The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 160 A man's path is where he goes, regardless of poverty or wealth.

The air at dusk was chilly, and the dirt roads and houses were a mix of gray and white.

The Yang family lived along the river, with more than a dozen other scattered courtyards nearby.

It should have been a time when "smoke rises from chimneys at dusk, and children call to close the gates," but Zhou Yan saw no signs of life. Perhaps some of the owners of those courtyards had already entered Zhongdu City, while others had gone to stay with relatives or fled famine.

The three disciples of Quanzhen, Guo Jing, and Zhu Cong saw Zhou Yan off at the door. He cupped his hands and said, "Please return, three Daoist masters, Hero Zhu, and Brother Guo."

"Take care, young friend."

"it is good."

Zhou Yan turned around and walked against the wind. Based on his understanding of the Legend of the Condor Heroes world and Yang Kang, he made reasonable analyses and bold speculations. He told Qiu Chuji, Guo Jing and others about the possible things that might happen in Yang Kang's storyline, which had undergone earth-shattering changes. The rest was up to time to verify.

He also had many questions to ponder: what role would Ouyang Feng play in this incident, and whether the Vajra Sect of the Western Regions would launch a large-scale southward invasion due to Wanyan Honglie's ascension to the throne, leading to a martial arts conflict between the Vajra Sect and Shaolin Temple.

There's also the Changfeng Escort Agency.

The original plan was that if Wanyan Honglie left the capital or was assassinated, he would go directly to Changfeng Escort Agency. However, due to many unpredictable variables, the strategy needs to be adjusted accordingly.

"My benefactor, please wait." Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind. Zhou Yan turned around and saw Zhu Cong and Guo Jing walking forward.

Zhou Yan's reading of The Legend of the Condor Heroes had a profound impact on Zhu Cong. In addition to possessing the "Empty Hands" skill that even Ouyang Feng admired, Zhu Cong was also extremely intelligent.

“Master Zhu, from now on you can just call me brother. It is our duty to help those in need. I really cannot accept the title of ‘benefactor’.”

“Alright, Brother Zhou,” Zhu Cong said.

"Does Zhu Erxia want to ask about Yang Kang?" Zhou Yan also changed his form of address accordingly.

"I don't know something."

"Please say?"

"Did Yang Kang harbor the intention to kill his patron long ago?"

Zhou Yan carefully considered his words and said, "Master Qiu said that Yang Kang was greedy for wealth and status. I think this is the cause of the incident. The cause of the incident is related to your request for Yang Kang to cooperate with you from the inside and outside to kill Wanyan Honglie."

"But if that's the case, why not be more decisive in 'using someone else to kill you' and recruit more experts? In that case, we would have no chance of escaping today. But he just said to Jing'er, 'As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.'"

Zhu Cong asked the same question that Guo Jing wanted to know, so he immediately listened attentively.

Zhou Yan said, "What if Yang Kang asks for my help from 'righteousness' in the future?"

Zhu Cong was taken aback, pondered for a while, and then suddenly realized.

Guo Jing was puzzled and didn't dare to ask, but suddenly he heard Zhou Yan say, "Brother Guo, a man can go anywhere, regardless of poverty or wealth. Until we meet again."

"My benefactor, please take care," Guo Jing said hastily.

"Zhu Erxia, farewell."

"Take care, Brother Zhou."

After Zhou Yan left, Guo Jing asked, "Second Master, I didn't understand what my benefactor said to you."

Zhu Cong asked, "If things go as predicted, and one day we see Yang Kang again and say we want to kill Wanyan Honglie, Yang Kang will say that he is the crown prince and the future emperor, and can persuade Wanyan Honglie to implement benevolent policies and treat the people well. When he ascends the throne, the Jin people and the Han people will be like brothers. Jing'er, should we kill Wanyan Honglie or not?"

Guo Jing answered honestly, "If that's the case, then he shouldn't have been killed, but I can't leave the murder of my father unavenged."

"That's where Yang Kang's brilliance lies."

"It will really be as my benefactor said."

"The answer will come soon."

What is the meaning of "A man's path is his own, regardless of poverty or wealth"?

"The key to being a man lies in the correctness of his behavior, not in judging success or failure by temporary hardship or prosperity."

