Chapter 183 - 138, Disperse
The river water in winter was ice-cold, biting to the bone, so much that Chen Ji felt as if his thoughts were about to freeze in place. The chilly water seemed to surge into his body, determined to freeze his heart.
The moment he leapt into the river, he raised his head underwater and saw the sunlight filtering through the surface, forming pillars of light due to the Tyndall effect, resembling crystals yet devoid of warmth.
Someone had planned to use the opportunity of the Literary Meeting at Lu Hun Manor to ambush and kill Bai Li and the Princely Heir, then frame the disaster-stricken bandits of Dragon King Village.
The planners were meticulous, yet they had not anticipated Prince Jing’s incognito patrol, nor had they considered a petty apprentice from the Medical Hall.
Who wished to kill Bai Li and the Princely Heir?
Consort Yun or Princess Consort Jing?
As Chen Ji surfaced, he swam towards the opposite bank, intermittently glancing back.
The fisherman on the cover boat took off the headgear and slowly removed his straw raincoat, revealing a robust figure.
The middle-aged man stood at the bow, like an experienced hunter, eyes fixed attentively on the river’s surface.
On that cover boat was affixed a yellow paper talisman, drawn with complex and mystical symbols in vermillion. A strong gust propelled the cover boat, allowing it to speed forth swiftly even without using the oars.
The wind rattled the paper talisman, but it seemed as though it were nailed to the boat’s cover and simply couldn’t be torn away.