The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 22 A gentleman is open and honest, while a petty person is always anxious and worried.

"That brat is in my hands. I'll make him wish he were dead and feed him to the snakes."

"hiss!"

As Ouyang Ke spoke harshly, he gasped for breath.

He sat on the grass in the woods, while two concubines carefully wiped away the lime powder that had gotten into their eyes with silk handkerchiefs.

The young master of White Camel Mountain felt extremely unlucky and headed south with high spirits, only to encounter one setback after another.

First, he encountered a beautiful young woman with a face that could rival the beauty of fish and geese. Unexpectedly, she had not only escaped from the clutches of the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River, but the four good-for-nothings had also died on the outskirts of Datong Prefecture.

Feeling depressed and frustrated, his two concubines sought out a beautiful woman and kidnapped her at night to amuse themselves, only to be ambushed and killed by members of the Quanzhen Sect. Thinking that things would finally turn around in Zhongdu, they used their martial arts skills to gain the favor of the Jin king, and were given a chance to showcase their abilities, only to be defeated by a wild boy.

The excruciating pain returned to his eyes, and Ouyang Ke clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

"How can we not avenge such a humiliation? We will dig three feet into the ground and find you no matter what."

Ouyang Ke swore an oath.

……

The silver saddle illuminates the white horse, rustling like a meteor.

Zhou Yan galloped his horse for several miles, then sighed, "It's a pity I didn't bring a bow, otherwise I would have had a chance to kill Ouyang Ke."

He and Hong Qigong had different views.

Ouyang Ke is a man who deserves to die. Given the perfect opportunity, he will definitely make his move without hesitation.

With no one around, and the opponent hit by lime, there's a chance to destroy the body and cover it up with a powerful bow shot. How could Ouyang Feng possibly find out?

Zhou Yan's lament lies in the fact that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has slipped away into thin air.

The young master of White Camel Mountain is far more skilled than I am now, and that man is cunning. If I miss this opportunity, I will not get another chance.

Zhou Yan snapped out of his thoughts and spurred his horse to gallop away.

The trip took less than an hour.

The镖师 (bodyguard/escort) had already led the mules and horses back to the镖局 (escort agency). Hu Yanlei and the manager were drinking tea. When they saw him returning from afar, the镖师 walked out of the teahouse.

“Yu…”

With a roar, the "Night-Shining Jade Lion" firmly planted itself on the ground, and Zhou Yan dismounted.

"Shopkeeper, how much is this horse?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Master Huyan has already paid."

Zhou Yan was taken aback. The burly man approached from the autumn light. "I'm back, Brother Zhou."

"Okay!" he realized and replied, "Thank you, brother."

"We're good brothers, this is nothing."

After greeting the shopkeeper, the two left the horse stable side by side. Only then did Zhou Yan ask, "How much is it?"

"What's wrong? Are you really going to give it to me?"

Even close brothers keep clear accounts.

"Nonsense!" Hu Yanlei changed the subject. "How much does a bowl of snake soup cost?"

"How can you calculate accounts like that, brother?"

"Let's just let this matter drop. If you really feel bad about it, bring some back for me when you go hunting. The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) is teaching me marksmanship with all his heart. I will practice hard and need the meat of the animals to nourish my blood and energy."

Zhou Yan didn't think there was any problem with Hu Yanlei's suggestion.

I also need to nourish my blood and strengthen my bones; I can't rely entirely on the magical powers of the Jade Guanyin. Hunting for an extra bit is just a small favor. Winter will come soon. Once I've hunted a deer and taken its hide, I'll find someone to make a fur coat for the other person.

"Okay, then I'll consider it a debt of flesh."

"happy!"

Huyan Lei readily agreed, and the two quickly entered the city.

……

The owner of the Fu'an Escort Agency was surnamed Duan and named Huai'an. He had many connections with high-ranking officials and nobles in Zhongdu. Running an escort agency required cultivating relationships; otherwise, conflicts with other businesses or incidents like theft of goods that resulted in deaths would lead to investigations and extortion of the deceased.

When Zhou Yan and Hu Yanlei arrived at the escort agency, Duan Huai'an was also there.

The owner already knew about Zhou Yan's horse training from the stable boy. The groom led "Night-Shining Jade Lion" to the stable. When he saw the snow-white horse from afar, Duan Huai'an praised, "What a fine horse!"

His son, Duan Chaoxi, was also by his side. The young master, who was a few years older than Zhou Yan, said, "Why don't we take this horse and give it to Father?"

Duan Huai'an laughed and scolded, "Nonsense! What would I do with this horse? Zhou Yan is the finest horse in the escort agency. To run an escort agency, one must cultivate personal relationships and have the discerning eye of a discerning eye."

"How amazing is Zhou Yan?" Duan Chaoxi retorted.

