Chapter 65: Promotion, Comprehending the Spear
The heavy snow had temporarily stopped, and the wind was no longer fierce.
Fu’an’s Boss, Duan Huai’an, sat in his chair, listening in detail to the information obtained by the head escorts during their interrogation.
After Zhang Wangyue finished speaking, the man with a lean appearance picked up his teacup and asked with a smile, “Who was it that took the person?”
“Escort Zhou!”
“You mean?” Duan Huai’an exclaimed in surprise, placing the teacup in his hand on the table.
“In less than a hundred breaths, he killed Escort Lu and captured Escort Su and Escort Lu.”
“Heroes always emerge from the young. Duan Huai’an sighed, “Four Seas’ Boss Lei Luo’s judgment was indeed good. During the escort competition that day, Zhou Yan consecutively defeated Escort Lu and Escort Su. He said Fu’an had a phoenix chick, and Zhou Yan has indeed proven to be so.”
“Indeed, his martial arts cultivation has improved at an astonishing speed. I believe that in time, he will surpass me and become the number one person in Fu’an.”
Duan Huai’an chuckled, “Don’t feel bad then. As the saying goes, the student surpasses the master.”
Zhang Wangyue smiled slightly, “If Escort Zhou ascends to the peak of the Martial Dao, I will lead a flock of sheep and carry wine, beating my own chest and singing.”
“What you’ve said, you can’t go back on.”
“Naturally!”
Duan Huai’an was in high spirits. He took a sip of tea and said, “This escort mission to Jingzhou, without Zhou Yan, its safety would be hard to guarantee. The trouble with Four Seas was also unraveled by him, leading to the truth of the matter. Such merit must be greatly rewarded. What do you think about promoting Zhou Yan to head escort?”
“Agreed!” Zhang Wangyue concurred.
“But he hasn’t even been an escort for half a year. If he’s promoted to head escort and some escorts are unhappy, you’ll handle it.”
Zhang Wangyue laughed, “The escorts under Escort Shi might be difficult to say, but those who went on this escort to Jingzhou, from the escorts down to the runners, are all convinced. We promote based on merit, Boss, you need not worry.”
“It’s a pity I have no daughters, otherwise I would want to marry one to him.”
Zhang Wangyue smiled, Fu’an has a good Boss, and I have a good brother.
“Master Yang and his daughter will arrive at the escort bureau early.”
“I wanted them to become escorts directly, joining with their skills. Such an arrangement is normal, but Master Yang is unwilling, a bit stubborn, but it also shows his character. Let them follow the rules.”
“Alright!” Zhang Wangyue changed the subject and asked, “What about Four Seas?”
Duan Huai’an was confident, “Escort Lu was killed, Escort Su and Escort Lu were captured. Lei Luo is the one sitting on pins and needles. He will come knocking. I’m not worried about Four Seas now, only a little concerned about the Yellow River Gang.”
“Boss, you need not worry.”
“Why?”
“These Jianghu gangs are only after profit, where is their righteousness? What does Four Seas’ survival have to do with the Yellow River Gang?”
“But after all, we killed quite a few people from the Yellow River Gang, and Escort Lu confessed that Sha Tongtian was a guest at the Zhao Wang Manor.”
“Jianghu matters are settled in the Jianghu, that’s an unwritten rule. The Great Jin King cherishes his reputation, and the manor will not intervene. Sha Tongtian also cares about his face. With the escort bureau’s current strength, as long as we are not on the water, we do not fear the Yellow River Gang.”
“Good, if the head escort says so, I am at ease. However, one must guard against the unexpected. I will make some rounds and make arrangements, then wait for Four Seas’ Boss Lei Luo.”
“Boss’s considerations are thorough.”
On this snowy night, Fu’an’s Boss and head escort finalized how to deal with the Four Seas matter. Zhou Yan had not anticipated that he would be promoted to head escort, on par with Zhang Wangyue and Shi Xiangui.
In the future, he could independently lead an escort team on missions. Of course, if the cargo was valuable and the route was dangerous, the escort bureau would dispatch multiple head escorts to escort it, which was also normal.
…
By the time daylight broke, the wind and snow had subsided, but the clouds were still low, and there was no sign of the weather clearing.
Zhou Yan woke up early. After washing up, he took a broom and swept the accumulated snow in the courtyard under the few poplar trees by the wall. After tidying up inside and out, he locked the door and left.
He went to a breakfast stall, ate a bowl of steaming hot tofu pudding and a cage of steamed buns to fill his stomach, and then hurried towards the escort bureau through the snow.
“Good morning, Escort Zhou.”
“Brother Zhou has arrived.”
According to the escort bureau’s regulations, one could rest for a day or two after returning from an escort mission. However, Head Escort Shi Xiangui had not yet returned from his mission, and with the Four Seas incident erupting, the escort bureau only allowed escorts and runners with families to take leave.
