Chapter 220: Betrayal and Escape, Enemies Meet
The moon was cold and bright, the sky full of stars.
The tent flap was quickly lifted, then lowered by Qiu Qianchi. Through the gap, a faint light seeped out onto the grass, where unknown wild flowers bloomed.
Besides Qiu Qianren, there were several leaders of gangs subservient to the Iron Palm Sect inside the tent. Their gazes all turned towards them.
“Why aren’t you wearing your wedding dress?” Qiu Qianren put down the wine bowl in his hand and looked at Qiu Qianchi.
“Second Brother, I have something to say.”
Sensing Qiu Qianchi’s displeased expression and sharp words, an elder among the gang leaders stood up and said with a laugh, “Gang Leader Qiu, it’s getting late. You should rest early. We shall take our leave.”
“Alright,” Qiu Qianren nodded.
The men stood up, cupped their hands in greeting, and exited the tent.
Qiu Qianren knew Qiu Qianchi’s personality – strong and straightforward, her emotions visible on her face. He said, “What’s wrong? Doesn’t the wedding dress fit?”
“Is the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince coming to offer congratulations?”
“Is that all?” Qiu Qianren laughed. “Not only the Crown Prince Wanyan, but also Western Venom Ouyang Feng will be here. This grand occasion will surely be the greatest in the land. Old Valley Master Gongsun will be impressed. You won’t be neglected in the future.”
Qiu Qianchi let out a slight sigh, trying her best to calm the turbulent emotions within her. “I know Second Brother means well and fears losing face, but I would rather marry simply than have the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince come to offer congratulations.”
“Why is that?”
“And why would the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince come to offer congratulations?”
Qiu Qianren found it difficult to answer.
“Second Brother, I want to say a few words.”
“Speak freely.”
“Forgive my bluntness,” Qiu Qianchi exhaled a turbid breath, her voice low. “The Iron Palm Sect can dominate Jiangnan, and it can even contend for the title of the number one gang in the land. If Second Brother wants to compete for the martial arts title at the Huashan Sword Discussion and achieve fame, I, your sister, think it’s all fine. But you absolutely cannot ally with the Jin people. Minor principles can be flexible, but major principles must not be compromised.”
Qiu Qianren’s face turned cold.
Qiu Qianchi’s words were like knives, piercing Qiu Qianren’s heart. “The former Gang Leader Shangguan had unyielding integrity and dedicated his life to the country. Second Brother, you were taught martial arts by Gang Leader Shangguan and should uphold his dying wish to punish evil and resist the Jin, killing their soldiers. If you are so confused about right and wrong, won’t you be laughed at? You’ll tarnish a lifetime of honor. If Gang Leader Shangguan knew in the afterlife…”
Qiu Qianren suppressed his anger. “Who instigated you?”
“No one instigated me. These are all heartfelt words.”
“Senior Ouyang from White Camel Mountain is assisting the Jin Emperor. Crown Prince Wanyan Kang is wise and respects scholars. Why can’t I?”
“White Camel Mountain is in the Western Regions. Ouyang Feng is from the Western Regions. You are Han Chinese. Gang Leader Shangguan was a hero who resisted the Jin.”
Qiu Qianren said sternly, “This world has always judged heroes by their success or failure. Your vision is shortsighted, what do you know?”
“Better to die with fragrance on the branch. I understand integrity. Brother, a goose leaves its cry, a person leaves their name. You cannot neglect the major principles.”
“Enough, go back.”
Qiu Qianchi said word by word, “If the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince attends the banquet to offer congratulations, I will not marry.”
“As you wish. Go back and sober up.”
Qiu Qianchi spoke slowly, each word seeming to be squeezed from her chest. “Sister is very clear-headed. It is Second Brother who is stubbornly misguided.”
“Nonsense!” Qiu Qianchi suddenly strode in front of Qiu Qianren, raising his hand.
Qiu Qianchi gave a bitter smile. “Go on, hit me.”
“Leave!” Qiu Qianren’s hand dropped.
“Fine! I’m leaving.”
Qiu Qianchi slowly withdrew her gaze from Qiu Qianren. Time seemed to stretch infinitely at that moment. Then, Qiu Qianchi abruptly turned and walked out of the tent without looking back.
The campfire flickered in the night, and the sounds of revelry suddenly amplified. As Qiu Qianchi, who had quickly exited the tent, stepped onto the soft ground, her pace slowed. She looked up at the night sky, where flowing clouds obscured half of the faint starlight. In the cool, watery night, Qiu Qianchi’s consciousness returned to the Huai River.
She remembered Zhou Yan’s question to her about whether she had a path. She also recalled Yang Miaozhen’s invitation to join the mountain stronghold and raise a banner to resist the Jin. Time flowed like a painting, and she also remembered her elder brother, Qiu Qianzhang, being pursued by Sun Buer for colluding with the Jin.
The two tents were only about a hundred paces apart, yet Qiu Qianchi walked for tens of breaths. When she reached the outside of the tent, she let out a “hu” breath and lifted the flap to enter.
“Miss has arrived?” the maid hurried forward to say.
“Mm, go rest.”
“I’ll help Miss bathe.”
“No need, you may go,” Qiu Qianchi waved her hand.
The maid hesitated, then timidly withdrew from the tent.
Qiu Qianchi found some clothes, packed a bundle, and also took some money. She walked out of the tent and disappeared into the night.
