The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 27

The lake was different from the rivers, vast and deep, swallowing the sun and spitting out the moon. The mist hung thick over the water, creating the illusion that no one else existed in the vast expanse—only this lone, brave little boat.

The small boat rocked gently across the lake, with no one speaking. Only the sound of the oars cutting through the water could be heard. The swish, swish of the oars made everyone tense up, unable to resist gripping their weapons a little tighter.

The boat was small, and the people aboard were few. They were all elite guards from the escort agency led by Wang Biaotou. Among them, however, was one out of place figure: a woman, Fa Yilian.

Fa Yilian was taller than most women from the Great Zhou, her attire sharp and practical, her hair pulled back into a high knot, making her look more like an unusually handsome man. A knife hung at her waist, her sharp gaze fixed on the mist ahead. Although no one spoke to her, there were occasional glances cast her way, as if she were an anomaly among the men.

“Oh? She’s that pretty?” Wei Zhao overheard someone saying and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Of course!” The speaker slammed his hand on the table, causing the drinks to shake. He immediately felt a bit embarrassed and glanced apologetically at the woman seated before him. Though he was from a rough background in the streets, with little knowledge of noble ladies, the woman before him made him feel as if she were a princess or a young lady from a prestigious family, just like in the stories. Facing her made him feel a kind of nervous awe, like being in the presence of someone important.

The speaker bent down and whispered, “I’m terribly rude… I just got a little excited.”

Wei Zhao smiled good-naturedly, not saying anything, but refilled the man’s glass with a hint of curiosity. “So, what happened next?”

At this, the speaker let out a relieved sigh. Wei Zhao had poured him a fine wine, something he rarely got to enjoy. He took a long sniff of the aroma, savoring it for a moment before reluctantly taking a sip, careful not to take too much. As the warmth spread through him, his chatter started flowing: “Miss Fa may be a woman, but she’s truly a heroine, a woman of great courage. She showed no fear at all, standing straight and resolute…”

The mist grew thicker, and those chasing them began to grow anxious. One of the escort guards turned to Wang Biaotou and said, “We can’t be sure if what that boatman said is true. What if he’s already allied with the bandits, trying to trick us into following him and then trap us all?”

As soon as the words were spoken, morale began to falter, and even the boatman slowed the pace of the rowing.

Wang Biaotou hesitated, but as the leader, he couldn’t show any sign of doubt. He only said, “Let someone use the telescope to keep watch. We’ll continue ahead. If we don’t see anything after another quarter of an hour, we’ll consider it a lost cause and turn back.”

The others exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. It was Fa Yilian, however, who after a moment of thought, spoke up: “Could we not persuade the boatman to avoid this route after we go back, steering clear of the bandits?”

Fa Yilian had helped save people before and was skilled in swimming. Moreover, her master appeared to be an important guest with considerable influence. Wang Biaotou, not caring about her status as a slave, replied, “Pingji Lake spans seven hundred miles, unlike ordinary lakes. When the winds are strong, it’s treacherous, and merchants can’t pass through. The routes are all carefully charted by those who came before, with no reefs or whirlpools, and there are three small islands to resupply. If we detour, it will only delay our journey. Worse, we could get lost or end up hitting a reef, and that would be a shipwreck with lives lost.”

So changing course was not an option. Either they would turn back, or they would move forward with courage. But neither the merchant ship owner nor Fa Yilian herself were about to turn back.

Fa Yilian frowned slightly and asked, “Then what about these people…”

Before she could finish, someone ahead of them suddenly called out excitedly, “We found it! It’s ahead, a small boat! It looks like the rear guard. There’s a person on board with their hands bound behind their back—should be the boatman the others spoke about.”

“I’ll take a look!” Wang Biaotou couldn’t care less about Fa Yilian’s suggestion. As the head of the escort, he had protected countless shipments, some a hundred times over. In this line of work, it wasn’t just about strength, but also about knowledge of the trade routes, connections, and the people along the way. A direct confrontation could overwhelm them.

He grabbed the telescope and first scanned the boat’s flag, trying to identify which faction they might belong to.

But as soon as he looked through the lens, his face darkened.

“It’s an unfamiliar flag,” Wang Biaotou murmured. After a pause, he added, “Could it really be those slaves…” His gaze flicked cautiously toward Fa Yilian, and he fell silent, his face growing more serious.

