Chapter 49: Borrowing a Horse, Bandits
Huang Rong was greatly annoyed by Zhou Yan’s meddling.
Things unfolded exactly as he had analyzed.
Hou Tonghai, along with Peng Lianhu’s disciples “Iron Arms Arhat” and “Ground Rolling Tiger,” followed Fu’an’s escort team, waiting for an opportunity to rob the escort on the Yellow River. According to the plan, after the deed was done, Three-Headed Flood Dragon was to head directly to Lin’an Prefecture to await Ghost Gate Dragon King and his group.
Three-Headed Flood Dragon had stumbled at Fengling Ferry. He was a man who obeyed his Senior Brother’s every command and had an extremely simple way of thinking. If he failed, he failed. After all, he had the gold, and the Four Seas Escort Agency could still get it back.
As for the conflict between the Four Seas and Fu’an Escort Agencies, what did it have to do with the Yellow River Gang?
He then followed the agreement and headed southward directly to Lin’an Prefecture.
Huang Rong followed all the way.
If it weren’t for their special abilities, it would have been truly unlikely to pursue from the Yellow River’s Fengling Ferry all the way to the Yangtze River’s Jingzhou basin.
However, among the two, Huang Rong was intelligent, and Hou Tonghai’s three flesh tumors on his head were too obvious. As long as Hou Tonghai stopped for a meal, Huang Rong could gather information. Thus, she followed him like a shadow.
In truth, Huang Rong’s mindset was also constantly changing.
She had secretly left Peach Blossom Island, with the world vast and her free to go anywhere. Yet, she felt her heart was like a floating duckweed, with nowhere to anchor.
She both hoped Huang Yaoshi would find her and harbored a stubborn thought of not wanting to see the Eastern Heretic. Hou Tonghai became the best target for her to vent and amuse her emotions.
To put it simply, she had something to do. Who told you to provoke me.
From Fengling Ferry to Jingzhou, the two had fought countless times on water and land. Huang Rong had even managed to extract from Three-Headed Flood Dragon his intention to go to Lin’an Prefecture.
She thought that since she had nothing else to do, she might as well follow him to Lin’an Prefecture for fun and to investigate his purpose.
Little did she know that before she could get any information by the riverside, she was interrupted.
She huffily went straight to where Zhou Yan was staying.
Zhou Yan inwardly lamented, regretting that he hadn’t hit Hou Tonghai’s head. Otherwise, it would have at least resulted in a bloody head and an additional flesh tumor. Of course, he also regretted not bringing a bow and arrows, otherwise, Three-Headed Flood Dragon would have had no chance of survival.
Fearing that Huang Rong might search for him, Zhou Yan quickly leaped onto the riverbank, wrung the water out of his trouser legs, and put on his clothes.
Huang Rong’s footsteps, however, had already slowed down.
Three questions emerged one by one.
The busybody throwing stones at Hou Tonghai indicated that the other party knew him.
As night fell, hitting Three-Headed Flood Dragon from over ten zhang away required not only extraordinary arm strength but also archery skill.
This was Jingzhou. She had overheard the Yellow River Gang’s conversation at Fengling Ferry, and the escort team they intended to rob was also heading to Jingzhou.
Huang Rong instantly confirmed that the busybody who threw the stone was the owner of the “Night-Shining Jade Lion.”
Zhou Yan, having put on his clothes, followed the direction from which Huang Rong had previously made a sound. Suddenly, he heard a voice from the reeds ahead: “Are you still selling your ‘Night-Shining Jade Lion’?”
He was stunned, not understanding how the other party had guessed his identity. However, he reacted swiftly, letting out a hearty laugh, “I heard Hou Tonghai’s voice and guessed that the one pursuing him might be Young Master. It turns out to be true. Thank you, Young Master, for the reminder at Fengling Ferry that day.”
“I only shouted, ‘Yellow River Gang, why aren’t you acting? You’ve been exposed.’ I didn’t remind you.”
“A gentleman judges by deeds, not intentions.”
“That’s a clever answer.” Huang Rong changed the subject, her words becoming more challenging: “But you interfered when I was about to capture Hou Tonghai. How about this, I won’t blame you. Will you sell me the ‘Night-Shining Jade Lion’? I need to pursue Three-Headed Flood Dragon; he’s going to Lin’an Prefecture.”
“A matter of urgency in the Jianghu, may I borrow your horse?”
“Aren’t you worried I won’t return it?”
