The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 159 Subtle Clues Reveal the Truth

The one who unleashed the stunning punch was none other than Zhang Wangyue, the chief镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Fu'an.

Zhou Yan chased after the burly man in black, weaving his way to the vicinity of Songhelou.

Zhang Wangyue was a descendant of Yue Fei's army. His style of doing things was unlike that of a chivalrous hero. He was hot-blooded and would draw his sword to fight without regard for anything.

He observed the situation, concealed himself, and waited for an opportunity to provide support.

Seeing that everyone was about to escape, Nemo attacked Zhou Yan. Zhang Wangyue suddenly appeared and, catching him off guard, punched him, severely injuring him.

"Thank you, hero." Qiu Chuji was the last to escape, and he rushed to Zhang Wangyue's side to express his gratitude.

"Let's go first. We know the way, so it won't be difficult for us to cover the rear and escape."

Qiu Chuji was stunned for a moment. The voice sounded familiar. When he looked at Zhang Wangyue's eyebrows and eyes, he immediately realized that he was the chief镖头 (bodyguard) of Fu'an.

"We'll meet in the western suburbs after we leave the city." Qiu Chuji quickly regained his composure, told them where he would be staying, leaped into the alley, and in a few bounds arrived beside Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi, who were waiting.

"It's Chief Escort Zhang, Zhou Xiaoyou, and others."

Wang Chuyi sighed, "We were afraid of being a burden to others, so we didn't tell them about the assassination attempt on Wanyan Honglie. Who knew that you would guess our intentions and then come to our aid?"

"Yes," Ma Yu echoed.

"Why don't we let Master Ke and the others go first? We'll wait," said Director Wang.

"No, the chief镖头 (chief镖师) said to leave this place immediately. My young friend and his companions are familiar with the terrain and it won't be difficult for them to escape. They have a place to stay. The Jin emperor has been assassinated. If the city gates are closed, it will only cause trouble for us if we don't leave."

"Row!"

After a brief discussion, the three caught up with Ke Zhen'e and his group, and quickly disappeared among the rows of houses.

……

"Let's go." Zhang Wangyue punched Nemo Xing away and shouted to Zhou Yan and Huang Rong on the roof of "Songhelou".

Zhou Yan suddenly swept his right leg, sending the entire roof of tiles whistling through the air and crashing down onto the long street.

Lingzhi Shangren smashed the cymbals in his hand, creating clouds of dust in the air. Falling tiles scattered in all directions. When his vision cleared up a little, he could still see the figures of Zhou Yan, Huang Rong, and Zhang Wangyue.

"Don't leave if you dare."

"Let's have a one-on-one fight."

Hou Tonghai, his head bleeding profusely, shouted angrily.

"I hate you..."

Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and covered Hou Tonghai's mouth.

Hou Tonghai let out two soft groans, and when he saw that the person who had let go was Sha Tongtian, he asked in confusion, "What is Senior Brother doing?"

Sha Tongtian said coldly, "You are not allowed to use that phrase again."

"Why?"

"Just do as instructed."

Hou Tonghai, fearing Sha Tongtian, said sullenly, "I know."

Imperial guards and Prince Zhao's personal soldiers chased after them frantically. Amid the chaotic crowd, Wanyan Honglie's majestic voice echoed through the long street: "Seal off the city gates and search the entire city."

The air was filled with a nauseating stench of blood. Yang Kang raised his head slightly, and snowflakes fell on his face, turning into water droplets, bringing a chill.

He let out a soft breath, his tense and agitated emotions gradually calming down. With Ouyang Feng's assistance, his father's ascent to the summit was practically guaranteed.

As he thought about it, the two phrases on the folding fan that Wanyan Honglie had given him came to mind.

"If you hold the reins of power, you can bring peace and prosperity to the world."

Yang Kang's emotions were gradually stirred up again; from now on, he would be the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty.

……

Zhou Yan, Huang Rong, and Zhang Wangyue appeared and disappeared in the narrow alley, easily shaking off the pursuing Prince's personal guards and Imperial City guards. After circling around a few times, the three entered Zhou Yan's courtyard.

Huang Rong took off the Earth Goddess mask that she had always worn since purchasing it in Lin'an.

