Chapter 69: Captured and Encountering an Old Acquaintance

Feng Qiujie closed her eyes. This time, she did not dodge nor push Ling Zetian away, because many memories flashed through her mind.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of sorrow—so long she had forced herself to smile, pretending not to love him, feigning indifference when in truth her heart ached, acting as though nothing had happened. At this moment, the sea breeze brushed against her face, and she was seized by an urge to cry.

Ling Zetian pulled her tightly into his arms, ready to kiss her deeply, when a sudden beam of light shone upon them.

“Hey, what are those two doing?” asked one passerby.

“Not sure, looks like they’re embracing,” replied another.

Ling Zetian heard the commotion—his temple throbbed with irritation. Who were these people, intruding in the dead of night and ruining his mood? The beautiful, moving atmosphere vanished, destroyed utterly, not a trace left behind.

“What’s going on?!” Yet another voice called out.

“Reporting to Your Highness, two people over there are embracing.”

“Really? Let me see!” This voice was particularly familiar.

Ling Zetian turned with a dark face and saw that beside his own vessel drifted another boat. On its deck gathered a crowd, headed by a man in white robes, crouched with a telescope, spying on him and Feng Qiujie.

The moment Ling Zetian turned, the man with the telescope seemed to shudder, immediately flinging the instrument aside and scrambling upright, leaping about the deck, waving his hands, shouting, “Brother Emperor, Brother Emperor, it’s me, little Xin Xin!” If not for the distance between their boats, Feng Qiujie believed he would have dashed over at once.

In truth, Feng Qiujie had long felt that Ling Zexin sometimes behaved like a clown. She’d sighed more than once—his father must have had foresight, knowing he was unreliable; if the realm fell to him, surely the entire Ling Dynasty would become a kingdom of jesters.

Then she looked at Ling Zetian, his face dark with displeasure, gaze fixed on the culprit across the water, as if he could kill him with a look.

Ling Zexin, oblivious to his offense, joyfully ordered the guards to row closer—he could finally see his beloved imperial brother.

Feng Qiujie watched calmly as Ling Zexin leapt aboard their ship and rushed to embrace Ling Zetian, revealing the depth of their bond.

“Brother Emperor, I’ve finally found you. If I hadn’t, I’d have gone mad!” Ling Zexin hugged Ling Zetian, rubbing against him in excitement, nearly bursting into tears.

Somewhere along the way, Qin Ruoyan had appeared as well, watching the cheerful crowd, feeling happy herself—at last, no more drifting at sea. Yet amid this scene, she felt oddly alone, like an outsider.

Dawn was only hours away, so Ling Zexin and his companions couldn’t dwell on their excitement—they hurried to prepare for the return journey, unaware that they had already entered the dangerous waters, and none of them knew it.

“Your Highness, a large ship spotted just ahead.”

“See what kind of ship it is,” Ling Zexin said. He feared it might be from Fusang, sent to capture them.

Feng Qiujie raised her eyes. In the vast darkness, a ghostly ship approached, its flags billowing impressively. She looked closer and saw—the flag bore a skull!

A skull? That was the mark of pirates. Though Feng Qiujie had never encountered real pirates, she’d watched Pirate King.

“Everyone, run!” she screamed. “It’s pirates!”

Her shout drew every eye upon her, followed by a chorus of dismissive “tsk”s.

“Qiujie, you must trust the strength of the Imperial Guard. A few pirates are nothing to us—we could wipe them out in no time,” Ling Zexin patted her shoulder, reassuring her.

“Are you sure?” Feng Qiujie eyed Ling Zexin skeptically.

“If you don’t believe in me, believe in these brothers behind me.”

Feng Qiujie glanced at the Imperial Guards behind him. Each one looked stern, burly and vigilant.

“Right, I believe you.”

As they spoke, the pirate ship drew near. At Ling Zexin’s command, everyone drew their swords, ready for battle. But upon seeing the ship fully, Feng Qiujie hesitated.

This vessel was three times the size of theirs—could they really win?

