Sailing the seas had always been a dream of Chi Wan’s, and Yu Jiuzhou also wanted to venture out and see what other countries were like.
In the autumn of the second year of the Jingshun era, ten thousand sails fluttered in the East China Sea. The banners bearing the characters for “Great Zhou” belonged to the official ships, accompanied by the merchant vessels of various houses. Sailing with the official fleet meant protection from the military. When winter came, icebreakers would lead the way, and the merchant ships following behind could at least get a piece of the action, and more safely at that.
The Wokou pirate scourge of the past had been orchestrated by the gentry families along the coast. They had wanted to monopolize the profits from maritime trade, so they fostered pirates to create chaos. After being suppressed, they repeatedly tried to make a comeback.
But how could Yu Jiuzhou give them that chance? She executed a batch, intimidated another, and permitted merchant caravans to follow the official ships to sea. As long as they paid a certain amount of silver, they would receive the protection of the official fleet. Once the merchant caravans started earning money, the surrounding gentry families finally quieted down.
After all, when the caravans returned home and tallied their accounts, they found they were earning more than before. They had lost their monopoly, but now they had a more peaceful maritime trade environment, better ships, and the protection of the military. They didn’t have to worry about pirates, and if they encountered a storm, the official ships would even encircle the merchant vessels to shield them.
The official ships were the best in the world at that time. If even they were destroyed, the merchant ships wouldn’t stand a chance anyway.
In short, following the official fleet provided an overwhelming sense of security. Over the years, although they had encountered many dangers, the official ships always charged ahead. The number of merchant caravans wanting to join them grew and grew, but the quotas were always full.
Fortunately, after Jiang Weiyang, many commanders capable of sailing independently had been trained. A voyage was made twice a year, each lasting two years, which naturally required more naval commanders.
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou were on Jiang Weiyang’s voyage this time. They were very familiar with each other. With new commanders, they might have been consulted on every matter. They were out for leisure, not to work. Besides, when it came to sailing, they were novices too.
Chi Wan had been to sea before, for fishing, but she had never undertaken a long voyage. A professional was still needed.
At this moment, Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou had just boarded the ship. They stood on the deck, watching the waves crash violently against the coastal rocks. After countless beatings from the waves, the rocks had developed a smooth patina.
The autumn wind by the sea was completely different from the inland wind—it was cold and bleak. One could only imagine how much colder it would be in the dead of winter.
Jiang Weiyang held a luopan, calculating something. It was a metaphysical version of a compass, but she preferred to use the luopan.
Beside her, the pendants at Yu Jiuzhou’s waist chimed in the sea breeze, harmonizing beautifully with the sound of water striking the shore. With tens of thousands of ships together, the voices of so many people created a clamor. Some words were scattered by the wind, forcing people to speak louder.
Chi Wan lowered her eyes and smiled. She quite liked this kind of environment; it was full of life. She turned to look at Yu Jiuzhou beside her. Her black robe was not ornate, but it was sufficiently majestic.
The moment their hands touched, a warmth spread through their skin. At some point, Yu Jiuzhou’s constitutional coldness had disappeared. Although her skin was still cool, it no longer had that bone-chilling feel. When she circulated her internal energy, her palms were even warm.
The cool, floral scent from Yu Jiuzhou’s body lingered at the tip of Chi Wan’s nose, mingling with the salty sea breeze in a way that was surprisingly pleasant.
“What does Minister Jiang think of this weather?” Yu Jiuzhou looked up at the sea. There was no sun today, but it wasn’t raining either. Gusts of gloomy wind blew. For a departure, such weather could turn to rain at any moment. Moreover, it was the first day of the voyage. Was it a bad omen?
On the vast sea, human strength was minuscule. Heading to completely unfamiliar places, it was normal for one’s mood to fluctuate.
Jiang Weiyang lowered her luopan. “Your Majesty, the weather on the sea is unpredictable. Today’s weather is perfect. Although it’s overcast, the wind isn’t strong, which is suitable for sailing.”
The date had been specially chosen. Going to sea was a major event. In recent years, Jiang Weiyang had sailed less frequently. After one voyage, she would rest for a year or two before setting out again, unlike in the past when she would embark on the next trip after just three to five months.
When the time came, with a command from Jiang Weiyang, “Set sail!”
The lead ship started first, followed by one after another in a mighty procession. Watching the scene of ten thousand sails unfurling, Chi Wan’s heart still pounded with excitement.
She squeezed Yu Jiuzhou’s hand, her emotions surging. It was hard not to be moved by such a sight.
Soon, the fleet stabilized and began its journey to the first stop of the voyage: Nanyue.
