Chapter Thirty-Fifth: The Country of Vast Ocean

  Liu Qingqing and his party arrived at Fengyundu Port, where they saw people coming and going, large ships ready to set sail, a prosperous and bustling scene. The sky was clear and bright, the sun was high in the air, and everyone was busy.

  While considering which boat to take, Hu Dong came before Liu Qingqing and smiled: "Madam Jiǔ, we have our own boat at home, no need to wait specially." He pointed to a large boat on one side, "Please board the ship."

  Liu Qingqing looked in the direction of Hu Dong's pointing hand and indeed saw a large ship docked by the shore, tall and spacious, with a brocade flag embroidered with a big "Hu" character hanging above it.

  Yingying had never been on a boat before, and she excitedly boarded the ship with Xiaolian's hand in hers. She fondled the carved dragon and phoenix on the window frame, exclaiming in admiration. As a northerner unaccustomed to water, she was thrilled to see such a large vessel for the first time and felt as if she were walking on flat ground. However, when she stood by the window and looked out, all she saw was a vast expanse of white, with waves undulating in the distance, and immediately felt dizzy.

  She gazed at Liu Qingqing and said, "Miss..." Liu Qingqing quickly covered her mouth and sternly said, "Be quiet, don't speak." She knew that Yingying's words were never auspicious, especially when sailing, as they might jinx the ship to sink or capsize. Everyone present couldn't help but laugh, saying that although Ninth Lady had contracted a foolish illness, her ability to discern words and observe expressions remained remarkably sharp.

  A few days later.

  In the distance, they saw the port ahead. They were already close to the capital city. Liu Qing was very excited and pulled Xiao Lian onto the deck to feel the wind. Compared to the sweltering heat inside the ship, the deck was much cooler. With her hair blowing in the wind, she felt invigorated.

  "What's it like strolling on the deck?" Liu Qingqing asked with a mischievous grin, her restless personality acting up again.

  Yue Qianshan followed them out, listened and was startled, and hurriedly said: "Don't go? The front is the ferry terminal, there are many people. Qingqing, I remember you can't swim, how did you learn so quickly?" Afraid that she would really do it, Yue Qianshan quickly changed the subject.

  "How would I know?" Liu Qingqing helplessly spread her hands, she didn't remember many things herself.

  "I previously advised you to learn how to swim, but you said that after marrying me, we would be living in the grasslands and wouldn't encounter water anyway, so you refused to learn. I didn't expect you to become such a good swimmer now, is it for someone else?" There was a hint of sourness in her tone.

  Liu Qingqing smiled and said, "Your tone is like you're eating vinegar, I'm so wronged, I don't know anything."

  "It's not just that I'm eating vinegar, my heart is aching to the point of no return. I don't know when I can meet the Green Jade Buddha and cure your illness, so you can recall our past beautiful times." Yue Qianshan said with infinite melancholy.

  "You're in a hurry, but the road will appear when we reach the mountain. When the boat reaches the bridgehead, it will naturally go straight. Let's wait until we get to Kyoto and then look for it." Liu Qingqing was infinitely intoxicated, "The air is so fresh! How can there be such a strong fragrance of jasmine on the river?" As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Liu Qingqing's body soften and fall forward, and Xiao Lian also fell off the deck. Yue Qianshan grabbed Liu Qingqing's sleeve in a panic, but somehow the deck had been splashed with a lot of water, and when he pulled, he landed on his butt, falling to the ground with his face up, shouting loudly: "Quickly save him! Qingqing has fallen into the water!"

  The helmsman shouted loudly as soon as he saw it: "It's not good, the ninth lady and the young lady have fallen into the water!" Everyone was flustered, someone rushed to report to Hu Dong in the cabin, Hu Dong immediately ordered the boat to stop, and instructed the sailors to dive in to rescue them. Several good swimmers jumped in first.

  "Hu Dong shouted loudly: 'Save the lives of Ninth Lady and Little Madam, a reward of one thousand taels!' In fact, everyone had already gone down without waiting for the reward. These boatmen were all Hu family's household slaves, each and every one of them loyal and devoted."

  These boatmen were all first-class swimmers and divers, leaping into the river and diving straight to the bottom, but they did not find any trace of the two people.

  Liu Qingqing and Xiao Lian vanished into thin air.

  This is terrible. Hu Dong and Hu Xi were stunned. Yue Qianshan was even more stunned. The importance of Hu Shao to the Ninth Lady and the Young Lady was clear to everyone, especially since the Young Lady was also pregnant, how could they explain it to the master? On one hand, Hu Dong sent a small boat to Kyoto to inform Hu Shao, on the other hand, he continued to send people to salvage and search, still holding a glimmer of hope in his heart. The Ninth Lady was playful by nature, maybe she was just joking, and would come up soon. The Young Lady's swimming skills were top-notch, nothing would happen to her.

  Unfortunately, the joke has gone too far. Liu Qingqing and Xiaolian are no longer here.

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  After an unknown amount of time, Liu Qingqing woke up and felt that she was on a horse-drawn carriage. She looked around and saw that Xiaolian was also tightly bound and sleeping beside her, no, she had fainted beside her. Both of their mouths were stuffed with cloth. In her heart, she knew that she had been robbed or kidnapped. However, she didn't panic, her adventurous personality took over. She perked up her ears to listen carefully, outside two people were walking and chatting.

