The moment when he finished it, Xu Baomo had smiled with extreme indignation and said sharply, “Young Master Han, do you think that since I'm captured by you, everything should be at your disposal?!”

“No way!” Young Master Han smiled, “But look at how dignified you are! Even if you are now captured by me so that you help me to eliminate the family of Gongsun, after returning to the land, you'll probably lobby the navy of the imperial court for focusing their force on us Han Family!”

“In case you do harm to us afterward, I have to force your sister to deign to marry a pirate's son like me. The wealthy families which will be equal to your marquis' family all admire vanity anyways. If they know that your sister is once trapped by the pirates, even if she goes back, safe and sound, I bet they'll look down on her!”

“Since you're a good brother who cares about your sister so much, how could you let your sister marry such a family and endure all the pain?”

“Meanwhile, my ident.i.ty seems humble in common people's eyes though, I am respected on the sea. So, it won't be a bad match for your sister. Am I right?”

Saying that, without waiting for Xu Baomo's answer, he raised the chin and looked at the servants around him, “Too oblivious. Lead your madam to my room. What are you waiting for?!”

They burst into laughter. Someone answered promptly by moving forward to drag Sheng Weiqiao.

Another person teased, “Young Master, it's said that a well-picked day is not better than today. It's fated that you meet our madam today. Why don't you hold the ceremony here and drink with your brother in law! So that you can tackle Daimao Island together as a family. Doesn't it look better?”

Young Master Han, peering at Sheng Weiqiao who was screaming with a pale face and trying to hide behind Xu Baomo, felt quite content. She was pretty, from a n.o.ble family, and even able to threaten a marquis' family. He killed several birds with one stone. At that thought, he uttered, “Our s.h.i.+p looks too humble. Let's put it off to….”

His voice hadn't faded away when a flicker of light flashed in the cabin. Then blood drops sprayed in the air and two shrill cries rose almost at the same time!

The people who were enjoying teasing turned their eyes, and their pupils contracted!

Expressionless, Xu Baomo held a sword in his hand, and without even looking at the two arms on the ground which were cut out by him he looked at Young Master Han. His voice wasn't high, but full of the pride of a son of a General's family, “Young Master Han, do you suppose that we are so coward that we fear death?!”

The implicative meaning was that if he was pushed too hard, he didn't mind fighting to death here with his sister. At the time, Han Family would have to deal with Ningwei Marquis' exasperation!!!

Young Master Han's face darkened promptly with his smile frozen, “I heard that Ningwei Marquis has only one son. You're young and destined to a promising future, so why don't you treasure it?”

As the only son, your death might lead to the end of Ningwei Marquis' blood!

Do you need to pay such a high price just for a girl who would marry other people sooner or later?!

“My family originates in Cangwu County and had been farmers in generations. Because my grandfather and father joined the army and they rendered their service in one battle after another, our Xu Family was awarded all the dignity and wealth you see today!” Xu Baomo laughed coldly, flicked the sword to knock off the blood drops and said, enunciating each word, “My grandfather suffered from poverty and deficiency of food. To make a living, he joined the army with a chopper and flitted about the whole country with General Zhou who has pa.s.sed away now. By killing countless enemies, together with my father who was influenced by my grandfather, we made the achievements you see today!”

Never threaten me. Decades ago, the members of Xu Family were also fearless poor people who dared to commit anything! It's just my grandfather chose to join the army instead of trying his fortune on the sea. Or considering my father's abilities, Xu Family was very likely to have its share on the sea!

Since none of us had virtuous ancestors, would I fear you if there had to be a fight!

Young Master Han frowned, feeling it difficult. He proposed to marry Sheng Weiqiao somewhat out of the conclusion that Xu Baomo was good at telling the situation and valued his life a lot since he had stopped the s.h.i.+p and promised to cooperate without hesitation.

So even if he demanded to marry his sister, a n.o.ble lady from marquis' mansion, though he felt unworthy, faced with the menace of death he would compromise.

But surprisingly, the young lord loved his sister so deeply that he was willing to lose his life for her?

Young Master Han wasn't the type who didn't know about the priorities. Though Han Family and Pan Family had cornered the family of Gongsun in Daimao Island, the geographical condition of Daimao Island made it a place easy to defend but hard to strike. With the development of decades by the family of Gongsun on it, it was like a hedgehog. Though the two families collaborated in attacking, the situation hadn't progressed, and it turned attrition warfare.

