"Sigh..."
Within the misty, fog-like posthouse, a faint sigh was heard. In the room, where the steam from the hot water created a dreamlike haze, a faint, exotic fragrance entered Lu Yu's nostrils...
Of course...
Lu Yu was not in the mood to dwell on such matters.
He merely shook his head in helplessness and glanced back at Sister Zhaoji, who had just run out.
How to explain this?
Such helplessness!
From behind the thin, sheer veil, a graceful figure slowly rose from the bath. A voice followed closely behind.
"Lord Lu seems to care a great deal about this maid!"
Himiko's voice echoed...
Lu Yu muttered to himself, "She's not a maid at all!"
He lightly replied, "Every meeting with the Queen is quite memorable! Has the Queen taken a liking to me?"
"Taken a liking?" Himiko smiled slightly. She parted the curtain... her exquisitely delicate figure appeared before Lu Yu, making him inwardly gasp.
Himiko's voice continued, "As the Queen of Yamatai, my body has never belonged to myself. It belongs only to the empire, to the myriad subjects within the empire! Therefore, whether I have taken a liking to Lord Lu is of no importance!"
"Then this welcome ceremony from the Queen is truly astonishing!"
Lu Yu shook his head...
Just then, he saw Himiko turn around. Her back, like refined jade, was adorned with several intricate patterns. The most prominent location was clearly a ship-building diagram.
However, each detail was so fine that without careful observation, one could not discern the profound secrets of constructing ships capable of oceanic voyages.
This...
To have the building plans tattooed on the Queen's body?
"Gulp."
Lu Yu subconsciously swallowed. This was truly... stimulating!
"Has the Queen agreed to my terms? The ship-building plans in exchange for my troops to Yamatai!"
"Yes!" came a soft yet steady voice.
"Then... a pleasure working with you!" Lu Yu smiled. This was incredibly important.
In the Han Dynasty, the entire world was not yet a unified entity. Whichever empire possessed the capability for oceanic navigation, capable of conquering the seas, would essentially be conquering the world!
There were countless resources across the globe...
And once these resources could be fully exploited, they would be sufficient to combat the scarcity of resources within the Great Han Empire under the Little Ice Age!
Perhaps... one could even open new trade routes ahead of time, usher in the Age of Discovery, and establish colonies across the entire world!
Thinking about it this way, even if Sister Zhaoji misunderstood him today due to this "naked beauty," it might not have been a loss!
"Step..."
Lu Yu took a step forward, intending to get a good look at these ship-building plans.
Who would have thought...
Himiko took a step back, covering herself with the sheer veil, as if donning a thin cloak.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
"We need some sort of contract..."
"That's easily arranged," Lu Yu nodded. "I can sign a cooperation agreement with you in the name of the Han Dynasty, to help you expel the Kunu Kingdom and regain control of Yamatai!"
He thought that Himiko would agree to this.
But to his surprise, she directly shook her head. "Our Yamatai Kingdom has never believed in such written contracts. Otherwise... our people would not have rebelled, and the Kunu Kingdom would not have taken advantage of the situation!"
Oh...
Lu Yu pondered. This Queen of Yamatai's Chinese was quite good, even using phrases like "took advantage of the situation."
Of course, that wasn't the main point...
The key was, what kind of contract did she mean?
"Then... perhaps the Queen could tell me what kind of contract you desire?"
Upon hearing this, Himiko raised her head. She first glanced around her own body, then her expectant gaze returned to Lu Yu's face.
"I believe... I have made myself clear enough!"
At this moment...
Lu Yu suddenly felt a dizziness in his head. This was... this was...
Subconsciously...
He recalled scenes from many television dramas of his previous life. That... that exotic fragrance? Could that fragrance be...?
In just a fleeting moment, Lu Yu felt as if he couldn't open his eyes...
Only a sliver of his consciousness remained.
He could sense himself falling, yet also being caught by a pair of slender arms. Then... the entire world plunged into darkness.
Lu Yu's only thought was:
– "I was careless, I didn't dodge!"
Meanwhile, Himiko took a pill from a small box at her waist. After swallowing it, she gently touched Lu Yu's cheek with her delicate hand.
