The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 115 The Matchmaker Robs the Escorts on the Huai River

As the sun sank into the Huai River, the sunlight on the horizon quickly lost its color, and the advancing infantry and cavalry, like overturned iron plows, surrounded the escort team of Fu'an Escort Agency.

Fine beads of sweat had already formed on the faces of Hu Yanlei and Wang Kui.

The caravan consisted of over fifty caravans, more than four hundred mules and horses, and nearly two hundred guards and porters.

Starting from Zhongdu, the journey through Handan and Anyang proceeded without incident.

When they arrived in Xinxiang, they were caught up by the bodyguards sent by the chief bodyguard.

Upon inquiry, it was learned that the Zhou brothers were unable to cross the Yellow River in Jinan Prefecture, so they traveled southwest, passing through Kaifeng Prefecture, Xinye, and Nanyang, before continuing along the Yangtze River to Taihu Lake. In Xinye, they were robbed of goods belonging to the Zhenwei Escort Agency by remnants of the Great Qi dynasty. The escorts also mentioned that bandits were rampant in the Funiu and Tongbai Mountains, and that Jiangxi horse bandits were active in Jingzhou and Xiangyang.

Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Yang Tiexin were all mature and prudent men. After a brief discussion, the three decided to cross the river at Fengqiu, head south to reach the Huai River, then go to Luzhou, and finally go up the Yangtze River to reach Jingzhou.

Changing the route adds about ten days of walking, but it allows you to avoid the bandits in Xinye and Xiangyang.

The journey had been smooth sailing until they reached the Huai River, where they suddenly encountered this band of thieves.

The镖师 (bodyguards) and 趟子手 (escorts) were well-trained. They drove the mules and horses to surround and defend the镖车 (cargo wagons). They drew their swords and nocked arrows. Some 趟子手 (escorts) carried signal flares to deal with cavalry charges. However, it was not yet completely dark, and they were unsure whether the flares would be effective.

Dressed in red, Mu Nianci rode a green horse and carried an iron spear. She was extremely nervous. It was her first time escorting goods, and she had encountered more than a thousand bandits. Even if she fought to the death, she estimated that she would not be able to protect the goods.

If Chief Escort Zhou were here, how would he handle it? This thought suddenly popped into Mu Nianci's head.

Instead of charging in to kill, the surrounding bandits, contrary to their usual behavior, surrounded the area without attacking.

Yang Tiexin asked Huyan Lei anxiously, "What should we do?"

“The bandits are waiting for their leader. Let’s take a look first,” Huyan Lei said.

Yang Tiexin nodded.

In just a few dozen breaths, the tightly packed bandit group suddenly parted to make way, and in the dim light, a chestnut horse trotted forward.

A woman in red was seen riding a horse. She had a heroic air about her and carried a long spear. The evening wind rustled her red cloak, making it flutter loudly.

"A female bandit?" Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Yang Tiexin were all taken aback.

The woman seemed surprised to find a female镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the caravan dressed in red, riding a green horse and carrying an iron spear. Her gaze lingered on Mu Nianci for a moment before turning to Hu Yanlei and the others.

"Who's in charge here?"

Hu Yanlei said, "I am the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Zhongdu Fu'an镖局 (escort agency). I have disturbed you while passing through this esteemed place. I hope you will forgive me."

The woman said, "Enough with the rambling. I only want the mules, horses, and goods. I won't harm your lives. Leave now."

Hu Yanlei said, "The loss of the goods by the caravan is tantamount to the death of hundreds of our people."

"It's simple!" the woman suddenly laughed. "Joining the group will solve all the problems."

Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Yang Tiexin were all taken aback by the other party's words and were momentarily speechless.

Hu Yanlei snapped out of his daze and said, "You flatter me, heroine. I hope you will grant me this favor. After this shipment is completed, I will definitely bring generous gifts to the stronghold to express my gratitude."

"If that's the case, why would I go through all that trouble to rob the caravan? Alright, that's all I have to say. Do you want your life or the caravan? I'll give you ten breaths to think it over."