Nanyue was also a coastal country. After being devastated by cannon fire in the past, it had mostly recovered after years of recuperation. The first stop was here for Nanyue’s mineral resources—gold, copper, iron, and so on, all in considerable quantities, as well as various gemstones like rubies, sapphires, and jadeite.
Though Nanyue was small, its mineral wealth was abundant, especially its coal, which was plentiful and of varied quality. A mature import-export industrial chain had already been formed to transport Nanyue’s minerals back to Great Zhou.
Nanyue had a new ruler, still from the Duan family, but from a distant branch. He was the new king of Nanyue, propped up by Great Zhou. In essence, Nanyue was a vassal state of Great Zhou.
It was more that Great Zhou didn’t want Nanyue, at least not for the time being. They would wait until Nanyue was mostly rebuilt before occupying it, thus saving their own manpower and resources.
On every voyage, the fleet would pass by, partly as a show of force and partly for trade.
It was to keep the people of Nanyue in line, reminding them that Great Zhou could raze Nanyue to the ground again, even from the sea. Occasional naval drills at sea, testing the latest technology, made Nanyue even more compliant.
A few days ago, the King of Nanyue had submitted a memorial, saying he no longer wished to be king and wanted to retire to the capital to enjoy a life of leisure, offering Nanyue up. It was unclear whether this was a test or a genuine offer. In any case, their significant investment of time had not been in vain. Soon, they would be able to take Nanyue without firing a single shot—and a rebuilt Nanyue at that.
As the fleet was about to enter Nanyue’s port, Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou walked out of their cabin and stood on the deck, gazing at Nanyue.
Perhaps because the fog was too thick, from a distance, it looked as if a giant snake was standing there—a snake with nine eyes.
It was a bit eerie.
“Chi Wan, did you see that?” Yu Jiuzhou frowned and tugged on Chi Wan’s arm.
Chi Wan nodded. “I saw it.”
A half-standing, nine-eyed snake, both bizarre and real.
But the people around them seemed accustomed to it. As the fog dissipated, the great snake vanished, and everything returned to normal.
By then, the fleet had already sailed into the port. The people of Nanyue were waiting at the harbor to welcome them, among them the King of Nanyue. Seeing the group, the King of Nanyue immediately came forward. “It has been a long time, Marquis Jiang. You are as impressive as ever.”
“Your Majesty hasn’t changed much either,” Jiang Weiyang replied with pleasantries.
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou followed behind, dressed rather inconspicuously. She wore a white Daoist robe, and Yu Jiuzhou a black one. Standing together, one in white and one in black, they also wore masks on their faces.
Many people in Nanyue had seen them before. They only went without masks on the main ship; once they docked, they would put them on. Many in the fleet also recognized them.
Behind Jiang Weiyang stood several of her deputies, various officials, and dozens of guards, all wearing masks. The two of them looked like the leaders of these guards.
Chi Wan’s gaze fell upon the King of Nanyue. For a king to personally welcome a marquis and commander truly showed the difference in status between a large nation and a small one.
When people from Great Zhou came to Nanyue to do business, no one dared to cause trouble, otherwise the military would be the next to arrive. If people from Great Zhou caused trouble in Nanyue, as long as the evidence was conclusive, Great Zhou would not interfere, but they would send people to re-examine the authenticity of the evidence.
Great Zhou was a nation of reason, which was the greatest benefit for the small surrounding countries.
Chi Wan glanced at a person standing next to the King of Nanyue. Their clothes were somewhat strange, looking like ceremonial robes for a priestess.
She thought of Nanyue’s Gu poison. Although a purge had been carried out, there were likely still some who had slipped through the net. The culture of priestesses was quite strong in Nanyue; the common people’s support for the priestess was even greater than for the king.
At the priestess’s waist hung a nine-eyed snake, which looked to be carved from bone. A kapala?
Chi Wan frowned. She always felt that those who played with kapalas were a tough lot. Kapalas were made of human bone. Or perhaps, what the priestess was playing with was not a collectible, but a ritual instrument?
A ritual instrument carved from human bone. She tugged on Yu Jiuzhou’s hand, signaling for her to look.
Upon seeing the nine-eyed snake, Yu Jiuzhou couldn’t help but frown. It was just like the illusion they had seen through the fog, leaving one with a sense of unease.
The priestess also held a staff. The staff was entirely black and red, likely from the patina of being handled for at least several decades. The head of the staff was made of something unknown, wrapped in scales—not fish scales, but snake scales. There were still bloodstains on them. At a glance, it was clearly not a proper staff.
