Chapter 126: Qiu Chuji Weaves His Threads, Recognizing an Old Friend
Zhou Yan borrowed a set of clothes from the boatman of the painted boat. The coarse linen clothes were not considered high-class, but his handsome appearance, improved cultivation, and changed demeanor made him look elegant and outstanding.
While Ma Yu was introducing Zhou Yan to Qiu Chuji, Tan Chuduan, and Hao Datong, Sun Buer secretly regretted that her disciple Cheng Yaojia was not present. If they had met, it was possible that their youthful spirits would have led them to like each other.
Zhou Yan had saved Sun Buer’s life, and she also admired Zhou Yan. She had had such thoughts when she was in Xiangyang, but later felt that matters of youth should be left to fate. However, seeing Zhou Yan’s connection with the Quanzhen Sect deepen, she suddenly had an idea.
Ma Yu had already asked the boatman to add tables and chairs. Zhou Yan sat down, and after a few cups of light wine to celebrate their reunion, Wang Chuyi asked, “Young friend Zhou, are you escorting goods to Lin’an Prefecture?”
Zhou Yan replied, “My Chief Escort has private matters in Lin’an, and I accompanied him.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Buer said to Ma Yu, “Head Escort Zhang is generous and upright, with a personality similar to Third Senior Brother. He took good care of me from Xiangyang to Jingzhou.”
Among the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen, Qiu Chuji was the one who most upheld justice and acted heroically. Changchunzi said, “When we return to Zhongnan Mountain, we must visit and get acquainted in Zhongdu.”
Before Zhou Yan revealed himself, Qiu Chuji felt it would be too deliberate to seek out Zhou Yan at the Fu’an Escort Agency in Zhongdu. But now, as they clinked glasses, he already regarded Zhou Yan as a young friend, and going to Zhongdu would be a visit to a friend rather than seeking a connection.
Zhou Yan politely replied to Qiu Chuji and asked, “Are all you Taoist priests gathered in Lin’an for a dharma assembly? If so, I should attend and listen.”
Zhou Yan and Wang Chuyi had spent time together twice in Zhongdu, and neither of them had mentioned the martial arts competition at Jiaxing Tower. Zhou Yan naturally could not speak of the situation of Yang Tiexin and his daughter.
Therefore, his words carried a probing intent.
Wang Chuyi said, “It’s a long story.”
Qiu Chuji, unlike Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu, was not as steady and thoughtful in his actions. He said, “This matter is related to an incident that occurred eighteen years ago in Niu Family Village, Lin’an Prefecture.”
Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu’s silence about the Jiaxing Tower martial arts competition in front of Zhou Yan was out of goodwill, as the matter was far-reaching and involved the Zhao Wang Manor, and they feared Zhou Yan might be implicated.
However, when they saw Qiu Chuji mention Niu Family Village, they did not try to stop him.
Qiu Chuji spoke concisely, recounting how he had killed the villain eighteen years ago, encountered Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin in Niu Family Village, and how they became acquainted on a snowy night through a fight. He also mentioned Guo Xiaotian’s subsequent death and Yang Tiexin’s disappearance.
The part about encountering the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan at Jiaxing Tower and agreeing to a martial arts competition eighteen years later was omitted by Changchunzi.
Zhou Yan was waiting for this very opening. He quickly said, “What a coincidence.”
“What do you mean?” Qiu Chuji asked.
“Last year, our escort team was traveling through Jingzhou and encountered an elder named Mu Yi at Fengling Ferry, who was skilled in the Yang Family Spear Technique. My Chief Escort happened to meet the elder, and in conversation, we learned that Elder Mu’s real name was Yang Tiexin. He has been traveling north and south of the Great River, searching for his friend’s son.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Chuji’s body shot up. “Where is my second brother Yang now?”
“He is currently staying at the Fu’an Escort Agency as an escort.”
Qiu Chuji felt a surge of emotion and thought, “Thank you, young friend, for telling me. You’ve given my second brother Yang a place to stay. He must have suffered these past ten years.”
Wang Chuyi and Sun Buer both sighed. They never imagined that the person their senior brother had been searching for was at the escort agency of the young friend they already knew.
Qiu Chuji’s thoughts returned, and he asked with confusion, “Brother Yang also has a daughter?”
“Her surname is Mu, and she is an adopted daughter.”
“I see,” Qiu Chuji nodded and said, “My elder brother Guo’s son is in the Mongolian desert. When I go to Zhongdu, I will definitely visit the Fu’an Escort Agency.”
The Six Heroes of Jiangnan and Guo Jing were also in Lin’an. They must have followed Wanyan Kang from Taihu Lake to the city. Zhou Yan thought this as he heard Qiu Chuji speak.
Qiu Chuji and Ma Yu did not mention the purpose of the Six Heroes of Jiangnan and the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen in Lin’an. However, Zhou Yan connected the dots and speculated that the Jiaxing competition might have been affected by Ouyang Feng’s sudden appearance in Zhongdu and his southward journey with Wanyan Kang.
In this case, Ouyang Feng and his son, Liang Zi Weng, and others would be involved in stealing the non-existent Wumu’s Military Writings from the palace. The Six Heroes of Jiangnan might all be drawn into it.
Zhou Yan naturally could not reveal that there were no Wumu’s Military Writings in the Lin’an palace. He pondered how to use this opportunity to kill Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai.
