Chapter 23: The Horse from the South Wants to Take a Strange Escort
Flickering firelight, fragrant mulled wine.
Firecrackers startled ghosts in the streets, pine wood burned in a clay basin.
As daylight faded, thunderous firecrackers erupted from the Fu’an Escort Agency.
The Boss poured wine into his bowl, and the escort leader Shi Xiangui, who was leading the team, drank it down in one gulp.
This was a send-off, wishing for a safe return.
Customs varied between north and south, but every time the Fu’an Escort Agency set out on an escort mission, the escort leader, escorts, and runners would each drink a bowl of safe-return wine. Once they left the agency’s gates, they had to abide by thirty-six rules.
Such as never leaving their weapons, abstaining from alcohol, and not staying in brothels.
The sound of gulping drinks echoed through the courtyard; the wine was finished, and the men had to depart.
“Lock up, raise the flag.”
Escort Cui Qingshan commanded, and the runners uniformly fastened anti-theft locks onto the escort chests and planted triangular escort flags.
With a beat of gongs and drums, the leading runners swiftly raised the agency’s grand banner, which fluttered and rustled in the wind.
The banner bore the characters “Fu’an” and “Duan” embroidered on both sides.
Wagons rumbled, horses whinnied, escorts had bows and arrows at their waists. The escort team set out, traveling along the main road, where the sides of the street were already crowded with family members who had come to see them off.
Over forty escort carts, with more than a hundred escorts, runners, grooms, and laborers, and a swarming crowd of family members stretching as far as the eye could see.
Escorts not on the mission, such as Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, and Wang Kui, also came to see them off, to boost morale.
Zhongdu was a large city, a place where all walks of life mingled, and dragons and snakes mixed together. Many gangs that made a living by robbing and plundering would usually have spies within the city. Therefore, no matter which escort agency was setting out, they would try their best to invite people to help boost their prestige and act as a deterrent.
Zhou Yan was familiar with all the procedures. Due to his exceptional arm strength, he had also served as the flag bearer during his time as a runner. However, viewing the scene again through the eyes of a transmigrator, he felt a surge of excitement.
After a ten-mile send-off, the escort team proceeded slowly along the official road, and Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, and the others finally stopped. Once the escort team disappeared into the distance, they turned their horses around and chatted all the way back to the escort agency.
They used different routes for entering and leaving the city. This was done to confuse the spies and informants planted within the city by envious gangs and bandits who coveted the escort cargo.
Zhou Yan, Wang Kui, Huyan Lei, and Shi Baichuan traveled together. As they passed through a wide, long street, escort Huyan Lei dismounted, as did Wang Kui and the other escorts.
Zhou Yan was startled. When he looked ahead, he saw the magnificent mansion with its gatehouse and realized they had arrived at the Zhao Wang Manor.
The escort agency had rules; when passing by a prince’s manor, one had to lead their horse.
He dismounted and looked at the prince’s manor. Before the vermilion main gate, tall flagpoles stood on either side, and majestic jade lions sat on guard to the left and right. The words “Zhao Wang Manor” were inscribed in gold characters in the center of the gate.
Zhou Yan knew that Zhao Wang was the sixth prince of the Jin Dynasty, Wanyan Honglie, and that Wanyan Kang, the son of Yang Tiexin, also known as Yang Kang, was also in the manor.
Mei Chaofeng should be in the manor, and Ouyang Ke and Liang Zi Weng would certainly be there now.
He slowly led his Qingcong horse past, not riding the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” during the send-off, as it was too eye-catching.
…
The view elevated, revealing a row of white jade steps in the prince’s manor leading directly from the main gate to the front hall, exuding an extremely grand and imposing aura.
In the autumn sunlight, a handsome young man, about Zhou Yan’s age, wearing a golden hair crown, a red robe, and a golden belt, walked lightly towards the front hall. Wherever the young man passed, servants and maids bowed their heads in greeting, calling him “Little Prince.”
With such a status, the young man was naturally Wanyan Kang.
Wanyan Kang passed through corridors and buildings. As he walked, he saw a middle-aged man with a prominent nose and a dignified demeanor and quickly approached him.
“Father, you were looking for me?”
Wanyan Honglie said, “Yes, your father has invited five experts, and they are all gathered in the manor now. I’ll take you to meet them. If you want to improve your skills, I’ll put in a good word, and they will guide you without any problem.”
Wanyan Kang had only recently returned to the prince’s manor from his travels, but he had already inquired thoroughly about the experts his father had invited.
Among the five, the Ginseng Immortal sounded impressive, but he was tricked in the suburbs of the capital, lost his Treasure Snake, and five disciples died.
