Chapter 117: Seeing Through Everything, Turning Hands to Create Clouds
“Tricky.”
The two retreated into the woods, the young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency’s expression grave.
Zhou Yan confirmed the old man was Qiu Qianzhang. Recalling the man’s behavior at Guiyun Manor in the Legend of the Condor Heroes world, he guessed the general scope: perhaps acting as a lobbyist for the Jin soldiers, or helping another faction. Wang Kui had mentioned dozens of people arriving at Cuya Mountain, and Qiu Qianzhang should have been among them.
Thinking this, he said to Lu Beihe, “Let’s watch a bit longer.”
“What does the Head Escort mean?”
“Wait for me.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Yan’s body flickered, as light as a swallow darting through the forest. Using the wooden building as cover, he quickly disappeared from Lu Beihe’s sight.
When he returned, the young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency saw that Zhou Yan was holding two sets of stolen underling uniforms from the mountain stronghold.
“Brother Lu, how can you catch a tiger cub without entering its den?”
Lu Beihe’s spirits suddenly soared. “Good! Brother Zhou’s courage is admirable. I will risk my life to accompany a gentleman.”
The two changed their clothes in the forest and then re-entered the mountain stronghold to investigate further.
…
A single faint light, like a firefly, illuminated the building. Inside were the Red-Clad Woman and the soldier who had delivered food to Qiu Qianzhang’s lodging not long ago.
The soldier’s voice still trembled as he spoke, “I saw clearly, Mr. Qiu spat out smoke.”
The woman looked at the other person in disbelief.
“It’s absolutely true.”
“You may go.”
“Understood.”
The two soldiers withdrew, and the woman muttered to herself:
“Rumor has it that the Iron Palm, Water-Floating, Old Senior Qiu’s martial arts are at the peak of perfection. I thought it was an exaggeration. Now it seems my knowledge was shallow. But why has Senior Qiu arrived at the mountain stronghold with heroes from the Xiangyang and Xinyang areas? What is his intention?”
…
Zhou Yan and Lu Beihe emerged from their hiding place, appearing outside a brightly lit wooden building.
He said to the young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency, “Brother Lu, please keep an eye on the surroundings for me.”
“Alright!”
Zhou Yan’s figure flickered in the darkness, approaching the wooden building. There were no lanterns under the eaves. From a dark corner on the side, he leaped onto the wooden building, extending “Pearl Rolling Down the Curtain” to peer inside.
From his vantage point, he could see everything clearly. The five or six people drinking inside the hall entered Zhou Yan’s view one by one. His gaze swept around, finally settling on the man in the center, his pupils contracting slightly.
Zhou Yan’s expression changed so dramatically because he recognized the man.
The leader of the Jiangxi bandits who had robbed the escort in Jingzhou, under Zhang Sanqiang’s command.
Why had this group drifted to Caizhou? Zhou Yan pondered this and listened intently.
“Hall Master, the terrain of Cuya Mountain is steep and difficult to attack but easy to defend. It is truly a good place to raise an army.”
“More than that. Jingdong Road and Hebei Road are now filled with scattered troops from the Jin soldiers and the Lin’an Prefecture army. With the help of Gang Leader Qiu, it won’t be difficult to gather these forces.”
“Excellent,” said the man with stern facial features and a sinister expression, referred to as the Hall Master. “Once we have a strong army and the assistance of Gang Leader Qiu, we will no longer fear the Cult Leader.”
“You mean we won’t fear Zhang Sanqiang.”
“Well said! Let’s drink!” The Hall Master was overjoyed at this remark.
As the people in the hall spoke, Zhou Yan listened and grasped the general outline.
He had encountered Zhang Sanqiang at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Xiangyang and mentioned the matter of the bandits. The Ming Cult Leader had promised to investigate. He had met Lu Beihe in Xinye, and the young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency had said that Jiangxi bandits were active in the Xiang and Jing areas. He had assumed Zhang Sanqiang was too busy to inquire about this matter, but it seemed he had misunderstood him.
Zhang Sanqiang must have investigated, and these scum of the Ming Cult, hearing the wind, decided to flee and develop in Caizhou, establishing their own stronghold.
As for encountering Qiu Qianzhang, that was simple.
Sun Buer had encountered him near Xiangyang. The elder Qiu, impersonating the Iron Palm Sect Leader, had mingled with them, which was consistent with the deduction.
Zhou Yan continued to listen. The remaining conversations of the group were about how to control the forces of Cuya Mountain and grow from small to large. When they were in high spirits, some bandits marveled at the Red-Clad Woman Yang Miaozhen’s waist, calling her a spirited horse that only the Hall Master could tame.
Zhou Yan thought to himself that the woman’s surname was also Yang. He chuckled softly, retracted his form, and landed silently without a sound.
