Tonight was long, but finally returning to Great Zhou waters brought involuntary relief.
What seemed like easy checkpoint passage and ship capture wasn’t actually that easy. Sometimes, it’s not the loud commotion that’s intense. In the belly of the Jiao, Mo Zi’s side had people lose their lives and people get injured—it was killing with sounds swallowed into the belly, a desperate fight of either your death or mine. Since entering Daqiu, even the boldest had carefully clenched their fists and counted the days cautiously.
In the cabin, one oil lamp, several people sitting in a circle, shadows crowding the corners.
Mo Zi looked at the map and asked, “How do we proceed from here?”
Xiao Wei pointed at the water fortress nearest their position. “Here is where Prince Su’s great army is stationed. We can enter from there.”
Yuan Cheng pondered deeply, his gaze still moving across the map.
Mo Zi had completely not understood Great Zhou’s border garrison situation before this day, but the doubt she raised hit the point precisely. “We’re executing His Majesty’s secret edict. His Majesty said we cannot seek aid from local authorities. If we go through the water fortress, this edict will be leaked.”
“This time we’ve caused an uproar in Daqiu. Great Zhou’s side won’t be able to conceal it for long either.” Yuan Cheng wasn’t worried about this, because this was precisely his objective. “However, Mo Zi, your identity is now awkward. Though you never wanted to be Daqiu’s Queen, there’s no guarantee Daqiu won’t make unreasonable demands to exchange you. Everyone on this ship has weathered hardships together along the way, so naturally no one could hand you over. But Prince Su won’t think that way. As soon as he sees you and knows the ins and outs of the matter, he’ll inevitably make things difficult for you in the future, and might even use you as a hostage to threaten the Daqiu King.” Saying this, he glanced at Xiao Wei. He was despicable, he knew. As long as Xiao Wei harbored feelings for Mo Zi, he had to gamble on this. Gamble that Xiao Wei would collude with him, Yuan Cheng.
Xiao Wei was startled, immediately understanding that what Yuan Cheng said was completely correct. At the temple, he had witnessed with his own eyes the Daqiu King’s joy and his genuinely caring protection of Mo Zi. In the future, the Daqiu King might threaten to start a war to exchange for Mo Zi—the possibility was extremely high. In that case, Mo Zi’s fate would be sealed. One, be handed over as a sacrifice. Two, be used as a tool to torment the Daqiu King. Whichever it was, the process and result would absolutely not be pleasant.
“But when it really comes to that step, Prince Su and the others will still find out. Just one portrait—I’m quite famous in the capital. Those colleagues idly raising flowers at home will compete to offer me up.” Mo Zi was rather dismissive. In her heart, she vaguely felt the road ahead would be vastly different from what she’d previously imagined.
“They’ll find out, but not everything. Because even on the Daqiu side, they don’t know the details. I, General Xiao, even most of the people on this ship—the Daqiu people have no impression of us at all. Entirely because you alone attracted all the attention, and in the end, Daqiu people can only take it for granted that Great Zhou people did it. But where’s the evidence? Empty words are no proof.” Yuan Cheng smiled calmly.
“And on Great Zhou’s side, apart from the people on this ship, no one knows what happened in Daqiu. Chu Yu has left. If we keep our mouths shut, we can temporarily even conceal it from His Majesty. By the time they send the portrait to the capital, that will be another month’s matter.”
The more Zhong An listened, the more chilled he became. “Concealing such a major matter from His Majesty—once it’s exposed, we’ll all lose our heads.”
“I didn’t say we’d conceal it from His Majesty. It’s just a comparison. What I mean is, minimize the chances for border generals to see Mo Zi, lest when the time comes, they’re too lazy to think and exert effort, and the first thing they think of is using Mo Zi as the target. In a war, initial morale is most important. If you first feel guilty and indebted to the enemy, wanting to exchange people or things for some peace, you’ll definitely lose. In the final analysis, whether or not Mo Zi is in Great Zhou, Daqiu will always find ways to attack. So when Daqiu demands Great Zhou hand over someone, we can righteously and grandly deny it.” Yuan Cheng had actually been thinking about this for a long time. Directly entering Great Zhou territory would certainly encounter such problems.
Xiao Wei said slowly, “It needn’t be so absolute. Prince Su isn’t unaware of Daqiu’s ambitions. As long as we explain clearly, he may not make things difficult for Mo Zi in the future.”
Wei Jia also said, “So what if Mo Zi’s identity becomes known to the whole world? She herself doesn’t want to be any Queen. Just because Daqiu people want her, should we obediently hand her over? If the Daqiu King wants our heads, will Great Zhou also present them with both hands? As Minister Yuan said, Daqiu will attack sooner or later anyway.”
“Mo Zi is different.” Yuan Cheng shook his head. “She was originally from Daqiu, childhood friends with the Daqiu King. And her father and brother willingly became Daqiu spies. The fall of Yuling was inseparable from these two.” Seeing Mo Zi staring at him, he stopped.
Mo Zi wasn’t blaming him. She sighed. “You’re not wrong. Daqiu isn’t as weak as Nande either, keeping silent about escaped criminals, letting them become high officials in other countries.”
Yuan Cheng raised his eyebrows. Was this putting him in that category?
He smiled and continued, “Once Mo Zi’s identity is exposed, to pass through safely, there must be two prerequisites. First, delay time to gain His Majesty’s protection. Second, prove to Great Zhou’s ministers that using Mo Zi to exchange for peace is far less valuable than Mo Zi’s talents and contributions to the Great Zhou-Daqiu war. Both conditions require time to demonstrate. Therefore, I believe we can pass through Prince Su’s command, but we cannot push Mo Zi to the forefront.”
