Green Mountain
Chapter 182 - 137, Assassin

Chapter 182: 137, Assassin

In the withered forest, Chen Ji sat cross-legged on soft, decaying leaves, chanting under his breath.

"Immortal Daoist are not divine beings, accumulating essence and energy is deemed true. The marvelous sounds of Huangtong and Miao Yin are hard to hear, inscribed on the Jade Book with Red Elixir verses..."

Perched atop his head, Wu Yun craned his neck to peep at the characters on the scroll, curiously saying, "Can chanting spells really summon a rescue party?"

Without pausing in his recitation, Chen Ji continued for a moment before he answered, "It’s not certain they will come, it all depends on the rescuer’s perception..."

Wu Yun puzzledly asked, "But what if the rescue party lacks perception?"

Chen Ji thought it over and replied, "Then it depends on whether he can tolerate the pain."

As long as it hurt enough, Jin Zhu would undoubtedly be unable to resist coming to find him.

Chen Ji and his companions had made no secret of their whereabouts on their journey, and the incident at the Lu Hun Manor Literary Meeting was public knowledge. If Jin Zhu felt enough pain, he would surely find a way to locate him.

Just then, from afar came the Princely Heir’s shout, "Chen Ji, you haven’t been carried off by wolves, have you? Why have you been gone so long?"

Chen Ji stood up, pulled Wu Yun off his head, and softly said, "Master’s fortune-telling is always exceedingly accurate; this time it must be especially perilous. If I don’t call for you, make sure you don’t do anything reckless."

Wu Yun meowed, "I got it, I got it!"

Chen Ji rewrapped the wooden box with cloth and tied it onto Wu Yun’s back.

Again, the Princely Heir’s voice came from beyond the woods, "Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji took another look at the scroll in his hand, memorized a few lines, and then called back to the Princely Heir, "I’m coming!"

Returning to the main road, Chen Ji saw the scholars standing next to the ox cart, quietly listening to Wang Daosheng giving a lecture.

Wang Daosheng didn’t mind who listened or whether they paid tuition fee, he simply spoke unperturbedly, "Investigation of things, the extension of knowledge, sincerity of thoughts, rectification of the heart, self-cultivation, family regulation, governance of the state, and peace for all under heaven—these are the eight objects. And the investigation of things and the extension of knowledge are the foundation of the eight..."

Noticing Chen Ji’s arrival, he said to the scholars, "We are about to depart."

The scholars smiled and replied, "Listening to Master’s lecture is like a timely rain. Since the ox cart won’t move fast anyway, Master, please continue speaking. We can just walk behind the cart and listen as we go."

Another scholar added, "I heard that after the water disaster in West Henan, a group of disaster victims turned to banditry in Dragon King Village, engaging in robbery and marauding. With more people traveling together, they surely wouldn’t dare to make a move."

Wang Daosheng nodded, "That’s fine, then."

Seeing that these people were set on following, Chen Ji said no more; what he needed to do now was to wait for Jin Zhu to arrive.

He hopped onto the ox cart and sat down, and Bai Li handed him a leather water sack from the left, asking with concern, "Are you alright? Have some water."

After repeating the Shrouding Cloud spell once more, Chen Ji accepted the water sack and whispered lowly, "Commandery Princess, if we really encounter the bandits they spoke of, remember to run to my side with the Princely Heir, no matter what."

Bai Li blinked, her tone nonchalant, "Sure. But if we really run into bandits, would you only save the two of us?"

Chen Ji reflected for a moment, then whispered back, "My abilities are limited. I might not even be able to save you two, let alone the others."

Bai Li simply acknowledged with an "oh" and fell silent for a while before saying, "Chen Ji, if we really encounter bandits, I mean the really fierce kind, and you can’t save us—just run yourself. It’s more important that you survive."

Chen Wenxiao sat opposite him, scoffing, "You save someone? Commandery Princess, don’t let him deceive you."

Bai Li rolled her eyes, "Just make sure you don’t wet your pants when the bandits actually show up."

