Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

As dawn broke, the streets and alleys of Hezhong Prefecture were filled with the sounds of people and refugees.

Su Yan woke up early and saw that Xiao Nianba was still fast asleep. She quietly packed her bags, hid the iron sword close to her body, and checked the wound medicine and dry food in the bundle before waking Xiao Nianba up.

Carrying the little wilted child on his back, he hurried towards the "Renxintang" in the south of the city.

When Uncle-Master Song Zhifang left, he only said that the hidden agents in Hezhong Prefecture were a necessary step on the way to Zhongnan Mountain, but he did not explain the reason in detail. Although Su Yan was full of doubts, he did not dare to be negligent.

"Yan-ge'er, are we leaving?"

Little Nianba rubbed his eyes, his voice still sleepy.

"I have some errands to run first. You stay at the inn and don't go out. I'll have the waiter bring you some food."

Little Nian'erba nodded sensibly.

Before leaving, he gave an instruction to the innkeeper.

As instructed by his senior brother Song Zhifang before leaving, the Quanzhen Sect's secret agent in Hezhong Prefecture was located in the "Renxintang" pharmacy in the south of the city. The rendezvous code was the same as that in Taiyuan Prefecture, only the rhythm was slightly different.

Su Yan wandered through the streets and alleys, deliberately avoiding the crowded main streets and opting instead for quieter alleyways. Although Hezhong Prefecture was more prosperous than Jiaocheng, it still exuded a sense of unease amidst the chaos of the times. Occasionally, one could see men dressed in short clothes with knives at their waists, their sharp eyes revealing them to be either江湖人 (jianghu people, martial arts practitioners) or gang members.

Su Yan maintained a state of alertness with the Lifting and Leaping Technique, his internal energy circulating slightly in his dantian, ready to dodge or counterattack instantly should there be any unusual movement.

The "Renxin Hall" in the south of the city was more orderly than the Changchun Hall in Taiyuan Prefecture. Although the plaque above the door was cracked, it was wiped clean. Two pots of half-withered mugwort were placed at the entrance, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. Su Yan looked around to make sure there were no suspicious people before raising his hand and knocking on the door three times in a "heavy-light-heavy" rhythm.

After a moment of silence inside the door, the voice of a middle-aged man came through.

"The shopkeeper has gone out to buy some supplies. Do you want to buy medicine or consult a doctor?"

"Is there a 'Changchun Ointment' to cure autumn chills?"

Su Yan lowered his voice and asked using the coded signal.

"I just brewed Qingning Powder, but I'm worried it might not be suitable for your condition?"

"Medicine from Zhongnan Mountain, when simmered for a long time, has a stable effect."

The sounds from inside the door paused, then the door latch rattled, and a crack appeared in the door. A middle-aged man with disheveled hair poked his head out; it was none other than Manager Chen, the hidden agent.

"Come in quickly, don't linger at the door."

Manager Chen scanned the street warily, then quickly pulled the two inside and bolted the door shut.

The pharmacy's interior was similar to that of Changchuntang, with medicine jars piled behind the counter and herbs drying in the corner, filling the air with a strong medicinal aroma. Manager Chen led the two into a side room in the back courtyard, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"Uncle-Master Chen, this disciple, Su Yan, comes from Taiyuan Prefecture."

Su Yan bowed respectfully.

"Good lad, Junior Brother Song already sent word that you would be passing through here with a young lady, I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly."

Manager Chen patted Su Yan on the shoulder, quite satisfied.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Uncle Chen."

Su Yan bowed slightly and got straight to the point.

"I'd like to get to Zhongnan Mountain as soon as possible. Is there anything I should be aware of on the rest of the journey? Uncle Song only told me to come find you, but didn't say anything else."

"We'll have to cross the Shanzhou region, where the Mongol and Jin dynasties are locked in a standoff, which will cause considerable trouble."

Manager Chen sighed, took out a crumpled map from the drawer, and spread it on the table.

"You can still use the Quanzhen Token in the areas controlled by the Mongols, but once you cross the Yellow River and head south, you'll reach Shanzhou, which is controlled by the remnants of the Jin Dynasty. The checks there are extremely strict; you need not only a Jin Dynasty household registration but also a merchant permit—both are indispensable."

Su Yan frowned slightly.

"I currently lack household registration and business licenses. I wonder if my senior master has any solutions?"

Uncle Chen waved his hand, clearly having been prepared.

"I already asked someone to take care of it after Junior Brother Song sent the message. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. It will probably take another three days to get it done."

"Three days?"

Su Yan frowned slightly. He wanted to cross the river as soon as possible, but seeing the helpless look on Manager Chen's face, he could only agree.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Uncle, but I don't understand why these two items are so necessary?"

