The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 68

The sea wind was strong, blowing A Zong’s hair into a wild mess. Their group had set out from Haizhou City, following the coastline northward. Originally, the captain had wanted to begin searching directly from the village where the Black Flags were located, but A Zong only shook her head.

“They were attacked. We need to search for any trace of them.”

This information had come from Song Sisi. It had already been two days since the battle, and in two days, anything could have happened. If Wei Zhao had agreed to act earlier, perhaps they could’ve found Fa Yilian. But now, so much time had passed that even Song Sisi wasn’t sure where they might be anymore.

Thinking of Song Sisi, A Zong felt no waves of emotion. She recalled the general location Song Sisi had described and pointed it out to the captain. As for the rest…

“Who attacked them?” A Zong asked.

Song Sisi only let out a cold laugh and said nothing. A Zong struggled to think. She tried to imagine how Wei Zhao would analyze the situation, then said, “Whose interests did they threaten? Is that why someone wanted them gone?”

“Yes, who did they offend?” Song Sisi echoed, her tone mocking.

There were plenty of people who’d want them dead—the pirates they’d wiped out, those who’d lost face, perhaps even the Haizhou governor if he was colluding with pirates. And of course, there was Songhe Sect. A Zong couldn’t figure it out, but she had one good trait—if she couldn’t understand something, she’d set it aside for now and focus on what needed to be done.

For now, that meant finding Fa Yilian and Judith.

But the sea was vast, and even with the approximate location, finding evidence of a fight that happened two days ago was far from easy.

Fortunately, there were some seasoned sailors on board. After comparing maps and studying the ocean currents, they eventually found some traces—pieces of broken ship planks drifting on the waves, and quite a few bodies floating in the water.

A Zong ordered the crew to haul them in. Most of the sailors found it unlucky and refused to go near, but A Zong showed no fear and inspected the corpses herself. Their skin was bloated from soaking in seawater, but she could still recognize many of the wounds—slashes from blades, burns from firearms, and bite marks likely from sea creatures. These people had clearly died in battle. Some of them wore clothing that matched what Judith’s crew used to wear.

So these were the unlucky crew members.

A Zong hadn’t been there, but she could imagine just how brutal that battle must’ve been.

But what about Judith and Fa Yilian? Were they alive or dead?

A Zong’s expression grew darker. She ordered the captain to continue searching.

The captain knew he couldn’t afford to offend A Zong. He agreed, but after days of fruitless searching, he couldn’t help but try to persuade her: “The sea god’s moods are unpredictable. Even veteran sailors can be caught off guard. The ocean isn’t like land—people are tiny and powerless out here.”

A Zong nodded. She had seen plenty of life and death. Though she was unwilling to give up, she didn’t cling to it like most would. She said calmly, “I made a promise: If they’re alive, I’ll find them. If they’re dead, I’ll find their bodies.”

But at sea, when someone dies, their body sinks to the bottom, eaten by fish. How could she ever find them?

The captain wanted to speak again, but seeing the look on A Zong’s face, he swallowed his words. Maybe the missing people were her relatives. In times of loss, even stubbornness could be understood.

Days passed. The ship searched back and forth across the sea. The stars rose and fell. Still, nothing.

A Zong stood by the rail, staring blankly at the sea. The endless blue began to feel suffocating. She was growing more anxious.

The captain stood beside her, full of worry. “Miss, we’ve searched so many days. If there’s still no news, then I fear…”

A Zong knew exactly what he meant. Deep down, she still believed Judith and Fa Yilian were alive. But as time passed, even she began to question herself—was it instinct, or just desperate hope? And now the captain was asking her to make a decision. She wanted to keep searching, but it was clear the others didn’t. They were convinced the two were dead and saw no point in continuing.

Just then, a sailor shouted, “There’s a fleet up ahead!”

“It’s just a fleet! Haven’t you seen one before?” the captain grumbled.

Haizhou was a major port, with countless ships coming and going. Everyone should’ve been used to the sight. But when they turned to look, even the captain’s eyes widened in shock.

