Chapter 6: Minor Harm, Major Humiliation
It was autumn, and the temperature was pleasant. The distant mountains were a mixture of earthy yellow and green, showing few signs of decay.
Zhongdu, the capital of the Jin Dynasty, was the most prosperous place in the world, surpassing even the former Song Dynasty capital Bianliang and the new capital Lin’an.
Although Zhou Yan had integrated the memories of the original owner, as he walked along the street, he saw dense crowds, prosperous markets, large shops displaying rare goods, and exotic merchants from the Western Regions with their unique attire and appearances everywhere.
His mood was not affected by the encounter with the Yellow River Four Ghosts, nor was he discouraged by his current shallow martial arts. The scene before him instead reminded him of the fitting lines: “Young men of Wuling, east of the Golden Market, rode white horses with silver saddles through the spring breeze. Having trodden down the fallen flowers, where did they wander? They laughed and entered the wine houses of the Hu women.”
Huyan Lei, familiar with the way, led Zhou Yan to “Songhe Tower,” a top restaurant in Daxing Prefecture.
White walls and blue tiles, overhanging eaves and upturned corners, lanterns hung high, and a grand plaque were visible. As they ascended the stairs, the din of voices and the clamor of carriages and horses could be heard. In the courtyard well, a red maple tree with twisted branches, described as “frosty leaves redder than February flowers,” exuded an aura of enjoying the human world with the clear wind and bright moon.
Huyan Lei was a regular customer. Upon reaching the second floor, a shop assistant greeted them, “Master Lei, you’ve arrived.”
“A pot of Green Ant Wine, three catties of lamb liver, and a plate of pan-fried beef tendons.”
“Certainly, please wait a moment.”
The two sat in a private room by the south window. In just a moment, the shop assistant brought the wine and food.
The sky and autumn sunlight, turning into sorrow, the first trial of light clothing, the new taste of Green Ant. Huyan Lei poured the wine and asked, “Does Brother Zhou enjoy wine?”
Although they were acquainted, Zhou Yan had previously been a runner and had no opportunity for private gatherings with him. He replied, “I can only have a small drink.”
“Excellent. You are an Escort at such a young age. A small drink for pleasure, excessive drinking leads to mistakes. That’s perfect,” Huyan Lei said, filling his cup. “The quality of this Green Ant Wine depends on its freshness, the lees, and the aroma. Look at the wine in your cup; the Green Ant has a vibrant color and fine foam. Judging by its appearance, it is a fine vintage with a sweet aftertaste. In those days, when the Drunken Bard served in Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, he favored Green Ant Wine the most.”
“Do you know who the Drunken Bard is?”
“Naturally, it is Bai Juyi, the Scholar of Xiangshan, who wrote the widely acclaimed poem: ‘New wine of Green Ant, a small red stove. Evening approaches, snow is coming, would you like a cup?'”
Huyan Lei exclaimed, “Brother Yan has good knowledge.”
Zhou Yan smiled slightly, thinking to himself, “I’ve memorized three hundred Tang poems.” His gaze fell upon the burly escort with a rugged face before him.
Huyan Lei was one of the pillars of the escort agency. His weapon was a spear, and whenever inspiration struck, he would teach the runners a few spear techniques. If they failed to grasp the essence, he would curse, “Damn it, your ancestors must have smoked from a chimney to be blessed with guidance from Huyan Lei, a descendant of the Hu Family Generals, yet you still don’t study diligently.”
Whether Huyan Lei was a descendant of the Hu Family Generals was unknown, but he indeed wielded his spear skillfully.
As they clinked glasses, Zhou Yan said, “There are thirty-six rules for escort agencies, and I can recite them fluently. However, having traveled from Datong Prefecture, I often see escort agencies and teams traveling north and south. Old Brother, please tell me about this industry.”
“You’ve asked the right person,” Huyan Lei said volubly. “Have you heard of the Huashan Sword Discussion?”
“Brother, please get straight to the point.”
“You, young man, are rarely instructed by a descendant of the Hu Family Generals…”
Zhou Yan chuckled, “Being personally instructed by Old Brother Huyan, I should listen attentively. How dare I interrupt.”
“It’s always a pleasure talking with Brother Zhou,” Huyan Lei laughed heartily and returned to the topic. “There are countless escort agencies in the world. In terms of reputation, the Dragon Gate Escort Agency in Lin’an Prefecture is the foremost. Its Chief Escort, Jiang Kui, possesses martial arts not much inferior to the Northern Beggar or Southern Emperor at the Huashan Sword Discussion. This Dragon Gate Escort Agency is the leader among the escort agencies in Jiangnan. In the northwest, the Changfeng Escort Agency in Datong Prefecture is the top choice. In the Central Plains and the capital region, it is naturally our Fu’an Escort Agency and the Zhenwei Escort Agency in Kaifeng Prefecture, Nanjing. However, the neighbor next door is always jumping around, thinking of replacing us. What a pipe dream.”
