Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the yamen gate, and someone was running out of breath.

"Stop! Stop!"

A man rushed in from outside the yamen, sweating profusely, his official hat askew, and the hem of his blue scholar's robe fluttering in the wind.

He was in his thirties, with a fair complexion and the appearance of a scholar. He was wearing a square scarf and his face was flushed from running. After entering the main hall of the yamen, he was bent over and panting heavily, with his hands on his knees. It took him a while to recover.

He raised his head, his gaze first sweeping over Tong Jianxing in the hall, then over Chen Zhan and the people from the escort agency below, and finally landing on Sun Yuanhong and the children at the entrance of the side hall.

Seeing that Sun Yuanhong and the others were unharmed, he breathed a long sigh of relief, and the anxiety on his face subsided somewhat.

"Lord Tong, my name is Hu Qingzhi, a student of Xu Zhiyuan, the Governor of Jiangnan."

He took out a token from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

The token was made of copper, about the size of a palm, with the character "巡" (xun, meaning patrol) engraved on the front and the official seal and serial number engraved on the back. It was the token of the Governor of Jiangnan.

Tong Jianxing took the token and examined it, turning it over and over twice. The token was genuine; the copper, the engraving, and the patterns of the official seal all matched, making it impossible to forge.

His expression changed several times.

The Governor of Jiangnan was a high-ranking official of the second rank, several ranks higher than him, a seventh-rank county magistrate. The governor's token was a sign of his personal influence.

Although Xu Zhiyuan had not been transferred to the south for long, he held the title of governor, making him the highest-ranking official in the south.

Hu Qingzhi straightened up, his tone respectful yet confident: "Upon learning that his family had traveled south with the escort agency, Lord Xu specifically ordered me to lead men to meet them. We searched all the way to Huaibei, and fortunately, we arrived in time."

He glanced at Tong Jianxing, then at the constables on either side holding their batons, and his lips pursed slightly.

"Lord Tong, you've worked hard on the case. However, this matter involves the safety of the Governor's family. The facts of the case are clear, the assassin has been apprehended, and the escort agency's protection has been commended. May we allow you to leave first?"

Tong Jianxing sat in the hall, opened his mouth twice, but didn't utter a single word.

He originally wanted to delay and wait and see how things went, but now that the governor's token was in front of him and his protégé had come to pick him up in person, it would not be moderate for him to delay any longer; it would be foolish.

Tong Jianxing cleared his throat, put down the gavel, and put on a kind and gentle expression.

"Since Mr. Hu possesses the governor's token, this county magistrate will naturally not make things difficult for him. As for the assassin, this county magistrate will handle the matter according to the law. Please, make yourselves at home."

He waved to the constables on both sides, and they stepped aside, putting away their disciplinary rods.

Chen Zhan glanced at Tong Jianxing, said nothing, and turned to lead the group out.

Sun Yuanhong came out of the side hall and saw Hu Qingzhi. She was visibly relieved. The two exchanged a few words. The gist of it was that Hu Qingzhi had come from Suzhou to meet them, but was delayed on the way and almost missed them.

When the two children saw Hu Qingzhi, they called out "Uncle Hu" and ran over to take his hand. The boy chattered on and on about what had happened on the way, such as "There was a bad guy with a knife" and "Uncle Chen was so smart that he flicked the knife and broke it."

Hu Qingzhi listened in a daze, glancing at Chen Zhan walking ahead from time to time, his eyes filled with more respect.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the government office.

Zhao Qi walked over to Chen Zhan and whispered, "Chief镖头 (镖头 is a nickname for a镖师, meaning镖头 is a person who is very dangerous or ineffective), that was a close call. What if the yamen (衙门, a government office) had made a move?"

"I know."

Chen Zhan nodded. Whether they were bandits, assassins, or soldiers from Prince Yi's mansion, they should be killed or beaten if necessary. Even if they were government soldiers disguised as bandits, killing them in the wild was acceptable, as the difference was not in name.

But government offices are different.

To lay a hand on an official in the yamen is to openly defy the imperial court, a crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire family.

Fortunately, Hu Qingzhi arrived in time and got the situation out of trouble.

Hu Qingzhi brought more than a dozen attendants, all of whom were servants and guards of the Xu family, who had come all the way from Suzhou to meet him.

He originally intended for Chen Zhan to end this escort mission in Huaibei, and for him to take care of his family and bring them back to Suzhou.

Chen Zhan shook his head and refused.

"I need to see Xu Zhiyuan in person before this shipment is considered complete."

Hu Qingzhi was somewhat surprised and looked at Chen Zhan for a few moments.

He knew the rules of the escort agency; when handing over a shipment, it was usually done by handing it over to the person receiving the shipment, and it wasn't always necessary to see the employer in person.

Chen Zhan's insistence on seeing Xu Zhiyuan in person demonstrates his extreme caution regarding this escort mission and his distrust of any intermediaries, relying solely on his own eyes.

"Okay, let's go together."

Hu Qingzhi did not insist; having an extra team of escorts would be safer.

