Chapter 22: A Gentleman is Open and Honest, a Scoundrel is Constantly Worried
“That brat fell into my hands. I’ll make him wish he were dead, and then feed him to snakes.”
“Hiss!”
Ouyang Ke gasped as he spoke the harsh words.
He sat on the grass in the forest, two of his concubines holding silk handkerchiefs, meticulously and carefully wiping the lime powder that had entered his eyes.
The Young Master of White Camel Mountain felt he was the unluckiest person alive. He had set off south with high spirits, only to encounter endless troubles.
First, he encountered a beautiful maiden with the allure to sink fish and make geese fall from the sky. Little did he know that she had escaped from the Yellow River Four Ghosts, and moreover, those four useless wretches had died in the suburbs of Datong Prefecture.
Feeling depressed and stifled, his two beautiful concubines spotted a woman of outstanding appearance and abducted her at night, hoping to cheer him up. The result was that they encountered people from the Quanzhen Sect and met a violent end. He thought that once he reached Zhongdu, his luck would surely turn. Relying on his martial arts, he gained the admiration of a Jin Dynasty Prince and displayed his skills, but he was defeated by a mere brat.
A piercing pain shot through his eyes again. Ouyang Ke clenched his fists, grinding his teeth.
“How can I not avenge such a profound humiliation? I will dig three feet into the ground to find you.”
Ouyang Ke swore.
…
Silver saddle reflects white horse, swift as a shooting star.
Zhou Yan galloped his horse for several li, sighing, “What a pity I didn’t bring a bow, otherwise I might have had a chance to kill Ouyang Ke.”
His views differed from Hong Qigong’s.
People like Ouyang Ke deserved to die. If he had a perfect opportunity, Zhou Yan would not hesitate to strike.
The path was clear, and the opponent had been hit with lime. With a strong bow, he could have shot him repeatedly. If he had then destroyed the body, could Ouyang Feng have found him?
Zhou Yan’s sigh stemmed from the fact that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had slipped away for no reason.
The current Young Master of White Camel Mountain’s martial arts cultivation was certainly far superior to his own, and that person was also cunning. Such an opportunity, once lost, could not be regained.
Zhou Yan withdrew his thoughts and urged his horse onward.
Less than an hour for the round trip.
The runners had already led the mules and horses back to the escort agency. Huyan Lei and the shopkeeper were having tea. Seeing him return from afar, the escorts came out of the teahouse.
“Neigh…”
“Night-Shining Jade Lion” neighed and firmly planted its hooves on the ground. Zhou Yan dismounted.
“Shopkeeper, how much did this horse cost?”
The shopkeeper smiled, “Escort Huyan has already paid for it.”
Zhou Yan was stunned. The burly man approached from the autumn sunlight, “You’re back, Brother Zhou.”
“Good!” He realized and thanked him, “Thank you, Old Brother.”
“We’re good brothers, what’s this?”
After greeting the shopkeeper, the two of them left the horse market shoulder to shoulder. Zhou Yan then asked, “How much did it cost?”
“What, you’re going to pay for it anyway?”
“Even sworn brothers keep clear accounts.”
“Nonsense!” Huyan Lei changed the subject, “How much does a bowl of that snake soup cost?”
“How can you calculate it like that, Old Brother?”
“Let’s just drop this matter. If you really feel bad, bring me a portion when you go hunting. The Head Escort taught me spear techniques, and my heart is set on practicing them diligently. I need beast meat to nourish my qi and blood.”
Hearing Huyan Lei say this, Zhou Yan felt it was reasonable.
He also needed to nourish his blood and strengthen his bones, and couldn’t rely solely on the miraculous functions of Jade Guanyin. Hunting an extra portion was a small matter. Winter would arrive soon. Once he shot a deer and got its hide, he would find someone to make a fur coat for him.
“Alright, then I’ll consider it a debt of meat.”
“Well said!”
Huyan Lei readily agreed, and the two swiftly entered the city.
…
The owner of Fu’an Escort Agency was named Duan, and his given name was Huai’an. He had many connections with officials and nobles in Zhongdu.
Running an escort agency required managing relationships. Otherwise, if there were conflicts with other agencies or deaths due to robbery, they would be investigated and extorted to death.
When Zhou Yan and Huyan Lei arrived at the escort agency, Duan Huai’an was also there.
The Boss had already heard from the runners about Zhou Yan taming the horse. The groom led “Night-Shining Jade Lion” to the stable. Seeing the fine horse, as white as snow, from afar, Duan Huai’an praised, “A good horse.”
His son, Duan Zhaoxi, was also by his side. The Young Master, a few years older than Zhou Yan, said, “Why don’t we ask for this horse for Father?”
