That wretched vixen has disguised herself as my wife!

"After witnessing so many heartbreaking and bizarre things on this trip, my mind is even more confused. I really can't tell whether I want to draw my sword and kill those evil people, or retreat into my shell and forget everything."

Lu Zhao sighed deeply, already so drunk he was about to collapse.

Jiang Jingming listened to him silently without replying.

The captain, surrounded by his sailors, was also quite drunk and was singing off-key tunes.

Suddenly, a dragonfly appeared in front of Jiang Jingming.

It is woven from bamboo strips and is so lifelike that it can fly far away with the wind if the wind is strong enough.

Jiang Jingming looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes looking down at him.

"I'll give you one."

Fang Zhiyi bent down slightly, her smile gentle.

Jiang Jingming recognized it; she had bought it from a vendor when she was playing with children.

He reached out and took it, shook the bamboo dragonfly, and suddenly laughed.

"Shall we let it fly?"

"Okay."

We walked through the bustling crowd to the bow of the ship.

The Milky Way shone brightly in the sky, and the river breeze caused the two men's white robes to flutter and entangle.

Taking advantage of the wind, Jiang Jingming threw the bamboo dragonfly in his hand high into the air.

Dragonflies rise with the wind, their wings woven from green bamboo actually fluttering in the breeze, soaring higher and higher as if they were about to reach the heavens.

"Try to be happy, maybe the world isn't so bad after all."

Only after the bamboo dragonfly had completely disappeared into the night did Zhiyi raise the corners of her mouth and give him a gentle smile.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Basking in the Moonlight and Feeling the Breeze

"Little brother! Wake up, we've arrived!"

Jiang Jingming was awakened by the boat captain's strong voice.

He opened his eyes, and a ray of sunlight streamed in through the porthole.

Aqing stood with her back to him by the window, her long hair fluttering gently in the wind.

"arrive?"

Jiang Jingming sat up and held his forehead.

Last night, amidst the sailors' commotion and jeers, he downed several large bowls of strong liquor and forgot how he finally fell asleep.

I think it was probably Aqing who carried him back to his room.

"We've arrived, young master."

Aqing turned around, her eyes clear.

She has never touched a drop of alcohol. Like Shen Zhuo, the people of the Tianji tribe are always alert, even when they sleep, and they would never allow themselves to fall into a state of ignorance.

Is it afternoon now?

Jiang Jingming shook his head, clearing the drowsy feeling from his mind.

Aqing walked to the window and gently massaged the acupoints on his forehead, her tone tender:

"At the beginning of the Wei hour".

"Earlier than expected?"

Jiang Jingming simply closed his eyes. Aqing's cool fingertips felt very comfortable, and he almost wanted to take another nap.

Aqing hummed in agreement and looked out the window.

"Yes, the boat captain was very happy about this, saying it was an auspicious sign."

"Okay, let's go."

Jiang Jingming looked up and smiled at her.

He hung Wujiu from beside his pillow to his waist, pushed open the cabin door, and squinted as the afternoon sun shone on him.

"Hey, did you sleep well last night, young man?"

The captain was directing the sailors to unload the passengers' cargo and luggage from the ship. Hearing the sound of him pushing open the door, he turned around.

"The alcohol really got to me, but I slept very well."

Jiang Jingming returned the smile.

It was definitely the alcohol that worked; otherwise, with the boat rocking and bobbing all night, it would have been difficult to sleep so soundly.

The boat captain smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up in praise:

"Young man, you have quite the capacity for alcohol. It's your first time drinking our ship's strong liquor, and you can still get out of bed the next day. You're practically a wine connoisseur!"

Jiang Jingming originally thought he was just making empty boasts, but as soon as the left hatch opened, someone stumbled and fell out like a broken sack.

"Ouch!!!"

Lu Zhao clutched his head and gagged weakly a few times.

The boatman laughed heartily, jumped down to help him up, and then looked at Jiang Jingming with a smug expression:

"Look, this is what a normal person is like!"

"Yes."

Jiang Jingming smiled and nodded.

"Someone, give this guy some water!"

The captain called out to the sailors, and Jiang Jingming walked onto the deck, slowly stretching in the sunlight.

This is Fengling City.

Ancient low houses with blue bricks and white tiles, old fishermen leisurely casting their lines by the river, and the sound of thousands of households pounding clothes as the afternoon wind rises.

