Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

The Qin River originates from the Chaoyun River at the foot of the snow-capped mountains in the northwest, flows southward into the Chuanyang Lake and then merges into the Taihua River, almost running through the north and south of the Chen Dynasty. However, the Yuan capital was in the east and was not close to the Qin River. A hundred years ago, when the Liang State was still there, Liang Yu, the lord of Liang, carried out large-scale construction and used the power of the entire country to dig a canal to connect the Bian River and the Qin River. It took thirty years to open up an unobstructed waterway for the Liang State.

Unfortunately, Liang Yu's foresight could not overcome internal and external troubles, and he himself was not a long-lived monarch. He died before the age of forty-three and did not even have time to see the completion of the canal. When the canal was completed, the State of Liang was finally overwhelmed and was destroyed by the neighboring Jin.

A hundred years later, the Qin River continued to flow, carrying the Chen State's commerce on the waves, continuously.

Tang Ling finally saw the Qin River with his own eyes. He traced a line on the sheepskin map countless times. He finally heard the sound of the waves and smelled the clear mist. The Qin River was not as majestic and magnificent as the Taihua River, but it passed through the green mountains and dense forests, accompanied by the singing of birds and beasts and long clouds. It seemed to have a broad mind, embracing the world in its arms, embracing everything, so that the world could be peaceful.

Tang Ling stood on the deck, gazing at the scenery before her, a wave of emotion washed over her. Zhou and Chen had fought for years, never achieving a decisive victory. Tang Ling believed the reason wasn't Chen's superior iron ore and craftsmen, its sharp and powerful weapons, or the fierceness and skill of its Tiger Power Army. The real reason lay in the tranquil Qin River, which ran through the entire state of Chen. Because of the Qin River, even though the Tiger Power Army stationed in Linjiang Prefecture numbered only 50,000, if war broke out, Chen could transport large numbers of troops and officers across the Qin River to Linjiang Prefecture and the battlefields along the Taihua River. With a constant supply of supplies, Chen could devote the entire nation's strength to supporting the Tiger Power Army.

After months of fierce fighting, the Great Zhou became increasingly exhausted and ultimately defeated, so Tang Ling appeared here, in the heartland of the State of Chen. Before long, he would be able to reach Yuanjing and kowtow to the emperor of the State of Chen.

Tang Ling unconsciously exerted force on the railing, as if she wanted to crush something.

"Sir, it's cold outside."

Tang Ling sighed unconsciously, turned around and smiled at Qing Lan, "It's just the beginning of autumn, and the sun is shining brightly. I'm sweating all over my forehead, so how can I be cold? Besides, I've been lying down for two days. If I don't get out and walk around, my arms won't heal yet, and my legs will be useless."

Qinglan was just about to say that Tang Ling's injury had not yet healed completely and that it was not advisable to move too much, especially since the "Dust Fate" on his body was extremely heavy and could easily affect the wound. However, before he could finish his words, he was choked back by Tang Ling's words.

"... Young Master..."

"Okay, okay, I know. My injury is serious. My typhoid fever hasn't healed yet. Hey... Qinglan, do you know that you'll age quickly if you keep nagging like this?" Tang Ling smiled gently and joked with Qinglan.

Qinglan couldn't handle the slightest joke, and a look of grievance immediately crossed his face. During his time in Chen, he'd been living in constant fear: assassinations, colds, hard labor, more assassinations, injuries. In just a month, Tang Ling had been on the brink of death several times. Qinglan had once been confident in his medical skills, even proud of them, but now, he was truly terrified. What if Tang Ling suddenly collapsed, and he couldn't revive her? What would he do then? He didn't dare think about it, and could only do everything he could to protect her, keeping a constant watch over her, and preferably, keeping strangers away.

Thinking of the "stranger", the one who gave Qinglan the most headache was now staggering to the stern of the boat, not too far away from them, neither too close nor too far away, so that they could hear him if they shouted, but at the same time, he was two meters away, as if he was waiting for Tang Ling to come over.

Tang Ling obviously also saw Qi Xiao, and turned her body slightly to face him.

"Sir, let's go back?" Qinglan saw that Tang Ling seemed to be about to go over, so he quickly pulled Tang Ling and wanted to go back to the cabin.

Tang Ling kept looking at Qi Xiao with relief, and said softly to Qing Lan, "You go back first."

"Young Master..." Qinglan wanted to say something, but Tang Ling had already walked towards Qi Xiao.

Qi Xiao sat down on the stern deck, leaning against the railing, tilting his head back, letting the wind blow moisture onto his face. It must have been comfortable, but when Tang Ling approached, she realized that he looked unhappy and had a frown on his face.

