Tie Ci remained silent. She had never seen someone so jubilant when they were about to be slaughtered. The other party was well-versed in psychology.

Led by the boat owner, people filed off the ship one by one. Xiao Wenliu cheerfully pulled Tie Ci along, saying, “Come, let’s get off the boat!”

Lan Xian’er suddenly said, “Women cannot go on the island.”

Xiao Wenliu was stunned for a moment, then said, “No worries, I’ll go change clothes.”

She hurried into the inner chamber with quick steps to change her disguise. Lan Xian’er leaned against the ship’s railing watching people disembark, sighing wistfully, “I’ve come here with ships before too. In the middle of the night when I was the only one left on the boat, I would always see shadows moving back and forth on the island, and I’d be so scared… I wanted to go along, but they never took me. Why is she allowed to go… She’s so beautiful, so magnificent, seems like she can have whatever she wants, and no one bullies her… Why is that?”

Then she laughed, slapping herself with a crisp sound, saying, “You’re being foolish. Isn’t this just different fates for different people? We’re all flowers – some fall onto silk cushions in grand halls, others fall into mud pits and dung tanks. What’s the point of asking?”

Suddenly someone beside her said leisurely, “Must flowers that fall into mud pits and dung tanks be trapped there for life? Perhaps when a strong wind comes, they’ll be blown up and fall into elegant courtyards instead?”

Lan Xian’er turned her head and saw the cook’s stubbled chin under his straw hat, with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth that curved quite beautifully. Her heart fluttered, and she grew bolder, laughingly reaching to lift the cook’s hat, “I always feel you’re no ordinary person. Why are you hiding your head and showing your tail?”

The cook raised his hand to press down on hers, his fingers pressing down.

Lan Xian’er’s expression changed, but she didn’t dare cry out in pain. Her voice immediately softened, “I was just joking, brother, please don’t be angry. Oh my, it hurts so much, brother, please let go first…”

The cook didn’t release her, his fingers pressing on the joints of her delicate fingers, saying slowly and gently, “You’re very clever. Having rolled around in the world of pleasure, you know how to read people and assess situations. You’re not really bad, but your mind is too nimble and your jealousy too heavy. This kind of person, while generally loyal, has a thorn in their heart, like the needle on a wasp’s tail – when provoked, it can flip out anytime to sting someone.”

Lan Xian’er understood only half of what he said, but deep cold seeped into her heart, making her shiver involuntarily.

The cook leaned close to her ear, saying softly, “Your temperament makes me uneasy, and you suspect my identity. I’m thinking of killing you. How about that?”

Lan Xian’er trembled even more violently, forcing a smile, “What joke is master making? I’m someone who understands nothing… What am I suspecting master of? I just… I just like master’s handsomeness, always feeling you’re a handsome fellow, wanting to see you with my own eyes…” Her voice grew more aggrieved and coquettish as she spoke, “…I just admire master, why must master make things so difficult for this slave…”

The cook laughed, pushing her away, “Too much powder and rouge!”

Lan Xian’er hurriedly wiped her face with her sleeve.

The cook said with disgust again, “Stop wiping. What’s the point even if you wipe it all off? Can you carve hairpins?”

Lan Xian’er: “…???”

What was this about hairpins? Why was the topic jumping around like this?

“If you can’t carve hairpins, what’s the point of living!” The cook became increasingly irritated.

Lan Xian’er was frightened, saying timidly, “I… I took the medicine and made the oath. That person… that person said they’d let me go, they said so…”

“Just because she said it, I have to listen?” The cook grew even colder and more explosive, “I’m not a wife slave!”

Lan Xian’er: “…”

What was this about?

Fortunately, the cook quickly jumped past this topic, snorting coldly with displeasure a few times before saying, “Let’s talk seriously. I don’t need a reason to kill you or not. If you don’t want to die, I’ll point you to a path. Aren’t you jealous of Miss Xiao’s good fortune? Go beg her to let you serve as her maid by her side – won’t you rise to prominence then?”

Lan Xian’er was stunned but somewhat moved, saying quietly, “The maids by her side are all trained by great families, more noble and refined than young ladies from landlord families. How could it be my turn…”

“If it’s not your turn, I’ll kill you, or you can drift around on this boat and the docks, waiting to be played to death like before at any time.” The cook said expressionlessly, “This ghost island will stay for one night. You first try to get on the island with Miss Xiao, build some relationship with her. Before we reach shore and disembark, I want to see you become Miss Xiao’s maid. Otherwise…” He smiled, “Don’t think about taking chances. Let me give you another reminder – when a patrol officer dies, there must be a result. Do you think the Xiao family would let their precious daughter bear the charge of murder? If it wasn’t Miss Xiao who did it, and we’ve already left, who would be most suitable as a scapegoat?”

Lan Xian’er shivered with a chill.

