The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 23 The Horseman from the South Wants to Take a Strange Escort

The firelight flickered, and the aroma of cured wine wafted through the air.

Firecrackers littered the streets, startling the ghosts; pine firewood burned in a black basin.

As dawn broke, deafening firecrackers erupted at the Fu'an Escort Agency.

The host's bowl was full of wine, and Shi Xiangui, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) leading the escort team, drank it all in one gulp.

This signifies a wish for a safe journey and a peaceful return.

Customs differ between the North and South. Whenever the Fu'an Escort Agency goes on a mission, the head escort, the master escort, and the porters all drink a bowl of peace wine. Once they leave the agency, they must abide by the thirty-six rules.

Such as always having sex with one's body, never drinking alcohol, and never staying in brothels.

The sound of gulping wine filled the courtyard; the wine was gone, and the man was about to leave.

"Lock the lock, raise the flag."

At Cui Qingshan's command, the bodyguards neatly fastened the anti-theft locks to the cargo boxes and inserted the triangular dart flags.

With a bang of gongs and drums, the escorts raised the镖局 (escort agency) banner, which fluttered in the wind.

The flag is embroidered with the three large characters "Fu'an" and "Duan" on the front and back respectively.

The carriages rumbled and the horses neighed. The镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) each had their bows and arrows at their waists. The镖队 (escort team) set out and walked along the long street, which was already crowded with family members who had come to see them off.

More than forty escort wagons, with over a hundred escorts, porters, grooms, and servants, and the wedding party was a vast, endless stream of family members.

Even bodyguards like Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, and Wang Kui, who didn't usually escort goods, came to see them off to bolster their prestige.

Zhongdu is a large city, a place where all sorts of people mingle, and many gangs that make a living by robbing and plundering usually plant spies in the city. So no matter which escort agency is on a mission, they will try to invite people to help them out as a form of intimidation.

Zhou Yan was familiar with all the procedures. Because of his outstanding arm strength, he was also a flag bearer during his time as a runner. But looking at the scene in front of him again with the eyes of a time traveler, he felt his blood boiling.

After seeing them off for ten miles along the winding official road, Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, and the others stopped. Once the caravan disappeared from sight, they turned their horses around and chatted all the way back to the caravan agency.

Using different routes to enter and exit the city was actually a way to confuse the spies and informants planted in the city by gangs and bandits who coveted the goods.

Zhou Yan, Wang Kui, Hu Yanlei, and Shi Baichuan traveled together. As they passed through a wide street, the bodyguard Hu Yanlei dismounted, as did Wang Kui and the other bodyguards.

Zhou Yan was taken aback. When he looked over and saw the magnificent mansion with its gate tower in front of him, he realized that he and his companions had arrived at the Prince Zhao's residence.

The escort agency followed the rules: when passing by a prince's residence, they had to lead their horses.

He dismounted and looked at the Prince's Mansion. He saw tall flagpoles on the left and right sides in front of the vermilion gate, with majestic and ferocious jade lions sitting on either side of the gate. In the center of the gate were three golden characters: "Prince Zhao's Mansion".

Zhou Yan knew that the Prince of Zhao was Wanyan Honglie, the sixth prince of the Jin Dynasty, and that Wanyan Kang, Yang Tiexin's son, was also in the mansion.

Mei Chaofeng should be in the mansion, and Ouyang Ke and Liang Ziweng must be there as well.

He led his green horse slowly over, not riding the "Jade Lion Under the Night" to see them off, as that would have been too eye-catching.

……

As the view rises, one can see a row of white jade steps leading directly from the main gate to the front hall of the palace, exuding an extremely imposing and majestic presence.

Under the autumn light, a handsome young man, about the same age as Zhou Yan, wearing a golden crown to tie his hair, a red robe, and a gold belt, walked lightly towards the front hall. Wherever the young man passed, servants and maids bowed their heads and greeted him, calling him "Young Prince".

With this identity, the young man must be Wanyan Kang.

As Wanyan Kang walked through the corridors and buildings, he saw a middle-aged man with a high nose bridge and a dignified demeanor, and quickly stepped forward.

"Father, you were looking for me?"

Wanyan Honglie said, "Yes, I have invited five experts, and they are all gathered in the manor now. I will take you there to meet them. If you want to improve your skills, I will put in a good word for you, and they will give you some guidance without any problem."

Wanyan Kang had only recently returned to the palace from his travels, but he had already learned everything about the experts his father had invited.

Among the five, the Ginseng Immortal had a resounding reputation, but he was tricked in the outskirts of the capital, lost his precious snake, and lost five disciples.

