“The physician has already examined you and said your constitution is weak, requiring peaceful rest and recuperation.”
Though his words were spoken with candor, deep within his heart lay a trace of obsession even he himself had yet to perceive…
The moment he first saw her fall into the water, her stunning beauty had compelled him to leap in without hesitation and rescue her.
Even in her disheveled state at that time, the innate elegance within her bones was unmistakable, and from that single glance, he could no longer look away.
“If the young lady wishes to return to her residence, I will immediately arrange an escort.”
Shen Miao offered a faint smile, light and shallow, not reaching her eyes, and shook her head: “Thank you for your trouble, young master. I am in no hurry to return for now and may have to impose on your hospitality for some time.”
After speaking, she once again looked toward the wooden crate and asked, “If I am not mistaken, this is a ship of the Water Transport Guild?”
Zhao Chengyu followed her gaze to the emblem on the wooden crate and nodded slightly: “Indeed.”
The Water Transport Guild was a century-old maritime guild, so recognizing its emblem was not unusual.
Shen Miao withdrew her gaze and looked at the handsome man before her, asking further: “And you are?”
“I am Zhao Chengyu.”
“The Water Transport Guild Young Master, Zhao Chengyu?” Shen Miao raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Indeed.” Zhao Chengyu felt a flicker of surprise. This woman before him possessed peerless beauty yet had actually heard of his name, which inevitably stirred a sense of curiosity within him: “Does the young lady know of me?”
“I have heard a little.” Shen Miao walked directly to the small table and sat down, her demeanor composed and unflustered, as if she had already buried the pain of losing her child deep within her heart: “Young Master Zhao does not mind if I sit to speak, does he?”
“It was my oversight. Please make yourself comfortable, young lady.” Zhao Chengyu turned and instructed his attendant: “Zi An, prepare some light food and bring the young lady’s medicinal broth.”
“Yes.” Zi An withdrew.
Zhao Chengyu picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of hot tea, his voice gentle: “It seems the young lady has something to say to me?”
“Yes.” Shen Miao looked out at the surging river beyond the ship’s side, her tone light yet carrying an undeniable certainty drawn from her memories of a past life: “Young Master Zhao has saved my life and cared for me with treatment. I have one matter to inform you of. Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you.”
From the moment she saw the Water Transport Guild emblem, the strategy in her heart had already quietly begun to take shape.
Zhao Chengyu’s beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning serious: “Please speak, young lady.”
“First, I have a few questions for the Young Master.”
“Please ask.”
Shen Miao lifted her gaze, her eyes clear and cool: “Is the Young Master’s journey headed toward Jiangnan?”
“Yes.”
“Will the ship dock at Jinjiang Wharf in Jiangnan?”
“…Yes.” Zhao Chengyu’s eyes narrowed further, his heart suddenly tightening.
The cargo on this ship was worth a fortune, and the route was highly secretive. How could this rescued young lady know such details so clearly?
Having confirmed what she wanted, Shen Miao’s voice remained soft, yet each word struck like a hammer upon the heart:
“In three days, Jiangnan will surely experience torrential rain. At the ship’s current speed, the Water Transport Guild’s cargo vessel will arrive at Jinjiang Wharf just before the downpour begins.”
She paused, then calmly delivered a statement that caused Zhao Chengyu’s expression to change drastically: “At that time, this rainstorm will destroy all of the Water Transport Guild’s cargo ships.”
Zhao Chengyu’s figure trembled, shock evident in his eyes: “How does the young lady know this?”
Shen Miao merely lifted her gaze, her eyes deep and unfathomable as a cold pool, a mysterious smile playing at the corner of her lips. She did not answer.
The more enigmatic she remained, the more turmoil churned within Zhao Chengyu’s heart.
Having traveled the martial world for many years and encountered countless people, he had never before met a woman like this.
Even in the disarray of falling into the water, her grace remained undiminished.