Zhang Wangyue removed the square scarf covering his face, and Zhou Yan said to Huang Rong, "This is my chief bodyguard."

Huang Rong knew Fu'an by heart and cupped her hands, saying, "Greetings, Chief Escort Zhang. Thank you for escorting me on my previous escort missions."

"You're too kind," Zhang Wangyue returned the greeting, then asked Zhou Yu, "Have you caught up with the hero who took the head of the gold master?"

"It's a long story," Zhou Tan sighed. He had been piecing together fragments of information on the way out of Songhelou, and now he had a complete plan.

The teapot on the indoor stove was still warm. Zhou Yan poured tea, and the three of them sat around the square table. He said, "Does the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a person who is very skilled in martial arts) think that the appearance of the black-clad man who attempted to assassinate the patron was too coincidental?"

A word to wake up the dreamer.

Zhang Wangyue frowned and pondered for a while before saying, "That's true."

“I fought with that man. At first, I couldn’t tell which martial arts school he was using. But when he was in a hurry to get away, he used a palm technique that was exactly the same as the one used by the bandit monk Baoneng when the escort agency encountered him at the Yellow River dock while transporting goods in Xianyang.”

"Is the man from the Vajra Sect of the Western Regions?"

"Exactly."

"Why did the monks of the Vajra Sect in the Western Regions assassinate their patron?" This was something Huang Rong had never been able to understand, so she asked it again.

Zhou Yan said, "The Changfeng Escort Agency of Datong Prefecture set up a branch in Zhongdu a year ago. Fu'an and Changfeng have a grudge against each other, which has led to a lot of fighting. In the past, the Changfeng Escort Agency mainly escorted goods from the Western Regions."

Huang Rong, being intelligent, suddenly turned her sharp eyes and said, "It was Changfeng Escort Agency that made contact with the Vajra Sect."

"Changfeng Escort Agency also managed to ingratiate itself with Prince Zhao's mansion."

Huang Rong instantly understood, "The Changfeng Escort Agency introduced the monks of the Vajra Sect to Yang Kang of the Zhao Prince's Mansion."

"As it should be."

As Zhang Wangyue listened to Huang Rong and Zhou Yan's analysis, a thought suddenly struck him: "Could the Tongguan incident be..."

Zhou Yan smiled bitterly: "That's right, it must have been the work of Changfeng Escort Agency. They paid a lot of money to hire someone to attack the Fu'an Escort Team at Tongguan Wharf. At that time, it was raining heavily, and the escort team was camped in the mountains several miles away from the wharf. Meanwhile, the Zhenwei Escort Agency of Kaifeng Prefecture, which was en route to Taiyuan Prefecture, happened to be at the wharf." "Baoneng's group mistook Zhenwei's escort team for ours."

"Ah."

Even the quick-witted Huang Rong couldn't help but sigh, "Such a coincidence exists in the world."

“Yes, who could have imagined it?” Zhou Yan changed the subject and asked Zhang Wangyue, “After the crisis in Zhongdu is over, I will go to Kaifeng Prefecture to explain this matter.”

“That’s to be expected.” Zhang Wangyue then asked, “So, the assassination of the patron by the Vajra Sect monks was also a deliberate arrangement?”

"It was Yang Kang. He took advantage of the opportunity when Master Qiu and others were trying to assassinate Wanyan Honglie to lure the emperor away from his guards, and the Vajra Sect expert hit him in one blow."

Zhang Wangyue suddenly understood, "Wanyan Honglie wants to be a sugar daddy?"

"It must have been Yang Kang who forced Wanyan Honglie to the extreme position."

“Yang Kang is so young, yet he has such a deep and calculating mind; it is truly frightening,” Zhang Wangyue said.

Huang Rong laughed and said, "But he never expected that Chief Escort Zhou would see through him at a glance."

“It was really lucky.” Zhou Yan then turned to Zhang Wangyue and said, “I think it’s possible to leave the city and tell Daoist Qiu and the others about this.”

"it is good."

After finishing their tea, the three parted ways. Huang Rong returned to the Zhao Prince's Mansion, while Zhang Wangyue rushed back to Fu'an. Zhou Yan changed his clothes and headed straight for the western suburbs.
……

The light snow stopped, but the sky remained overcast, with low-pressure clouds like a pair of shackles binding the sky and the earth.

