The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 185 Young Huo Du, Disaster Strikes from the Sky

The wine cups must be filled to the brim; chivalrous heroes of the martial world invite their guests to taste.

The wine is herbal wine brewed by the Herbal Immortal.

The dishes include "Three-Phase Bamboo Rat", "Dragon, Tiger and Phoenix", "Smoked Frog Legs", and "Steamed Tofu" prepared by Huang Rong.

Liang Xiaowu and the three porters also received a share, and none of them missed out on the Baicao Wine.

This was yet another opportunity for the young bodyguards of Fu'an, brought about by Zhou Yan.

After Zhou Yan left Fu'an, given time, the other party would become the most outstanding bodyguard in the escort agency. In a sense, Zhou Yan was grooming the other party to be his successor.

Duan Huai'an had treated Zhou Yan very well, and Zhou Yan reciprocated by giving him fine wine.

The herbalist was so hospitable that Zhou Yan drank cup after cup. As the medicine took effect, he felt a warm current in his lower abdomen, like hugging a stove in the dead of winter.

After drinking this wine, one should cultivate and circulate qi and blood, and generate internal strength through the stimulation of the meridians. It will take at least several months to complete this practice.

The Herbalist Immortal was still preoccupied with the fact that Mei Chaofeng was poisoned by toads and that he could suppress the poison. During the meal, he asked again, "Please enlighten me on the matter of Miss Mei's poisoning."

Zhou Yan said, "I once ate a medicinal snake and accidentally discovered that I could control snakes. At that time, the situation was critical, so I wrote this book and fed it to people with my blood."

The Herbalist suddenly realized something. He asked if Zhou Yan knew the ingredients of the medicine for feeding snakes with medicine. Zhou Yan told him the truth. Huang Rong, being quick-witted, realized that the Liang Ziweng Great Treasure Snake mentioned by the medicine boy had actually been eaten by the镖头 (镖头 is a term used to describe someone who is very skilled in martial arts).

interesting.

After pondering for a while, the Immortal of Herbs smiled and said to Zhou Yan, "Every medicine has some toxicity. Both the medicine snake and my Hundred Herbs Wine follow the principle of the fusion of toxicology and pharmacology. When you first drink this Hundred Herbs Wine, it will nourish your blood and qi, and have a continuous effect that can increase your power. But the effect will weaken afterward."

Zhou Yan understood this principle. Eating snake gallbladders in the outskirts of Xiangyang was similar; initially, even ordinary snake gallbladders could increase strength, but later only purple snake gallbladders showed any effect. And the efficacy gradually weakened.

"The drugs are incompatible, so young friend, eating the medicinal snake can help you fight off toxins, especially snake venom. After you finish drinking these several jars of herbal wine today, the anti-toxin effect will be even better. Except for rare poisons in the world, you can ignore any other poisons."

Zhou Yan had long known that he was resistant to snake venom, but there were countless poisons in the world, and he didn't know if it would be effective against other types of poisons. The words of the Herbalist gave him peace of mind.

Huang Rong joked, "I'm going to have a few more drinks."

"One must drink three hundred cups at a time."

Huang Rong smiled gently, saying this, but in reality she drank very moderately.

Zhou Yan said kindly, "None of the Five Poisons Sect members who came to Hundred Herbs Valley survived. They can escape for a while, but Immortal Elder should still make more plans."

Huang Rong clapped her hands, "I was just idling around in the valley, so I set up a formation that my father used to keep the Five Poisons Sect's invaders from getting dizzy and unable to enter the valley. And if the enemy is too powerful and tries to cause trouble, we'll have enough time to leave calmly."

The Herbalist chuckled. He didn't know that the father Huang Rong spoke of was the Eastern Heretic, so he didn't completely believe what the other party said. However, he accepted the wholehearted sentiment, and Huang Rong's intelligence and wit deeply impressed him.

"Thank you very much, young friend Huang."

"Elder, please don't be so polite."

When drinking with a bosom friend, a thousand cups are not enough. During this drinking session, Zhou Yan and Huang Rong talked about some interesting stories from the martial arts world, and also mentioned the Mongol army besieging Zhongdu and the Jin Dynasty losing Daxingfu and moving its capital.

