Huo Ling and the others went to the south, first by land, then by water.
They boarded a ship from Shanyang on the south bank of the Huai River, sailed southward along the Shanyang Channel, and arrived at Jiangdu, using it as the first stop to inspect the southern region.
The plan was perfect, and Ye Xiao's arrangements were also very appropriate. However, he never imagined that the "Grand General" didn't get motion sickness on the ship, but Huo Ling, who wasn't car sick, got sea sick.
From the day he boarded the ship, Huo Ling lost control of his body. Apart from feeling seasick, he could only throw up. No matter how many medications the accompanying royal physicians prescribed, and no matter how much of the sour citrus he disliked he ate, it could not completely alleviate this uncomfortable state.
Only when sitting on the deck, feeling the cool breeze coming from the river, did Huo Ling feel a little better.
As for the "Grand General," who had no motion sickness, it had long abandoned its "elder brother," who sometimes looked as if it were at death's door. It would wag its tail every day from one end of the ship to the other, and even the mouse found on the ship, whenever it was discovered, became a toy for the "Grand General". After playing for a while, it even tried to use its tail to catch a fish, showing its excitement of leaving land for the first time in a careless manner.
The contrast between the "elder brother" and the "younger brother" was too distinct, so much so that Huo Ling fell into self-doubt, thinking, "How could I be inferior to even a dog."
He was the only one on the ship who got seasick.
A miserable fact made it impossible for Huo Ling to blame the ship's feng shui for his discomfort.
Every day, Huo Ling wished he could faint, and whenever he did, waking up made him feel even worse. Unable to bear it, Ye Xiao couldn't help but suggest finding a dock to disembark and travel by land. However, Huo Ling, for some reason, directly refused.
Swallowing the last piece of citrus, trying hard not to frown, Huo Ling expressed firmly, "How could I, the Crown Prince, be defeated by mere seasickness?"
The "God will not bestow a great task on someone without first subjecting that person to suffering, and toil of the muscles and bones..." he recited, forgetting the latter part of the content. However, Huo Ling concealed it very well, as if he had only intended to recite up to that point. He casually continued, "This is a test given to me by the heavens!"
"Yes, I will definitely pass!"
Ignoring the sense of helplessness that inevitably came out when Huo Ling spoke, and the palpable "sourness," his determined expression and unyielding will made anyone unable to help but admire the "man of great spirit."
Using the hilt to tap on the deck, Huo Ling sat cross-legged on the deck, facing Huo Ling, who had rarely been at a loss for words in his presence, didn't know what to say at the moment, let alone the next sentence, which indicated that he was ready to dismiss him. It was obvious he was prepared to send the next sentence away.
With a slight pout, giving up the idea that just occurred to him, Ye Xiao stood up and said, "In that case, Your Highness, I'll take leave first."
"Go ahead." Casually waving his hand at Ye Xiao, Huo Ling's gaze was completely focused on the sparkling river. He didn't give a half glance to Ye Xiao. "I don't need you to worry too much about me."
"Okay."
After a moment of silence, Ye Xiao, who was helpless in his heart, bowed to Huo Ling, who was sitting on the deck, and then left with his embroidered spring knife.
As he listened to the footsteps of Ye Xiao gradually fading away, Huo Ling, who was sitting on the deck, couldn't help but sigh, "Sad, I feel like crying."
Huo Ling was extremely adept in water and was someone who could swim back and forth in the Yellow River, yet he had never been on a boat, so he had no idea that he would get seasick.
With an unparalleled confidence, because traveling by water to the southern region was faster, Huo Ling not only insisted on traveling by water, but even bragged to everyone present about wanting to tour the south by boat and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the south—this was also one of the reasons why Huo Ling refused Ye Xiao's suggestion.
The setting sun glittered, and the residual light of the setting sun cast a shallow golden hue on the sparkling river, reflecting a fine and warm brilliance, without the harshness of the afternoon sun. Occasionally, a fish swims by.