In the western suburbs of Zhongdu, there is a low wall and a thatched gate.

Ke Zhen'e's voice rang out: "That's satisfying!"

Qiu Chuji, Ma Yu, Wang Chuyi and others were all delighted. Although the assassination attempt on Wanyan Honglie failed, the assassination of their patron was a cause for celebration.

"Master Qiu, how about we have a good drink?"

"Right on my mind."

"Disciple drinks."

"Jing'er, go and come back quickly," Han Xiaoying instructed.

"understood."

Guo Jing left the courtyard and headed towards the nearest tavern.

……

Zhou Yan had only walked half a mile out of the city when he heard the heavy sound of the city gate closing behind him. He glanced at the towering city wall but didn't think much of it.

At a height exceeding four zhang, it would be difficult to use light-footed skills to leap up, but during his time as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in Jingzhou, he had already honed the skill of throwing ropes, which he could use to lasso the battlements and move in and out as if walking on flat ground.

He turned around and hurried to the courtyard in the western suburbs.

Horses were tied to willow trees, and the sounds of laughter and toasting could be heard from the courtyards and houses.

He paused for a few moments, then pushed open the door and went inside.

"Master Ma."

"It's Brother Zhou."

As soon as Zhou spoke, hearty laughter rang out from inside the room, and the thick curtain was then lifted.

Guo Jing, Wang Chuyi, and Han Xiaoying came out.

"Taoist Master, Heroine Han, Brother Guo."

"Please come in, my benefactor," Han Xiaoying greeted warmly.
"please!"

Zhou Yan entered and saw several tables put together. The other members of the Six Heroes of Jiangnan were there, as well as Qiu Chuji and Ma Yu.

"Are Zhang Biao Tou and the others safe?" Qiu Chuji asked Zhou Yan.

"Safety."

"Very well, young friend, stay here tonight. Let's have a good drink. The assassination of our patron is a great relief."

"Things may be different from what the Taoist priest imagines."

"What do you mean?" Zhou Yan sat down, took the wine bowl that Zhu Cong brought him, thanked him, and said, "That man in black who took the money from the patron is no ordinary hero; there's more to the story."

"Tell me slowly," Ma Yu said.

"This story begins at the Tongguan Yellow River Wharf." Zhou Yu immediately started from the encounter with Baoneng at the Tongguan Wharf, recounting the struggle between Changfeng and Fu'an, his suspicion that the person who took the head of the gold master was from the Western Region Vajra Sect, Yang Kang's regicide, and all the other matters.

The matter was of great importance. He knew the truth, but for Qiu Chuji, Guo Jing, and others, it was all just speculation. That's why Zhou Yan explained it in great detail.

The hall fell silent suddenly, amplifying all the sounds outside. The north wind swirled around the eaves, sighing softly.

Guo Jing was caught off guard. He said, "Brother Yang helped me kill two Jurchens and said that as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. He must have meant it sincerely."

Yang Kang took advantage of the opportunity when everyone was trying to assassinate Wanyan Honglie to arrange for the Vajra Sect's experts to kill the patron. Not to mention Guo Jing, Qiu Chuji and Ke Zhen'e also found it unbelievable.

The kind-hearted Ma Yu is no exception.

He was too kind and easily believed what others said. In the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, he was easily tricked and poisoned by Peng Lianhu. He found it hard to believe that Yang Kang could do such treacherous and rebellious things as betraying his master and ancestors, killing people with borrowed knives, and assisting Wanyan Honglie to ascend the throne. He was cunning and ruthless.

Ma Yu said, "Young friend, is there any possibility of a misjudgment?"

Zhou Yan said, "There is such a thing, but given the current situation in the Jin Kingdom, it is necessary to establish another emperor immediately. If Wanyan Honglie becomes emperor, perhaps my reasoning will be reasonable and correct."

“That makes sense.” Ma Yu nodded.

"Crack!"

Qiu Chuji's elbow, which was pressing down on the table, sank, and the wooden table made a cracking sound as if it could not bear the weight, and cracks as dense as a spider web instantly spread out.

He said angrily:
"If what you say is true, young friend, then we will surely slay that wicked creature."

(End of this chapter)