The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 38 Mu Yi Takes Root, Walls Have Ears

A gust of wind blew in, slapping against the windowpane, making the oil paper rustle.

Mu Yi was deeply shocked, like a raging storm.

The Yang family spear technique is widely known in the martial arts world, but eight or nine out of ten cases are not the authentic, direct lineage. The镖头 (bodyguard/escort) before him is using the authentic Yang family spear technique, which is from the same lineage as his own. How could he possibly be familiar with it?

Zhou Yan, being an insider, said gently, "Senior Mu, please don't worry or hold back. This is just my head镖师's good intention."

"A life-saving grace should be repaid with a spring of gratitude," Zhou Yan said. Mu Yi then asked, "How did the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) guess that?"

This statement is tantamount to an admission.

Zhang Wangyue felt relieved and said, "Huyan Escort saw you make a move at the inn and recognized it as the authentic Yang family spear technique. You also introduced yourself as Mu Yi. The character Yang can be broken down into Mu Yi."

Zhou Yan sighed inwardly at the head镖师's meticulous and intelligent nature.

Mu Yi suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. I am Yang Tiexin, and my ancestor was Yang Zaixing."

Huyan Lei laughed heartily: "It's rare to meet someone who isn't from the same family."

Yang Tiexin asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Now that things have come to this, Zhang Wangyue no longer needs to hide his identity. "My ancestor was Zhang Xian. My name is Zhang Wangyue."

Yang Tiexin suddenly realized what was happening and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "I was blind and did not recognize you, General."

Zhang Wangyue quickly helped him up, saying, "No need for formalities. I am merely the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of this镖局 (escort agency) now. Let's sit down and talk."

Mu Nianci hurriedly tidied up the tables and chairs. Zhou Yan left the room and went to the lobby on the first floor. He asked the waiter for a pot of good wine and a few side dishes, which he then delivered to the room himself.

As the saying goes, "A cup of wine amidst peach blossoms and spring breeze, a lamp burning for ten years in the rainy night of the rivers and lakes," at such a moment, wouldn't it be a shame to be without wine?

When he arrived at the room, Zhang Wangyue saw the wine and smiled slightly, and Zhou Yan returned the smile.

The four sat around a square table. Mu Nianci hurried over to pour wine, but Zhou Yan said, "No need to trouble you, Miss."

As he went downstairs, Zhang Wangyue and Yang Tiexin had already introduced themselves to each other.

The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) said to Zhou Yan, "This young lady is Mu Nianci, the adopted daughter of Brother Yang."

He knew perfectly well, and smiled slightly: "Hello, Miss Mu."

Mu Nianci blushed slightly. "Thank you, Escort Zhou, for saving my life."

Hu Yanlei, once he got out of control, said, "Brother Zhou was afraid that the young scoundrel and the Iron Palm Gang disciples would harbor resentment and seek revenge. Not long ago, we caught up with that group and wiped them out completely."

Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci were both shocked and relieved, relieved that there were no future troubles. However, they were more shocked by Zhou Yan's scheming and methods.

Mu Nianci looked at Zhou Yan again and felt that the two were not much different in age, but in terms of experience in the martial arts world and the way of handling things in case of trouble, he was far inferior. She immediately felt ashamed of herself.

Zhou Yan was unwilling to elaborate on the matter, and simply said "nip it in the bud" to move on. He poured himself a drink and said, "I heard from Senior Yang last night that we'll set off at dawn. I wonder where we're going?"

Now that things have come to this, Yang Tiexin no longer needs to hide anything. He raised his wine bowl and said, "I am clumsy with words and not good at speaking. One bowl is to express my gratitude, two bowls are to express my gratitude for our meeting, and three bowls are to express my gratitude for our friendship."

"So generous!" Hu Yanlei cheered.

Zhang Wangyue held up the bowl with both hands: "Well said."

After three bowls of wine, Yang Tiexin said, "To be honest, I brought my daughter here under the guise of a martial arts contest to find a husband, but in reality, I'm traveling all over the country to find an old friend. We'll set off at dawn, heading north to Cangzhou and Daxing Prefecture."

"How do you say this?"

Yang Tiexin then briefly recounted how he and Guo Xiaotian had become sworn brothers more than ten years ago in Niujia Village, Lin'an Prefecture, and how they later encountered misfortune, resulting in Guo Xiaotian's death and Li Ping's disappearance.

Even though Zhou Yan already knew the inside story, these words came from the deep voice of the weathered man, and seeing his red eyes and depressed mood, and thinking about how the man had traveled through wind and rain, covered in dust, for more than ten years, he was moved.

