Chapter 69 has arrived.
At midnight, the boat swayed gently with the waves.
Moonlight streamed through the window, and amidst Yang Liuqing's even breathing, Yan Dibai stared indifferently at her sleeping face.
Before we knew it, more than half a month had passed on the ship.
After officially moving into the first room of the east wing that day, their identities were officially confirmed. Lu Xi felt he had him under control. For the first two days, he maintained some politeness, but after Zhang deliberately showed his ineptitude several times, Zhang's inherent arrogance and pride were no longer concealed. Bored on the waterway, Lu Xi would often order someone to call him over to talk when the mood struck him. Each time, Lu Xi and Mr. Zhang would sit there and talk about local products, geography, and emperors throughout history. They would discuss everything under the sun. Finally, Lu Xi would offer him tea and ask for his opinion from a superior position.
Yan Dibai answered half-truthfully, and it wasn't difficult for him to deal with the situation.
Although Lu Xi came from one of the four prominent families of Wuxing, he had been confined to Jiangdong for many years and his experience was no more extensive than that of the imperial palace.
Although the domestic affairs during his reign were extremely corrupt, the rare treasures and geographical records accumulated by emperors throughout history far surpassed those of local noble families. To be honest, Lu Xi's speech often revealed a touch of pettiness. He was still aching from a bunch of injuries, and the abrasive effects of the medicine were constantly causing trouble; listening to such tasteless things every day was utterly boring. Therefore, Yan Dibai had been feigning illness these past few days, returning to his room halfway through his journey to meet Yang Liuqing's gaze.
But today's events made him serious—Lu Xi received another letter from home, discussing the frequent ambushes and killings of passing ships by water bandits.
Zhang Bian brought it up first, and Lu Xi frowned but did not stop him.
Yan Dibai listened to the whole story without hesitation.
The waterways of Jiangzuo are interconnected in all directions. Apart from the four prominent families, there are many other lesser-known clans and households that make a living by the river.
The best paddy fields were all occupied by powerful families, and ordinary people could not resist. If they wanted to have enough to eat, they could only rely on this vast river. As a result, almost everyone in Jiangzuo was good at swimming, and those with a little wealth would definitely own a small boat to fish with nets for a living.
It's barely enough to make ends meet.
These are simple, honest people. Those who are not content with this, however, rely on this body of water, gathering in groups armed with guns and knives. At first, they robbed larger fishing boats, then smaller merchant ships. Their appetites grew more and more demanding over the decades, and they became increasingly arrogant, even blocking government ships.
When Yan Dibai first ascended the throne, he had vaguely heard of the notorious reputation of the Jiangzuo river bandits. At that time, he was young, and this level of government affairs relied on Prime Minister Lin and several other important ministers to handle. He could not really get involved and was just a person who stamped documents.
When Prime Minister Lin grew old and frail and handed the reins over to him, Yan Dibai looked at the perfectly intact memorial presented to him, but hesitated to write any comments in red ink.
Jiangzuo is too far from the capital, and the emperor's authority cannot reach it. Over the years, the river bandits have long since ceased to be the "bandits" they once were, but rather... "thieves" mixed with various forces.
The Yan and Jin kingdoms had long been riddled with problems, barely surviving for decades, but everyone tacitly pretended to be at peace.
Now that the powerful clans of the north have set a precedent by no longer bothering to conceal their true intentions, everyone else has also stopped pretending. This "water bandit" has openly revealed himself, directly confronting everyone.
In the letter from the Lu family, they suspected that the "pirates" who robbed their cargo ship were actually Gu in disguise.
The entire Lu family was furious and sent their own hired "water bandits" to retrieve the boat, but they were ambushed halfway there, and all the people on board were trapped together and drowned in the river. Madam Lu went to demand an explanation, but to no avail, and had to return home dejectedly. The old master Lu was so angry that he made Lu drink three bowls of ginseng soup. Lu Xing took the opportunity to act docile and take care of the ailing man for five days.
