Chapter 78: Everyone's giving a performance, just waiting for the bad guys to come knocking.
The blessing ceremony officially began with three melodious chimes and solemn drum music.
The massive hull of the "Wan'an" began to move slowly, smoothly departing from the dock and heading towards the center of the shimmering Mirror Lake.
Chu Chongjin, dressed in a princely robe with nine dragon patterns, climbed alone onto the temporary platform erected at the bow of the ship.
He stood tall and solemn, holding a bright yellow eulogy scroll, facing the vast lake.
His voice, amplified by his inner strength, was exceptionally loud and clear, resounding throughout the entire giant ship and even reaching the small boats watching the ceremony in the distance.
"In the twenty-third year of the reign of Emperor Deyou of the Great Chu Dynasty, the year of Gui Mao, on an auspicious day in the autumn month..."
He read aloud a eulogy praising the emperor's boundless grace and praying for the river god's protection, wishing the people of Jiangnan good weather and abundant harvests, and that they would be forever free from floods.
The guests on the ship stopped smiling, stood with their hands at their sides, and became solemn, creating a dignified and quiet atmosphere on the deck.
Among the crowd, Qian Wansan, the president of the Jiayu County Chamber of Commerce, seemed somewhat absent-minded.
His eyes flickered, sometimes glancing at the Ninth Prince on the high platform whose voice shook the surroundings, and sometimes seemingly casually observing the deployment and number of Xuanjia soldiers around the deck.
Everything went too smoothly.
This extreme success, ironically, tightened the string of "vigilance" in his heart, causing him to feel intense unease.
Last night, following Sikong Ming's instructions, he dispatched his most elite water ghost squad. Their mission was to infiltrate the bottom of the Wan'an and prepare for today's operation.
But that team has been missing ever since.
And now, he himself is also on this giant ship known as the "floating palace".
Only then did he belatedly realize that this was not a cruise ship at all, but a veritable "floating fortress".
He was surrounded by Chu Chongjin's men. The soldiers, clad in black armor and with their hands on the hilts of their swords, had eyes as sharp as knives, silently monitoring everyone.
This is hardly a celebration to pray for the people; it's more like a carefully laid trap for him, waiting for him to willingly walk into it.
Could it be... that the plan has been exposed?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when he forcibly suppressed it.
No, absolutely not.
This plan was personally devised by Lord Sikong Ming, with each step meticulously planned and executed flawlessly. It was impossible for Chu Chongjin and his group to have known about it beforehand.
Qian Wansan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He told himself that the calm before his eyes was just an illusion, and that Chu Chongjin was just putting on a show.
His current opportunity, and his greatest asset, lies in waiting for a signal from the outside world.
Once General Jiang's "Black Water Scorpion" fleet arrives and launches a fierce attack from the outside, forming a pincer movement, even if the "Wan'an" is made of fine iron, it will inevitably sink to the bottom of Mirror Lake!
Just as his mind was racing and he was trying to encourage himself, a sudden change occurred!
Below the platform, Xiao Muyu, who was holding Su Wan'er's hand and idly fiddling with the embroidery on her skirt, suddenly swayed without warning.
Immediately afterwards, her face turned deathly pale, and she slumped softly to the side.
"Little Fish!"
Mu Fang, who had been watching his daughter out of the corner of his eye, was the closest to her and moved almost at the same moment Mu Yu's body tilted.
He rushed over in one stride and, before the little girl fell to the ground, steadily caught her soft little body in his arms.
"Little Fish, what's wrong? Don't scare Daddy! Open your eyes and look at Daddy!"
Mu Fang's voice trembled slightly, a tremor that was barely perceptible. This iron-blooded general, who had never shown fear on the battlefield, was now filled with panic.
Mu Yu's eyes were tightly closed, her small mouth slightly open, and her usually rosy and full face was completely bloodless, even her breathing became weak.
This sudden turn of events plunged the solemn venue into chaos.
"Princess!"
"Oh my god, the young princess has fainted!"
Yan Ziche, who was closer, also reacted quickly and ran over. He disregarded etiquette, reached out and touched Mu Yu's cold forehead, then quickly placed his hand on her slender wrist to feel her faint pulse.
Immediately, his expression turned extremely ugly.
"Oh no! The princess's internal energy is disordered and her fortune is excessively depleted. This is a sign that her old illness has relapsed!" he shouted, his voice filled with anxiety.
Chu Chongjin, who was on the high platform, also stopped reading the eulogy. In a flash, he jumped down from the platform, which was several feet high, and rushed to Mu Fang's side.
When he saw Mu Yu's lifeless appearance, his usually calm and composed face couldn't help but show anxiety.
"Quickly! Summon the ship's physician!"
"Immediately escort the princess back to her room! Quickly!"
The entire bow of the ship was in complete chaos.
The soldiers of the Xuanjia Army immediately sprang into action, with some quickly forming a human wall and loudly ordering the guests to remain calm and maintain order.
Another group of people guarded Mu Fang, clearing a path for him to carry Mu Yu as they hurriedly ran towards the top deck cabin.
Chu Chongjin and Yan Ziche followed closely behind, both with a solemn and worried expression on their faces that no one else had ever seen before.
The solemn and dignified prayer ceremony was abruptly brought to a halt due to this unexpected accident.
The guests, who were stranded, could no longer remain calm and began to whisper among themselves, their faces filled with panic and worry.
"What happened? Why did the little water god suddenly fall ill?"
"Oh, have you all forgotten? I heard that the young princess exhausted herself trying to save Jiangnan by summoning heavenly lightning and controlling the floods. She must have collapsed from exhaustion..."
