coobybook Chapter 640 Guilt and Self-Reproach
Chapter 640 Guilt and Self-Reproach
Chapter 640 Guilt and Self-Reproach
On the deck of the "Little Lanlan", Li Mei and Zheng Chenggong knelt on the ground, one on each side.
Li Mei's eyes were red, and she pouted, looking aggrieved. The young hero Zheng Chenggong, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed, as if he didn't care what anyone did. He felt that if Sister Mei couldn't marry him, there was no point in living.
Wang Wenzhou pointed at the two old men and cursed, "You sons of bitches! You two are insane! Do you know how much I paid to get you out? My Great Ming Dynasty had to negotiate with the Netherlands, and that means we lost the chance to recover Taiwan! You two bastards!"
In Wang Wenzhou's view, the contract was just a piece of waste paper, something he could tear up whenever he wanted. The key issue was that Wang Wenzhou hadn't yet obtained what he wanted, so he couldn't break the contract with the Netherlands.
Although the Dutch captured Li Mei and Zheng Chenggong, Van der Burgh believed that Wang Wenzhou was a high-ranking official of the Ming Dynasty and would not agree to peace talks for the sake of a woman and a child, who was not even his biological son.
Van der Burgh paid a heavy price to persuade Wang Wenzhou to agree to peace talks. He not only promised Wang Wenzhou that the Netherlands would send dozens of blonde beauties to the Ming Dynasty every year, but also provide the Ming Dynasty with the technology to manufacture cannons and muskets.
The blonde beauty was merely an add-on; what Wang Wenzhou truly desired was the technology to manufacture cannons and muskets. The Ming Dynasty's technology was indeed somewhat backward. Although Wang Wenzhou had captured a considerable amount of equipment in several battles with the Dutch, his inability to manufacture it himself was ultimately not a sustainable solution.
In return, the Ming Dynasty allowed the Dutch to trade, and the Dutch obtained what they could not through war through negotiation.
"My lord! This unfilial son cannot be allowed to live! This humble general will kill him now to vent my hatred!" Zheng Zhilong brandished his broadsword, looking as if he were willing to sacrifice his own son for the greater good.
Wang Wenzhou curled his lip. "Old Zheng, stop acting. You've already used this trick last time. Why are you using it again?" Of course, Wang Wenzhou didn't want to kill Zheng Chenggong either. After all, this man could be a future national hero.
Wang Wenzhou thought for a moment, then said coldly, "Zheng Chenggong, listen carefully. Because of you, I lost the opportunity to recover Taiwan. Just like between two people, between two nations, trust is paramount. Once a contract is signed, even if you suffer a loss, you cannot go back on your word. Of course, as time goes on, things might change. You little brat, when you grow up, if you have the chance, you must snatch Taiwan back from the Dutch barbarians!"
"Yes!" Zheng Chenggong nodded and said righteously, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely help you fulfill your dream and recover our Ming Dynasty's lost territory in the future!"
Wang Wenzhou turned around and pointed at Li Mei, cursing, "Sister-in-law, you're a young lady who's always fighting and killing! You almost died this time! If you had died, who would I sleep with? This is outrageous! You two, kneel here for a day as punishment."
Chen Yuanyuan quickly advised, "Husband, Sister Li Mei and Sen'er are still injured. If you want to punish them, wait until they have recovered."
"Yes! Yes!" Zheng Zhilong echoed, "Sir, the lady's health is the most important thing. Just punish that unfilial son, Sen'er!"
"Shut up! No one can persuade them, they both have to kneel as punishment! It's outrageous! Don't you know how worried the people who love you are about your reckless behavior?" Wang Wenzhou was truly enraged by these two old men this time.
Wang Wenzhou didn't really care whether Zheng Chenggong, that little brat, lived or died, but he couldn't bear to part with Li Meibao.
After Wang Wenzhou finished speaking, he hugged baby Chen Yuanyuan and led everyone away, leaving only two old men kneeling as punishment on the deck.
