I looked around at everyone and said, "The third person I want to bow to is you. If it weren't for the brothers risking their lives to protect you, Yin Kong would have died at the hands of the bandits long ago. You not only saved Yin Kong's life, but also the hope for the people of Da Kang to live and work in peace." I bowed down again.
I suddenly realized that these two were definitely targeting me. I whispered, "Charge! Stop them!" The six warriors protecting me hesitated for a moment. In their view, staying by my side was their true duty. Little did they know that it was their presence that put me and Prince Yong in danger.
"Go now!" I shouted angrily.
They finally charged forward with their knives raised, and I grabbed Cai Xue's soft hand and quickly ran towards the corner of the boat, out of the reach of the firelight.
Six warriors and two men in black met at the bow of the ship. Six long swords simultaneously slashed at the two men in black, both of whom were dressed in black and masked, intending to conceal their true identities. The woman in black on the left was slender and graceful, clearly a woman. With a light touch of her toes on the deck, she leaped more than three zhang into the air, easily escaping the six warriors' attack. In mid-air, she performed a graceful somersault, holding a gleaming short sword in each hand, and threw it like a swallow towards the Prince of Yong.
The man in black who remained drew a broadsword about five fingers wide with lightning speed, and swung it in an arc around himself, colliding with the six longswords that were attacking him one by one. After the sword passed, the six longswords were cut in two. I couldn't help but gasp. The longsword in this man's hand was definitely not an ordinary one.
The man in black drew his sword with incredible speed. Before the six warriors could make a second move, his blade flashed towards their throats, spraying blood mist from the tip of his sword. The gruesome scene almost made Cai Xue vomit.
After killing six warriors, the man in black charged towards Prince Yong with his sword drawn. His companions had already swiftly killed two more warriors. Cai Xue and I held hands tightly, both feeling each other's icy body temperature.
While they focused their attack on Prince Yong, Cai Xue and I quietly moved towards the second-floor cabin. The warriors below had begun to take the initiative, and our numbers played a crucial role in the melee. Once we reached the lower deck, Cai Xue and I could rejoin the warriors.
I heard two screams from women, followed by a terrified shout from the Prince of Yong. Cai Xue and I quickened our pace and fled towards the lower deck. A black figure swooped down from above, a sword tip gleaming with a cold light aimed at my chest. My composure was of no use in this life-or-death situation.
Cai Xue suddenly threw herself on top of me, using her delicate body to shield me from the sword strike that seemed destined to strike.
The short sword pierced Cai Xue's right chest. Perhaps not expecting Cai Xue to suddenly rush over and block the sword, the opponent exclaimed in surprise and then quickly withdrew the short sword.
I covered the wound from picking snow with my hand, and fresh blood gushed out between my fingers.
The woman in black stared at me with murderous intent in her beautiful eyes. She raised her short sword and pointed it at my throat. The cold, menacing edge of the sword caused small rashes to break out on my skin.
Prince Yong, with a mournful face, descended the gangway under the hostage of another man in black. The man in black shouted, "Is he Prince Ping?!"
The courage that Prince Yong usually displayed had long since vanished without a trace. His fat head nodded incessantly like a chicken pecking at rice. In this life-or-death situation, he was less capable than an ordinary servant girl.
The capture of me and Prince Yong had completely robbed the warriors of their courage to resist. They sheathed their swords and looked in our direction dejectedly.
The man in black forced out a sentence through his teeth: "Kill him!"
Cai Xue said with all her might, "If you want to kill... Your Highness... kill me first..." A wave of indescribable emotion welled up in my heart. I gently stroked Cai Xue's long hair, then placed my five fingers on the blade of the short sword: "It's not that I'm afraid of death, but if you kill me, I'm afraid millions of innocent people will die because of me!"
A barely perceptible tremor flickered in the girl's clear eyes, which I keenly noticed: "Young lady, Yin Kong knows he is doomed. I hope you can give him a moment to leave a last message!"
