The man was silent for a moment, then said, “My name is Takatsuji…”
As he spoke, he stared intently at Mian Tang’s face, hoping to see a change in her expression. But Mian Tang’s face showed only bewilderment, without any sign of indignation.
However, after a moment’s thought, her expression tightened. She clutched her collar and stared at him intently, asking, “My clothes… did you change them?”
Takatsuji raised an eyebrow, surprised that this was her first concern. After dragging her into the river and waiting for her to lose consciousness, he pulled her onto a boat he had prepared in advance.
Unexpectedly, pursuers arrived quickly, but luckily, he and his subordinates were familiar with the waters. They quickly left the river for the sea, stealthily returning to Koto Island. Upon reaching the island, small boats kept trying to approach, so Takatsuji entrusted Liu Mian Tang to the care of his long-time family servant while he led his men to sink the pursuing boats.
At this moment, a woman in her forties entered the room carrying a pot of hot tea. She knelt beside Takatsuji and said, “Young Master, would you like some hot tea to ward off the cold?”
Takatsuji waved his hand, indicating for her to pour tea for Mian Tang, then said, “She changed your clothes.”
But Mian Tang’s expression remained tense as she said, “You still haven’t answered me. How long was I unconscious? Why have the injuries on my hands and feet healed?”
Having learned about Liu Mian Tang’s life story from Shi Yikuan, he naturally knew about the incident where her tendons were cut and she lost her memory. Could it be… that due to her head injury, she had forgotten her experiences in Beihai?
Thinking this, Takatsuji decided to probe further, asking, “You were only unconscious for about an hour… Do you remember who your husband is?”
Mian Tang frowned deeply and said, “I’m not married yet. How could I have a husband?”
Looking at the bandage on Liu Mian Tang’s forehead, Takatsuji slowly smiled. Whether Liu Mian Tang was acting or had truly forgotten, if she had no memory of Cui Xingzhou, it was the best possible outcome.
With this in mind, he said, “Of course you have a husband. I was the one who saved you back then. We’ve been married for over three years now…”
Mian Tang had been awake for two days, spending each day standing in the courtyard of her wooden cabin, gazing at the distant horizon.
When she first heard the words of the man called Takatsuji, Liu Mian Tang was completely shocked and didn’t believe him at all.
But when the maid called Jizi brought a mirror, she looked at her reflection and fell silent. Because the face in the mirror had indeed changed. It was no longer the naive face in her memory but had gained much more charm, completely transformed into the appearance of a beautiful young woman in full bloom.
She had even grown taller.
And her beautiful hair now reached past her waist. Before, on Yangshan, for the convenience of wearing a helmet, she had always kept her hair at medium length, simply tied up in a small bun.
How could it now be like a waterfall, able to be piled high into various elegant hairstyles? Moreover, the thin calluses on her hands had disappeared. She wondered what kind of fairy-tale life she had been living these years to have cultivated such fine, white hands.
But regarding the man who claimed to be her husband, Liu Mian Tang always felt a sense of unfamiliarity and never allowed him to approach her closely.
The island was full of men speaking an incomprehensible language, supposedly all subordinates of Takatsuji.
For some reason, Mian Tang strongly disliked these men who always looked at her with oily, lewd gazes. So she was unwilling to leave the courtyard, only walking around a bit within it to recuperate.
According to the man called Takatsuji, he was a nobleman from the East, with extensive lands and fields in his hometown. Over the years, he had earned considerable money and gradually acquired more properties. However, after marrying her, he didn’t return to his hometown. So in the future, he would take her back to the East to help manage the family businesses and, incidentally, settle down to have children, no longer living such a rootless life.
After all, a year ago, she had reportedly miscarried due to encountering rough seas, and losing a child.
Takatsuji seemed to explain everything perfectly, even accounting for the faint stretch marks on her belly.
But while he said she hadn’t given birth, in Mian Tang’s dreams these past few days, she often heard the cry of a small infant, breaking her heart. Each time she woke from these dreams, she found her arms empty, and her heart felt hollow.
Moreover, in her half-awake state, she often dreamed of a man whose face she couldn’t see clearly, holding her tightly, his hot thin lips lightly touching her brows, eyes, and nose, calling out in a low voice: “My little puppy, disobeying again. See how I’ll deal with you…”
Facing the slightly warm sea breeze, Mian Tang slowly closed her eyes. The feeling of the warm wind on her face was so similar to the tenderness in her dreams…
“Mian Tang, why are you standing here in the wind again? Come, let’s eat together.” Just then, a slightly stiff voice came from beside her.
Without looking, Mian Tang knew it was her husband, Takatsuji, returning. Perhaps due to his East Asian noble background, Takatsuji was much more polite and refined compared to the other oddly shaped men on the island.
Although his gaze when looking at her was always too intense and uncomfortable, his words were always very reasonable, and at meals, he always waited for her to start eating before he would begin.
But in Mian Tang’s heart, a faint doubt arose: if she had lived with him for so long, why wasn’t she accustomed to the island’s food? Whether it was the sauce soup boiled with kelp or the fishy raw fish slices, everything tasted bland to her.