But the problem was that Han and Pan were outsiders to whom none of the three most powerful families in Nanfeng County had reached out. All the lower rich families followed the three powerful families, so they weren't intended to stand by them either. Therefore, their material was even tighter than the besieged family of Gongsun. Which was to say, Young Master Han desired Xu Baomo's help desperately.

If he had known that Xu Baomo cared so much about his sister, however affectionate Young Master Han was to her, he would have held it back and thought about other solutions after they took Daimao Island.

But now since they'd come into an open conflict already, even if he withdrew what he said before, being cautious of him, Xu Baomo wouldn't easily believe it.

Pondered for a while and Young Master Han made a gesture, covering up with his sleeves. His voice softened, “It's said that even though the business failed, we should keep the friends.h.i.+p. Since I'm not qualified in your eyes, certainly you won't approve of this marriage. Disappointed though I am, I understand that nothing forcibly done will be agreeable. Let's leave it aside, alright?”

As expected, Xu Baomo didn't want to stop it here when hearing that. Instead, he clenched the sword in his hand tighter, “I saw you wouldn't find it too hasty to hold the wedding here! Now you want to make me put away my sword by saying just a few words, don't you find it ridiculous?!”

Young Master Han sighed, “It was my fault to offend you two impulsively. Well, since the people who make a living on the sea revere the spirit, how about, I vow here that I'll keep away from your sister from now on and never touch her?”

Of course, Xu Baomo didn't believe any of his vows. After all, all the people on the land had learned since long that these pirates were the last ones in the world that would keep their word. The vow, the spirits, if they believed in that, they would have ceased their business and given themselves up to police out of fear, wouldn't they?

He sneered and was about to speak when the ground shook all of a sudden!

“No!” Xu Baomo realized instantly that he was set up and tried to keep himself stable with martial skills. Although he was recognized as a first-cla.s.s warrior on the land, he had never fought against someone on the sea. He slipped up, though managed to stay on his feet promptly, he failed to stop the servants from dragging Sheng Weiqiao to their side!

“Young Lord, your sister is in my grip now. I've said that I won't touch her, so certainly I'll fulfill my words.” Young Lord Han glanced at Sheng Weiqiao whose mouth was covered by a servant's fingers and neck was pressed to the blade of a sword, and with a laugh of triumph he said to Xu Baomo whose face turned livid already, “Will you believe me now?”

With a killing glance, Xu Baomo loosened his grip on the sword and clenched it again. Finally, he let go of it, and after a while, he said icily, “If you agree that taking Daimao Island is more important than your personal desire, keep your word! The family of Gongsun is petty in Xu Family's eyes, and it's the same with regard to Han Family and Pan Family!”

Before his voice faded away, he sighed lightly, turned his wrist and put his sword back into the belt.

Unexpectedly, it was seized by two pirates.

“It's a nice sword. But considering your dignity, if you have such a sharp tool with you and hurt yourself by accident, it will be our neglect.” Young Master Han pulled out the sword, looked at it up and down, and then praised sincerely, “So I'd better keep it for you…. Hope you don't mind?”

“Of course, it's a nice one.” Xu Baomo said flatly, but implicitly, “It's a gift from the emperor. How could it be a common piece?”

Young Master Han pretended that he didn't get the meaning, put it back with a smile and said, “Didn't the young lord say that the lady was tired? It's too oblivious of you all. Hurry to take Young Lord and Lady to get some rest. What are you waiting for?!”

After his words, Sheng Weiqiao was finally released. Because Young Master Han called her “madam”, the pirate who was holding her before didn't dare to take advantage of her. But still, for an indulged lady like her, it was relatively offensive to be touched on her mouth and shoulders. With a pair of red eyes, she made a great effort to hold back her tears!

Xu Baomo helped to hold her up, but he had no time to console her, instead, he stared straight at Young Master Han.

Young Master Han patted his head and a.s.sumed comprehension, “Since the lady is still young and new here, she might feel unaccustomed to the surroundings. Surely, she'll stay with you! It's good that you're siblings, so there isn't any inconvenience!”

“Excuse us!” Xu Baomo took Sheng Weiqiao's hand, glimpsed at him coldly, glanced at his sword, and then he left with the guide pirate.

As soon as the two left, his closest servants all came over to ask in a low voice, “Young Master, have you really given up on that lady?”

