The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 25
Pingji Lake had not yet been reached, but the water was gradually widening, with thick mist rising and the sound of waves becoming louder.
Faylan stopped, standing on the second-floor deck, just above the ship’s crew. The sounds of the crew pulling the sails and turning the winches, along with the chatter of others, drifted up to her ears with the wind.
“Things have been uneasy lately… This time…”
“I’ve never heard of the Cang Bang’s fleet daring to raid before,” said a burly man with a rough voice. He wore a soft cloth on his head, protective armguards, and leg bindings. Dressed for battle, he clearly looked like a soldier. He glanced around at the crowd and raised his voice, deliberately speaking for others to hear, “If there are any bandits, let them come! One comes, one dies! Two come, two die!”
The surrounding merchants and passengers immediately clapped and cheered.
Standing beside the man was the ship’s owner, named Yu Cheng. Seeing the reaction, he relaxed slightly, cupped his hands in greeting, and raised his voice, “Wang Biaotou is right. This ship carries the Cang Bang’s flag, and with the guards of the Weiwu Escort, everyone need not worry.”
The crowd nodded in agreement and dispersed, smiling.
Faylan did not leave. She observed Wang Biaotou’s calm demeanor, walking leisurely without haste. After a moment’s thought, she decided to turn and leave.
“Idiot, what are you doing standing here! Get moving, don’t let the guests see bad luck!”
A scolding voice rang out.
Faylan peered over the edge of the deck and saw a burly man with dark skin standing there. He wasn’t like the others who were tanned from the sun; this man was naturally dark-skinned.
“Kunlun slave…?” Faylan murmured under her breath.
In the past, Kunlun slaves were rare and highly prized, transported from distant lands. Their strength and obedience made them favorites among the noble families. But since the reign of the Gaozu Emperor, the world had changed so rapidly. Slaves were now captured from all over, used by the Great Zhou for farming, tree planting, and mining, and the value of Kunlun slaves had significantly decreased.
This particular Kunlun slave was no different.
He was tall, but his arms and legs were shackled with iron, dragging his feet as he walked. The sound of the chains clinking was heavy, and on his cheek, a blue slave mark was visible.
Faylan stared at the mark, her fingers twitching slightly, and her shoulder blades moved as well.
The Kunlun slave seemed unable to speak. He stared at the ship worker yelling at him. When the worker waved at him and whipped him, he flinched in pain and took a step back. But after that, he froze and simply glared at the worker.
“Damn beast, can’t even understand human speech,” the ship worker yelled angrily, hitting the slave a few more times.
The Kunlun slave cried out in pain, grabbing the whip as it was swung at him. The worker, caught off guard, was yanked off his feet and fell to the ground with a loud thud. When the worker lifted his head, his mouth was full of bl00d. He spat out a tooth, furious, shouting, “You dare to resist?! You’re asking for death!!”
As he spoke, he charged at the Kunlun slave, kicking him.
The slave seemed startled and didn’t dare fight back. With one kick, he was knocked to the ground, clutching his head, and allowed the smaller worker to continue his abuse.
Faylan’s expression shifted slightly.
“Seems a bit pitiful,” a voice said from beside her.
Faylan turned and saw Wei Zhao, who was also watching the scene below. She crossed her arms and observed the chaos.
“Why are you out here?” Faylan asked.
“Some people took their cloaks, and then disappeared. I was getting worried,” Wei Zhao said, tilting her chin toward Song Sisi, who was frantically searching for her lover.
Song Sisi’s eyes scanned over the scarred Kunlun slave, quickly moving away without seeming to care.
Faylan nodded, shifting her position to stand beside Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao, feeling the cold breeze lessen, glanced at her briefly before turning her attention back to the scene.
At the corner of the deck, a tall, slender figure emerged, holding a sapphire-blue embroidered cloak.
Song Sisi’s eyes lit up. “A Zong…”
“Stop, what do you think you’re doing!”
But the woman with black hair and blue eyes didn’t seem to hear Song Sisi. She spoke sharply and leaped down to pull the abusive ship worker away.
“Did we disturb you, guest? This man is just a slave…”
The worker, now pulled away, realized it was one of the passengers who had intervened. He nodded and smiled, speaking in a polite, sly tone typical of the Great Zhou: “Guest, you wouldn’t know, but this man eats a lot, works little, and has a bad temper. He’s hard to tame…”
As he spoke, he looked up and saw the sharp chin, pale lips, and equally pale skin.
