Chapter 70 Rescue

"I am talking about serious matters, please listen to me, Your Highness." Sun Wei said seriously.

Sima Jun turned his head and continued walking forward without answering.

Seeing that he didn't refuse, Sun Wei continued, "I was just wondering how General Cui, all by himself, could have killed General Chu's two guards and taken him away. Then, by chance, the guards from General Chu's residence came over, and I asked them to investigate. They learned that the two dead guards had different weapons and different strengths. This confirmed my suspicion that General Cui probably had help."

This was something Sima Jun hadn't expected. Cui Pan had fallen into such a state, who would be willing to help him?

But Lu's inference is correct, so this is very likely.

He squinted at the dark woods and told Deng Lian and others to be careful of their surroundings.

The group then headed down the path.

Surprisingly, no one found anything until they reached the dock.

Sima Jun looked at Cui Pan, only to see Cui Pan giving him a sinister smile.

"Don't bother anymore, my prince. Without my guidance, you won't be able to find Chu Yue."

Sima Jun would not trade with Cui Pan.

He walked forward slowly and squatted down. Deng Lian quickly came up to him with a torch.

The firelight illuminated Cui Pan's pale face.

Sima Jun looked at him for a moment, then stroked his collar for a moment, saying softly, "I remember when I caught you at this dock earlier, your clothes were wet."

Cui Pan's smile froze for a moment, and Sima Jun understood. He then ordered, "Search along the water's edge."

Deng Lian received the order and immediately led his men to push aside the tall reeds and head to the water's edge.

"Prince," Xie Xiao beside him suddenly said, "I remember there's a sewer not far from here, deep enough for boats to pass through, but because of the dense reeds on both sides, it's hard to spot. My father once had it repaired, but it was always washed away after heavy rains. After my father passed away, I'm afraid no one repaired the sewer anymore. Plus, it's been raining a lot recently, so perhaps the sewer is still there."

Sima Jun's eyes lit up and he said, "Lead the way!"

The group followed Xie Xiao through the vast reeds and came to the water's edge.

The so-called sewer is a pond where the river flows into the bank. Densely covered with reeds, it obscures the surface of the pond. If you don't look carefully, you can't really tell it's a pond.

"Brother Chu!" Xie Xiao called out loudly.

Suddenly, he heard a faint movement in the reeds, and Xie Xiao quickly ran over there and pushed aside the reeds.

"Brother Chu is here!" he said excitedly.

Upon hearing the news, Deng Lian and others rushed forward to help and pulled Chu Yue out.

"How?" Sima Jun asked.

"Still breathing!" Xie Xiao said happily.

Then he said, "Brother Chu, what did you say?"

He put his ear close to Chu Yue's mouth and heard him whisper "be careful".

Just as he finished speaking, he heard a sound of breaking air.

Sima Jun yelled, "Get down!" and Sun Wei was already dragged to the ground. An arrow grazed them and shot into the grass.

The enemy was in the dark and we were in the light, so everyone hurriedly extinguished the torches in their hands, and the surroundings were dark.

Deng Lian had already received Sima Jun's order and followed the direction from which the arrow came, searching for the assassin.

But at this moment, a "splash" sound was heard by the water, and Cui Pan jumped into the river.

"Cui Pan ran away!" a guard shouted.

Before Sun Wei could think, a black shadow suddenly jumped out.

Sima Jun was quick-witted and pulled Sun Wei behind him, wrestling with the assassin. The muddy ground on the shore was slippery, and soon the assassin slipped into the water, and Sima Jun jumped in with him.

Sun Wei's head buzzed and he was stunned for a moment.

It was pitch dark at night, and she couldn't see anything even with her eyes wide open. She could only hear the sound of water rushing.

"Prince!" She hurriedly got up and ran to the water's edge.

"Princess, you can't go." Aju quickly stopped her.

"Sima Jun!" Sun Wei shouted twice again.

The torches were lit again, and several guards came and went into the water.

But apart from the splashing of water, nothing could be seen.