If the capital city is the ideal place for those seeking official positions, and Zhige City is the ideal place for those who value martial arts, then Fengling City is the ideal place for scholars and poets.

Amidst countless mountains and rivers, shrouded in mist and rain, stepping into Fengling City, anyone who knows even a few characters will feel compelled to pick up a brush and compose a poem.

such as--

Xie Yunqi was pacing back and forth at the bow of the boat, his hands behind his back.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Jiang Jingming walk forward.

"Hey! Jingming, you've come at the perfect time! Listen to my newly composed poem!"

"The young lady can also compose poetry?"

Jiang Jingming raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Xie Yunqi clearly noticed his disdain and glared at him:

"Who do you think you are! The teacher who taught me poetry was once the top scholar in the imperial examination!"

"Good good."

Jiang Jingming raised his hand, adopting a posture of listening attentively.

Xie Yunqi coughed a few times, then finally began to recite the poem in a drawn-out tone:

"A straw raincoat, a bamboo hat, a small boat, a ten-foot-long golden thread, and an inch-long hook!"

Although it's a limerick, it's passable.

Jiang Jingming suppressed a laugh and nodded repeatedly in encouragement.

"After sitting for three days without catching a fish, I put away my fishing rod."

Ah, he's an air force officer.

Jiang Jingming glanced at the row of old men fishing in the distance and felt that they must not hear the poem.

"You ask me what brings me here?"

Xie Yunqi spun around, racking his brains for a long time, and finally came up with the last half of the sentence. He jumped up excitedly.

"Let's bask in the moonlight and feel the breeze!"

"..."

These are the excellent students taught by the retired top scholar.

Jiang Jingming lowered his head, his laughter trembling.

"Hey! Say something! How's my writing?"

Not receiving any praise, Xie Yunqi shook his arm back and forth, clearly dissatisfied.

"A fine poem, a fine poem."

Jiang Jingming had no choice but to clap along with her.

"Jingming, your uncle dotes on her father, is that considered poetry? I think my great-grandmother was talking in her sleep."

Lu Zhao held a bowl of hot water, drinking it while complaining.

When he first took on the task of escorting the young lady, he was a diligent subordinate. Now that he has realized that even the King of Heaven himself couldn't control this young lady's temper, he simply let himself go.

Anyway, no matter how much you grovel and do your best, she will never realize:

"Ah, this man is quite loyal and devoted. I'll put in a good word for him with my father!"

They'll just find you annoyingly nagging and nosy.

"court death!"

Xie Yunqi suddenly gathered his strength and slapped Lu Zhao, who was still hungover, to the ground.

"You really don't hold back!"

Lu Zhao already felt completely drained, so he simply collapsed to the ground and refused to get up.

Xie Yunqi clapped his hands and snorted coldly.

When lecturing someone, there's a sense of self-righteous righteousness, as if the masterpieces of literary figures have been defiled.

Jiang Jingming leaned against the railing, looking at the crowded ferry crossing.

A large portion of the passengers were caravan members, carefully protecting crates full of goods as they disembarked.

Following the cargo was a group of women wearing hooded robes and veils; even though they were so covered up, their figures were still quite graceful and beautiful.

"Those are a group of dancers!"

Lu Zhao sat up abruptly from the ground and tugged at Jiang Jingming's trouser leg.

"I saw it."

Jiang Jingming nodded, not surprised.

Compared to precious jade, what the people of Zhongzhou actually loved more were the alluring and seductive dancers of Yongzhou.

Because they are naturally alluring and charming, and their personalities are not as reserved and shy as those of women from the Central Plains, they are usually passionate, bold, and full of surprises.

The dancers on the same ship as them were mostly to be sent to the homes of the powerful and wealthy in Fengling City. After they had made their selections, the rest would be sold to brothels.

"What a pity! When I went to Yongzhou on official business, my colleagues all said they envied me for having such good luck. Who knew I would encounter so many strange things along the way? I almost died."

Lu Zhao sighed.

Jiang Jingming smiled casually.

He wasn't interested in that, after all, no matter how beautiful the dancers were, they couldn't compare to the three women on the ship who were the most beautiful in the world.

By this time, the row of dancers had already reached the shore, except for one who was slower and lagged behind.

Jiang Jingming was wondering if this would draw criticism from the vendors when the man suddenly turned around in the crowd.

The wind lifted her hood at just the right moment, revealing a pair of eyes as green as lake water.

It's beautiful, but it makes me feel uncomfortable.