Zhu Cong sighed, "Actually, Jing'er should become sworn brothers with someone like our benefactor."

"Jing'er will become sworn brothers with your benefactor next time."

“Silly Jing’er, our benefactor and the Taoist priests are like old friends, and you regard Taoist priests Qiu and Ma as your teachers. Wouldn’t that mess up the seniority? Let’s go.”

As dusk settled, the old man and the young man walked toward the Yang family courtyard. Guo Jing was a man who valued seniority, so he didn't think about the sworn brotherhood. His mind kept replaying Zhou Yan's words: "A man's path is where he should go, regardless of poverty or wealth."

Zhou Yan continued on his journey and arrived at the horse shop where Lu Keshang had purchased mules and horses twice.

The horse shop owner had long since fled into the city to seek refuge, and all the mules and horses had been sold out. The huge horse shop was only guarded by a few employees. Zhou Yan was familiar with the employees, and they drank and chatted together. When the night became completely dark, he borrowed a hemp rope and headed straight for the city wall.

Because the city was under siege to capture Qiu Chuji and his men, the defenses were not tight. He found a secluded spot, tied a slipknot to one end of a rope, and threw it up. With his strong arms and skill in throwing ropes, he got the hang of it after a few tries and accurately lassoed the battlements.

He climbed up and entered the city silently.

……

The orange glow of the lamps softened the nighttime atmosphere of the Zhao Prince's mansion, and the wind blew through the doorways, causing the lanterns to sway gently.

Yang Kang watched as Bao Xiang opened the cloth bag and took out the head of the golden master.

On that dignified face, which bore a resemblance to his father, lingered fear and shock.

When Zhou Yan returned from escorting goods in Luoyang, Yang Kang had a conversation with Wanyan Honglie at the Prince's Mansion. The Prince of Jin said that once he had great power, Yang Kang's wealth and honor would be limitless.

Wanyan Honglie also told Yang Kang to pack his belongings and prepare to leave the capital. After their conversation, Yang Kang went to the hermitage to find Bao Xiang of the Vajra Sect, and they discussed the assassination of the Jin emperor. Bao Xiang was a disciple of the Fire-Worker Monk, and was known for his fierce and ruthless nature. His sect was located in the Western Regions, far from the emperor's reach, so he had no qualms about interfering. Yang Kang had once asked Ouyang Feng to save his life, and because of this, Bao Xiang readily agreed to assassinate the Jin emperor, ultimately succeeding in his mission.

Yang Kang stared at the man's head for a long time before speaking, "Once the great matter is accomplished and everything has stabilized, I will fully support the Master in the struggle between the two Shaolin Temples."

"Thank you very much, Your Highness." Bao Xiang was overjoyed.

"I have another request. I wish to arrange a personal bodyguard for my father. I wonder if you could recommend someone?"

"That's no problem at all, leave it to me."

Yang Kang was cunning. Bao Xiang killed the patron, and then asked to recommend a personal bodyguard for Wanyan Honglie. If it was someone from the Vajra Sect, it would completely bind this sect in the Western Regions to the Zhao Prince's Mansion.

If it were someone else, Baoxiang would be completely devoted to him from then on; this is called trust that earns loyalty.

Overjoyed, Yang Kang drank tea and chatted with the monks of the Vajra Sect. After finishing his tea, he took his leave to visit Ouyang Feng.

……

On a dark and windy night, Ouyang Feng appeared at several residences of Wanyan Zongshi.

While the two princes of the imperial clan were asleep, they each struck the other's "Fengchi" and "Shufu" acupoints, which were considered fatal points.

The following day, one of the two princes from the imperial clan had bloodshot eyes, tinnitus, and emphysema at the back of his head, which caused the emphysema to burst, resulting in his untimely death.

Blood and tears suddenly streamed from the other person's eyes. The energy that Ouyang Feng transmitted clashed with the blood and qi injected into the "Shufu" acupoint through the vital points, destroying the Huagai and Tiantu acupoints above and collapsing the Shenque and Qihai acupoints below. The opponent's life force was exhausted, and within half a day, he looked like he was in his twilight years.

No one in the imperial clan could rival Wanyan Honglie for power.