The Herb Immortal knew nothing of these matters. He even said he had been here since Yue Fei was unjustly accused. Zhou Yan was astonished; the Herb Immortal was as carefree as the Three Wanderers of the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

When the Herbalist heard that the Mongol army had planned to massacre Zhongdu, he cursed loudly, saying that the Lin'an court was incompetent and that the poor people had been abandoned by wolves and jackals, only to be replaced by tigers and leopards.

Zhou Yan sighed, “When the country prospers, the people suffer; when it is forgotten, the people suffer.”

Huang Rong squinted at Zhou Yan, thinking to herself that she couldn't try to figure out this镖头's habits by conventional standards.

The fragrance of wine on the stone table has faded with the wind, and dew has risen from the empty cup among the flowers.

After a long and enjoyable time, it was midnight, and the three of them returned to their bamboo huts.

Zhou Yan practiced his internal energy cultivation, circulating qi and blood to transform the medicinal effects into internal strength.

He then devoted several months to arduous practice.

……

In the spring of April, we saw each other off to the outskirts of the city.

The Immortal of Herbs took two jars of herb wine from the boy and handed them to Zhou Yan.

"This wine is a pleasant pastime on the road."

"Thank you, Immortal Elder. Please come to Zhongdu for a chat when you have some free time."

"Of course. Young friend, when you travel to western Hunan as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), please stay at Hundred Herbs Valley for a few days."

"must."

During their long conversation last night, the Herbalist learned of Zhou Yan's identity as a镖人 (bodyguard/escort).

The two made a pact to meet in the martial world.

"Take care on your journey," Huang Rong said with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm leaving now."

Zhou Yan hung the Hundred Herbs Wine on the "Night-Shining Jade Lion," mounted his horse, and the charioteer and his group departed.

Huang Rong waited for a long time, but Zhou Yan left without waving goodbye. She pouted and turned around, "youthful and carefree," and smiled at the Herbalist, saying, "My lord, now that you have some free time, you should ask me to teach you about pharmacology and acupuncture."

"To impart all my knowledge"

The Herbalist Master laughed heartily.

……

Zhou Yan and the others rode swiftly out of the valley. Liang Xiaowu said, "The Immortal's Herbal Wine is truly miraculous. Last night, I felt hot all over and my blood was boiling."

"and then."

The mounted escort said, "Master Liang said that the effects of the Hundred Herbs Wine are no less than a medicinal bath. I'll wait until we find a secluded spot in the valley to hone my skills."

"Not bad." Zhou Yan praised, then took a jar of herbal wine and tossed it to Liang Xiaowu.

"This is yours."

"How can you do this, Chief镖头?"

"The medicinal properties of this wine have limited effect on my cultivation, but it's different for you. It will at least boost your cultivation for half a year." Liang Xiaowu knew that Zhou Yan meant what he said, and replied, "I will repay the head镖头 (镖头 is a nickname for a镖头) with my life."

"Me too."

Zhou Yan laughed and said, "Just show our strength for Fu'an."

Unaware that Zhou Yan intended to leave, Liang Xiaowu and the others nodded emphatically.

It was drizzling most of the time when they arrived, but the weather was sunny and clear when they left. They quickened their pace and arrived at Yuanjiang Wharf a day later, where Liang Xiaowu returned the hired carriage.

Zhou Yan remembered that the Beggars' Sect's Junshan Conference in the Legend of the Condor Heroes was held in the second half of the year, so there was no need to detour to Yueyang. After crossing the Yuan River, he spurred his horse and headed northeast, heading straight for the Yangtze River in Jingzhou.

During the journey, he thought that after he resigned from his position as head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), he would have some free time to travel south across the Yangtze River, starting from Hengyang, and then travel around western Hunan.

……

Zhongdu, Songhelou.

Bao Xiang committed murder against his wealthy patron, and Songhelou was almost reduced to ruins.

Now it has been completely transformed, with white walls and green tiles, and soaring eaves. Lanterns hang high, and the signs are grand and imposing.

Songhelou was already the most prestigious restaurant in Zhongdu. After this incident, its reputation soared. Martial arts heroes sat in elegant seats, drinking and listening to the storyteller recount the earth-shattering assassination that had occurred inside and outside the restaurant, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Outside, the noise of cars and horses filled the air; inside, laughter and toasts mingled.

Such noises arose from the private room.

