Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Startled, Mei Shuang turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer. She was furious at Kuranami Miyako's actions. "Why won't you let him go?"
Kuranami Miyako wiped the blood from the blade on the coachman's clothing and gently closed his wide-open eyes. Then, she replied indifferently, "It's not that I won't let him go. If he returns, he will surely be interrogated by the city guards, and our whereabouts will be exposed. Hurry up and get in the carriage; there's a fishing boat waiting for us not far ahead..."
Mei Shuang realized that arguing with someone like her was futile. Convincing a butcher who had no desire to become a saint to put down his knife was no easy task.
Sure enough, after passing through a barren stretch of forest, they saw a vast expanse of white. The wind by the river was strong, causing waves to surge on the surface.
Just as Kuranami Miyako had said, a fishing boat soon appeared in their line of sight.
"The Eastern Kingdom is a thousand miles away; are we really going to cross the river in such a small fishing boat?" Mei Shuang looked at the ordinary vessel before her, feeling speechless.
Such a boat would surely meet its end in a storm.
"Of course not; this is merely to throw people off our scent. Besides, plans have changed, and we can only make do for now..." Kuranami Miyako urged Mei Shuang onto the boat while explaining, "If I’m not mistaken, Zhao Prince must have set up traps along all the shores. It might take some time before they find us in this remote place. However, once we reach the River Center, there will be a larger ship waiting for us."
As she spoke, Kuranami Miyako whispered to her companion at the bow of the boat, who was dressed like an ordinary fisherman. The man nodded frequently while occasionally casting suspicious glances at the unarmed Mei Shuang.
He was of medium build with a simple face, but his dark square jaw held eyes that sparkled with intelligence. His gaze toward Mei Shuang was filled with doubt.
After Kuranami Miyako finished explaining, the middle-aged man approached Mei Shuang, clasped his hands together in respect, and spoke in broken Chinese. "My name is Ishihara. My family has served the Jiu Rang Family for generations. Upon learning that you are the savior they have been searching for, I bow to you. However, do you have any tools with you? If so, please bring them onto the boat."
Mei Shuang finally understood why he had looked at her that way earlier.
Perhaps in his eyes, breaking a curse was as difficult as solving Goldbach's conjecture and would require several extraordinary tools for assistance. Yet here she was, so lightly equipped.
Mei Shuang couldn't help but smile bitterly inside; he truly regarded her as some kind of savior from suffering. However, having come this far, it seemed saying "no" would not be an option without dire consequences—she might end up like that unfortunate farmer.
"Damn it, where is Nangong Nuo?"
She glanced at the grim-faced Kuranami Miyako and could only steel herself to say, "Well... I was in a hurry when I came..."
Ishihara looked momentarily stunned before growing anxious. "Did you forget? How does that girl plan to compete with Queen Himiko of Yamatai? Does she have any assurance of victory?"
It was no wonder Ishihara was so worried.
The young woman they had painstakingly retrieved was unarmed, appeared inexperienced, and was not yet twenty years old.
On the other hand, her opponent was a cunning and crafty old shaman, skilled in various tricks and adept at wielding ghostly powers.
It was clear to see who was stronger or weaker in this situation. Unless this woman was a deity in disguise, it seemed like a futile endeavor—a farcical struggle that would lead nowhere.
But then again, one should not judge a book by its cover. Moreover, time was of the essence, and there were no other options available; they might as well treat a dead horse as if it were alive.
"Then please prepare yourself; we will set sail immediately."
The sky had already brightened, and the River Surface was initially calm.
Mei Shuang stood at the bow of the boat, watching as they drifted further from the shore. Anxiety gripped her heart; this venture felt like courting danger, with life and death uncertain. Deep down, she felt that the farther they went from the shore, the greater the peril.
Now, all she could do was silently pray for a miracle.
Soon, everything on the shore vanished from sight, leaving only the vast expanse of river water around them. The fishing boat floated on the sea, small enough to be described as insignificant—like a speck of dust in the universe.
However, this calm did not last long; the River Surface began to reveal its unpredictable nature.
The sky first darkened, and soon ominous clouds loomed overhead. Then, the River Surface began to stir, with waves rising several feet in some areas. Even Ishihara and Kuranami Miyako's expressions turned serious, filled with worry and tension.
This made Mei Shuang feel even more uncertain. As the boat rocked, she began to feel seasick again after just recovering from motion sickness.
The sudden wave of dizziness flooded Mei Shuang's mind and chest, making her feel as if the world was spinning, and she was on the verge of being sick.
Kuranami Miyako seemed to have adapted to the environment; aside from stabilizing her balance with the boat's movements, she didn't appear overly concerned.
Seeing Mei Shuang's discomfort, Kuranami Miyako initially didn't want to intervene.
Serves you right! You wouldn't take the medicine when offered!
However, unable to bear it any longer upon seeing Mei Shuang's pale face, almost lifeless, she stepped forward. Without further ado, she pinched Mei Shuang's jaw and directly shoved a pill into her mouth.