“How could I?” Young Master giggled, put the sword on the table beside him, and said slowly, “They are stuck here now, with the weapon seized by us. What else can they do now? If we let go of them, what's the meaning of being pirates?”

The servants felt relieved and they all laughed, “It's funny that the young lord wanted a life and death fight against us with only one sword in his hand! The s.h.i.+p trembled and he slipped up! Such a person who obviously has never sailed in the sea even wanted to go against us. He was humiliating himself!”

“I'll make him write a letter to ask for help from the navy of the imperial court so that we will be able to take Daimao Island!” Young Master Han nodded and pondered, “So don't go to disturb them for now. Wait until he finishes the letter….”

Young Master Han smirked, “It's your time to greet the madam!”

He would like to see that if he had raped her, what reaction would the young lord have other than to compromise?!

Though the fas.h.i.+on was open and tolerant at the time, and it was normal for women to remarry, Xu Family was a marquis family! The n.o.bler a family was, the more it valued the convention. Besides, if those n.o.bles knew that the lady of a marquis' family lost virginity to a petty pirate, who would bother to marry her?

Even though the people who coveted the power of Xu Family married this Lady Xu, they would surely act as if they obliged Xu Family. At the time, if he a.s.sumed humbleness, Xu Family, for their daughter's sake, would have to accept the marriage, help Han Family to cover-up the crime and bring Han Family back on the land, also offer powerful support to Young Master Han's official career!

At that thought, Young Master Han had a bigger smile, “My future brother-in-law is proud. He deserves to be Ningwei Marquis' son. But after all, he is too young and hasn't experienced much, so I defeated him with a small trick. Certainly, he doesn't trust me now, but what else can he do?”

In fact, Xu Baomo was indeed stuck in a helpless dilemma. After entering the cabin prepared for them with Sheng Weiqiao, he first coaxed Sheng Weiqiao to stop crying with a gentle voice, and then he pondered over the solutions to their problems, frowning. He thought and thought, but aside from relying on Sheng Lanci who might come to save them after receiving Sheng Shuihe's letter, b.u.mp into Young Master Han's s.h.i.+p and conquer him, he couldn't come up with other methods.

But apart from the possibilities of such coincidence in the borderless ocean, even if they really met, as long as Young Master Han got them out as hostages, what could Sheng Lanci do?!

As Xu Baomo felt anxious, Sheng Weiqiao uttered suddenly, “Brother, promise me!”

“Say it then!' He said unconsciously, and then his heart beat strongly!

As expected, Sheng Weiqiao bit her teeth and said, “If, I mean if, if the b.a.s.t.a.r.d didn't give up and he still… still wanted to offend me, and if I didn't commit suicide promptly, please kill me! I'd rather die than let those b.a.s.t.a.r.d touch me!!!”

“….” Xu Baomo stayed silent for a while, and then he said, picking up the proper words, “Sister, uncle and aunt have only one daughter, and it's you.”

Obviously, he wasn't in favor of her extreme thought.

However, since Sheng Weiqiao had been pampered since she was born, though she never behaved arrogantly in daily life, she was extremely proud in heart. So how could she bear with such humiliation? Hearing that, her face darkened, but she still shook her head, “My parents' kindness, I'll have to pay it back in the next life!

“We shall wait and see!” Xu Baomo didn't want to say yes, but he couldn't bring himself to say no. So, he caressed Sheng Weiqiao's hair and said with a heavy heart.

Luckily, Sheng Weiqiao wasn't relaxed, either. So, she didn't force him to make the promise.

The two were praying that Young Master Han would keep his word.

But what one feared was always what came about. After a while, Young Master Han came over to make Xu Baomo write a begging letter. Having taken away the letter, he led his people in, besieged Xu Baomo and dragged Sheng Weiqiao to the outside, laughing, “It's late. Madam has to go back to her room!”

Sheng Weiqiao was screaming and struggling, kicking at him and punching him. But the strength of a young lady like her was negligible in Young Master Han's eyes. He bore Sheng Weiqiao on his shoulder and went back to his own room, laughing, “Why are you being impatient? Our room is so close!”

Speaking, he dislocated Sheng Weiqiao's jawbone in case she bit her tongue to commit suicide. Brother Xu was stuck, and she had recourse to no means to commit suicide, so was she doomed to be abused here by the crude and evil pirate?

In despair, Sheng Weiqiao's eyes were nearly dripping blood out of hatred. But then there was a turn!