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

Qi Xiao had a meal of meat and was happy for two hours. Not long after getting on the boat, he began to feel dizzy again. Fortunately, he took a stroll around Chuanyang Lake and drank some seasickness medicine, which allowed him to get a good night's sleep.

Bai Xiqiao was left on the boat, having no chance to try Lao Wan's cabbage and pork stew. He was itching to try it when Zong Sheng mentioned it. Qi Xiao and Zong Sheng hadn't forgotten Bai Xiqiao, so they brought back three beggar chickens from Lao Wan's, giving one to Su Qin and one to the boatman. Bai Xiqiao ate the whole beggar chicken, almost chewing it up and swallowing it down to the bone. He ate until his stomach was full and he felt very satisfied.

The atmosphere in the other room at the bow was less cozy. Qing Lan, looking aggrieved, angrily complained to Tang Ling about Qi Xiao, "Even the boatmen can share a beggar's chicken, but we have nothing here! The whole cabin is filled with the aroma of beggar's chicken, and it can even seep into our room through the cracks in the wall. It's clearly a deliberate bullying!"

Tang Ling couldn't help laughing, took a sip of tea, and seemed nonchalant.

"Sir, you're still laughing?!"

"Qinglan, my arm is still injured. Even if you send me a beggar's chicken, I can only taste it. And you want me to watch you eat it?"

"...this...this...that whether we eat it or not is our business, but whether we send it to you or not is of great importance!"

Tang Ling smiled and shook her head gently. "Qinglan, think back to everything we've encountered since entering the State of Chen. The danger of life and death, the humiliation of being a prisoner, which one isn't more serious than a beggar's chicken? And think about who Qi Xiao is. Does saving me make him a good man? He only saved my life because he could profit from it. He's being kind to me for no reason. If he really had given me a beggar's chicken, I wouldn't have dared to eat it."

After listening to what Tang Ling said, Qinglan felt even worse. He pursed his lips, lowered his head, and whispered, "It's Qinglan who is useless. But sir, you can't make yourself sound like an animal that needs to be fattened up before being killed and eaten." Qinglan was probably very greedy, and his words became more and more thoughtless.

Tang Ling nearly spit out her tea, coughed lightly, and raised her hand to tap Qing Lan's forehead: "How dare you say that to your own son!"

"Sir, Qinglan knows he was wrong."

Tang Ling sighed and said nothing more.

Qing Lan's face was filled with worry. He wasn't satisfied with just complaining about Tang Ling's injustice. He couldn't hold back his thoughts, so he couldn't help but vent. "That King of Chu is truly wicked! He's so wicked at such a young age. His verbal harassment and insults weren't enough. Last time, he made you sleep on the floor even though he knew you were injured. He was completely oblivious to your high fever in the middle of the night, and it nearly cost you your life! Fortunately, as fate would have it, he was so afraid of water that he got seasick. Once on the Qin River, he became a dead fish, unable to even twitch!"

"Qinglan, I've told you many times, be careful with your words."

"Sir, there are only two of us in this room. You can't go and complain about me to that brat, the King of Chu."

Tang Ling sighed silently. Qinglan should not be much younger than Qi Xiao. He was born innocent and without any scheming. But Qi Xiao looked like a monster that had cultivated for thousands of years and was frightening?

Tang Ling unconsciously touched the wound on his arm. The wound had healed and only hurt occasionally when it was pulled. Every time he saw the wound and felt the pain, Tang Ling didn't think of the danger that night but Qi Xiao standing barefoot in a pool of blood and his cold eyes.

What had he been through? How could a pampered prince, or perhaps a neglected prince, possess such martial arts skills? And how did he cultivate such a murderous aura that resembled a murderous spirit?

Tang Ling followed his father into the military camp and onto the battlefield when he was less than twelve years old. He had heard earth-shaking shouts of killing and seen pits and valleys filled with corpses. He had seen countless eyes filled with murderous intent, resentment, and hatred, and he had also seen the gray and colorless despair after their death, but no pair of eyes had ever made him feel uneasy like Qi Xiao's.

At that moment, when Tang Ling looked into Qi Xiao's eyes, she seemed to see nothing but endless darkness. There was no firmness or strength, nor ferocity or viciousness. However, Tang Ling clearly felt that the endless darkness seemed to have enormous power, pulling her in fiercely, making him breathless.

Tang Ling had no idea what lay hidden in that black abyss, but he kept thinking about it, unable to resist. Even if nothing came of it, the shock left by that glance lingered in his heart, even becoming ever clearer, recurring again and again, as if piercing his heart. It was as if Tang Ling was standing at the edge of an abyss, instinctively wary of danger, yet unable to suppress his curiosity to delve deeper.

