silence made Zhong An understand. “Baiyu, will you hear one honest word from me?”
Xiao Wei didn’t want to listen. He knew what his close friend was about to say.
“It’s not because of what happened between the King of Daqiu and Mo Zi, but even earlier, I already had doubts in my heart about whether you two are suitable.” Zhong An, as an observer, shook his head. “Don’t blame me for speaking bluntly, but though you’ve developed feelings, in my view, she has absolutely no interest in you. Not only that, I’m afraid she actually likes Yuan—”
“Until the day she marries, it’s hard to say whose house the flower will fall to.” Xiao Wei waved his hand, refusing to hear more. “For now I don’t want to think about other matters. I’ll see how things are when we return to the capital.”
Having said this, he opened the cabin door and walked toward the cabin where Yuan Cheng was staying, deciding to compromise one more time. But to the Emperor, he could not possibly hide the truth. The Emperor was benevolent and compassionate—perhaps he would be shocked by this matter, but Mo Zi’s status was not yet that of Daqiu’s queen, and her father and brothers’ actions had targeted Yuling, causing no direct harm to Great Zhou. Even Yuan Cheng the Emperor could forgive and employ in important positions, much less Mo Zi who possessed the earth-shaking ability in shipbuilding. Handing her over to Daqiu would undoubtedly be offering up Great Zhou’s realm with both hands. However, Yuan Cheng’s concerns weren’t without reason. The Emperor could be slowly persuaded, but the generals at the borders mostly had straightforward, hot-tempered personalities. Once they fixed on something, it became an immovable principle, and they wouldn’t give up until they achieved their goal. What they most feared was often women bringing ruin to the country. When emotions ran high and impulsive, they wouldn’t distinguish right from wrong—they would insist on killing her to be satisfied.
Hearing that Xiao Wei’s thinking now aligned with his own, Yuan Cheng gathered everyone again to discuss the specific approach.
Mo Zi had just finished making arrangements when she heard Chouyu calling out.
“Two ships ahead are heading our way.”
After a while, he called out again, “I can see clearly now—they’re flying Great Zhou flags.”
It was about time they arrived. Mo Zi looked up and said to Chouyu, “From now on, Chouyu, you’re the ship captain.”
Chouyu cheerfully responded, “Brother Mo, in this lifetime, it’s rare for you to behave yourself once and let us brothers have our moment in the sun.”
Mo Zi smiled. “Are you complaining that I usually control you all too much? Fine, I’ll go do embroidery. One pouch for each person, or else I won’t come up on deck.”
Chouyu was horrified. “Absolutely not! I don’t even know if one pouch would turn out looking like anything, and you want to make one for each person? Brother Mo plans to grow old in the cabin, but I still plan to get off this ship and marry a wife. We need to have self-awareness. Delicate work like embroidery isn’t something our oar-pulling hands can do. Brother Mo, don’t force it.”
Everyone on deck laughed. Ding Gou was the most outrageous, laughing so hard he couldn’t stand straight, even saying his stomach hurt.
Mo Zi, who had become the butt of the joke, didn’t mind at all. She herself found Chouyu’s words hilarious and even negotiated, “How about just one pouch then?”
Luo Ying felt embarrassed on her behalf and pulled her toward the lower cabin, shooting dirty looks at Chouyu and Ding Gou with a cold snort. “Even if she could embroider, she wouldn’t embroider for you. How dare you complain that my young lady isn’t refined enough—you go find refined people yourselves. I’m just afraid you yourselves don’t weigh much and won’t be able to get near refined young ladies.”
Below the deck, Wei Jia was waiting with a smiling face to go up and “put on appearances.” He winked at Mo Zi. “Setting you aside, where in the world could there be a more refined young lady?”
After discussion, the result was that Xiao Wei and Zhong An would board the Jiao ship while Wei Jia would lead people to remain on the Chi ship. Yuan Cheng, Mo Zi, Yang Qiao, and the others would all stay out of sight, remaining in the cabins to pass through Prince Su’s naval camp.
Luo Ying immediately praised him. “As expected of the divine archer—you speak better than that crowd of rough men outside.”
Mo Zi laughed. “What’s the direct connection between being a divine archer and speaking well?”
Luo Ying explained with complete seriousness, “Hitting the mark with one phrase, of course.”
After hearing this, Wei Jia felt quite pleased with himself, looking very self-satisfied as he ran up to the deck.
Passing by Yuan Cheng’s cabin door, Mo Zi didn’t go in. She knew he had gone two or three nights without sleep, and only after Xiao Wei agreed to conceal her matter did he say he wanted to lie down for a while.
Luo Ying said, “I’ve always wondered, since the master doesn’t practice martial arts, how can he go several nights without closing his eyes yet remain so energetic, showing no signs of fatigue at all?”
“He’s been taking medicinal tonics.” She only hoped everything would go smoothly as planned, so he could get a good sleep.
Luo Ying giggled. “That’s right—seeing the young lady is like taking a powerful tonic for the master, turning him into an immortal.”
Mo Zi shot her a look. “His ability to go several nights without closing his eyes was already mastered long ago, when he didn’t even know me yet. How could it have anything to do with me?”
Luo Ying didn’t care and was about to retort when she suddenly heard someone calling for Miss Mo Zi.
The two looked ahead and saw it was Su Lan. He was supporting a blind elderly woman, followed by a young girl who was hiding but stealing glances their way, with his loyal servant Su Pei at the very back.
Wu Cheng and Niqiu had already become missing persons on the ship. Mo Zi hadn’t asked Xiao Wei how he dealt with them. Asking would be pointless anyway. But Xiao Wei absolutely refused to let her release Su Lan and his servants, so she could only have Su Lan’s widowed mother and younger sister brought aboard the ship. The whole family was under “house arrest” together—though bitter, it had its sweetness. Moreover, she treated the Su family quite well. Since Su’s mother was in poor health, she had Physician Hua check her pulse every two days and was timely with preparing medicine.
“Young Master Su, we’re about to pass Great Zhou’s naval garrison. It would be best not to wander around at this time.” Mo Zi had been observing this family all along. After watching until today, she hadn’t discovered any signs they were spies.
“I heard from Brother Shuishe.” Shuishe spent most of his time moving between the secret and lower cabins, conveying Mo Zi’s arrangements through him, so Su Lan could talk with him fairly well. “However, Mother and my younger sister have been confined to the cabin too long. Just now hearing the liveliness from Auntie Miao’s side, I wonder if they might join in the fun?”
Forgot to mention—though Mo Zi considered herself quite good to the Su family, Su’s mother and younger sister were very conscious of being “family members of prisoners.” After entering the cabin, they had never once crossed the threshold, though Su Lan and his servant now moved quite freely between the cabin and deck.
Before Mo Zi could speak, Madam Miao came out, laughing cheerfully as she took Su’s mother’s hand. “Elder sister has finally come around, making all my talk worthwhile. Qinniang, come in quickly. I was just troubled about how to teach the young madam to make sachets. Your handiwork is far better than mine—you come teach her.”
In a blink, they had gone inside.