With a dark expression, Lu Xi asked Mr. Zhang if he had any ideas. Mr. Zhang pondered for a long time before turning his gaze to Yan Dibai, who was sitting upright.
"I wonder what Ah Bai's opinion is?"
Yan Dibai immediately realized that this was a test of his abilities and a probe of his true strength.
Zhang Bian deliberately instigated this, and Lu Xi trusted him completely, so it was only natural that Yan Dibai had to hand over the results.
This first step is a major challenge.
Yan Dibai was not familiar with the distribution of the Jiangzuo water area.
Under the watchful eyes of the two men, each with their own hidden thoughts, Yan Dibai sheepishly voiced his concerns. Lu Xi was unusually lenient, sending someone to deliver a waterway map for him to study. Yan Dibai opened it and, upon seeing it, sneered inwardly.
Even if he didn't know much about Jiangzuo, he had at least read the Waterways Classic of the previous dynasty. Jiangzuo's waterways crisscrossed like a spiderweb. Although a century had passed and the rivers' courses had changed, this waterway map only showed the Tianmen Rapids, the Jianjiang River, and the Huai River—a few major waterways. The remaining tributaries and smaller streams were either only partially depicted or completely absent. The paper was wrinkled and worn, clearly drawn decades ago.
Yan Dibai scoffed coldly. This Lu Xi was truly stingy. Knowing full well that he had read the Commentary on the Waterways Classic, he still gave him this tattered book and asked him to come up with a solution.
You want him to help, but you also have to be careful that he doesn't actually help.
Naturally, no decision was made immediately. Yan Dibai stated that he needed to inspect the area in Jiangzuo before discussing the details. Lu Xi agreed and had him carried back to his room in the middle of the night.
When he entered, Yang Liuqing was already fast asleep, the scent of soap wafting from her disheveled hair. The entire room was filled with a light fragrance.
Yan Dibai had been sitting at the door for a while, staring at her, but instead of calling her to come and pull him onto the bed as he used to.
Yang Liuqing was sleeping soundly.
On her first night on the ship, she slept until late morning. When Lu Xi, who came to visit Shi En, woke her up, she was still confused and could barely get up.
Lu Xi was displeased, clearly annoyed that she was unruly for not waking up early to pay her respects.
In fact, Yan Dibai deliberately did not wake Yang Liuqing when Lu Xi arrived.
"..."
Yan Dibai looked at her eyes, which were less dark under them, and a vague feeling silently passed through his heart.
She had given her all along the way, and was utterly exhausted. After the decision to move to Jiangzuo was made, the capital became a place of abandonment. All the fear and torment she had carried on her shoulders were finally lifted, how could she not be weary?
He watched as she unconsciously clutched the blanket in her sleep, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
When Yang Liuqing was serving by his side, she never seemed to neglect her duties by sleeping in. No matter what, Yang Liuqing always kept her responsibilities in mind, completely embracing her identity as a palace maid.
This was the first time he had met Yang Liuqing in such a long time.
Undeniably, he found it strange that Yang Liuqing could also be a sleepyhead.
Yan Dibai suddenly made a silent pursing of her lips.
With her only intact arm supporting her weight, Yan Dibai slowly moved forward, her clothes rustling against the ground. The sound wasn't loud, but it was quite distinct in the desolate night.
A thin layer of sweat beaded on Yan Dibai's forehead. He had barely made it halfway when the boat began to rock gently again. A short, steady creak followed by the sound of the waves made Yan Dibai pause and looked out the window.
"Did a big fish run into you? Stop looking, let's go back to sleep." Someone outside spoke with a thick nasal tone. Yan Dibai turned his gaze back, and the girl on the floor groggily opened her eyes, looking at him blankly.
Her face, half-hidden in her hair, was small and narrow, and her eyes beneath the hair were soft and misty, with a sticky, moist look.
