These people, following a more direct sea route to the land of Wuyin Mountain, as recently mapped by Nangong Mo.
The sea was as blue as jade, with layers of mountain cliffs.
On the boat.
The Sixth Prince Nangong Li leaned back on the deck, legs crossed, watching a few geese fly across the sky, with several male servants attending to him.
"Ah, although I cannot have other women by my side, my treatment is still as comfortable as before."
He turned and glanced at the three rather ugly male servants kneeling around him.
Suppressing the urge to gag, he gave a thumbs-up to the blue-clad woman walking towards him.
"Princess, you're here, ha."
The Sixth Prince Nangong Li wore a fawning smile, but his heart was in turmoil, like a roller coaster.
Damn it!
How could he be so unlucky that everything he said was overheard by this tigress of his!
As Luolayata approached, Nangong Li immediately jumped down from the deck.
He grinned and hugged Luolayata.
"Thinking of other women again?"
Luolayata glared at Nangong Li, raising her delicate hand to pinch his ear.
"How dare I, how dare I, my dear, don't overthink it."
In front of Luolayata, the Sixth Prince Nangong Li immediately conceded.
Meanwhile, inside the cabin.
Nangong Mo sat cross-legged in a snow-white robe.
Du Chun, with his white hair, sat opposite him.
The wind on the boat was strong, causing the beaded curtains to sway back and forth, making faint sounds.
A chessboard was placed between them.
On the board, the two were evenly matched. After several games, most ended in draws, though Nangong Mo did win a few.
Beside them, Gu Qianying leaned comfortably against Lu Zhu, holding a teacup and drinking the warmed medicinal tea prepared by Lu Zhu.
This medicinal tea was to ensure a smooth pregnancy.
She had prescribed it for herself.
The warm medicinal tea tasted quite good.
It was like fine wine.
A moment later.
She glanced at the chessboard, which had once again ended in a draw between Nangong Mo and Du Chun, and she chuckled softly, "Your chess skills are similar, and you still compete so boringly. Doesn't it bother you?"
Nangong Mo put down the chess piece in his hand, stood up, and came to sit beside her, his arm around her, his eyes full of affection, "With my wife by my side, how could I feel bothered? I feel very happy at this moment."
At some point, the person before her had learned to speak sweet nothings.
Gu Qianying glared at Nangong Mo, "Slick-tongued, who knows who you learned from."
Nangong Mo lowered his head and kissed her on the cheek, "Naturally, I learned it myself. As your husband, it is my duty to make you happy."
As if already accustomed to the affectionate interactions between Gu Qianying and Nangong Mo.
Or perhaps, having let go of his feelings, Du Chun turned around after clearing the chessboard, his gaze clear and serene.
"You two are going too far. I'm still here."
With a teasing remark, Du Chun had people outside set up a table of fine wine and delicacies.
Gu Qianying, who hadn't drunk alcohol for many days, was a bit greedy.
She sat over, took a bite of food, and when she picked up the poured wine glass.
Du Chun and Nangong Mo simultaneously reached out, intending to snatch the wine glass from Gu Qianying's hand.
"Pregnant women cannot drink alcohol."
Nangong Mo and Du Chun spoke at the same time.
"Don't get excited, I won't drink. I was just a bit greedy and wanted to smell it."
Gu Qianying sniffed the aged wine with its fragrant aroma, did not drink it, and put it down.
Seeing this, Nangong Mo and Du Chun were relieved.
While drinking (and smelling) the wine, the three chatted and laughed, talking about everything under the sun, enjoying themselves immensely.
During this time.
Du Chun suddenly remembered something.
He spoke, "I don't want to be your son-in-law, I want to be the godfather to your child, alright?"
Gu Qianying was stunned.
"Cough cough cough..."
Nangong Mo choked on his own saliva.
"Son-in-law? Who said you could be my child's son-in-law? My child hasn't even been born yet, would I dare to accept such an old son-in-law?"
Gu Qianying laughed.
She thought Du Chun was joking.
Unexpectedly, Du Chun glanced at Nangong Mo beside her.
A lingering grievance flickered in his eyes.
Gu Qianying's smile gradually disappeared. She turned to look at Nangong Mo, her temples throbbing, "Nangong Mo!"