The Yellow River Gang Leader Sha Tongtian was renowned, but his four disciples were killed in the suburbs of Datong Prefecture.
The young master of White Camel Mountain in the Western Regions couldn’t even protect his own woman, so what skill could he have? He wasn’t as capable as his master.
Wanyan Kang thought this way and said with a smile, “Father, aren’t you being fooled by those who sell dog meat under the guise of selling sheep’s heads? I don’t think any of them have real skill.”
“Nonsense. Never mind the others, but that Young Master Ouyang, your uncle, is the famous Ouyang Feng. How could he lack skill?”
“Ah!” Wanyan Kang exclaimed in surprise, “The nephew of the Western Venom.”
“Precisely!”
Wanyan Kang’s expression immediately changed. “Thank you for the reminder, Father. Hurry and take me to meet Young Master Ouyang. Also, I want to become a disciple of the Western Venom.”
“From arrogance to humility, have you forgotten what your father taught you?”
“It’s just being realistic, Father. Hurry and introduce me.”
Wanyan Honglie doted on Wanyan Kang. When he said “from arrogance to humility,” his tone was not stern at all. As Wanyan Kang urged him, he smiled slightly, thinking that no matter what, he had to fulfill Kang’er’s wish to become a disciple of Ouyang Feng.
…
An autumn rain brings a chill, a cup of turbid wine toasts the passing years.
After the Fu’an Escort Agency’s escort team departed for the Shu Region, Daxing Prefecture experienced several autumn rains. Zhou Yan practiced diligently, rain or shine, and ten days passed in this rhythm.
He practiced fist techniques and sanshou at the escort agency during the day, and cultivated his internal energy at his residence in the evening, tempering the extraordinary meridians and six channels that had not yet been opened. Occasionally, he would go hunting outside the city, and upon his return, he would bring back some mountain chickens and wild rabbits for Huyan Lei.
With the assistance of Jade Guanyin, his strength grew daily.
As daylight brightened again, Zhou Yan, who had practiced Yue Family Boxing in the morning, arrived at the escort agency. He took out “Night-Shining Jade Lion” to ride, and after a gallop, as he entered the city, he passed by the horse market, where the shopkeeper enthusiastically greeted him.
“Brother Zhou is out for a ride?”
“Yes, good morning, Shopkeeper.”
“You’re truly lucky. If not for that escort mission, this horse would have gone to someone else.”
“What do you mean?”
The shopkeeper said, “A merchant from Jingzhou came yesterday, and all the mules and horses at the market were pre-purchased. That person had a grand gesture, and he also wanted to buy mules and horses from other markets.”
“I see. Indeed, I’m very lucky.” He replied with a smile, exchanged a few pleasantries, and rode his horse into the city to the escort agency.
As the sun began to set, Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, Shi Baichuan, Wang Kui, and others were sparring in the martial field. Noisy sounds came from the guest rooms, and soon after, a runner ran over to the martial field.
“Escort Huyan, a merchant has arrived, and he’s being very unreasonable.”
“How so?”
The runner said, “He’s a merchant from Jingzhou, and he wants the escort agency to escort his goods.”
Zhou Yan’s heart stirred. Jingzhou was south of Xiangyang.
“We can take the escort mission. Report it to the steward.”
“The merchant said it’s mules and horses, along with other goods. Mules and horses? I’ve never heard of such an escort mission. Moreover, the merchant said that whoever between us and the Four Seas has the strength will get this business.”
Huyan Lei laughed and cursed, “Outrageous! I think he’s just a horse dealer. Let him be.”
“Wait a moment.”
Huyan Lei and the runner both looked at Zhou Yan. He said, “This morning when I was riding, I met the shopkeeper at the horse market. He said a merchant from Jingzhou had pre-purchased all the mules and horses and would be looking at other markets. This is a big order.”
Huyan Lei immediately became interested. “Let’s go and see.”
The few of them went to the guest room. The runner introduced them, “Gentlemen, our escorts are here. Please explain the details.”
Zhou Yan’s gaze fell upon a man in his mid-thirties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and an imposing demeanor. Beside him stood a robust man around thirty, with sharp eyes, clearly an expert in external styles.
The merchant looked around and cupped his hands, saying, “Greetings, esteemed escorts. There are about two hundred mules and horses, and around thirty carts of goods. Do you dare to accept this escort mission, or compete for it?”
“Quickly find the Boss.”
Huyan Lei urged the runner.
This kind of escort order, no matter what, had to be secured.
The profits from this escort could make the entire escort agency rich.
