Honey, you didn't really drugged me, did you?

Chapter 88: Chapter 83: Prince Fenyang is Truly Desperate

“Your enemy?”

Ni Wenjun asked, and Chen Jie nodded.

Ni Wenjun smiled, “Then it’s easy to handle, pull the boat over!”

Chen Jie was stunned. Ni Wenjun’s face bore a confident smile, a confidence that, although there were countless masters in the world, he, Ni Wenjun, was not someone to be trapped by a small Mianshui County!

Let alone a few Guild Cao disciples, even if the Hall Master of Guild Cao himself came here, you ask him if he dares to stop me alone!

Move in closer!

...

Chen Jie rowed the boat towards that direction and the boats of Yu Biao’s two trusted disciples also rowed over.

They were specifically left here by Yu Biao to fish for the Bull Horn Shrimp, which Yu Biao had been chasing for seven or eight days without success, so he had continuously sent people to fish in this river.

Although Ghost Hand Gu Qingfeng, their own Hall Master, had personally ordered all the disciples to patrol the mountains,

the people here fishing didn’t budge an inch and continued to fish for that Bull Horn Shrimp.

You should know, capturing Ni Wenjun was a government matter!

Catching the Bull Horn Shrimp was Yu Biao’s personal concern. Couldn’t he tell public from private?

As the two rowed their boats, they were also searching for Chen Jie and his companion. The two small boats, separated by a patch of reeds, moved closer to each other until they reached the end of the reeds.

They came face to face!

“Hmm, Chen Jiusi!”

When the two saw Chen Jie, they were first stunned, and the next moment they saw Ni Wenjun, especially his blood-soaked clothes, as if something dawned on them.

Their pupils constricted!

But before they could shout, Ni Wenjun already leapt at least thirty feet toward the small boat that was at least eighty to ninety feet away from Chen Jie’s side. In the midst of one jump, like a dragonfly skims water, he landed on the Guild Cao disciples’ boat and immediately subdued the two men with a capture technique.

Immediately, he lightly tapped the acupoints on their throats, and the two instantly lost their voices.

Just then, another Guild Cao disciple picked up a fish-killing knife on the boat and stabbed at Ni Wenjun, but Ni Wenjun seized the knife and counterattacked, killing him.

Only one disciple remained, too frightened to scream, but unable to make a sound. At that moment, Ni Wenjun looked at him and said, “If you don’t want to die, don’t struggle. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee your life!”

After speaking, he changed into the clothes of the Guild Cao disciple he had killed, then put on his human skin mask, transforming into Ni Manzi from the arrest warrant.

He then gave Chen Jie a fist salute from afar.

“Brother, your brother is leaving!”

Chen Jie, feeling slightly melancholic, said, “After this parting, who knows when we will meet again!”

Ni Wenjun smiled and said, “Although the Jianghu is vast, there will eventually be a time to meet. Brother, chaotic times are approaching—train your martial arts well. I hope that when we meet again, your Water Manipulation Palm will have achieved Great Success and you can stand as a formidable warrior.”

Chen Jie responded with a fist salute, “Brother, rest assured, when we meet in future years, I will make you look at me with great respect!”

Ni Wenjun replied, “Good, I’ll be waiting. Farewell!”

“Farewell!”

…

Ni Wenjun stood on the Guild Cao’s small boat, having the controlled Guild Cao disciple row.

Chen Jie watched him from afar, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Chen Jie did not rush to leave Mianshui River. Now that someone had escorted Brother Ni, he needed to create an alibi, so he rowed his boat around, looking for fishing boats and talking to the fishermen.

By evening, when he returned to the shore, he saw that Xiantao Town was crowded with people.

Chen Jie was puzzled and quickly went to the Fishing Guild’s location where he saw Fifth Captain Zhou Chu was present.

The name Zhou Chu reminded people of a historical figure—an anecdote known as Zhou Chu Exterminates Three Evils, a hero.

His real name was Zhou Bayi.

Later, some called him Zhou Bayi, accusing him of stripping widows; the fact is, he was henpecked and dared not even think of such things. His fierce wife would’ve torn him apart.

After becoming the Fifth Captain, feeling that he was someone with status, he had someone create the name for him.

Zhou Chu!

He was actually a marginal figure in the Fishing Guild. The real power lay with the first three captains. His post as Fifth Captain was not much different from a River Patrol, hence there had been no conflicts of interest with Chen Jie. They had cooperated a few times and were thus familiar with each other.