Du Chun was their good friend. If he were to marry her daughter in the future, wouldn't she then be Du Chun's mother-in-law?
Moreover, how could Du Chun marry a little baby as his wife?
What was all this about!
"My dear, don't be angry. I was just joking."
"Joking? Is it fun to tease others? And that person is our good friend. Go apologize quickly."
"What? My dear!"
Nangong Mo was stunned.
Gu Qianying, imitating the Nanman Princess, grabbed Nangong Mo's ear with one hand.
"Go quickly... and apologize!"
"Yes, yes, yes, my dear, let go, I'll go now, I'll go now."
In front of Gu Qianying, Prince Nangong Mo lost all his regal demeanor.
He walked up to Du Chun, sat down, grasped his hand, and said through gritted teeth, "It's my fault, I shouldn't have teased you. You idiot, you have no brains, I understand."
Du Chun: "..."
The usually gentle Du Chun's smiling face seemed to crack.
"Nangong Mo! You..."
He tilted his head to look at Gu Qianying, "Little Qianying, you... look at him!"
Since letting go of his obsession, he found that his interactions with Gu Qianying were very harmonious.
As she had said, a true friend was someone with whom one could live and die together.
And between him and her, why couldn't they be as open as friends?
"Nangong Mo, apologize properly, or else in the future, I'll have your son come beat you up!"
Hearing this, Du Chun, in a gesture of camaraderie, clasped Nangong Mo's hand.
Repeating Gu Qianying's words, "Did you hear that! Let your son beat you, no, let my godson beat you!"
"Daughter, I want a daughter!"
Nangong Mo's face darkened.
"Hahaha!"
The three of them laughed together.
Du Chun and Nangong Mo held hands tightly, their hair being blown by the wind.
Both wore white robes, one aloof and cold, the other refined and cultured.
And the woman sitting beside them, leaning on a round window with one hand, looking at the scenery outside the ship, dressed in red, with a beautiful face, was also full of smiles.
The three got along very harmoniously.
The ship sailed on the sea, its speed neither fast nor slow.
The scenery before them passed by like fleeting clouds.
Rumble!
At this moment, the weather suddenly changed.
Rain began to fall, accompanied by lightning and thunder.
The path ahead became a series of surging waves, overwhelming and immense, their height terrifying.
The boat carrying Gu Qianying and the others began to sway violently, becoming very unstable.
Inside the cabin, objects placed around crashed down with a clatter.
Gu Qianying's clumsy body became unsteady. She instinctively grabbed a teacup rolling towards her from the cabin, and her unstable body fell backward.
"Qianying, be careful!"
"Qianying!"
"Princess Consort!"
Nangong Mo and Du Chun exclaimed simultaneously, quickly turning and lunging towards Gu Qianying.
Due to the violent rocking of the ship, Lu Zhu, who was behind Gu Qianying, lost her balance and toppled to Gu Qianying's left.
Nangong Mo caught Gu Qianying before she hit the ground.
Du Chun, however, used himself as a "shield" for Gu Qianying, positioning himself where Gu Qianying was about to fall.
The cabin continued to shake, its speed not decreasing.
Those outside the cabin were not faring any better.
The Nanman Princess was held in the arms of the Sixth Prince Nangong Li. Both were drenched and unstable, nearly falling overboard.
The ugly servants behind them were struggling to save themselves.
With a few splashes, they all fell off the ship.
"Creak."
The wooden board beneath Nangong Li's feet suddenly cracked, and he stepped into empty space.
He, along with Luolayata, began to sink.
Just as the seawater was about to cover their chests, Nangong Li grabbed Luolayata by the waist and, with all his might, pulled her onto the ship.
He, however, lacked the strength to climb up himself.
The events happened too suddenly.
Neither of them had time to react. By the time they did, one was clinging to the ship's deck, and the other was holding onto a piece of the cracked wooden board that had not yet broken off.
"Nangong Li, hurry up and climb! I'll save you."
Luolayata tried to find something to save Nangong Li, but she realized there wasn't even a rope around.
"Save my ass! Luolayata, listen to me, I can't swim, I can't hold on any longer. You have to live well, understand?"
For Nangong Li, who had decent martial arts cultivation, being in the water meant he couldn't save himself because he couldn't swim.
The ship continued to shake, and behind him, layers of waves surged like an overturned river, about to engulf him...