Cui'er slumped on the damp wooden planks of the ferry crossing, the wound on her right arm staining half of her sleeve dark red, blood mixed with rainwater seeping onto the planks.
Her lips were pale from blood loss, yet she still gripped Lu Jingze's robe tightly, her nails almost digging into the brocade's texture.
"Your Highness...the Empress was taken away by that awning boat...it has been half a day..." He coughed violently before he could finish speaking.
"Send the order!" Lu Jingze stood up and shouted, "Mobilize the navy to blockade all tributaries along the coast of Peizhou!"
The torrential rain lashed his brow bone, trickling down his taut jawline and forming streams.
"Your Highness, you mustn't!" Zhou Han rushed forward, water droplets rolling off his raincoat with each movement. "The Peizhou River system is extensive, and it's currently flood season. The river is rising a thousand miles a day; it's impossible to send a navy to blockade it!"
He pointed to the misty river surface, "Look at these surging waves..."
Lu Jingze gazed at the vast expanse of the river, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and the bloodstains from the reins binding the river for days trickled down between his fingers.
Zhou Han was right. The Peizhou River is a well-connected waterway; it leads southeast to Mingzhou, southwest to the southern regions, and can even be used to bypass the currents and travel north...
Zhou Yun'an's move of escaping like a cicada's shell was incredibly ruthless!
The rain grew heavier, with large raindrops pounding on the river surface, creating countless silver needles, and a mist carrying the fishy smell of water wafted over.
"Guards, take this young lady back to the city to heal her wounds." He took off his scarlet cloak and wrapped it around Cui'er, his eyes flashing coldly as he turned. "Prepare twenty light boats, with experienced sailors familiar with the reefs."
——-
The covered boat moved slowly across the river, the bamboo canopy pattering against the raindrops with a delicate rhythm.
Wang Xiuxiu leaned against the cabin wall, the red marks on her wrists from the silk ribbons standing out starkly against her pale skin.
The drugging for days had left her mentally exhausted, but now that its effects were wearing off, she was finally able to see the scene inside the cabin clearly.
Tea leaves swayed in the celadon teacup on the low table, and the air was filled with the faint scent of incense.
"Sailing is too boring," Zhou Yun'an suddenly said, a strand of hair tied up with a jade hairpin hanging down, gleaming like satin in the light of the oil lamp.
He lightly tapped the sandalwood chessboard with his fingertips, the black and white chess pieces trembling slightly as the boat rocked. "I'll keep you awake and talk to you."
Wang Xiuxiu sneered, her voice still somewhat hoarse: "What, even Lord Zhou finds this boring?"
She deliberately scraped her fingernails across the chessboard, making a screeching sound. "I thought someone like you would even treat leisure time with scheming."
Zhou Yun'an wasn't annoyed. Instead, he slightly raised his lips and pushed the chessboard towards her: "Do you know how to play chess?"
Wang Xiuxiu looked up at him, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.
Not wanting to provoke him further and risk being drugged and falling into a coma, she refrained from further sarcastic remarks and simply said coldly, "I know a little."
Zhou Yun'an smiled: "That's perfect."
The two played chess, and the only sound in the cabin was the soft clatter of chess pieces hitting the board.
Zhou Yun'an's chess skills are superb, his layout is meticulous, and he proceeds step by step. Few people can last so many rounds against him.
Although Wang Xiuxiu was not as shrewd as him, she was steady in her moves and occasionally made a brilliant move, which even made him raise his eyebrows slightly.
"You're not bad." He looked up at her, his tone even carrying a hint of admiration.
Wang Xiuxiu held a black chess piece between her fingers, and upon hearing this, she scoffed lightly: "Chess etiquette reflects character. Lord Zhou's chess style is indeed unpredictable..."
Instead of being angry, Zhou Yun'an laughed and even asked with great interest, "As expected what?"
Wang Xiuxiu was slightly surprised to see that he was still not angry, but she did not show it on her face. She simply said, "It's nothing, let's play chess."
Zhou Yun'an chuckled softly, not pressing for details, but instead stroking the chess piece with his fingertips, a fleeting, unfathomable emotion flashing in his eyes.
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