Huyan Lei had already arrived at the escort bureau early.
Firstly, he wanted to see how the Boss would handle the Four Seas matter, and secondly, to teach spear techniques.
Zhou Yan happened to meet him at the entrance of the escort bureau.
“Good morning, Elder Brother!”
The two walked together, and as they were about to head towards the main entrance of the escort bureau, a call sounded from behind Zhou Yan: “Escort Huyan, Escort Zhou.”
On the long street not far away, Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci were walking briskly.
Zhou Yan turned his head, his gaze lingering slightly on Mu Nianci, thinking to himself that she really liked wearing red.
The wind whistled past, carrying the snow from the rooftops on both sides of the street down in rustling showers. Mu Nianci, amidst the flying snow, had her hair tied with silk ribbons, wore a red long gown, a sash around her waist, and her sleeves were fastened with a pair of wrist guards, giving her a heroic and spirited appearance.
“Elder Brother Yang.”
“Senior Yang, Miss Mu, good morning.”
Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, and the father and daughter greeted each other. Huyan Lei looked at the beautiful and spirited Mu Nianci and praised, “Miss Mu has such great essence, qi, and spirit.”
Mu Nianci smiled upon hearing this, “Actually, I tossed and turned all night, fearing my own clumsiness would disappoint the head escort and Escort Huyan.”
Huyan Lei chuckled, “It’s only natural. But don’t be too nervous. With a solid foundation in martial arts, you’ll usually pick things up quickly.”
“Mm!” Mu Nianci nodded.
The four arrived at the escort bureau. Huyan Lei introduced Yang Tiexin and his daughter to the escorts, who welcomed them warmly. This allowed Mu Nianci to quickly integrate into the atmosphere of the escort’s life.
A little later, Zhou Yan, Zhang Wangyue, Huyan Lei, and Yang Tiexin and his daughter arrived at the martial field.
The ground had already been thoroughly swept clean by the runners.
After Zhang Xian, a fierce general of the Yue Family Army, Zhang Wangyue, the current head escort of Fu’an, began to speak in the crisp morning air.
“A spear thrusts in a line, a staff strikes a crowd. This saying emphasizes the difference in combat characteristics between spears and staffs. Why mention staffs when talking about spears? Because a staff with a spearhead attached is a spear, and a spear without its tip is a staff. Spear techniques and staff techniques have many overlaps. Spear techniques usually incorporate the pulling, striking, chopping, and smashing movements of staff techniques. And staff techniques also incorporate the thrusting, lifting, sweeping, and sliding movements. Spears fear shaking, staffs fear pointing. Shaking refers to the spear tip being twirled into a circle. For a spear to exert its power, the carrying, hooking, and thrusting must be completed in one fluid motion. The spear tip will be twirled into a circle. Spear techniques say: the circle is the mother of spear techniques. If the circle is twirled quickly, roundly, and small, generating wind, the spear thrust will be powerful and sudden, making it impossible to defend against…”
Zhang Wangyue taught spear techniques, starting with the posture and intent of the spear, so that the recipient would understand the spear, and then moving on to the techniques. Unlike ordinary pugilists who would brandish their spears with a flourish and then ask how much was remembered, making the disciples learn by imitation.
Mu Nianci had never heard such instruction before. The admiration on her face was evident, and she listened intently.
However, when she happened to glance at Zhou Yan out of the corner of her eye, she saw his understanding expression.
Mu Nianci was confused. Both were beginners, but she had grown up watching her father use a spear, and through osmosis, she should have had a better understanding of the spear than Escort Zhou.
When Zhang Wangyue spoke of key points of spear techniques like “the circle is the mother of spear techniques” and “the spear thrusts like a roaming dragon at a single point,” Zhou Yan’s thoughts instantly flew back to the scene in Xiangyang City at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion where he met Zhang Sanqiang.
The circle is the mother of spear techniques, yet the Ming Cult’s Cult Leader Zhang’s fine steel spear twirled arcs, one arc forming a posture, two arcs forming a circle, three arcs a large circle, four arcs a circle within a circle, forming a posture like rivers pouring down.
The Yue Family Spear Technique is known as the king of spears. Zhang Sanqiang’s spear should be the devil of spears.
The Yue Family Spear Technique is righteous, its posture like a bursting silver bottle, iron cavalry charging out, shattering all who stand in its way. Zhang Sanqiang’s spear is evil, winning with surprise, its movements like the hanging horns of a sheep, leaving no trace.
Zhou Yan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Huyan Lei inadvertently saw Zhou Yan’s expression and was shocked, thinking, “Could Brother Zhou already understand Spear Intent?”
More than that, he was already integrating it.
