The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 65 Advancement, Enlightenment of the Spear

The heavy snow has stopped for the time being, and the wind is also calm.

Duan Huai'an, the owner of Fu'an, sat in a chair and listened carefully to the information obtained from the head镖师's interrogation.

After Zhang Wangyue finished speaking, the thin-looking man picked up his teacup and asked with a smile, "Who took action to arrest them?"

"Zhou the bodyguard!"

"But?" Duan Huai'an exclaimed in surprise, placing the teacup in his hand on the table.

"In less than a hundred breaths, they killed Escort Lu and captured Escort Su and Escort Lu."

“Heroes have emerged from among the young since ancient times,” Duan Huai’an sighed. “Lei Luo, the owner of Sihai, has a good eye. On the day of the escort competition, Zhou Yan defeated both镖师 Lu and 镖师 Su. He said that Fu’an had a phoenix chick, and Zhou Yan really did live up to that.”

"That's true. His martial arts skills are improving at an astonishing rate. I think he will surpass me and become the number one in Fu'an in time."

Duan Huai'an laughed and said, "Don't be upset when the time comes. As the saying goes, the student surpasses the teacher."

Zhang Wangyue smiled slightly: "If Master Zhou can reach the pinnacle of martial arts, I will lead the sheep and carry the wine, beat the earthen jar and sing."

"You can't go back on your word."

"nature!"

Duan Huai'an was in high spirits. He picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea, then said, "Without Zhou Yan, the safety of this escort mission to Jingzhou would have been uncertain. It was also he who meticulously investigated the case of the Sihai disaster, bringing the truth to light. Such merits deserve a great reward. What do you think of promoting Zhou Yan to the head of the escort team?"

“Agreed!” Zhang Wangyue agreed.

"But he's only been a bodyguard for less than half a year, and he's already been promoted to head bodyguard. If any bodyguards are dissatisfied, you'll have to settle things."

Zhang Wangyue laughed: "It's hard to say about the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) on Shi's side, but everyone who went on this haul to Jingzhou, from the镖师 to the 趟子手 (transporters), is loyal and talented. So, boss, you don't need to worry."

"It's a pity I have no daughters, otherwise I would like to marry them to him."

Zhang Wangyue laughed, thinking that he had a good employer in Fu'an and good brothers.

"Master Yang and his daughter will arrive at the escort agency early in the morning."

“I wanted them to become bodyguards directly, bringing their skills with them. This arrangement is perfectly normal. But Master Yang just wouldn’t agree. He’s a bit stubborn, but that shows his character. So let them follow the rules.”

"Alright!" Zhang Wangyue changed the subject and asked, "What about Sihai?"

Duan Huai'an was confident: "With Lu the镖师 killed and Su the镖师 and Lu the镖师 captured, Lei Luo is the one who's on pins and needles. He'll come knocking on my door. I'm not worried about Sihai right now, but I'm a little worried about the Yellow River Gang."

"The owner need not worry."

"Why?"

"These gangs are only interested in profit and have no sense of morality. What does the survival of the Four Seas have to do with the Yellow River Gang?"

"But after all, they killed quite a few members of the Yellow River Gang, and Lu the镖师 confessed that Sha Tongtian was a guest at the Zhao Prince's Mansion."

"It's an unwritten rule that matters of the martial world should be settled within the martial world. The Prince of Jin cherishes his power, and the Prince's Mansion will not get involved in this matter. Sha Tongtian also cares about his reputation. With the current strength of our escort agency, as long as we're not on the water, we have nothing to fear from the Yellow River Gang."

"Alright, I'm relieved to hear that you say so, but I still have to be careful. I'll make some more arrangements and wait for Lei Luo, the owner of Sihai."

"The employer is very considerate."

On a snowy night, the owner and head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Fu'an finalized how to deal with Sihai. Zhou Yan never expected that he would be promoted to a head镖师 on par with Zhang Wangyue and Shi Xiangui.

In the future, they can lead escort teams independently. Of course, if the goods are valuable and the team is traveling on a dangerous route, it is normal for the escort agency to dispatch multiple escort leaders.

……

As dawn broke, the wind and snow subsided, but the clouds remained low, and there was no sign of the weather clearing up.

Zhou Yan got up early, washed up, took a broom, swept the snow in the yard to the corner of the wall under a few poplar trees, tidied up inside and out, and then left the yard, locked the door, and left.

He arrived at the breakfast stall, ate a bowl of steaming tofu pudding and a basket of steamed buns to fill his stomach, and hurried along the snow towards the镖局 (bodyguard agency). "Good morning, Bodyguard Zhou."

"Brother Zhou is here."

According to the regulations of the escort agency, escorts can rest for one or two days after returning from a mission. However, the head of the escort agency, Shi Xiangui, has not returned from a mission, and the Sihai incident has also broken out. Therefore, the escort agency only allows escorts and porters with families to take leave.