Yan Dibai suddenly stopped moving.
Qingqing blinked, processing the jumbled dream she'd just had, and her mind finally cleared a bit. In the slanting moonlight streaming through the window, a figure sitting cross-legged filled her vision.
Qingqing snapped out of her daze, wrapped herself in the blankets, and got up: "You're back."
She had been worried for a long time.
Yan Dibai was covered in injuries and exhausted. She had been discussing things until late at night for several days in a row, and she couldn't possibly keep up. But the overwhelming drowsiness was too strong. She tried several times to wait for someone to come back, but she couldn't manage it and was dragged into her dreams.
Qingqing was a little annoyed. How come she didn't even hear the door open? She went to help the person.
Yan Dibai pursed her lips, and just as those slender hands were about to encircle her armpits and waist, she suddenly stepped aside to avoid Yang Liuqing's help.
“I can go up by myself.” His voice was slightly muffled.
Qingqing was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Your left rib and right arm are both broken, how can you exert any strength?"
The addictive medication from Yan Xifang in Yan Dibai's system seems to be holding up for now, without the frequent and terrifying flare-ups of the past. The few times he felt unwell, they were all mild and happened at night; once he broke out in a sweat, the effects of the medication wore off.
But the physical injuries were real. The food provided on the ship mainly consisted of fish and shrimp. Fish is high in protein and shrimp is high in calcium, which are good ingredients for promoting fracture healing. However, due to the previous deficit, Yan Dibai's fractures were not healing quickly, and there was a considerable gap between the two months predicted by the doctor who was unaware of the situation.
Therefore, Yang Liuqing carried Yan Dibai up and down in a half-princess carry throughout these nights.
At first, he stiffened uncomfortably, but he simply looked away and said nothing.
But a couple of days ago, Qingqing noticed that Yan Dibai seemed to be a little resistant. However, the resistance was not obvious, and he always had a grumpy look on his face, so she didn't pay attention and continued to change his dressings and wipe his body.
Today… Qingqing’s smile was even gentler, with a hint of coaxing: “Your Majesty, Ah Bai, go to sleep early. Resting is the most important thing.”
Yan Dibai: "..."
He stared at the face that appeared softer and more delicate in the moonlight, and for a moment he felt depressed.
I'm so frustrated.
She bathed him, washed his clothes, fed him, and applied medicine. Yang Liuqing took everything for granted. Even the discomfort she felt last time when wiping his crotch was only momentarily forgotten.
He couldn't help but think of those days when he was in a daze, how... pathetic and disgusting he felt.
At that time, he felt nothing in his body, and she didn't mention it at all. Occasionally, he had the illusion that nothing had happened. He could continue to ignore it. Ignore her, with that indifferent face, as she casually did everything that couldn't be explained.
Although his body had improved slightly, he was still weak and powerless. He couldn't resist; he couldn't even easily push away the towel Yang Liuqing was using to wipe his body. Yet, his senses were gradually returning, and occasionally, when she inadvertently touched a certain spot, he would shamefully tremble secretly.
But it still couldn't do anything.
Despite having both hands and feet, they are equally disabled.
This is Yan Dibai, the tyrant and deposed emperor that the various noble families wanted, along with his elder sister Yan Feng'an.
Qingqing was at a loss under his increasingly strange gaze. Following Yan Dibai's gaze, she touched her face, but there was nothing there.
She thought for a moment, then tentatively touched the scar that had just fallen off her forehead: "This... it suddenly fell off by itself when I was applying the medicine last night, and the new flesh doesn't match the color, so it doesn't look very good."
Yan Dibai's deep, watery eyes suddenly twitched as she noticed the small scar.
Silence fell again.
Qingqing pursed her lips, not quite understanding why Yan Dibai had suddenly fallen silent.