The pill dissolved instantly. Dazed, Mei Shuang felt a refreshing mint-like taste reach her chest, and she immediately felt much better. At least the world no longer spun so wildly before her eyes.
"Are all you people from Central Plains so ungrateful? You'd rather suffer than accept someone else's kindness," Kuranami Miyako scoffed as she glanced at Mei Shuang.
A shout came from the bow of the boat. "Miss Miyako, please go help the girl; otherwise, when the waves hit, she'll be even worse off."
After reluctantly sitting back-to-back with Kuranami Miyako, Mei Shuang finally felt less dizzy and couldn't help but feel grateful to Ishihara.
Initially, she didn't understand why Kuranami Miyako had suddenly changed from being fervent and earnest to being indifferent and even somewhat confrontational when she clearly needed something from her.
It wasn't until Kuranami Miyako asked about Nangong Nuo that Mei Shuang realized what was happening. With a woman's intuition and sensitivity, it seemed that Kuranami Miyako had developed feelings for Nangong Nuo.
"Actually, I'm not familiar with him," Mei Shuang stated honestly.
Kuranami Miyako glanced back at Mei Shuang with a strange look. "Not familiar?"
She then scoffed, "Are you afraid others will find out about your affair?"
"......"
Mei Shuang was taken aback, yet she maintained a calm demeanor. "What affair? Did he tell you?"
Kuranami Miyako countered with a question, "I just don't understand. Since Zhao Prince likes you so much, why do you insist on marrying Lord Luo, who doesn't even care about you? They say Chancellor Mei is noble, yet she has a daughter spoiled to the point of being oblivious to reality, rushing to become Lord Luo's princess. Now that Lord Luo has ascended the throne, you still want to be Empress. Failing to become Empress has left you with a tarnished reputation..."
Mei Shuang was directly shocked. Despite her usual composure, hearing such a confidential matter spoken by an outsider felt like a story unfolding before her. She couldn't help but feel a tumultuous wave rising within her heart, far more alarming than the dangerous winds outside the fishing boat.
It seemed Kuranami Miyako not only understood her situation but was also well aware of everything that had happened since she entered the palace, as if she had experienced it herself. The moment she arrived at Zhao Prince Mansion, it appeared she had been waiting for an opportunity—this was no coincidence.
This woman was truly mysterious and dangerous!
The small lantern hanging in the cabin flickered on the swaying boat, casting light only on a small area, resembling moving will-o'-the-wisps. For a moment, Mei Shuang felt as if she were in hell, chills running down her spine.
After her mind settled from the chaos, she said lightly, "Since you know my background, how can you believe I can save your entire clan? Isn't that laughable?"
Kuranami Miyako did not respond. Instead, she listened carefully to the sounds outside and stood up alertly before swiftly pulling aside the curtain of the cabin and stepping out.
Immediately after, Mei Shuang felt as if she had been lifted into the air and then dropped heavily back down. Fortunately, she managed to hold onto the handrail of the cabin; otherwise, she would have fallen out. Even so, she was thrown off balance and disoriented.
Hearing Mei Shuang's terrified scream echoing in an instant, Kuranami Miyako hurriedly dove back into the cabin. Upon seeing Mei Shuang's pitiful state, she quickly tossed a rope to tie around Mei Shuang's waist, securing her in place within the cabin. Then she instructed Mei Shuang not to move before heading out again.
Through the curtain, Mei Shuang could hear eerie howls from the waves outside. Moments later, the boat rocked violently again, causing Mei Shuang's head to collide with the wooden surface, and she lost consciousness...
After Mei Shuang was successfully kidnapped by Kuranami Miyako, Nangong Nuo spent the night awake.
Although a large number of guards were quickly dispatched to search for the missing Mei Shuang, Kyuuran made it seem as if both Meidai and Mei Shuang had evaporated from the world, leaving no trace. Despite interrogating the captured assassin, the individual remained tight-lipped, determined to die rather than reveal any information.
In the palace, Xiao Luo soon received the news.
Hearing that Mei Shuang had been abducted by people from the Eastern Kingdom, it seemed unbelievable.
The Great Qin Empire and the Eastern Kingdom were separated by a sea; although trade was permitted between the two nations, only a limited number of border ports were open. To the vast Great Qin Empire, the Eastern Kingdom was merely a small territory with an uncivilized populace. While interactions between the two countries were infrequent, trade between their citizens was thriving. The Eastern Kingdom was rich in ironware and rice, exchanging these for silk and porcelain from the Great Qin Empire.
The merchants from the Eastern Kingdom had been wandering in the capital for some time now, and their numbers had recently increased. However, they mostly kept to themselves and were mysterious in their movements, showing no signs of malicious intent or disruptive behavior.
Yet, to claim that these individuals were recently active solely to find Deposed Empress Mei Shuang would be too far-fetched. The key point was that the reason for Mei Shuang's abduction was that foreign villains believed this Deposed Empress Mei Shuang could help their small nation survive a catastrophic disaster. Even more bizarrely, Mei Shuang had been taken right under the nose of Nangong Nuo, who was known for her extreme caution and nearly flawless execution of tasks.
Comment 0 Comment Count