The man in black beside Prince Yong sneered, "Dead is dead, why say so much?"
My heart skipped a beat. I realized that the man in black was from Kang, but he remained calm on the surface and said with a light smile, "Yin Kong's life is already in your hands. Are you afraid of a weak scholar like me?"
I stared at the girl in black: "You are probably neither a Qin person nor a citizen of Da Kang. After killing Yin Kong, you can successfully sabotage the peace talks between the two countries, ignite the war between Qin and Kang, and allow your country to reap the benefits!"
Upon hearing this, even the man in black who was holding Prince Yong hostage was slightly taken aback, which further proved that he was very likely a member of their own country.
Cai Xue had already fainted in my arms. I looked at her with affection and asked, "Does the young lady know why my page risked his life to save me?"
Although the girl in black remained silent, I could tell from her eyes that she definitely wanted to hear me reveal the answer to this question.
"The states of Kang and Qin have a long-standing feud. Kang has suffered from disasters for years, and its national strength is far from what it used to be. If war breaks out with Qin now, it will surely bring disaster to the people and cause widespread suffering. My death is insignificant, but my life can bring a moment of peace to Kang, allowing it to recuperate and rebuild its strength. Even though my servant is young, he understands this principle. He shielded me from the sword not only because I am his master, but also for his parents and relatives who remain in Kang!" I spoke these words with great passion, and all the warriors under my command were moved.
I sighed deeply and said, "Since Yin Kong volunteered to go to Qin, he was already prepared to die. If he died at the hands of the Qin people, he could at least have earned the reputation of sacrificing himself for his country. What a pity, what a pity. I never thought that Yin Kong's ambition would be unfulfilled, and that he would die on the land of Da Kang..."
As I said this, I boldly took a step forward, and the black-clad girl's sharp blade immediately cut my skin, blood dripping down the blade. The black-clad girl subconsciously pulled her short sword back a little.
I said loudly, "Yin Kong has no other request but to leave behind a handwritten will to explain everything to the Emperor. Yin Kong did not die at the hands of the Qin people, nor at the hands of the Kang people. Rather, it was because other countries were afraid that Qin and Kang would negotiate peace and thus sabotaged the peace. Perhaps this can resolve the calamity of war for the people."
My warriors drew their swords again: "If King Ping dies, we will tear you to pieces!" Their fighting spirit returned.
The chilling murderous aura that the girl in black had just exuded had vanished without a trace. I said frankly, "Miss, would you be willing to give Yin Kong this chance?"
The man in black who was holding Prince Yong hostage and the girl in black exchanged a glance and actually lowered their swords at the same time. The reason I said what I just said was entirely based on the assumption that they were citizens of the Great Kang Dynasty. This was an extremely risky move. If I was wrong, I was afraid I would die without a burial place.
The man in black turned and walked towards the ship's railing first. The girl in black stared at me coldly with her clear, bright eyes: "Yin Kong, you'd better remember every word you said tonight. If you dare to harm the people in the future, I will be the first to not let you off!"
I smiled calmly and said, "Miss, there is no need to worry. Once Yin Kong enters Qin territory, it is as if he has stepped into a grave with one foot. I'm afraid he will never be able to harm the people of Da Kang in this lifetime!"
A fleeting hint of pity flashed in the girl's eyes, but I caught it quickly. She said softly, "If the current emperor had even half of your insight, the Great Kang Dynasty wouldn't have fallen to its current state!"
She turned and sped away into the distance, disappearing into the vast night in an instant. The remaining bandits also quickly retreated from the ship.
My samurai saw the enemy retreating and were about to give chase when I shouted to stop them.
Watching the scattered fishing lights scatter and disappear completely, Prince Yong collapsed weakly on the deck. Whether it was from the fear he had just experienced or from the sorrow over the wrongful deaths of the two songstresses, tears welled up in his cloudy eyes.
I held Cai Xue's already slightly cool body in my arms and shouted, "Imperial Physician!"