"Lord Lu, I apologize. As the Queen of Yamatai, this is the only way I can make... make my people believe you!"
Her hot lips lightly descended...
Before long, several distinct crimson lip prints appeared on Lu Yu's cheek!
This was quite... sinister.
The Yamatai Empire, even in their method of forging contracts, remained consistently, extremely "sinister"!
...
In the courtyard of the posthouse, Dian Wei had already broken through the defenses of many倭人 (Wōrén - Japanese people)!
"I clearly heard sounds from inside! You people quickly get out of the way, or I won't be polite!"
Dian Wei's fist swung with imposing might...
He had heard noises within the posthouse. Great noises. Not wanting to worry about Lu Yu, he intended to barge in.
But... how could the guards of Yamatai allow him to enter?
With language barriers, a fight ensued...
Evidently, Dian Wei's fists were not something these people could contend with.
However, inexplicably, as soon as one wave of them was knocked down, another wave emerged, endless and inexhaustible. Dian Wei was, for the moment, unable to force his way through.
"General..."
Just then, Himiko's personal maid emerged. She understood Chinese and could converse normally with Dian Wei.
"I'll say it again, General. You people quickly get out of the way. If you dare to do anything untoward to my young master, I will annihilate your entire nation!"
Overbearing...
Concerned for Lu Yu's safety, Dian Wei's voice trembled with emotion.
He regretted listening to Young Master Lu's instructions and not accompanying him inside!
He also hadn't expected that in the vicinity of Xudu City, these people would dare to harbor such intentions. It was truly audacious!
"General, please calm your anger..." the maid advised. "It's not that we are blocking your way, but rather because my Queen is establishing a most important 'contract' with your young master. If you were to enter, it would affect your young master, and I fear the General would not be able to bear the consequences."
Upon hearing this...
Dian Wei hardened his resolve. "My young master's safety is more important than any damn contract! I'll say this one last time: if I don't see my young master now, none of you will live!"
As he spoke, Dian Wei drew his twin halberds from his back...
Ever since Lu Yu had given him instructions in the past, he always carried weapons with him. He even kept a pair of flying halberds tucked behind his waist and another pair hidden in his horse's saddlebags, just in case of emergencies!
Evidently...
With the drawing of these twin halberds, Dian Wei was preparing to get serious, ready to shed blood.
"General... please calm yourself!" the maid said helplessly. "Since the General insists, then... then the General may follow this servant to take a look!"
Saying this, the maid signaled to the assembled倭人...
Immediately, they parted to create a path. Dian Wei followed the maid up the stairs of the posthouse.
The closer they got, the louder the sounds within the posthouse became.
This...
Dian Wei's heart grew more anxious!
"We're almost there. General, please see for yourself..." the maid sang out.
Dian Wei stepped forward. The room door was unlocked. He was about to push it open directly, but... through the gap, he seemed to glimpse something!
And this glimpse, though brief, was quite revealing...
Upon looking, Dian Wei's face instantly flushed a deep crimson, redder than a ripe jujube!
This...
This...
He quickly turned and left with hurried steps, saying nothing.
The clear voice of the Queen of Yamatai still echoed in his ears.
– "My Lord, have mercy!"
...
"Alas..."
On the official road from the posthouse to the Marquis of White Horse's mansion, under the moonlight, a slender figure's silhouette was cast on the ground. Cai Zhaoji had not taken a carriage. She walked forward step by step with her head lowered, as if burdened by thoughts!
Seemingly...
She could calmly accept her brother Yu going to the various residences of the wives and concubines at the Marquis of White Horse's mansion that evening, but she could not accept her brother Yu spending the night in the quarters of a foreign woman!
Moreover, this woman was so forward...
Standing up directly from the bathtub, completely uninhibited. That was too... too wild!
Her behavior...
Was completely contrary to the upbringing Cai Zhaoji had received since childhood. She believed that girls should be more demure. Even if they desired something, it should stem from genuine affection and be conducted with propriety, not this unrestrained manner.
In short, she was not in a good mood, her head remaining bowed...
The night was as dark as ink. Cai Zhaoji rounded the last street. The Marquis of White Horse's mansion was just ahead.
