The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 80

The sea breeze blew across the ocean, and seagulls circled the mast, emitting annoying cries. In the distance, the horizon formed a line where blue and yellow met—that was the mainland. Wei Zhao stared at the line, and after a long while, she spoke, “We’re almost there.”

“Yeah.”

Fa Yilian replied softly. She walked over to Wei Zhao’s side and looked at her with gentle eyes. “You’ll be home soon.”

“…What about you?” Wei Zhao turned to look at Fa Yilian. Her brown eyes seemed to sparkle like cat’s-eye gemstones in the sunlight. Out here on the sea, Fa Yilian didn’t look much like a princess. Fa Yilian thought to herself as she reached out to tuck the wind-blown hair behind Wei Zhao’s ear. She replied, “Do you want me to go back?”

Wei Zhao chuckled. Her face, which had been filled with embarrassment, now revealed a sense of reckless ease. “Why not? I promised, and I’ll keep my word.”

When these words reached Fa Yilian’s ears, she once again felt her heart beat faster. It was as if there were a faint ringing in her ears, like the sound of the deep sea. This phrase, each time she thought about it, filled her with sweetness, a tingling sensation in her chest—like listening to sacred music or hearing a divine melody. Even if the path behind it led to hell, Fa Yilian still felt there was nothing she couldn’t endure. Even if it were a sea of bl00d, she could smile through it.

“Really?” Fa Yilian asked. She paused, a hint of reluctance showing on her face. But reason told her she had to be careful. “You… You have to understand what I really want. If I go back, it means you’ve promised. If you go back on your word, I will never, never let you off easily.”

Wei Zhao heard this and couldn’t help but laugh. “How much do you like me, really? You’re so obsessed.”

Fa Yilian’s face remained unchanged. “I’ve always been like this. If I want something, I will take it, without any shame… And right now, you still have the chance to go back on your word.”

Her slave, when speaking or acting, always had this sense of entitlement.

Wei Zhao jumped onto the edge of the boat. Fa Yilian quickly reached out to protect her, but there was no real danger. They looked at each other, and both saw the smile in the other’s eyes. Wei Zhao gently touched Fa Yilian’s cheek. “Look at you. You love me so much, you’ll protect me. But I, I wouldn’t do that. A man’s word is his bond. If I promise something, I’ll do it. But my heart is small. I have many other things that matter more than you, more important than myself.”

“What you want, I can give you. But that won’t be more than what others can offer. It might even be less.”

Fa Yilian looked up into Wei Zhao’s eyes, and Wei Zhao gazed back into those green eyes, where it seemed only she existed. Fa Yilian enjoyed the illusion that the whole world belonged to her, yet at the same time, she realized she couldn’t offer the same in return.

Now that everything was said, Wei Zhao thought, why not say it all?

“You can also go back on your word.”

They both used their one-time opportunity to threaten each other. In a way, they were truly made for each other.

Fa Yilian blinked her eyes. “I’ve been watching you.” She opened her arms and hugged the person in front of her, burying her face in their embrace. Her nose was filled with their scent, and she felt the softness of their body. She had woken countless times in the middle of the night, first longing, then afraid of losing, and finally savoring the feeling. Now, she buried herself in it again, holding on tightly.

Her voice was heavy, and she spoke in that strange accent that sounded like music to Wei Zhao’s ears.

“No one knows you better than I do.” Fa Yilian inhaled deeply. “I’m willing.”

Wei Zhao lowered her head and reached out to gently touch Fa Yilian’s fiery red hair. It was as if little flames were playfully twining around her fingers, soft and gentle. She blinked her eyes and replied, “Alright. It’s settled then.”

As she spoke, a drop of water fell from the sky and vanished into Fa Yilian’s hair.

Song Qing observed the scene of the deep bond between the master and servant from a distance. Frowning, he said to Judith, “I don’t really understand.”

“What?” Judith and Song Qing had been piecing together the information they had gathered. They were becoming more familiar with each other, no longer as tense as they had been before.

“Why is the princess so kind to her slave?” Song Qing sighed. “Her highness is too kind to her slave.”

