Chapter 161: No Worries, Thousand Li Ride Alone
Zhou Yan’s figure weaved through the dark alleyways, skillfully reaching the Changfeng Escort Agency.
He listened for a moment, leaped over the courtyard wall, and followed the scale-like arrangement of buildings, winding his way towards the brightest lights.
The times were tense, and Fu’an had increased the number of guards on duty at the escort agency at night, along with runners.
Changfeng was no different.
In the past, one or two escorts with several runners were sufficient.
But now there were as many as six escorts.
The group, including two Hu People escorts, were gathered around a stove drinking. Zhou Yan emerged from the shadows cast by the houses, approaching silently.
Their voices became clear.
“The Little Prince is now the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince. I believe it won’t be long before we all rise in status.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
“If we could get an official position, we wouldn’t have to endure hardship and sleep outdoors as escorts. But if we were to join the Imperial Palace as guards, I think it would be less enjoyable than being an escort. At least after a journey, we could have a few days of freedom.”
“That’s true. If we had to stay in the Imperial Palace all day, it really wouldn’t be as good as traveling the country escorting goods.”
Zhou Yan’s hands were light as he poked open the window paper and looked inside.
He saw six men sitting around a stove, drinking from large bowls. Two of them were Hu People escorts with high noses and deep-set eyes.
“Why do you think the Young Master went to Zhongnan Mountain?”
An abrupt question made Zhou Yan’s body tremble slightly.
“Who knows? He’s accompanying Master Ouyang.”
Zhou Yan felt as if thunder had struck, his mind buzzing.
Ouyang Ke going to Zhongnan Mountain, could it be because of Li Mochou? But how did she know his whereabouts?
After transmigrating, he had encountered the Yellow River Four Ghosts pursuing Li Mochou. At that time, Shen Qinggang, the “Soul Severing Blade,” had asked about her sect, and the inexperienced Li Mochou had indeed mentioned Zhongnan Mountain. But the Four Ghosts and over ten members of the Yellow River Gang were all killed, so there was no possibility of leaked information. If the information had been leaked then, given Ouyang Ke’s nature, wouldn’t he have gone to Zhongnan Mountain long ago? Why would it be a year later?
The conversation inside the hall only lingered briefly on Helian Chuncheng’s trip to Zhongnan Mountain before moving on. As Zhou Yan pondered, he suddenly thought of the Mountain God Temple outside Datong Prefecture.
Li Mochou had only stayed for two days before rushing back to Zhongnan Mountain. Could it have been that time?
Zhou Yan’s thoughts extended, and he recalled the scene of encountering Ouyang Feng at Huayan Temple.
Realizing it belatedly, he broke out in a cold sweat. The Western Venom had appeared in Datong Prefecture back then, and it was highly likely that Ouyang Ke had accompanied him. They must have encountered Li Mochou again during that time, and Ouyang Ke had learned her exact whereabouts.
With Ouyang Feng and his nephew appearing in Datong Prefecture, Yang Kang must have accompanied them. Their purpose was to use the Changfeng Escort Agency as a connection to establish ties with the Vajra Sect in the Western Regions.
Now that Wanyan Honglie had ascended the throne, Yang Kang had become the Crown Prince, and the Jin Dynasty had moved its capital, many previously brewing major events had settled. Ouyang Ke was now free, and inviting Helian Chuncheng to Zhongnan Mountain was not difficult to explain.
With subtle clues hidden like grass snakes and gray lines, Zhou Yan deduced the general situation. His figure was like a ghost as he left silently, heading straight for the Fu’an Escort Agency.
In less than an hour, Zhang Wangyue, Huyan Lei, and Mu Nianci were waiting, drinking.
“How was it, Brother Zhou?” Huyan Lei asked, handing a bowl of wine to Zhou Yan, who had removed his mask.
“Thank you, Old Brother.”
Zhou Yan took the wine bowl, drank it down in one gulp, sat down on a chair, and said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to make a trip to Zhongnan Mountain.”
Zhang Wangyue, Huyan Lei, and Mu Nianci were all stunned.
Especially the Chief Escort of Fu’an, he suddenly thought of the personal safety escort he had delivered years ago.
“Why is Brother Zhou going to Zhongnan Mountain?” Huyan Lei asked.
Zhou Yan explained briefly: “I heard news at Changfeng that Helian Chuncheng and Ouyang Ke went to Zhongnan Mountain.”
“To find Taoist Master Ma and the others?” Huyan Lei asked.
“It’s a friend of mine who has a personal grudge with Ouyang.”
“I see.” Zhang Wangyue pondered for a moment and said, “The escort agency isn’t escorting goods right now, so Brother Zhou should take more men with him.”
Mu Nianci was about to suggest going with Zhou Yan, but he spoke first: “I don’t know if Old Brother Wang and Old Brother Shi can arrive before the Mongol Army besieges the city. Once the Mongol army attacks, the city will be in chaos, making it difficult to mobilize people. I can go alone, but given the current tense situation, I cannot stay with the escort agency.”
With Zhou Yan saying this, Mu Nianci, who was teased by Yang Miaozhen for being thin-skinned, found it difficult to speak up again.
“What if Brother Zhou’s situation becomes dire?” Zhang Wangyue asked.
“You can ask the Quanzhen Sect for help.”
Zhang Wangyue nodded: “Alright. The escort agency has me, Younger Brother Huyan, Miss Mu, and others. You don’t need to worry.”
“Thank you, Chief Escort.”
“I will inform the Boss. Prepare quickly and leave the city at dawn.”