“Since it’s a matter of urgency in the Jianghu, why consider such trivial details? Doing so would be beneath you.”
“Alright, go and fetch the horse.”
“Please wait, Young Master!”
Zhou Yan turned and walked towards the escort team’s camp.
The escort carts were arranged in a large circle, with the mules and horses inside. Upon reaching the camp, he took his quiver, led out the “Night-Shining Jade Lion,” and went to the riverside alone with the horse.
The night is long, the tide invades the shore; the river is clear, the moon is close to people.
Huang Rong wore a white young master’s robe, just as Zhou Yan had seen her at the inn in Fengling Ferry.
He handed the reins to Huang Rong, stroked the “Night-Shining Jade Lion’s” neck, and said, “Be good!”
The horse, being intelligent, let out a slight snort.
“Thank you!”
Huang Rong mounted the horse. The “Night-Shining Jade Lion” galloped away on its four hooves, and a voice drifted on the wind, “When I capture Hou Tonghai, I will definitely return the horse to the Fu’an Escort Agency.”
Zhou Yan smiled, “Young Master, take care on your journey.”
The biting river wind was slightly cold, but Huang Rong, galloping on her horse, had a smile on her face. Since leaving Peach Blossom Island, her days were finally no longer so dull.
This escort was different; he lent her the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” without asking her background or name.
The “Night-Shining Jade Lion” disappeared from sight. Zhou Yan searched along the river but found no sign of Hou Tonghai coming ashore to build a campfire to dry his clothes. He surmised that the man had indeed gone downstream, possibly stealing a small boat along the way or secretly boarding a cargo ship traveling downriver.
Thinking this, he turned back the way he came.
…
The escort team had entered Jingzhou territory, less than 300 li from the city. At their current pace, if they traveled without rest after dawn, they would reach outside the city before sunset.
Therefore, the escorts and runners, who had completely relaxed, went to rest early.
After tomorrow, this long-distance escort mission would be considered complete.
In the mountainous terrain to the southwest, a fine horse leaped over the clear moonlight, followed by a second, a third, a fourth… a tenth… a total of over seventy horsemen appeared in the wilderness southwest of the escort team without any warning.
An ominous aura permeated the air. The bandit leader’s eyes lit up as he looked at the gathering of mules and horses.
“Hall Master, so many mules and horses,” said a bandit beside the man.
The man chuckled lowly, “If it weren’t for so many mules and horses, ordinary escort goods wouldn’t be worth us making this trip.”
“Hall Master speaks wisely.”
“Quick kill, quick resolve.”
“You got it.”
…
Zhou Yan broke out in a cold sweat.
He had been searching for Three-Headed Flood Dragon in vain and was returning to the escort team’s camp from the riverside when he saw the bandits gathered in the distance by the moonlight.
Escorts on their journeys most feared encountering two types of people.
Bandits on the road, and water ghosts on the rivers.
Fu’an had encountered both. In Zhou Yan’s eyes, bandits were more dangerous than water ghosts because of their ferocity.
He was also fortunate to have met Huang Rong. When he went to fetch the “Night-Shining Jade Lion,” he had brought a bow and arrows. For dealing with bandits, a strong bow was the most useful.
“Bandits!” Zhou Yan shouted to warn them, then quickly moved towards the bandits, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow.
As his voice carried far, the sound of horse hooves already thundered like thunder, the roar shaking the ground, iron hooves charging like a deluge in the night.
The bandit at the forefront had a ferocious gaze. He spat and said to his companions, “We’ve been discovered, charge.”
“Pfft!”
The flying long arrow hit his chest precisely. The bandit looked down at the arrow embedded in his body and cursed, “I’ve hunted geese every day, and today the goose pecked my eye. I’m not reconciled.”
Then his consciousness began to sink, and his body fell from his horse uncontrollably.
About fifty to sixty paces away in the darkness, Zhou Yan’s bowstring, vibrating with a hum, was strung with another long arrow. In a flash, the second arrow shot out.
On the side of the camp, Zhang Wangyue and Sun Buer were the first to leap out of their tents.
Qingjing Sanren’s injuries had already healed. Although she had taught Zhou Yan swordplay, she had been eating and drinking with the escort team all along and felt a desire to contribute to the escort agency at such a critical moment.
Her lightness skill was outstanding. She leaped out of the tent, saw the bandits, and let out a soft cry. Her figure, like a swallow in flight, soared over two zhang, landing with her toes like a dragonfly touching water. She then pushed off again, her robe’s hem flaring open, like a blooming lotus.
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