Only now did she understand that she truly had no way back. She was like duckweed in the wind, struggling left and right, unable to escape being trampled to death.

Light footsteps sounded on the gangway – Xiao Wenliu emerged after changing into men’s clothing.

Lan Xian’er turned and ran frantically into the cabin, found a set of men’s clothing at the fastest speed, drew thick eyebrows, darkened her face, and rushed out just as Xiao Wenliu had finished dealing with the obstructing boatmen and was about to disembark with one of her maids who had also changed costume.

Seeing Lan Xian’er come out in such an appearance, Xiao Wenliu said happily, “You also want to dress as a man to go ashore? Let’s go together.”

Lan Xian’er said, “Let me take care of Miss Xiao. This sister doesn’t need to disembark.”

Xiao Wenliu’s maid was both afraid to disembark and afraid not to disembark. After hesitating for a while, she still wanted to follow her mistress. Xiao Wenliu didn’t mind – changing to a different person would be refreshing. However, the boatman who was last to disembark immediately said, “Miss Lan, women are not allowed on this island. Miss Xiao at least has her own guards following her, but if you go and are discovered, our entire ship will be in trouble.”

Lan Xian’er looked at Xiao Wenliu with tears in her eyes, whispering in her ear, “Miss, please help me. I’m scared. I was frightened by the patrol officer. I’m afraid that at night when I’m alone on the boat, that ghost will come looking for me…”

Xiao Wenliu’s sympathy was immediately aroused. She pulled her along, “Then come with me!” She said to the boat captain, “Anyway, I need to bring a woman to serve me. It makes no difference who it is. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility myself. I might even help you with a dowry payment.”

The boat captain had no qualifications to bargain with her and could only agree.

The group walked toward the island. Everyone on the ship dressed plainly, and this was Xiao Wenliu’s first time disguising as a commoner. She found it very novel, constantly asking Tie Ci, “Is my way of walking okay? Is this posture okay? Is this little gesture I designed okay? Does it look tough? Roguish? Manly?”

Tie Ci said, “Take bigger steps, but you can bend your waist a bit more. People who work at sea all day aren’t so straight and rigid… Your hands are too delicate – make sure the mud you applied doesn’t fall off. Don’t sway around, don’t deliberately roughen your voice. You should suppress your voice, speak from deep in your throat to make your voice low and deep…”

Xiao Wenliu’s eyes sparkled as she lavished praise, “Brother Ye, you’re so learned! You’re number one in the world at disguising as a man!”

The cook passed by them, saying, “Wrong. What she’s best at is love them and leave them!”

Xiao Wenliu: “Huh?”

Tie Ci acted as if she hadn’t heard, continuing to demonstrate the essentials of disguising as a man to Xiao Wenliu, “…When playing a character, you must do things befitting that character. If you’re playing a rough sailor, what are you doing acting refined and holding a little handkerchief? You should do this…” She straightened her neck, extending it, and cleared her throat forcefully, then spat in the direction of the cook, “Ptui!”

Xiao Wenliu: “…”

Dan Shuang: “…”

Your Highness the Crown Princess, what about your image?

But seeing the cook’s expression, she inexplicably felt satisfaction.

Serves him right. This time Her Highness did well. You can’t be tolerant and forgiving with certain people, or that little bitch will become arrogant and climb all over you.

If you like our Crown Princess, just wait obediently to be carried into Ruixiang Palace. What’s all this fuss about?

Dan Shuang was extremely displeased.

Her Crown Princess was the best. The whole world should be excited and fawning over her favor. All those pretentious little troublemakers should go die—

…

On the small island, bonfires were lit, dimly illuminating the houses of various heights around them. The local islanders looked like they were regularly bathed by sea winds and waters – most had dark, rough skin, but their facial features still resembled those of Central Plains people. Their clothes seemed treated with tannin, brownish-red and very stiff. Their pants were mostly loose and baggy with wide trouser legs, generally sauce-colored. From a distance, it looked like a bunch of pickled vegetables planted on the ground.

Men and women on the island gathered around the bonfire to eat, drink, and dance. A group of young people came to welcome them. The boat captain walked ahead of them and suddenly turned back, “Remember this – men on this island cannot be offended, and women even less so. No matter how beautiful they are, if they favor you, you must not refuse. But you also cannot truly fall in love. Dowries must be given, but never truly think of marrying them home.”

Tie Ci listened with a smile, glancing at the cook. The cook happened to glance at her too and struck first, “Keep yourself in check!”

Tie Ci: “…”

Author’s Note: Today I’m updating heavily as requested – well, not too heavily, just tens of thousands of characters, updating every half hour. Recently some old friends returned and gave me many long reviews. I was rarely so happy, so I decided to add several thousand more characters beyond the minimum requirement for heavy updates. To celebrate.