Suddenly, Chen Ji stared directly at Chen Wenxiao, his voice calm, "After pinning your misdeeds on me, are you so guilty that you cannot sleep at night? So you hope everyone will come to hate me, despise me, disdain me. That way, even if I were to rebuff you later, no one would believe me."

Chen Wenxiao’s expression changed, "What are you talking about?"

After saying this, he noticed his voice had been too loud and hastily lowered it, "Don’t talk nonsense. The evidence is clear as day on paper and has nothing to do with me."

He wanted to argue further, but Chen Ji no longer paid him any mind and simply closed his eyes, silently reciting Shrouding Cloud. Whenever he struggled to remember a part, he covertly slid the scroll from his sleeve for a quick look.

Watching Chen Ji’s composed demeanor, Chen Wenxiao felt as if a stone was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

When he wanted to jeer once more, he somehow didn’t dare to speak out.

Bai Li glanced strangely at Chen Ji.

Pinning the blame?

...

...

At midday, the main road ran parallel to the Yi River just outside Luocheng City. To the left of the ox cart was the sparkling, golden Yi River, and to the right lay the undulating hills and forests.

Fishermen on the river were casting their nets.

Prince Jing, interested, disregarded his driver’s role, and pressing down his straw hat, craned his neck and called out loudly, "Fisherman, have you caught any fish today?"

The elderly fisherman, wearing a raincoat, called back loudly, "Not much luck today, only caught a few grass carps."

Prince Jing laughed heartily, "Are you selling these fish?"

The fisherman rowed his dark-cloaked boat closer, "Of course, why wouldn’t I sell them?"

Prince Jing turned back and said to Wang Daosheng with a smile, "Master, today’s journey has been smooth. We’re sure to reach Lu Hun Manor before sunset. Why don’t we make a stop here and grill some fish? We can’t get fish this fresh in the city."

Wang Daosheng warmly responded, "It’s rare for... a driver to have such a refined interest. Let’s take a short break here."

The Princely Heir and Bai Li cheered, jumping off the cart and stretching, "Sitting on an ox cart all morning makes my rear hurt."

Zhang Xia also dismounted her horse, her eyes brimming with laughter as she took Bai Li’s hand. The two whispered to each other, then turned and headed toward the forest.

At that moment, a few cat cries resonated from the woods, and Chen Ji immediately gripped the short knife hidden in his sleeve.

Chen Ji took a few steps ahead quickly, pulling Bai Li and Zhang Xia back, "Don’t go; it’s dangerous!"

Zhang Xia was taken aback, "What are you doing?"

Chen Ji didn’t look at her, his gaze fixed on the depths of the forest, as he tugged both towards the riverside, slowly retreating.

Wu Yun said that it had seen more than ten bodies in the woods, unburied. The scene around the dead was bizarre: kitchen knives, hoes, and rakes scattered around.

Why are there more than a dozen bodies here? They were the disaster victims turned bandits from Dragon King Village, driven by life’s hardships to take up robbery, waiting in ambush here to rob passing merchants, yet they were killed by someone.

Who killed them, and why?

Chen Ji knew none of this.

He only knew there was danger in the woods.

As he retreated, Zhang Xia shook his arm, trying to break free from Chen Ji’s grasp, but heard Bai Li say, "Zhang Xia, listen to him!"

Zhang Xia stopped struggling.

By the time they silently retreated back to the riverside, Chen Ji turned his head to look at the boatman who had just docked, only to see the boatman carrying a bamboo basket jump off the boat, "Gentlemen, a total of eight grass carp, just give me fifty-two cents per fish."

Prince Jing was about to step forward to buy the fish when Chen Ji suddenly asked from a distance of more than ten paces, "Boatman, how much do you usually sell to the fishmongers per fish?"

The boatman was momentarily stunned, "On usual days... On usual days it’s forty cents per fish."

Chen Ji asked, "Isn’t it sold by weight?"

The boatman smiled, "Right, right, it’s sold by weight, I got mixed up by your question."

The very next moment, a scholar in the company suddenly pulled Prince Jing back, whispering, "Assassins!"

As he spoke, six scholars simultaneously smashed the boxes they were carrying on their backs, which contained no books but instead two Eight-cutting Blades fell out.

