Lan Xian’er’s gaze swept around in a circle, her eyes growing even redder.

The patrol officer had already chased over. Not yet understanding that the woman was unwilling, he thought it was flirtation and laughed from behind: “Hey, little thing, stop playing around, come to big brother here…” He also scolded the crowd: “What are you still blocking here for? Scatter, scatter!”

Everyone immediately scattered. Lan Xian’er stamped her feet and laughed: “In broad daylight, how embarrassing…” She turned and rushed to the first-level cabin entrance.

The cook suddenly raised an eyebrow.

Not good.

From her appearance, she was going to enter the sailors’ communal sleeping quarters!

She mustn’t lead everyone in there!

He lifted his foot to go, but since he had already retreated earlier, there was distance between him and Lan Xian’er. The woman pushed open the door with a bang, rushed in, then turned to press the door shut and bolt it.

In the communal quarters, Tie Ci was feeling stuffy and quietly lifted the bunk board.

Lan Xian’er burst in, startling her so much she slammed the board back down.

Lan Xian’er naturally didn’t notice this. She frantically tried to bolt the door, but because her hands and feet were unsteady, she failed to secure it twice, and the patrol officer had already pushed the door open with one hand.

By now he had vaguely understood, his pot-lid face growing even darker. When pushing the door, he used full force, violently knocking Lan Xian’er behind the door onto the bunk boards.

Lan Xian’er screamed as the door caught her foot. Not daring to get down, she rolled and crawled on that long row of bunk boards, shrinking toward the corner.

The patrol officer stared at her coldly, rolling up his sleeves and cursing: “Give you face and you don’t want it!” He stepped onto the bunk in one stride.

Originally he had just wanted to flirt and take some advantage. Now that this pretentious woman had stirred up his anger, he absolutely had to deal with her right now!

Lan Xian’er shuffled backward on the bunk: “Official sir, don’t… don’t… I’m not unwilling… it’s just too dirty here… Official sir, let’s go back upstairs… go back upstairs, all right…”

“Bitch, making excuses to fool your master again!”

Bang—Lan Xian’er’s back hit the bulkhead.

She had reached the end.

She trembled on the bunk board.

She had originally come from a seaside fishing family and grown up at the docks. She had heard that Maritime Trade Supervisorate soldiers were especially rough when playing with women. Combined with this one being so ugly, she had been unwilling for a moment and wanted to fool her way out of it.

But in her deception, seeing that person’s ferocious expression, she became afraid, feeling she really couldn’t give herself to him—she was scared.

However, at this moment, she began to regret again. If she had known, she would have just… closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and it would have been over upstairs. Now that she had angered him, he would definitely torment her to death this time…

She shook and shook. Seeing that man approaching with a cold smile, tearing off his official outer garment as he walked, revealing a chest full of dark, coarse hair, she grabbed the thin bedding from the bunk and frantically hurled it at the patrol officer’s head and face.

What damage could those soft things do? The patrol officer was a martial artist after all and brushed them away with one hand, but his eyes became even more vicious.

Tie Ci under the bunk board: “…”

This was bad—the coffin lid couldn’t be held down anymore.

Separated by only a layer of bunk board, the sounds were even clearer. Bang—that was the patrol officer’s knee hitting the top of her head.

A muffled thud—that was the woman’s back hitting the bulkhead.

A ripping sound—that was clothing being torn.

Another bang—that was the woman being forcibly pressed down, now lying right above her head, head facing outward, feet still kicking wildly.

The two people were rolling around right above her head.

The deadly part was that Tie Ci could not only hear but see clearly.

She lay in the darkness with eyes wide open. Because she had mobilized her true qi in defense, she naturally entered a state of penetrating vision. In her eyes now, it was two skeletons having a demon fight.

Suddenly there was another ripping sound as the man’s fingernails viciously dug into the woman’s arm.

The woman let out a miserable scream.

Tie Ci suddenly raised her hand.

Bang—the entire bunk board flipped open, violently knocking both people away.

