"Woo... woo... woo..."
After three blasts of the horn, the pirate galleon slowly sailed into its lair, the port of Zulong Island.
The cunning rabbit has three burrows; pirates naturally have more than one lair, but Zulong Island was their largest. Zulong Island was a large island located in the depths of the East Sea.
Heaven and earth are connected by water in all directions, vast and boundless. Zulong hollowed out mountains, hence Zulong Island.
Zulong Island was not a single island but an archipelago formed by hundreds of islands of various sizes: Dongxian Island, Huanhuang Island, Yuchi Island, Jinying Island, Yinshan Island, Zhuyu Island, Gaojian Island, Daxi Island, Xiaoxi Island, and so on. Jinying Island was the largest among the Zulong Archipelago.
The Zulong Archipelago was long and narrow, with a winding coastline, composed of over a hundred islands. The waterways were intricate and extremely complex, making it impossible to leave for those unfamiliar with them. The entire Zulong Archipelago had a highly complex terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
There were over ten factions of East Sea pirates occupying the Zulong Archipelago. The largest among them was naturally the Zhen'ao Pirates, and the leaders of the more than ten East Sea pirate factions were all under Zhen'ao Pirates' leader, Rong Chengkui.
Rong Chengkui established the "Zhen'ao Kingdom" and styled himself "Deep Dragon King," a title he bestowed upon himself. He commanded hundreds of large and small warships, with over ten thousand followers. His strength was not to be underestimated. Currently, Zhou Fugui's East Sea navy was no match for him; there was no comparison, a vast difference.
"We're home!"
The weather was clear that day, with a cloudless sky stretching for miles. The deep blue sea in the distance, bathed in the brilliant sunlight, resembled patches of fish scales spread across the water. The sea, reflecting the sunlight, became a riot of colors, shimmering and iridescent. The blue sea and the blue sky complemented each other. Seagulls flew joyfully over the distant sea, and waves continuously washed ashore on Jinying Island, carrying fine sand. The white waves, golden sand, massive rocks, and tall trees formed a beautiful picture.
Beneath the brilliant sunlight, Jinying Island was pointed in the front and slender in the back, with wide sides, resembling a golden eagle with its wings spread, hence the name Jinying Island.
The large ship slowly sailed into the port. Rong Chenglanmin stood on the ship's railing, her arms spread wide, embracing the charming island scenery, and exclaimed with joy.
"We're here?" Zhou Fugui, his eyes blindfolded with a black cloth, could not see any of this. He couldn't see the charming Jinying Island and could only turn his head to look. Standing on the ship's railing with Rong Chenglanmin, Zhou Fugui said, "Little Princess, you say I'm not a guest, but I'm here... isn't that inappropriate? Why don't you let me go back?"
Zhou Fugui was still not giving up.
Zhou Fugui's lengthy descriptions of the pain of separation and longing only backfired, further solidifying Rong Chenglanmin's resolve to keep him on Jinying Island, making him tell stories from the Thousand and One Nights every day... As for how long, it would depend entirely on fate or Zhou Fugui's fortune.
"What's inappropriate about it? No one said you were a guest..." Rong Chenglanmin smiled as she pulled the black cloth from Zhou Fugui's eyes, but she did not untie his bound hands.
Rong Chenglanmin was pure and simple, but by no means foolish.
Even if Zhou Fugui could tell a thousand and one nights of stories, he was an enemy of the Zhen'ao people. Therefore, before entering the island, Rong Chenglanmin blindfolded him to prevent him from discovering the secrets of the Zulong Archipelago and to prevent him from discovering the path to the island, thereby endangering Jinying Island.
"Caught! We caught that dog official!"
"Huh? Which dog official?"
"The Yan general under Youzhou City."
"There are so many generals, which one?"
"Hey, damn it, must I be so specific? It's the Yan general who defeated us..."
"So it's him! Hurry and go see!"
"Right! Right!"
"Who do you think he'll die by?"
"Sky lamp?"
"Dragon bone dragging!"
"Plank walking!"
"Blood Eagle!"
"......"
"Place your bets, place your bets! Dragon bone dragging pays 1:1, plank walking pays 1:2, sky lamp pays 1:3, blood eagle pays 1:4, survival pays 1:100! Bets are closed! Bets are closed!" kuAiδugg
"I bet he lives!"
"Zhu Lao Er, are you in cahoots with him?"
"Nonsense! I just like to take risks! If you bet, bet big! I bet twenty taels of gold on him living!"
"Haha, Zhu Lao Er, have you thought it through? If you lose, you'll lose everything."
"Enough nonsense! Here, if I win, you can't renege! If you renege, your wife and daughters will pay the debt, hehe."
"Alright, alright, Zhu Lao Er, so you have designs on them?"
"......"
"Thank you, young lady, for your care along the way!" Seeing a crowd of fierce pirates surging forward, Zhou Fugui said to Rong Chenglanmin with a wry smile.
Under Youzhou City, Zhou Fugui led the Snow Bear Army and killed many pirates. He also killed and captured many in Qu County. In Youzhou City and Donghai County City, Zhou Fugui had also killed many of Donghai King Murong Hong's subordinates. After Murong Hong fled to the sea, he and his remnants naturally joined the pirates, becoming East Sea pirates.
