Qiao Zhao stood up and looked in the direction Binglu pointed, seeing a medium-sized passenger ship slowly approaching.

Since they had set sail, the Jinlin Guards had divided into several shifts, with people constantly observing their surroundings. Seeing a ship approaching now, they immediately notified Yang Houcheng and the others.

Yang Houcheng and Chi Can came out and stood on the deck looking into the distance.

“How is this ship just drifting with the current? It looks like there’s no one on it.” Yang Houcheng murmured.

“Go tell Marquis Guanjun.” Chi Can instructed one of the Jinlin Guards.

Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Shao Mingyuan was much better than they at handling these situations, so for caution’s sake, they should notify him promptly.

When Shao Mingyuan received the news, Chen Guang was a bit anxious: “General, what do you think—”

“You go observe the situation first. I’ll visit the privy, then come right over.”

Chen Guang understood and followed the Jinlin Guard out.

“How is your Marquis?” Chi Can was somewhat puzzled when Shao Mingyuan didn’t come over.

Though Tingquan was somewhat unwell, he shouldn’t fail to appear in this kind of situation.

“The General will be right here.” Seeing Qiao Zhao was also there, Chen Guang lowered his voice. “He went to the privy.”

Only then did Chi Can’s confusion subside.

Soon, footsteps grew closer as Shao Mingyuan and Ye Luo walked over.

Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but turn to look, and that sense of incongruity rose again.

Since Shao Mingyuan woke up yesterday, what exactly was strange about him?

Qiao Zhao simply closed her eyes and recalled past scenes. A flash of inspiration struck, and she finally discovered what was wrong.

The positioning was wrong!

In her memories, Shao Mingyuan appeared in many scenes, and every time he walked in front with composed steps, followed by respectful and unobtrusive personal guards.

But from last night’s encounter on the deck to his appearance today, his guards had been walking in front of him.

When traveling at night with lanterns or going out, having attendants walk ahead of their master to lead the way wasn’t strange, but in this context, it felt incongruous.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze fell on the approaching man.

His steps were still composed, a gentle smile hung at the corners of his mouth, he looked straight ahead as he walked toward them, his eyelids lowered so one couldn’t see the emotions in his eyes.

Qiao Zhao’s heart sank.

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes were very beautiful – not the delicate kind of beautiful, but pure as black gemstones. When he looked at you, it was as if cold stars were contained in his eyes, with starlight from across the sky enveloping the person he focused on, making one’s heart and spirit intoxicated.

But since last night, whenever she saw him, he always had that appearance of lowered brows and downcast eyes.

There was something wrong with Shao Mingyuan’s eyes!

This thought flashed through Qiao Zhao’s mind like lightning, making her entire being plunge into an ice cave.

Blindness caused by brain injury was not impossible – could his eyes no longer see?

Qiao Zhao stared fixedly at the man walking closer and closer, but the man whose eyes used to be filled with her reflection now didn’t look at her even once, as if she didn’t exist.

She had thought he had given up hope, but could it be that he was suddenly extremely cold to her because his eyes couldn’t see?

No, she had to confirm this.

Qiao Zhao took a step forward. That man suddenly paused in his steps, raised his eyebrows slightly in her direction, then resumed his calm, untroubled appearance and walked toward Chi Can and the others.

Qiao Zhao saw clearly that Shao Mingyuan had stopped after Ye Luo stopped, following his lead.

“Tingquan, look over there – a ship has come, but we don’t know what the situation is.” Yang Houcheng said.

Shao Mingyuan rested his arm on the ship’s railing and looked into the distance.

Chen Guang suddenly spoke up: “General, that ship seems to have no one on it – it’s drifting with the current. It’s a ship that could seat twenty or thirty people, but it’s empty. How strange.”

Qiao Zhao’s eyes deepened as she pressed her lips together.

Chen Guang’s words seemed fine – he was reporting the situation to his master, which generally wouldn’t attract attention. But once one considered that Shao Mingyuan’s eyes had problems, it felt wrong.

Chen Guang’s pointing out how many people the ship could hold was a subtle way of telling Shao Mingyuan the ship’s size.

So Shao Mingyuan really couldn’t see?

Thinking of this possibility, Qiao Zhao’s heart was in turmoil. She wanted nothing more than to grab him and confirm immediately, but seeing those Jinlin Guards on the deck, she had to forcibly suppress this impulse.

These Jinlin Guards were Yang Houcheng’s subordinates, but not his trusted confidants.

With many people and many mouths, if they knew Shao Mingyuan couldn’t see, who knew what thoughts they might develop?

Shao Mingyuan had been enfeoffed as a marquis at a young age and was recognized by the world as a prodigy. Countless people envied and resented him. If his eyes couldn’t get better for a while, one could imagine what kind of situation he would face.

“General, that ship is less than twenty zhang from our ship now. What should we do?” Chen Guang asked.

Shao Mingyuan turned his head to ask Yang Houcheng: “Chongshan, what do you think we should do? After all, you’re the team leader for this trip.”

Yang Houcheng blinked in confusion.

Why was he suddenly remembering that he was the team leader?

Hmm, probably Tingquan wanted to test whether he could handle things independently. Maybe if he performed well this time, Tingquan would be willing to take him to the battlefield in the future.

Thinking this way, Yang Houcheng became excited as if injected with adrenaline. He rubbed his hands together and said: “Let’s first tie the ships together, then go onto that ship to investigate the situation. After all, this is at sea – there’s no village ahead or behind us. If that ship encountered pirate attacks, there might still be injured survivors.”

Shao Mingyuan remained silent.

“Tingquan, what do you think?”

“First, tie the ships together, then wait and see.”

“What do you mean by wait and see?”

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t see anything at the moment, so for everyone’s safety, he had to be extremely cautious: “Wait for an hour, then have Ye Luo go alone to investigate.”

Chi Can’s expression changed slightly: “You’re worried it’s a trap?”

Shao Mingyuan said lightly, “Caution ensures ten thousand years of safety.”

“If that’s the case, isn’t it too dangerous for Ye Luo to go investigate alone?”

“Having Ye Luo go alone is most appropriate. If any emergency occurs, Ye Luo will immediately jump ship, and we’ll immediately cut the ropes tying the ships together.” After explaining, Shao Mingyuan said to Yang Houcheng, “Chongshan, have the Jinlin Guards prepare their bows and arrows. As soon as Ye Luo boards the ship, be ready to enter combat at any moment.”

Yang Houcheng grimaced: “Isn’t this too exaggerated?”

“When facing life and death, nothing is too exaggerated.” Shao Mingyuan said seriously.

If his eyes were fine, he could naturally make more accurate judgments, but now he had to be extremely careful.

“If that’s the case, why don’t we just ignore that ship?” Yang Houcheng was made uneasy by Shao Mingyuan’s arrangements.

Shao Mingyuan smiled: “Didn’t you just say there might be injured people on the ship?”

This one sentence left Yang Houcheng speechless.

They couldn’t be so cold-blooded as to ignore fellow countrymen who might be waiting for rescue.

“Having the heart to save people isn’t wrong – just don’t be blind about it.” Shao Mingyuan smiled.

The approaching ship finally drew near, and the sailors on Qiao Zhao’s ship immediately threw out ropes according to Shao Mingyuan’s arrangements.

After securing the approaching ship, an hour later, seeing no movement from the other ship, Ye Luo jumped aboard.