"But what should we do? The blessing ceremony isn't over yet! She's our lucky star!"
Amidst the chaotic crowd, Qian Wansan looked at the utterly chaotic scene, a hint of barely suppressed elation flashing in his eyes.
This is truly a stroke of luck!
He was worried that something might go wrong with the plan, but unexpectedly, God sent him such a great gift!
That little vixen who could foresee good and bad fortune and see through people's hearts has fallen!
Duke Mu Fang, the Protector of the Ninth Prince, and Chu Chongjin were thrown into a panic!
This was precisely the moment when their entire defense system was at its weakest and everyone's mind was at its most chaotic!
This is absolutely the perfect time to take action!
He quietly took a few steps back, retreating to a corner of the crowd, a spot where no one would notice him.
He swiftly pulled a small bamboo whistle made of special black bamboo from his wide sleeve and quickly put it to his lips.
He puffed out his cheeks and blew the bamboo whistle hard, but no sound came out.
However, a special infrasound wave, inaudible to the human ear, had already penetrated the air and water surface, spreading rapidly towards the distant lake surface like invisible ripples.
This is a signal!
This is the signal that the general offensive has begun!
After doing all this, he pretended nothing had happened and casually squeezed back into the crowd.
His face once again displayed the same worry and anxiety as everyone else's.
Meanwhile, inside the luxurious cabin on the top deck of the Wan'an.
The atmosphere was completely different from the chaos and noise outside; it was so quiet that it was even a little eerie.
"How was it? Ninth Brother, Father, did I act well?"
Just moments ago, it was "on the verge of death" on the deck, but now it's lively and energetic, sitting cross-legged on the soft bed.
She looked up with her rosy cheeks and bright eyes, gazing at the adults in front of her as if showing off a treasure.
In front of her was a plate of crystal-clear, sweet-smelling strawberry-flavored fish scale jelly.
Yan Ziche was holding a delicate silver spoon, carefully scooping out a spoonful, and patiently feeding it to her mouth.
"It's so similar, it's uncanny."
Yan Ziche tried hard to suppress his laughter, keeping a straight face, and praised her in a serious tone.
"If the princess doesn't cultivate immortality and instead goes to the capital to sing opera, she will surely become a famous star within three years, renowned throughout the world."
"That's right!"
Mu Yu shook her head smugly, very satisfied with the compliment, "I'm really amazing!"
Mu Fang sat on a chair to the side, watching his daughter's energetic appearance. The heart that had been hanging in his throat since earlier finally settled back into his stomach.
For a fleeting moment on the deck, he almost thought it was real; the fear that welled up from the bottom of his heart still makes him feel a little scared.
He shook his head helplessly. This girl's talent for causing trouble for her father was truly innate, and it was only getting more and more refined.
Is everything ready?
Chu Chongjin did not participate in their jokes. He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, looking calmly at the vast lake below, and asked in a calm voice.
"Your Highness, rest assured."
Xiao Beichen, who had been standing guard by his side, gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.
"We have just received a report from our scouts that unidentified fleets have appeared in the southeast and northwest directions of the lake area and are rapidly encircling us."
"The flag flying on the ship is black with a red scorpion. My subordinates have confirmed that it is the fleet of Jiang Tao, known as 'Black Water Scorpion'."
"Jiang Tao?"
Upon hearing this name, Mu Fang let out a cold snort.
"Just a bandit leader who used to roam the waters of southern Xinjiang, making a living by plundering merchant ships and looting their homes."
"A few years ago, we were chased and beaten by the imperial navy, like stray dogs. I never expected that we would actually seek refuge with Sikong Ming."
“This man is not to be underestimated,” Yan Ziche swallowed the pastry in his mouth and added, “I have read his files. He is extremely experienced in naval warfare and is cunning. His ‘Blackwater Scorpion’ warships have been specially modified and are extremely difficult to deal with, moving like the wind.”
“Although our ‘Wan’an’ is incredibly sturdy, its hull is too heavy, which puts it at a great disadvantage in terms of maneuverability. If they get on our heels, it will be very troublesome.”
"It's good that he's here."
A cold, murderous smile slowly curved Chu Chongjin's lips.
"I'm afraid he won't come."
"Sikong Ming and Qian Wansan believed that Xiaoyuer was our biggest weakness and our vulnerability."
"But little did we know, on the contrary, Little Fish was the sharpest and most unpredictable sword in our hands."
He turned around and looked gently at Mu Yu, who was concentrating on finishing the last bite of fish scale jelly.
"Little Fish, are you ready?"
"Wait a moment!"
Mu Yu raised a chubby little hand covered in crumbs from a snack and called out in a childish voice, "Stop!"
She opened her mouth and swallowed the last spoonful of fish scale jelly that Yan Ziche handed her in one gulp. She smacked her lips in satisfaction and licked them again, as if she wanted more.
Then, she solemnly patted her plump little chest.
"alright!"
"Ninth Brother, Father, Yan Brother, Beichen Brother, you can go and fight the bad guys without worry!"
"I can see where all their ships are!"
As she spoke, a huge, real-time three-dimensional map composed of countless points of light appeared out of thin air above the originally calm golden pond of blessings in her sea of consciousness.
This map clearly outlines the entire Mirror Lake.
At the very center of the map was a huge and dazzling golden ball of light, exuding an aura of majesty and righteousness; that was the "Wan'an" where they were.
At the edge of the map, dozens of black and red ink dots, exuding a menacing aura, emanated from all directions, pointing towards the single golden orb in the center, revealing their deadly, gleaming thorns.
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