Finest Servant

As Li Xiangjun and her entourage departed, Lin Wanrong felt a tinge of melancholy in his heart. This farewell, he thought, might last for years. Life, fleeting like a swift horse passing a gap, offered few chances for such reunions. But he was fortunate to have the Eldest Miss by his side. Sitting back-to-back with her on the deck, they gazed at the distant setting sun, listening to the gentle roar of the sea. Countless seabirds circled overhead, and his mood gradually lightened. Holding Yuruo's small hand, he whispered playful jokes into her ear, watching her earlobes flush with heat, feeling that life could not be more beautiful than this moment.

As dusk approached, Lin Wanrong discussed maritime strategies with Shi Changsheng. After delegating responsibilities, he finally entered the cabin. The Longing was vast, its cabins numerous, but his and the Eldest Miss's room, located on the topmost level, was secluded and elegantly tranquil, free from external disturbances.

The sea breeze was gentle, and the sound of the tides seemed like a melodious symphony. Two bright red lanterns hung at the entrance of the Eldest Miss's room, swaying softly in the sea wind. The dim yellow light cast on the white paper windows created an indescribably warm and romantic atmosphere.

His heart warming, Lin Wanrong slowly touched the cabin door, pushing it open silently. Inside, the room was bright and clean, simply yet cozily furnished. Tiny wind chimes, hung in the canopy, tinkled with the gentle rocking of the ship, producing a series of clear, pleasant sounds.

On the table by the window, a pair of dragon and phoenix candles burned brightly, their sparks crackling like a gentle string symphony, while a fragrance, as delicate as orchids and musk, wafted subtly through the air, utterly enchanting.

His throat dry, he called softly, "Eldest Miss... Eldest Miss..."

The cabin was as quiet as still water, silent but for an indescribable gentle charm.

He quickly approached, lifting the fluttering canopy. The light inside was soft. There, sitting gracefully before the bed, was a stunningly beautiful woman in bridal red, her freshly bathed body exuding a faint fragrance. Her wet hair draped silently over her ample chest. She breathed rapidly, her head bowed, her cheeks glowing like dewy jade.

In his elation, his footing was unsteady. Missing his step, he slipped and fell heavily onto the bed.

"Ouch," he cried out. At the sound, Xiao Yuruo, flushed with shy modesty, hurriedly looked up to see him burrowed into the bed, his head covered by the fiery red quilt, struggling to emerge.

The Eldest Miss chuckled, her face flushed as she pulled him up. "You, can't you even walk properly?"

"Yes, yes," he replied, finally freeing himself from the quilt, exhaling deeply and laughing, "Seeing the Eldest Miss, I no longer wish to walk anywhere else in my life."

"Nonsense!" Xiao Yuruo chided shyly, holding his hand, unable to bear letting go.

The bed was filled with a rich fragrance, covered in a multitude of fiery red and brand-new brocade quilts—there were at least a dozen of them. Lin Wanrong stared in astonishment. "Eldest Miss, where did these come from?"

Xiao Yuruo's face turned crimson as she rebuked, "Where else could they come from? They're from Mother—" She covered her heated cheeks, too embarrassed to continue.

Lin Wanrong recalled Madam Xiao stuffing these into the carriage before their departure and instantly understood. Madam Xiao had anticipated that this journey to Goryeo on the sea would be a blissful haven for him and the Eldest Miss. She had prepared everything meticulously. Indeed, no one knows a daughter like her mother.

"Well, Madam truly cares about us!" he said cheekily, leaning close to the Eldest Miss's ear.

"How dare you say that?!" The Eldest Miss pinched his arm fiercely, her ears burning red. "Mother knows everything—how embarrassing!"

Lin Wanrong and Miss Xiao, betrothed through a marriage letter, had embarked on this sea voyage together. The long journey and their constant companionship, filled with genuine affection, made the outcome obvious to anyone. Madam Xiao's preparations were out of her deep concern for her daughter.

