The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 220 Turning Against Each Other and Running Away from the Bride, Enemies Meet Again

The moon shines coldly, and the sky is full of stars.

The tent flap was suddenly lifted and then lowered by Qiu Qianchi. Through the gap, a few rays of light shone onto the grass, where unidentified wildflowers were blooming.

Besides Qiu Qianren, there were several gang leaders in the tent who had submitted to the Iron Palm Gang, and all of them turned to look at him.

"Why aren't you wearing your wedding dress?" Qiu Qianren put down his wine bowl and looked at Qiu Qianchi.

"Second brother, I have something to say."

Several gang leaders sensed that Qiu Qianchi's expression was unfriendly and his words were cold and sharp. One of the older men stood up and said with a laugh, "Gang Leader Qiu, it's getting late. You should rest early. We'll take our leave."

"Okay." Qiu Qianren nodded.

The group stood up, bowed respectfully, and left the tent.

Knowing Qiu Qianchi's personality—strong, straightforward, and her emotions readily apparent—Qiu Qianren asked, "What's wrong? Doesn't the wedding dress fit?"

"Is the Crown Prince of Jin coming to offer congratulations?"

"I thought it was something important." Qiu Qianren laughed, "Not only will Crown Prince Wanyan come, but Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, will also be here. This is the most impressive event in the world. Elder Master Gongsun will be very impressed. He will not dare to neglect you in the future."

Qiu Qianchi let out a soft breath, trying her best to calm her turbulent emotions, and said, "I know that my second brother is doing this for my own good, and is afraid of losing face, but I would rather marry into the Jin Kingdom simply than have the Crown Prince of Jin come to congratulate me."

"Why?"

Why has the Crown Prince of Jin come to offer his congratulations?

Qiu Qianren found it difficult to answer.

"Second brother, I'd like to say a few words."

"It doesn't matter."

"Forgive my bluntness." Qiu Qianchi exhaled a breath of turbid air, her voice low and deep. "The Iron Palm Clan can dominate Jiangnan, and it can also compete for the title of the number one gang in the world. Second Brother wants to compete for the title of the number one martial arts master in the world at Mount Hua and make a name for himself. I think that's fine with me, but we just can't let him join the Jurchens. We can be lenient with minor matters, but we can't lose sight of the big picture."

Qiu Qianren's face was cold.

Qiu Qianchi's words were like knives, piercing Qiu Qianren's heart. "The former Chief Shangguan was a man of unwavering integrity, dedicating his life to the country. My second brother received all the martial arts skills taught to him by Chief Shangguan. He should have been upholding his last wish to punish the wicked and fight against the Jin invaders. To be so unable to distinguish right from wrong is to invite ridicule and ruin his life's reputation. If Chief Shangguan knew this in the afterlife..."

Qiu Qianren suppressed his anger, "Who instigated you?"

"No one instigated this; these are all heartfelt words."

"Senior Ouyang of White Camel Mountain has wholeheartedly assisted our patron. Wanyan Honglie is wise, and Crown Prince Wanyan Kang is intelligent and courteous to scholars. Why shouldn't I?"

"White Camel Mountain is in the Western Regions, Ouyang Feng is from the Western Regions, and you are Han Chinese. Chief Shangguan is a hero who resisted the Jin dynasty."

Qiu Qianren said sternly, "In this world, success and failure have always been the only true measure of a hero. You are short-sighted and know nothing."

"I'd rather die fragrant on the branch. I understand integrity. Brother, geese leave their calls as they fly by, and people leave their names as they pass through life. You cannot abandon your principles."

"That's enough, go back."

Qiu Qianchi said, word by word, "If the Crown Prince of Jin attends the banquet to offer his congratulations, I will not marry him."

"It's up to you. Go back and sober up."

Qiu Qianchi spoke slowly, each word seemingly squeezed from her chest: "My sister is very clear-headed; it is my second brother who is stubbornly deluded."

"You bastard!" Qiu Qianchi suddenly strode up to Qiu Qianchi and raised his hand.

Qiu Qianchi gave a bitter laugh, "Go ahead and hit me."

"Let's go!" Qiu Qianren's hand fell to his sides.

"Okay! I'm leaving."

Qiu Qianchi slowly withdrew her gaze from Qiu Qianren, as if time stretched out infinitely at that moment. Then, Qiu Qianchi suddenly turned around and walked out of the tent without looking back.

The campfire leaped in the night, and the noise suddenly grew louder. As Qiu Qianchi stepped out of the tent and onto the soft ground, her movements slowed down. She looked up at the night sky, where drifting clouds obscured half of the pale starlight. In the cool night, Qiu Qianchi's consciousness returned to the Huai River.

She recalled Zhou Yan's question about whether she possessed the Dao, and also the scene of Yang Miaozhen inviting her to join the mountain stronghold to raise the banner and fight against the Jurchens. Time flowed like a painting, and she also remembered her elder brother, Qiu Qianzhang, being hunted down by Sun Bu'er for trying to collud with the Jurchens.

The two tents were only a hundred paces apart, but Qiu Qianchi took dozens of breaths to walk to the outside of the tent. She exhaled and lifted the curtain to enter.

"Miss is here?" the maidservant hurried forward and said.

"Okay, go and rest."

"I'll give the young lady a bath."

"No need, go down." Qiu Qianchi waved her hand.

The maid hesitated for a moment, then timidly withdrew from the tent.