Before they could recover from their shock, several spherical objects were hurled from the pirate ship. Feng Qiujie cried out, “No, those are bombs! Everyone get down!”

Instantly, everyone dropped to the deck. The scene felt like a war film, and Feng Qiujie, like an advisor, was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Yet the spheres didn’t explode. Puzzled, Feng Qiujie smelled something acrid. These weren’t bombs, but sleeping gas. In an instant, darkness overtook her and she fainted.

**

These pirates had long haunted the waters, robbing ships traveling between the Ling Dynasty and Fusang. Since the government closed the route, they’d lost their livelihood and had been idle, their leader debating whether to find a new hunting ground.

When Feng Qiujie opened her eyes again, she found herself bound hand and foot. Leaning against her shoulder was the still-slumbering Ling Zexin. Around her, the Imperial Guards were likewise tied, but Ling Zetian and Qin Ruoyan were nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, wake up.” Feng Qiujie shifted, causing Ling Zexin to tumble to the floor.

With a thud came Ling Zexin’s wail: “What are you doing?!”

“Your brother’s missing, and you’re sleeping soundly. If he’s taken away for dissection, what will you do?” Feng Qiujie glanced around—only their people were present, not a single pirate in sight.

“What? No way.” Ling Zexin snapped awake, scrambling to search for Ling Zetian.

Feng Qiujie felt helpless—Ling Zetian’s brother truly lacked sense.

Suddenly, her gaze fell upon a young man in robes—not an Imperial Guard, nor someone she recognized—yet oddly familiar, as though she’d met him before and knew him well. But where? She pondered, unable to recall.

The man seemed to sense her gaze and looked back.

In that instant, Feng Qiujie’s head throbbed painfully, as if splitting apart, but she remembered—the man was Lu Wenwen, the one she had once liked.

But why was he here?

Feng Qiujie wondered if fate meant for them to rekindle an old connection. But that couldn’t be—her dream suggested Lu Wenwen had never cared for her, so what connection could be renewed? Did he once dislike her, but now liked her?

Lu Wenwen kept watching her, seemingly recognizing her too.

Feng Qiujie felt utterly uncomfortable. It was bad enough to encounter someone she’d once loved, but even worse that it happened while captured by pirates—and that this man had once rejected her.

She could hardly bear it; it was agonizing.

Another thought struck her—wasn’t Qin Ruoyan here too?

According to her dream, this Lu gentleman liked Qin Ruoyan. Meanwhile, Ling Zetian was also present, and Qin Ruoyan liked him, while Ling Zetian cared for Feng Qiujie herself.

What a tangled web—she had never imagined being caught in a quadrangle of love.

Thinking this, she quickly withdrew her gaze and turned away from Lu Wenwen.

But where were Ling Zetian and Qin Ruoyan? They’d been captured together—how could both be missing? Moreover, how could they disappear together? Were they really taken for dissection?

Lost in thought, she saw Ling Zetian and Qin Ruoyan enter from the other side, followed by a pirate dressed in exotic garb, clearly a leader among them.

Feng Qiujie wondered why Ling Zetian and Qin Ruoyan weren’t bound, when the pirate chief gave a wave, and several underlings came to untie everyone.

Had they met an acquaintance?

Within minutes, everyone was freed—except one: Lu Wenwen! All eyes turned to him.

Qin Ruoyan noticed him, as did Ling Zetian, and Lu Wenwen saw them in turn.

The atmosphere grew strange—Feng Qiujie’s sixth sense told her drama was about to unfold.

“Untie him as well,” Ling Zetian said, glancing at Lu Wenwen. Before ascending the throne, Ling Zetian had heard the name “Lu Wenwen” several times, and had met him briefly in the palace. Many had praised his talent, predicting great things, so Ling Zetian had paid him special attention. But before Ling Zetian was crowned, Lu Wenwen had left the court for unknown reasons, and nobody knew where he had gone.

------Author’s Note------

A quadrangle of love—indeed.

Weekends are made for idleness ==

First published by Xiao Xiang Book House. Please do not repost!