Constable Zhou was so frightened that he howled, pleading desperately for his life.
Ji Youzhi picked up the man; the Emperor’s face had turned very grim.
"Tell us, where have the people from both sides of the Yunhang Coast been taken?"
"To Wangwu Mountain."
"Wangwu Mountain?"
The Emperor and Ji Youzhi echoed in confusion.
"Weren’t they sent out to sea?" Ji Youzhi hurriedly pulled the man further from the water, pressing him for answers.
"Yes, Wangwu Mountain. I only overheard Officer Wu ntion it once in a conversation. He instructed soone to send those residents to Wangwu Mountain so as not to delay important matters. I don’t know anything else," Constable Zhou choked out, coughing up seawater.
"What do you an?"
"My lord, this is all I know, I truly don’t know anything else! I just happened to overhear Officer Wu speaking with that Mr. Wu and vaguely caught the na. I didn’t hear clearly that day. Mr. Wu said sothing like, ’Things have been quite unsettled recently, so the Imperial Court will definitely send soone for disaster relief. You must ensure the docks are well-guarded. Don’t let any unfamiliar ships dock. Get so people to pose as disaster victims. Your goal is to fool the Imperial Envoy sent for relief and send them on their way. Be careful they don’t discover that so of the people from both sides of the Yunhang Coast, who were sent to Wangwu Mountain, managed to slip through the net.’"
What Constable Zhou said ca like a bolt from the blue.
"What do you an? What are you talking about? Where is Wangwu Mountain?" the agitated Emperor rushed forward, clutching Constable Zhou’s collar and demanding answers.
"I don’t know! I only heard the na Wangwu Mountain; as for where it is, I really don’t know!"
Ji Youzhi was no kind soul. Hearing Constable Zhou’s words, he imdiately grabbed the man, held him upside down, and plunged him into the sea. After several such dunks, Constable Zhou offered no new information, so Ji Youzhi finally believed him.
Ji Youzhi had the man taken back to confinent. His bonds were loosened to allow free movent, lest the storm outside claim his life. Only then did Ji Youzhi pause to think.
"It appears the situation is more complicated than we thought," the Emperor began.
"Not only complicated, but there’s also a conspiracy involved," Ji Youzhi added.
"Isn’t that obvious? It involves this Mr. Wu from Nanjiang. Just by the sound of it, Mr. Wu is clearly not a decent man. With his involvent, how could anything good co of it?" The Emperor’s face darkened, and he glanced around, searching for his precious daughter.
"Do you think we can unravel this mystery?"
Ji Youzhi quickly cupped his hands. "Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will definitely get to the bottom of this."
At this point, the boat had stopped. Rain began to fall outside, DRUMMING against the vessel.
"My lords, it has started to rain, and our boat has stopped to rest. Please, you two, head back inside!" a boatman ca over, urging the Emperor and Ji Youzhi to return to their cabins.
Ji Youzhi called him over. "By the way, boatman, do you know of a place on the sea called Wangwu Mountain?"
The boatman’s expression changed slightly. "S-sir... wh-why would you ask about that place?"
Ji Youzhi’s eyes lit up. "You know of Wangwu Mountain?"
The boatman quickly waved his hands in dismissal. "I don’t know, I don’t know! How would a humble boatman like know? That Wangwu Mountain sounds like a na of so mountain on land. I sail the seas year-round; how would I know where Wangwu Mountain is?"
"You don’t know? But your reaction just now seed quite surprised. I thought you knew!" Ji Youzhi gave a slight, knowing smile, waved his hand, and let the boatman go.
He and the Emperor returned to their respective cabins. Ji Youzhi then wrote down the details of that day’s interrogation and analyzed them point by point. Listening to the thunder and watching the lightning outside, he still found no clear leads.
After the rain, the air over the Yunhang Sea was incredibly fresh. Xiaosuisui woke up early, breathing in the crisp air and gazing up at the azure sky. A sweet smile spread across her small face.
"Why are you out so early? The air is cold. You should wear more layers," Xie Pan’Er hurriedly fetched a thicker garnt for Xiaosuisui and helped her put it on.
"It’s okay, I’m not cold at all," Xiaosuisui quickly replied. "Pretty Sister," she then asked Xie Pan’Er, "did you happen to hear soone screaming terribly last night?"
Xie Pan’Er shook her head. She had slept very soundly and heard no disturbing noises. "Apart from the rain being a bit loud, I didn’t hear anything else last night. Were you perhaps too tired and misheard things?"
Xiaosuisui shook her head. "I didn’t mishear. There was a very loud noise, like soone was thrown into the sea and scared half to death."
Just as Xiaosuisui said this, the Emperor and Ji Youzhi, who had also just risen, overheard her. They spoke in unison, "You misheard. There was no noise last night. We all slept well; no one was arguing outside."
The Emperor and Ji Youzhi chid in one after another, coaxing Xiaosuisui for a good while. It wasn’t until Auntie Fat announced that breakfast was ready, calling everyone back to their cabins to eat, and the boatman set sail towards Black Water Ridge, that the matter was finally dropped.
Black Water Ridge was a gorge passage. On the surface, there was nothing remarkable about it, but it was often shrouded in dense fog. It was rumored that many ships venturing into the fog disappeared, never to re-erge.
"Sir, it’s said that any ship entering Black Water Ridge never returns. Are you certain you want to proceed into Black Water Ridge?"
Ji Youzhi glanced at the Emperor. With His Majesty, the Son of Heaven, present, it was not Ji Youzhi’s place to speak. Besides, Black Water Ridge was a likely place to find Mr. Wu; neither Ji Youzhi nor the Emperor had any reason to retreat.
"Enough nonsense. Enter Black Water Ridge. This was on our planned route," the Emperor commanded.
"Since you two gentlen are so determined, then this old one will give the order."
A gleam flashed in the boatman’s eyes. Once they enter Black Water Ridge, I’ll send the signal, he thought. Then, Mr. Wu should arrive. With this in mind, the boatman departed without another word.
The ship sailed into the fog, its course entirely in the boatman’s hands.
Xiaosuisui gazed at the vast white fog, blinking. Dewdrops clung to her eyelashes. "We can’t see anything here. How do the boatn know which way to go?" Xiaosuisui mumbled to Xie Pan’Er.
Xie Pan’Er pondered for a mont. "They should. Your Seventh Uncle gave the navigation chart to the boatn. As long as they follow the chart, we should be able to reach Yunzhou Island safely."
"But wasn’t it said that we’re highly likely to encounter Mr. Wu in Black Water Ridge? Do you think Mr. Wu has already arrived? Are we in danger right now?" Princess Ata’s voice interjected from nearby.
Xiaosuisui listened intently, then giggled and said, "I think that Mr. Wu might have already arrived."
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