The next instant, Tie Ci sprang up from under the bunk board, grabbed the patrol officer by the throat, and slammed his head hard against the bulkhead.

Thud—the entire ship seemed to shake.

Lan Xian’er was already stunned, lying stiffly on the bunk, forgetting to cover herself with clothing.

The door was still open. Because the patrol officer had ordered people to scatter, there were no onlookers, but soldiers were not far away at the bow.

In a flash, the cook and the tall person dragged Er Dan and San Hai in. The tall person shut the door behind them while the cook rushed forward, cold light flashing in his hand as he stabbed toward the patrol officer’s chest.

Since things were already exposed, they could only silence him and take it one step at a time.

But just then, clamoring arose from the bow, and a clear female voice called loudly: “Where’s Wang Huai? Where’s Wang Huai? I was wondering why he hadn’t returned to the ship in so long—he’s actually using patrol duties as an excuse to coerce civilian women? In broad daylight, he can actually do such things? Where is he!” She was already running to the cabin entrance, bang bang bang, pounding on the door.

Tie Ci and the cook both recognized the familiar voice and were surprised she would appear here, momentarily stunned.

The next instant, the cook said: “Open the door.”

The tall person opened the door. The person outside stepped in, and as someone behind her tried to follow, the tall person had already quickly bolted the door again.

The person outside was startled and instinctively about to shout, but the cook was already smiling and had changed his voice, calling sweetly: “Miss Wenliu, hello there.”

Xiao Wenliu stood in the cabin, obviously still in a bewildered state. Hearing the familiar voice, she looked at the cook for a long time before hesitantly saying: “Your voice sounds strangely like a friend of mine, but…”

Tie Ci smiled faintly: “But usually he’s a heavily made-up woman who takes advantage everywhere.”

Xiao Wenliu immediately widened her eyes in shock: “You’re Feiyu?”

She looked again and clapped her hands in great joy: “Oh my, you can actually disguise yourself as a man, and so convincingly too! Is this the legendary art of disguise? Teach me, will you?”

Tie Ci: “…”

Someone whose female disguise was so deeply rooted in people’s minds might as well just be castrated.

Xiao Wenliu clapped halfway, then suddenly reacted, turned to stare at Tie Ci, and discovered there were actually two Er Dans.

She cried out: “Brother Ye!”

“Brother Ye, I finally found you!”

Tie Ci, with one hand gripping the patrol officer’s throat, was startled at her words: “What are you looking for me for?”

“You promised to say goodbye when parting!” Xiao Wenliu widened her eyes. “I was sent to the capital early, but I still wanted to see you again and ask you many things… I didn’t make a fuss with my family—I pretended to obediently go to the capital, but halfway there I forced my servants to change course and followed people pursuing you all the way to Deng Zhou. Then I couldn’t find you at the dock. This Wang Huai happens to be under my family’s patronage and wanted to please me, so I told him I wanted to follow his ship to sea for a change of scenery… I didn’t expect to meet you here… you… you just ran away like that…”

The cook leaned against the cabin wall and said leisurely: “Yes, just ran away like that, disappointing a young maiden’s heart—truly unconscionable…”

Tie Ci immediately felt the entire cabin reeking of vinegar, missing only crabs.

But Xiao Wenliu turned back, staring at Feiyu with complete bewilderment: “What young maiden’s heart? Don’t you know by now? This is big sister, big sister!”

She stepped forward to take Tie Ci’s arm: “What’s in your head? Even toward big sister you don’t know to be respectful. Come on, call me big sister!”

Tie Ci suddenly smiled, raised her chin toward that fellow, waiting for him to address her.

The cook crossed his arms and looked at the sky, saying speechlessly: “Just a reminder—she’s not older than me.”

“So what.” Xiao Wenliu’s eyes sparkled with light, every ray worshipping Tie Ci. “The virtuous deserve seniority…”

Tie Ci coughed once, interrupting her praise.

It seemed Xiao Wenliu knew her identity, and Tie Ci didn’t want her to let it slip right now.