Imperial Physician Sun Sanfen ranked third in the palace, but his true skill was unparalleled. He was taciturn and not good with words, and his position as a fourth-rank physician had remained unchanged for twenty years. I was healthy from a young age, and my only contact with him was when my mother gave birth to me.
I used silver scissors to cut open Cai Xue's cotton coat, which was completely soaked in blood. Her delicate and smooth back was revealed before my eyes. Below her right shoulder, which was as beautiful as snow, there was a cut about an inch long, and blood was still flowing out. My heart couldn't help but tremble.
Sun Sanfen opened his medicine box and took out medicinal wine and gauze.
I said coldly, "I don't want anyone else besides you and me to know about what happened today!"
Sun Sanfen wiped away the blood around Cai Xue's wound with medicinal wine and said calmly, "As a person, I don't want to say what I should say, and I disdain to say what I shouldn't say!"
I nodded appreciatively.
Sun Sanfen threaded the silkworm silk through the gold needle, concentrated on sewing up the incision, then covered it with his own prepared wound medicine, and finally bandaged the wound with white gauze.
"Is her injury serious?" My concern for Cai Xue was evident in my words.
Sun Sanfen slowly closed the medicine box, his forehead already beaded with sweat: "Your Highness, rest assured, although the short sword is sharp, it did not penetrate too deeply into the flesh and did not damage the internal organs."
"Then why hasn't she woken up yet?"
"Because of the excessive blood loss and her weak constitution, it will probably be a while before she wakes up."
Only then did I feel completely relieved.
Sun Sanfen added, "I will prepare some blood-nourishing and qi-regulating medicines. I believe this young master will be fully recovered within a month." This statement fully proves that he is far from being as pedantic as others have said. In a short time, I have gained a completely new understanding of him.
Just then, there was a rapid knocking at the door outside the cabin, and a guard shouted anxiously at the door, "Your Highness Prince Ping, something has happened to Prince Yong!"
I was suddenly startled and said to Sun Sanfen, "Come with me and take a look!" Then I turned around and hurriedly walked out of the cabin.
Prince Yong stood in front of a group of warriors, his hair disheveled. He held a longsword that was still dripping blood in his hand, and a wounded sailor lay at his feet. He shouted hoarsely, "Turn around! Send me back to Kangdu!" The warriors were his trusted men, and they were clearly on his side.
I parted the crowd and walked toward Prince Yong.
"Don't come any closer!" Prince Yong shouted, his eyes bloodshot, as he held a sharp sword to the sailors' necks. "Make them turn back to Kangdu immediately, or I... I will kill them all and then commit suicide in front of you!"
I chuckled inwardly; Prince Yong certainly didn't have the courage to commit suicide. But on the surface, I had to feign extreme concern and said in a trembling voice, "Uncle...you mustn't..."
King Yong murmured, "I don't want to die in Qin... I don't want to die in Qin..."
"Uncle! My journey to Qin carries the heavy hopes of millions of people in the Great Kang Dynasty. The reason Father sent you with me is because he values your foresight and strategic thinking, and believes you can offer guidance when necessary. Qin is only a night's voyage from here. If you insist on turning back, I will have no choice but to go to Qin alone to reassure the people and put Father at ease…"
I glanced at the sailors on the ground: "This has nothing to do with anyone else, Uncle, why make things difficult for these servants!" I turned to the guard beside me and said: "Prepare my luggage and escort me off the ship at the ferry crossing ahead!"
Prince Yong never expected me to disembark voluntarily, and for a moment he was confused about my true intentions.
I took two more steps forward: "Uncle! I must take my leave now. You'd better tell Father that I insisted on going alone. Father has a violent temper, and if he finds out the truth, it might be bad for you."
Prince Yong's face turned deathly pale. The person he feared most in his life was my father, the Emperor. Thinking of his brother's ruthless ways, his entire back was soaked with cold sweat.
My aim was to strike at his weakest point. I smiled calmly and said, "However, you and Father have a deep brotherly bond, so perhaps he won't hold it against you too harshly..."
