Chapter 50: Satisfying All Her Desires…

These past few days of traveling rivers and crossing bridges, they had encountered quite a few boats. Guan Xuan had been carefully observing the structures of various vessels. As long as he had the materials, he could start building one. He carried the Princess toward the shore. Amidst the lush, verdant vegetation along the bank, a small earthen hut stood hidden, leaning precariously and isolated. He had spotted it from afar while still on the raft.

This place was desolate and uninhabited, making it relatively safe. Guan Xuan settled the Princess under the eaves, used his inner force to dry her clothes and hair, then leaped back into the curtain of rain.

Compared to a month ago, the rain was colder now, seeping into the air and stinging the nostrils. Zhao Rongzhang stared blankly in the direction Little Mute had gone. The scents of various plants gathered thickly, more dizzying than refreshing.

Zhao Rongzhang glanced back. The small earthen hut was pitch black inside, with only a few stones faintly visible, likely used to prop up a bed frame. She took one look and quickly turned her face away. This eerie place gave her an indescribable, creeping feeling.

Yet it also sparked imagination. Who had built this hut? On what day had they stopped returning here?

Ghost stories are born from human pasts; sinister places were once filled with the breath of the living. The heavy rain and the wildly overgrown vegetation—it was hard to say which was more frenzied. The daylight had faded to a mere trace. As Zhao Rongzhang let her thoughts wander, a cold sweat broke out on her back. To chase away the fear and unease in her heart, she quickly turned her mind to Little Mute…

At a certain moment, the intense, prickling unease on her back suddenly dissipated—her intuition had instantly recognized his return. Zhao Rongzhang immediately lifted her face from the crook of her arm and saw Little Mute, his back to the frenzied world, bending down and reaching a hand toward her. His cool fingertips gently brushed her temple, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear.

Little Mute had brought back many logs. The logs were thick and long; any one of them was taller and wider than a person.

After tidying the Princess’s hair, Little Mute turned to peel and prepare the logs. He had already taken several steps away when the Princess called out, “Come here!”

The Princess stood under the short eaves, her expression somewhat awkward. She didn’t say anything else.

Guan Xuan walked toward her.

Seeing Little Mute draw closer, Zhao Rongzhang’s heartbeat grew lighter. Yet, she still felt awkward. She hadn’t yet figured out why she had called him over.

As Little Mute looked as if he were about to ask something, Zhao Rongzhang suddenly remembered. She raised her arm to show him. “Here.”

Little Mute’s gaze followed, landing on a finger-length tear in her sleeve. He thought for a moment, took her hand, and quickly pulled a small spool of thread from his robe. Two needles were stuck into the spool.

Little Mute threaded a needle and began mending the tear for her. Zhao Rongzhang watched quietly.

Soon, he was done. Even after he finished, Zhao Rongzhang didn’t withdraw her arm, letting him continue to hold it. Her eyes remained fixed on him.

Little Mute looked up. Suddenly, the Princess pulled his neck down and kissed his lips and face. Her hands began tugging at his collar.

This was somewhat sudden. Guan Xuan felt joy and shyness, expressing himself with youthful inexperience: “We need to travel. We have to build a boat.”

“Wait for the rain to stop,” the Princess breathed, already reaching down to his waist, pressing her own against his. “Wasn’t it you who insisted on waiting for the rain to stop?”

The Princess was practically turning the tables. Guan Xuan felt himself being kissed like a flower set ablaze—flowers cannot withstand fire. He wrapped his arms around her body and hooked one of her legs.

Satisfying all her desires.

Satisfaction alone was not enough. Life was short—how much longer could he love his Highness? The more his blood surged, the more unwilling he grew. And the more unwilling he became, the fiercer the fire burned, until in the end, his entire being was consumed by the desire to possess her completely, to penetrate her emotions and thoughts just as he did her body. To possess her until she had only him, only the sensations and impacts he brought her.