Before disembarking, Jiang Weiyang had mentioned that the beliefs in different parts of Nanyue varied. This port area was Zhancheng, which was usually dominated by the priestess. The King of Nanyue rarely came here, mainly because he had no control.
Nanyue might seem small, but several areas were dominated by priestesses. Only the few main cities listened to the king. The more remote the place, the greater the priestess’s power.
A golden sword hung at Jiang Weiyang’s waist, a gift from Yu Jiuzhou back then. Chi Wan noticed that the priestess frequently glanced at this sword.
The priestess also had bells tied to her ankles, which jingled with every step. The sound was pleasant, but it had a hallucinatory effect.
It was likely a tool for hypnosis. Because it wasn’t being used intentionally, the effect was very slight.
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow, her eyes fixed on the priestess, but her lips moved closer to Yu Jiuzhou. “This priestess seems very interested in Marquis Jiang’s sword.”
The moment she finished speaking, the priestess’s figure twitched. It was clear she was fighting the urge to turn around. She quickly composed herself and continued walking forward naturally.
“She can hear us.”
After arriving at their lodgings, Yu Jiuzhou affirmed this as she played with a pearl in her hand.
The pearl had been slipped to them by one of the King of Nanyue’s men when they had just separated from Jiang Weiyang. Everyone likely received some, just in different quantities. Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou each got two.
Two eastern pearls per person—what a grand gesture. It was a clear bribe.
The place they were staying was a temple, said to be a royal temple. When the Emperor of Great Zhou traveled, he stayed in temporary palaces. The King of Nanyue, however, built temples in various places to serve as his lodgings when he traveled.
This temple was called Heigelie Temple, a strange-sounding name. As they passed the main hall, Chi Wan glanced inside. The idol enshrined within was not a conventional deity or Buddha statue, but a species she had never seen before. She didn’t see the details clearly, but she did see nine eyes.
Suddenly, a black and red shadow shot towards them. Chi Wan drew her saber and slashed. Only then did she see it was a black and red snake, which she had cut in two. Before she could observe it, the half with the snake’s head flew at her again. She rapidly brandished her saber, and the snake was minced into hundreds of pieces.
She recalled how the priestess had overheard her words. “So, she really wants Jiang Weiyang’s sword. Fearing we would tell, she separated us just now, and now she’s using a snake to assassinate us.”
There was no other possibility.
Could the snake have appeared out of thin air?
“A Heigelieyan Snake,” Yu Jiuzhou said in a low voice.
“What?”
“Legend has it that there is a type of snake in Nanyue called the Heigelieyan Snake. It has a red back and a black belly, with nine spots. Its venom is lethal, but before death, it induces erotic hallucinations. Later, the people of Nanyue extracted its venom to make medicine. The diluted poison could make people have erotic dreams. They would wake up tired, but the experience was called a ‘dreamland,’ so the people of Nanyue loved it. As more and more people liked it, the Heigelieyan Snake was hunted to near extinction. The King of Nanyue at the time ordered a ban on the private use of its venom, restricting it to the royal family. But even so, it didn’t stop people from hunting the snakes, and eventually, they disappeared.”
Yu Jiuzhou frowned and calculated for a moment. “This should have been over a thousand years ago. It’s only recorded in some obscure books. Logically, there shouldn’t be any Heigelieyan Snakes left in Nanyue.”
But there was indeed a Heigelieyan Snake right in front of them.
Heigelie Temple, Heigelieyan Snake. This was getting interesting. And that snake shadow in the fog—of course, they didn’t believe in ghosts or supernatural phenomena. It could have been a natural occurrence, or it could have been man-made.
Nature’s works were wondrous; every place could have ten mythological stories. That didn’t prove anything.
But why was that priestess constantly looking at Jiang Weiyang’s sword? That sword wasn’t particularly special, was it?
Using the latest steel-making techniques of the time, Chi Wan had commissioned many swords to be forged as medals for military officers. Apart from the standard-issue sabers of the Imperial City Division, there were many different swords and sabers. The blades were all the same, but the scabbards were different, divided into three grades: bronze, silver-plated, and gold-plated. The gemstones were also different—lapis lazuli, sapphire, ruby, and so on, inlaid on the hilt. The same applied to swords.
A gold scabbard with a sapphire was for a second-rank high official. A ruby was for a prince. Although Jiang Weiyang was a marquis, her achievements surpassed her rank, so hers had a gold scabbard and a ruby.
Currently, there were no more than ten people in all of Great Zhou who possessed a sword with a gold scabbard and a ruby. Its prestige was indeed very high.