Qiu Chuji, having learned of Yang Tiexin’s whereabouts, had resolved a matter that had been weighing on his mind.
Zhou Yan surmised that when Qiu Chuji went to Zhongdu to find Yang Tiexin, he would also reveal Yang Kang’s identity and that Bao’s was the Zhao Wangfei. Zhou Yan would not need to act as an intermediary.
The atmosphere in the upper deck of the painted boat suddenly became relaxed.
However, Zhao Zhijing felt a mix of emotions, thinking, “What right does Zhou Yan have to discuss Dao with my master and uncle? He’s just an escort.”
As the night deepened completely, the painted boat docked. Zhou Yan bid farewell to the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen. He crossed the bridge, walked through the streets, and navigated between the scale-like arranged, eaves-and-upturned-corners buildings.
Upon reaching the inn, Zhou Yan saw a solitary lamp burning in the guest room, knowing that Zhang Wangyue had returned.
“Creak”
Zhou Yan pushed the door open. Zhang Wangyue was surprised to see him dressed as a boatman.
“What is this, Brother Zhou?”
“I was ambushed and attacked by a group of people on Nanping Mountain in West Lake.”
Seeing that Zhou Yan was full of vigor and spirit and unharmed, Zhang Wangyue was shocked but also relieved. He quickly asked, “Who were they?”
“They were masked, so I couldn’t see their faces. But when I fought one of them, he used an abacus, and I recognized his cultivation technique. It was Cui Qingshan.”
“People from the Changfeng Escort Agency?”
“No doubt about it.”
Zhang Wangyue asked, “How did you escape?”
“It’s truly miraculous,” Zhou Yan said. Zhou Yan and Zhang Wangyue sat opposite each other at a square table. He concisely recounted his escape by diving into the water and his encounter with the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen.
Zhang Wangyue laughed, “Brother Zhou truly has a blessed fate with the Quanzhen Sect.”
Zhou Yan chuckled, “How was your trip to the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, Chief Escort?”
Zhang Wangyue’s expression darkened. “Chief Escort Jiang was escorting goods to Dali and was not at the agency. I met the owner of the agency, and he was quite unfriendly. I couldn’t figure it out at the time, but now I understand.”
“The Changfeng Escort Agency visited the Dragon Gate Escort Agency in Lin’an.”
“That must be it.”
Zhou Yan said, “Fu’an and Changfeng Escort Agency are rivals, but Helian Chuncheng is truly a remarkable person. He took over the Four Seas, opened Changfeng branch offices in Zhongdu, and has now come to Lin’an. Perhaps Changfeng will open branch offices in Lin’an as well.”
Zhang Wangyue praised, “It’s comforting that Brother Zhou has such ideas. I was afraid you might be so indignant about the Changfeng Escort Agency secretly targeting you that you would lose your composure.”
Zhou Yan laughed heartily, “Rest assured, Chief Escort, I know what’s important.”
“That’s why Brother Zhou has the ability to handle things independently. The matter of Leader Yang’s attempted robbery was handled meticulously.”
“If I hadn’t encountered True Person Sun in the suburbs of Xiangyang and learned about Qiu Qianzhang from her, I would have been helpless at the time.”
“Perseverance leads to great achievements. This is the skill you’ve honed since starting as a runner. For any other escort, even if they had the information, how could they handle it so meticulously?”
Zhou Yan chuckled.
“What is the reason for the several Taoist priests from the Quanzhen Sect being in Lin’an?”
“Does the Chief Escort still remember the matter of Escort Yang?”
“I remember. It was a martial arts competition to recruit a husband, and searching for his friend’s son.”
“This matter is related to Taoist Qiu of the Quanzhen Sect.”
“Tell me slowly.”
Zhang Wangyue ordered a pot of wine from the inn’s waiter. The two lit candles and read. Zhou Yan recounted Qiu Chuji’s encounter with Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin in Niu Family Village.
Zhang Wangyue understood the whole story and sighed greatly. He said that Yang Tiexin had traveled far and wide, painstakingly searching for his friend’s son, and Qiu Chuji had not forgotten Yang Tiexin either. They had been separated for eighteen years, but thanks to Zhou Yan, they could now reunite.
Zhou Yan smiled without speaking.
Zhang Wangyue suddenly said, “Since that’s the case, Brother Zhou, please stay in Lin’an for a few days. If Taoist Qiu heads north, travel with him and bring the Taoist priest to the escort agency to find Escort Yang.”
“And the Chief Escort?”
“I’m going to Huzhou.”
“I’ll do as the Chief Escort says.”
Zhou Yan said this, thinking that the Chief Escort’s trip to Huzhou must be related to the Imperial City Guard’s swift journey to Zhongdu.
…
As the dawn light faintly appeared, Zhang Wangyue got up early. He gave Zhou Yan some instructions, left the inn, and headed straight for Huzhou on his yellow spotted horse.
Zhou Yan saw him off and returned to his room, pondering that the Six Heroes of Jiangnan had followed the Jin Dynasty’s Imperial Envoy to Lin’an. Ouyang Ke and others would enter the palace, and they would surely follow.
How could he ensure that Ke Zhen’e and the others would not be in danger, yet still manage to kill one or two of them?
If Ouyang Feng were not present, everything would be simple, but with Western Venom here, a complete plan was necessary.
