Chapter 186: A Gift of Books, On the Brink of Death
As dawn broke faintly, casting a grayish-blue hue from the eastern horizon, Zhou Yan’s vision was filled with abrupt precipices and towering, strange peaks, their rugged forms interlocking like jagged teeth.
Traveling all the way from Western Hunan without any delay, Zhou Yan, Liang Xiaowu, and others crossed the river from Jingzhou, galloping their horses into Xinyang, and heading straight for Cuya Mountain in Caizhou.
“Head Escort, do you think we’ll encounter anyone from the Escort Agency?”
Zhou Yan smiled and said to Liang Xiaowu, “What are the odds? The escort team would first have to travel along the Huai River, and second, it would have to be Head Escort Huyan, Head Escort Wang, or Head Escort Shi escorting the goods.”
“That’s true.”
Liang Xiaowu drank Hundred Herbs Wine to improve his cultivation. Although it was a long journey, Zhou Yan could obtain any game with his Ox Horn Giant Bow to replenish his Qi and Blood, so compared to when they departed from Zhongdu, the young escorts in Fu’an were much more robust.
In late April, as the temperature gradually rose, they wore light clothing. With a slight movement of his arm, Xiaowu, who practiced External Style martial arts, had muscles that coiled like pythons, and his physique was as powerful as a leopard’s.
As the five of them rode forward, a signal arrow suddenly shot into the sky and fell in front of them.
A unit of infantry rushed out from the forest.
“Halt, whoever approaches.”
“Ah, it’s Lord Zhou.”
A stout, small leader ran over happily, “Lord Zhou, I saw you when the leader visited the Huai River Fu’an camp.”
Zhou Yan dismounted, cupped his hands, and said, “What is your name, brother?”
“Shi Yizhu.”
“So it’s Brother Shi, a pleasure. Is Leader Yang here?”
“He is. I’ll send word immediately.”
Shi Yizhu had his subordinates bring paper and a pigeon cage. He took out a piece of charcoal from the cloth bag slung over his shoulder, wrote a sentence crookedly, and placed the paper into the message tube.
With a flapping of wings, a carrier pigeon took flight towards the mountain stronghold.
“Lord Zhou, please.”
“Thank you.”
The two walked side by side. Zhou Yan asked, “Is Elder Yang here?”
“He left the mountain a month ago with Miss Mu and that Young Hero surnamed Guo.”
Zhou Yan sighed, thinking Yang Tiexin was truly loyal and righteous, unable to abandon Fu’an, and had returned to Zhongdu.
“Has anyone from the Escort Agency visited recently?”
“It’s unfortunate, Lord Zhou. Head Escort Huyan passed by the mountain stronghold a few days ago on his way to Luzhou.”
Zhou Yan let out a sound of realization, having missed him.
However, the Escort Agency seemed to be doing very well. He thought it was normal; with Guo Jing around, no one in Zhongdu City would dare cause trouble for the Escort Agency, and with the Changfeng Branch Office completely eradicated, its prosperity was a natural progression.
As the two conversed and traveled several miles, a tall, red horse leaped out from the rosy glow. Before the rider and horse arrived, their voices could be heard.
“Brother Zhou.”
Shandong girls are indeed passionate. Zhou Yan smiled.
The chestnut horse galloped over like a whirlwind. Yang Miaozhen leaped off her horse and complained, “Brother Guo, Sister Nianci, Head Escort Huyan, and others have all visited, but you alone haven’t.”
“I was escorting goods from Yueyang and made a special trip to see you.”
“Those words warm my heart. I’ve already ordered a banquet to be prepared. Come, little sister will host you.”
“I wouldn’t dare refuse.”
Zhou Yan cupped his hands towards Shi Yizhu, “Thank you, brother, for leading the way.”
“Lord Zhou, please don’t be so polite,” the small leader said quickly.
Zhou Yan nodded, mounted his horse, and with hoofbeats like thunder, rode directly into the depths of Cuya Mountain.
…
It was called a banquet, but compared to the food Huang Rong cooked in Hundred Herbs Valley, it was much more meager.
There was only enough beef and wine to go around.
Zhou Yan, however, didn’t care.
Yang Miaozhen, a woman who was not inferior to men, had a similar capacity for drinking.
They drank large bowls of wine, and Zhou Yan recounted his encounter with Yang Kang and Ouyang Feng in Western Hunan.
Yang Miaozhen said, “When Sister Mu came, she mentioned that the Khan was going to massacre the city, but Brother Guo persuaded him. These Mongol soldiers are indeed as you said, Brother Zhou, they have the same appetite as Jin soldiers. If I hadn’t listened to your words, I would have been an accomplice.”
“The rise of Mongolia, the Jin Dynasty, and the Liao Dynasty are strikingly similar, and their treatment of Han Chinese is almost the same.”
“Yes, those not of our kind will always have different intentions. Brother Zhou, what should I do in the future based on your insights?”
“I am merely an escort.”
“That’s not true. If Brother Zhou speaks like that, little sister will get angry.”
“Heh.” Zhou Yan raised his cup, and they drank together. He said, “Yang Kang becoming Crown Prince and Wanyan Honglie ascending the throne is not a good thing for Brother Guo, as the revenge for his father’s death will be difficult to achieve in the short term.”