Not far from the deck, the "Grand General," who seemed full of vitality, was lying at the side of the ship, with its gaze fixed on the fish in the river, and even a bit of drool at the corner of its mouth.
In a moment of carelessness, the entire dog fell into the river.
With a splash, the splashing water droplets landed on Huo Ling's face. He expressionlessly wiped his face with his sleeve, not giving even half a glance to the dumb dog that had fallen into the river and then obliviously swam away, huffing as it ran after the fish, all the while following the ship.
Turning his head felt too troublesome; Huo Ling, who was leaning on the deck, sighed once again, "I, who used to be known as 'Waves in the Roho,' why would I get seasick?"
"Your Highness, did you just come up with that nickname for yourself?" Sitting next to Huo Ling, wearing the flying fish robe, Huo Can didn't know when he had squatted down next to Huo Ling. Upon hearing Huo Ling's heartfelt self-doubt, Huo Can couldn't help but twitch his mouth. "Besides, isn't Your Highness's nickname...?" He paused, and eventually, Huo Can said the nickname, "Ruthless & Shameless Hao Wu' Lord Fifth'."
Based on Huo Ling's previous performance, Huo Can felt certain that he, no matter how oblivious, would not have heard of a nickname like 'Lord Fifth." Before "acting contrary to reason," "ruthless and shameless" was the initial and most lasting impression of Huo Ling by the people in the royal capital. Even the chicken in the fighting arena may have something to say about it.
At this moment, Huo Can felt that asking 'Lord Fifth', who had grown in momentum, about the meaning of 'Waves in the Roho' was just not right, so he didn't say the latter part, although his expression already made everything very clear.
With a sudden twist of his head, Huo Ling, who did not feel that turning was troublesome, looked expressionlessly at Huo Can sitting next to him, "Nephew, did I mishear what you just said? Can you repeat it for me?"
Huo Can: "..." The imposing momentum of His Highness is getting stronger and stronger, as Huo Can thought this, he took a step back. Then, resolutely stated, "I said it seems like the feng shui of this ship is not very good; it's affecting 'Lord Fifth', who is supposed to be 'Waves in the Roho', quite unluckily."
Having said this, Huo Can blinked lightly and couldn't help but ask a question, "By the way, what does 'Waves in the Roho' mean? Did you just recently come up with it?"
Based on the psychological shadow that Huo Ling had once cast on him, Huo Can didn't say the latter part, although his expression had already made everything clear.
With a hand extended, without any prior warning that he was going to take action, Huo Ling decisively and with a crackle, summoned Huo Can and sent him into the water, "Go cool off in the river. Come back and talk to me later."
After Huo Can had "cooled off" and changed into a new outfit, he sat gracefully next to "Lord Fifth" and together they faced Huo Ling. One sat upright, seemingly ready to listen to an elder's teaching, while the other occasionally stuck out his tongue and had no spirits, with an apparently indestructible fish in front of him.
Huo Ling: "..." For some reason, even the mood for speaking was lost.
The prince's gaze inadvertently swept over the fish on the deck. Not knowing if it felt his gaze, the seemingly lifeless fish suddenly flicked its tail and swiftly passed by Huo Ling, falling back into the river.
At the same time, the "Grand General," who had been sitting obediently until then, suddenly barked and plunged into the river, splashing water droplets right onto Huo Ling's face.
A moment of silence, and then a muffled laughter was suddenly heard.
Before Huo Ling could turn his gaze over, Huo Can, realizing he was in the wrong, apologized in advance and beat Huo Ling to the punch, thus suppressing the impending interrogation.
Enforcing his apology, he wiped the water spots from his face with his sleeve. With no willpower left, Huo Ling pressed his temple. As some foolish dog carrying a fish tried to climb on the deck, Huo Ling, expressionlessly, kicked it back into the river.
"Wang?"
A pitiful and puzzled "wang," the fish in the mouth of the "General" dropped out, forgetting to figure out what happened to his "elder brother." It quickly kicked towards the escaping fish.
On the water, dyed with the warmth of the setting sun, the figure of a mastiff occasionally emerged. Catching a fish and then accidentally letting it go, getting slapped by the fish's tail countless times yet still not giving up, looked silly.