The two teams joined together, along with the dozen or so people Hu Qingzhi brought, making a large group of about thirty people, two carriages, and more than twenty horses. They set off from Huaibei City and headed towards Suzhou along the official road.

Nothing else happened along the way.

The city walls of Suzhou came into view the following afternoon.

The bluish-gray brick walls gleamed warmly in the sunlight, the flags on the city gate towers fluttered in the wind, and people flowed in and out of the city gate tunnel in a constant stream—horse-drawn carriages, donkey carts, people carrying loads on shoulder poles, and people carrying baskets on their backs—creating a lively scene.

Once inside the city, Hu Qingzhi led the way, passing through several wide streets, until they arrived at the Xu family's residence.

The Xu family mansion occupies half a street, with three courtyards. Two stone lions squat at the entrance, and the vermilion gate has a plaque above it with the two characters "Xu Mansion" written in a dignified and robust style.

There were already people waiting at the door.

Xu Zhiyuan stood on the steps at the entrance. He was in his fifties, with a thin face and slightly graying temples. He wore a dark blue long robe with a jade belt around his waist. He had a tall and straight figure and a scholarly and refined air about him.

His gaze first fell on the carriage, then swept over everyone in the caravan, and finally stopped on Chen Zhan, who was riding a chestnut horse at the front.

The carriage came to a stop, the curtain was lifted, and Sun Yuanhong got off first, followed by her two concubines.

The two children skipped and hopped off the carriage. The boy rushed up to Xu Zhiyuan and hugged his leg tightly.

"Dad! We're back! There were so many bad guys on the way! Uncle Chen chased them all away!"

The little girl ran over, tugged at Xu Zhiyuan's clothes, looked up and called him "Dad," her eyes red, probably because the grievances she had been holding back all the way had finally come to a head.

Xu Zhiyuan squatted down, put his arm around one of them, and relaxed his serious expression, a smile curving his lips.

Sun Yuanhong walked up to Xu Zhiyuan, bowed slightly, and didn't say much, just nodded slightly, meaning that everything was fine.

Zhao followed behind, her head down, her face still bearing the lingering fear of the past few days.

Chen Zhan dismounted, walked up to Xu Zhiyuan, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Chen Sanshui of Shunyuan Escort Agency, acting on the orders of Chief Escort Wang Wu, escorted Lord Xu and his family to Suzhou. The goods and people are safely returned today. Please inspect them, sir."

These are the rules for handing over goods to travelers; they are simple and clear.

Xu Zhiyuan straightened up, looked at Chen Zhan, and nodded slightly.

"Thank you for your hard work, Chief Escort Chen. Qingzhi told me everything that happened along the way. Thank you. Oh, and please give my regards to the Chief Escort."

His tone was calm and composed, without excessive formalities, characteristic of high-ranking officials.

Chen Zhan nodded, clasped his hands in a salute, and turned to walk back.

The goods have been delivered; the mission is complete.

"Uncle Chen!"

The boy broke free from Xu Zhiyuan's embrace, ran to Chen Zhan, tilted his head back, and pouted as if he was about to cry.

Are you leaving?

"Yes, I have to go." "Will you come back?"

Chen Zhan looked down at him and reached out to pat his head.

"It's hard to say, let's see later."

The little girl ran over, tugging at Chen Zhan's clothes and refusing to let go, saying in her childish voice, "Uncle Chen, when will you teach me how to fight bad guys?"

Chen Zhan smiled and gently pried her hand off the hem of her clothes.

"We'll talk about it when you're taller than your dad."

He repeated his previous statement, which made the little girl tilt her head and think about it. She felt that the condition was a bit perfunctory and pouted.

Sun Yuanhong walked over, pulled the two children back, and bowed to Chen Zhan.

She took out a cloth bag from her sleeve, and inside was thirty taels of silver, neatly stacked, one ingot at a time.

"Chief Escort Chen, this is a small token of my appreciation. It has nothing to do with the escort fee. Please accept it."

She spoke earnestly, not as a polite formality, but out of genuine gratitude.

Chen Zhan glanced at the silver, did not refuse, and reached out to take it.

"Thank you, Madam Xu."

He turned back to the escort team and distributed the silver to several escorts and porters. Zhao Qi, Zhang Kai, and Zhang Yi each received five taels, Li Hanzhang and Wang Xiaochuan each received three taels, and the remaining porters each received one tael. He divided the silver cleanly, keeping nothing for himself.

Zhao Qi clutched the silver, opened his mouth as if to say, "Head镖头, keep some for yourself," but seeing Chen Zhan's expression, he swallowed his words.

After the silver was divided, the group turned their horses around and left the Xu family mansion.

The streets of Suzhou glowed warmly in the setting sun. Shops on both sides were packing up, with shop assistants carrying their signs inside and doors being put back up one by one. The air was filled with the smell of cooking smoke from dinner.

The escort flag was put away, rolled up, and stuffed into his satchel, officially marking the end of this escort mission.

Everyone rode on horseback, their faces beaming with relaxed smiles.