Prince Yong's right hand, gripping the sword, trembled uncontrollably, and the sword tip finally fell limply. At this moment, the sailors in the lower deck heard the commotion and rushed up the gangway one by one with sticks and harpoons. Seeing their comrade stabbed by Prince Yong, they were all filled with righteous indignation, and it seemed that another riot was about to break out.
I bent down and helped the wounded sailor to his feet, handing him to Sun Sanfen. The sailors had already surrounded Prince Yong and his personal guards.
I shouted, "Brothers, please listen to what Yin Kong has to say!" Perhaps it was the courage I had shown during the bandits' night raid that made them all quiet down.
I took two steps forward and suddenly made an unexpected move, kneeling down before everyone. No one expected that a prince like me would kneel before them, and the entire scene fell silent. I said with deep emotion, "Yin Kong is far from Da Kang and does not know when he will be able to return. The first place I need to pay homage to is my homeland!" I bowed respectfully on the deck.
"The second people I need to pay homage to are the people of Dakang. Without them, how could Dakang have built its foundation for hundreds of years!" I bowed again on the deck.
"Your Highness Prince Ping!" Excited voices rang out one after another, and all the warriors and sailors on the deck knelt down with tears in their eyes, while only Prince Yong stood there dumbfounded.
I choked up and said, "Although the ship is battered and bruised, it carries the hopes of all the people of Dakang. It is not only I who can bring peace to Dakang... but also you. Each of us bears the same heavy burden..." I collapsed to the ground, and excited sobs came from the crowd.
The crowd slowly dispersed, and the conflict between the Yongwang warriors and sailors finally came to a satisfactory conclusion. I coldly looked at the Yongwang, who looked ashamed. The empire of Dakang had been wasted in the hands of these mediocre and incompetent imperial relatives.
Even the trusted warriors of the Prince of Yong looked at me with reverence, but I felt no pride. These bandits were not after valuables; their real purpose was to kill me and sabotage the peace talks between Kang and Qin. Based on what had just happened, I had reason to believe that the mastermind behind this was from within the Kang Dynasty, and that this person must hold a high position and know our exact route perfectly.
The fact that Prince Yong was on the verge of collapse during the crisis made me wary. I wanted to destroy all his confidence and make him lose all his prestige within the team.
I said to the warriors under Prince Yong, "Many sailors were killed or wounded in the melee just now. Take off your armor and go down to help!" These warriors had been completely convinced by me. Without saying a word, they took off their armor and joined the sailors' ranks.
The Prince of Yong said in a state of fear and unease, "If they all go boating, who will protect our safety?"
I smiled faintly: "Your Royal Uncle's cabin is ready. If I were you, I would sleep soundly all the way to Qin Capital!" Prince Yong was about to get angry, but upon meeting my sharp gaze, he immediately lowered his head and slunk towards his cabin. I believe that in his heart, his thirty-first nephew was no longer the obedient and timid child he once was, forcing him to look at him with new respect.
Sun Sanfen had already bandaged the sailor's wound. He nodded appreciatively at me, picked up his medical kit, and walked towards the lower deck, where many other wounded soldiers awaited his treatment.
Back in the cabin, Cai Xue was still unconscious. I sat by the bed and lovingly wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Her body temperature was very high. According to Sun Sanfen, fever is a normal phenomenon. I wet a towel with cold water and covered her forehead.
The image of Cai Xue bravely shielding me from that sword strike remains vivid in my mind. Looking at her haggard face, I silently vowed, "Cai Xue, if I ever achieve great success in the future, I will never forget your deep affection!"
Cai Xue's delicate body suddenly trembled, as if she had fallen into an extremely terrible nightmare: "Your Highness... no... no..." I held her trembling hand. She had just calmed down a little when she cried out in terror, "No... kill me... no..." A crystal tear slowly slid down from the corner of her eye and silently dripped onto the pillow. I tenderly wiped away the tear stain from the corner of her eye. This fragile girl must have experienced unimaginable hardships.