  A male voice said, "We've already entered the city of Hanhai, so we don't have to worry about that. That Hu Zhongren definitely won't think that we'll snatch his wife right in front of him. Now that we're within the borders of Hanhai country, once we sell off Hu Shao's wife, you can let me go and indulge in the passionate women at the Smoke Flower House."

  "Are you thinking of Hu Zhongren's previous women again? I advise you to give up the idea, we got the money and let's go back, don't make unnecessary trouble; this Ninth Lady is untouchable, not only does Hu Shao like her, but also Yang Liuqing, and it's said she's even the fiancée of Yue Qianshan. Let's just leave this time." A woman's voice.

  "According to Lan Ji, those girls are having a great time here and have forgotten about their homes." the man said.

  The woman said: "Are you worried that they are hiding their light and waiting for an opportunity to escape?"

  "Do they think they can escape? Without the king of Hanhai's token, it is impossible to enter and exit freely. It seems that only we have such freedom! What a pity, they were originally everyone's beloved daughters, or at least small jade, but they had to endure such torture!"

  "What's wrong, are you feeling sorry? Don't forget it was you who brought them in, and you're also their sworn enemy!" the woman said.

  "Wife, it's not right to say that. It's their fault for marrying into the Hu family and being unable to resist Yang Liuqing's temptation. We're just adding fuel to the fire!"

  "Women are all foolish, they actually fantasize about getting genuine emotions, who would have thought that we've long seen through the fact that husbands and wives are just mutually helpful allies!"

  "Yes, wife, it's just us who are a perfect match, because we see through things."

  "Opposite heads, there are only permanent interests, no permanent couples, and we are an interest community!"

  Liu Qingqing thought to herself, "Damn it, we're supposed to be a community of shared interests, but it's all just a bunch of mothers' mothers."

  The horse carriage stopped in front of a tavern called "Wealthy Inn".

  "Welcome to Caishen Inn! Feng Gonggong and Yun Popo, you've come again, what good stuff have you brought this time?" As soon as he heard it, he knew it was the little second of the guest house greeting them. It seems that both people are familiar customers here.

  "Li Xiao'er, long time no see, how have you been?"

  "Alright! Alright, you two are still following the old routine? Room Tianzi, plus a table of sumptuous food. Then go invite Mama Lan Jiniang from Huaniao Alley." The shopkeeper said quickly and efficiently.

  "Ah, Old Man Wind and Cloud Granny have brought the best goods, tell her to bring more silver over." Old Man Wind laughed loudly, his laughter filled with self-satisfaction.

  Yun Po-po said: "Today is already late, let's have Lan Ji come over again tomorrow."

  "Alright, I'm going." The shopkeeper replied and went to prepare. Yún Pópó opened the car door and saw that the two people were still sleeping, she wondered: "Why haven't they woken up yet? Did we put too much medicine?"

  Feng Gong said, "I was once taken advantage of by him. That time in the water, this little girl almost got me killed. So the medicine I've prepared is a bit heavy-handed." He dragged the two people down from the carriage, one hand holding each, and stuffed them into the Tianzi Inn's guest room, throwing them onto the floor.

  Liu Qingqing secretly watched, a sumptuous meal was already set on the table, the aroma stimulated his taste buds, and his stomach growled with hunger.

  The Lord of the Wind and the Cloud Granny also seemed to be exhausted from their journey, drinking heavily and eating meat voraciously. Liu Qingqing couldn't help but curse in her heart. Looking at Yue Qianshan who was still unconscious, she couldn't think of anything for the time being, so she could only watch as the two people indulged in front of her, their eyes gleaming with desire until they were almost bleeding.

  Finally, the night was quiet and deep, and two people were snoring loudly. Liu Qingqing slipped out of the sack with a twist and turn, and approached Xiaolian's head, where her hairpin had a sharp, thin short blade that served as a decoration like a small flag, which could both hold up her hair and be used for self-defense. Liu Qingqing carefully observed the movements of Feng Gonggong and Yun Popo while quietly cutting open the rope. After checking her pocket, she smiled slightly, took out a small bottle, smelled it under her nose, then took out another small bottle and sprayed it around the room, filling it with fragrance.

  She hastily untied the ropes binding Xiaolian, saw that she was still unconscious, and quickly poured a cup of wine on her face. She immediately sat down at the dinner table, not minding the cold leftovers, and started eating voraciously. Xiaolian was weak and didn't have the energy to eat. Liu Qingqing said, "You can't just stare blankly like that, eat a little bit, aren't you hungry?"

  "Not hungry." Xiaolian sat down beside him, "What medicine did you give them?"

  "I don't know the name either, it's a product developed by Hu Shaixin. Or just call it 'Fragrant House'?" Liu Qingqing continued to eat and drink. Finally, after eating and drinking enough, when they were hungry again, even the dishes seemed edible, but Xiao Lian was not moved at all. Fortunately, she had sharp eyes and took out a piece of beef from Yun Pobaby's bag, which Yun Pobaby had secretly stashed away earlier. "Hey, here you go! It hasn't been touched, just pretend to wash the pot with urine!"

  Xiao Lian smelled the stench of beef and vomited all the food in her stomach.