Chapter 882: You're on My Mind All Day

He gritted his teeth: "Kui Yi is ruthless and vicious; he could indeed do something like this."

"Don't rush," Xiao Ningxun patted his shoulder, looking at Ma Lian, "Ask Elder Ma whether there is a cave here where we can hide."

"If there is, tonight we will help you bring them all here."

"Tomorrow after you see us off onto the boat, just return here to be with your family and wait for the army to arrive."

Cai Tong hurriedly asked Ma Lian.

Ma Lian nodded, pointed with his hand: "It's right there; the cave is spacious enough to accommodate."

Cai Tong's heart settled back into his stomach.

Xiao Ningxun understood, pointed at Cai Tong, and solemnly clasped his fists toward Ma Lian: "Thank you, Elder Ma."

Ma Lian patted his chest, "Leave it to me."

Cai Tong bowed deeply to Xiao Ningxun, feeling grateful and convinced: "Thank you, Third Young Master; I never thought of that, but you did."

Xiao Ningxun quickly reached out to help him up: "We are in danger, so we must consider everything thoroughly."

"Without Mr. Cai's strong assistance, this journey could not have gone so smoothly."

"After we recover Taiwan, I will certainly ask His Majesty to grant you merit."

Cai Tong shook his head: "Whether I get credit or not, I don't care."

"As long as we drive out the red-haired devils, from now on none of us will have to depend on others, and I will be content."

Xiao Ningyuan nodded: "Mr. Cai truly understands righteousness."

As they were speaking, Tuan Tuan ran over: "Third Elder Brother! Shall we go back?"

Xiao Ze bent down and lifted her up: "Yes, let's return to the inn now."

"Tomorrow morning we'll go meet your father."

"Father!" Tuan Tuan beamed, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss: "Wonderful! I get to see Father again!"

Luo Zhenjiang stood before Xiao Ze with arms crossed, silent, staring straight at him.

Xiao Ze was startled, his face full of bewilderment.

Luo Zhenjiang also stayed silent, jerking his chin at Tuan Tuan in his arms.

Xiao Ze lowered his head to look at what he held, understood, and placed Xiao Tuanzi into his arms: "Chief Luo, you should hold him."

Luo Zhenjiang smiled, taking Xiao Tuanzi back into his arms: "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Xiao Ze shook his head, laughing and crying at once.

Xiao Ningxun looked at Cai Tong: "Mr. Cai, please first take us back to the inn; after dark we will move to bring your family here."

"All right." Cai Tong nodded.

Everyone bid farewell to Ma Lian and returned to the inn.

That night, Xiao Er and Lu Qi, following Cai Tong, escorted his family to the cave in Maduoshe and settled them there.

The next morning, as dawn just broke, Cai Tong arrived.

After breakfast, chatting and laughing, they left the inn, mounted their horses, just as they had done when going out to play the previous days.

Cai Tong led them along the coast for a stretch, then turned into a desolate bay.

The bay's entrance was completely blocked by two reefs jutting out of the sea; from outside nothing inside could be seen.

A speedboat lay quietly moored in the shadow of the reefs by the shore, its hull narrow and long, with sails already hoisted on its mast.

A lean man crouched at the bow; seeing Cai Tong, he stood and clasped his fists toward everyone.

Cai Tong returned the salute, then turned to the group: "This is Old Ma's subordinate, Brother Dafan; he can navigate these waters blindfolded."

Xiao Ningxun clasped his fists: "Thank you for your trouble, brother."

Everyone tied up their horses and boarded the small boat one after another.

Cai Tong stood on the shore, clasped his fists: "Fair winds."

Xiao Ze instructed: "Mr. Cai, don't delay; hurry to the cave. Your status is different—if you don't see the army landing, you must absolutely not come out."

"I remember, thank you, Your Highness." Cai Tong returned the fist salute, turned, mounted his horse, and galloped toward Maduoshe.

Dafan untied the mooring line; the speedboat slipped silently out from behind the reefs, slowly moving out of the bay along the shore's shadow.

Dafan asked: "Gentlemen, where are we headed?"

Xiao Ze replied: "Toward Quanzhou."