Cai Xue's body temperature could not be lowered, so I called Sun Sanfen again. He used gold needles to treat several acupoints on Cai Xue's body, and then lit some incense in the cabin. The cool minty scent spread in the air.
I personally escorted Sun Sanfen out of the cabin, but he showed no intention of leaving immediately. He said in a low voice, "This old man has a few questions for Your Highness."
I nodded and said, "Mr. Sun, please speak freely."
Sun Sanfen and I sat down at the bow of the boat. The sky in the distance was already showing a hint of gray, and a new day was about to begin. After a night of terrifying battle, my clothes were torn in many places, and my face had many marks of soot from the smoke, but this did not diminish my heroic appearance in the slightest.
Sun Sanfen placed the medicine box between the two of us, staring intently at me with bright eyes, and said, "I have a question. Qin is a country of tigers and wolves, and all the princes avoid it like the plague. Why did Prince Ping go against the tide and venture into danger alone? Did he really disregard life and death?"
I smiled faintly and asked in return, "What do you think, sir?"
Sun Sanfen said solemnly, "When people live in this world, they must first consider their own interests and safety. Even sages are not immune to this. Your Highness knows that the road ahead is dangerous, yet you still take the risk. You must have other plans!"
I frowned slightly. What exactly was Sun Sanfen's purpose in saying those words to me?
Sun Sanfen continued, "Your Highness's actions last night have enlightened this old man!"
My gaze lingered on Sun Sanfen's deep eyes. This man was unfathomable, unlike his outward appearance.
Sun Sanfen said, "Your Highness takes the people's well-being as your own responsibility, and in fact, you have already integrated your own interests with those of the people of Dakang. Your Highness has already regarded Dakang as a part of yourself..."
I had already discerned the underlying meaning in his words, and waved my hand dismissively, saying, "Sir, you are overthinking it. Yin Kong only wishes to resolve this current war and spare the people from the ravages of war. He has no grand ambitions as you have described!"
I got up to leave, but then I heard Sun Sanfen say, "Although I am old, I still remember clearly the scene of Your Highness's birth..."
I abruptly stopped in my tracks.
"Your Highness, do not cry or laugh. Clench your fists and step on the Seven Stars with your left foot. You have the appearance of an emperor!" Only a few people know about the seven red moles on my left foot. Although Emperor Xinde is my father, he has never known about this because I was born in the Cold Palace. From my birth until my mother's death, my father never came to see me.
I immediately thought that when my mother gave birth to me, Sun Sanfen stayed in Qingyue Palace. Although it was a midwife who delivered the baby, he must have seen the soles of my feet.
I said coldly, "Mr. Sun, what exactly do you intend to achieve by telling me this?"
Sun Sanfen opened his medicine box, took out a map, and slowly unfolded it on the box. I looked down and saw that the map depicted the borders of the eight kingdoms, which were different from those of today. At that time, Da Kang was the leader of all the kingdoms, and all its neighbors bowed down to him. The area of Qin at that time was less than half of what it is today.
Sun Sanfen said, "This map was left to me by His Highness the Crown Prince." The Crown Prince he referred to was my eldest brother, Long Yinji, the only Crown Prince ever appointed by Emperor Xinde. Unfortunately, he died suddenly at the young age of twenty-three, a truly tragic end. If he were alive today, he would be sitting on the dragon throne. Since my eldest brother's death, Emperor Xinde has never appointed another Crown Prince, nor has he even considered passing the throne to us princes.
Sun Sanfen said, "This map depicts the territory a hundred years ago, when the Great Kang Dynasty was at its peak." He rolled up the map again and handed it to me.
I looked at him with some curiosity, wondering why he would give me this map.
"The Crown Prince said on his deathbed that if I had the chance in the future, I should give this map to someone who has the ability to revive the Great Kang Dynasty!" Sun Sanfen's expression was extremely sincere.
