"Little princess... if one does not see what is improper, one should not look; if one does not hear what is improper, one should not listen; if one does not speak what is improper, one should not speak; if one does not move what is improper, one should not move..."
"Tap, tap... tap, tap..."
Inside the pirate warship's cabin, Zhou Fugui's teeth chattered, his arms wrapped around himself as he shivered and said to Rongcheng Lanmin.
Zhou Fugui's state was not due to fear, but because his body was almost frozen stiff.
Even in the cold of Xue Lin City, he always had a fur robe. Even the biting cold of the Ice Bone Camp's ice caves was only for a short time. But now, after falling into the sea, more than half a day had passed. Apart from a damp loincloth, he had no other cold-weather clothing. How could Zhou Fugui not be cold? Coupled with his empty stomach, he was both cold and hungry.
"What is this 'improper' and 'improper'? I don't understand..." Rongcheng Lanmin smiled upon hearing this. "Are you cold?"
As Rongcheng Lanmin spoke, she playfully poked Zhou Fugui's rock-hard skin with her delicate finger.
"Of course... I'm cold..." Zhou Fugui continued to shiver. "It's freezing cold, and I'm completely bare. How can I not be cold? You... are too cruel... Little Princess, please find me some clothes... if I behave like this, I will still be disrespecting you."
"Tap, tap... tap, tap..."
"Hehe, you took off your own clothes, it wasn't me who did it, yet you blame me?" Rongcheng Lanmin chuckled. "What is disrespect? Is it disrespect to be without clothes? In summer, on ships, aren't they all like this?"
Damn barbarian woman, she knows no shame or propriety, Zhou Fugui cursed inwardly before saying with a pained expression, "Alas, Little Princess, please give me some clothes, otherwise I will freeze to death and become a corpse. And my corpse will be very unsightly..."
"Hehe, what kind of corpse haven't I seen? How unsightly can it be?" Rongcheng Lanmin said, stroking her smooth chin and looking at Zhou Fugui with a smile. "I actually don't think your corpse would be unsightly..."
"I... you... damn it..." Zhou Fugui was speechless, cursed, and could only glare fiercely at Rongcheng Lanmin before turning to look out the window, no longer bothering with her.
"Hey, why aren't you talking anymore?" Since Zhou Fugui had stopped speaking, Rongcheng Lanmin pushed him and asked.
"Without clothes, I won't speak..." Zhou Fugui replied.
"Oh, Tali, go and get him some clothes." Rongcheng Lanmin nodded and instructed a maid named Tali.
"Without food, I won't speak. Without wine, I won't speak," Zhou Fugui added.
Rongcheng Lanmin glared at Zhou Fugui.
Shortly after, Tali indeed returned with a padded jacket and brought some wine and food. After handing them to Zhou Fugui, she retreated to the side.
Rongcheng Lanmin then untied Zhou Fugui's restraints.
"Thank you..." Zhou Fugui moved his limbs, grabbed a piece of unknown meat, and stuffed it into his mouth. He then said to Rongcheng Lanmin and Tali, "Please leave for now, both of you."
"Why should we leave?" Rongcheng Lanmin asked with surprise.
"I need to change my clothes..." Zhou Fugui pointed to his wet loincloth and replied.
"You're so particular..." Rongcheng Lanmin's face blushed slightly. She then pulled Tali and turned their backs.
Even as a barbarian woman, Rongcheng Lanmin knew it was inappropriate to see a man's private parts. However, they still did not leave the cabin.
Zhou Fugui quickly stripped completely naked, then wrapped himself in the padded robe, cinching it tightly at the waist with a rope. He then ignored the master and servant standing with their backs to him and began to eat and drink heartily.
After a few large gulps of hot wine, Zhou Fugui felt an unparalleled sense of comfort.
Rongcheng Lanmin heard the sound of a famished pig gnawing behind her, accompanied by two grunts. She then turned around, looking at Zhou Fugui with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You're quite carefree, don't you know you're facing death? And you're still eating so deliciously..."
Rongcheng Lanmin had seen plenty of gluttons. She had expected the Han commander, Zhou Fugui, to be different, but it turned out he was much the same. Thus, Rongcheng Lanmin was slightly disappointed.
Zhou Fugui did not reply immediately, focusing on devouring the food. After several large mouthfuls, he let out a satisfied burp, wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth, and looked up at Rongcheng Lanmin and Tali. "Facing death? Don't I know I'm facing death? If one is facing death, one should at least eat their fill, lest they become a starving ghost when they reach the King of Hell."
"Oh, if that's the case, why did you come?" Rongcheng Lanmin sat down beside Zhou Fugui, watching him eat and drink, and asked.
"If I said I came to find your father, would you believe me?" Zhou Fugui asked between bites.
"What are you looking for my father for? Humph, I don't believe you," Rongcheng Lanmin snorted. "You killed so many of our people, and you dare to show up? If not for you at the battle of Youzhou City, we would have already captured Youzhou City. Everyone hates you, and I... my... husband... hates you even more."