The woman said she wanted Huyan Lei to consider it, but as soon as she finished speaking, fifty or sixty archers suddenly emerged from behind her, drawing their bows and aiming at the bodyguards and porters.

"Hoo!" Hu Yanlei exhaled heavily.

"What's the head镖师's decision?" the woman asked.

"Guarantee the person".

"Those who understand the times are the wise ones!"

The woman's words struck Hu Yanlei like a knife.

"Men, move the caravan and get the mules and horses moving."

At the woman's command, more than a hundred soldiers rushed in, some pushing carts, others driving mules and horses, and in the blink of an eye, they were all gone.

The woman, who had just raised her gun, laughed and said, "Excuse me!"

After saying this, the woman turned her horse around and galloped away, and the archers slowly retreated into the night.

"Head镖师, what should we do?" Yang Tiexin asked.

Mu Nianci dismounted and went to Huyan Lei's side, saying, "I'll go and follow the bandits."

Hu Yanlei was certainly adept at assessing situations and adapting to changing circumstances. He said, "Brother Yang, arrange for someone to ride at full speed to the escort agency to report this to the chief escort. Brother Wang and Miss Mu, take your capable escorts and follow this group. These bandits are not like the usual ruthless and ruthless thugs who kill without blinking an eye; they must have a fixed place to stay. I will go to the Zhenwei Escort Agency in Kaifeng Prefecture to investigate and see if I can find out anything about these bandits. Brother Yang, please take care of the remaining escorts and porters; they can wait here."

Hu Yanlei's emergency arrangements were comprehensive and impeccable.

Time was of the essence, so Wang Kui and Mu Nianci immediately led several skilled bodyguards and, under the cover of night, gave chase to the bandits.

The woman did not steal the horses of Huyan Lei, Wang Kui, and the others. Yang Tiexin wrote a letter, arranging for bodyguards to lead two horses day and night towards Zhongdu, while Huyan Lei headed straight for Kaifeng Prefecture. ...

Xin Feng wine costs ten thousand coins a jug; let us drink together in spirit.

The octagonal pavilion has neatly arranged green tiles, and the dry air is filled with the aroma of wine.

Inside the pavilion, two young men sat facing each other, engaged in lively conversation.

Lu Beihe was already slightly tipsy. He said, "There's a story about Dukang wine called 'Dukang made wine and got Liu Ling drunk.' Have you heard of it, Chief Escort?"

"Appreciate further details."

Zhou Yan entered the Yangtze River from Taihu Lake. The journey was uneventful; he ate and slept on the large ship. Besides his own cultivation, he also instructed Liang Xiaowu and several other crew members in martial arts. The group's energy and spirit visibly improved.

In late March, the large ship arrived in Xiangyang.

Because he was concerned about whether the escort agency had any business in Jingzhou, he did not go to Snake Valley, but went straight north. On the way, he arrived in Kaifeng Prefecture and visited the young head of Zhenwei Escort Agency.

The two had a gentleman's agreement, and Lu Beihe specially prepared Luoyang Dukang wine to warmly entertain them.

The escorts from Zhenwei Escort Agency who were sent to Fu'an to deliver the message had already returned. Zhou Yan learned from them that the merchant Lü had indeed arrived in Fu'an. Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, Yang Tiexin, and others were escorting the goods, and the chief escort also arranged for the escorts to ride at full speed to deliver the message.

Lu Beihe also mentioned that he had noticed the Yellow River wharves around Kaifeng Prefecture and found that no Fu'an escort teams had ever crossed the river.

Zhou Yan felt much relieved upon receiving this news, so he stayed at Zhenwei Escort Agency for two more days, drinking and discussing martial arts with Lu Beihe.

The two hit it off and admired each other, so they naturally had a friendly spar. Zhou Yan admired Lu Beihe's superb skill with dual pistols, and during their conversation, he unintentionally learned that Lu Beihe was a descendant of Lu Wenlong of the Yue Family Army.