Lu Beihe greatly admired Zhou Yan’s agility. His spear techniques were inherited from his family and he had also received guidance from his adoptive father. He could spar with Zhou Yan, but in terms of agility, he was far inferior.
The two retreated into the forest, and Lu Beihe asked, “How is the situation?”
“The leader of the Jiangxi bandits is inside the building. I recognize him.”
Lu Beihe was shocked. “How did these villains get here?”
“They must have encountered trouble and are developing from Xiangyang to Caizhou.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Beihe realized belatedly, “These villains have good foresight. With the chaos in Hebei Road and Jingdong Road, as long as they are ruthless and capable, it’s not impossible to gather a group of people and become mountain kings. Could it be that they came here to plot for this mountain stronghold’s forces?”
“More or less.”
Lu Beihe’s eyes lit up. “Sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.”
The young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency had a good idea. When Zhang Wangyue arrived, they could sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, and then with nearly two hundred escorts, runners, and six spears, they could seize the escort. However, this would inevitably result in many casualties.
Zhou Yan had a better idea.
Perhaps by exposing Qiu Qianzhang and killing the Ming Cult scum Hall Master, he could turn the Red-Clad Woman from an enemy into a friend.
Judging by their modus operandi of robbing escorts without harming people, they were not unreasonable individuals.
However, if that were the case, they couldn’t wait for Zhang Wangyue.
“The people on Cuya Mountain are not insane. Brother Lu, do you think it’s better to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, or to expose the Jiangxi bandits’ intentions and turn hostility into friendship?”
Lu Beihe, of course, had the ability to assess the situation. “Turning hostility into friendship is the best course of action, but only if we can deal with that white-bearded expert.”
Zhou Yan chuckled. “It’s just a street performance, meant to deceive.”
Lu Beihe was stunned.
“When I was escorting in Jingzhou, I happened to meet Qingjing Sanren of the Quanzhen Sect in Xiangyang. She had encountered this swindling old man in Xiangyang. At first, I didn’t know, but after eavesdropping just now and learning the old man’s name is Qiu Qianren, I remembered this matter.”
Zhou Yan’s explanation was seamless.
The young master of the Zhenwei Escort Agency realized and cursed in a low voice, “Damn his ancestors! He scared me! I’ll do as Brother Zhou says.”
Zhou Yan saw the situation clearly, knowing himself and his enemy. Lu Beihe had the chivalry of youth, and the two hit it off immediately.
“Alright, I’ll do as Brother Zhou says.”
“I’ll go see Head Escort Wang and make arrangements.”
“I’ll keep watch here.”
Without any hesitation, Zhou Yan and Lu Beihe went their separate ways. He disappeared into the forest, sprinting along the way, and met with Wang Kui at midnight.
Zhou Yan explained the cause and effect of the matter to Head Escort Wang Kui in a few words.
Wang Kui, an old hand in the Jianghu, weighed the situation briefly. This was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I’ll send someone to find Head Escort Huyan and pick some experts to come over, just in case.”
“Old Brother, you are decisive.”
“Heh!” Wang Kui, in a good mood, turned and arranged for the escorts to gallop towards the Huai River camp.
Mu Nianci’s mood also brightened. She thought to herself that Head Escort Zhou was like the stabilizing needle of Fu’an; no matter how difficult the matter, it could be easily resolved in the Head Escort’s hands.
Zhou Yan rested briefly, took a signal flare, and disappeared into the night again.
As he left, in Wang Kui’s eyes, he was like a fish entering the sea or a bird soaring into the sky.
The Head Escort secretly thought that Fu’an could do without anyone now, but it could not do without the Chief Escort and Brother Zhou.
…
The clouds flowed, and the wind swept the grass.
After entertaining guests came the discussion of affairs.
The mountain stronghold’s meeting hall was simple. Yang Miaozhen, Qiu Qianzhang, the bandit Hall Master, and nearly ten others were discussing matters.
Yang Miaozhen said, “How was Senior Qiu’s rest the night before last?”
Qiu Qianzhang smiled slightly. “Thank you for your kind hospitality, Leader Yang. I rested very well.”
“Since that is the case, I hope Senior will stay for a few days so that I may seek your guidance.”
“In the future, I may settle down here and offer you guidance.”
“I don’t understand your words, Senior?”
Qiu Qianzhang said, “One foot of mine is already in the grave. I shouldn’t concern myself with worldly affairs. But now there is a major event that concerns the lives of countless righteous people in Hebei Road and Jingdong Road. If I were to seek comfort and not come forward to rally them, then heroes from both roads would suffer, the land would be devastated, and endless calamities would arise.”
Yang Miaozhen quickly said, “Please guide me, Senior.”
Qiu Qianzhang gently fanned himself with his palm-leaf fan. “Listen to me slowly.”