He smiled and took Yuruo's small hand. "We are already husband and wife. What is there to hide? If I were to say we remained chaste on this journey, would my mother-in-law believe it?"

The Eldest Miss blushed uncontrollably, hugging his arm tightly. "I don't care, it's all your fault! If Mother asks, you must not say a word!"

'Women are masters of self-deception,' thought Lin Wanrong, laughing heartily and nodding.

Yuruo nestled silently in his arms, her slender neck flushed a bright red, as if coated with a layer of vivid rouge, exuding an indescribable charm. "Do you remember the first time we met?" she asked.

"I do, I do. I went to Miaoyu Pavilion for an 'academic exchange' with Young Master Guo—"

The Eldest Miss chuckled softly, giving him a tender look. "An 'academic exchange' indeed! You scoundrel, always speaking so frivolously. I shall punish you with twenty slaps!"

That was the first thing Xiao Yuruo had said to him when they met, a moment both thrilling and unforgettable. Although much time had passed, it felt as fresh as yesterday.

He smiled warmly. "Alright then, please do it yourself, Eldest Miss!"

Yuruo gently pressed his face, her expression a mix of helplessness and joy. "If I had known I'd be bullied by you like this today, I would have dealt with you properly the day we met, hmph!"

Her demeanor, both pleased and reproachful, seemed to take them back to those happy and innocent days at the Xiao household.

His heart filled with tenderness, he silently tightened his grip on Yuruo's hand. "If heaven gave me another chance, I would wish to meet the same you, at the same time and place."

Yuruo, deeply moved, suddenly teared up and nestled into his embrace, pounding his chest. "You, you were born to deceive me! I knew it since the day we solved riddles outside Lingyin Temple!"

"Really?" Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, suddenly pulling her into his embrace and effortlessly removing her bright red embroidered shoes.

"You, what are you doing?" The Eldest Miss's face flushed red and her heart throbbed wildly. She lay powerless in his arms, her bare, glistening feet kicking aimlessly into the air.

"Don't move!" His voice, stern yet tender, abruptly filled the air, and Xiao Yuruo dared not stir.

Her pristine ankles, adorned with bright red cords that danced silently, were like the most beautiful colors in the world. She felt his rough hands gently caressing her ankles, sending a tingling sensation through her, leaving her breathless and weak.

"What are you doing?" she murmured softly.

Her feet, delicate and tender, were then cradled in his broad embrace, a haven of warmth like no other.

Tears welled in the Eldest Miss's eyes as she burrowed into his arms. "Let Mother laugh if she wants. I fear nothing now! The Longing is our bridal chamber on the sea—My Dear, My Dear, don't you cherish me?!"

His heart blazed like a torch at her words, igniting a fiery passion. With a tiger-like roar, he swept up Yuruo and tumbled into the sea of red brocade.

Her robe gently undone, her jade-like body lay exposed, undulating like rolling hills under the dim lantern light, trembling silently, sketching a captivating curve.

He recalled their first encounter—Miss Xiao, proud and unattainable. Now, she was to become his wife. A fire seemed to burn in his heart as he gazed at her exquisite form, his throat dry, unable to blink.

Her arms, soft and boneless, wrapped tightly around his neck. Shaking, she breathed a fragrance like orchids, "Fool, what are you waiting for?"

A thunderous realization struck Lin Wanrong. With a swift motion, he enveloped her tender lips with his, his hands silently exploring her smooth, full curves.

Her soft moan seemed to make the enormous Longing shudder in response. Xiao Yuruo bit into his chest, gasping, "Scoundrel, I want you to tease me for lifetimes. Do you agree...?"

As the Eldest Miss had said, the vast Longing was indeed their bridal chamber upon the sea. The immense ocean around them bore witness to their eternal bond.

On the boundless sea, free from outside disturbances, they nestled close, their love sweet and profound. They watched the sunrise hand-in-hand and admired the evening skies, reveling in their endless romantic moments.