“My son, if you want to carry on your father’s business and ensure the enduring reputation of Fu’an, you must start now to cultivate relationships with promising young bodyguards like Zhou Yan. People like Hu Yanlei, Zhang Wangyue, and Shi Xiangui will eventually grow old. In these chaotic times, there are no safe routes to the south or north. Without capable bodyguards, no matter how glorious a bodyguard agency is, it will decline.”

Duan Chaoxi nodded, but inwardly he was quite unconvinced.

Even without the dragon head belt, the bodyguards can still cause chaos.

Amidst the rows of buildings, Cui Changshun, a former镖师 (bodyguard/escort) who hadn't yet been promoted to镖师, looked at Zhou Yan, who was being fawned over, and yanked hard on the rope of the镖车 (escort cart), muttering, "A petty person who has achieved success."

His bodyguard Cui Qingshan, standing beside him, said angrily, "Who told you not to practice martial arts properly? You go to brothels more often than you go to the martial arts arena."

"I know I was wrong."

"It is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. Spend less time on women and more time practicing martial arts. I will take care of things when I return, and you will definitely be promoted to bodyguard next time."

"Thank you, Uncle." Cui Changshun smiled broadly, but in his heart he was thinking about how to ruin Zhou Yan's reputation.

……

The "Night-Shining Jade Lion" was kept at the escort agency, and its food and fodder expenses were deducted from Zhou Yan's monthly salary. The grooms who fed the horse were all experienced people, so he didn't need to worry about it at all.

After a busy day, the goods were loaded onto the carts, and the mules and horses were all ready; they were just waiting to set off the next day.

This trip to Sichuan will involve sending at least half of the镖局's镖师 (bodyguards/escorts). Zhou Yan knows he will definitely accompany them on any future镖局 missions. He is currently looking forward to镖局 missions in Xiangyang, northern Hunan, and Shaanxi-Gansu.

The镖师 (bodyguard/escort) had some free time on his return journey after delivering his goods.

There is a chance to find an opportunity.

Zhou Yan returned home in the evening and finished dinner.

He took out the "Yue Family Boxing Manual".

The lamplight flickered dimly, and the young man focused intently.

Zhou Yan's gaze fell on the "Yue Family Scattered Hands" in the boxing manual. This was a martial arts masterpiece that even Ouyang Feng praised. The Western Poison even had the idea of ​​finding or seizing this skill in order to catch Ouyang Feng off guard during the Mount Hua Sword Tournament.

Yue Family Sanshou, also known as Yue Family Eagle Hand, involves grappling, striking, seizing, and striking techniques, including flipping, striking, elbowing, and leaning. It emphasizes four key principles: first, exhaustion; second, seizing; third, subduing; and fourth, defense, including dislocating tendons and bones, striking acupoints, and holding one's breath. It is as if one is feeling a pulse, its strength and gentleness emerging from stillness.

Zhou Yan was thrilled.

This is practically a tailor-made martial arts technique.

The outline mentions that practicing this skill will result in strong arms, agile body, and sharp eyes. One possesses a pair of iron arms and outstanding strength. Furthermore, Zhang Wangyue included a diagram of meridians and acupoints with the "Taizu Changquan" manual, allowing for rapid mastery of the skill.

With a gentle breeze as my companion and the bright moon as my neighbor.

Zhou Yan memorized the nine-step freehand technique from the boxing manual, consisting of three moves for the upper body, four moves for the middle body, and two moves for the lower body.

He buried a three-foot-high, wrist-thick wooden stake in the yard.

When you reach the stake, shift your weight forward to your left leg, slightly bend your right knee, and slightly lift your right foot, changing your palms into a hunched position...

The orange glow from the lanterns under the eaves cast Zhou Yan's figure on the ground. His landing figure resembled a roc spreading its wings, and suddenly he moved with the agility of an eagle and the ferocity of a tiger.

As Zhou Yan continued to practice his Nine-Road Freehand Technique, his moves progressed from clumsy to skillful. He moved as fast as the wind, his feet stepping on the Bagua and moving in all directions, his trouser legs crackling, and the breath in his abdomen surging like the roar of the tide.

Once he started cultivating, he showed no sign of stopping. When the moon was high in the sky, Zhou Yan took a deep breath, stood in front of the wooden stake, and with his right hand, his five fingers hooked, he snapped the stake shut.

Guide the Qi with intention, let the internal strength radiate outwards, and pour it into the wooden stake.

He unleashed a "Tiger Form" move, a combination of hooking, pinching, and twisting.

With a "crack" sound, the wooden stake in my hand split open, and fragments flew everywhere.

Zhou Yan finished his practice, feeling the burning sensation in his fingers. He thought to himself that if he were to encounter Hou Haitong again, he would be able to break Hou Haitong's arm with this freehand technique.

(End of this chapter)