Loyalty and righteousness are as solid as a mountain, and this is fully embodied in Yang Tiexin.

Mu Nianci's eyes were always filled with tears.

Zhang Wangyue and Hu Yanlei were filled with awe.

The head镖师 said, "I have some humble opinions, Brother Yang, please take them into consideration."

Yang Tiexin quickly replied, "Please speak freely, Chief Escort."

"After all, so much time has passed, and the world is vast and the sea of ​​people is boundless. Your current search is not the best course of action. If the events of the previous night were to repeat themselves, wouldn't you invite further trouble? Brother Yang, even if you don't say you're going to Daxing Prefecture, my master is in Zhongdu. He's kind and righteous. If you're interested, I can write you a letter. When you arrive in Zhongdu, take the letter to the escort agency, and my master will help you find her. You'll have no problem finding lodging at the agency. The agency's missions are all over the world. If you travel with the escort team and inquire along the way, wouldn't that give you a better chance of finding Madam Guo's whereabouts?" Yang Tiexin was somewhat tempted. In these days, if you wanted to be well-informed, the escort agency was the best.

"It is indeed a good method, but how can we accept such a great favor?"

Zhou Yan could see that Yang Tiexin was hesitant, so he advised, "Senior, there is no need to worry. You and my family's镖头 (bodyguard) ancestors were both under Grandpa Yue's command. Since we have a past connection, why not let this meeting go to waste?"

Yang Tiexin no longer hesitated and bowed in thanks: "Then I will trouble you, Chief Escort."

Zhang Wangyue was overjoyed: "With Brother Yang's arrival in Fu'an, the escort agency will be even more powerful."

Hu Yanlei said, "From now on, I will practice my spear skills with Brother Yang."

"Not at all, it's Huyan Escort who should be giving me more guidance."

Zhou Yan smiled contentedly; this was the best possible outcome.

Mu Nianci, observant and perceptive, thought to herself:

"He is really amazing. He seems taciturn, but every word he says is actually very persuasive."

……

Even at midnight, the banks of the Yellow River at Fenglingdu were far from peaceful, with the clamor of merchants crossing the river disturbing the night.

The young nobleman, who had failed to buy a horse, sat on the stone steps outside the boat shop, looking at the scene before him, his heart adrift like duckweed, pondering whether to cross the river or head north.

Two burly men in black hurried past and entered the boat dock. Faintly, their voices could be heard: "After tomorrow, those mules and horses will belong to the Yellow River Gang."

"Indeed, that 'Jade Lion Under the Night' is magnificent."

The young master glanced back at the two men who had entered the boat shop, thinking to himself, "I haven't even bought a horse yet, and you're trying to steal one? This is outrageous!"

He got up and went around to the back of the shipyard. He leaped into the air, and in the moonlight, everything was just a black and white silhouette. The young master stepped through the moonlight and landed on the roof. His legs hooked around the eaves, and his waist drooped like a willow branch. He used a "Pearl Curtain Roll" technique to look into the shipyard.

The two men barged into the lobby, and the boatman stood up to greet them: "Gentlemen, this month's ferry fees have been paid in full."

A burly man said, "Let me ask you, are there any caravans hiring boats to cross the river tomorrow?"

"exactly!"

"All the boatmen were replaced by people from the Yellow River Gang."

"Sir, how can this be?" the shopkeeper said in a panic.

The man grinned maliciously: "Do you still want to do business ferrying people across the Yellow River?"

The shopkeeper was instantly discouraged.

The young master sat up on the roof, thinking that the horse's owner was a member of a security escort agency. The Yellow River Gang was planning to rob the caravan on the river, so he decided not to leave and would stay and observe.

……

As dawn broke, the inn came alive once again.

Some people leave, and some people come.

Yang Tiexin carefully put the letter written by Zhang Wangyue into his pocket, and said with his hands clasped, "Thank you for your kindness, Chief Escort."

Zhang Wangyue said, "Have a safe journey, see you in Zhongdu."

"Okay, see you later."

Mu Nianci packed up the cart, inserted the iron spear into the side of the cart, glanced back at Zhou Yan and the others, turned around, and pushed the cart on its way.

The sound of wheels grinding against her heart was like a knife. She thought that once she reached Zhongdu, she would no longer be adrift. Staying at a security escort agency would be quite nice.

As she thought about it, the image of Hu Yanlei calmly recounting how Zhou Yan had chased down the young scoundrels and Iron Palm Clan disciples came to mind.

If my father really goes to work as a bodyguard at a security escort agency, will I follow him on his escort missions?

Mu Nianci was lost in thought.

(End of this chapter)