Duan Huai’an laughed and scolded, “Nonsense! What would I do with this horse? Zhou Yan is the escort agency’s swift runner. To manage an escort agency, one must grease the wheels of human relationships at the top and have a discerning eye for talent at the bottom.”
“How is Zhou Yan so capable?” Duan Zhaoxi asked, unconvinced.
“My son, if you want to inherit my business and ensure Fu’an’s reputation remains untarnished, you must start by winning over promising young escorts like Zhou Yan. Huyan Lei, Zhang Wangyue, Shi Xiangui, and others will eventually grow old. Nowadays, with chaotic times and no peaceful roads for traveling south or north, without capable escorts, no matter how glorious an escort agency is, it will decline.”
Duan Zhaoxi nodded, though he inwardly disagreed.
Without a dragon head to lead, how could the escorts achieve anything great?
Amidst the scale-like arrangement of buildings, Cui Changshun, a runner who had not yet been promoted to escort, watched Zhou Yan, who was like the moon surrounded by stars. He fiercely tugged at the rope on the escort cart and whispered, “A scoundrel who has achieved success.”
The escort beside him, Cui Qingshan, said in frustration, “Who told you not to practice martial arts properly? You go to brothels more often than you go to the martial field.”
“I know I was wrong.”
“Knowing your mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue. Spend less time on women’s bellies and more time practicing martial arts. When I return, I’ll put in a good word for you, and you’ll be promoted to escort next time.”
“Thank you, Uncle.” Cui Changshun beamed, but inwardly he was thinking of ways to ruin Zhou Yan’s reputation.
…
“Night-Shining Jade Lion” was housed at the escort agency. The expenses for its feed and fodder were deducted from Zhou Yan’s monthly salary. The grooms who fed the horse were all experienced individuals, so he had nothing to worry about.
After a day of busy work, the escort goods were loaded onto the carts, the mules and horses were ready, and they were set to depart the next day.
This trip to the Shu Region would involve at least half of the escort agency’s escorts. When the next escort mission came, Zhou Yan knew he would be accompanying them. He was currently looking forward to escort missions in Xiangyang, northern Xiang, and the Shaanxi-Gansu region.
When escorts travel, they have leisure time on their return journey.
They could seek opportunities.
In the evening, Zhou Yan returned home. After dinner.
He took out the Yue Family Fist Manual.
Under the dim lamplight, the young man was focused.
Zhou Yan’s gaze fell upon “Yue Family Scattered Hands” within the fist manual. This was a peerless skill that even Ouyang Feng praised. The Western Venom had even harbored thoughts of finding or seizing this cultivation technique to use it by surprise during the Huashan Sword Discussion.
Yue Family Scattered Hands, also known as Yue Family Eagle Hands, involved seizing, striking, capturing, and grappling, with flips, collapses, elbows, and shoulders. It emphasized consuming, then seizing, then subduing, then defending, separating tendons and dislocating bones, and acupoint pressure and breath-holding. It was as if touching the pulse when sticking to clothing, with hardness and softness emerging from stillness.
Zhou Yan read with excitement.
This was practically a martial art tailored for him.
The outline mentioned that practicing this skill required strong arms, agile movements, and sharp eyes. He had a pair of iron arms and exceptional strength. Furthermore, when Zhang Wangyue gave him the Taizu Long Fist, he had also provided diagrams of meridians and acupoints, allowing for rapid mastery.
With the gentle breeze as his companion and the bright moon as his neighbor.
Zhou Yan memorized the nine sets of scattered hands from the fist manual: three in the upper section, four in the middle section, and two in the lower section.
He buried a three-foot-high, wrist-thick wooden stake in the courtyard.
He approached the stake, shifting his weight forward onto his left leg, his right knee slightly bent, his right foot lifted slightly, and his two palms forming a camel shape…
The orange light cast by the lantern under the eaves projected Zhou Yan’s silhouette onto the ground. The figure on the ground seemed like a roc spreading its wings, and he suddenly moved with the ferocity of an eagle and a tiger.
As the nine sets of scattered hands were continuously performed, the techniques transitioned from awkward to proficient. Zhou Yan moved like the wind, his feet treading the Bagua and moving in the four directions. The hems of his trousers rustled, and the breath in his abdomen surged like a roaring tide.
He practiced without stopping. When the moon was past its zenith, Zhou Yan held a breath within him. He approached the wooden stake, his right hand forming a hook with his five fingers, and with a snap, he grasped it.
He guided the energy with his intent, his internal energy radiating outwards, pouring into the wooden stake.
He executed the “tiger form” of a sanshou technique, a grip, pull, twist, and wrench.
With a “crack,” the wooden stake in his hand split, and fragments flew in all directions.
Zhou Yan concluded his practice, feeling the heat in his fingers. He thought that if he encountered Hou Haitong again, with this sanshou, he would be able to break the man’s arm.
