Chapter 70: Mochou Hunts, Using Martial Arts to Stop Conflict
Zhongnan’s Yin Ridge is beautiful, its accumulated snow floats above the clouds. The forest canopy shows the clearing sky’s colors, and the city deepens in its evening chill.
After the snow, the sky cleared. Looking up from the mountainside, peaks and cliffs were intertwined, valleys and ravines crisscrossed, all presenting a scene of mist-filled, snow-blown vistas.
Li Mochou, clad in a simple white snow dress, her white attire draped over her newly formed body, rose and fell like a snow mountain. She held her longsword, her gaze fixed on the wild oxen grazing in the valley.
Zhongnan Mountain had wild oxen, but even Li Mochou, who had lived there for a long time, had never seen such a majestic bull. The wind blew its fur, making it appear soft, and its flared nostrils seemed to reach for the sky. Especially its horns, which from afar looked like a crescent moon.
“Older Sister!” a childish voice called out, and Little Dragon Girl came running quickly.
That day in Zhongdu City, Zhou Yan had asked Wang Chuyi if he had seen anyone from the Ancient Tomb sect. Yuyangzi had said he had, mentioning Little Dragon Girl, and the Taoist priest had added that she was very lively. Zhou Yan, surprised, only then realized that the Little Dragon Girl of that time was a child, and how could she be like the solemn, cold, and taciturn figure in the Divine Condor legends? She should have been lively, cute, and intelligent.
The Little Dragon Girl running towards Li Mochou at this moment was just like that, her teeth like melon seeds, her eyebrows like silkworms, her smile charming, and her eyes bright and expressive.
“Older Sister, why are you looking at the ox?”
Li Mochou said, “The martial arts competition is in half a year. No matter the outcome, it won’t affect our friendship, so I was thinking of bringing him a gift. After all, Zhou Yan helped me in Datong Prefecture.”
Little Dragon Girl’s bright eyes darted, “You want to give him an ox.”
“Silly junior sister, why would I give him an ox? His archery is outstanding, I was thinking of giving him a horned bow.”
“Oh… I understand, Older Sister wants to get the ox’s horns.” Little Dragon Girl looked at the wild oxen in the valley and said.
“You’re so smart.”
“Of course I am.”
“But I’m worried about how to control the wild ox to get its horns, and then send them to Chang’an City to have the most famous craftsman make a horned bow.”
Upon hearing this, Little Dragon Girl stood beside Li Mochou, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a childish voice rang out, “Older Sister, I have a way.”
“Tell me.”
“Use ropes to set traps.”
Li Mochou’s eyes lit up, “Are you really smart?”
“Who is smarter between me and Zhou Yan?”
“I told you to go ask him, let’s go!”
Li Mochou pulled Little Dragon Girl and they quickly ran towards the Ancient Tomb.
…
By noon, more than ten ropes were firmly secured by Li Mochou in various directions of the valley. She used her lightness skill to move through the forest to the front of the grazing wild oxen.
The wind blew through the forest, and suddenly a large patch of snow erupted. Li Mochou charged out, startling the wild oxen. They turned and bolted towards the valley. Under the dazzling sunlight, the ox that tripped on the rope fell like a wall, crashing down and kicking up a curtain of snow.
“Junior sister, it’s a success.”
Li Mochou’s joyful voice echoed through the valley.
Plum blossoms peeked out from the forest, their gnarled branches crisscrossing, filtering the daylight into scattered pink clouds. Li Mochou, after her busy work, had a face like peach blossoms. She took a pair of ox horns and, with a heavy sum of money, descended the mountain and headed straight for Chang’an City.
Little Dragon Girl waited for her senior sister Mochou to return so she could have peach blossom cake. At times, she would also think that the horned bow Zhou Yan would use in the future would also have a part of her contribution.
…
Fu’an Escort Agency in Daxing Prefecture.
Zhou Yan walked through the corridor, passing under the stark black and white snow-covered trees in the courtyard. The wind swirled past the treetops, and snow fell, making rustling sounds.
His thoughts were like the fine snow being churned by the wind, a tangled mess.
His relationship with Yang Tiexin was becoming more harmonious. He genuinely respected the man in his forties and was constantly thinking about how to find an opportunity to inform him of Bao’s whereabouts. This thought had become even stronger since seeing the Six Freaks of Jiangnan at the Yuelai Restaurant.
Bringing Yang Tiexin into the Prince’s Manor was not very realistic.