He couldn't help but sigh with emotion, and if Zhang Wangyue, the head镖师 (bodyguard), knew about this, he would surely be overjoyed.

It goes without saying that Fu'an Escort Agency and Zhenwei Escort Agency will help each other in the future.

During the drinking session, he even let his mind wander to Zhang Wangyue, the head镖师 (bodyguard), and Lu Beihe, the young master of Zhenwei.

The mountains and rivers seem to echo the sentiment of the poem "Man Jiang Hong," which includes the line, "Let's start anew, reclaim our lost lands, and face the imperial palace." I wonder if it's just a coincidence.

When Lu Beihe mentioned Dukang wine, Zhou Yan listened attentively as the other man spoke eloquently: "It is said that Dukang opened a tavern at the foot of Jiugao Mountain in Longmen, Luoyang. On the door of the tavern was a couplet: 'A fierce tiger gets drunk in the mountains with one cup, a bright dragon is subdued in the sea with two cups.' The horizontal inscription read: 'No charge if you don't get drunk for three years.' The famous scholar Liu Ling passed by here, saw the couplet, and couldn't help but burst into laughter."

Lu Beihe laughed heartily at this point.

Suddenly, the young master of Zhenwei Escort Agency was interrupted by rolling thunder.

"Brother Zhou..."

Lu Beihe and Zhou Yan were both taken aback. They looked in the direction of the sound and saw Hu Yanlei striding over, followed by a bodyguard from Zhenwei Escort Agency.

"Brother Huyan?"

Zhou Yan blinked, feeling as if the scene before her eyes was an illusion.

……

Hu Yanlei rode swiftly from the Huai River, his black horse Wuzhui was excellent, and arrived in Kaifeng Prefecture in two days. He went straight to Zhenwei Escort Agency and presented his visiting card to the escorts on duty. The escorts received him and said that Zhou Yan was also at the agency and was drinking with the young master.

Huyan Lei was overjoyed and immediately ordered his bodyguards to lead the way, heading straight for them.

Zhou Yan hurriedly stood up, "Brother, what brings you here?"

Huyan Lei grabbed the wine bowl on the table and drank it all in one gulp. The wine calmed his anger. The head镖师 said, "The goods were robbed on the Huai River."

Zhou Yan was taken aback. "Brother, tell me slowly."

Hu Yanlei sat down and succinctly explained the incident of the woman in red robbing the caravan, the arrangements made at the time, and his purpose for coming.

Zhou Yan looked at Lu Beihe: "The leader of the robbers is a woman in red who wields a gun. Does the young master know her background?"

Lu Beihedao: "There are seven or eight forces active in Jingdong Road and Hebei Road with some strength: remnants of the Great Qi, bandits who gather in the mountains and forests, and righteous armies that are forced to rebel by the government. They split and unite with each other, and will join hands to fight against the Jin people and the Lin'an Prefecture government. They will also fight each other for profit. But as for a woman in red who wields a gun, I have never heard of her."

After Lu Beihe finished speaking, he said generously, "I happen to have some free time, so I'll go with Chief Escort Zhou to find out where the robbers came from."

Huyan Lei said, "How can this be allowed?"

“No need for such formalities, Chief Escort. If it weren’t for Chief Escort Zhou, Zhenwei would have already fallen to the remnants of the Great Qi. How could I not repay this kindness? Besides, I haven’t finished telling the story of ‘Du Kang inventing wine and getting Liu Ling drunk.’ I have to get it off my chest.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to the young master tell the story of Dukang wine along the way. Also, Fu’an looks north and Zhenwei is a powerful force in the Central Plains. I think the two escort agencies can help each other in the future.”

"well said."

Lu Beihe said to Zhou Yan and Hu Yanlei, "We should not delay. Let me inform my godfather and we will set off immediately."

"Thank you."

After Zhenwei's young master left, Huyan Lei let out a heavy sigh, thinking that with Brother Zhou around, there might still be hope of salvaging the shipment once the chief镖头 (chief镖头, a term referring to a bodyguard or镖师, is arrived).

(End of this chapter)