Chapter 12 The boy is truly wicked, he silences Huo Qin!
Xi Bingyi's excitement and novelty lasted only a short time. After the ship sailed on the sea, she immediately felt dizzy and disoriented. The swaying of the ship and the crashing waves made her extremely uncomfortable, and she went into her room after only a short time on the deck.
Zhang Yuanhan glanced at her worriedly and then instructed someone to send Xi Bingyi some hot water and herbs.
"It was my oversight. I didn't expect that it would be your first time on a ship, and you might feel a little seasick." Zhang Yuanhan lowered his head in self-reproach.
Zhou Ziheng was actually a little uncomfortable. Staring at the rolling waves for a long time made him feel like he was in some kind of hallucination, but he always pretended: "It's not your fault, it's Mei Le who didn't have the chance to see it. Look at me, I'm perfectly fine."
Huo Qin, who was truly clear-headed, did not expose him, but silently watched the undulating sea, not wanting to pay attention to Zhou Ziheng's nonsense.
After a while, Huo Qin advised, "You should go back to your room and rest. Otherwise, when you arrive and see your friend, you can't still look so listless."
Zhou Ziheng thought this made sense. He didn't want Xu Yi to see him in such a sorry state, so he said goodbye to Zhang Yuanhan and went back to his room to rest.
Huo Qin dismissed Zhou Ziheng and went to Zhang Yuanhan's side, asking, "I've heard that pirates are rampant at sea, but surely they won't challenge the Zhang family's authority?"
Zhang Yuanhan frowned and said, "It's hard to say. After all, they know Xu Yi isn't here, and they might do something outrageous."
Huo Qin narrowed his eyes, his tone ambiguous: "Is that so?"
After saying that, he used the excuse that he was tired of the scenery to return to his cabin to rest.
Zhang Yuanhan remained alone on the deck, watching the ship move steadily forward, lost in thought.
On the other side, Zhou Ziheng was not as tired or uncomfortable as he had imagined. He slowly unwrapped the cloth strips wrapped around the hilt of the Red Dust Sword and gently stroked the blade in the darkness, as if caressing a lover's body, with focused tenderness.
On the table to the side, three fiery red seeds lay scattered about. Zhou Ziheng looked at the orange-red curse mark on his arm. In the darkness, the curse mark and the seeds complemented each other, like a bloodthirsty beast.
"He who obtains the laurel-breaking seal will rule the world" is not just a joke. Despite being "cursed" by the laurel-breaking seal and having to endure excruciating pain on the fifteenth of every month, Zhou Ziheng had to admit that the laurel-breaking seal brought him unparalleled talent in swordsmanship.
Back in the Sword Tomb, all the swords would submit to him and be at his disposal if he so desired. It's not hard to imagine what kind of unparalleled swordsmanship the Master of the Osmanthus Seal would possess once it had absorbed enough flesh, blood, and soul to mature.
However, he had been on the sacred mountain since he could remember, and had very few opportunities to come down the mountain. How did Huo Qin know about the Order of the Laurel?
Zhou Ziheng held his sword horizontally before him, the cold light of the blade reflecting his icy eyes. With a whoosh, he sheathed the sword.
Xi Bingyi was sound asleep, oblivious to everything else; Zhou Ziheng was coldly contemplating his future; Huo Qin regretted boarding the pirate ship while feeling uneasy about the journey; Zhang Yuanhan calmly directed the cargo ship...
A boat, four people, each carrying different secrets and worries, steal a rare moment of peace on the seemingly calm sea.
After a short rest and adjusting to the dizziness, Zhou Ziheng returned to the deck and gazed into the distance.
Looking back, Zhuang Lan was already too far away to be seen. Only the sound of waves crashing against the hull remained. On the boundless sea, there was no way forward and no way back. On the vast and wide sea, humanity was as insignificant as a grain of sand.
Zhang Yuanhan appeared beside Zhou Ziheng at some point and said softly, "Every time I go out to sea, I feel a sense of insignificance."
"This insignificance isn't just in the face of nature." Perhaps the atmosphere was too quiet, he paused, his voice slightly low, and continued, "It's even more so in the face of my elder brother."
"Four years ago, my elder brother saved Xu Yi despite all the obstacles and gave him a place to stay. So Xu Yi... he was only willing to risk his life for my elder brother."