"Dumb dog." With a light sneer, uninterested in watching the end of the "dog catching fish but getting beaten by the fish," Huo Ling leaned back against the boat. Only then did he look at Huo Can and asked, "Why are you on my boat?"
Only after Huo Can appeared in front of him did Huo Ling realize his existence. After all, Huo Can wasn't important enough for him to notice. Huo Ling actually didn't understand why a person who should have stayed in the Yiluan Bureau appeared on his boat. Moreover, the clothes embroidered with flying fish patterns were real and not the lowest-level flying fish robes without wings as before.
Prepared, Huo Can began speaking without hesitation as Huo Ling, still feeling seasick, was not in the mood for conversation. He raised his hand to stop the lengthy discussion, "Either clarify it in a sentence, or go 'cool off' and come back to talk later." As for how to cool off, Huo Ling's foot was ready to kick the other person into the river at any moment.
"Duke Du appreciates me, so he brought me along this time." Under Huo Ling's lethargic gaze, Huo Can decisively explained the cause and effect in a single sentence.
"...Oh."
With no interest in probing or curiosity, Huo Ling even couldn't be bothered to ask questions like "Has Prince Anle agreed?" He also didn't care whether Huo Can appeared here because he succeeded in the family struggle or chose to "run away from home"; he kicked "General" away from climbing onto the deck again.
Yawning lazily, Huo Ling didn't even raise his eyes, "Alright, go do your own thing, don't disturb me."
"Your Highness..."
Huo Ling directly drove him away, "I am not interested in your 'story' right now."
Huo Can felt a bit disappointed. He had finally found an opportunity to be alone with the Crown Prince. He had wanted to talk to him about his struggles and achievements during this time, and even wanted to ask for Huo Ling's advice on dealing with family, although he seemed very unreliable, but Huo Can always felt that he was good at dealing with family issues. He didn't find a good time.
Looking at "General" who had finally climbed onto the deck, the carefree mastiff eagerly pushed the caught fish in front of Huo Ling, as if offering tribute to his "big brother." However, Huo Ling, who didn't even raise his eyelids, threw the fish back into the river.
What's more, "General" thought that Huo Ling was playing with it, so it directly turned its head, dived into the river again, and entangled with the fish that had been caught and released ashore countless times.
Realizing that it was impossible to continue chatting, Huo Can chose to take his leave, "Your Highness, I take my leave."
"Okay."
Huo Ling raised his hand casually and half-closed his eyelids.
In the end, the resilient fish ended up in "General's" belly, satisfying the mastiff's appetite. As for the Crown Prince, still feeling seasick and annoyed, he was mistaken by "General" for playing around and got all covered in fur.
Tired in heart, why hadn't they arrived at Jiangdu yet?
Maybe it was Huo Ling's resentment at work. When the Crown Prince gradually got used to feeling like he was "drifting with the waves," Jiangdu was finally in sight.
As the boat docked, when Huo Ling disembarked, the Jiangdu Prefect, who had received advance notice and deliberately waited at the pier with a group of people, came forward to greet him.
"Your Royal Highness, it's a great honor!"
Meeting a prince’s visit, Jiangdu Prefect Ouyang Ruo flattered, "With your arrival, even the weather has cleared up."
As Ouyang Ruo said, today's weather could even be described as "vast expanse of blue, brilliant sunshine."
Huo Ling looked up at the sky, withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, and just as he was about to exchange pleasantries with the Jiangdu Prefect, he suddenly turned his head and vomited all over him.
Ouyang Ruo: "...??!!!"
Lowering his head, Luo Qin slowly raised his head, revealing the scar that stretched from the corner of his eye to the philtrum.
The gradually healing wound intertwined with newly grown flesh, a menacing sight that made people dare not look a second time, and sensitive individuals might even feel nauseous at the first sight, just like Qin Qixiang.
"Do I have a choice?" With the entire Luo family gone, he had no other option, regardless of whether the Crown Prince was reliable. This person, with high status and power, and from outside of Jiangnan, was his only choice now.