But that priestess’s gaze was too obvious. Jiang Weiyang couldn’t have failed to notice. Was she after money?
Unlikely. The priestess was supported by the entire city. To covet this bit of money and offend a marquis of Great Zhou was completely unnecessary.
“Anyway, no matter how you think about it, it’s all too strange.”
Chi Wan wiped the snake blood from her saber, trying to piece together the connections.
Yu Jiuzhou smiled. “Have someone investigate, and call Jiang Weiyang back.”
There was a banquet tonight to entertain Jiang Weiyang and all the officials. The two of them had been stopped from attending because of their earlier conversation.
Chi Wan smiled, turned, and changed into a different set of clothes—the uniform of the Embroidered-Robe Guard—and put on a mask as well.
To make their masks seem less out of place, many people were wearing them. So if they changed their clothes and put on masks, no one would know who they were.
Just in case, Chi Wan applied some ointment to their faces, making their skin appear a bit darker and altering their beautiful features. One could only recognize about fifty percent of their original appearance.
The main effect was to lower their attractiveness. A stunning beauty became merely pretty, and with the darker skin, they looked just like weather-beaten seafarers.
Chi Wan smiled as she sized up Yu Jiuzhou, then burst out laughing. “Aiyo, my ugly wife.”
Yu Jiuzhou looked in the mirror. “…”
She wasn’t actually ugly, just not as breathtaking as she was before the disguise.
“Shut up.”
“Being fierce with me again.”
Chi Wan hummed lightly and wrapped an arm around Yu Jiuzhou’s waist. “Let’s go.”
They had to get out of this room first. Someone was probably watching them, so they needed to find a way out.
Yu Jiuzhou had cultivated internal energy, but it was mostly for practicing boxing. She didn’t know how to apply it in combat and didn’t even know lightness skill. She could only jump higher than an ordinary person—two or three meters, maybe even four or five was possible. With training, she could achieve the effects of lightness skill.
Lightness skill was essentially parkour using leverage, allowing for brief moments of flight. To fly continuously, one needed to borrow force. A master could even use their right foot to push off their left to fly.
Chi Wan had tried it. She could fly, but it was unstable and short-lived. She was even better at using the surface of water for leverage.
Yu Jiuzhou had never had the time to learn to fly, especially not by jumping all over the place. Her personality preferred the slow, steady practice of boxing.
Of course, they had also never thought they would one day need it. After all, they were usually surrounded by protectors. To make things more realistic after disembarking, they hadn’t let their shadow guards follow them, so they could only rely on themselves.
Chi Wan held a cup in her hand. Standing by the window, she suddenly threw the cup dozens of meters away. As the sound of it shattering rang out, she heard two figures run towards the noise. She immediately led Yu Jiuzhou out through the door.
She wrapped her arms around Yu Jiuzhou’s waist and swiftly changed their position, covering several hundred meters in a few seconds. She was incredibly fast.
They arrived at the side of a prayer hall. It wasn’t large, and the door was locked. Neither of them was particularly curious. They were already out of their room, and with their current clothes and masks, they could walk out openly.
Just as the two were about to leave, a “thud” suddenly came from inside. It seemed someone was in there.
No, with Chi Wan’s internal energy, she could sense whether there was a person inside. It wasn’t a person; it was as if something was slithering.
She immediately thought of the Heigelieyan Snake. What else could be slithering like that?
“I think there are snakes inside.”
Yu Jiuzhou also looked at the prayer hall, her body tense. She didn’t show it, but it was obvious she was terrified of snakes, insects, and the like.
She listened carefully and indeed heard a wet, slithering sound from within the prayer hall. Besides snakes, she couldn’t think of what else it could be.
“Let’s not go in. We’ll find Jiang Weiyang, see what the situation is, and then decide what to do.”
They didn’t want to interfere in another country’s affairs, as long as they weren’t provoked. After tonight, they were leaving early tomorrow morning. No, wait, Jiang Weiyang apparently never stayed overnight off the ship.
Coming to Heigelie Temple with the King of Nanyue was also for diplomatic purposes; they would return at night.
But why did the people in the temple bring them here?
Yu Jiuzhou didn’t want to see snakes. For such matters, the Embroidered-Robe Guard and the shadow guards were there; she didn’t need to do anything. Thinking of this, she resolved to find Jiang Weiyang first.
Chi Wan smiled. “Alright, let’s go.”
They didn’t know where Jiang Weiyang had gone, so they could only look for their own people first, but they couldn’t find them.
That wasn’t right. Of the guards who had entered with them, only two were by Jiang Weiyang’s side. The rest had gone to rest, assigned to a location near them. But they had walked around the vicinity and found no one.
