Was this person romantic, or did he simply refuse to play by the rules? Since his confession, he had led her down a path of love she could never have predicted. Entering each stage—the occasion, timing, and manner all exceeded expectations. It seemed to have nothing to do with romance and flowers, completely improper, yet it constantly moved her to tears and laughter, touching her beyond measure.
Like right now—ahead were Daqiu’s formidable generals who would absolutely never become allies, suspicious black dots to the side were most likely Tiger Stronghold ships, their friend-or-foe status still undetermined. Given that the edict had been destroyed, the likelihood of Duan Geshou exploiting the situation was very high. Meanwhile, her side was about to test large-scale destructive weapons, creating a classic battle of victory through inferior numbers.
In such a tense standoff on the verge of eruption, about to engage in life-and-death combat with blood and flesh flying—he, Yuan Cheng, wore bright red wedding robes, rode the wind and waves beneath his feet, surrounded by celebratory music and drums that shook the heavens, a hundred great ships all transformed into a wedding procession, loudly announcing he’d come to marry her?
Her heart pounded excitedly. Her blood rushed to her head, flushing her cheeks and ears. For a moment—how embarrassing, how awkward, how joyful, how interesting! Every flavor except bitterness surged up, addictively compelling.
At such a moment, who still remembered they were about to fight? Everyone stood stunned, unable to recover.
Ding Gou leaped up and walked to Mo Zi’s side. “To come courting before battle lines with such fanfare—only someone thick-skinned could accomplish this. Congratulations on finding such a fine gentleman, one found neither in heaven nor on earth, who absolutely isn’t afraid of losing face for you.”
Mo Zi had been genuinely moved, but Ding Gou’s congratulations made her laugh aloud. “Is this congratulations or sarcasm?”
“The benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom. Anyway, even if you killed me, I couldn’t do such a thing.” Too shameless.
“That’s why you can’t get a wife!” Qiu Shuang walked onto the deck, gazing at those hundred ships. “What every woman desires is precisely this moment. Heaven and earth presenting auspiciousness, all things announcing joy, he descends from the heavens, entirely for you.”
“You’re describing a celestial immortal, not a husband.” Descending from the heavens?
“It’s just an indescribable kind of carefree elegance and handsomeness. You cultivate yourself in the mountains, big dumb rock-heart, completely oblivious.” Qiu Shuang glanced at him sideways.
Ding Gou was about to retort when Mo Zi grabbed him, words squeezing through gritted teeth. “That’s enough from you. Maintain gentlemanly bearing.” When would these two bickering people gradually enter a better stage?
“Brother… Brother Mo, are we fighting or not?” The lookout brother was somewhat uncertain.
Mo Zi turned back to look—Duan Geshou had already boarded the flagship, and people on his ships were all looking uniformly toward Yuan Cheng.
She immediately decided to rely on the large force and transmitted orders downward. “Water Snake, forty-five degrees southeast, advance.”
Seeing Mo Zi withdraw beside that man who said he’d come to marry her, Duan Geshou still waved his hand in pursuit, stopping several dozen zhang away and shouting, “Who dares marry my Daqiu’s empress?” Song Mo Zi could not marry someone from another country.
At these words, those on both sides who didn’t know Mo Zi’s identity began whispering to each other.
Mo Zi grew angry and strode quickly to the ship’s prow. She stepped onto the rail with both feet, grasping the flagpole with one hand while pointing at Duan Geshou with the other. “Who did you say is Daqiu’s empress?” Empty words slandering her reputation.
“Whoever marries him—” Duan Geshou never knew what fear meant. He imitated Mo Zi by pointing at Yuan Cheng, supremely arrogant. “—becomes my Daqiu’s empress.”
“Kiss my ass!” The one cursing was Chou Yu behind Yuan Cheng, his voice booming, breath sustained. “Never mind how many women the Daqiu King has married, why isn’t his empress staying in the palace? Who’s ever heard of an empress running around outside bandit strongholds?”