Suddenly... an exotic fragrance wafted towards her. She seemed to smell something, and then her body swayed as if about to fall, only to be caught by two women dressed in black.
This was Cai Zhaoji's last conscious thought.
She seemed to be carried away, walking a great distance, a very great distance...
The night grew darker, as black as ink...
Half an hour later...
Cai Zhaoji was delivered to the posthouse of the Yamatai Empire. Two maids gently placed her on the bed.
After doing so, they did not forget to ask Himiko, who was on the other side of the bed.
"Your Majesty? Is this sufficient?"
"Mm!" Himiko nodded... The two maids quickly retreated.
Himiko glanced at the sleeping Cai Zhaoji. She then retrieved the familiar "pill" and placed it into her mouth.
It seemed Cai Zhaoji's body gradually grew warmer!
Like flames, heat surged through every part of her body. She awoke, yet appeared dazed. She did not notice Himiko on the other side of the bed, but saw Lu Yu, who was still asleep beside her.
– "Brother Yu, you... why are you here?"
– "...Brother Yu... Yu... I..."
...
...
Jingzhou, Xinye City.
Lady Gan was making vegetable pickles in her courtyard. Dressed in rough, short clothing, she placed handfuls of藿蔡 (huò cài - a type of vegetable) into earthenware jars, adding coarse salt and sauce, and listlessly pounded them with a wooden pestle.
Having followed Liu Bei for many years, she was accustomed to a simple life and handled many tasks personally...
However, although she appeared to be smiling, it was clear she had something on her mind.
Finally...
With a "bang," she dropped the pestle and hurried towards the door, only to encounter Zhao Yun, who had returned to report.
"Zi Long..."
"Madam..."
"May I have a word in private!"
After a brief exchange, the two entered behind a rockery in the yamen.
Ensuring no one was around, Lady Gan finally spoke.
"Zi Long, I can no longer bear living like this... Every night, seeing... seeing Liu Bei's hypocritical face, I... I..."
Zhao Yun understood Lady Gan's meaning perfectly...
Who would willingly see a repulsive face every night before sleeping, and every morning upon waking?
Due to her "unfortunate entanglement" with Prime Minister Cao, Lady Gan had become irrevocably bound.
"Hoo..."
Zhao Yun let out a sigh and quickly comforted her, "Madam, it's still..."
"Do not try to persuade me..." Lady Gan gritted her teeth, her red lips bitten. She seemed to recall a deeply humiliating event, wanting to speak but her throat choked up. Yet, in the end, she managed to voice it.
"Recently... Liu Bei, I don't know where he found it, but he acquired a white jade beauty, three feet tall. And so... he embraces this white jade beauty to sleep every night. He holds me while holding this white jade beauty, and he even says... this white jade is the most precious thing in the world, which is why people often use jade to symbolize a noble person! What's more... what's more..."
Lady Gan became increasingly sorrowful as she spoke... "He compares my skin to the skin of this white jade beauty, saying that it's impossible to distinguish which is a real person and which is a jade figure!"
At this point, tears welled up in Lady Gan's eyes.
She didn't continue, but Zhao Yun could understand her feelings and state of mind...
To spend day and night with someone she detested, and worse, to have him compare her skin, as white and delicate as refined jade, to... to a piece of white jade. This was the epitome of disgusting – utterly repulsive!
"Madam..."
Just as Zhao Yun was about to speak...
Lady Gan's voice cut him off. "He always compares me to the white jade beauty. I've grown tired of hearing it, but I can't show my displeasure. I can only pretend to be magnanimous and advise him, saying that in the past, 'Zi Han' did not treasure white jade, and the Spring and Autumn Annals praised him greatly for it. Now, with enemies surrounding us, how can he keep such a demonic object in his embrace? It's simply licentious and disruptive. I hope my husband will not act this way in the future."
"He was clearly displeased upon hearing my words, but outwardly he recounted this matter to his brothers, causing them to praise me greatly. Others even called me 'Lady Shenzhi.' But he... he began to glare at me coldly at night! He acts one way on the surface and another behind my back. I... I've had enough of him!"
It was hard to imagine...
To what extent a woman could be pushed into a corner...
That she would recount matters of the bedroom to another man.
Hoo...
Hoo...
