The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 126 Connecting the Dove: Qiu Chuji Recognizes an Old Friend
Zhou Yan borrowed a set of clothes from the boatman of the pleasure boat. The clothes were made of coarse linen and were not considered high-class, but his handsome appearance, improved martial arts skills, and changed temperament made him look elegant and extraordinary.

While Ma Yu was introducing Zhou Yan to Qiu Chuji, Tan Chuduan, and Hao Datong, Sun Bu'er secretly thought it was a pity that his disciple Cheng Yaojia was not there, otherwise they could have gotten to know each other, and given their youthful nature, it was possible that they might have liked each other.

Zhou Yan saved Sun Bu'er's life, and she also admired Zhou Yan. She had such thoughts when she was in Xiangyang, but later felt that matters of youth should be left to fate. However, seeing that Zhou Yan's connection with the Quanzhen Sect was becoming deeper and deeper, she suddenly had another idea.

Ma Yu had already asked the boatman to add tables and chairs. Zhou Yan sat down, and after a few cups of wine to celebrate, Wang Chuyi asked, "Young friend Zhou, are you on a delivery mission to Lin'an Prefecture?"

Zhou Yan replied, "My chief镖头 (chief镖头, a type of bodyguard/escort) has private business in Lin'an, and I accompanied him."

Upon hearing this, Sun Bu'er said to Ma Yu, "Zhang Biaotou is generous and upright, and his personality is similar to that of my third senior brother. He took good care of me when I traveled from Xiangyang to Jingzhou."

Among the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, Qiu Chuji is the one who stands up for justice and acts chivalrously. Changchunzi said, "When we return to Zhongnan Mountain, we must visit and get to know him in Zhongdu."

Since Zhou Yan had never shown himself before, Qiu Chuji felt that going to the Fu'an Escort Agency in Zhongdu to find Zhou Yan was too deliberate. But now, after exchanging drinks and conversation, he already regarded Zhou Yan as a young friend. Going to Zhongdu again would be to visit a friend rather than to seek a connection.

Zhou Yan politely replied to Qiu Chuji and asked, "Are all the Daoist masters gathered in Lin'an for a Daoist ceremony? If so, we should attend and listen."

Zhou Yan and Wang Chuyi met twice in Zhongdu, but neither of them mentioned the martial arts competition at Jiaxing Tower. Therefore, Zhou Yan was also unable to tell them about Yang Tiexin and his daughter.

Therefore, his words were intended to probe.

Wang Chuyi said, "It's a long story."

Unlike Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji was not as steady and thoughtful in his actions. He said, "This matter is related to an incident that happened in Niujia Village, Lin'an Prefecture eighteen years ago."

Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu did not mention the martial arts competition at Jiaxing Tower in front of Zhou Yan, which was obviously out of goodwill. However, the matter was far-reaching and involved the Zhao Prince's Mansion, so they feared that Zhou Yan might be implicated.

However, when Qiu Chuji mentioned Niujia Village, neither of them said anything to stop him.

Qiu Chuji spoke succinctly, recounting how he killed a villain eighteen years ago, encountered Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin in Niujia Village, and how they became acquainted after a fight on a snowy night, drinking and chatting about how Guo Xiaotian was later murdered and Yang Tiexin disappeared.

The details of Jiaxing Tower's encounter with the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan and their agreement to a duel eighteen years later were concealed by Changchunzi.

Zhou Yan wanted to use this as a starting point, and he quickly said, "What a coincidence."

"What do you mean?" Qiu Chuji asked.

"Last year, when the caravan was traveling through Jingzhou, they encountered a senior named Mu Yishan who was skilled in the Yang family spear at Fenglingdu. My head caravan leader and the senior got to know each other by chance, and during their conversation, they learned that the senior Mu's real name was Yang Tiexin, and that he had been traveling all over the country in search of the son of an old friend."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Chuji stood up abruptly. "Where is my Second Brother Yang now?"

"Now I'm staying at the Fu'an Escort Agency, where I work as a bodyguard."

Qiu Chuji felt his heart surge with emotion, and a thought came to him: "Thank you, young friend, for telling me. You have given Brother Yang a place to stay. He has suffered for more than ten years."

Wang Chuyi and Sun Bu'er both sighed with relief, never expecting that the person their senior brother had been searching for was actually at the escort agency of a friend they had known for a long time.

Qiu Chuji's thoughts returned, and he asked in confusion, "Brother Yang has another daughter?"

"Her surname is Mu, and she is an adopted daughter."

"I see." Qiu Chuji nodded and said, "My brother Guo's son has settled in the Mongolian desert and is currently in Lin'an. When he goes north, he will definitely visit the Fu'an Escort Agency."

The Six Heroes of Jiangnan and Guo Jing were originally in Lin'an. They must have come all the way from Taihu Lake in search of Wanyan Kang before arriving in the city. Zhou Yan thought to himself upon hearing Qiu Chuji's words.

Qiu Chuji and Ma Yu did not mention the purpose of the Six Heroes of Jiangnan and the Seven Masters of Quanzhen coming to Lin'an, but Zhou Yan's connection to the events before and after suggests that the Jiaxing martial arts competition was due to the sudden appearance of Ouyang Feng in Zhongdu and his subsequent southward journey with Wanyan Kang, which caused a change in circumstances.

Based on this, it seems that Ouyang Feng and his son, Liang Ziweng, and others went to the palace to steal the non-existent "Wumu's Legacy," and the Six Heroes of Jiangnan might all be involved.