Not having seen her brothers for several days, hearing their voices both vindicated and delighted Mo Zi.
“Fine, let me rephrase.” Duan Geshou sneered coldly. “Who dares marry the woman my king wants to marry? Unless they’re not afraid of being devoured alive by Daqiu’s cavalry, they’re welcome to try.”
But Yuan Cheng wasn’t looking at Duan Geshou—he was looking at his bride, somewhat helpless, somewhat indulgent. “Mo Zi, if you have something to say, come down and say it. Standing on the ship’s rail, you’re not afraid of falling into the river, but I am. Normally it would be fine, but on this joyous day, I don’t want any more complications.” Though her beauty standing like an immortal by the river dazzled him, being so conspicuous also made her an easy target for archers.
Mo Zi looked up and flashed him a smile, leaping down gracefully. “Is this acceptable?”
“Yes.” Seeing Zan Jin and Ding Gou protecting her, he felt relieved.
“Surnamed Yuan, do you think I’m only trying to frighten you?” Yuan Cheng? Nande once had a Prime Minister Yuan with overwhelming power—this must be that person. He’d assisted the old emperor, then been exiled by the young one, yet now had become a powerful force overthrowing the emperor. Though his features were clear and bright, his brows handsome and elegant, his refined scholarly physique was something Daqiu men disdained. But at the same time, he had to admit that Yuan Cheng’s gaze that saw through everything in his calmness, and his leisurely stance amid strong winds, carried an imposing aura that prevented him from truly looking down upon him.
“General Duan has always been true to his word, so naturally Yuan wouldn’t think you’re trying to frighten me. However, you say what you will—the flesh is on Yuan’s body. If you want to devour me alive, you’ll have to see if you have the ability.” Seeing Duan Geshou’s ship drawing closer, Yuan Cheng asked, “The general continues advancing bravely—do you still want to fight this battle?”
Duan Geshou drew back his finger, clenching it into a fist, and had General Ge stop the ship. “You have more ships, but I’m not afraid.” Nande’s ships were the weakest among the four kingdoms—he could take down ten of theirs with one ship, no problem. Moreover, Tiger Stronghold’s ships were approaching them, and with He Meng in hand, they were essentially his reinforcements.
Yuan Cheng also saw the ships from the south, about twenty of them, all flying Tiger Stronghold’s flags.
Mo Zi quickly instructed Ding Gou to board Yuan Cheng’s ship and recount everything that had happened at Tiger Stronghold and the loss of the amnesty evidence.
Yuan Cheng was quiet for a moment, issued no commands, and said to Duan Geshou, “General, we Han people have an unwritten rule about marriages—since it’s an auspicious day, it shouldn’t be made bloody. I think this battle can be avoided if possible.”
Duan Geshou laughed heartily. “The coward uses a wedding as a shield! Miss Mo Zi, I see your taste in choosing men isn’t very good.”
“The last one was even worse.” Behind her back, Mo Zi made hand signals, and someone read the orders, quietly setting things in motion.
Duan Geshou knew whom Mo Zi referred to but didn’t care. He addressed Yuan Cheng again. “This battle can be avoided if you hand over Song Mo Zi.”
Yuan Cheng smiled. “General Duan abducts another man’s wife—could this be due to Daqiu’s fierce customs?”
Hearing him subtly mock his barbarism, Duan Geshou’s killing intent arose. He swiftly grabbed the bow at the ship’s prow and suddenly shot a fast arrow.
“Watch out!” Mo Zi shouted.
Yuan Cheng didn’t dodge. He didn’t need to, because Huayi was already before him.
Duan Geshou hadn’t expected this arrow to kill the opponent. “This is to make you watch your words. Daqiu’s wolf tribe won’t be slandered by lowly commoners.”
Mo Zi flared up. “Do you have ear problems? ‘Fierce’ was a compliment! Also, we’re lowly commoners, so you with half lowly commoner blood flowing in your veins are very noble?”