Building a boat was not something one could accomplish just by thinking about it. Little Mute failed twice—the boats fell apart even before touching water. He chopped and split the ruined wood, then lit a fire in the clearing.

Another rain came and went, the sky shifting from clear to cloudy and back again, until scattered stars emerged along the horizon, and his boat finally took shape. Little Mute pushed it into the water to test it—it didn’t sink, didn’t leak, and was stable. So he dismantled the previous bamboo raft, used hemp rope to weave an arched roof, and gathered large lotus leaves and banana leaves to cover the boat with a green canopy.

Little Mute admired the boat he had built with his own hands and happily looked at his Princess. The Princess stood with her hands on her hips, also examining the boat, and nodded in satisfaction. “You’re quite skilled.”

Before boarding the boat to leave, Little Mute threw the unburned firewood into the river, scattered grass seeds over the blackened ashes on the ground, and covered them with wild grass. In damp places, plants grew wildly; in no more than two days, the area would be lush and green again.

Once on the boat, Zhao Rongzhang lazily stretched out flat, letting her body sway gently with the boat and the water. No waves would splash onto her now—she could finally sleep soundly.

Cracking her eyes open, she could see Little Mute sitting at the bow. His arm rested on one knee, his gaze fixed ahead, and his hands rowed the oar.

Tonight, the river was calm and still. The moon was full, its light resting on his shoulders. Water lapped against the boat, making a rhythmic “splash, splash” sound.

Zhao Rongzhang lay on a thick layer of dry grass, feeling comfortable, and soon fell asleep.

Guan Xuan glanced sideways. The Princess’s adaptability was remarkable—strong enough to fall asleep like this, without a single complaint.

With the boat, their journey became faster, and two days later, they finally neared Jiangnan. After moving from narrow tributaries to the vast, boundless main river, the number of boats of all sizes increased manyfold. Across the entire river, as far as the eye could see, there were billowing sails.

It was time to abandon this conspicuous little boat.

The Princess suggested finding a large ship to sneak onto. Using a big ship’s momentum to hide was much safer than making themselves a target, and there might even be a chance to board a shipping vessel—she had people in the shipping industry.

“Reluctant to part with it, aren’t you? It wasn’t easy to build.”

Little Mute lowered his gaze and smiled. “It’s not a pity. These past two days, the Princess has slept very soundly.”

“Tch. How boring.”

Just then, a massive cargo ship slowly drifted into their view. Not only was it large, but also tall, like a roughly constructed wooden building moving across the river. Its hull lines were smooth, the bottom wide and thick, and the waves it parted on either side resembled the fins of a giant whale.

Judging by the flag flying high on the mast, the ship had come from Tongzhou. Guan Xuan focused on two people standing with their hands behind their backs, chatting leisurely near the stern cabin, along with the attendants beside them. Based on their clothing, lip movements, and the scattered cargo on the deck, he determined this was an imperial merchant ship traveling between Jiangnan and the capital city. This trip, it was transporting Xishan coal and official kiln porcelain to Jiangnan.

The imperial merchant’s ship had a large and complex crew, with tight security, making it difficult to sneak aboard. However, few dared to rob or search an imperial vessel, let alone a mere Ming County Official. If they could board it, it would be quite safe.

Seizing the rare opportunity, Little Mute stowed the oar, tightened his wristband, and turned to help the Princess secure her sleeves. She had already twisted her long hair into a firm bun and moved to wrap her arms tightly around his waist.

Guan Xuan held her close, waiting for the right moment as a fishing boat drew near. Soon, a bow finally emerged from behind, and Little Mute suddenly leaped with her like a bird in flight. Zhao Rongzhang clenched her lips tightly, allowing herself to be carried lightly as they darted between the fishing boats. At the same time, the flying claw hundred-chain lock shot from his sleeve, firmly embedding itself into the side of the large ship.

Zhao Rongzhang opened her eyes to find Little Mute already scaling the ship’s hull. She distinctly felt him using considerable force, yet heard not a single footstep. The hull was curved, the water swayed, yet he moved as if on solid ground.