In the dark mountain forest, the voices of the Iron Palm Sect disciples on guard could be heard.
“Is that Miss?”
“Mm.”
“Where is she going? She’s carrying a bundle.”
“How would I know?”
“Should we report it?”
“But it’s Miss.”
“Better safe than sorry.”
“That makes sense.”
An Iron Palm Sect disciple rose from the bushes and strode towards the Hall Master drinking among the camp. Upon hearing this, the Hall Master hurried to Qiu Qianren’s tent.
First, the sound of a wooden table shattering echoed from inside the tent. Qiu Qianren angrily cursed, “Go, go far away! The Qiu family will have no person like you from now on.”
Moments later, Qiu Qianren roared, “Go find her!”
The camp of over a hundred people suddenly erupted. A noisy crowd chased in the direction Qiu Qianchi had gone. Qiu Qianren suddenly flew out of his tent, his figure soaring into the tree crowns, disappearing into the night like a large bird drifting through the forest.
…
A bird descends from the solitary mountain autumn temple’s bell, people follow the large boat on the evening river waves.
At dusk, Zhou Yan, Liu Qingzhou, Yanbo Diaosou, and their group entered the Xiangyang river section.
As they traveled, passing through bustling areas, the sounds of hawkers along the banks reached their cabin. Zhou Yan’s gaze would also sweep over the shops, tea houses, wine shops, and eateries, feeling the vibrant life of this familiar waterway.
In the past, when escorting goods, they were always in a hurry, and no matter how magnificent the scenery on both banks, Zhou Yan only saw it in passing and never lingered.
Now that he had leisure, he could gaze at it to his heart’s content. It had a different flavor.
Once he resigned from his position to the Boss in Zhongdu and bid each other farewell, his heart would be as vast as the sea and as high as the sky, drawing his sword to roam the world, killing in the mortal world.
At Hai Shi (9-11 PM), the night was deep. The large boat docked at the wharf. Zhou Yan and the others headed for a nearby inn. He, Liu Qingzhou, Yanbo Diaosou, and the Tianzhu Monk were at the back, while Liang Xiaowu rushed ahead to inquire about guest rooms at the inn.
Under the desolate moonlight, several people began fighting on the street without warning.
A figure in black clothes, resembling a woman, moved like a phantom, advancing rapidly. Her palm techniques were swift and fierce, her movements clean and decisive. The person in front was sent flying with a palm strike to the chest. Then, as the woman advanced, she kicked and broke the lower leg of a man holding a saber. The man cried out in agony and fell to the ground.
The last man drew his saber. The woman, with feminine grace, picked up the saber from the ground and smashed it down, scabbard and all. With a “bang,” the man’s body jolted violently, his hair seeming to stand on end, and then he fell to the ground like a log.
In the blink of an eye, the woman who had taken down three big men turned and rapidly swept towards the wharf.
As the distance closed, under the sparse moonlight, a woman’s face with heroic eyebrows and eyes entered Zhou Yan’s sight.
“Miss Qiu,” Zhou Yan exclaimed.
“Head Escort Zhou.”
Meeting so suddenly, Zhou Yan and Qiu Qianchi were both astonished.
Iron Palm Lotus was surprised that the world was so vast, and that she could encounter the Head Escort of the Fu’an Escort Agency while being pursued.
Zhou Yan’s inner confusion and bewilderment surpassed Qiu Qianchi’s.
She shouldn’t have been marrying into the Valley of Unfeeling. Why did it seem like she was being chased? Jingxiang was within the sphere of influence of the Iron Palm Sect.
“What is going on?”
“It’s a long story. Head Escort, are you crossing the river? Take me with you. I’m going to Youngest Sister Yang’s place.”
“Alright!” Zhou Yan thought he would first escort her across the river, ask what happened, and then it wouldn’t be too late to go to Snake Valley.
“I’ll trouble Brother Liu, Brother Diaosou, Master, and the others to wait.”
“Alright.”
“Xiaowu, hire a boat.”
“Got it.”
Liang Xiaowu turned and ran towards the wharf. As they walked, Qiu Qianchi said, “I was supposed to marry into the Valley of Unfeeling, but Second Brother allied with the Jin, and the Crown Prince wanted to attend the banquet to offer congratulations. I refused, saying Second Brother lacked integrity, and then I argued with him. These are people from various gangs who are chasing me to capture me and take me back.”
As soon as Qiu Qianchi finished speaking, a loud voice echoed from the night: “Where do you think you’re going?”
The voice boomed. Zhou Yan turned his head. In his vision, the figure speaking was moving like lightning in the night sky, extending in a zigzag pattern. In just a few breaths, it approached, descending along the pillars of the street archway.
The person was wearing a hemp robe. Zhou Yan was all too familiar with him: Qiu Qianren.
As the Iron Palm Sect Leader landed, from further away among the houses, several figures leaped like cannonballs among the scale-like arrangement of houses, continuously closing the distance.
Zhou Yan withdrew his gaze and looked at Qiu Qianren.
“Second Brother.”
“Go back.”
“As long as you associate with the Jin Dynasty, I will never return.”
Qiu Qianren’s gaze turned sinister. It shifted from Qiu Qianchi to Zhou Yan, finally settling on the Ox Horn Giant Bow on his back, and then he repeatedly scrutinized Zhou Yan’s figure.
Suddenly, Qiu Qianren’s eyes flashed with ferocity. “Kid, I recognize you. So you’re not dead. We’ll settle old and new scores together.”