The only options were to either figure out Bao Xiruo’s routine when she went out of the Prince’s Manor and engineer a chance encounter, or to get involved in the events concerning Zhao Wang Manor by the Six Freaks of Jiangnan and the Golden Saber Consort, using the Quanzhen Sect’s involvement as an excuse. It wouldn’t be difficult to explain to the escorts like the Head Escort and Huyan Lei, whose friendships were as heavy as a thousand pounds and could face death together. Then, while drinking and chatting with Yang Tiexin and others, he could treat it as a strange tale, mentioning seeing a courtyard in the Prince’s Manor with old tables, chairs, cabinets, and beds, and even old plows and rusty iron spears, gradually leading Yang Tiexin to ask questions and let him know that Zhao Wangfei was his wife.
He felt this method was very appropriate.
“Head Escort, Brother Zhou has something important.”
Huyan Lei, who was walking ahead, spoke. Zhou Yan’s thoughts returned, and he temporarily put aside the matter of Bao Xiruo. Regardless of how he orchestrated their reunion, Bao was safe for now.
The immediate priority was the escort agency’s affairs. Zhou Yan quickened his pace and entered the Meeting Hall.
The Boss, Duan Huai’an, was not present. Zhou Yan and Huyan Lei entered the hall, and Zhang Wangyue put down the scroll he was reading and said, “I was also planning to find Brother Zhou later.”
Huyan Lei sat down and asked, “What did the Head Escort want to see Brother Zhou for?”
Zhang Wangyue smiled and said, “Good news. The Boss wants to promote Brother Zhou to Head Escort.”
Huyan Lei laughed heartily, “This is truly great news, congratulations Brother Zhou.”
Zhou Yan was stunned. Being promoted to Head Escort was something he hadn’t expected.
Huyan Lei chuckled, “What’s wrong? You’re not going to say something like ‘I’m not worthy’ to decline, are you?”
Zhou Yan came back to his senses, “How could I? I am grateful for the Boss’s regard and the Head Escort’s appreciation. I should be able to be a good Head Escort.”
Zhang Wangyue, being a descendant of the Yue Family Army, liked Zhou Yan’s attitude. A man should naturally be resolute and courageous.
“Well said, I like Brother Zhou’s spirit and sense of responsibility,” Huyan Lei praised.
Zhang Wangyue said, “With you saying that, I have no worries. Tell me, what did you want to see me about?”
“I came to see the Head Escort about the Four Seas matter. The Young Master of Changfeng Escort Agency in Datong Prefecture, Helian Chuncheng, has arrived at the Four Seas Escort Agency. Four Seas has now pledged allegiance to Changfeng Escort Agency and become a branch office. They also said they would come to pay their respects to the Boss and the Head Escort.”
Huyan Lei said indignantly, “The Boss should have dealt with Lei Luo directly.”
Zhang Wangyue had not expected such a turn of events. After pondering, he said, “The Boss’s handling was not wrong. They showed their strength and told Four Seas to withdraw from the escort business.”
“The Boss didn’t expect Lei Luo to be so wicked,” Zhou Yan said.
“Yes, they gifted Four Seas to Changfeng, serving the wolf to deal with Fu’an.” Zhang Wangyue said.
Huyan Lei asked, “Helian Chuncheng is coming to visit, how should we deal with him?”
Zhang Wangyue looked at Zhou Yan.
“I passed by the entrance of Four Seas and saw people coming and going, so I took a closer look. Changfeng has two young masters. Besides Helian Chuncheng, the other one is Yin Kexi. He threw the label of ‘sneaky’ at me and attacked me.”
Huyan Lei quickly asked, “Were you injured?”
“The opponent’s martial arts style is mixed, and I haven’t seen many of his techniques. They should be martial arts from the Western Regions, but I managed to block them. Yin Kexi’s actions were nothing more than to humiliate me and undermine Fu’an’s prestige, which is a provocation. Therefore, I estimate that Helian Chuncheng will come with Lei Luo. That day, the Boss whipped him with birch rods, and he must want to see the Boss’s embarrassment after Helian Chuncheng takes over Four Seas. If the Boss agrees, I will act.”
“If that’s the case, Fu’an and Changfeng will be in direct opposition from now on.”
Huyan Lei said, “The Boss is benevolent. Fu’an operates in business but does things openly and honestly. That day, Brother Zhou and I were drinking at the Songhe Tower, and we said that there are endless business opportunities for merchants in the world, and we should help each other. But some people are driven by greed and always want to step on others. On the escort mission to Jingzhou, the young head of Dragon Gate Escort Agency deliberately blocked the way and treated us maliciously. Now Changfeng has taken over Four Seas and is throwing a soft knife at us. At this moment, do we still have to say ‘harmony brings wealth’?”
Zhou Yan chuckled in a low voice, “If someone is kind to me, I will be kind to them; if someone is not kind to me, I will also treat them accordingly.”
Tomorrow, there will be an extra update for the monthly votes.
