Chapter 373 Searching the Lake Bottom in the Deep of the Nigh (1/2)

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After instructing Brother Tian Ning to rest well, Lin Mengya carried the medicine box and returned to her room to study its contents.

“Ya’er, I was wondering if what I am going to say would be of any help to you.”

Tian Ning blurted out as if he suddenly remembered something.

“The mistress once instructed my mother not to fill up the pond in the courtyard. Although I did not understand the reason, the mistress also told me the same in fear that my mother might forget about it.”

Tian Ning’s word gave Lin Mengya an idea suddenly.

Indeed when Shangguan Qing first married into the Lin Family, she had wanted to revamp the courtyard. However, Father was in charge of matters as such.

Although Father was usually not interested in matters which had been handed to the lady of the house, it appeared that no one had done anything to the backyard.

“I get it, many thanks. You’d better rest early, Brother Tian Ning. If everything goes well, we will be able to return to Prince Yu’s Mansion tomorrow evening.”

All of a sudden, something came to Lin Mengya’s mind. She remembered that night when she returned home, she discovered that there was a part of the pond that appeared amiss.

Mother had not allowed anyone to touch the pond. Could it be because there was something in the water?

A thought came to Lin Mengya’s mind in this instant. She was thinking of checking out the bottom of that pond in the night.

It was windy late at night and Baizhi followed behind her master, feeling jittery.

She was complaining in her heart, but she did not dare to lag behind Lin Mengya.

“Let’s go back, Master. This place gives me the chills.”

In the past, this place was where Lin Mengya had a scare. At that time, the entire mansion was frightened, so Mistress Qing engaged a priest from somewhere to have a look. The priest, claiming that there was a negative vibe about the water in the pond, suggested that the pond should be reclaimed.

If the Master did not lose his temper at that time, perhaps the pond would not have been saved.

There was no longer any tourist around. As the rockery cast a silhouette against the night light and the surface of the pond reflected the pale moonlight, the timid Baizhi could not help becoming fretful.

On the other hand, Lin Mengya went into deep thoughts, looking at the pond water.

Very cautiously, she got to the big rock by the pond and gently cupped some pond water onto her small hands.

The silky water flowed over her hand. Lin Mengya remained deep in thought as she gazed at her hand where the water ran over.

“My good master, let’s go back. Look, this place is so creepy. It is freaking me out.”

While Baizhi was shaking with fear, Lin Mengya was completely unperturbed. A mysterious smile appeared on her face as she pointed at the water and said, “Do you realize that there is something unusual about the water here?”

What was so special? Baizhi craned her neck as she tried to take a look at the pond water. It looked exactly like the water in the prince’s mansion. What could be so usual about it?

“The water in our courtyard was still flowing because Qinghu had directed a hot spring into it. However, in my impression, the pond water in our mansion would freeze into a thin layer of ice only occasionally on the third ninth day after the winter solstice. Do you still remember the time when we were young, there was a three-year-old child of a servant who almost fell into the pond?”

Baizhi thought for a while and nodded.

Baizhi recalled the incident once her master mentioned it.

Indeed, the master and Ms. Tian used to forbid her and elder Miss Lin from playing on the ice. Eventually, the three-year-old kid was saved from drowning because the adults rescued him in time.

“Master, what you mean is…”

Lin Mengya took off her shoes and socks nimbly and let down her long hair, which was like a cascading waterfall. She took off whatever she thought was necessary, handed them into Baizhi’s hands and got ready to get into the water.

“Are you, are you really going to get into the water personally? No, you can’t do that! Have you gone crazy, Master?”

Baizhi was taken aback and frightened. Good heavens! Was her master going into the water on a cold spring night?

God, she ought to be crazy!

“Shush, be quiet and don’t make a loud noise, lest you alarm anyone from their sleep. It’s alright, I’ve tested the waters just now and its temperature is ten over degrees celsius. I believe something must be abnormal down in the water, otherwise, its temperature would not be so warm. Wait for me here and I’ll be out in no time.”

After Lin Mengya did some warm-up exercises to make sure she did not get a cramp once she entered the water, she went into the water gradually.

She had already removed the heavy outer clothing. Thankfully she only had her inner garments on. She was not bold enough to attempt the sport of swimming without any clothes on.

“Gosh! My dear master, come back quickly!”

Baizhi almost choked on her words, standing by the pond. She did not dare to raise her voice when Lin Mengya gave a glare, lest she awake anyone.

Baizhi was beyond anxious, seeing that her master was approaching the center of the pond. She wished she could pace around to help relieve her anxiety for her master.

The pond water was still cold for Lin Mengya, but she could only grit her teeth.

She was doing all she could to adapt to the temperature of the water.

Lin Mengya tried hard to remember where she had seen the abnormity in the pond and upon reaching that spot, she dived in, working hard to find the object she was looking for.

The last time she did this was also in the night.

She remembered that there was something shining at a certain spot in the pond.