She had actually noticed it too. In the twenty-odd days since Yan Dibai boarded the ship, his personality had gradually changed. He became often silent, often lost in thought, and often frowned slightly.
She had been curious about the things he and Lu Xi had discussed. Yan Dibai didn't refuse to tell her about these conversations, but he didn't bring them up himself either. She couldn't figure out his attitude, but she felt that Yan Dibai wouldn't do anything bad to them.
She was also waiting, waiting for Yan Dibai to finally put his mind at ease.
However, he probably wouldn't say anything at this moment. She wasn't in a hurry, and besides, Qingqing was also planning how to find her own value after arriving in Jiangzuo.
Gain trust, establish a foothold, and watch the swallows return to the Central Plains.
In the still of the night, the girl's eyes curved into a gentle, welcoming smile.
She tugged at the hem of her ill-fitting coarse linen clothes, then sat cross-legged and said to the boy, "If you don't want to sleep on the bed, why don't you sleep on the floor? You can add a blanket; you won't be cold."
She remembered one time when Yan Dibai, in a fit of madness, dragged her to lie down in the main hall and sleep with him. After they slept together, he returned to normal.
The bed must have been at a certain height; perhaps he was suffering from a relapse of his imperial illness, feeling ashamed and angry but unwilling to admit it, so he made this gesture.
Qingqing didn't think anything of it; on the contrary, she was quite understanding. But once the mattress was removed from the bed, there was nothing left, and she didn't really want to sleep in an empty bed.
Yan Dibai was taken aback.
Qingqing, however, had already swiftly brought over the bedding and laid it out, even patting it to indicate that she was doing so.
The girl who used to always have her head down now radiated an irresistible glow. She urged softly, "Come on? I'll sleep next to you, I won't disturb Ah Bai."
Yan Dibai's gaze swept over her face and fair neck. Suddenly, his throat bobbed, and as if possessed, he moved his gaze upwards little by little.
She patiently and respectfully waited for him to enter, then spread out the blankets and wrapped them both up. Yan Dibai was still dazed when he lay down, but Yang Liuqing tucked him in without any hesitation. Her hair, which smelled of soap pods, brushed back and forth, covering half of the blankets, and finally a strand fell on his cheek.
"If you feel unwell, just call me, Ah Bai." After she said this, he heard her even breathing.
After a while, Yan Dibai turned his head to the side.
Yang Liuqing was sleeping with her back to him, with a person's distance between them.
Yan Di's hand, hidden under the white blankets, suddenly clenched, only slowly releasing after a long while. His fingertips twirled around a strand of hair, and the boy closed his eyes tightly.
After an unknown period of time, calm human voices suddenly rang out from the side room.
"Yangliuqing".
“…Mmm.” She mumbled a response instinctively, still half asleep.
"Is dominating the world really that good?" Everyone is vying for something he's grown tired of.
"..."
She was fast asleep and did not answer.
The owner of the voice chuckled softly, "Perhaps, it is very good." This piece of the Lu family's chessboard must be seized as soon as possible.
Under the vast heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king.
The single character "王" (king) encompasses the entire land.
He gripped the black hair tightly in his hand, and from a distance, he slowly felt the warmth of the body.
...
After several more days of sailing, Qingqing had rested enough and stood on the deck looking into the distance.
The mountains stretch endlessly, unlike those in Shangjing. Here, the air is shrouded in mist, and the sky is a clear blue.
Yan Dibai emerged from the council chamber, taking only a few steps before his strength gave out. He braced himself for a moment, then sat down as Zhang Bian had instructed. He thanked Zhang Bian, then turned to see Yang Liuqing approaching in wooden clogs, smiling at him.
"We've arrived in Jiangzuo!"
Yan Dibai was momentarily dazzled, his gaze settling on her refreshed face, which seemed to be caressed by the gentle breeze. After a moment of silence, he looked behind Qingqing.
Blue sky and green fields, a light drizzle.
This is Jiangzuo.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
