Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 160 The Old Woman

Although Rong Wanyin was somewhat surprised by the old woman's sudden attack, she quickly retreated three steps, dodging the old woman's attack with a sidestep. Rong Wanyin showed no weakness, drawing her soft sword from her waist to fight back.

Mo Yun was about to step forward to help when Yan Mingzhang stopped her. Yan Mingzhang, however, crossed his arms and watched the spectacle with a smile.

Now, Rong Wanyin, dressed in plain white, held a soft sword, its blade moving as nimbly as a silver snake, wielding it with dazzling brilliance. The old woman, her eyes like lightning, her arched eyebrows flashing with cold light.

The old woman struck first, her figure flashing like a ghost, instantly closing in on Rong Wanyin. Her Emei dagger, wielded with lightning speed, aimed for Rong Wanyin's throat. Rong Wanyin remained calm, shifting her feet lightly, dodging to the side, and deftly deflecting the dagger with her soft sword.

The old woman, missing her first attack, immediately changed tactics, raining down Emei daggers at Rong Wanyin's vital points. Rong Wanyin wielded her soft sword, creating a silver barrier that blocked all of the old woman's attacks. Her movements were light and graceful, her soft sword wielded with effortless skill, each block perfectly timed.

Seeing that her attacks were proving ineffective, the old woman's lips curled into a slight smile, and her moves became even more ferocious. She wielded her Emei daggers with both hands, their movements fluid and dazzling. Rong Wanyin, however, remained calm and composed, employing a defensive strategy to find openings in her defense.

After ten moves, Rong Wanyin seized the opportunity and launched a sudden counterattack. She flashed forward, striking the old woman like lightning. Her soft sword moved like a serpent emerging from its hole, aiming straight for the old woman's chest. The old woman hurriedly swung her sword to defend, but Rong Wanyin's sword was too fast; she could only barely block it.

Rong Wanyin pressed her advantage relentlessly, her soft sword strikes flowing endlessly. Sometimes she thrust straight, sometimes she slashed horizontally, sometimes she parried diagonally; each move contained immense power and exquisite variation. The old woman suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, her movements slowed a beat, and she was instantly forced to retreat repeatedly by Rong Wanyin's attacks, left only with a passive defense.

Rong Wanyin spun around, her soft sword tracing a beautiful arc as it thrust towards the old woman's abdomen. The old woman narrowly dodged, but Rong Wanyin followed up with another strike, aiming for her leg. The old woman was forced to leap high into the air to avoid this attack.

At this moment, the situation had completely reversed. Rong Wanyin's attacks were relentless, and the old woman could only desperately defend herself, searching for an opportunity to counterattack. But Rong Wanyin gave her no chance; her soft sword followed her like a shadow, relentlessly pressing the old woman.

Seeing that the outcome was decided, Yan Mingzhang wanted to call a halt, but hesitated for a moment, unsure how to address Rong Wanyin. He opened his mouth, then slowly said, "Yin'er, come back!"

His use of the term "Yin'er" was a bit too intimate, making Yan Mingzhang feel somewhat embarrassed. However, since he had just introduced himself as brother and sister, he couldn't call her "Miss Rong." Rong Wanyin's eyelashes trembled slightly, but her expression remained nonchalant, revealing no reaction.

Upon hearing this, Rong Wanyin knew when to stop and didn't linger. She gracefully withdrew her attack, proudly walked towards Yan Mingzhang, and even raised an eyebrow at him, like a victorious rooster seeking praise. Mo Yun, who had been watching from the sidelines, was already dumbfounded, gesturing wildly with his hands: "Wow, Miss Rong, how did you just use that move? It was amazing!"

Miss Rong smiled smugly: "Want to learn? Call me Master!"

Mo Yun rolled her eyes at her and turned her face away.

Yan Mingzhang smiled and glanced at Rong Wanyin, then bowed respectfully to the old woman: "Senior, I was impolite. If you hadn't been afraid of hurting Yin'er and held back, my sister wouldn't have been able to win at all."

Rong Wanyin frowned slightly, somewhat unconvinced, but then she thought, when has the master ever made a mistake? He must have his reasons for saying this, so she remained silent. The old woman waved her hand and said, "It's not that I'm afraid of hurting this girl, I'm afraid of breaking these furniture. Besides, don't try to flatter me, it's useless! Even if I fought with all my might, at most I could only manage a draw with this girl. If I'm not as skilled, I'm not as skilled, what's there to be ashamed of?"

The old woman's eyes were sharp as she looked at Yan Mingzhang and the others. She then regained her kind and gentle demeanor and smiled broadly as she slowly spoke, "The younger generation is truly formidable! Who are you all? What brings you here?" Although her voice was aged, it carried a sense of composure.

Before Yan Mingzhang could answer, the old woman said, "Don't try to deceive me. You are full of flaws."

Yan Mingzhang respectfully said, "This junior would like to hear the details."

The old woman chuckled, “Merchants of the Great Zhou usually trade with the Liao people at the border in autumn and spring. After the cold winter, people's demand for various goods increases in spring. The temperature gradually warms up in spring, and the road conditions are better, making it easier for caravans to travel. At the same time, spring is also the time when Liao horses are fat and strong, so they may have more horses and other livestock for trade. In autumn, the weather is cool, crops are harvested, various products are abundant, the border is relatively stable, and merchants have enough goods to trade. Now, this season is not the time for caravans to return to the capital. Moreover, you only have two carts and no goods to trade with. Therefore, you are not merchants. Not to mention your clothing and behavior.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, suddenly realizing what was going on. Yan Mingzhang humbly asked, "Then, senior, who do you think we are?"

The old woman was very frank. She sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and said, "Drink up, this tea isn't poisoned."

The old woman finished her tea in one gulp and then said, "You two look like you've been on a long journey to Mount Song. Look at those three horses, their steps are unsteady, they must have been running for a long time. So you must have something urgent to attend to."

Yan Mingzhang stood up and bowed to express his admiration, then said loudly, "Senior, I am Yan Mingzhang. We have come here on important business, but it is not appropriate to say so. We apologize for any offense caused and hope that you will forgive us."

Rong Wanyin bowed slightly: "Senior, I am Rong Wanyin. If I have done anything inappropriate before, I hope you will forgive me."

Mo Yun bowed slightly and said in a deep voice, "Senior, this junior, Mo Yun, apologizes."

Upon hearing this, the old woman smiled broadly, her kind face beaming: "Please sit down, Old Li, Granny Li, come out here!"

At that moment, a hidden door on the ground opened, and an elderly couple came out. They greeted each other humbly, but there was no fawning in their eyes.

Yan Mingzhang carefully observed the two men. Although their faces were aged, their eyes gleamed with a sharp light, suggesting they were skilled fighters, not ordinary farmers. Their attitude towards the old woman was extremely respectful and friendly, indicating they were acquaintances. However, the old woman offered no explanation, and Yan Mingzhang didn't want to expose them. They weren't bad people, so he figured he could just deal with them for the night.

The old woman explained, “I came here today to meet an old friend. When I saw you coming, I was a little suspicious, afraid you might be bad people. So I told Old Li and the others to hide first, and I would deal with you. These two are the owners of this house, Old Li and Granny Li.”