The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 319 A Boat That Will Capsize in a Gutter

The air was filled with a pungent smell of blood, emanating from Mei Chaofeng and the bodies of the slain Imperial Guards.

Mei Chaofeng lay on the fox fur coat, already in a semi-conscious state.

Huang Rong said to Zhou Yan with concern, "He's very lucky. He wasn't stabbed in the heart, but his left lung was probably hit."

“I can save her. The immortal is in Funiu Mountain. I will use my internal energy to help her preserve her internal organs.”

"Ok!"

Yang Miaozhen hurriedly said, "I'll go find a car."

There was a car dealership at the dock, and Yang Miaozhen rode away at full speed on horseback, while Zhou Yan got up and walked towards Ke Zhen'e and the others.

"How are the injuries of the heroes?"

"It's nothing serious, just superficial injuries," Ke Zhen'e said.

"Very good." Zhou Yan then got to the point, "Master Ke, how should we resolve today's matter?"

Ke Zhen'e cupped his hands and said, "Back in the desert, Mei Chaofeng killed five of my disciples. Later, Master Ma helped us repel Mei Chaofeng. Back then, the master advised us that as long as Mei Chaofeng didn't come to us, we wouldn't seek revenge. A gentleman keeps to his word."

Zhou Yan nodded and asked, "Are you heading to Zhongdu?"

Ke Zhen'e nodded: "Yes, after Yang Kang killed the emperor and Wanyan Honglie ascended the throne and moved the capital to Kaifeng, we followed him. However, that dog emperor has many powerful advisors around him, making it difficult to act. After discussing it with Jing'er, we decided to return to Jiaxing first. We haven't seen Jing'er for a long time, so we headed north to Zhongdu to find out more about the dog emperor when we see her."

“So that’s how it is,” Zhou Yan said. “When I traveled south from Zhongdu, I had a conversation with Brother Guo. When Genghis Khan led his troops to Khwarazm, Brother Guo accompanied the army.”

"Jing'er is brave, and conquering cities is no problem for him, but how could he lead troops into battle?" Han Xiaoying muttered to herself.
"Brother Zhou, do you know how the battle is going?" Zhu Cong asked hurriedly.

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Perhaps the army has not yet reached Khwarezm, so you don't need to worry too much. Brother Guo is diligent in his studies, and his 10,000-strong army has many experienced and capable soldiers, so there shouldn't be any problems."

“That makes sense,” Ke Zhen’e said, then after a moment’s thought, continued, “In that case, let us return to Jiaxing and wait a year or two before going to Zhongdu.”

"We'll have a good drink together at 'Songhelou' then."

"Definitely!" The Six Heroes of Jiangnan nodded in unison. Ke Zhen'e cupped his hands in greeting: "We will head south now. Until we meet again."

"See you later."

The Six Heroes of Jiangnan left in a hurry. Zhou Yan picked up the Qingfeng Sword. He saw Huang Rong talking with the cook, so he didn't disturb them and looked at the iron stove on the ground.

It's hard not to think of Feng Mofeng.

Zhou Yan walked toward the blacksmith's shop.

The blacksmith shop was very simple. There was a large anvil in the center of the entrance, and the floor was covered with coal dust and scrap iron. Several plowshares and sickles hung on the wall, and a teapot on the table was still steaming. The room was deserted.

Feng Mofeng has already left.

Zhou Yan sighed. Among Huang Yaoshi's disciples, Feng Mofeng had the most arduous experience and died a tragic death.

The light outside the door dimmed slightly, and Huang Rong walked in, saying, "The cook has also gone to Funiu Mountain. Oh, where's the blacksmith?"

Huang Rong would never know that the blacksmith was Feng Mofeng. She had seen a furnace fly from the blacksmith's shop and crash into Li Taiping. She thought the blacksmith was a master who would help those in need and was a hidden expert in plain sight.

"They must have left."

"Having accomplished his task, he brushed off his clothes and departed, without taking away any credit or fame."

"Well, let's go."

Zhou Yan left the blacksmith's shop, took the iron furnace from the ground, and brought it inside, then closed the doors and windows. Yang Miaozhen returned at that same time after purchasing a carriage.

Huang Rong carried Mei Chaofeng into the car, and the cook drove straight to Funiu Mountain.

During the journey, Huang Rong took care of Mei Chaofeng, while Zhou Yan used the Quanzhen Internal Martial Arts to extract the warm and pure energy of the Jade Guanyin and transmit it into Mei Chaofeng's body to nourish her internal organs.