"All right!" Dafan tightened the sail, jerked the wheel hard, and the speedboat carved an arc across the sea, cutting through waves toward the opposite direction of Quanzhou.

Luo Zhenjiang held Tuan Tuan tightly in his arms; the sea breeze blew her forehead strands into constant flutter.

Tuan Tuan stretched out her little finger forward: "Uncle Luo, look! So many fish!"

Luo Zhenjiang followed her finger's direction; a school of silvery-white flying fish leapt from the wave crests, gliding several zhang in midair before falling back into the sea.

Tuan Tuan stared, unblinking: "They can fly!"

"Yes, Tuan Tuan is right." Luo Zhenjiang unfastened his outer robe, wrapped Xiao Tuanzi against his chest, shielding her from the oncoming sea wind.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged a glance: "Although Chief Luo is a bit overbearing, he truly treats the miss well."

Lu Qi shook his head, meaning clearly: "Forget it; we won't quarrel with him, let him hold the miss a bit more—after all he can't follow us back to the capital."

Xiao Er understood and nodded.

The speedboat raced across the sea for about an hour and a half when Dafan suddenly narrowed his eyes, pointed ahead, and said: "Look over there!"

Everyone looked up. At the horizon where sea meets sky, first a mast appeared, then a second, a third...

The masts grew more numerous and dense, like a moving forest slowly rising from the horizon.

Crimson battle flags snapped at the mastheads; thousands of warships formed neat ranks, blackening the entire sea surface.

Feng Zhou excitedly sprang up, nearly capsizing the boat, but Xiao Er grabbed him back: "Don't move! Hold steady!"

Tuan Tuan stood up in Luo Zhenjiang's arms, her little feet planted on his thighs, exerting all her strength to wave her small hands at the largest warship in the center.

The crisp childish voice carried far across the sea: "Daddy! Daddy! It's me! Tuan Tuan is back!"

On the warship, a tall figure quickly walked to the rail—it was Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang.

He raised the Thousand-mile mirror and looked toward the source of the shout, and he could no longer keep the smile from his lips.

"Quick! Bring the princess aboard!"

"Yes!"

The small boat quickly pulled alongside the warship, slowly turned to sit close to the side, and the sailors immediately threw down the rope ladder.

Luo Zhenjiang swung Tuan Tuan onto his back: "Hold on tight!"

"Mm-hmm! I know this! I used to lie like this on my second uncle's back."

Luo Zhenjiang glanced at Xiao Er, snorted, and said, "Your luck is really not bad." Then he climbed up the rope ladder.

Xiao Er smiled, and Lu Qi gave him a pat: "Our luck, ever since the young lady arrived, has indeed been not bad."

Xiao Er nodded.

Just as Luo Zhenjiang climbed over the rail, Xiao Yuanhang swept up and took his daughter into his arms.

Tuan Tuan flung herself into her father's embrace, her little arms tightly wrapping around his neck: "Daddy! I've missed you so much!"

Xiao Yuanhang kissed her cheek hard: "How did you come back so fast? I thought we'd have to wait a few more days!"

Zhao Tieshan chuckled: "Princess, His Highness thinks of you all day, hoping you'll return soon!"

"Uncle Zhao!" Tuan Tuan shouted happily, "You're here too!"

Luo Zhenjiang clasped his fists and said, "Prince, I have not failed my duty."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Chief Luo."

Everyone boarded in turn, and Xiao Ningchen turned to Da Fan and said, "Brother, we're about to fight—find a place to hide first, and come back when you see it's clear."

Da Fan nodded and said, "Thanks." After everyone had boarded the rope ladder, he turned the boat's head and departed.

As Xiao Ningxun's foot stepped onto the deck, he quickly walked to his father, bowed, and said, "Father, please proceed at full speed; the island's people are waiting for us."

"Yes, Daddy! Let's go quickly!" Tuan Tuan clung to her father's neck, saying, "Those red-haired devils are going to collect taxes from Uncle Lin and them today!"

Xiao Yuanhang said without hesitation: "All troops, hear the order! Anchor up! Full speed toward Taiyuan Island!"

"Yes!"

Thousands of warships simultaneously unfurled their sails and mightily pressed toward Taiyuan Island.