If a master is too merciful, they might be manipulated by their subordinates. Since Song Qing had just switched allegiance, he didn’t want to change masters so soon. He lowered his head. “The sage himself decreed that a master has the power of life and death over their slaves.”

Judith lowered her head, writing something, then glanced at the two people holding each other in the distance. She heard Song Qing’s words, frowned slightly, then relaxed. “There’s no need to worry about them.”

Song Qing said no more. Since he had already sworn allegiance, his advice would likely reach Wei Zhao’s ears through Judith, so there was nothing more to say. When Wei Zhao and Fa Yilian approached them, hand in hand, Song Qing couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. He pretended not to see anything and respectfully said, “I’ve cross-checked with Judith. This is what we both saw.”

Wei Zhao looked down at the documents the two had written.

Song Qing had followed them closely. Using a wall-climbing technique, he had managed to avoid being detected by anyone. Judith, on the other hand, had hidden along the way, and although she wasn’t as direct as Song Qing, she had overheard a lot of conversations. After piecing everything together, Wei Zhao realized that this place had been here for many years. According to the guards, they changed every five years. Based on that, it could be deduced that this place had been in operation for at least ten years.

Ten years…

Wei Zhao’s fingers tightened.

Ten years ago, the current sage had not yet ascended the throne. Several heirs were still fighting for power, and her mother, the empress, was happy to watch them fight while subtly sowing discord. Back then, if someone had started plotting, it made sense. The coastal city of Haizhou was far from the heart of the empire, and the control of the Great Zhou was weak here. The area was a major trade hub, making it an ideal location for gaining wealth.

However, if they had been building their power for ten years, it meant that the person behind all of this had no power or wealth at the time.

Wei Zhao lowered her gaze and didn’t think too much further. She continued reading. After that, Song Qing reported what he had seen: the person who bought the cannons was led into a private room, where a hoarse voice from behind a mask made demands. The masked man could provide a continuous supply of cannons and weapons, but he wanted certain people or fleets killed at his request.

“This person doesn’t have martial arts skills, but his followers are all highly skilled, showing signs of years of working together.” Song Qing explained.

The martial world is divided into inner and outer martial arts. Inner martial arts involves the cultivation of inner energy, which naturally suppresses outer martial arts. Over the years, the power of the martial world had gradually faded, but it wasn’t too difficult to find a few inner martial artists. Why then did this man surround himself with outer martial artists?

Wei Zhao pondered.

She looked at Song Qing, and when she saw the uncomfortable expression on his face, she gently asked, “What do you have to say?”

Song Qing gave a wry smile and replied, “Our Song family has done some business in the past, with all kinds of people involved. One of our businesses was selecting slaves with good potential, raising them well, and then sending them to the various noble families. These slaves…” Song Qing hesitated, casting a glance at A Zong.

A Zong stood there, his internal energy perfectly controlled and blending seamlessly. This was the result of mastering internal energy. Even Song Qing couldn’t help but feel a tinge of envy. A Zong turned his face away, not looking at Song Qing.

A Zong was a friend to Wei Zhao now, but to Song Qing and the entire Song family, they were still just guests, awaiting the princess’s approval. The difference was obvious. Song Qing suppressed his rising unease and continued, “Martial arts is important, but talent is crucial. Those with good potential are extremely rare. However, there are so many noble families that it’s easier to train outer martial arts, make them obedient, and then send them off.”

Wei Zhao understood. “You’re saying these people might have come that way?”

“Yes, but it’s hard to say whether they came from our Song family.” Song Qing replied. “It’s not something we’re proud of.”

Wei Zhao nodded. “I understand. In the past, it was a matter of survival. There’s no need to blame them.”

She gave Song Qing an out, and he gratefully thanked her before saying, “I was thinking I could investigate further from this angle. Our Song family still has some influence in the martial world. I can be of service to your highness.”

Wei Zhao smiled. “That’s excellent.”

Meanwhile, Judith secretly rolled her eyes, her gaze shifting to A Zong. A Zong was staring at the sea, silent. Judith gave A Zong’s arm a gentle squeeze. A Zong looked back at her in surprise, then gave her a small smile.

It was a bit silly, but well, sometimes silly people have their own kind of happiness.

Judith thought, holding onto A Zong without letting go.