At this moment Chen Jie approached and asked, “Old Zhou, what’s the situation?”

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Zhou Chu then turned and looked at Chen Jie, “Jiu Si, why have you just come ashore?”

Chen Jie replied, “Yes, what happened?”

Zhou Chu said, “Didn’t you see the commotion? It’s that Ni Manzi we’ve always been trying to catch.”

“Hmm, I know!”

“He appeared.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Jie was startled then quickly asked, “Where did he appear?”

Zhou Chu said, “Right here in town, at the Old Yang Noodle House.”

“He was carrying a sack, ordered three bowls of plain noodles, gnawed two pig’s feet, and then swaggered off.”

“Old Yang, after he finished eating, went to inform the Guild Cao disciples in town, then those Guild Cao disciples informed the Huangzhou Prefecture officials!”

“They’re interrogating now!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Jie fell silent, pushed forward slightly, and soon Zhou Chu’s status came into play. He patted the Fishing Guild Disciples in front, and people quickly made way, and soon Chen Jie reached the second row.

The first row was reserved for ranks like Uncle Zhong, Big Ship Leader, and he couldn’t push into that.

Then, they saw the Huangzhou Prefecture official questioning Old Yang.

Old Yang stood there nervously, the questioning already halfway through.

At this moment Chen Jie heard the Huangzhou Prefecture official ask, “Did you see what was in his sack clearly?”

Old Yang replied, “I didn’t see clearly, but it seemed like a person.”

The Huangzhou Prefecture official asked, “Did he not open the sack?”

“No, my Lord, he just had three bowls of noodles, gnawed two pig’s feet, asked me to buy twenty baked buns, and gave me one tael of silver, I don’t know the rest.”

“You don’t know the rest, then why didn’t you inform us while he was eating instead of waiting till he left?”

The Huangzhou Prefecture official asked sternly.

Old Yang, frightened, knelt down with a thump, “My Lord, I didn’t dare, that’s a desperado.”

“I dare not, hmph, do you know how big a problem you’ve caused us? I think you should just stop doing your business now. Chief Zhang, I suspect this man of secretly communicating with the rebels. Let’s take him back for a thorough interrogation!”

“Ah, my lord, I haven’t, I really haven’t…”

Old Yang nearly fainted out of fright.

Zhang Liye also slightly frowned and said, “Lord Zhao, this isn’t appropriate according to the rules!”

That government official from Huangzhou Prefecture looked at Zhang Liye, leaned closer to his ear, and said, “Chief Zhang, Prince Mansion’s top experts are about to arrive. If we just let Ni Manzi openly take the Commandery Princess, it would be hard to explain. If he has accomplices, we could justify ourselves. So we have to pull in a scapegoat.”

“But!”

Zhang Liye, with a heavy heart, heard Zhao Shangcha say, “If we handle this situation, only he will be unlucky. If the experts from the Prince Mansion arrive later and their anger isn’t on just one household, I’m just protecting the citizens here. Think about it!”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liye clasped and unclasped his hands tightly and commanded, “Arrest this old man!”

“Ah, my lord, I’m innocent, I’ve been wrongly accused. I just relayed the message; I’m innocent!”

Old Yang cried out, but the government officials urgently summoned from the county had already detained him.

Watching this scene, the hearts of the bystanders ached; actions such as the government capturing innocent civilians instead of real criminals happened all too often; they were all too accustomed to it.

Chen Jie observed this and furrowed his brow. Was this the way the government conducted its affairs?

Truly dark indeed!

This world was just so, if you lacked the ability, a random disaster could befall you and bring calamity to your entire family; this world was that cruel.

Meanwhile, the other guild disciples just watched, including those high-status figures in the eyes of ordinary folks, Ghost Hand Gu Qingfeng and the fisherman Peng Shizhong.

Peng Shizhong had an expression of reluctance on his face, but Gu Qingfeng’s face showed no emotion.

The more you saw of people being wrongly accused, the more accustomed to it you became.

Old Yang had just been subdued when someone hurriedly ran over, announcing that a troop had crossed the continent.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shangcha said, “Quick, go to greet them, it must be the experts from the Prince Mansion.”

This news electrified everyone present!

Experts from the Prince Mansion.

The Jiangnan Emperor, Prince Fenyang was well-known.

