The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 49 Borrowing a Horse, Horse Thieves

Huang Rong was furious at Zhou Yan for meddling in her affairs.

Things turned out just as he had analyzed.

Hou Tonghai, along with Peng Lianhu's disciples "Iron-Armed Arhat" and "Rolling Tiger," followed the escort team from Fu'an, waiting for an opportunity to rob the caravan on the Yellow River. According to the plan, after the mission was accomplished, the Three-Headed Flood Dragon would go directly to Lin'an Prefecture to wait for the Ghost Gate Dragon King and his party.

Three-Headed Flood Dragon suffered a setback at Fengling Ferry. He was someone who obeyed his senior brother's every command and had an extremely simplistic way of thinking. He thought that if he made a mistake, so be it; after all, he had taken the gold, and the Four Seas Escort Agency could get it back.

As for the conflict between Sihai and Fu'an Escort Agency, what does it have to do with the Yellow River Gang?

He then proceeded south to Lin'an Prefecture as agreed.

Huang Rong followed closely behind.

If they weren't special, it would be very unlikely that they could have been chased from Fenglingdu on the Yellow River to the Jingzhou section of the Yangtze River.

Of the two, Huang Rong was the more intelligent one, and the three fleshy bumps on Hou Tonghai's head were too obvious. Whenever Hou Tonghai stopped for a bite to eat, Huang Rong could find out the news. Therefore, she followed him closely.

In fact, Huang Rong's mindset was also constantly changing.

She secretly left Peach Blossom Island, free to roam wherever she pleased. Yet, she felt as if her heart were adrift, with nowhere to rest.

Hoping that Huang Yaoshi could find her, yet also harboring a resentful desire not to see the Eastern Heretic, Hou Tonghai became the perfect outlet for her emotions.

To put it simply, I've got something to do. Who told you to mess with me?

From Fenglingdu to Jingzhou, the two fought countless times on land and water, and Huang Rong even managed to trick the Three-Headed Flood Dragon into revealing that he was going to Lin'an Prefecture.

She figured she had nothing better to do, so she decided to follow him to Lin'an Prefecture for some fun and find out his purpose along the way.

Before they could even get any information out of each other by the river, they were disturbed.

She stormed off to where Zhou Yan was staying.

Zhou Yan secretly regretted that it hadn't hit Hou Tonghai's head; otherwise, he would at least have been left with a bloody head and a growth on his head. He also regretted not bringing a bow and arrows, otherwise the three-headed dragon would have had no chance of survival.

Fearing that Huang Rong would come searching for him, Zhou Yan quickly jumped onto the riverbank, wrung out the water from his trousers, and put on his clothes.

Huang Rong's pace had already slowed down.

Three questions emerged one by one.

The fact that the busybody threw stones at Hou Tonghai indicates that the other party knew him.

As night fell, he was able to hit a three-headed dragon more than ten feet away. In addition to his arm strength, which was beyond that of ordinary people, he was also good at shooting.

This is Jingzhou. I overheard the conversation of the Yellow River Gang at Fenglingdu Wharf. The caravan they wanted to rob was also heading to Jingzhou.

Huang Rong immediately realized that the person who threw the stone was the owner of the "Night-Shining Jade Lion".

Zhou Yan dressed and followed the direction where Huang Rong had spoken. Suddenly, he heard a voice from the reeds ahead: "Are you still selling your 'Night-Shining Jade Lion'?"

He was taken aback, not quite understanding how the other party had guessed his identity, but he reacted quickly, laughing heartily, "I heard Hou Tonghai's voice and guessed that the one chasing him might be you, young master, and it turns out that was indeed the case. Thank you for reminding me at Fengling Ferry that day, young master."

"I only shouted, 'Yellow River Gang, why aren't you making a move? You've all been exposed!' I didn't warn you."

"A gentleman is judged by deeds, not by heart."

"That's a clever answer." Huang Rong changed the subject, her tone becoming more difficult: "But I was able to capture Hou Tonghai on my own, but you interfered. How about this, I won't blame you, how about you sell me the 'Night-Shining Jade Lion'? I need to chase after the Three-Headed Flood Dragon, and he'll be heading to Lin'an Prefecture."

"I need your horse in an emergency."

Aren't you worried that I won't pay it back?

"If it's just a matter of helping someone in an emergency, why bother with such trivial details? Wouldn't that be a waste of time and effort?"

"Alright, then go and fetch the horse."

"Please wait a moment, young master!"