Zhou Yan knew that the neighbor the other party was referring to was the Four Seas Escort Agency, also in Daxing Prefecture. Merchants hiring escorts would naturally weigh their options. From his memories as a former runner, the two agencies had often clashed over business.
Huyan Lei raised his cup, and Zhou Yan pushed his forward. As the wine, first sour then sweet, spread down Zhou Yan’s throat, he heard the other man say, “Whenever there are conflicts of interest between escort agencies in various regions, they all seek mediation from the Four Great Escort Bureaus. This, in turn, helps to avoid some rule-breaking and malicious snatching of escorts.”
“There’s such a situation? But that’s a good thing.”
Huyan Lei gave a thumbs-up. “Brother Zhou has high awareness. Many runners and escorts don’t understand this principle. They say that when other escort agencies fight over interests, we benefit. It’s like a mayfly seeing the sky, with short-sightedness. How can the business of merchants in the world be endless? In these chaotic times with bandits rampant, only by working together can the escort agencies stabilize merchants and deter those who plot against escort teams. If an escort team from Jiangnan lost their cargo near Daxing Prefecture and sought our help to find and mediate, should we assist?”
“Of course.”
“That’s right. You give something, you receive something. If we were to escort goods to Jiangnan, wouldn’t we also receive assistance?”
“That’s the logic.”
“It’s good to be young. Your mind is sharp and can adapt.”
“I toast you, Old Brother.”
“Cheers!”
They drank together, and Zhou Yan asked again, “From which sect did Head Escort Zhang come?”
The escort agency had two head escorts. Zhou Yan was asking about the one named Zhang Wangyue, who wielded a heavy sword and was widely recognized as the most skilled martial artist in the agency.
Huyan Lei lowered his voice and said, “The Dragon Gate Escort Agency in Lin’an Prefecture.”
“What is this about?” Zhou Yan was surprised.
“I was drinking with the head escort, and he drunkenly mentioned that many years ago, he once escorted a personal safety escort for a female infant in swaddling clothes. After completing that escort, he left the Dragon Gate Escort Agency and joined the Fu’an Escort Agency.”
“A female infant, and where was she delivered?”
“I didn’t find out. Later, the head escort asked if I had spoken carelessly while drunk. I said no.”
“This is of great importance, there must be an inside story,” Zhou Yan thought, eavesdropping.
“Naturally. But then again, escort agencies often handle these special personal safety escorts. If you hadn’t asked about the Chief Escort’s sect and origin, I would have forgotten about this matter.”
After three rounds of drinks and five courses, the conversation became more extensive. Huyan Lei spoke at length about his ancestors’ glorious deeds, focusing on the famous general Huyan Zan of the Northern Song Dynasty. He mentioned that Huyan Zan was the son of Huyan Cong, the Commander of the Infantry and Cavalry of Zizhou in the Later Zhou Dynasty. The Grand Emperor selected him as a leader of the Eastern Guard and received an imperial decree. In the early years of Taiping Xingguo, Huyan Zan was appointed Commander of the Iron Cavalry and campaigned against the Northern Han.
Zhou Yan listened attentively, occasionally refilling his cup. The other man drank heartily and spoke eloquently. Zhou Yan listened to the anecdotes of famous people, enjoying the autumn breeze and the scattered sunlight.
The sound of footsteps, “tap, tap, tap,” came from downstairs. Before anyone appeared, a voice exclaimed, “Shopkeeper, this ‘Songhe Tower’ is too disrespectful of the rules. Why are you letting a storyteller go to the private hall on the second floor?”
Huyan Lei’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Zhou Yan followed the sound and saw that the first person to ascend the stairs was wearing purple tight-fitting clothes, with a wide belt of auspicious clouds of the same color at his waist. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with silver thread in a Sea of Clouds pattern.
They were escorts from the neighboring Four Seas Escort Agency.
The burly escort saw Huyan Lei and cupped his hands, “So it’s Escort Huyan. My apologies. I mistook you for a storyteller just now.”
The other three, the remaining two escorts, also ascended the stairs. A young escort heard this and laughed heartily, “Escort Huyan is truly talented and versatile.”
Zhou Yan inwardly scoffed. The words were not very damaging, but extremely insulting.
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