Three days later, the group arrived at the village. After a thorough examination, the herbalist said that the patient's life was not in danger, but it would take about two or three months for the injury to heal completely without leaving any lingering problems.

Zhou Yan, Huang Rong, and Yang Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief.

...The wind rustled by, and the withered leaves fell softly.

Huang Rong's voice echoed in the midday of a deep winter.

"I will not go to Zhongdu for the time being."

"Accompanying Mei Ruohua?"

"Yes, and while we're at it, we'll also teach the little leopard some martial arts techniques," Huang Rong said with a smile.

It was the third day after Zhou Yan arrived at Funiu Mountain. Mei Chaofeng had regained consciousness and her injuries were under control, but it was still too early for her to fully recover.

Lu Beihe's injuries had long since healed, and the bodyguards and escorts from Zhenwei Escort Agency were waiting to accompany Zhou Yan to Zhongdu.

Upon hearing Huang Rong's suggestion, Zhou Yan nodded, "Alright, where's the cook?"

"He and the Immortal Elder are close friends, so he stayed here for a while. I don't know what will happen after that. But given the cook's personality, he definitely won't stay in the stronghold. I asked the cook why he was being hunted down by the White Lotus Sect."

Why?

"It's all because the Iron Palm Clan expanded its power, recruiting heroes from both Jinghu and other places, and resorting to coercion when they couldn't recruit them."

"So that's how it is. No wonder Yu Huacheng went to Funiu Mountain."

"The chef can't go back to western Hunan, but I think it's possible for him to open a restaurant in Zhongdu or in the Funiu Mountains."

"No matter where you are, you'll have good food from now on."

"Did I do a bad job?" Huang Rong pouted.

"Ah," Zhou Yan chuckled, "leaving a lingering fragrance."

Huang Rong didn't dwell on the issue. After the two left the stronghold, Lu Beihe had already been waiting for them with more than two hundred men.

The "Jade Lion Under the Night" carried a heavy spear made of black iron and a giant bow made of ox horn. Zhou Yan mounted his horse, bid farewell to Yang Miaozhen, Han Dang, and Huang Rong who had come to see him off, and the procession descended Funiu Mountain in a grand procession.

The journey was uneventful. The group crossed the Yellow River at Fenglingdu and traveled along the southern foothills of the Taihang Mountains, arriving at Zhongdu ten days later.

Qiu Qianchi had long ago purchased a large courtyard with three courtyards not far from Zhenyuan Escort Agency, where the escorts and porters from Zhenwei lived and ate at the agency and the courtyard.

The young master of the former Zhenwei Escort Agency has transformed into the chief escort of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

The escort agency has over three hundred employees, none of whom have families with them. Such an escort agency is truly unique in the world today.

Zhou Yan was still unemployed. Of course, whether it was Fu'an or Zhenyuan Escort Agency, if there were special goods to escort and they had to take unusual routes, he would carry a bow and spear and ride a horse, still a镖人 (escort/escort).

……

Outside Songhe Tower, carriages rumble and horses neigh; inside, the sounds of people mingle and laughter fill the air.

The waiter, beaming with smiles, arranged all the dishes and drinks on the platter in the elegant seating area by the window. The signature dishes of "Songhelou" included braised beef tendon in a double-layered sauce, chrysanthemum-flavored rabbit shreds, stir-fried venison leg, and ginger-vinegar braised pork hock.

"My two guests, please enjoy your meal."

Li Yan had already cured the centipede venom. He took a wine pot and poured wine for Li Taiping, asking, "Sir, what should we do now?"

Li Taiping smiled and said, "It is exactly as the Prime Minister said in the document."

Li Yan nodded: "Okay!"

The two men toasted each other and talked about the situation in Zhongdu under the Mongol rule. They found they had a good conversation. The waiter who had delivered the dishes took a carrier pigeon from the pigeon coop in the cupboard and released it.

Xiao Xiangzi became Yang Kang's undercover agent in Zhongdu, and the information he collected was transmitted to Kaifeng Prefecture by the "Songhelou" scouts.

During their conversation, Li Taiping and Li Yan repeatedly mentioned the Prime Minister, so the waiter naturally had to send this information to Yang Kang.

Despite their meticulous planning, the two could never have imagined that a waiter at the "Songhelou" restaurant was actually a spy from the Jin Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)