Zhou Yan turned and walked towards the镖队 camp.

The caravans were lined up end to end, forming a large circle, with mules and horses inside. When he arrived at the camp, he carried his bow bag, led the "Night-Shining Jade Lion" out, and the two of them went to the riverbank.

As night deepens, the tide washes over the shore, the river is clear, and the moon seems close to man.

Huang Rong was dressed in a white gentleman's robe, just as Zhou Yan had seen her at the inn in Fengling Ferry.

He handed the reins to Huang Rong, stroked the neck of the "Night-Shining Jade Lion," and said, "Be good!" The horse, being intelligent, snorted softly.

"Thank you!"

Huang Rong mounted her horse, and the "Night-Shining Jade Lion" galloped away. A voice came from the wind, "Once we capture Hou Tonghai, we will return the horse to the Fu'an Escort Agency."

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Take care on your journey, young master."

The river breeze was chilly, but Huang Rong, riding her horse, had a smile on her face. Since leaving Peach Blossom Island, life had finally become less boring.

This bodyguard borrowed the "Jade Lion Under the Night" without even asking about his background or name. That's a bit unusual.

The "Jade Lion Under the Night" disappeared from sight. Zhou Yan searched along the river but did not find Hou Tonghai on the shore lighting a campfire to dry his clothes. He guessed that the other party was indeed going downstream. He might have stolen a light boat along the way, or he might have secretly boarded a cargo ship going down the river.

Thinking this way, he turned back the way he came.

……

The caravan had already entered Jingzhou territory, less than 300 li from the city. According to their pace, if they continued without stopping after dawn, they would arrive outside the city before sunset.

So the bodyguards and porters, now completely at ease, went to rest early.

After tomorrow, this long-distance escort mission will be considered complete.

In the mountains to the southwest, a fine horse leaped across the clear moonlight, followed by a second, a third, a fourth... a tenth... a total of more than seventy horsemen appeared without warning in the open fields to the southwest of the caravan.

An ominous atmosphere filled the air, and the leader of the bandits' eyes lit up as they looked at the area where the mules and horses had gathered.

"Master, so many mules and horses," said the bandit beside the man.

The man chuckled softly, "If it weren't for so many mules and horses, it wouldn't be worth the trip for just some ordinary cargo."

"What the hall master said is absolutely right."

"A swift and decisive victory."

"Okay."

……

Zhou Yan broke out in a cold sweat.

He had failed to find the Three-Headed Dragon and was returning to the caravan camp from the riverbank when he spotted the bandits gathering in the distance by the moonlight.

When escorting goods, the two types of people they fear most are those they encounter.

Bandits on the road, water ghosts in the rivers.

Having encountered both in Fu'an, Zhou Yan believed that the bandits were more dangerous than the water ghosts because of their ferocity.

He was also fortunate to have met Huang Rong, and when he went to fetch the "Night-Shining Jade Lion," he brought a bow and arrows, which would be most useful in dealing with bandits.

"Bandits!" Zhou Yan shouted, issuing a warning before quickly approaching the bandits and drawing his bow.

As his voice carried far, the sound of horses' hooves thundered, the roar breaking the ground, and the iron hooves swept across the night like an overwhelming force.

The bandit at the forefront, his eyes fierce, spat and said to his companion, "We've been spotted, charge!"

"puff!"

The arrow, flying through the air, struck him squarely in the chest. The bandit looked down at the arrow embedded in his body and cursed, "I hunt geese every day, and today a goose pecked my eye. I'm not reconciled."

Then his consciousness began to sink, and his body uncontrollably tumbled off the horse.

About fifty or sixty paces away in the darkness, Zhou Yan nocked another arrow onto the vibrating bowstring and fired the second arrow in a flash.

On the other side of the camp, Zhang Wangyue and Sun Bu'er were the first to jump out of the tent.

Qingjing Sanren has fully recovered from her injuries. Although she taught Zhou Yan swordsmanship, she has been eating and drinking with the escort team all the way, and she naturally had the idea of ​​helping the escort agency at this critical moment.

Her lightness skill was outstanding. She leaped out of the tent and saw the bandits. With a light shout, her body flew like a swallow, covering more than two zhang in one go. She landed with her toes lightly touching the water, and then used the momentum to lift herself up again. The hem of her Taoist robe bloomed open like a lotus flower.

　The author is working hard to write, and there will be extra chapters this week due to the increased number of monthly votes. Thank you to all the authors who have supported me with monthly votes and recommendations.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)