A fleet was approaching slowly. At the front were swift patrol boats in a triangular formation. Behind them were sturdy warships with battlements. Further back were larger combat ships covered in tough cowhide armor. And at the very rear was a towering fortress-like ship with multiple decks, battlements, and weapon stations—sunlight glinted off crossbows and other gear.

It looked like a giant striding through the sea, coming toward them.

This was a true naval fleet—the kind that ruled the seas without rival.

Waves surged around them, rocking A Zong’s ship. The crew panicked at first, but when they saw the massive “Zhou” character on the fleet’s flags, they let out a sigh of relief. This was Da Zhou’s navy. They just didn’t know whose command it was under.

In that moment, everyone had the same thought:
With a navy like this, how could Da Zhou ever lose to a few backwater rebels?

“…So that’s how it is,” a young man said. He wore a scholar’s blue robe and smiled gently, completely out of place among the burly soldiers.

The panic and confusion didn’t last long. Their ship was quickly surrounded and brought under control. The captain, trembling, gave up the name of the Princess, terrified of being mistaken for a pirate and killed on the spot.

They were brought before the young man.

He was soft-spoken and warm, but the soldiers standing behind him gave off an intimidating presence. Under this pressure, the captain confessed everything. A Zong remained silent. Their weapons had been confiscated when they were boarded. But she judged the distance between her and the man and figured she could still reach him if necessary, so she simply stood by quietly.

“My name is Lan Du,” the man said with a smile. “I hold the title of General of the Vanguard. I was supposed to travel to Haizhou with Her Highness, but there were some delays. Still… it seems I’m not too late.”

He turned to A Zong. “Since you haven’t found anyone yet, why don’t you all return to Haizhou with me?”

The rest of the crew looked relieved. They didn’t want to keep searching the sea. The only reason they hadn’t given up was because they feared A Zong. Now, with a general who knew the Princess personally giving the order, how could they refuse?

A Zong paused, then shook her head. “No. I promised Her Highness—if they’re alive, I’ll find them. If they’re dead, I’ll bring back their bodies.”

Lan Du looked at the slender girl more carefully. She looked thin and fragile, but her eyes were bright and clear. Having lived in the capital for so long, he hadn’t seen eyes like that in years. His family came from a long line of generals, and he knew—people with eyes like hers were the most determined and resilient.

Lan Du smiled. “Her Highness is lucky to have someone like you.”

A Zong frowned slightly, saying nothing. Lan Du continued warmly, “In that case, we’ve recently picked up a few survivors from the sea. Maybe they’ll have some useful information for you.”

At those words, A Zong’s face lit up, and she beamed. “That’s wonderful!”

The next day, A Zong wore a tight-fitting outfit, alert and ready, standing at the rail as a small boat was lowered. Armed navy men boarded her ship with supplies—food, water, and some weapons.

Beside A Zong was a man, badly injured and tied up with a thick rope. His face, once full of menace, now showed only defeated silence.

“We’ve stocked the boat with seven days’ worth of food and water—enough to get you to your destination. The journey will be dangerous. Take care,” Lan Du said.

A Zong nodded.

Lan Du hesitated, then added, “Are you really not coming with us? If Her Highness gives the order, wiping out the pirates won’t take more than a few days.”

A Zong’s expression grew serious. “I’m afraid they won’t survive that long. You have your duties. I have mine.”

Lan Du sighed. “Very well… Rest assured, these soldiers are reliable, well-trained, and won’t let you down. This is the best I can do for you.”

A Zong’s eyes curved into a smile. “Thank you.”

With that, she grabbed the kneeling pirate with one hand and lightly jumped down into the boat, graceful as if she weighed nothing at all. From her tiny boat, she looked up and waved. Lan Du saw her childish gesture and chuckled quietly. He watched her boat slice through the waves like a fish, heading toward the unknown.

Turning toward Haizhou, Lan Du’s presence shifted. He glanced at the returning Haizhou crew, still dazed and hopeful to go home, then gave a quiet, firm command:
“Full speed ahead.”

He was eager to see Wei Zhao again.