"Across the Yellow River lies Shanzhou, where the Mongols and Jin Dynasty were locked in a standoff. The Jin checkpoints were extremely strict; without them, one would at best be treated as a refugee and forced into the army, and at worst be executed on the spot."

Manager Chen didn't explain much, only giving instructions.

"However, there's something you need to be careful about. Things aren't peaceful in Hezhong Prefecture lately. The Qin family and the Liu family are at odds, and the Black Sand Gang is following the Qin family's lead, robbing and looting everywhere. Try your best not to go out, and especially don't get involved in their feud."

Su Yan agreed, but secretly remained vigilant.

The Qin family, the Liu family, and the Black Sand Gang I've heard about these past few days seem to have reached a point of irreconcilable conflict.

"Then... Uncle Chen, when I came yesterday, I saw the Black Sand Gang harassing the Yellow River Gang's ships. Will they... in three days?"

"Currently, all the boats crossing the Yellow River are in the hands of the Yellow River Gang, and there is no other way. If you are in a hurry to cross the river, you can only be more careful."

Manager Chen frowned, clearly not having considered this aspect.

"If all else fails, stay here a while longer and leave after this period of turmoil has passed."

Su Yan's heart sank, and he could only nod in agreement.

After lunch, he thought he should take advantage of the early hour to inquire about the Yellow River transport boats, so as to prepare for the journey three days later. He specially changed into an inconspicuous coarse cloth garment, hid the iron sword in his bundle, and told Xiao Nianba to stay in the yard and not to run around before going out.

The streets were busier than in the morning, with vendors' shouts and people haggling over prices mingling together. Occasionally, members of the Yellow River Gang could be seen coming and going, carrying oar-shaped tokens at their waists and looking wary. Su Yan moved through the crowd, trying to keep a low profile.

There are two best places to get information: teahouses and inns. Not long after leaving the inn, Su Yan thought for a moment, found a teahouse, ordered a pot of tea, and chose a window seat on the second floor. He then sat quietly and listened to the conversations of the people around him.

In less than an hour, they had figured out the current situation in the city.

The area around Hezhong Prefecture is currently rife with undercurrents, with constant conflicts between the two major families and two major gangs. The Qin family and the Liu family have always been at odds, and it was recently rumored that the heads of the two families had a bloody battle. In the end, Liu Chengzong, the head of the Liu family, was ambushed and seriously injured. Qin Wanshan, the head of the Qin family, also suffered minor injuries, but nothing serious.

With Liu Chengzong seriously injured, the Qin family has become increasingly arrogant. The Black Sand Gang, which they have secretly supported, has been targeting the Liu family in every way. Because the Liu family is on good terms with the Yellow River Gang, the Yellow River Gang has also been greatly affected during this period.

The Yellow River Gang's ships on the river were also greatly affected. Yesterday evening, the Black Sand Gang attacked the Yellow River Gang's cargo ships, causing a large loss of supplies and reportedly killing many people.

Currently, the people in the city avoid the Black Sand Gang like the plague. Compared to the Yellow Sand Gang, which has real power and controls ships, the Black Sand Gang, which collects protection money and bullies the market, is obviously not popular.

As for the time to cross the river, it's obviously not something you can find out at the teahouse; you'll have to go to the dock where the Yellow River Gang is located to inquire.

As I left the teahouse, I looked at the sun directly overhead and couldn't help but think, "They say something bad will happen sooner or later, but surely nothing will happen at noon?" I was amused by my own thought as soon as I realized that there was no such coincidence.

The Yellow River Gang's dock was located on the Yellow River outside the city, much more orderly than the ferry crossing. Several cargo boats were moored on the shore, and the boatmen were busy loading and unloading goods. Several men dressed in short clothes with oars and tokens hanging from their waists patrolled back and forth; they were members of the Yellow River Gang.

Su Yan walked to the meeting room next to the dock, wanting to ask the manager if there would be a ship going to the south bank in three days.

"Would you like to take a boat? Please register your name and purpose first. There is indeed a boat departing in three days, but we need to gather at least twenty people before we can leave."

The manager was a bearded man who spoke bluntly.

"Wait in the private room. I'll go check the list and get back to you once it's confirmed."

Su Yan thanked him and went into the inner private room. The room wasn't big, with a square table and two chairs, just enough for two people. He had barely sat down and hadn't even had a sip of water when he heard a commotion at the dock outside. Just as he was about to get up to check what was happening, the door to the room was suddenly flung open, and a figure in blue staggered in. Before he could even steady himself against the door, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

He fell to the ground with a thud and lost consciousness.

The man was dressed in a blue robe, his shoulder soaked in blood, just like the "river maiden" he had heard about in the teahouse.

Su Yan's heart skipped a beat, and a thought popped into her head: she was in trouble.