Saying this, Yuan Cheng looked at Xiao Wei. “General Xiao, this depends on you.”
Xiao Wei’s gaze swept past Mo Zi, then looking at Yuan Cheng, he turned and walked toward the deck. “I need to think carefully.”
Since joining the military, he had never concealed something so major, and still didn’t know exactly what to do. He wasn’t stupid either—he knew Yuan Cheng was manipulating his feelings for Mo Zi. But involving Mo Zi’s life, he couldn’t quarrel with this person and make a decision he’d regret for life.
“General Xiao, you only have half an hour.” Yuan Cheng watched Xiao Wei leave.
Wei Jia and Zhong An also left.
Mo Zi sat across from Yuan Cheng. “Yuan Cheng, I know you’ve been painstakingly thoughtful.”
Yuan Cheng held her hand, but his gaze didn’t leave the map. “Mo Zi, you and I both have reasons we must return to Great Zhou.” He actually sighed. “I cannot prevent Great Zhou from using you as a bargaining chip, but I can slow down when all this happens. You—understand?”
“I understand.” She still wanted to see the Min family, and Sanniang and Bai He, and Hongyu Shipyard. Though the time in Great Zhou was very short, almost all her friends were made during this period.
“And Great Zhou and Daqiu must become irreconcilable because of this.” He hadn’t left the slightest room for reconciliation between the two countries.
“When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits. It’s for Jin Yin.” How could she not see clearly?
“No.” But he denied it. “It’s for yours and my future.” Jin Yin—one, didn’t need his scheming; two, was always merely incidental.
“I’ll trust you then.” She smiled and stood up, wanting to go see Dou Lu.
“Trust me then.” Yuan Cheng released her hand. Romantic sentiments didn’t need constant reluctance to part and clinging tightly. Water flows, feelings don’t break—knowing is enough.
Mo Zi walked into Dou Lu’s room. Jin Yin had left, the surprise attack on the enemy ship—all missed while sleeping. Was this good or not? Hard to decide.
She came forward and saw Dou Lu’s entire head buried under the quilt. First she found it amusing, then she understood.
Feigning sleep—
“Dou Lu, stop pretending to sleep.” Mo Zi pulled the quilt down. “No one sleeps like this, because you’ll suffocate.”
Two beautiful eyes were revealed, slightly red. “Sister, I can’t bear to part with Yi Liang and Qian Liang Bai Liang.” Though their time together was short, they were like family.
Mo Zi smiled. “Why not just say you can’t bear to part with Jin Yin?”
Dou Lu thought before answering, “He’s very capable. Even alone, he can prolong his life.” So she wasn’t that reluctant to part.
“…How do you mean by that?” Mo Zi rarely heard such an assessment.
“His childhood was very bitter.” Dou Lu’s brows lightly drew together, showing faint sorrow, beauty beyond words. “He was harmed too many times. He said given the same most poisonous poison, he could hold on longer than others. He was once poisoned, and even the imperial physicians thought he was certainly dead, but his mother’s secret medicine saved him. However, he was sickly for a year, falling into comas several times. The last time he was unconscious for seven days. When he woke, his mother had already been cremated, and he was sitting in a carriage headed to Daqiu.”
That was a past Jin Yin had never revealed to either Mo Zi or Yuan Cheng, but Dou Lu knew of it. How she knew was a matter between the two of them.
Jin Yin, beneath that frivolous exterior, endured resentment and attacks ordinary people could hardly imagine. And all of this came from his blood relatives. Compared to Yuan Cheng’s family destroyed and everyone killed, compared to Mo Zi’s emotional setbacks, his pain was very difficult to resolve. Because when the people who harmed him died, he also lost his family. When he could laugh freely, he bore the debts of his enemies.
“Perhaps, as a friend, I was somewhat cruel to him.” Mo Zi murmured.
Dou Lu didn’t understand her sister’s words, but she didn’t ask, because she believed what she should know, sister wouldn’t fail to explain clearly. Just like how sister didn’t let her see him off, clearly telling her Jin Yin’s situation was dangerous and she didn’t want her to go suffer.
“Sister isn’t cruel. It was also the young master who refused to take me. He said I’m foolish and would drag him down. I think so too—apart from growing flowers, I can’t even sew clothes. It’s just that I still owe the young master two things. Until I repay them, my heart will always remember.” But Dou Lu’s emotions weren’t melancholy. “After I learn some combat skills from sister, I’ll go find the young master.”
“Dou Lu, do you like Jin Yin?” A woman’s feelings for someone should be very easy to see through, but Mo Zi couldn’t read Dou Lu’s. One moment it felt like she cared quite a bit, the next moment it felt businesslike.
“He’s a good person.” After considering for a long time, Dou Lu answered.
Good person—in Mo Zi’s dictionary, would never be equated with lover.
“A good person?” Jin Yin should laugh himself to death. Even if he were categorized as a good person, he’d be a rare species. “He’s left. You won’t feel upset? Won’t miss him? Won’t worry?”
“It’s not like we’ll never see each other again.” Her finger tips like scallions showed outside the quilt, crystal clear and translucent. “What I’m most worried about is Qian Liang Bai Liang—without martial skills and loving to show off, what if they provoke skilled martial artists?”
Mo Zi had to admit, her sister’s love was still in a quite distant place.
That was fine too. Seventeen or eighteen years old—she shouldn’t be in puppy love.