Sha Tongtian, the leader of the Yellow River Gang, was renowned, but four of his disciples were killed in the suburbs of Datong Prefecture.

The young master of White Camel Mountain in the Western Regions can't even protect his own woman; what abilities could he possibly have? He's not even as capable as his master.

Thinking this through, Wanyan Kang laughed and said, "Father, you wouldn't have been fooled by those people who are just putting on a show, would you? I don't think any of them have any real skills."

"Nonsense! Putting aside the others, that young master Ouyang is none other than the famous Ouyang Feng. How could he lack skill?" "Ah!" Wanyan Kang exclaimed in surprise, "The nephew of the Western Poison."

"Exactly!"

Wanyan Kang immediately changed his expression. "Thank you for the reminder, Father. Please take me to see Young Master Ouyang quickly. Also, I would like to become a disciple of the Western Poison Master."

“You’ve forgotten your father’s teachings, going from arrogance to obsequiousness.”

"It's the truth, Father. Please introduce me to him."

Wanyan Honglie doted on Wanyan Kang. When he said "arrogant at first, then respectful," his tone was not stern at all. When Wanyan Kang urged him on, he smiled slightly, thinking to himself that he must fulfill Kang'er's wish to become Ouyang Feng's disciple no matter what.

……

A single autumn rain brings a chill; a cup of wine is offered to the passing years.

After the escort team from Fu'an Escort Agency set off for Sichuan, several autumn rains fell in Daxing Prefecture. Zhou Yan persevered through the rain and continued his training diligently. Ten days passed in this rhythm.

During the day, he diligently practiced boxing and freehand fighting at the escort agency, and at night he diligently cultivated his internal energy at his residence, tempering his six extraordinary meridians that had not yet been opened. Occasionally, he would go out of the city to hunt, and when he returned, he would bring back a few pheasants and rabbits for Huyan Lei.

With the assistance of the Jade Guanyin in his cultivation, his strength increased daily.

As dawn broke once more, Zhou Yan, who had practiced "Yue Family Boxing" early in the morning, arrived at the escort agency. He led the "Night-Shining Jade Lion" horse for a ride, and as they entered the city, they passed by a horse shop, where the manager warmly greeted them.

"Brother Zhou, are you taking your horse for a walk?"

"Yes, good morning, shopkeeper."

"You're really lucky. If it weren't for that escort mission, this horse would have ended up in someone else's hands."

"What do you mean?"

The shopkeeper said, "Yesterday a merchant from Jingzhou came and pre-ordered all the mules and horses in the horse shop. That man is very generous and wants to buy mules and horses from other horse shops as well."

"I see. You were indeed very lucky." He replied with a smile, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then rode his horse into the city to the escort agency.

As the sun set, Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, Shi Baichuan, Wang Kui, and others were sparring in the martial arts arena. The noisy sounds came from the guest rooms, and soon after, the sparring partners came to the martial arts arena.

"Master Huyan, a merchant has arrived, and he's being extremely unreasonable."

"How so?"

The porter said, "They are merchants from Jingzhou who need a security escort agency to transport their goods."

Zhou Yan had a sudden thought: Jingzhou was just south of Xiangyang.

"We can accept the escort mission. Report this to the manager."

"The merchant said it was mules and horses, and also goods. Mules and horses? I've never heard of such a thing. Besides, the merchant said that whoever has the power, us or Sihai, will get this business."

Hu Yanlei laughed and scolded, "This is outrageous! I think he's just a horse trader. Let him be."

"Wait a minute."

Hu Yanlei and the horse handler both looked at Zhou Yan, who said, "I was walking my horse this morning when I met the owner of the horse shop. He said that a merchant from Jingzhou had pre-ordered all the mules and horses and would also go to other horse shops to choose from. This is a big order."

Hu Yanlei immediately became interested. "Let's go take a look."

The group went to the guest room, and the porter introduced them: "Gentlemen, our bodyguards have arrived. Please tell us more about them."

The man in Zhou Yan's line of sight was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, exuding an air of refinement. Beside him stood a robust man in his thirties, whose eyes gleamed with a sharp light, clearly a master of external martial arts.

The merchant looked around, cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, esteemed镖师 (bodyguards/escorts). We have about two hundred mules and horses, and about thirty cartloads of goods. Do you dare to take on the escort mission or compete for the goods?"

"Find a new employer immediately."

Hu Yanlei said urgently to the messenger.

We must secure this deal no matter what.

The profits from escorting goods can make the entire escort agency incredibly wealthy.

(End of this chapter)