When Xi Qingyue learned what Xi Weilan was thinking, she was both amused and exasperated. Her little sister was sometimes too clever for her own good, yet at other times adorably innocent. The more Xi Qingyue looked at her, the more she loved her.
She smiled and pulled the girl into her arms, patiently explaining, “Weilan, drinking Spirit Spring water is good for your health. Using it to water vegetables or flowers helps them grow faster and better. But you’re learning to swim. If it can help you learn faster, and even grow taller, wouldn’t that make it divine water?”
Xi Weilan giggled as she listened, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
Xi Qingyue pinched her little cheek affectionately. “If you want to bathe in Spirit Spring water, Big Sis can make that happen.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a long children’s bathing tub appeared beside them. In the blink of an eye, it was filled with water.
She smiled and said, “Let it sit in the sun for a while. Once you’re tired from learning to swim, you can lie in it and soak.”
Xi Weilan’s face lit up with delight. “Big Sis, didn’t you say that would be wasteful?”
Xi Qingyue rubbed her head. “It’s fine. It’s not like we’re filling an entire swimming pool. Using this little bit for your bath isn’t wasteful.”
Afterward, Xi Qingyue began seriously teaching Xi Weilan how to swim in the pool.
Xi Weilan was very clever and learned everything quickly. Although she accidentally swallowed a few mouthfuls of water, she wasn’t frightened at all. Instead, she became more and more excited, growing increasingly fond of swimming.
After half an hour, Xi Qingyue decided that was enough and carried her out of the water.
Seeing Xi Weilan still gazing reluctantly at the pool, she smiled and said, “Half an hour a day is enough. We’ll continue tomorrow.”
She placed Xi Weilan directly into the child-sized tub, positioning her so that her head rested comfortably on the small pillow at the top.
Xi Weilan lay comfortably in the Spirit Spring water and giggled. She scooped up a handful and took a sip.
Xi Qingyue merely smiled and didn’t stop her. She took out a cup of milk tea and handed it to her. “You can play in here for a while. I’m going into the space to wash up. I’ll leave some weapons for you. If anything happens, deal with it yourself. If there’s no danger, Big Sis won’t come out. Understand?”
With that, she placed two Gatling guns on a nearby table and added a reminder. “Remember to use them the way Big Sis taught you. They’re heavy, but you can handle them without any trouble. Only open fire if you encounter bad people. If they know martial arts, don’t let them get close to the yacht.”
Xi Weilan nodded repeatedly. “Yes, Big Sis. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of myself.”
Only then did Xi Qingyue slip into the space. From inside, she could sense everything happening outside. However, she wanted to see how her little sister would handle things on her own. As long as Xi Weilan’s life wasn’t in danger, she would stay out and let the girl deal with it herself.
On the deck, Xi Weilan lay comfortably in the tub, still holding her cup of milk tea with a blissful smile.
After finishing the milk tea, she sat up and began playing with the water. Just as she did when watering vegetables, she directed the Spirit Spring water over every part of her body, laughing gleefully as she played alone.
Suddenly, she sensed that something was wrong with the yacht. It seemed to have stopped.
Xi Weilan climbed out of the tub with a puzzled expression and walked over to the helm. She stared at it for a while, then slapped the steering wheel.
A mechanical, emotionless voice immediately sounded. “Roadblock detected ahead. Please clear it promptly.”
Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Xi Weilan’s face filled with curiosity. She quickly ran to the front of the yacht to investigate.
More than a dozen boats had stopped ahead of them, seemingly forced to halt. In front of those boats were several large ships and more than a dozen smaller ones, all positioned side by side to block the way. They looked like water bandits preparing to rob them.
Xi Weilan’s eyes lit up when she saw this. She hurried back to the tub, grabbed a white bath towel, and hastily wrapped it around herself, tying the belt securely around her waist.
Then she picked up one of the Gatling guns and ran to the very front of the deck, shouting at the top of her lungs.
On the largest ship directly ahead, a Scarface man was threatening the people on the vessel opposite him. “Hand over everything of value! Men and women, line up separately. Otherwise, hmph!”
The water bandits were planning to seize all the victims’ belongings, kill those who needed killing, and capture those worth capturing. This time, they were going to make a fortune.
The people aboard the ships being robbed looked uneasy one by one. They didn’t believe the water bandits would keep their word. They were afraid that even if they handed over their money, they would still lose their lives. Some were already planning to fight to the death.
At that moment, Xi Weilan’s voice rang out. “Everyone ahead, listen up! Move aside!”
Both sides froze in surprise.
Scarface immediately looked toward the source of the voice. Xi Weilan’s yacht was still some distance away, but he could make out its general appearance. His face instantly lit up with delight. After hearing that soft, childish voice, his excitement grew even stronger.
This was going to be an easy prize.
If they seized such a beautiful ship, wouldn’t that be the icing on the cake? And this little baby was clearly ignorant of the ways of the world. How dare she order him to move aside?
He burst into loud laughter. “Men, make way. Let them come through.”
The other ships that had been blocked also spotted the yacht behind them. Clinging to a sliver of hope, they moved their vessels slightly to either side, secretly wishing that the little girl’s ship carried a powerful escort.
Once a passage had opened in the middle, Xi Weilan smiled in satisfaction.
But her little face soon wrinkled again. The yacht had only advanced about a hundred meters before coming to a stop. Blocking her path directly ahead was the water bandits’ largest ship, along with their dozen or so smaller boats.
Pointing the Gatling gun at the bandits, she declared, “Move aside for this Commandery Princess, or I’ll have you punished!”
By now, the people on the ships ahead had gotten a clear look at Xi Weilan.
A child of about three stood high on the deck. She wore a strange white garment, and water was still dripping from her hair. A bizarre weapon rested on her shoulder, its dark muzzle aimed directly at them. Her large, round eyes glared angrily in their direction, and her chubby cheeks were puffed out in indignation, making her look even more adorable.
“Commandery Princess?” Scarface sneered. “You? Where are your guards? Call them out!”
At that, all the water bandits burst into laughter.
On a somewhat luxurious ship, several young men and women were astonished by Xi Weilan’s words. Was there really a Commandery Princess this young in the Great Jing Dynasty? Why had they never heard of her?
While they were still puzzling over it, Xi Weilan’s furious voice rang out again. “Are you moving or not?”
She aimed the Gatling gun at Scarface’s ship, her fierce little gaze making it clear that she was ready to open fire at any moment.
Scarface still looked disdainful. “You ignorant little brat. Hand over your ship obediently, and today I’ll teach you what it means to—”
Before he could finish, Xi Weilan pulled the trigger in his direction.
“You dare try to steal our ship? Today, this Commandery Princess will punish evil on behalf of Heaven!”
“Bang, bang, bang…”
In an instant, Scarface was shredded before he could react. The large ship beneath him was blasted to pieces, while the people aboard either died on the spot or fell into the water.
People aboard the other ships stared, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