***

When Qi Xiao woke up, it was still dark. He didn't know what time it was, but the boat was still shaking, but it seemed to have eased a bit. It was probably because the weather outside was good, with no wind and no waves.

As soon as Qi Xiao stood up, Zong Sheng woke up with a start: "Master?"

"It's okay, you can continue sleeping." Qi Xiao put on an outer coat as if he was going out.

"Master, it's still dark, where are you going?"

"It's quiet now, so why not sit down at the stern? It's okay. You can continue sleeping."

Qi Xiao told him not to follow, so Zong Sheng didn't dare to follow. He could only watch Qi Xiao walk out with a pot of Liuyeqing.

There were many people on the boat, and Qi Xiao was very seasick. He also wanted to save face. Ever since he met Tang Ling outside and was laughed at last, he almost stayed indoors. Now that it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he wanted to be alone and enjoy the breeze and a few drinks.

Qi Xiao, holding a wine jug in one hand and a small lamp in the other, walked to the stern deck accompanied by the gently swaying tide. He put the oil lamp beside him and sat down. If it were not for the flickering small lamp, he would almost blend into the boat in the darkness.

I don't know where the moon in the sky has gone. It is pitch black now. I am afraid that dawn will be here soon.

Qi Xiao sipped the wine, one sip at a time. The Willow Leaf Green had a delicate sweetness, a slightly bitter taste that was surprisingly mild as it entered his throat. It wasn't overpowering, but rather had a mellow aftertaste. No wonder it's a specialty of Chuanyang Lake. Willow Leaf Green's gentleness made Qi Xiao drink more unconsciously. The pot was empty in a short while, and daybreak had already arrived.

The morning sun climbed up the mountain from the east, and the white morning light covered the dark mountain and merged with the mountain fog, until the golden and red clouds covered the sky and the earth like a flying phoenix spreading its wings, and then the morning sun leaped out from the belly of the mountain with light and fire.

Qi Xiao closed his eyes, feeling the warmth brought by the sunlight, which dispelled the night's chill and melted the mist on the Qin River.

The boatmen always got up early, and Qi Xiao heard the noise at first light, but he was too lazy to move before anyone came to the stern to disturb him. Now it was daylight, the wine was finished, and it was time to go back to the cabin.

Qi Xiao stood up, picked up the small lamp and walked back. When he got closer to the cabin door, he found that there was a person standing inside.

"Did I disturb you?" Tang Ling was also holding a lamp in her hand, and it seemed that she had come out before dawn.

"What are you doing standing here?"

"I heard the boatman say the sunrise over the Qin River was incredibly beautiful, so I wanted to see it. When I came out, I noticed you sitting at the stern, so I didn't dare leave for fear of disturbing you." Tang Ling pursed her lips. "I didn't mean to tease you last time."

Qi Xiao understood clearly that Tang Ling knew that the last time they met on the deck, she found out that he was seasick, which made him lose face, so Qi Xiao avoided him, and he didn't dare to show up again and embarrass himself.

But Qi Xiao understood better. If Tang Ling really wanted to save his face and avoid him, she should have turned around and left long ago. Why couldn't she just watch the sunrise from the bow? Why did she have to stand in the cabin door and wait for him to come over?

Qi Xiao's face flushed after drinking, and he exuded a sense of laziness. The sunrise was beautiful, and the Liu Yeqing was delicious. He was in a good mood and didn't want to argue with Tang Ling, so he nodded lightly, brushed past Tang Ling and walked into the cabin.

"Qi Xiao." Tang Ling called him.

Qi Xiao paused for a moment, hesitating whether he should stop, but he had already turned around and was face to face with Tang Ling.

Tang Ling took out a brocade bag from her waist and handed it to Qi Xiao: "I asked Qinglan to make some sugar pills. Putting them in your mouth can refresh your mind and relieve seasickness."

Qi Xiao may have drunk a little too much, and his usual arrogance and badness had disappeared. He reached out to take it, raised his eyes and smiled: "Thank you."

Tang Ling was a little surprised for a moment. He actually saw some tenderness on Qi Xiao's face.

"Why are you surprised? Wasn't this made especially for me? Shouldn't I thank you?" Qi Xiao looked at Tang Ling with a smile, his eyes a little dazed, and his tone seemed to be the same annoying Qi Xiao of the past, but Tang Ling felt different.

"Let Qinglan do it after we finish eating."

"Yeah." Qi Xiao accepted Tang Ling's kindness, said nothing more, and went straight back to his room.