The dry and hoarse voice echoed in the room. Qin Qixiang, who still wasn't used to the other party's voice, shuddered, and his gaze at the other gradually became complicated.
The menacing scar, the rough bearing, the silent and reticent personality, the decisive and swift movements... like a veteran who had been mingling at the docks for many years. No one would have expected that this man, who had been toiling at the docks for a living, was one of the "Seven Gentlemen of the Bamboo Grove," praised as "suave and clear" by others. Especially considering that Luo Qin had created the scar on his face with his own hands, Qin Qixiang was surprised by the other's callousness and couldn't help but feel pity for him.
At a literary gathering held by the "Seven Gentlemen of the Bamboo Grove," Luo Qin stood out as the most handsome among them. Qin Qixiang once envied him for his looks, yet now, looking at this man who had not bent under the storm's blows, Qin Qixiang couldn't help but admire him.
He knew he could not reach the same level as the other.
Avoiding the other's face subconsciously, Qin Qixiang lowered his gaze and softly said, "I will arrange for you to go in as a carter, the rest is up to you." Out of his years of friendship with Luo Qin, he could only help him in his own name; he couldn't do anything else.
The Qin family was neutral, never wanting to deal with matters, and unable to deal with them.
Qin Qixiang couldn't do much, but for Luo Qin at this moment, it was enough.
Having received Qin Qixiang's assurance, Luo Qin, who had already forgotten how to smile, rarely curved his lips lightly and thanked him in a hoarse voice, making Qin Qixiang's already complex feelings even more complicated. He felt lucky to receive a thank you from the man who used to be at the end of the "Seven Gentlemen of the Bamboo Grove."
Wait, there was no more "Seven Gentlemen of the Bamboo Grove" ... never mind.
Closing his eyes, Qin Qixiang concealed all his emotions, even his voice returned to its initial calm state. "I have never seen you at Jiangdu Lou, nor have I ever seen a person with a scar on their face." With Qin Qixiang's words, Luo Qin stood up, "I also have not seen Young Master Qin."
Nodding to him, Luo Qin regained his original hunched and reticent appearance, covering the scar on his face with his head lowered, and left.
Watching Luo Qin leave, a barely audible blessing slipped from Qin Qixiang's lips.
"Wishing you great success and fulfillment of your wishes."
Just before leaving the room, Luo Qin's foot hesitated, and without looking back, he clenched his fist with his right hand, placing it on his chest and silently said, "May my wishes be granted," then left with large strides.
Today, Jiangdu Lou only had one person, the curious Young Master Qin Qixiang, and not Luo Qin, who was sought after by many forces in Jiangnan, nor the "Scarface" who lived his life at the docks.
As old friends reunite at Jiangdu Lou, on the other side at the docks, an unspoken embarrassment took hold.
During breakfast, Huo Ling had intended to eat less to avoid vomiting again, but upon learning that they would arrive at Jiangdu today and because "General" always tried to vie for his food due to his emotional state being highly agitated every day, Huo Ling unconsciously drank a bowl of fish soup and ate two sticky rice balls.
All of which ended up on Jiangdu's Governor Ouyang Ruo's body.
Caught off guard and unable to avoid it, Ouyang Ruo's smile froze on his face. The fishy smell emanating from his feet to his clothes almost made him vomit as well. However, facing Huo Ling, who appeared indifferent after vomiting, Ouyang Ruo, through years of practicing internal strength, controlled his expression and with a bitter voice and a hint of puzzlement said, "Your Highness."
Despite Huo Ling appearing indifferent at the moment as if nothing could faze him, he was feeling a bit dazed. Huo Ling didn't expect he couldn't hold back — it was all due to the ship behind him being too treacherous.
Attributing the blame to the ship behind him so naturally, as he glanced at those behind Governor Ouyang Ruo who were astonished, Huo Ling, feeling uneasy, became more expressionless. Trying to think of how to salvage this embarrassing situation, under the silent and calm gaze of Ye Xiao, Huo Ling's composure barely held. He patted the shoulder of Governor Ouyang Ruo, intentionally avoiding the area that had been soiled by vomit, "Governor Ouyang, I appreciate your kindness."