A strange feeling welled up inside me. Although I didn't know Sun Sanfen's true purpose, I was clearly aware that I desperately wanted this map. I solemnly accepted the map, and a knowing smile appeared on Sun Sanfen's usually tense face. He picked up his medicine box, bid me farewell, and left.
After Sun Sanfen's treatment, Cai Xue's fever quickly subsided, but her hands and feet became cold again. Sun Sanfen had just explained the possible situations to me, so I added another layer of cotton quilt for her and moved the brazier to the bedside.
I slipped my hands under the covers and massaged Cai Xue's delicate feet to accelerate her blood circulation. I've always considered myself to have excellent self-control, but ever since my first encounter with Consort Zhen, romantic and enchanting scenes have kept flashing through my mind. Cai Xue's soft, rounded feet are, in fact, a test for me.
Although I am not a gentleman, I know the principle of not deceiving others in secret, especially since I was facing a young girl who had just risked her life to save me. After last night's thrilling battle, I was so exhausted that I actually drifted off to sleep in a daze while lost in thought.
When I woke up, Cai Xue's slender feet were still in my arms. I looked up and saw Cai Xue's beautiful eyes filled with shyness. Judging from her appearance, she had been awake for quite some time. I hurriedly let go of her feet.
Cai Xue let out a soft "ah".
"Does your wound hurt a lot?" I asked with concern.
Cai Xue shook her head shyly and whispered, "My legs... are numb..."
I immediately realized that it must be because my feet had been pressed down for too long, causing poor blood circulation. Cai Xue saw that I was fast asleep and endured the soreness and numbness without waking me up.
I straightened my robe, stood up, and stretched languidly. Through the porthole on the west side, I could see that it was almost dusk, and the fiery red sunset seemed to be setting the entire sky ablaze.
Cai Xue struggled to sit up, and I hurriedly stepped forward to support her delicate shoulders: "You are still recovering from serious injuries, so you must not move too much."
Cai Xue said in a panic, "How could Cai Xue occupy Your Highness's bed?"
I laughed and said, "Consider this a loan from me, and the rent will be deducted from your monthly wages!"
Cai Xue whispered, "Thank you so much for your great kindness, Your Highness!"
Actually, I should be the one saying that to her.
Just as I was about to thank her, I suddenly heard someone outside shout, "Qin fleet!" I was slightly taken aback; Qin had already sent ships to pick me up so quickly.
I helped Cai Xue lie down again before walking out of the cabin.
Many people had already rushed to the bow of the ship, including the King of Yong. When he saw me come out, he hurriedly waved to me and said, "There are two Qin warships ahead!" This is the section of the river between us and Qin. The two countries share this section of the river, and warships usually do not come here.
People made way for me, and I calmly went to the bow of the ship. Looking up, I saw two giant warships slowly approaching us on the water ahead. Black battle flags fluttered in the wind on the ships, with a large Qin character embroidered on them.
King Yong exclaimed, "The Qin people haven't been building their navy for very long, yet they've already mastered the art of constructing multi-storied ships." My heart echoed his sentiment. In the past decade or so, Qin's national strength and military development had been extremely rapid, its overall power seemingly surpassing that of the Great Kang. I recalled how the Great Kang's navy had been invincible wherever it went. Now, the Qin people could manufacture the multi-storied ships that the Great Kang was so proud of, and their length, width, and height far exceeded ours.
I shouted the order: "Stop advancing and observe the enemy's movements."
Two Qin warships flanked our ship, one on each side. Several planks extended from the left warship, temporarily forming a bridge between the two vessels. Three Qin generals, clad in black helmets and armor, strode across the makeshift bridge.
I gestured for all my crew and guards to retreat to a place two zhang behind me, and together with King Yong, we went to greet the Qin general.
Judging from their clothing, they were all of low rank, at most equivalent to a centurion in Da Kang who commanded a thousand men.
"Is that Yin Kong, the hostage prince of Kang State?" the short, stout Qin general in the middle shouted.