Duan Geshou’s mother was a Han merchant’s daughter. From birth, he’d been mocked and despised by his half-siblings. Because of these difficult experiences, he hated his impure bloodline more than others, yet inwardly he couldn’t help but lean toward Han people. But he had to pretend disdain in front of others—this contradiction caused his emotions to become somewhat twisted.
“Don’t think that because the king indulges you, I’ll let you insult me too.” In his emotional understanding, Mo Zi’s words were the greatest offense.
Mo Zi’s mind was clear, her eyes bright. She snorted coldly. “You’re truly pitiful. Desperately denying your mixed blood only makes the so-called pure-blooded nobles despise you more. And on the other side, we Han people treat you as one of them. You please neither side, resulting in only isolation. Duan Geshou, do you have friends? Not awed by your military achievements, not considering your birth, just for who you are as a person?” He didn’t.
Duan Geshou’s thin lips compressed into a sharp line.
“Meng’er! Meng’er!” On Tiger Stronghold’s ships, Madam He worried about her son, not noticing at all the strange atmosphere of intertwined joy and killing intent.
On the lead ship, standing at the prow was the dark man who had earlier let Mo Zi and her people leave. He could naturally see more clearly than Madam He. After frowning and ordering the ships to stop, he carefully assessed both sides.
Then he shouted a series of commands. “Daqiu ships! Prepare strike boards! Archers! Draw swords and blades! Hang nets!”
“Look clearly at who I am!” As Duan Geshou spoke, he had people bring up the now-awakened He Meng.
Calls for the Second Chief and Young Master rose and fell in succession.
The dark man seemed to command great respect. With one raised hand, the Zicao forces quieted. “Second Chief, why are you and Young Master on Daqiu ships?”
“Ping Laosi, the Tiger King and Zhang Laosan are dead.” Duan Geshou didn’t answer the dark man’s question first.
Madam He immediately fainted.
Ping Laosi’s eyes widened. “Who did it?”
Duan Geshou pointed at Mo Zi. “She and the people on that ship did it. Sending a sister to marry was just a pretense—they actually wanted to kill the Tiger King, then coordinate from inside and outside to let the Yiyuan Army swallow Tiger Stronghold. If I hadn’t been prepared and discussed this counter-scheme with the Tiger King, the stronghold would already be finished. I just never expected their hands to move so quickly, actually striking that very night. And Young Master wasn’t mad either—I warned him beforehand to be careful. When he noticed something wrong with the new bride, he borrowed the excuse of madness to board the ship and investigate. At that time we thought the Tiger King was being coerced by them, so we followed their instructions and left the stronghold, but who knew—” He sighed.
Listening, Mo Zi thought Duan Geshou was an outstanding actor.
Ping Laosi’s dark face turned toward Mo Zi. “Is what Second Chief says true?”
This question made Mo Zi detect something—this Ping Laosi was a reasonable person.
“Half true, half false.” Yuan Cheng took up the conversation. “He Hu and Zhang Mu being dead is true, but it’s not as this Daqiu general said—that our Yiyuan Army wanted to swallow Tiger Stronghold. Ping Laosi, are you the Fourth Chief?”
Ping Laosi nodded.
“The Tiger King detained envoys sent by Yuan without cause. We came up with the marriage plan to rescue them, never planning to kill anyone. However, the Tiger King went too far—not only forcing the envoy to marry his daughter, but also harboring evil intentions toward my wife and drugging the wine.” Yuan Cheng’s voice was cool.
He Hu’s lechery—Ping Laosi had long been angry but dared not speak. Moreover, he’d seen He Hu’s lustful appearance toward that Madam Song and personally received orders to guard the stronghold gates. Therefore, he believed seventy to eighty percent of Yuan Cheng’s words.
“Furthermore, He Hu voluntarily surrendered to the court, accepted the emperor’s amnesty edict, and was waiting for government troops to come take over.”
When Yuan Cheng said this, most of the Zicao forces erupted in uproar.