Fa Yilian stood silently, watching everything but saying nothing. The others around them watched Wang Biaotou, hoping for a decision, but the young guard who had first spotted the figures couldn’t hold back and spoke up, “There are only three people on that small boat. We could easily take them all out.”

“But what if this is a trap?” someone whispered. “What if they’re trying to lure us in and trap us all?”

“We could deal with them easily enough, but if they have reinforcements waiting, and we take out one, only for another group to show up, won’t we just be in for trouble?” another guard added.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Finally, Wang Biaotou looked around at the others, sensing their low spirits, and said, “We, as escorts, always carry our lives at our waist. What do we have to fear?” Seeing the morale lift, he added, “But we’re not here to risk our lives for someone else’s ship…”

The others understood the implication and nodded.

At this point, Fa Yilian, who had been silent until now, spoke up: “I have an idea.”

Wang Biaotou immediately turned to look at her.

“The expression on Biaotou’s face at that time was not pretty. He was worried Fa Yilian was trying to trap him,” the speaker said, shaking his head as he poured another glass of wine.

“Oh?” Wei Zhao smiled. “Her tongue is always sharp.”

The speaker chuckled. “Indeed!”

At that moment, the mist was so thick that everyone felt their clothes soaked through. There was no way to warm themselves, and the chill made it feel even colder. But Fa Yilian seemed to be unaffected. She spoke up: “I come from the sea, so I’m a decent swimmer. How about I go take a look? If I can save them, I will. If not, I can at least scout out the situation. This way, we can be prepared for any bandits.”

Wang Biaotou didn’t speak. Fa Yilian continued, “I know you’re thinking carefully, Biaotou, but my life is already expendable, isn’t it?”

Hearing this, the speaker looked surprised. “Did she really say that?”

The guard, a little tipsy, swayed as he spoke, “Yes, she did. And she has a point. She’s a slave, so it doesn’t affect anyone else.”

Wei Zhao smiled coldly. “Her life isn’t for anyone to decide but me. If I say she’s precious, then she is.”

She, the princess, was far more valuable than any of these escorts.

The guard hadn’t heard Wei Zhao’s words and continued, “After Miss Fa said that, Biaotou agreed.”

“Did you not offer her anything else?” Wang Biaotou did agree, but seeing a young woman risk her life made him feel a little uneasy, so he tried to help her as much as he could.

“It’s fine. It’s hard to swim in heavy clothing. I only need a dagger,” Fa Yilian replied, waving her hand.

She bit the dagger between her teeth, then jumped into the water. A sharp, clean sound was heard, and after that, there was no further sound. Not even a single bubble rose to the surface. Those aboard the boat, who were all experienced with water, immediately exclaimed, “Her swimming skills aren’t just bragging.”

Wang Biaotou grew anxious, grabbed the telescope again, and asked, “What happened?”

The guard looked sheepish. “I didn’t see anything.”

Wei Zhao felt a flicker of disappointment. She paused for a moment before asking, “She’s not injured?”

“Injured? Ha!” The guard’s face lit up with excitement. “Not only was she unhurt, but she also managed to sneak the boatman out of there without anyone noticing! Isn’t that a remarkable skill?”

“When she popped up from the water holding the boatman, we were all shocked. She even smiled at us…”

The guard chattered on, but Wei Zhao’s attention had already shifted elsewhere.

They were now in the ship’s cabin, where most people ate and conversed. This was a mixed group, and Wei Zhao had always avoided coming here. They had paid for the top-level rooms, preferring to avoid the commoners.

But tonight, because Fa Yilian had saved someone, the captain hosted a meal in gratitude and to lift morale.

The ship rocked gently with the waves, and the lights above flickered in the glass lanterns. Someone had started playing the pipa, and someone else struck up a drumbeat. The rhythm of chopsticks tapping on bowls, people singing, and others dancing, all blended together in a cacophony.

Laughter, crying, the clinking of wine cups, and voices mixed into one vibrant scene.

It was a far cry from the lofty palace of the princess.

And amid the lively chaos, the tall woman turned, flashing a smile at Wei Zhao.

Bright and clear,

So dazzling,

It was like firelight or sunlight, searing into Wei Zhao’s eyes. In the haze, it felt as if a light, graceful deer leapt and landed right in her heart, making her chest thump with an unexpected beat.

Perhaps, just like the smile Fa Yilian had shown when she emerged from the water to Wang Biaotou.

Wei Zhao couldn’t help but think.