There was something in Zhang Yuanhan's eyes that Zhou Ziheng couldn't understand. He said wistfully, "Everyone only sees me as a pampered young master. They are willing to protect and fawn over me, but they are unwilling to hand over the family business to me."
"Because the eldest brother is more capable, more resourceful—and also has Xu Yi."
"Xu Yi is like a bargaining chip, a very important one in the Zhang family. But this chip belongs only to the eldest brother, so the eldest brother easily possesses everything in the Zhang family."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanhan stared into Zhou Ziheng's eyes, a hint of earnestness involuntarily appearing in his expression: "I don't want to be just a young master who only knows how to spend money and enjoy life. I don't want people to only remember Zhang Yuanqian's name when they mention the Zhang family a hundred years from now. I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with my elder brother. Do you understand?"
Zhou Ziheng suddenly realized, and continued following Zhang Yuanhan's words: "So, you want me to become your bargaining chip, a bargaining chip that belongs only to you."
Zhang Yuanhan nodded, his voice slightly soft: "Since my elder brother hired someone to kill me, it means I'm not entirely without ability, right? It means he has something to fear from me, right? In that case, why can't I compete with him?"
Zhou Ziheng remained silent.
"Why me? Wasn't it Mei Le who saved you back then?"
Zhang Yuanhan's cheeks flushed slightly, and he stuck out his tongue, saying, "How could I let a young lady do such a thing..."
Zhou Ziheng: "..."
Zhang Yuanhan's words were indeed very persuasive. A carefree young master who was pampered did not want a life of being protected. Perhaps it was that chase that changed him. So he craved a higher status and a life with more power, also in order to prove his own worth.
But Zhou Ziheng wasn't buying it. Orphaned and born into the world of martial arts, he was destined to be an untamed bird; how could he possibly stop for someone he didn't know?
So he shook his head and waved his hand: "I don't have that ability. Second Young Master, you should find someone more capable."
As the two were talking, Huo Qin, seemingly curious about what they were discussing, slowly walked over. Zhou Ziheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly pointed at him, saying, "I think Huo Qin is quite good. Let him help you seize power."
Huo Qin, who had just arrived and was unaware of what had happened, was speechless.
"Seize power?" Huo Qin rolled the two words over and over again, then smiled politely: "I'm afraid I'm not up to the task."
Zhang Yuanhan was neither discouraged nor embarrassed, but sighed and said, "I was rash. I hope Brother Ziheng and Brother Huoqin won't be angry."
Zhou Ziheng blinked and said considerately, "I understand, I understand. After all, anyone would be a little apprehensive if they knew their brother had hired someone to kill them."
Zhang Yuanhan lowered his eyes dejectedly and stopped speaking, which was taken as tacit agreement.
Before long, the sun touched the horizon, and the golden-orange sunlight shone on the waves, creating shimmering light and reflecting the still water. As the sun set, night enveloped the vast expanse of land. Perhaps the evening sunlight was too gentle, for the night became calm and peaceful.
Xi Bingyi returned to the deck and saw the transition from dusk to night. A gentle breeze blew through Xi Bingyi's hair, tugging at her hair ribbon, making her look graceful and independent.
"So beautiful..." Xi Bingyi couldn't help but exclaim, "The sunset over the sea is truly magnificent!"
Xi Bingyi briefly ignored her dizziness and discomfort, excitedly raising her arms to feel the sea breeze passing through her palms, as if she were about to ride the wind.
"I see the sea is calm. How much longer until we reach Xiqinhe?" Xi Bingyi asked.
Zhang Yuanhan pondered: "It could take as little as three days, or as long as five or six days."
"Although it looks calm now, the weather at sea is unpredictable. A strong wind may suddenly pick up soon. We also need to be careful of hidden reefs, not to mention the pirates hiding somewhere."
Xi Bingyi asked with some doubt: "Sea pirates? Would they dare to touch Zhang's ships?"
Zhang Yuanhan blinked and said to Xi Bingyi in the same tone, "After all, not every ship has Xu Yi."
Xi Bingyi nodded in agreement, "Although Xu Yi has a very bad personality, his swordsmanship is indeed quite good."