Zhou Yan could not say that there was actually no "Wumu's Legacy" in Lin'an Palace. He pondered how to take advantage of this opportunity to kill Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai.

Qiu Chuji learned of Yang Tiexin's whereabouts, thus putting an end to a matter on his mind.

Zhou Yan figured that once Qiu Chuji went to Zhongdu to find Yang Tiexin, he would definitely reveal Yang Kang's identity and that Bao Shi was the Princess Consort of Zhao, so he wouldn't need to act as a go-between.

The atmosphere between the decks of the painted boat suddenly became more relaxed.

Zhao Zhijing felt a mix of emotions, thinking to himself, "What merit or ability does Zhou Yan have to be able to discuss Dao with my master and uncles? He's just a镖人 (bodyguard/escort)."

As night deepened, the painted boat docked. Zhou Yan bid farewell to the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, crossed the bridge, and walked through the streets, amidst the rows of buildings with upturned eaves.

Upon arriving at the inn, Zhou Yan saw only a flickering lamp in the guest room and knew that Zhang Wangyue had already returned.

"squeak"

Zhou Yan pushed open the door and entered. Zhang Wangyue was quite surprised to see him dressed as a boatman.

"Brother Zhou, what happened here?" "I was ambushed by a group of people at Nanping Mountain in West Lake, and we had a fight."

Seeing that Zhou Yan was full of energy and unharmed, Zhang Wangyue, though initially shocked, felt relieved and quickly asked, "Who is he?"

"His face was obscured by the mask, but when I fought one of them, I recognized his iron abacus technique and his fighting style. It was Cui Qingshan."

"People from Changfeng Escort Agency?"

"Can't be wrong."

Zhang Wangyue asked, "How do we escape?"

"It's quite a strange story." Zhou Yan and Zhang Wangyue sat on either side of the square table. He succinctly recounted how he escaped by hiding in the water and encountered the Seven Masters of Quanzhen.

Zhang Wangyue laughed and said, "Brother Zhou and the Quanzhen Sect are truly blessed."

Zhou Yan chuckled: "How about the head镖师 (escort/escort) come to Longmen镖局 (Longmen Escort Agency)?"

Zhang Wangyue's face darkened: "Chief镖头 Jiang was on a delivery mission to Dali, but he wasn't at the镖局 (镖局 is a type of security agency). He met with the owner of the镖局 and was quite hostile. At the time, I couldn't figure out why, but now I understand."

"The Changfeng Escort Agency visited the Longmen Escort Agency in Lin'an."

"That's how it should be."

Zhou Yan said, "Fu'an and Changfeng Escort Agency are rivals, but Helian Chuncheng is truly a remarkable figure. He took over Sihai and opened a branch of Changfeng in Zhongdu, and now he's in Lin'an. Perhaps Changfeng will open a branch in Lin'an as well."

Zhang Wangyue praised, "It's gratifying that Brother Zhou has this idea. I'm just afraid that you might lose your composure because of the Changfeng Escort Agency's secret dealings with you."

Zhou Yan laughed heartily: "Don't worry, Chief Escort, I know what's important."

"Therefore, Brother Zhou is capable of handling things on his own. He handled the matter of Chief Yang's robbery of the caravan perfectly."

"If I hadn't encountered Master Sun in the outskirts of Xiangyang and learned about Qiu Qianzhang from her, I would have been helpless at the time."

"Practice makes perfect, and you will achieve great things. This is a skill you have honed since you were a镖师 (bodyguard/escort). Even if other镖师 knew the information, how could they do everything so meticulously?"

Zhou Yan chuckled.

"What brings these Taoist priests from the Quanzhen School to Lin'an?"

"Does the Chief Escort still remember Escort Master Yang?"

"I remember, a martial arts contest to find a husband, to find the son of an old friend."

"This matter is related to Master Qiu of the Quanzhen Sect."

"Tell me slowly."

Zhang Wangyue asked the innkeeper for a pot of wine, and the two of them read by candlelight. Zhou Yan told him about Qiu Chuji's encounter with Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin in Niujia Village.

Zhang Wangyue learned the whole story and sighed deeply. He said that Yang Tiexin had traveled all over the country, searching with all his heart and soul for the son of his old friend. Qiu Chuji had also never forgotten Yang Tiexin. The two had been separated for eighteen years, but thanks to Zhou Yan, they were able to reunite.

Zhou Yan smiled but remained silent.

Zhang Wangyue suddenly said, "In that case, Brother Zhou, stay in Lin'an for a few days. If Daoist Qiu goes north, we can travel together and take you to the escort agency to find Head Escort Yang."

"Where is the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a term used to describe a bodyguard/escort)?"

I'm going to Huzhou.

"Listen to the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a term used in Chinese martial arts novels, often implying superiority)."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan realized that the chief镖头's trip to Huzhou must be related to the Imperial City Guard's rapid journey to Zhongdu.

……

As dawn broke, Zhang Wangyue rose early, gave Zhou Yan some instructions, and then left the inn, leading his yellow horse straight to Huzhou.

After seeing the other party off, Zhou Yan went to his room and pondered: the Six Heroes of Jiangnan had chased the Jin envoy to Lin'an. If Ouyang Ke and his group entered the palace, the other party would surely follow.

How can we prevent Ke Zhen'e and his men from falling into danger while also killing one or two of them?

Without Ouyang Feng, everything would be simple, but with Ouyang Feng present, a complete plan is needed.

(End of this chapter)