"Congratulations to Mr. Duan on your prosperous business."

"I think it's not just a booming business; one day it will surely be a major player in the escort business."

"Please excuse my poor performance."

There were five or six people in the private room, and the one in the middle was Duan Huai'an, the owner of the house in Fu'an.

With Zhongdu settled down, Zhou Yan and Hu Yanlei uprooted the Zhongdu branch of the Changfeng Escort Agency in Datong Prefecture.

The incident occurred on the night the city fell. Many merchants and wealthy households in Zhongdu were robbed and bloodied. Changfeng couldn't possibly blame Fu'an for this. Helian Chuncheng, having pledged allegiance to Yang Kang, was eager to expand his business and had no interest in the escort agency. Helian Zhantai remained in a wait-and-see mode, not in a hurry to reopen the branch in Zhongdu, which was under Mongol control.

Guo Jing and Mu Nianci returned from Caizhou and also visited Fu'an. Now a commander of ten thousand, his every word and action attracts attention, and many Mongol nobles and garrison officers who came to Zhongdu know some of the news.

Therefore, while merchants in Zhongdu were getting used to being robbed and eating for free, Fu'an was undisturbed, which naturally made their businesses more and more prosperous.

Duan Huai'an hosted a banquet at Songhelou Restaurant to thank the owners of the caravan companies, horse companies, and trading companies that cooperated with the escort agency.

After a few drinks, the owners and managers emerged from the private room and headed for the stairs.

"Brother, please!" said the horse shopkeeper in the western suburbs, who had previously acquired the "Jade Lion Under the Night".

"No need to be so polite, Manager Wang, please go first."

The car dealership owner laughed and said, "We're all just following in Brother Duan's footsteps, so please don't be so polite."

Unlike those in the martial arts world who are unconcerned with trivial matters, businessmen pay attention to their words and actions, and are concerned with minor etiquette that is easily overlooked by ordinary people. Everyone insisted that Duan Huai'an go up the stairs first.

After some polite refusals, a young nobleman emerged from the private room, accompanied by two attendants.

The burly follower strode forward, pushing and shouting, "Make way, make way!"

The shopkeeper immediately became displeased: "You are such a rude and uncouth man."

The man glanced back at the young man, saw him sneer and remain silent, then turned back and shoved him, shouting, "Get out of my way!"

Duan Huai'an had a martial arts stance, and with a move called "Wild Horse Parts Its Mane," he tried to brush away the other party's shoving, saying, "Let's talk this out. This young master, please go first."

The burly man sneered, "You have some nerve, still resisting."

But then the other person's elbow dipped and then rose, and his palm slipped under Duan Huai'an's arm and slapped his chest.

"bang"

Duan Huai'an flew out, slammed heavily against the stair railing, bounced off, and tumbled down the stairs to the first floor.

"Brother Duan."

"You scoundrel."

Some shopkeepers rushed downstairs, and others lunged at the man. With several loud bangs, all the shopkeepers who lunged at him were knocked to the ground.

"Little Prince, please..."

The young prince, referred to as the Little Prince, casually opened his folding fan, strolled downstairs, and left as if nothing had happened.

The horse and carriage shop owners called their drivers to help take the unconscious Duan Huai'an to the escort agency. The carriage shop owner said he was going to settle accounts with someone.

The manager of Songhelou Restaurant rushed over in a great hurry.

They were all acquaintances. The restaurant owner said, "That young man is a Mongolian prince named Huo Du. How can you fight him? Quickly send him to a镖局 (escort agency) and find a doctor to treat him."

Amidst the commotion, Duan Huai'an was carried onto the carriage.

……

An ominous atmosphere permeated the Fu'an Escort Agency.

Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Shi Baichuan were all out on escort missions, while Mu Nianci, Yang Tiexin who had returned from Caizhou, and a group of other escorts who were not on missions waited anxiously in the courtyard.

"Squeak!"

Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci felt their hearts leap into their throats as the door crack widened.

"Sir, how is it?" Mu Nianci asked as she hurried forward.

The doctor sighed, "The palm strike to the chest isn't serious; Chief Escort Zhang's medicine cured it completely. But the head injury means there's no telling when he'll wake up. Perhaps... alas!"

Mu Nianci and Yang Tiexin felt a jolt in their hearts.

(End of this chapter)