Qiu Qianchi found some clothes, packed them into a bundle, and put in some money. She walked out of the tent and disappeared into the night.

The voices of the Iron Palm Clan's guards could be heard in the dark forest.

"Is it Miss?"

"Ah."

"Where is she going? She's carrying a bundle." "How should I know?"

"Should we report this?"

"But this is Miss."

"You never go too far wrong."

"Makes sense."

A disciple of the Iron Palm Clan rose from the bushes and strode toward the hall master who was drinking in the camp. Upon hearing this, the hall master hurriedly went to Qiu Qianren's tent.

The first sound from inside the tent was the cracking of a wooden table. Qiu Qianren shouted angrily, "Get out of here! Get far away! From now on, the Qiu family has no place for you!"

A moment later, Qiu Qianren roared, "Why aren't you going to go find them?"

The camp of over a hundred people suddenly erupted in excitement. The noisy crowd chased after Qiu Qianchi in the direction he had walked out. Suddenly, Qiu Qianren flew out of his tent, his figure soaring into the treetops, disappearing into the night like a large bird flying among the trees.

……

Birds descend upon the autumn temple's chime on Dushan Mountain, while people follow large boats on the evening river waves.

As dusk fell, Zhou Yan, Liu Qingzhou, and the Fisherman of Misty Waves entered the Xiangyang section of the Yangtze River.

As they traveled along the waterway, passing through bustling areas, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares reached into the cabin. Zhou Yan's gaze would sweep over the shops, teahouses, taverns, and restaurants, savoring the vibrant atmosphere of this familiar waterway.

In the past, when he was busy with his escort missions, no matter how beautiful the scenery on both sides of the river was, Zhou Yan would only take a cursory look and never linger.

Now that I have some free time, I'm reading extensively. It's a unique experience.

After Zhongdu resigned from his job and they said goodbye, he was ready to embark on a journey with a heart as vast as the sea and as high as the sky, wielding his sword and roaming the world, killing people in the mortal realm.

At 9 PM, when the night was deep, the large ship arrived at the dock and moored. Zhou Yan and the others headed towards the nearest inn. He, Liu Qingzhou, Yanbo Diaosou, and Tianzhu Seng followed behind, while Liang Xiaowu rushed ahead to the inn to inquire about rooms.

Under the lonely moonlight, several people suddenly started fighting in the street.

The figure in black, resembling a woman, moved forward like a ghost. Her palm techniques were swift and violent, her movements decisive and swift. One person was struck in the chest and sent flying. Then, as she moved forward, she kicked the man holding the knife, breaking his calf. The man fell to the ground with a miserable scream.

The last man drew his sword, but the woman grabbed the long sword from the ground first and smashed it down, scabbard and all. With a loud thud, the man's body jolted violently, his hair seemed to stand on end, and then he fell to the ground like a wooden stake.

In the blink of an eye, the woman who had taken down three burly men turned and sped toward the dock.

As the distance closed, under the sparse moonlight, a woman's face with striking features came into Zhou Yan's view.

“Miss Qiu,” Zhou Yan exclaimed.

"Zhou, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort)."

Upon their sudden encounter, Zhou Yan and Qiu Qianchi were both taken aback.

Iron Palm Lotus was surprised by the vastness of the world, and how she could encounter the head of the Fu'an Escort Agency while being surrounded and chased.

Zhou Yan's confusion and bewilderment even surpassed that of Qiu Qianchi.

She shouldn't have married into the Valley of Heartbreak. Why is she being chased? Both Jingzhou and Xiangyang are within the Iron Palm Gang's sphere of influence.

"What's going on?"

"It's a long story. Is the镖头 (镖头 is a person who escorts) going to cross the river? Take me with you. I'm going to Yang's place."

"Alright!" Zhou Yan thought he would first send the people across the river and ask what had happened before heading to Snake Valley.

"Thank you for waiting, Brother Liu, Brother Fisherman, and Master."

"it is good."

"Xiao Wu, hire a boat."

"Got it."

Liang Xiaowu turned and ran towards the dock. As they walked, Qiu Qianchi said, "I was originally going to marry into the Valley of Heartbreak, but my second brother defected to the Jin Kingdom. The Crown Prince wanted to come and hold a banquet to congratulate him, but I refused, saying that my second brother had no integrity, and I even argued with him. These are all people from various gangs who came to capture me and take me back."

No sooner had Qiu Qianchi finished speaking than a loud voice rang out in the night: "Where are you going?"

The sound rolled on, and Zhou Yan turned around. In his vision, the figure that had spoken stretched out in a winding path like lightning under the night sky. In just a few breaths, it approached and landed along the pillar of the street archway.

The man was wearing a linen robe, and Zhou Yan recognized him all too well—it was Qiu Qianren.

As soon as the Iron Palm Gang leader landed, several figures, as small as bullets, moved like bullets among the rows of houses in the distance, constantly closing the distance.

Zhou Yan turned his gaze back to Qiu Qianren.

"Second Brother."

"go back."

“If you associate with the Jin Kingdom for even a day, I will never be able to return.”

Qiu Qianren's gaze turned gloomy as he shifted from Qiu Qianchi to Zhou Yan, finally settling on the giant ox-horn bow on Zhou Yan's back, and then scrutinized Zhou Yan's figure repeatedly.

Suddenly, Qiu Qianren's eyes flashed with ferocity. "Boy, I recognize you. So you're not dead. Let's settle both the old and new scores together."

(End of this chapter)