Hu Yanlei arrived at the escort agency early.

Firstly, it was to see how the master would handle matters concerning Sihai; secondly, it was to teach him marksmanship.

Zhou Yan happened to meet the other party at the entrance of the escort agency.

Good morning, bro!

The two walked together toward the main gate of the escort agency when a voice called out from behind Zhou Yan: "Hu Yan, escort master Zhou."

On the long street not far away, Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci hurried over.

Zhou Yan turned around and looked at Mu Nianci for a moment, thinking to himself that she really liked wearing red.

The wind whistled past, carrying snow that had accumulated on the rooftops on both sides of the street and rustling down. Amidst the flying snow, Mu Nianci, with her hair tied up with a silk ribbon, wearing a red long robe, a leather belt around her waist, and wrist guards tightening her cuffs, gave off a heroic and dashing feeling.

"Brother Yang."

"Senior Yang, good morning, Miss Mu."

Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, and the father and daughter greeted each other. Hu Yanlei looked at Mu Nianci, who was beautiful and spirited, and praised her, "Miss Mu has such a good spirit."

Upon hearing this, Mu Nianci smiled and said, "Actually, I tossed and turned all night, afraid that I would be foolish and disappoint the head镖师 (bodyguard) and 护師 (bodyguard) Huyan."

Hu Yanlei chuckled: "It's only natural, but don't be too nervous. If you have a solid foundation in martial arts, you'll usually pick it up quickly."

"Yes!" Mu Nianci nodded.

When the four arrived at the escort agency, Hu Yanlei introduced Yang Tiexin and his daughter to the agency's escorts. The escorts treated them warmly, which allowed Mu Nianci to quickly integrate into the atmosphere of life as an escort.

A little later, Zhou Yan, Zhang Wangyue, Hu Yanlei, and Yang Tiexin and his daughter arrived at the martial arts arena.

The site had long been cleaned up by the workers.

The voice of Zhang Wangyue, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Fu'an, who was a descendant of Zhang Xian, a valiant general of the Yue Family Army, rang out in the chilly morning air.

"A spear thrusts in a straight line, a staff strikes across a wide area." This saying emphasizes the differences in combat characteristics between spear and staff techniques. The reason for using a staff with a spear is that a staff with a spearhead attached becomes a spear, while a spear without a point becomes a staff. Spear and staff techniques have many overlaps. Spear techniques often incorporate staff techniques such as drawing, striking, chopping, and smashing. Staff techniques also include thrusting, picking, flicking, and sliding movements. A spear fears a shaking motion, a staff fears a point. A shaking motion refers to the spear tip being shaken into a circle. For a spear to exert its power, the movement of lifting, hooking, and thrusting must be completed in one fluid motion, causing the spear tip to be shaken into a circle. Spear techniques say: "The circle is the mother of spear techniques; the faster, rounder, smaller, and more swift the circle, the more powerful and sudden the spear thrust becomes, making it impossible to defend against..."

When Zhang Wangyue taught spear techniques, he started with the essence and intent of the spear, ensuring the student understood it, before moving on to the specific moves. This was unlike typical martial arts instructors who would simply demonstrate with a spear for a while, then ask how much they remembered and have their disciples imitate them.

Mu Nianci had never heard such instruction before, and her expression revealed her complete focus as she listened intently.

However, when she glanced at Zhou Yan out of the corner of her eye, she saw a knowing look on his face.

Mu Nianci was puzzled. Both of them were beginners, but she had been used to watching her father use a gun and had been influenced by it. Her understanding of guns should be better than that of the bodyguard Zhou.

When Zhang Wangyue spoke of the essential principles of spear techniques, such as "the circle is the mother of spear techniques" and "the spear is like a swimming dragon, striking with a single point," Zhou Yan's thoughts instantly flew back to the scene of meeting Zhang Sanqiang at the "Drunken Immortal Pavilion" in Xiangyang City.

The circle is the mother of spear techniques, but the iron spear of Zhang, the leader of the Ming Cult, always produces arcs. One arc forms momentum, two arcs form a circle, three arcs form a large circle, and four arcs form a circle within a circle, creating the momentum of a cascading river.

The Yue Family Spear is known as the king of spears, while Zhang Sanqiang's spear must be the demon of spears.

The Yue family's spear technique is upright, its momentum like a silver bottle shattering, or iron cavalry charging forward, with an aura that shatters anything that stands in its way. Zhang Sanqiang's spear technique is unorthodox, winning through surprise, appearing like a gazelle hanging its horns, leaving no trace.

Zhou Yan's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Hu Yanlei inadvertently noticed Zhou Yan's expression and was alarmed, wondering if Brother Zhou already knew the meaning of the spear.
More than that, he has mastered and integrated all of them.

(End of this chapter)