Zhao Qi and Zhang Kai walked side by side, chatting and laughing, while Zhang Yi followed behind, a smile also on his lips. The usually taciturn man was now more talkative.

Li Hanzhang rode at the very back, whispering and chatting with Wang Xiaochuan, occasionally bursting into laughter; the joy of youth was undeniable.

When you go on a mission with Chen Zhan, you hardly have to lift a finger. The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) takes all the danger. They just do odd jobs like setting up camp, feeding the horses, and watching the carts. Along the way, each of them gets a few taels of silver. Who wouldn't want such a good deal?
Chen Zhan rode in the middle of the procession, exited the north gate of Suzhou, and entered the official road, heading north.

Return to the capital.

The journey home was long, but without the worries of the goods and their families, the group walked much more nimbly.

Zhao Qi spurred his horse to Chen Zhan's side and asked with a smile, "Chief镖师, will you be going out on镖 (escort missions) again after we get back?"

Chen Zhan thought for a moment: "We'll see."

"If there are any more long-distance jobs like this, count me in. Going with you once is more reassuring than going with others ten times."

Zhang Kai added from behind, "Let's consider it as the two of us brothers."

Li Hanzhang eagerly shouted, "Me too! Me too!"

Wang Xiaochuan joined in the fun: "Including me, five!"

On the way back, the speed increased considerably.

Without the burden of carriages and family members, the group traveled light and were able to cover fifty or sixty li more each day than they had come from.

Chen Zhan estimated the time; he would be able to return to the capital in six days at most.

However, even though they are returning, it's uncertain whether any more accidents will occur on the way.

Prince Yi's mansion is unaware of Xue Jiuzhong's death. If they encounter the mansion's backup plan on the road, it will be a tough battle.

Even if nothing goes wrong on the way, who knows how many difficulties await them once they return to the capital.

This trip by Shunyuan Escort Agency thoroughly offended Prince Yi's mansion; the actions of an Iron-Cap Prince are never a joke.

If they were truly determined to wipe out the Shunyuan Escort Agency, not many people in the agency would be able to escape. With over a hundred people and their families, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the blood would flow like a river.

Fortunately, Wang Wu still had some connections in the capital.

Tan Sitong, Yuan Shikai, and some key figures in the Reform Movement could provide him with some assistance, at least preventing the imperial court from directly launching a large-scale military campaign to suppress a private security agency. The Reform Movement could stop this.

Chen Zhan wasn't worried about using underworld tactics. Wang Wu was a Grandmaster at the Core Formation stage, Cheng Tinghua was at the peak of the Transformation stage, and there were several experienced Dark Force experts in the escort agency. There weren't many forces in the martial world that could directly confront them.

However, Chen Zhan knew about history.

The struggle will only escalate, and conflict will become inevitable in the end.

Wang Wu had revolutionary intentions and a willingness to die for his cause, as did Tan Sitong, a quality Chen Zhan admired.

But the bodyguards under Wang Wu were different. Most of them had families and jobs, with elderly parents and young children to support, and they might not all be willing to die.

Chen Zhan had experienced the ordeal in Tianjin, during which many people indirectly died because of him, and he felt deeply guilty.

He didn't want this to happen again at Shunyuan Escort Agency.

I thought a lot along the way and decided to go back and have a good talk with Wang Wu to see if there was a way to have the best of both worlds.

They chatted and laughed along the way.

When Zhao Qi talked about the scenery of his hometown, he said that his hometown is located by the sea, and the tide rises and falls every day. The reefs on the beach are exposed when the tide is low, and people go to collect seafood with baskets, such as crabs, clams, and conches, and they can fill a whole basket at a time.

Chen Zhan discerned the approximate location from his accent: the area on the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, now called Jiaozhou. In a few years, when the Germans landed in Jiaozhou Bay, that area would change and become a German leased territory.

The reef and beach that Zhao Qi mentioned were later called Qingdao.

He didn't say anything, but just listened as Zhao Qi described the sunrise and waves of his hometown with great enthusiasm.

No one was aware of the undercurrents raging in the capital.

They encountered no danger along the way and arrived in the capital six days later.

Yongding Gate was still the same familiar Yongding Gate, and the dragon flag on the city tower was still the same dragon flag, but Chen Zhan felt something was wrong as soon as he entered the city.

The streets were much quieter than when we left.

The usually bustling Qianmen Street is now sparsely populated. Although the shops are open, the shop assistants lean listlessly against the counters, and there are fewer people shouting and hawking their wares.

There was a heavy, oppressive feeling in the air, like the sluggishness before a downpour.

Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it.

Chen Zhan didn't say much and spurred his horse toward the escort agency.

The group entered through the alleyway where the back door was located. When they reached the alleyway entrance, Chen Zhan reined in his horse.

He smelled a faint scent of blood.

It wasn't heavy, but for someone with such acutely sharp senses as him, the smell of blood could be detected from a mile away, let alone at such a close distance as the entrance to the alley.

It drifted from the direction of Shunyuan Escort Agency.

His expression changed, and he turned around, shouting, "Run! Something's happened!" (End of Chapter)