"Your Majesty."

When Qi Xiao heard Tang Ling's voice, he opened his eyes slightly and squinted at her: "Hmm."

"What's wrong with the prince?" Qi Xiao's indifferent attitude seemed to indicate that he was unwilling to talk to Tang Ling, but seeing that he looked sick, Tang Ling didn't know what was good for her and turned away, but asked another question instead.

Qi Xiao closed his eyes, too lazy to move, and stammered, "Um, what's up?"

Qi Xiao was known for his arrogance, domineering, and unruly demeanor. His haughty attitude was perfectly normal. When he spoke to Tang Ling, he often wore a sly smile, his words filled with playful banter and teasing, devoid of politeness, as if deliberately aiming to irritate her. Or when Qi Xiao wielded his sword to kill, the edge was sharp, his presence shrouded in a stern, murderous ruthlessness. But Tang Ling had never seen Qi Xiao so exhausted.

"Is Your Majesty seasick?"

Qi Xiao raised his eyelids and looked at Tang Ling again. He frowned and waved at him gently, indicating Tang Ling to stand beside him.

Tang Ling followed Qi Xiao's instructions and moved a step, standing next to him at a perfect angle to block the sunlight from Qi Xiao's head.

Qi Xiao was satisfied, his brows slightly relaxed, and he raised his head to ask Tang Ling: "Is Ziyi's injury healed? Do you have something to talk to me about?"

Qi Xiao would never admit to being seasick. He could draw a bow and wield a sword with ease on horseback, like an eagle soaring through the sky. But as soon as the wind picked up and the waves crashed on a boat, he became completely seasick. He still remembered being crowned king and leaving the capital at the age of ten, also traveling by water along the Qin River. He vomited from the moment he boarded the boat, passed out, and only survived when he landed on his feet.

More than six years have passed, and Qin Jiang is still the same Qin Jiang. Qi Xiao is also still the same child. No matter how old he is or how strong his physique is, he still vomits and faints. But Qi Xiao now cares more about his reputation and will never show weakness in front of Tang Ling, the sickly girl.

"If you're feeling really sick, why not let Qinglan take a look? He should have some medicine for seasickness."

Qi Xiao smiled crookedly: "It's okay. Just get some fresh air outside."

Tang Ling also smiled, hiding in the shadows, her face a little blurry. Or maybe it was because Qi Xiao was so dizzy that he couldn't see anything clearly.

"Then I'll stand here and block the sun for you."

Qi Xiao frowned when he heard what Tang Ling said. He didn't quite understand what Tang Ling meant. Did she want him to stay with her on the deck and enjoy the breeze? Seasickness seemed to have made him feel like his soul was leaving his body. Even his head was filled with water and was swaying violently.

Tang Ling couldn't help but smile when he saw the confused expression on Qi Xiao's face. It was the first time he saw the childishness of a teenager in Qi Xiao, and he looked a little cute and spoiled.

"It's still a long way to go. Take good care of your injuries. If anything happens again, don't expect me to save you."

"Oh...it turns out the King of Chu is not only seasick but also can't swim."

Qi Xiao found these words a bit harsh, and it seemed as if the two of them had suddenly switched positions, with Tang Ling now glaring at him and teasing him.

"So Ziyi came here specifically to laugh at me?"

Tang Ling shook her head. "Since arriving in Chen, I've either encountered thrilling and dangerous assassinations, or been recuperating from injuries. Lying in bed all day is so boring. Plus, there's nowhere to move around on the ship. So I thought if you have time, we could play a game of chess to kill some time."

Qi Xiao waved his hand gently: "Sorry, I can't accompany you."

"It's ok."

After Tang Ling finished speaking, she still stood in the distance, leaning against the railing to relieve some of the weight of "Dust Fate", and stood beside Qi Xiao.

Qi Xiao rubbed his forehead and asked, "Why don't you leave?"

"I want some fresh air, too."

Qi Xiao sighed and ignored Tang Ling. It was better for him to stand beside her so that she wouldn't be so exposed.

However, the two of them did not stay together like this for long, standing and sitting in silence. Zong Sheng came out of the cabin and walked straight towards them.

"Master."

Qi Xiao stretched out his hand: "Give me a hand."

Zong Sheng pulled Qi Xiao to his feet. Qi Xiao flicked his sleeve to clear off the dampness and strode into the cabin. Zong Sheng followed behind him until he was out of Tang Ling's sight. Then he whispered, "There's a letter from Fenglin Mountain."

"Ah."