Volume 6: Lotus Flowers

Chapter 1: The Ferryman

Winter arrived quickly, and by November the weather had already turned bitterly cold. Di Jiang and Wen Yao continued their journey south along the Long River. Along the way, the scenery on both banks was desolate—strong winds howled, apes cried in the distance, and endless fallen leaves scattered across the ground, creating a scene more barren and sorrowful than anywhere else.

After months of accompanying the soldiers, they had grown accustomed to the daily routine of riding horses and cracking whips alongside thousands of troops. Now, suddenly finding themselves in such an uninhabited land, they felt somewhat out of place.

“Boss, where is Yunmeng Lake?” Wen Yao asked.

“Yunmeng Lake lies at the end of the Long River, deep within the heart of Xuanwu Country,” Di Jiang replied with a hint of longing in her eyes. “It’s a place where thousands of rivers converge, forming vast expanses of emerald waters dotted with countless islands. It’s known as the watery paradise, a little Penglai on earth. Its beauty is unparalleled.”

“Is it really that beautiful?” Wen Yao’s eyes sparkled with excitement, her spirits suddenly lifted.

Di Jiang smiled and nodded. “Even more so than I’ve described.”

“Have you been there?”

Di Jiang shook her head. “No.”

“Then how do you know about it?”

“I heard it from a traveler.”

“Oh... I can’t wait to get to Yunmeng Lake!” Wen Yao’s playful nature was fully ignited by Di Jiang’s words. The name “Yunmeng Lake” was now etched deeply into her mind, becoming her motivation to keep moving forward. All thoughts of princes, princesses, or Shuxiang back at Taiping Prefecture were cast aside.

But no matter how strong one’s motivation, if the destination feels impossibly far, it won’t solve immediate problems. After walking for half a day, as evening approached, Wen Yao was utterly exhausted and began complaining incessantly: “If we keep going like this, I’ll either starve to death or die of boredom!”

“Are you really that tired?”

“Aren’t you? Your shoes are torn!” Wen Yao pointed to Di Jiang’s worn-out shoes, frowning. “Normally you’re lazier and more delicate than me, but now your feet are bleeding, and you don’t even notice?”

Di Jiang stopped and looked down, only then realizing her shoe soles were completely worn through. Normally, she would have given up long ago, but because her thoughts were consumed by Zhong Xu, she hadn’t noticed the physical discomfort.

Realizing they couldn’t continue like this, Di Jiang thought for a moment before picking up a dry leaf from the ground and tossing it into the rushing waters of the Long River.

The leaf danced gracefully in the air—a small, unremarkable palm-sized thing—but upon hitting the water, it created ripples that spread endlessly. As the waves settled, a lavishly decorated pleasure boat appeared on the riverbank. Not only was the boat adorned with luxury, but it also came fully equipped with all necessary living supplies. Winter clothes were neatly arranged inside the cabin.

“Wow!” Wen Yao rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn’t hallucinating, then burst into joyous cheers. “Boss, how did you manage this? You’re amazing!”

“Do you want to learn?”

“Yes!”

“Go ask Shuxiang when we return.”

“Why?”

“He’s like an encyclopedia.”

“But Shuxiang is back in Taiping Prefecture, and who knows when we’ll get back...” Wen Yao grumbled but decided not to dwell on the question. Taking three steps at a time, she eagerly boarded the pleasure boat, with Di Jiang following closely behind.

The boat was extravagantly decorated, with large pink lanterns hanging from each corner of the cabin. In the twilight, they emitted a strange, seductive glow. Though magnificent, the atmosphere felt slightly off, very different from ordinary boats.

“Boss, isn’t this boat too flashy?”

“A bit,” Di Jiang nodded.

“Where did you get the design?”

Di Jiang thought for a moment. “In the past, Lord Wu often took women boating on Rui Lake in Taiping Prefecture. I saw it a few times from afar and remembered.”

“Hmm, I see... No wonder it’s so... colorful. It’s a boat fit for Lord Wu.”

Wen Yao walked around the cabin and found it completely empty. She shouted, “Boss, we’re missing a ferryman!”

“You.”

“Me?” Wen Yao was startled.

“Who else, me?” Di Jiang winked at her, then sat comfortably at the bow, seemingly unconcerned about who would row the boat.

Wen Yao had assumed she could rest on the boat, but now she realized she’d have to row it herself, which left her feeling deflated. Dragging her feet, she went to the stern and discovered two sets of four wide oars on either side. Even using both hands, she could only manage two oars, which wasn’t enough to control the massive vessel.

“Boss, can we switch to a smaller boat?” Wen Yao shouted from the stern.

“Why?” Di Jiang sat at the bow, enjoying the gentle autumn breeze and gazing at the shimmering river under the twilight. Her relaxed demeanor starkly contrasted with Wen Yao, who was straining to row.

No matter how hard Wen Yao tried, the boat was simply too large for her. Without magic, she couldn’t budge it an inch.

“It’s too big! I can’t row it!” Wen Yao sighed in frustration.

