When Bai Yan arrived, she led an army of 50,000 on a giant ship. On her return, she had another fleet, and the embroiderers who were traveling from Jiangnan to the capital lived in the cabins with their families.
“I heard that women in the capital don’t want to work in textile factories. If we go, we might be able to become managers!” a young girl said.
“My mother thinks so too. There are too many women in our Jiangnan textile factory. When we recruit embroiderers next time, they will need to be literate. It’s better to go to the capital and try our luck. If we can get a small manager position, we can earn at least two taels of silver a month!”
"Those people in the capital are really stupid, ignoring such a good place!"
"I heard that they were the ones who forced the princess out of the capital, which is why she came to our Jiangnan region. They even dared to curse the Bodhisattva and force her away. The abbot of the Buddhist temple said that those who harm the Bodhisattva will be punished!"
“My grandparents also said that the princess was a bodhisattva. The princess gave us land and provided us with food to eat. If it weren’t for the princess two years ago, my grandfather would have starved to death!”
"Grandpa said those scholars in the capital are petty and can't stand that a princess is a woman yet has such abilities! But I think those women in the capital are also stupid. What's a reputation compared to having gold and silver in your own hands? Ever since I started earning more than my father, he hasn't dared to yell at me anymore~"
“My dad was the same way. He used to treasure his donkey! Last year, when there was a lot of snow, he was worried I'd be late for work at the textile factory, so he made me ride his donkey!”
"When I get to the capital, I'm going to buy a horse to go to work. That would be so impressive!"
“I heard that the capital city provides dormitories for us embroiderers, so we don’t need to buy horses.”
"I'm going to buy it anyway, since I have the money."
"Then I'll buy it too!"
The two embroiderers exchanged a glance and both laughed. It was so nice to be able to earn money and spend it themselves.
...
At that moment, Bai Yan stood on the deck. She had traveled a thousand miles to Jiangling in a single day. She had been in Jiangnan for two years and now she was homesick and missed Consort Li in the palace, as well as her father, the emperor, who always wrote to her saying that he missed her.
"Princess, it's cold here."
A cloak was draped over her shoulders. Bai Yan looked up, and Meng Huaiyi was behind her. The warm cloak wrapped around her body and protected her from the cold river wind.
"General Meng, are you not afraid of what others will say now?" Bai Yan raised an eyebrow.
Meng Huaiyi said, "No one here can see this."
Bai Yan: ……
He clearly likes her, but he pretends that he has nothing to do with her.
"My father intends to find me another husband." She looked at Meng Huaiyi: "Perhaps I will get married after returning to the capital."
Meng Huaiyi had finally managed to find a time when no one would bother her and be alone with her all day, but he never expected to hear such news.
The joy in her heart turned into frustration: "Does the princess really have to get married?"
“I cannot disobey my father’s orders, General.” Bai Yan teased him deliberately, then put her hand on his shoulder again. “What should I do then? If I meet with you again, I’m afraid my husband will be angry.”
Meng Huaiyi became increasingly agitated. He wanted to ask her what she was thinking. Over the past two years, he sometimes felt that she liked him... But how could that be? How could someone like him, rejected by even the heavens, possibly win the favor of a princess?
If Your Majesty truly bestows a marriage upon the princess, then he must be the finest young man in the world.
At the very least, it shouldn't be someone like him, a knife used to kill, covered in blood that can never be washed away...
Bai Yan raised her hand to stroke his face, and could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression.
It's hard not to feel a little sorry for him. In this life, Meng Huaiyi lost both his parents and was burdened with the reputation of causing their deaths from a young age. In order to survive, he became a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) that was feared by many. Bai Yan dared not think about the suffering he endured in his childhood and past.
But seeing that he doesn't even believe she likes him anymore, she only feels sorry for him.
"General, don't think about what will happen next." Bai Yan gently kissed his cheek: "Isn't the pleasure right now real too?"
Meng Huaiyi's eyes darkened, and he lowered his head to let her kiss his lips.
"Hold me," Bai Yan instructed.
Meng Huaiyi obediently embraced her and, as she instructed, removed their clothes.
The ship was rocking, and its movements were beyond human control. He could also relax a little, no longer having to always worry about his status and obey her orders... to be her male concubine.
"It's too heavy, General Meng..." Bai Yan was somewhat lost in thought.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, the waves were too big just now."
Bai Yan glared at him fiercely, seeing his calm and composed expression, but in this situation, it was obviously not very effective.
Inside the cabin, Hongping thought that the princess would need to take a bath after coming down, so she instructed the maids to boil water.
"Is the princess on the deck?" Dan Niang lifted her skirt to go up, but she was stopped by Hong Ping after only two steps: "Stop! Don't!"
Dan Niang had already poked her head out and saw two snow-white arms hanging from the broad, powerful back of the man on the deck...
Her face turned bright red, and she quickly stepped back.
“I told you not to go up!” Hongping said.
Dan Niang covered her face: "How could I have thought of this..." The princess is really something else. She summons people over every night in the mansion, and even on the boat she is still talking about this. She is really bold and is not afraid of being seen.
"I see the princess is quite fond of this General Meng, coaxing him every day. Humph, but he always has a cold face, acting like a stranger when he sees the princess. I don't know what the princess likes about him," Hongping said. "He's not as good as Lord Liu, always smiling, so charming."
Dan Niang glanced at her with a smile: "You little girl, of course you wouldn't understand."
Lord Liu is just a weak scholar, while General Meng is a general. He is tall and imposing when dressed, and he is also very powerful when undressed... Thinking back to that fleeting glimpse just now, you can tell how strong he is just by looking at his waist. No wonder the princess said that he tasted the essence of the bone.
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