Commanding the elite White Deer Army, overseeing Jiangnan’s seven routes and eighty-one prefectures, and numerous deviant cultivators joining under his command.

Reputed to have three hundred talented and extraordinary followers, among them even world-class figures.

A well-recognized presence in the Jianghu.

Only those who were acknowledged as experts in the Prince Mansion held immense respect wherever they went.

Thinking this, everyone immediately lined up to welcome the experts from Prince Fenyang’s Mansion.

They proceeded to the long road outside the town.

Chen Jie also mingled among them, following the Fishing Guild’s contingent.

Once everyone was in line, it was not long before they saw a troop of riders approaching, about twelve or thirteen in number.

In the middle was a flag bearing the characters for Xuanbing!

Seeing these characters, Zhao Shangcha and a few Energy Transformation Masters were startled; could it be that the Prince Mansion actually sent these two?

My goodness, this time Prince Fenyang is truly in earnest!

Soon, the cavalry squadron drew closer, allowing everyone to get a clear look at the leading two figures.

The two of them looked very similar, with roughly a resemblance of seventy percent, only their skin tones differed: one had snow-white skin, colorless as blood, while the other’s skin was as black as charcoal.

Both had birthmark-like patches on their faces; the lighter-skinned had one under the left eye and the darker one under the right eye—the light-skinned birthmark was black, and the dark-skinned birthmark was white.

Seeing the appearances of these two, someone nearby gasped.

“It’s the Xuanbing Second Elder!”

Chen Jie looked and recognized Zhou Chu.

Zhou Chu, having mingled in the Jianghu for many years, had some knowledge about its happenings.

Chen Jie looked towards him.

Zhou Chu said, “The Xuanbing Second Elder, famous twenty years ago, are rumored to be disciples of the Hundred Fallen Taoist. They trained together in the Mystic Ice Divine Palm, which is bone-chillingly cold. When confronting an enemy, one palm strike causes ice to shake the wilderness, and they often appear together having a combined technique. If they join forces, even world-class figures may not defeated them!”

“They are amongst Prince Fenyang’s most trusted subordinates and currently serve as his personal guards!”

“Really didn’t expect them to be dispatched to capture Ni Manzi. It seems like the rumors are true. Killing a county official or a Darugachi would not warrant such powerful figures being sent!”

Zhou Chu exclaimed in amazement.

Chen Jie, facing this news, also gasped in surprise; Mystic Ice Second Elder, their existence is nearly at current world-class. Could Brother Ni really withstand them?

As for Prince Fenyang’s deployment of such a powerful force, Chen Jie actually knew the reason: his daughter was kidnapped, and wouldn’t Prince Fenyang be anxious and furious?

It looked like he was truly enraged this time.

“Hey, hey, Jiu Si, look at those twelve riders behind.”

Chen Jie, upon hearing this, turned to look, noticing that the twelve riders following the Xuanbing Second Elder were not dressed in Central Plains attire.

At this moment, Zhou Chu said, “See, the Desert North Twelve Hawks!”

“They used to engage in horse banditry before joining Prince Fenyang. Now, they’ve become one of the three hundred extraordinary followers of the Prince Mansion. Didn’t expect them to come along.”

“That leading trio, they are the three heads of the Twelve Hawks, all possess Energy Transformation strength, and this time Prince Fenyang truly means serious business, as Ni Manzi has stirred up a hornet’s nest.”

Chen Jie listened and looked at Zhou Chu inquiringly, “Old Zhou, how do you know so much?”

Zhou Chu smiled and said, “My wife’s cousin works at the Shunfeng Escort Agency, who has more news than the escort agencies?”

Chen Jie looked at him and said, “Oh, no wonder you, boy, could become a ship captain; having family connections really helps.”

“Stop it, what do you mean family connections? I became Fifth Captain all on my own merit.”

Zhou Chu was mildly displeased.

Chen Jie laughed and said, “Hey, brother, you’re so well-informed, do you know why Prince Fenyang is making such a massive fuss? There are lots of people rebelling these days; why is his reaction so intense?”

Zhou Chu glanced at Chen Jie and said, “Well, there’s actually a reason for that, brother, but you mustn’t spread it around.”

“Don’t worry, where would I go spreading it?”

Chen Jie assured him.

“It seems that Ni Wenjun has kidnapped Prince Fenyang’s only daughter, Princess Xiangning!”

Zhou Chu confided mysteriously.