“Is that so…” Di Jiang sat at the bow for a while, noticing the boat hadn’t moved much. Leaning over the railing, she drew a single horizontal line across the calm river surface.

In an instant, the river parted, the water splitting open. A small wooden boat emerged, cutting through the waves. The boat wasn’t large, capable of seating only a dozen people. A green lantern hung at the stern, casting a faint eerie glow. Beside the lantern stood an old ferryman, his back bent and face wrinkled with age.

The old man bowed deeply to Di Jiang, his forehead nearly touching his toes.

“My boat lacks a helmsman. I’ll trouble you with this task.”

With a slight smile from Di Jiang, the old man’s boat vanished into the river, and he reappeared beside Wen Yao.

“Who are you?!” Startled, Wen Yao jumped back three steps.

Di Jiang came to her side, patting her shoulder. “I’ve found you a ferryman.”

The old man looked up and gave Wen Yao a toothless grin.

“Him? Rowing?” Wen Yao eyed him skeptically. “I can’t even handle this boat. How could he possibly manage?”

“Rowing doesn’t always require brute strength. To cross from one shore to the other, all you need is a guiding light.” Di Jiang took the green lantern from the old man and hung it at the stern of the pleasure boat. The faint green glow enveloped the vessel, and it began to move forward smoothly, as if propelled by an invisible force.

Wen Yao’s eyes widened in disbelief. Before she could speak, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from the shore.

“Clippity-clop—” The horse trampled over dried grass, kicking up dust. The whip cracked repeatedly through the air, revealing the rider’s urgency as they raced forward recklessly.

“Di Jiang—Wen Yao—”

As the hoofbeats grew closer, a voice called out. Di Jiang’s heart sank; she had a bad feeling.

“Do you hear that?” Di Jiang asked Wen Yao.

“Yes.”

“Could it be…?”

Before Di Jiang could finish, Wen Yao nodded excitedly, grabbing her arms. “It’s Lord Wu! He’s come for us!”

At that moment, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the river. Mist enveloped the water, making the scene dreamlike. Lord Wu Rui’an rode his white horse, adorned with red tassels, bursting out of the forest and stopping gracefully by the riverbank.

Lord Wu locked eyes with Di Jiang aboard the boat. For a moment, it felt as though the world had disappeared, leaving only the two of them.

To Lord Wu, no one else existed. But to Di Jiang, he was nothing more than a troublesome presence.

“Why is Lord Wu here?” Di Jiang forced a smile, though it looked more like a grimace.

“Of course I’m here for you! You left without saying a word, and now you dare ask me why I’m here!” Lord Wu feigned anger, though his tone betrayed his joy at their reunion. “If I hadn’t arrived in time, you’d already be sailing away!”

“...” Di Jiang was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

“Why did you leave without saying goodbye?” Lord Wu pressed.

“I...” Di Jiang frowned, feeling inexplicably guilty under his intense gaze. But why should she feel guilty? She hadn’t stolen or wronged anyone. Where she chose to go was none of his business.

Just as Di Jiang prepared to retort, Lord Wu interrupted: “Never mind, I forgive you.”

“Eh?” Di Jiang blinked in surprise.

“With my broad-mindedness, I won’t hold it against you.” With that, Lord Wu dismounted and led his horse onto the boat, tying it securely to a post. Smiling, he said, “No matter where you’re going, I’m coming with you.”

“Does Lord Wu mean it? That’s wonderful!” Wen Yao beamed, but Di Jiang shot her a sharp glare, silencing her.

Di Jiang smiled faintly. “Doesn’t Lord Wu need to return to Taiping Prefecture to report to the Emperor? General Long Ming has resigned, and you’ve left the camp. Won’t the soldiers be leaderless?”

“I’ve made proper arrangements for them and sent a letter to Her Majesty. You can rest assured,” Lord Wu replied casually, as if he were already at home. “Where did you find this boat? Its craftsmanship rivals that of Taiping Prefecture.”

“Yes, yes...” Di Jiang nodded absentmindedly, her mind racing. She felt as though she were stuck with a piece of sticky cowhide—no matter what, she couldn’t shake him off.

“You don’t need to feel pressured. I know where you’re going,” Lord Wu leaned against the railing, tilting his head toward Di Jiang with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Before Di Jiang could react, he added, “You’re heading to Qingyun Mountain to find Zhong Xu, aren’t you? I’ll let you go, but on one condition—I’m coming with you.”

“Eh?” Di Jiang was stunned. Looking at Wen Yao’s guilty expression, she realized the little traitor had spilled the beans.

“I’m not a petty person, so relax,” Lord Wu grinned, but Di Jiang couldn’t help but think he was being sarcastic.

Not petty?

Then why follow her?

Sighing, Di Jiang accepted her fate and nodded to the ferryman.

Even the perpetually stoic old ferryman cracked a faint smile, his eyes briefly meeting Di Jiang’s as if to say, “Your romantic destiny seems to be stirring.”

Di Jiang rolled her eyes, feeling her reputation slipping away. Unable to bear further entanglement, she retreated into the cabin, closing her eyes to rest.