However, Lu Yi noticed something odd and cautiously asked, “Big Boss, what did you call Cui Xingzhou?”
Mian Tang looked at the usually reliable Lu Yi, frowning, “Don’t the Yangshan brothers always call that fellow ‘Cui the traitor’?”
At this, the brothers realized something was amiss and exchanged puzzled glances.
But Mian Tang had no time to discuss further with them. Avoiding the King of Huaiyang’s ship was the most urgent matter.
So she repeatedly urged Lu Quan to row away. Lu Yi said to Lu Quan, “Listen to the Big Boss. Let’s get to shore first and talk later. Otherwise, if Japanese reinforcements arrive, we’ll be in trouble.”
The small boat quickly changed direction, sailing away from the large warship of Beihai in the misty waters. Someone on the big ship behind them seemed to be shouting something, but it was lost in the sound of the waves, indistinct.
The journey to shore wasn’t too far, but not too close either. It was enough time for Mian Tang to explain her situation to them – that she had suffered a head injury and could only remember things from three years ago, while recent years were hazy and unclear.
Lu Zhong and Lu Quan were dumbfounded, repeatedly confirming that their Big Boss wasn’t playing a joke on them.
Liu Mian Tang was quite troubled by her memory loss, feeling she had forgotten something very important. So she asked directly, “Tell me, how have I been living these past few years?”
Lu Yi was silent for a moment before saying, “You… got married and had a son.”
Mian Tang had already guessed she had given birth, so after a moment of silence, she asked, “It’s not Zi Yu, is it?”
Lu Quan shook his head vigorously, “Of course not! He’s now restored his royal status and ascended the golden throne as emperor! With three thousand beauties in his harem, how could you still want him?”
Mian Tang held her breath, expecting a dull pain in her chest. After all, the scene of her leaving Yangshan seemed like only yesterday, and she had been heartbroken then.
But for some reason, this sadness didn’t feel as deep as expected, unable to build up.
However, when she tried to ask more, the others didn’t answer, as if there was something difficult to explain.
Mian Tang’s heart sank, wondering: Had she married someone of poor character, too shameful to mention?
Thinking this, her expression softened as she said to the three, “What’s so hard to say? As long as I didn’t fall into Cui the traitor’s hands and lose my skills, even if I married randomly, it was just a temporary measure. Don’t worry, just tell me everything!”
Now the three were even more at a loss, not knowing how to explain to the Big Boss how she had ended up with “Cui the traitor.”
Lu Yi felt they should explain slowly to the Big Boss, so he hesitantly said, “After you were rescued, you married a merchant named Cui Jiu…”
Mian Tang’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “I married that fat pig?”
If she remembered correctly, the groom her father had arranged for her years ago was the Cui family’s ninth son. Just thinking about his obese appearance made Mian Tang nauseous. To think she had come full circle and married him, slept with him for three years, and even had a son – it was revolting!
Seeing that Lu Yi seemed about to continue, she waved her hand, “Stop, please… let me process this…”
Mian Tang patted her chest, barely suppressing her nausea. But just then, the warship from earlier suddenly appeared on the riverbank.
With her keen eyesight, Mian Tang saw several people lowering a speedboat, preparing to come ashore.
“Not good! The officials are coming to arrest us, quick, run!” she said, taking the lead and dashing towards the nearby thicket.
Lu Quan, still unable to grasp the situation, watched the Big Boss disappear like a startled rabbit and asked dejectedly, “What should we do? Should we tell the Big Boss the truth?”
Lu Zhong resignedly prepared to follow Mian Tang, “If you tell her and she doesn’t believe you, thinking you’ve been bought by the King of Huaiyang, be careful she doesn’t run you through without listening to explanations…”
Lu Quan, considering the Big Boss’s temperament, realized this was indeed possible.
But at that moment, the small boat behind them reached the riverbank. They looked back to see the King of Huaiyang pursuing with an ashen face.
Thinking of all the terrifying things this King of Huaiyang had done after the Big Boss’s disappearance made them shudder.
It was truly a case of wolves in front and tigers behind!
So they simply chased after the Big Boss, lest they lose her, and end up maimed by the ruthless “Cui the traitor.”
Meanwhile, Cui Xingzhou hadn’t slept for days and nights since hearing of Liu Mian Tang’s disappearance.
The entire incident of Liu Mian Tang’s abduction was strange. Especially the imperial envoy from the court, who seemed to be working with the Japanese, tying him up so tightly that Mian Tang missed the chance to discuss with him.
Initially, Cui Xingzhou had endured the envoy’s difficulties, planning to deal with them slowly.
But when he confirmed that Liu Mian Tang had been taken to the pirate island, Cui Xingzhou disarmed the soldiers the envoy had brought and tied the two officials to torture racks, forcing them to reveal their connection to the Japanese.
At first, the two officials were stubborn, thinking Cui Xingzhou was just trying to scare them, as torture wasn’t supposed to be used on high-ranking officials. Even the emperor couldn’t be so barbaric.