"Not at all, not at all. To have Your Highness's first stop at Jiangdu is an honor for our entire city," Ouyang Ruo naturally said about the prepared remarks, both indicating that they felt honored and that they have nothing to fear from Your Highness's investigation. In every word he said, he conveyed these messages, whether explicitly or implicitly.
Whether Ouyang Ruo understood the implications of his words, that only Ouyang Ruo himself would know.
Feeling no improvement after vomiting, Huo Ling was still dazed, but instead of facing a slight embarrassment for Ouyang Ruo's sake in front of the crowd, with Ye Xiao's silent and calm gaze fixed on him, Huo Ling managed to maintain his composure befitting of a Crown Prince. He raised his chin slightly towards Governor Ouyang Ruo, made a faint "hmm" and got on with it.
In response to Huo Ling's unspoken annoyance in front of everyone, under the silent and calm gaze of Ye Xiao, Huo Ling maintained the regal composure expected of a Crown Prince. Ouyang Ruo extended his hand to invite Huo Ling, "Your Highness, please."
After passing the inspection of the Brocade Guards and confirming that there were no issues, Huo Ling finally boarded the carriage.
Ye Xiao mounted his horse and followed closely beside the carriage. The Brocade Guards who were serving the rickshawman on Ouyang Ruo's original arrangement were replaced, and Huo Can replaced the coachman. "General" leapt onto the carriage’s pole, avoiding contact with the vomit, and sat down close to Huo Can.
Gong Yi got into another carriage arranged by Jiangdu's Governor, and when stepping onto the carriage, his gaze inadvertently swept over the respectful and contemplative rickshawman with his head bowed, and he couldn't help but mutter, “Huh.” Upon catching sight of the weathered and cracked backs of the rickshawman’s hands and the faint scar at the corner of his eye, Gong Yi reigned in his confusion.
It was indeed just his imagination; how could the coachman resemble Luo Decheng, that old man?
Pulling back the curtain and sitting properly in the carriage, he noticed how adept and skilled the coachman was, effectively dispelling Gong Yi's sudden doubts.
Grateful for the polite words, Ouyang Ruar replied, "Not at all, not at all. It is the honor of our entire city that Your Highness's first stop is Jiangdu."
Struggling to contain the urge to immediately change into a new set of clothes, Ouyang Ruar naturally delivered the prepared words of welcome, with clear and veiled meanings, whether it was "deeply honored" or "Jiangdu is not afraid of your investigation." Whether Ouyang Ruar understood the intentions behind his words, only he knew.
Unbeknownst to Ouyang Ruar, Huo Ling's bored "hmm" revealed little of his feelings. He found these unexpected banquets to be the most bothersome part of his day. Huo Ling, who just wanted to find a place to sleep, finally managed to keep up the demeanor expected of a Crown Prince in front of everyone. Recognizing his own slip, Huo Ling struggled to suppress it in front of Ouyang Ruar, and under Ye Xiao's silent and calm gaze, he maintained his composure as he patted Ouyang Ruar's shoulder, avoiding the vomit, "Governor Ouyang, I appreciate your kindness."
"Not at all, not at all. It is our honor that his Highness's first stop is Jiangdu," Ouyang Ruar replied, naturally expressing the prepared words, whether explicitly or implicitly, indicating that they felt honored and that they were not afraid of any scrutiny from His Highness. Each word conveyed these messages.
Whether Ouyang Ruar understood the meaning behind the words was known only to him.
Feeling no improvement after vomiting, Huo Ling was still dazed, but instead of facing a slight embarrassment for Ouyang Ruar's sake in front of the crowd, with Ye Xiao's silent and calm gaze fixed on him, Huo Ling managed to maintain his composure befitting of a Crown Prince. He raised his chin slightly towards Governor Ouyang Ruar, made a faint "hmm", and got on with it.