The young hero Zheng Chenggong tilted his head and looked at Li Mei, saying guiltily, "Sister Mei, I'm sorry, it's all my fault!"
"Shut up!" Li Mei scolded coldly, "Have you forgotten what you promised me? From now on, you are not allowed to call me Sister Mei. I am your godfather's concubine. You should call me godmother!"
The young hero Zheng Chenggong was heartbroken, utterly bewildered by what Sister Mei was thinking. That day in the sea, Sister Mei had allowed him to kiss and touch her, but after being rescued by the Dutch barbarians, she kept a long face and didn't speak to him. Only after they learned they were about to be released by the Dutch did Sister Mei coldly tell him that he was never allowed to call her "Sister Mei" again.
"Sister Mei!" Zheng Chenggong looked at Li Mei with a mournful expression.
Li Mei stared straight ahead, motionless, as if she hadn't heard anything. Actually, she was conflicted. She was already married, a concubine to her nemesis, yet she also enjoyed playing with him. But reason told her she couldn't play with him anymore.
Zheng Chenggong kept muttering "Sister Mei, Sister Mei," but his Sister Mei ignored him completely. Tears streamed down Zheng Chenggong's face. He felt so wronged, so incredibly wronged! He wished he had just died at sea!
The two old men knelt for about two hours when suddenly Li Mei collapsed to the ground and fainted.
Zheng Chenggong was frantic and shouted, "Help! Someone come quick!"
Zheng Chenggong tried to stand up to check what was wrong with Sister Mei, but his legs had gone numb from kneeling. Just as he tried to stand up, he also fell to the ground.
Hearing the shouts, the female guards rushed over and carried Li Mei into the room. Zheng Chenggong, ignoring Wang Wenzhou's order to force him to kneel, followed closely behind.
When Wang Wenzhou learned that Li Meibao had fainted, he immediately ordered someone to find a doctor. He also regretted that Li Meibao was still injured and that he shouldn't have punished her so severely.
Li Mei had already woken up and was lying in the hospital bed. Wang Wenzhou sat by the bedside and held her tenderly.
A doctor placed his hand on Li Mei's wrist and took her pulse.
After taking her pulse, the doctor cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Lord Wang! Your wife is pregnant! The reason she fainted was simply because she was a little weak and needed some nourishment. I will prescribe some tonics, and as long as she pays attention to her diet, there is nothing seriously wrong with her."
"Thank you, doctor!" Wang Wenzhou instructed, "Jian Fengyu, see the doctor out for me."
"You're too kind, Lord Wang. Goodbye!" The doctor cupped his hands in greeting and left the room under Jian Fengyu's guidance.
"Sigh..." Wang Wenzhou sighed, feeling very upset. He was such an idiot. His baby was pregnant, and he had made the baby kneel for so long. He really shouldn't have done that!
Wang Wenzhou gently stroked Li Mei's hair and said softly, "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry! I was too angry just now. Let's talk this over. Now that you're pregnant, you'll have to be careful if you want to practice martial arts. You need to take good care of the pregnancy."
Wang Wenzhou continued, "I know everyone has their own hobbies, and it's pathetic to have no hobbies. But, shouldn't we be careful during pregnancy?"
Li Meibao's eyes welled up with tears. In the Ming Dynasty, the husband was the head of the household, the wife's everything. Li Meibao wasn't even Wang Wenzhou's legal wife; in fact, she wasn't even a concubine—she hadn't even officially entered the household yet. Moreover, this whole affair was her fault, yet Wang Wenzhou apologized to her. How could she not be moved?
Standing to the side, the young hero Zheng Chenggong was heartbroken. No wonder Sister Mei didn't like him. His adoptive father doted on her and loved her so much; he could never do that! Zheng Chenggong vowed that he would marry a wife who looked exactly like Sister Mei, and treat her even better than his adoptive father treated Sister Mei!