But when they faced the eighteen types of torture instruments, they realized the King of Huaiyang was serious.
Cui Xingzhou explained to them that Beihai was a savage, miasma-filled place. He would tell the court that the envoys had collectively contracted a plague and all died. To prevent infection, they were cremated on the spot. Their bones wouldn’t even make it to their ancestral graves.
At this, the two men saw that the King of Huaiyang had truly gone mad. Unable to endure further, they quickly revealed that this was Minister Shi’s order, but they were just following instructions and truly didn’t know how it was connected to the Japanese.
While interrogating the envoys, Cui Xingzhou, seething with murderous intent, personally kicked open the door of Master Xie’s residence. He told the startled old man that his wife was in danger for trying to save the old man’s life, and he now needed warships to attack the island and rescue her.
So Master Xie and his apprentices had to quickly modify two usable ships. Of course, they could work slowly, but for every half-hour delay, he would kill one of Master Xie’s apprentices until all master and apprentices were dead.
Old Master Xie’s lofty demeanor crumbled before the mad dog prince. He could only draw blueprints efficiently, organize craftsmen to work overnight, temporarily modify two small warships, and add cannons and protective plates. Although they couldn’t compare to the originally planned large ships, they were barely sufficient for rescuing people from the island.
Earlier, when they encountered the Japanese cargo ship halfway, Cui Xingzhou’s subordinates captured two Japanese who were preparing to escape by water. Upon questioning, they learned that their general had already fled by ship.
Ying Si Si had come personally because he was chasing a beautiful woman from Da Yan, who had already jumped into the water to escape.
Cui Xingzhou instinctively guessed that the woman who fell into the water was Mian Tang, and someone had seen the three brothers who had set sail earlier seemingly fish someone out of the water before going ashore.
Cui Xingzhou immediately split his forces into two routes, sending the warship towards the pirate island while he pursued the boat of the three loyal brothers to shore.
From afar, he saw Mian Tang’s figure and became extremely excited.
Whatever Mian Tang had experienced these past few days didn’t matter; as long as she was safe and sound, that was all that mattered!
But when that woman saw his ship, she ran faster than a rabbit! In the blink of an eye, she had disappeared. What on earth was going on?
Cui Xingzhou’s heart sank, instinctively feeling that Liu Mian Tang had experienced something unbearable on the pirate island and didn’t want to face him for the moment.
Thinking this, he couldn’t even wait for the boat to dock. He leaped into the water and waded towards the forest on the shore.
Just as he rushed into the dense forest, suddenly a sword attack came from the side. Cui Xingzhou dodged, but the sword attacks came one after another.
That dense and murderous style of attack didn’t seem like a joke but rather aimed to kill with every move.
Although Cui Xingzhou had often sparred with his beloved consort before, he had never experienced such a deadly fighting style.
“You dog traitor! Die!” Along with Liu Mian Tang’s crisp shout, another sword thrust came.
This time, Cui Xingzhou simply grabbed her sword with his hand, protected by an iron mesh glove, and pulled her into his arms. With a shocked and angry expression, he said, “You… want to kill me?”
Mian Tang had originally planned to capture a hostage when she saw someone pursuing, to question them about the number of pursuing troops.
But she hadn’t expected this pursuing officer’s skills to be so formidable, actually disarming her barehanded and pulling her close.
As she looked up, she finally saw his face… Goodness, she had never seen such a handsome man in the world. Under his high, straight nose, those thin lips seemed to naturally contain a smile, slightly upturned, which somewhat softened the cold, murderous air in his eyes.
The first thought that flashed through Liu Mian Tang’s mind wasn’t how to break free, but rather: I wonder if this young man is married… Although he’s good-looking, he doesn’t seem like the faithful type. With that hint of a romantic nature, whoever becomes his wife will surely have a hard time.
Cui Xingzhou saw Mian Tang staring at him blankly, as if in shock, and slightly loosened his grip. Just as he was about to speak, she suddenly smiled at him.
Cui Xingzhou unconsciously curled his lips too, but in that moment of distraction, a pair of slender fingers sharply pressed an acupoint on the side of his neck. Half of his body went numb, and he stumbled slightly to one side.
By this time, Mian Tang had already seized the weapon from his hand, placed one foot on his chest, and pointed the sword tip at his throat, saying, “Behave! Don’t move!”
Cui Xingzhou looked up at her, seeming somewhat unconvinced, his thin lips pressed tightly together. Mian Tang, seeing his stubborn look, couldn’t help but pick up the sword sheath with her other hand and playfully patted his face, saying, “You’re quite handsome. Tell me, how many of you are there? Be honest, and I won’t mar that pretty face of yours.”
Her roguish manner was exactly like a mountain bandit who had just robbed a young wife.
Cui Xingzhou could no longer contain himself and shouted at the three people peeking from behind the trees, “Lu Zhong, all of you come out! What the hell is going on here?”