However, Mian Tang didn’t voice these thoughts. After all, the maid called Jizi wasn’t very proficient in Chinese and remained silent most of the time like a mute. These days, the only way Mian Tang could pass the time was by learning some simple Eastern words from Jizi.
During meals, Takatsuji always stared intently at Mian Tang. She was truly a picturesque beauty, every movement elegant and charming.
Although Shi Yikuan had said she was once a female bandit, Mian Tang’s manners and posture were extremely refined. One could believe she was a princess from the royal family, making it hard to imagine what she was like as a bandit.
Takatsuji himself carried the aloofness of an Eastern nobleman, but unfortunately, his family had fallen on slightly hard times. To revitalize the family, he had gone to sea as a pirate, also engaging in some smuggling business.
However, he never regretted his decision. If not for this, how would he have captured this woman who had captivated him at first sight?
These past few days, he had been observing her constantly. That bewildered, helpless look in her eyes couldn’t be faked. If she had truly forgotten everything, it couldn’t be better.
A few days ago, although he had destroyed the pursuing ships, he hadn’t seen any bodies washed ashore by the waves. So these past few days, he had personally led night patrols to prevent anyone from sneaking onto the island.
He hadn’t forgotten that the woman he had abducted was the beloved wife of the Beihai commander, the Prince of Huaiyang. Having lost such a beauty, the Prince of Huaiyang must be furious.
He had already instructed his subordinates to start organizing supplies, preparing to return to the East. After all, in a few more days, it would be typhoon season in Beihai, and the island would no longer be suitable for staying.
During this time, he could return to his hometown and, by the way, report his achievements to the Shogunate.
By then, it wouldn’t matter if Liu Mian Tang regained her memory.
Women always have to accept their fate. At that time, she would be in a foreign land, unable to speak the language, with no one to turn to. How could she not depend on him? Of course, if he could have some children with her before she regained her memory, that would be even better…
Takatsuji’s plans were well-laid, so after finishing dinner and rinsing his mouth, he intended to take Mian Tang’s hand and become intimate with her.
But Liu Mian Tang skillfully dodged, not allowing him to get close.
Takatsuji’s face darkened as he said, “I’ve been considerate of you injuring your head when you slipped on the coast, but you’re still my wife. Why do you keep me at arm’s length?”
Mian Tang lowered her eyes and said slowly, “I don’t remember. You have to give me time to adjust… By the way, how has my maternal grandfather been these past few years?”
Even though he had memorized Mian Tang’s background in detail, Takatsuji wasn’t a firsthand witness and feared making mistakes if he said too much. So he simply said, “I haven’t met him yet. When I take you back to Da Yan next time, we’ll visit the old man.”
Mian Tang nodded, then suddenly said, “I have a craving for coconut rice. There’s a coconut tree right behind our house. Can you climb trees? Could you pick a few for me?”
Takatsuji wasn’t very familiar with Da Yan cuisine, and he had never eaten this coconut rice. However, Mian Tang hadn’t been eating much these past few days, obviously not accustomed to the island’s food. As her man, he naturally wanted her to eat something she liked.
With this in mind, he took Mian Tang to the back of the house.
The coconut tree was extremely tall, and the fruits hadn’t fully ripened and fallen. So he called over a subordinate skilled in climbing to go up the tree and pick coconuts.
The subordinate wrapped a rope around the tree trunk and his waist, then used both hands and feet to climb up the tree like a monkey.
Mian Tang watched with narrowed eyes as he picked three large coconuts and threw them down. She walked over to pick one up, then turned to Takatsuji with a smile, asking, “Would you like some coconut water?”
Her smile was radiant, revealing pearl-like teeth between her cherry lips. Takatsuji was momentarily dazed and nodded in agreement.
After drinking the cool coconut water, night had fallen. Takatsuji reluctantly stood up and said, “It’s getting late. You should rest first. I need to patrol the island. We’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
Since Mian Tang had asked for some time, he decided to be a gentleman and wait until she accepted reality before sincerely embracing her. After all, he wanted to marry her as his wife. Sitting close together drinking coconut water just now had felt particularly sweet.
Mian Tang nodded. After watching Takatsuji leave the room, she lay down to sleep under Jizi’s care.
Jizi didn’t leave the room but sat on one side of the tatami mat, wide-eyed, keeping watch through the night.
The young master had instructed that this woman from Da Yan knew martial arts and must not be allowed to move freely around the island. So she was on high alert.
But she wasn’t too tense because, besides her, there were several hidden sentries outside the wooden cabin, all keeping a close watch on this woman. So after sitting for a while, Jizi’s eyelids began to droop.
Just as she was becoming drowsy, she suddenly felt a sharp pain on the side of her neck. She collapsed, unconscious.
After knocking Jizi unconscious, Mian Tang withdrew her hand. She quickly rummaged through Takatsuji’s clothes chest, changing into a dark-colored outfit that blended with the night.
Then she slightly opened the door, quickly leaped out the back window, wrapped a cloth strip around the large tree, and climbed to the treetop using the technique she had just learned that day. She curled up, hiding among the broad leaves.