Her female disguise had already been exposed, and her true identity would be revealed sooner or later. She actually didn’t want to continue hiding from that fellow—she supposed if he really wanted to investigate, he could find out quickly. But she hoped that before then, she could manage to dissolve the engagement first.

When she had sent evidence back to the capital for He Zi earlier, she had personally written a letter asking the Grand Tutor to agree to the Liaodong Prince’s request and help dissolve her engagement.

The letter probably hadn’t reached the capital yet. This matter would take time, but it shouldn’t be too long.

Before then, she also wanted to seriously investigate Feiyu’s identity once. Before going to sea, she had already had Xia Hou send people to handle it.

Previously, she had felt that since they were friends who could trust and rely on each other, why pursue origins? She had also been somewhat stubbornly wanting to wait for him to tell her himself. Now it seemed everyone’s thoughts were too deep, with many reservations.

Identity was sometimes a very important barrier.

She pinched Xiao Wenliu’s fingers and smiled: “What kind of virtuous person am I? Don’t praise me to death.”

Xiao Wenliu wasn’t stupid and immediately understood her meaning. She glanced at that person, thinking these two didn’t have as good a relationship as she had imagined.

She immediately felt pleased, turned her head, and saw the patrol officer still being held on the other side. Seeing his naked appearance, she quickly turned her head away.

She asked: “This person saw you all…”

The cook suddenly stepped forward and smiled: “Easy to handle.” He took the man from Tie Ci’s hands, opened the window, saw no one around, and swung his arm.

Bang—the patrol officer fell into the great sea.

As he threw the man, Tie Ci saw cold light flash from his fingertips, slashing across the patrol officer’s throat.

The cook dusted off his hands and jerked his chin toward Xiao Wenliu: “Clever girl, cooperate a bit?”

Xiao Wenliu was still somewhat dazed, but Lan Xian’er had recovered and said softly: “Miss, just pretend that man bullied you…”

Xiao Wenliu immediately reacted and screamed: “Wang Huai, you bastard, how dare you bully this young lady!”

Tie Ci pressed her forehead.

Such melodramatic lines, such exaggerated acting.

That fellow didn’t mind and immediately cooperated with Xiao Wenliu’s screaming, pushing open the window with a bang, then hurling a hard pillow out.

Another splash, not long after the sound of the patrol officer falling.

At the same time, the cook called hoarsely: “Patrol officer! Patrol officer!”

Tie Ci quickly shoved Er Dan under the bunk board.

The tall person immediately opened the door. By now, the ship owner and soldiers had heard the sounds and surged over, seeing Xiao Wenliu disheveled and “furiously angry.”

Then everyone heard the story version of “the patrol officer’s bestial nature erupting, being caught in the act by Miss Xiao, becoming angry from shame and disrespecting the young lady, Miss Xiao having sailors help subdue him, and him fleeing in fear of punishment.”

The Xiao Family was powerful in the eastern seas, and Xiao Wenliu’s status was noble. Whatever she said, none of the Maritime Trade Supervisorate patrol soldiers dared question. Xiao Wenliu also pretended to throw a tantrum, not allowing people to go down and fish for the man. The soldiers could only listen and prepare to report to their superiors later.

After all, a mere patrol officer who offended a young lady of the Xiao Family getting killed was nothing.

Xiao Wenliu also used the excuse that the patrol officer was no good and refused to return with that patrol ship, saying she wanted to stay on this ship. She had heard they would stop at nearby Ghost Island to replenish food and water, and she wanted to play on Ghost Island.

Those people couldn’t argue with her and said they would return to report and come back to fetch her later.

Xiao Wenliu only agreed to let ships follow as escorts but not to come aboard this ship again to cause trouble or commit acts like forcing civilian women.

Those people had to agree.

Lan Xian’er had been cowering fearfully in the corner of the bunk the whole time, understanding she had seen things she shouldn’t have seen. The panic hadn’t left her eyes when the cook suddenly turned to look at her, making her whole body shudder.

The cook raised his hand.

Tie Ci suddenly pressed down his hand.

The cook looked at her.

Tie Ci didn’t look at the cook, only at Lan Xian’er: “Do you want to live?”