Zhang Yuanhan asked in surprise, "Sister Mei knows Xu Yi too?"
"Ah." Xi Bingyi came back to her senses. "I know him, but I'm not familiar with him. My senior brother should know him better."
Zhou Ziheng glared at the smiling Xi Bingyi and explained to Zhang Yuanhan, "Xu Yi often comes to our sect to play, so we all know each other, but Mei Le doesn't like him."
Zhang Yuanhan was surprised: "Really? But Xu Yi's character isn't bad, he's honest, how come he's not like the person you're talking about?"
Zhou Ziheng smiled nonchalantly: "Perhaps it's because of this great change that his personality has become more restrained."
Zhang Yuanhan listened, wanting to ask a whole host of questions: "Sister Mei, your senior brother uses a sword, so why do you use a whip?"
Xi Bingyi looked at Zhang Yuanhan with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong with that? My master still uses a fan, and my master's wife doesn't know any martial arts. What's the difference between learning something and learning something that suits you?"
"I don't have much talent in swordsmanship, but I've been wielding a whip since I was a child, and I'd say I've achieved some success."
While saying she had "achieved some success," Xi Bingyi's expression conveyed the message that she was "a whip expert."
While Huo Qin listened to their conversation, his mind was elsewhere.
Xi Bingyi is the "Mei Ji" among the three heroes. She also uses the pseudonym "Mei Le" to travel the world. This surname Mei reminds him of a famous sword-making family.
After a moment's thought, he politely waited until the three finished their conversation before asking, "Mei Le, are you... the young master of Plum Blossom Manor?"
Xi Bingyi rarely hid this matter, so she readily admitted it: "That's right, my mother was the owner of Plum Blossom Manor, but unfortunately she died young. Although I am nominally the young master, I haven't been in charge of Plum Blossom Manor for the past few years."
Huo Qin nodded, but then remembered Li Jin mentioning that his father had some connection with Plum Blossom Manor in his early years.
Zhou Ziheng glanced at Huo Qin, who was lost in thought again, and keenly realized that the other party was still hiding something from him.
So he and Xi Bingyi exchanged a glance and acted in unison, each supporting one of Huo Qin's arms. Zhou Ziheng supported his left arm, and Xi Bingyi supported his right arm. While Huo Qin was still lost in thought, the two of them lifted him up!
Zhang Yuanhan stared in disbelief: "What... what are you trying to do...?"
Zhou Ziheng deliberately put on an evil expression, while Xi Bingyi chuckled wickedly beside him: "Hehehe, Huo Qin knows our secret, so naturally we have to silence him!"
Helpless Huo Qin: "..."
Zhang Yuanhan, who believed it, said: "Huh? Maybe we shouldn't do this... Wait, then, wouldn't I also..."
Zhou Ziheng turned to Zhang Yuanhan and grinned maliciously, "That's right, you're next!"
The two actors' acting was so realistic that Zhang Yuanhan was terrified. Huo Qin also knew that he had "given up" his act. Perhaps Zhou Ziheng had noticed his unease over the past few days, which is why he came up with this farce to resolve his inner conflict.
He sighed, "I was just surprised that Mei Le was actually the young master of Plum Blossom Manor... I was just talking to Li Jin a few days ago, and he said that my father had some connection with Plum Blossom Manor in his early years, which is why I..."
Xi Bingyi said angrily, "So that's why you were so distracted; you were actually doubting me!"
Huo Qin quickly apologized and tried to appease him: "No, no, I didn't doubt you, I was just worried about my father."
Zhou Ziheng watched the spectacle from the sidelines. He knew all too well how difficult it was to coax Xi Bingyi, and at that moment he was cooperating with her, firmly lifting Huo Qin up.
Xi Bingyi threw a tantrum: "I'm not allowed to come down until you appease me today!"
Zhou Ziheng gloated, "You're not allowed to come down until you've appeased my junior sister!"
Zhang Yuanhan, oblivious to the situation, said: "Brother Huo... why don't you try to coax Sister Mei?"
Huo Qin was speechless: "..."
The four of them sat on the deck, under a sky full of stars, chatting about the past and the future. They were like the closest and most intimate friends, revealing their true feelings for a moment.
The ocean is vast, but our true feelings are insignificant.
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