The Jin Emperor had been assassinated, and the city gates of Zhongdu, which had been closed for two days, had now opened. Zhou Yan riding the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” was a given.
He immediately left the escort agency, went to the courtyard, and packed his bags.
He had to leave the city at dawn, so there wasn’t much time. Zhou Yan went to the backyard of the Zhao Wang Manor to find Huang Rong, telling her he would be away from the escort agency for a while. If she stayed in the city during this time, she could find Zhang Wangyue if anything happened. If she left the city, she should have the Medicine Boy take the two Big Treasure Snakes.
Huang Rong was intelligent. Zhou Yan’s late-night visit indicated an emergency, so she promised to do as he asked.
After a brief exchange, he headed straight for the escort agency.
The dawn light was faint, and the city gates were wide open. Wealthy households, who had been waiting to flee and seek refuge, were leaving the capital in droves with their families, escorted by martial arts instructors from the martial arts schools. Zhou Yan joined the crowd and left the city, galloping towards Datong Prefecture.
…
Stars and the moon traversed the sky, casting sparse light and shadows among the scale-like buildings.
The Changfeng Escort Agency in Datong Prefecture was not as heavily guarded as Zhongdu.
Zhou Yan had left Zhongdu and arrived in Datong City. Besides passing through, he naturally needed to gather information.
Ouyang Ke had gone to Zhongnan Mountain, accompanied by Helian Chuncheng. There was no reason for them not to have stopped at the escort agency in Datong Prefecture.
The wind, carrying a hint of cold, was like a rising tide, constantly beating against the oiled paper windows.
A Hu People escort who had been drinking came out of the house, exhaling alcohol fumes as he walked towards the latrine.
As the escort passed through the dark shadow cast by the house, his body was suddenly as if entangled by something. In an instant, he was flung several zhang away, as if being dragged by a giant beast.
…
Zhou Yan carried the Hu People escort, whose head was covered by a sack, on his back. His figure floated over the city rooftops, using the “Golden Goose Skill.” His body would sometimes rise and sometimes fall. In a short while, he reached the city wall.
As the former secondary capital of the Liao Dynasty, Datong Prefecture’s city walls were majestic and towering. He used a rope descent to get out of the city. After traveling a few li, “Night-Shining Jade Lion,” hearing the commotion, let out a soft snort.
Zhou Yan entered the forest, removed the sack, and began massaging to promote blood circulation. The Hu People escort, as if waking from a nightmare, opened his eyes.
The Hu People were fierce, and the alcohol still lingered. He roared, “You scoundrel, how dare you ambush me!”
As the escort spoke, he reached out to grab Zhou Yan. A gust of wind emanated from his fingers and palms. Zhou Yan extended his hand, grabbed two of the man’s fingers, and with a “crack,” separated the tendons and dislocated the bones. The Hu People escort let out a pained groan.
Before the man could react further, Zhou Yan casually pressed the “Tiantu Acupoint.”
This acupoint belongs to the Yinwei Meridian, one of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It is located below the throat and is the meeting point of the Yinwei and Ren Meridians. Once pressed, it can make the skin feel as if thousands of insects and ants are crawling and biting, causing unbearable itching and numbness.
Zhou Yan had not learned acupoint techniques. He had developed these methods by studying the diagrams of human meridians and acupoints that came with the Purple Emperor’s Fist techniques given by Zhang Wangyue, using himself as an experiment.
The Hu People escort, first having his bones dislocated and then being acupunctured, was in extreme pain and numbness, crying out, “Oh, oh, oh… You scoundrel, do I have any enmity with you?”
“You answer my questions. I have a few questions.”
The Hu People escort then realized that Zhou Yan, with his somber expression and stern demeanor, had abducted him not for revenge.
“You ask first.”
“Did Ouyang Ke of White Camel Mountain visit the Changfeng Escort Agency?”
Zhou Yan asked skillfully. The Hu People escort cursed inwardly, realizing that Zhou Yan was looking for Ouyang Ke. He had suffered for no reason. Thinking this, he let his consciousness drift and cooperated.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
The timing was precisely after the Jin Emperor’s head was taken by the experts from the Vajra Sect arranged by Yang Kang.
“Where did he go?”
“Zhongnan Mountain.”
“How many people accompanied him?”
“Over ten people.”
“Was Ouyang Ke looking for a young lady?”
“Yes.”
“How did he know her whereabouts?”
The Hu People escort thought to himself that this scoundrel must be the lover of the woman Ouyang Ke was interested in, no wonder he looked so fierce.
“That young lady hired a personal safety escort at the escort agency a few months ago. He and Young Master Ouyang encountered her at the entrance of the escort agency, and then she escaped.”
Zhou Yan suddenly understood. It must have been when he was unconscious, and Li Mochou couldn’t find Hong Qigong, wanting to take him to Zhongnan Mountain. They accidentally went to the Changfeng Escort Agency, which led to the current chain of events.
“Was Ouyang Feng there?”
“Did not see him.”
Zhou Yan’s heart settled slightly. As long as the Western Venom wasn’t there, teaming up with Li Mochou and Lin Chaoying’s maid, it wouldn’t be difficult to repel the enemy. Thinking this, he pointed his fingers like a sword and pressed the “Shanzhong Acupoint” on the man’s chest.
Zhou Yan struck with heavy force, using the “Crushing Hardness Divine Claw” technique. The escort’s body trembled violently, and he died.
He turned and leaped onto “Night-Shining Jade Lion.”
The snow had melted, and the horse’s hooves were light, swift as a shooting star.
Zhou Yan rode a thousand li alone.