“Indeed.”
“But for the mountain stronghold, it might not be a bad thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wanyan Honglie is shrewd, and Yang Kang is capable. They will at least cause more trouble for the Mongol army than the previous Jin Emperor. If the Jin and Mongol armies are locked in conflict, they will have no strength to encircle and suppress the Righteous Army. The mountain stronghold can then take the opportunity to drill troops and feed horses.”
“That makes sense. Brother Zhou, you’ve hit the nail on the head.”
Zhou Yan took out the booklet he had copied from Huang Rong’s transcription of Wumu’s Military Writings.
“I accidentally obtained General Yue’s troop training manual. Take this and train according to this method.”
Zhou Yan’s words were like thunder. Yang Miaozhen took several seconds to react. As she took the booklet, her slender fingers, roughened by spear practice, trembled slightly.
The first page bore eighteen large characters: “Select carefully, train diligently, reward and punish impartially, issue clear commands, enforce strict discipline, share hardships together.”
Yang Miaozhen continued to flip through the pages. The booklet also contained discussions on judging matters, attacking, defending, training soldiers, commanding generals, deploying formations, and field battles, as well as the principles of dynamic and static security, and the art of using the unexpected.
Among the formation chapters were eight formations: Tianfu, Dizai, Fengyang, Yunzhui, Longfei, Huyi, Niao Xiang, and Shepan.
Yang Miaozhen, who often fought with Jin and Song armies when leading troops, had naturally read some military strategies. The more she read, the more surprised she became.
She let out a deep breath and closed the booklet. “Brother Zhou, how can I repay such kindness?”
“To fight for the survival of the people, there is no need for repayment.”
“Brother Zhou, you speak frankly. After you help me train the troops, let’s kill more of those corrupt officials in Lin’an Prefecture, bandits, and barbarians who harm the common people.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Yan was unconcerned with minor details, and Yang Miaozhen was forthright. This conversation was truly refreshing. He then mentioned Helian Chuncheng, the Young Master of Changfeng Escort Agency, defecting to Yang Kang, and casually said, “The main threat to the mountain stronghold is still the Jin Dynasty. Sister, you might want to place some people in Kaifeng Prefecture to gather intelligence on Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang’s movements, and also keep an eye on Changfeng Escort Agency and Zhenwei Escort Agency. If Helian Chuncheng acts against Zhenwei, send me a message.”
“Rest assured, Brother Zhou. Young Master Lu also has a debt of gratitude to the mountain stronghold. Any escort from Changfeng Escort Agency that passes the Huai River will be thoroughly routed.”
“Agreed!”
Yang Miaozhen poured wine, and they drank it down. She said, “I still have one thing that puzzles me.”
“Speak freely.”
“Brother Guo is also a righteous and honorable hero, yet he works for the Mongols. If, one day, Mongolia eliminates the Jin Dynasty, and the mountain stronghold clashes with Mongol troops, and we happen to encounter Brother Guo, what then?”
“I cannot say for sure, but Brother Guo is a person of noble character. Life is unpredictable, and perhaps it will not reach the point you and I anticipate. We shall see as things unfold.”
“Yes, then it shall be so.”
“The wine has invigorated us. How about another spar, Brother Zhou?”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Neither of them was drunk. They went to the martial field, each holding a spear.
In this bout, Zhou Yan successively employed the “Yang Family Style,” “Yue Family Spear Technique,” and “Huyan Spear Technique,” along with his own self-created spear styles that integrated elements of Hengshan Five Gods Sword and Quanzhen Swordplay. Yang Miaozhen found it exhilarating and gained much insight.
From morning till evening, after the sparring, Zhou Yan politely declined Yang Miaozhen’s invitation to stay and bid her farewell, heading directly for Zhongdu.
Yang Miaozhen gave her subordinates instructions for establishing informants in Kaifeng Prefecture and then went into seclusion to comprehend spear techniques.
The essence of the Hibiscus Swordplay of the Hengshan Five Gods Sword lies in speed, chaos, and unpredictability. Yang Miaozhen’s “Storm of Pear Blossoms Spear” emphasizes speed and chaos. With her outstanding talent, she began to associate these concepts, thinking that if “Storm of Pear Blossoms Spear” also incorporated “unpredictability,” wouldn’t it become even more unpredictable, both illusory and real, and difficult to resist?
…
“Head Escort Zhou is back.”
A familiar voice, but a different atmosphere.
Zhou Yan looked at the duty runner who ran over to hold his horse, his face showing suppressed joy and a hint of solemnity, and he felt a vague sense of unease.
“Did something happen at the Escort Agency?”
The runner said, “When the Boss was hosting guests at ‘Songhe Tower,’ he was struck by a palm from a subordinate of a Mongol Little Prince and fell down the stairs, hitting his head. He’s been in a semi-conscious state for the past few days.”
Zhou Yan’s mind buzzed. He quickly asked, “What is the Mongol Little Prince’s name?”
“His name is Huo Du. Young Hero Guo also came to visit the Boss. That Mongol Little Prince even sent people with gold and silver, saying his subordinate was reckless.”
Zhou Yan’s hands clenched into fists, then slowly relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, his lips pressed tightly together, his expression grim as he strode quickly through the gatehouse.