This was White… There weren’t many people in the Great Zhou with such pale skin. Most nobles had this complexion…
Then he saw the high-bridged nose and the deep features, with two piercing blue eyes.
The worker froze, his gaze locking onto A Zong’s face. He glanced left and right, then noticed the small blue mark behind her ear, not covered by her hair.
The worker straightened his back and sneered, “I thought you were some important noble. Turns out you’re just a worthless thing.”
A Zong furrowed her brow, her hands tightening around the cloak she was holding.
“You…” A Zong’s voice was low, her eyes flashing with sharpness. “You’ve gone too far.”
“Ha!” The worker laughed, his body thin and wiry, shorter than A Zong, who was a foreign woman. He grinned widely and took a step toward her.
But A Zong stepped back.
Faylan clicked her tongue in irritation.
“If it were me, he’d be dead by now,” Wei Zhao said, her voice low and almost a growl.
Wei Zhao glanced at her own slave, her hair tied up in a style that seemed recently dyed. The river wind brushed against her hair, and though the color couldn’t be seen, she could still sense the spirit that wrapped around her slave. It was something no one else had.
Some were large but walked like corpses.
Some had passion and skills but acted like clueless children.
Some were empty-headed, only capable of being cruel or fawning, abusing the weak and currying favor with the powerful.
And some…
Wei Zhao’s gaze swept over the trembling Kunlun slave, the silent A Zong, and the arrogant ship worker.
“You’re quite good-looking, girl. How much? Come work for me…” The worker sneered.
And some…
They burned with anger but were so weak, as though a single gust of wind would shatter them.
“A Zong! Hit him! Throw him overboard!”
Song Sisi’s voice rang out, high-pitched and weak, like a kitten mewing for attention.
In the next moment, A Zong moved.
She shot forward like a cannonball, her knee slamming into the ship worker’s chest. He let out a scream and flew into the air, landing in the water with a loud splash, just as Song Sisi had commanded.
The splash startled everyone else, and Yu Cheng hurried over. When he saw A Zong standing at the bow, her black hair damp with water from the splash, her gaze fierce enough to make him step back in fear.
“You—You’re a slave? Where is your master?” Yu Cheng stammered.
“I’m right here, what’s the matter?” Song Sisi gripped the railing, coughing a few times before waving at A Zong.
A Zong seemed to snap out of her trance. She glanced at the water, then quickly turned back and rushed over to Song Sisi, wrapping the cloak around her.
Wei Zhao, always observant, couldn’t help but praise, “What impressive skill.”
“Barbarian,” Faylan muttered under her breath.
Wei Zhao said nothing, fully engrossed in the drama, not giving a second thought to her own sulking slave.
Song Sisi grabbed A Zong’s hand, her face flushed from coughing, her voice still sharp as she shouted at the ship’s captain, “My slave, what’s wrong with hitting your puny ship worker? Even if you hit a dog, the master matters! Can your worker compare to a single hair from A Zong?”
This ship was both a merchant and passenger vessel. The lower deck had five rooms, and the upper deck only two, but they were all occupied by delicate beauties. Yu Cheng was familiar with this setup, and seeing A Zong’s strength, he hesitated for a moment before making up his mind. He forced a laugh and said, “Of course, of course, my crew is just rough men, clumsy and rude. I’ll have the kitchen prepare some good wine and dishes to make up for the trouble. I hope you will forgive us, esteemed guests.”
Song Sisi snorted. “No need!”
She turned and walked off, but after a few steps, she noticed A Zong standing still, silent. She frowned and stomped her foot. “A Zong, why are you still standing there? Come on!”
A Zong lowered her head, speaking in a barely audible voice, “Like a dog…?”
Song Sisi, seeing A Zong’s stillness, became even angrier. “Why aren’t you moving? Do you want to make me mad?”
A Zong raised her eyes and met Song Sisi’s gaze, then quickly rushed to her side. However, as she turned, she noticed Wei Zhao and her slave were both watching her. A Zong paused, gave a quick nod to them, and then hurried off to follow Song Sisi.
“Unsteady temper, full of skill but wasted,” Wei Zhao sighed, finally giving up on trying to recruit her.
“Is this the one you’re interested in?” Faylan smirked at Wei Zhao.
Wei Zhao’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she shot Faylan a glare. “Slaves should know their place and keep quiet!”