Therefore, if Zhou Fugui fell into their hands, how could he possibly survive? Not the slightest chance.
"You are with me, and I will not let you die." Rong Chenglanmin seemed to show a hint of regret. She tightened the belt at her waist and said softly to Zhou Fugui.
Rong Chenglanmin not only felt regret but also seemed to be prepared. Her golden hair was tied back behind her head. She wore a padded sharkskin leather armor on her upper body and a knee-length leather skirt, revealing her slender legs. She wore long boots, with golden leather at her waist and wrists. A water-splitting shark bone spur was tucked into her right waist, and a short sword hung from her left waist. Dark weapons were hidden in a pouch made of animal hide at her waist.
Rong Chenglanmin was dressed in a fitted outfit that accentuated her perfect figure but also gave her a somewhat fierce aura.
Zhou Fugui shook his head with a wry smile and ignored Rong Chenglanmin. Escorted by two pirates, he slowly walked onto the gangplank. Below the gangplank was a group of fierce pirates, like wolves and tigers, looking greedily at the white sheep about to be thrown into the pool...
In the ship's cabin, Zhou Fugui could joke and play with Rong Chenglanmin, even surrender and appease her, as no one saw them except her and her maid... In full view of everyone, Zhou Fugui would no longer behave like that.
Kneeling and begging for mercy meant death, and facing death bravely also meant death. Why not die more heroically? Let the East Sea pirates not look down on the Snow Bear Army.
"You... you... you..." Rong Chenglanmin had wanted Zhou Fugui to stay by her side so she could protect him with all her might. But she hadn't expected Zhou Fugui to walk off the gangplank himself. Now he was being heroic, but stepping off the gangplank meant being hacked to pieces by the pirates.
And a dismembered corpse, whether heroic or not, could certainly not tell stories from the Thousand and One Nights...
"He's a heroic man, a pity he's about to die..." the maid Tali murmured, looking at Zhou Fugui's retreating back.
"I... sigh..." Rong Chenglanmin glared at Zhou Fugui's back, sighed, and then leaped onto the gangplank like a leopard.
With a "thump," Zhou Fugui jumped off the gangplank, his expressionless face facing the surging crowd of pirates with their ferocious visages.
With a light "whoosh," Rong Chenglanmin followed closely. After leaping off the gangplank, she actually tightly linked her arm with Zhou Fugui's, leaning against him, like a small bird nestling beside Zhou Fugui.
A perfect match, they looked like a loving couple!
"Screech..." The surging pirates immediately braked hard, stopping in front of the two, all looking at each other in bewilderment, utterly confused. Some slow-witted pirates still shouted to kill, while some quick-witted pirates almost shouted "Young Master"! Of course, many pirates who bet on Zhou Fugui's death were terrified; their golden coins seemed to have grown wings... The few pirates who bet on Zhou Fugui surviving were somewhat pleased or growing more confident. Zhou Fugui's fate would ultimately be decided by the master of Jinying Island, Rong Chengkui.
Didn't they say Rong Chenglanmin captured this Hu barbarian governor? Why were their little princess Rong Chenglanmin and this person acting like this? Under the moonlight, flirting intimately, how could she be a captive? Even if Rong Chenglanmin captured this Hu barbarian governor and returned to the island, how could they have gotten involved so quickly?
The pirates were all filled with doubt and confusion.
Adulterous couple, if you want to get involved, you should have informed us earlier, so we wouldn't have lost money on our bets. Some pirates truly wanted to shout in anger.
"Make way!" The pirates blocked their path, so Rong Chenglanmin commanded.
The pirates then parted to create a path. Zhou Fugui and Rong Chenglanmin walked side by side, and Rong Chenglanmin's subordinates, who were previously escorts, now became guards, escorting the two.
"You dog thief! Pay with my brother's life!" As Zhou Fugui and Rong Chenglanmin were about to walk out of the crowd, a fierce roar suddenly came from behind, followed by the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air.
A person holding a sharp blade suddenly stabbed towards Zhou Fugui's back.
Zhou Fugui's hands were bound, and he could not parry. Facing away from the attacker, he had no time to dodge.
"Clang!"
Rong Chenglanmin had been keeping a vigilant eye on her surroundings. As the blade was about to pierce Zhou Fugui's back, she drew her sword and blocked the fatal blow.
The blades clashed, splashing sparks.
"Huh!" Fearing further attack, Rong Chenglanmin grabbed Zhou Fugui's arm, forcefully kicked his abdomen with one foot, and the two rolled to the ground.
"Vice General Zhai, how dare you!" After rolling a few times on the ground, Rong Chenglanmin and Zhou Fugui got up, holding their short swords reversed, staring intently at Vice General Zhai, protecting Zhou Fugui beneath her.
Vice General Zhai was a house general of the former Donghai King Murong Hong, and naturally hated Zhou Fugui to the bone.
"Princess Consort, what is the meaning of you protecting this scoundrel?" Vice General Zhai saw Rong Chenglanmin fiercely protecting Zhou Fugui, so he refrained from attacking further, only holding his blade and coldly questioning her.
Vice General Zhai was Murong Hong's house general, and Rong Chenglanmin was naturally his mistress. However, Rong Chenglanmin, as Murong Hong's wife, was protecting a young man who was an enemy.
Therefore, Vice General Zhai's contempt was evident.