"Hus... band? Are you married, young lady?" Zhou Fugui stopped eating and drinking upon hearing this, his eyes widening as he looked up at Rongcheng Lanmin.
Could this little mermaid, who was not old, already have a husband? Zhou Fugui thought to himself. However, in this world, it was not uncommon for underage girls to be married.
"Mmm, I... am engaged..." Rongcheng Lanmin seemed to find it difficult to speak, lowering her head and fiddling with the hem of her clothes, saying in a low voice, "But not yet married."
"Oh, congratulations, congratulations..." Zhou Fugui nodded, then continued to eat and drink, and casually asked, "Who is your husband?"
"Murong Hong, the King of Donghai, whom you drove away..." Rongcheng Lanmin replied.
"King of Donghai Murong Hong?" Zhou Fugui was greatly surprised and looked at Rongcheng Lanmin again. "Hahaha, so it's him."
"It is him, what's with your expression?" Rongcheng Lanmin asked, seeing Zhou Fugui's strange look.
"Hehe, nothing..." Zhou Fugui shook his head and smiled. "I just think you're a swan trying to mate with a frog. An eighteen-year-old bride with an eighty-year-old groom, white hair against a red gown, a happy night in a mandarin duck quilt, a pear blossom atop a hibiscus... a good cabbage being gobbled up by a pig..."
Zhou Fugui had clashed with Murong Hong several times and knew him well. A middle-aged, greasy man marrying such a young and beautiful maiden could be considered his great fortune.
However, such things were not uncommon in this world.
"Hehe..." Rongcheng Lanmin, far from being angry, burst into laughter. "What swan and pig... he hasn't even gobbled me up yet... Actually, he's... quite good..."
"Oh, I would be interested to know, how is he good?" Zhou Fugui asked.
"He killed his first wife before... he became engaged to me..." Rongcheng Lanmin replied.
"What?" Zhou Fugui stopped eating and drinking again, his eyes widening as he stared at Rongcheng Lanmin.
Such a thing happened? Zhou Fugui was greatly astonished. You can discard a wife if you grow tired of her, but why kill her? Such a venomous person was indeed rare.
In fact, Murong Hong was not entirely tired of his wife. The reason for killing his wife and remarrying was due to other important factors, such as killing to seize power and annexing his wife's family's influence.
Zhou Fugui had no personal grudges against Murong Hong. His confrontation and defeat of him was merely by order. Upon learning of his cruelty, Zhou Fugui had developed immense contempt for him.
The next time they met on the battlefield, he would kill him if he could, and would never show any mercy, Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
But would Zhou Fugui even have a next time?
"What's with your expression again? Isn't this good?" Rongcheng Lanmin asked, seeing Zhou Fugui's strange look. "He is going to be emperor, and I am going to be empress, but you ruined it..."
"Hahahaha!" Zhou Fugui pointed at Rongcheng Lanmin and laughed heartily, tears almost streaming from his eyes.
"Little thief, what are you laughing at?" Rongcheng Lanmin glared at Zhou Fugui and asked.
"Emperor? Empress?" Zhou Fugui's laughter turned into a cold sneer. He looked at Rongcheng Lanmin and said coldly, "Do you think the position of emperor or empress is something that belongs to your family? Something you can take or give as you please? I tell you, little girl, you are wrong, completely wrong, and extremely naive! From ancient times to the present, how many heroes and valiant men have fought desperately for this position, only to end up with their heads severed! Little girl, even without me, even if you could capture Youzhou City, becoming emperor and empress is a fantasy! And also..."
"Oh..." Rongcheng Lanmin asked, "What is a fantasy? And what else?"
"And also..." Zhou Fugui thought for a moment and said, "He who can kill his first wife, can also kill you!"
Zhou Fugui realized that his survival depended on Rongcheng Lanmin, and falling into Murong Hong's hands would inevitably lead to a torturous death. Therefore, he tried his best to provoke her.
"Why would he kill me? How dare he?" Rongcheng Lanmin felt a chill down her spine upon hearing this, but she said stubbornly.
Rongcheng Lanmin was young and inexperienced, simple and innocent, but not foolish. Zhou Fugui's words of sowing discord did indeed sound reasonable.
This engagement was driven by mutual interests. If Rongcheng Lanmin became useless, or for the sake of seizing power... Murong Hong might not hesitate to kill again. This logic, in fact, Rongcheng Lanmin understood.
Furthermore, how could Rongcheng Lanmin like that old and ugly man? Not only did she dislike him, but she detested him. The reason for this was merely her father and family's coercion.
In reality, Murong Hong was not particularly old, only in his early forties, and his appearance was not ugly. He actually had a commanding presence. However, what maiden in the world did not long for romance? Be it a Han girl or a barbarian girl.
Rongcheng Lanmin was only seventeen or eighteen years old. Her dream man was a strong, handsome, and dashing individual, who was both exceptionally brave and good-looking. In comparison, Murong Hong couldn't even measure up to the young men in the pirate den, let alone the heroic and handsome opponent before her...
Compared to Zhou Fugui and the young men in the pirate den, wasn't Murong Hong an old and ugly man?