Upon regaining consciousness, her composure was almost frighteningly calm.
Every word she spoke seemed as if she had already seen through the workings of fate.
…
“Do you know, young lady, the value of the cargo on this ship of mine?”
Zhao Chengyu lowered his voice, his tone cold and heavy: “If what you say is true—that the ship will be destroyed and the cargo lost—the decades-long foundation of our Water Transport Guild will suffer a devastating blow.”
Shen Miao’s expression remained indifferent, her voice calm and steady: “It is precisely because I understand the stakes that I have spoken.”
“Just moments ago, I also mentioned that you, young master, saved my life.”
She lifted her teacup and took a light sip, a faint glimmer flickering in her cool eyes, concealing a deep certainty.
She knew that a mere warning of a natural disaster would not be enough to sway a shrewd merchant like Zhao Chengyu.
Merchants chase profit; they do not rise early without gain, let alone a merchant fleet as formidable as the Water Transport Guild.
With slender, pale fingertips lightly tapping the table, Shen Miao’s voice remained soft, yet each word was resolute and impactful:
“Young Master Zhao, I not only foresee that the storm three days from now will destroy the ships, but I also know that within days, the imperial court will issue an edict lifting the maritime ban.”
Zhao Chengyu abruptly stood up, the chair screeching sharply, but he paid no mind to it. The shock in his eyes could no longer be concealed: “What did you say?”
The matter of the maritime ban was still under debate in the court. How could this woman before him know of it in advance?
“Jiangnan silk has always been a hot commodity overseas,” Shen Miao said calmly, as if discussing an ordinary matter. “Once the maritime ban is lifted, the price of Jiangnan silk will triple immediately.”
She raised her gaze, her eyes meeting Zhao Chengyu’s directly, each word clear and distinct: “If you trust me, young master, issue the order immediately for the fleet to slow down, change course, and dock at a safe port, avoiding Jinjiang Wharf altogether.”
“All the silk should not be rushed to market. Keep it all in storage until the announcement of the maritime ban is made public, and then sell it.”
“By then, without me saying another word, you will understand the weight of this opportunity.”
Zhao Chengyu’s fingers tightened abruptly, and he slowly sat back down, but his heart was in turmoil.
If everything she said was true, the Water Transport Guild would not only avoid a catastrophic disaster.
It could also seize this opportunity to make a fortune.
His standing within the guild would rise accordingly.
“Young Master Zhao, trust me, and you stand to gain without loss. But if you don’t…”
The second half of her sentence remained unspoken, yet it carried an undercurrent of immense danger.
On one side was the catastrophic storm that threatened the very survival of the Water Transport Guild.
On the other was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for immense profit from the lifting of the maritime ban.
With just a few lightly spoken words, this woman before him had grasped the lifeblood and boundless wealth of the entire Water Transport Guild.
…
Zhao Chengyu remained silent for a long time, his phoenix eyes swirling with countless thoughts. Finally, he spoke in a deep voice: “Young lady, what makes you think I should trust you?”
Hearing this, Shen Miao knew he was moved.
She smiled lightly, a smile that was cool yet dazzling, brimming with the confidence of one in control: “You don’t have to trust me. Trust the outcome instead.”
She paused, her voice gentle yet carrying undeniable force: “Three days from now, the storm will come.”
“In a few more days, the maritime ban will be lifted.”
Zhao Chengyu stared intently at her.
The woman before him was dressed in plain clothes, having just crawled back from the brink of death, yet her eyes held the vastness of mountains and rivers, the turbulence of commercial warfare, and…
A sharpness that made him involuntarily submit.
He suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with relief and admiration: “Very well, I will trust you this once.”
He immediately turned and issued a low, firm command to the outside: “Zi An, relay my orders—divert the ships, abandon Jinjiang Wharf, dock at a safe harbor, seal all cargo, and await further instructions!”
“Yes, Young Master!”