Zhao Yun's emotions were also stirred. He bit his lip, his heart sinking with a "clunk."
He wanted to try persuading Lady Gan again, but... but he felt he shouldn't persuade her!
Perhaps, Lady Gan had reached her limit!
"I... I want to go back, I want to... return to the Northern Frontier..."
As if sensing that Zhao Yun couldn't make this decision on his own, Lady Gan added, "Zi Long, I... I ask for nothing else, only that you convey a message to Prime Minister Cao. Just say... just say if he still remembers Mei'er, who met him secretly in the cellar of Xudu City? Mei'er misses him!"
"Madam..." Hearing this, Zhao Yun cupped his hands. "Madam's words, Zi Long will surely deliver!"
"Thank you... thank you!" Lady Gan continued to bite her lip. "Tell the Prime Minister, tell your young master, that... I will leave my parents here to look after A Dou. With them and Zi Long here, A Dou will understand when he grows up. Please, let me go back... let me go back!"
A woman's best years were only a decade or so.
Lady Gan, though in Xinye, had her heart in Xuchang...
She... she could no longer bear it!
She couldn't spend her best years "accompanying" someone she detested!
She... she wanted to go home!
...
...
For some unknown reason.
In her dazed state, Cai Zhaoji deviated from her usual reserve, as if her senses were muddled. She squinted her eyes, exuding an alluring charm, and occasionally moaned.
"Brother Yu, hold me... hold me!"
She felt as if she were dreaming, her entire body burning with an unbearable heat. She felt comfortable only when Lu Yu held her.
Their clothes were both damp with sweat, as if they had just emerged from water.
The steam from their bodies, inhaled by each other, added a further layer of temptation.
One was a young man in his early twenties, the other a maiden only five years his senior. Both seemed as if they had fallen under some magical spell, on the verge of losing control.
Just then...
A faint sound came from outside the door.
"Your Majesty? Why are you fulfilling the desires of Young Master Lu and this maid?"
The question came from Himiko's personal maid.
Hoo...
Himiko let out a soft sigh. "We do not understand the customs of the Han people, but forging a contract cannot be solely based on our methods!"
"I see that maid's eyes light up for Lord Lu, and Lord Lu also shows a lingering affection for her. Why not break through this veil for them, and fulfill their wishes?"
"So..." the maid's eyes widened. "Your Majesty used that medicine?"
When mentioning that medicine, the maid's gaze did not fail to glance towards Himiko's back...
On one side of the ship-building diagram, on her skin, was tattooed a medicinal formula – this was a secret medicine of Yamatai that was never passed down.
This was the core reason why Yamatai had always been a matriarchal society, always revering its Queen.
Himiko smiled faintly. She slowly extended her right hand, once again picking up that medicine bottle.
"This pill... its power is exceptionally potent. It can turn chaste women into lascivious ones, and virtuous maids into wanton women. It only takes a moment of confusion for the mind, and even sages become beasts."
"I see that they are mutually attracted... but they are bound by the so-called rules and regulations of the Han. Our Yamatai Kingdom despises such things the most. Since they are already inclined towards each other, let us let them go wild for once! This will also deepen the contract established between Lord Lu and our Yamatai Empire!"
At this point...
Himiko's teeth gradually bit into her lip...
Through the window, she gazed eastward. From here, to the east lay Donghai Commandery and Guangling Commandery in Xuzhou. And east of that seaport lay her homeland, Yamatai!
She would definitely return!
She had already found the best helper! And established the most steadfast agreement!
Kunu Kingdom, she was determined to reclaim her empire and her subjects from their clutches!
The night was as dark as ink, and all was silent...
...
When the first rays of dawn shone into the posthouse.
Lu Yu opened his sleepy eyes. The first thing he saw was Himiko sitting on the edge of the bed, applying makeup...
Ha~
He yawned...
Lu Yu stretched. He was still muttering to himself that he had been too careless last night, not dodging, and had fallen for the ploy of this Queen of Yamatai.
But... as he stretched, Lu Yu's arm touched something.
He turned his head to look...
Uh...
The more he looked, the wider Lu Yu's pupils became.
This...
What is happening?
Sister Zhaoji... why is she... lying beside him?
...
...