I answered calmly, "I am Yin Kong, the thirty-first son of Emperor Xin De of the Great Kang Dynasty."
The three generals exchanged glances, and the short, stout officer produced an imperial edict and loudly proclaimed, "Prince Yin Kong, receive this edict!" Upon hearing this, everyone on our side simultaneously showed indignation. Although I had come as a hostage, my status was, after all, that of a prince of the Great Kang Kingdom. These Qin generals not only addressed me by my given name but also used their own country's imperial edict to humiliate me; this was truly outrageous.
The dark-faced general on the left glared at me and said fiercely, "Why aren't you kneeling down yet!"
The Prince Yong beside me was so frightened that he almost lost his soul. His knees buckled and he nearly knelt on the deck, but luckily I grabbed him in time.
I asked, neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Do the three generals know where we are standing?"
The short, stout general sneered, "Naturally, it's the territory of the Great Qin!"
I smiled calmly and said, "But I thought the three generals were standing on the deck of the Great Kang Kingdom's warship. Although Yin Kong is foolish, he knows that within the territory, one can only worship one ruler." The fat King Yong's face turned slightly red. He had obviously heard my veiled sarcasm.
The short, stout general chuckled. He looked me up and down before saying, "Prince Ping, please don't be offended. We were just playing a little joke on you!"
He pointed behind him: "We have come specifically to escort Prince Ping on his journey!"
I was slightly taken aback. Wasn't our ship supposed to go directly to Qindu? Why did they suddenly change their minds?
The general said, "His Majesty once left an imperial decree, 'The waters of Qin cannot carry a Kang boat.' Prince Ping and his entourage of servants, please come with me on the ship. Other unrelated personnel may return immediately."
The emperor he mentioned was Yan Yuan, the ruler of Qin. It was under his rule that Qin developed into its current size. However, he harbored deep hatred for the Kang dynasty, as evidenced by his earlier statement.
In an instant, I made up my mind. Since I was going to end up as a hostage in the Qin people sooner or later, why bother making these people go through all the danger and hardship with me? I nodded and said, "Make room for me in the cabin. I need someone to move the gifts for the King of Qin over there."
Hearing me say this, the King of Yong breathed a sigh of relief. For him, this arduous journey was finally over, and he had long since lost the courage to accompany me to the Qin capital.
Back in the cabin, Cai Xue had already struggled to sit up. From the commotion outside, she knew what had just happened. Before I could speak, she blurted out, "If you abandon me, I will die on this ship!" Perhaps because she was in such a hurry, she even forgot to address me as Your Highness.
I laughed, and Cai Xue's gaze became increasingly bewildered. She couldn't fathom my true thoughts. Of course, I wouldn't abandon her. Ever since she took that sword for me, I would never abandon her under any circumstances.
When I helped Cai Xue out of the cabin, everyone's eyes were filled with surprise. They found it hard to understand why I, a prince, would be so considerate to a page.
Sun Sanfen slowly approached me with his medicine chest on his back. He took Cai Xue from my hands and said, "Let this old servant do these things!"
I stared at him for a long time, and Sun Sanfen smiled and said, "I have been in the Dakang Palace for forty-three years, and to this day, I am still only a fourth-rank physician. There is no chance of promotion if I stay in the palace. I am willing to follow Prince Ping even though I am about to die. My meager medical skills may be of some help to you."
Countless reasons to refuse Sun Sanfen flashed through my mind, but I immediately rejected them. Whatever his purpose, I firmly believed that he had no ill intentions towards me. What value could a down-on-his-luck prince like me possibly have to exploit?
My steps were firm and composed. As I passed Prince Yong, he took my hand and handed me an envelope: "This is the detailed list of gifts. Have a safe journey!" I gently patted the back of his hand: "Thank you!"
As I stepped onto the platform, all the warriors and sailors on the ship knelt down at the same time: "Respectfully bidding farewell to His Highness Prince Ping!" My body trembled slightly, but I did not turn around. The path ahead was my own choice, and I was going to walk forward without hesitation.