Thinking of the Heigelieyan Snake from before, a heavy feeling settled in their hearts. Something was wrong.
“Let’s grab someone.”
If they kept searching like this, they might get lost.
Thinking of the two people who had been watching them, Chi Wan said in a low voice, “Your Highness, stay close to me.”
It was time to use force.
When they arrived, the two men had just pushed open the door to look for them.
Chi Wan’s tone was slightly cold. “Are you looking for us?”
The two men whipped around, and she immediately threw a handful of medicinal powder at them, causing them to faint.
She dragged the two men back into the room, then woke them up. Before they could speak, she threw another handful of powder at them.
The two men: “?”
A smile touched the corners of Yu Jiuzhou’s lips. She was amused.
“What are you laughing at? The first was a knockout drug. This is a hallucinogen.”
Getting information out of these two would likely take a lot of time. Chi Wan didn’t want to waste any, so she had to use drugs.
After the two were under the influence of the hallucinogen, she asked directly, “Where are our people?”
Silence was her answer.
Alright!
“Where is Jiang Weiyang?”
“The main hall… she’s in… the main hall.”
“Where is the main hall?”
“After entering the temple, go straight to the third gate.”
“Where are the guards who came in with you to rest?”
“Under… underground.”
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou exchanged a look. “Underground? Where?”
The two men’s hands trembled as they pointed under the table.
Yu Jiuzhou walked over, gently moved the table aside, and carefully examined the floor. There were indeed seams, looking like a hidden passage.
Chi Wan’s brow twitched. “Why were our people taken underground?”
“Don’t… know.”
“Do you know about the Heigelieyan Snake?”
“Snake?”
“The nine-eyed snake.”
“The Snake God! God! A believer greets the Snake God, long live the Snake God!”
It seemed they wouldn’t get anything more out of these two. Chi Wan gripped the hilt of her saber, and without hesitation, drew and sheathed it in a flash.
The two men, still dazed, didn’t know what had happened. Then their heads lolled to one side, a thin line of blood appearing on their necks. The blood welled up, forming into beads.
Chi Wan had already walked over to Yu Jiuzhou’s side. “Should we go down?”
“Find Jiang Weiyang.”
They still had to find Jiang Weiyang as quickly as possible. Heigelie Temple was too strange. If this continued, something bad was likely to happen.
The fleet had just set sail, and they were already running into trouble not long after.
Jiang Weiyang was the commander of the fleet. No matter what, her safety had to be guaranteed first.
Following the directions from memory, the two found the main hall. At this moment, the hall was filled with song and dance, a scene of peace and harmony. Chi Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
They strode confidently up behind Jiang Weiyang, and Chi Wan leaned down to whisper something to her.
Jiang Weiyang’s hand, holding a wine cup, paused. She recognized the voice—it was the Prince’s. And the Prince was saying that most of the people they had brought with them were missing?
She immediately stood up, raised her cup towards the King of Nanyue and the priestess, and said, “Your Majesty, Priestess, you know it is not my habit to stay overnight off the ship. It is about time for me to return.”
The King of Nanyue hastily rose. “Marquis Jiang, don’t be in such a hurry. It’s no matter if you don’t return for one day. Heigelie Temple is newly built, and you haven’t had a tour yet. It’s fine to leave tomorrow.”
“That is not possible. I, Jiang Weiyang, have my own rules. I ask for Your Majesty’s understanding.”
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Weiyang asked in a loud voice, “By the way, the guards who came in with me, Your Majesty should send someone to inform them it is time to leave. They only came for a cup of tea; ask them if they have finished their tea.”
So, the King of Nanyue had told Jiang Weiyang they were just having tea?
Earlier, there had been a fuss to get Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou to leave. It was all very chaotic, and soon everyone was separated. When Jiang Weiyang turned around, Her Majesty and the Prince were gone. She had been frantic and immediately sent people to look for them, but those she sent had not yet returned. Thankfully, Her Majesty and the Prince had come back on their own.
The question was, why did they leave her side? How did that happen?
Of course, Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou were not the type to leave just because someone told them to. In reality, they had wanted to leave the banquet hall to see what that priestess was up to, and why she looked at Jiang Weiyang’s sword with such obvious greed.
In the banquet hall, everyone was watching, and any movement would be under their noses. They were disguised as guards, and guards had no right to speak. In any case, as long as Jiang Weiyang was there, she could handle it.
What they hadn’t expected was the appearance of the Heigelieyan Snake and the disappearance of their guards. This temple definitely held some dark, unspeakable secret.
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