It was Xiao Yuruo's first time at sea, and while she initially felt dizzy, the Longing's massive size and the calm Yellow Sea waves, along with her husband's presence, quickly eased her discomfort.

What should have been a mundane sea voyage transformed into a blissful honeymoon. In their boundless love, they wished this journey would never end.

The fleet sailed through the Yellow Sea, days passing without sight of land.

With her husband by her side, the Eldest Miss felt secure, as if Lin Wanrong could hold up the sky. She cast aside all her worries, living each day joyfully, unconcerned about reaching land.

However, Lin Wanrong could not afford such carelessness. Departing from Lianyungang and crossing the Yellow Sea with dozens of ships and thousands of naval soldiers, yet not reaching Goryeo? If such were the case, he jokingly thought, he might as well find a block of tofu to end it all.

Shi Changsheng, the commander of the naval forces, gazed at the restless General Lin beside him and smiled, "General Lin, do not fret. The recent fog at sea has slowed us down a bit. According to this compass, our direction is accurate and precise. When I trained the naval forces in the past, I too ventured far into the Yellow Sea. Although I never reached Goryeo, we're not far off now. We can't be wrong!"

Speaking of sailing, Shi Changsheng was an expert. General Lin Wanrong's anxious heart eased slightly, and he smiled, "Brother Shi, when the Dongyin took advantage of our war with the Turks to invade Goryeo, they later retreated. How did that happen? You were in Shandong, you must have heard something."

Setting down the compass in his hand, Shi Changsheng chuckled, "The Dongyin miscalculated! They thought that with the Turk's invasion of Helan Mountain, our Great Hua had no more troops to spare, and could not afford to look eastward. They believed they could easily take Goryeo. But they didn't expect General Lin to devise the strategy of 'one country two systems', and recruiting local soldiers. The newly formed Loyal and Brave Army of Great Hua, though not yet battle-tested, posed a significant deterrent. If the Dongyin were to act, it would mean declaring war on Great Hua, a matter not to be taken lightly. Even the bold Dongyin would have to think twice. This delay ruined their surprise attack."

Lin Wanrong nodded, understanding this was all part of the calculations, "What about the later battle where the Dongyin landed on the beach and fought for days and nights against the Goryeo navy and our Loyal and Brave Army?"

Shi Changsheng confirmed, "That did happen. General Lin annihilated forty thousand elite Turkic troops at Wuyuan, stirring up the nation. At that time, the Dongyin army was pressing on the Goryeo Peninsula, ready to strike. But news of your victory shocked them into retreat. Later, when General Lin ventured deep into the steppes and news from you ceased, our forces at Helan Mountain and the Turks were in a stalemate, unable to advance. The Dongyin people, thinking the time ripe, launched a beach landing offensive from Busan, Ulsan, and Gwangju."

"Goryeo mobilized the nation, sending eighty thousand strong men to the battlefield, along with sixty thousand of our Loyal and Brave Army. They clashed fiercely with the hundred thousand Dongyin on the beach. The battle raged for three days and nights, turning the sea red with blood."

Shi Changsheng marveled, well aware of those days, as he commanded the Shandong navy, not far from Goryeo. General Lin Wanrong, though knowledgeable of the battle's outcome, was unaware of these details, hence his inquiry.

Frowning slightly, Lin Wanrong asked, "But why did the Dongyin suddenly retreat?"

Shi Changsheng answered seriously, "Firstly, they faced fierce resistance. Goryeo's losses reached sixty percent of their eighty thousand men. Our Loyal and Brave Army also lost seven thousand in battle, while the Dongyin left nearly fifty thousand dead. Secondly, and most importantly, news from the front reported that our Great Hua had captured the Turkic Khan!"

Realizing the truth, Lin Wanrong hummed deeply. Before he could speak, Xiao Yuruo at the lookout tower suddenly waved her telescope excitedly, exclaiming, "Goryeo! I see Goryeo!"

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