With the Mongol army imminent in Zhongdu, time was of the essence. Wanyan Honglie, who had previously traveled to Mongolia and instigated conflicts within Genghis Khan's clan, was considered shrewd and capable, and deeply respected within the clan. He was tasked with turning the tide in this crisis and became a key figure in the government.

Yang Kang got what he wanted.

The storyline of The Legend of the Condor Heroes has undergone tremendous changes.

Ultimately, this turn of events was all due to Zhou Yan. He encountered Yang Tiexin and Huang Rong at Fenglingdu on the Yellow River. Yang Tiexin and his daughter settled in Fu'an, while Huang Rong chased Hou Tonghai to Lin'an.

Without Mu Nianci's martial arts contest to choose a husband, Guo Jing met Huang Rong in Zhangjiakou. It can truly be said that "the light flickers and the shadows narrow, a slight flutter of butterfly wings," a single move affects the whole situation, the world of Condor Heroes changes, and storms lurk in the shadows.

Three days after the assassination of the patron, Wanyan Honglie ascended the throne.

In the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the Great Jin Prince once told Yang Kang that he would become Li Yuan, and Yang Kang would become Li Shimin.

In the martial arts world that Zhou Yan transmigrated to, everything came true.

Wanyan Honglie's ascension to the throne revitalized the stagnant imperial clan, giving them a much-needed boost. He promoted military officers and oversaw the defense of Zhongdu.

……

As the night deepens, the wine warms around the fireplace. Let the flying snow blanket the river and sky.
Inside the Fu'an Escort Agency, the stove burned brightly, filling the air with the aroma of wine.

Zhang Wangyue sighed, "Just as Brother Zhou predicted, Wanyan Honglie has become the patron."

"Brother Zhou is incredibly capable." Hu Yanlei then turned to Mu Nianci and said, "Mu Nianci is practically a princess of the Jin Kingdom."

Mu Nianci and Sha Gu are currently living at the escort agency, while Wang Kui and Shi Baichuan have not yet returned from their escort mission. With the great changes taking place in Zhongdu City, the four of them naturally revolve around the topic of Yang Kang becoming the crown prince.

Mu Nianci was Yang Tiexin's adopted daughter, and Yang Kang was his adopted brother. Hu Yanlei's claim that she was a princess of the Jin Kingdom was just a joke.

"Chief镖头 (Huyan镖头 - a term of respect for镖头, meaning镖头 is a person who is skilled in martial arts), please don't make fun of me." Mu Nianci said somewhat anxiously.

Zhou Yan said, "Brother Huyan is joking."

Mu Nianci said earnestly, "Once things calm down in Zhongdu, my godfather and godmother will come to Fu'an."

"Not going to Niujia Village?" Zhou Yan asked.

“My adoptive father values ​​righteousness. The fact that he was able to reunite with my adoptive mother is all thanks to Fu’an. How could he leave?”

Zhang Wangyue and Hu Yanlei couldn't help but sigh when they thought about Yang Tiexin's search for the Guo family's descendants for more than ten years.

The word "loyalty" is fully embodied in Yang Tiexin.

Hu Yanlei changed the subject, "I wonder what's going on in Changfeng now. Is Helian Chuncheng continuing to run his escort agency or has he joined Yang Kang?"

This is yet another variable.

When Zhou Yan and Hu Yanlei returned from their escort mission in Luoyang and Kaifeng, Zhang Wangyue, who had previously scouted Changfeng at night, told them that Changfeng Escort Agency was planning to set up a branch in Kaifeng.

At that time, not only Helian Chuncheng, but Zhou Yan also did not expect that Yang Kang would kill the emperor.

Everyone, regardless of status or wealth, is striving for advancement. It wouldn't be surprising if Helian Chuncheng were to abandon his escort agency and join Yang Kang's cause.

"Let's go and find out around midnight," Zhou Yan said.

“I’m with Brother Zhou,” Hu Yanlei said.

Zhou Yan laughed: "It's not time to make a move against Changfeng yet. We're just gathering information. Brother, there's no need to worry."

Hu Yanlei chuckled, "Alright then."

At midnight, Zhou Yan changed into his night clothes and disappeared into the darkness.

(End of this chapter)