Sun Wei was terribly anxious, but unable to help, she could only stare at the water, each breath lasting a staggering sixty years. Her heart seemed to sink to the bottom of the water and stop. Countless possibilities raced through her mind, but she couldn't think clearly. She could only listen to the hammering of her heart, like a heavy hammer.

She knew he was an excellent swimmer.

But her thoughts still couldn't help but return to her past life, when she lost him, also in such a night...

Suddenly, there was a splash on the water surface, and Sima Jun suddenly emerged from the water.

He was also dragging someone along.

A corpse.

When everyone looked over, they saw an assassin dressed in black, with his eyes wide open, as if he had died with his eyes open.

"Search carefully." Sima Jun panted, wiped the water off his face, and said, "See if you can find out the origin."

The servants hurriedly responded.

Sima Jun had just walked to the shore when a man ran up to him.

Sun Wei grabbed his hand, opened his eyes wide and looked at him carefully, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was fine.

Sima Jun then asked, "What did Madam just call out?"

Sun Wei raised her eyes and saw that he was frowning with a look of dissatisfaction.

She said angrily, "Since the prince has brought so many followers, he shouldn't have put himself in such a dangerous situation! It's so dark, and we're in the water. What if..."

"What if?" Sima Jun interrupted, looking disdainful as if he was being looked down upon. "I was born in the Water Camp and have been able to swim since I was born. I'm just a petty thief, so why should you be so cruel and howling at me?"

"I...howled like a ghost?"

Sun Wei was so angry that she was speechless. She suddenly stepped forward and pushed him.

With a "splash", Sima Jun fell back into the water again, splashing high waves.

"You brat!"

She stamped her feet, cursed, and turned away.

Sima Jun struggled out of the water and climbed back onto the shore.

Everyone just stared at him blankly, and then, as if with tacit understanding, turned their heads away and continued doing their own things.

Looking at Chu Yue again, he was lying on a stretcher, his eyes originally open, but then he closed them again.

"Brother Chu is in urgent need of medical treatment. I would like to send Brother Chu back to his house first." Xie Xiao walked over and said to Sima Jun.

"Hand him over to the steward to send him back." Sima Jun wiped the water off his face and said calmly, "You go to the Governor's Mansion in person and inform the Crown Prince of what happened here. Ask him to offer a reward for the capture of Cui Pan. Also, ask him to send the imperial physician."

"Yes, sir."

After receiving the order, Xie Xiao did not dare to stay for a moment. He and the steward took Chu Yue to evacuate, leaving only a few guards.

Someone asked, "Sir, do you want to look along the coast again?"

Sima Jun nodded. "Cui Pan's hands were tied, and he was injured. He probably couldn't swim far. Go look for him along the coast. If you have any news, please report back."

"yes."

For a moment, Sima Jun was the only one left there.

The night wind blew, he sniffed and sneezed three times in succession.

Deng Lian came back quickly and saw Sima Jun, who was soaked all over, squatting on the ground with a torch, studying the things he had found on the corpse.

"Where is the princess?" he asked.

Sima Jun sneezed again and asked instead of answering, "Did the assassin you were chasing escape?"

"He ran away," Deng Lian said. "This was all premeditated. He was small and very good at hiding. Plus, it was pitch dark, so we quickly lost him."

Sima Jun felt depressed.

Seeing his dissatisfaction, Deng Lian asked tentatively, "How about I go look for it again?"

"No need." Sima Jun said, "It's getting late, let's go back."

"yes."

Deng Lian always felt it was strange. How come Sima Jun was the only one left after he left for just a moment?

"Where are the princess and the others?" Deng Lian asked again.

Sima Jun glanced at him coldly and said nothing.

Based on years of experience, Deng Lian intuitively felt that Sima Jun's temper was related to the Lu family.

Deng Lian and Sima Jun found horses outside the path and rode back to Chu's house.

In the Chu residence, the steward settled Chu Yue and ordered the kitchen to start cooking and prepare extra meals for everyone.

The originally lively scene suddenly became quiet when Sima Jun came in.