Lan Xian’er nodded desperately.

Tie Ci threw a pill over: “Eat it.”

Lan Xian’er picked up the pill with trembling hands, hesitated for a long while, then tilted her neck back and swallowed it.

“This is poison. You saw what you shouldn’t have seen, but we also saved you. Logically, out of gratitude, you should keep your mouth shut, but we can’t completely trust you, so we’ll use medicine to supervise you. When we safely disembark, we’ll give you the antidote.”

“…I… I won’t tell… really… if I tell, I can’t escape involvement either…”

That was the logic. Tie Ci nodded, but without doing this, she feared that ruthless fellow would eventually kill this woman.

“Since that’s the case, you have nothing to worry about. Go.”

Lan Xian’er didn’t dare say more and left, avoiding the cook.

Xiao Wenliu watched those soldiers return to the patrol ship and ignored the ship owner who came up to ingratiate himself. She waved the man away, turned back and pulled on Tie Ci’s sleeve: “Sister, sister, now those people won’t come inspect the ship anymore. You don’t need to disguise yourself so ugly—restore your original appearance. With me here, those people wouldn’t dare say anything.”

Tie Ci picked off her fingers and said faintly: “Miss Xiao, go back. This ship isn’t a place for you to stay.”

Xiao Wenliu looked at her own fingers, her expression momentarily dejected, then she took a breath and forced a smile: “Sister, are you blaming me for being from the Xiao Family?”

Tie Ci smiled and patted her head, saying gently: “No, what family one is born into is each person’s fate—how could I blame that? You helped me today, and I’m very grateful. In the future, I’ll definitely repay you somehow, but with your status, you really shouldn’t escort me. Go back, lest it be difficult for you later.”

Xiao Wenliu said quietly: “I thought we could treat each matter separately…”

Tie Ci laughed: “It’s not children playing house where everyone plays their own game. Who can really separate from their family? Besides, don’t you want to ask what happened back then? You’re helping me unconditionally like this?”

Xiao Wenliu turned toward the sea and said softly: “I don’t want to ask. Whether you were wrong or my family was wrong, I don’t think I could accept either… or maybe it’s not anyone’s fault at all… so I just wanted to see you again and chased here regardless of everything, but now that I’ve really seen you, I don’t know what to do…”

She was actually an optimistic person, but this time she also knew some barriers were hard to overcome. Her downcast demeanor was like a dejected little dog. Tie Ci couldn’t help but ruffle her hair again, sighing in her heart. She had grown up in her hometown and been protected from seeing darkness, surrounded only by sunshine and flowers, developing such a crystal-clear, moon-like temperament. For ordinary people, this was naturally good, but for her, it was hard to say whether it was fortune or misfortune.

Xiao Wenliu was dejected for a while, then thought of something and cheered up: “I don’t want to think about all that—don’t force me to think about it. Besides, things that haven’t happened yet—why worry in advance? Maybe we’ll shake hands and make peace then? Since after leaving this sea, sister, you’ll go your way and I’ll go to the capital to marry, after that we’ll rarely meet…” She paused, “…then now I just want to properly enjoy this last period of freedom. Sister, will you accompany me?”

She held Tie Ci’s sleeve, tilting her head slightly up, her eyes extremely bright, with the vast sea and blue sky reflected in them, pure and clear for thousands of li.

Facing such a gaze, even with Tie Ci’s iron-hard heart, she couldn’t refuse. Seeing the sea wind blowing her hair across her shoulders, she raised her hand to tuck it behind her ear.

Xiao Wenliu watched her graceful gesture and suddenly sighed: “Sister, you ask me why I’m helping you regardless of everything. I didn’t know why before, but now I understand somewhat. You make people feel both distant and close, both warm and cold, both aloof and gentle like spring wind. You make people unconsciously want to pursue you, follow you—seeing you smile is like gaining a new world. Forgetting identity, gender, and everything, wanting to be with you.”

Tie Ci stopped her hand, instinctively glancing toward the fellow standing at the cabin door watching them.

Indeed, his expression was quite fierce.