The six scholars didn’t care about anyone else and just firmly protected Prince Jing.

Chen Ji was taken aback; it turned out these scholars were here to protect Prince Jing!

But if these people came to protect Prince Jing, then who was this boatman and the person who killed in the woods?!

The boatman stopped pretending, pressing two fingers to his tongue to whistle.

The six scholars turned around sharply, only to hear the sound of footsteps trampling on decayed leaves coming from the woods, as dozens of people burst forth to attack!

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji in shock, realizing that if it weren’t for him just now, he and Bai Li might have ran straight into the group of assassins!

But the question remained, how did Chen Ji know there was someone ambushing in the woods?

The assassins in the woods charged at the six scholars, and as soon as they engaged, one of the scholars stooped and charged forward.

The scholar’s Eight-cutting Blade flew up and down, slashing more than ten times in two breaths, cutting tendons in the hands, feet, the major arteries in the thigh, and finally the neck, leaving no room to spare, brutally turning the leading assassin into a bloody mess.

The scholar’s green shirt stained with blood, he slowly gathered his stance and brought the blade before his eyes, his gaze chillingly piercing through the gaps between the blades towards the dozens of assassins in front.

Expert.

First to brutally slaughter one, only to seize the initiative, to shatter the enemy’s courage.

Where was the amiable appearance of the scholar from before now?

However, Chen Ji suddenly noticed a detail, the assassins, upon witnessing the scholar’s fierce methods, did not seem eager to advance nor did they retreat, only exchanging glances as if surprised.

Chen Ji realized, "These people aren’t here to assassinate the Prince."

If they really were here to kill a powerful Vassal Prince, why hesitate now? Also, to assassinate a powerful Vassal Prince, why send such assassins?

These assassins were not here to kill Prince Jing, and they did not know Prince Jing was hidden on the ox cart!

Chen Ji was confused; if the target of the assassins was not Prince Jing, then who could it be?

He turned his head to glance at Bai Li and the Princely Heir beside him, suddenly shouting, "Run! Hide behind the Prince!"

With that, he ran toward Prince Jing, pulling Bai Li and the Princely Heir with him.

As his words fell, the assassins had already made up their minds, immediately dividing into two groups, one surrounding the scholars and Prince Jing, while the other charged toward Chen Ji and his party, effectively separating the two groups.

Wang Daosheng, Chen Wenzong, and Chen Wenxiao, they all completely ignored them.

Prince Jing’s expression changed, "Don’t worry about me, save them!"

The scholars’ expressions remained unchanged, still coldly protecting Prince Jing, not the slightest intention of rescuing others evident.

Chen Ji felt something was wrong; these scholars were trained killers, tasked only to fulfill their responsibility, indifferent to anything else.

He stopped pulling the Princely Heir and Bai Li, retreating once again.

As more than twenty assassins drew closer, Chen Ji yelled toward the woods, "Eat!"

He pulled out a short knife from his sleeve, his gaze calming down, watching the assassins close at hand.

It was at this moment that Wang Daosheng spoke calmly, "Hold on."

It seemed as if the world stopped for an instant, even the heartbeat slowed by half a beat, and the Yi River stopped flowing.

Chen Ji saw the movements of the assassins slow down, as if swimming through water, the air filled with great resistance.

An indescribably overwhelming power descended upon the earthly realm.

He glanced at Wang Daosheng, ready to take advantage and slit each assassin’s throat, but Wang Daosheng reminded him, "Run quickly."

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, turned around, and, with the Princely Heir and Bai Li, leaped into the Yi River, swimming quickly to the opposite bank.

Zhang Xia hesitated briefly before also jumping in.

As they hit the water, the assassins’ movements returned to normal.

The assassins looked back at Wang Daosheng, unsure and wary, to see him collapsed on the ground, his face pale.

"Chase!" Assassins bit their long knives horizontally in their mouths, one after another jumping into the icy Yi River.

And the boatman? He too jumped onto the dark-covered boat.

The boat, without wind, automatically moved toward Chen Ji, cutting through the waves.