Lishui Town.
at dusk.
There are few people on the streets.
A man and a horse came across the street.
The man is a young man with a simple appearance, and he already has a somewhat calm demeanor as he looks around. The horse is a good steed, tall and strong. Although it gallops hundreds of miles and carries the dust of the long journey, it still has light legs and hooves without losing its high-spirited attitude.
At the end of the street is a large courtyard. There are lanterns hanging on both sides of the courtyard door with words on them. The one on the right is "Li Shui" and the one on the left is "Heji".
Heji Inn?
Yu Ye put away the animal skin map in his hand and drove his horse towards the inn.
We set off early this morning and were supposed to arrive at Lishui Town in the afternoon. Unexpectedly, the route of the map sent by Zhongjian was unknown and we took the wrong road. After a delay, we finally found the place before dark.
Before he reached the door of the inn, a young waiter came to greet him.
Yu Ye jumped off his horse, stretched out his hand to stop him and said, "I'm looking for shopkeeper Kuang."
"There are many people looking for shopkeeper Kuang. Let's wait and see if we can stay here. Otherwise, the guest rooms are full. No wonder I'm being treated so slowly!"
The man was eloquent, so he grabbed the horse and led it to the yard.
"oh?"
Yu Ye followed into the yard with doubts.
On the left side of the yard is the concierge's wine shop, on the right side is the stable and warehouse, and in the middle is a wide open space, which used to be a row of guest rooms. But I saw lanterns hanging under the eaves, and a group of people gathered in the bright place.
"That's Shopkeeper Kuang. I'll do it myself. I'll prepare the feed for the horses and some water. Then I'll send the luggage to the guest room No. 7. I'll go to the concierge to pay the bill the next day."
The waiter was quick and easy, leading the horse into the stable, giving the room number, and everything was arranged in a blink of an eye.
Yu Ye took off the long sword from the horse's back, thought for a moment, took out the gold and silver and put it in his arms, then let the waiter busy, and then ran towards the crowd.
"My shopkeeper has hired guards. The remaining brothers should leave!"
"Your shopkeeper said that he spent a lot of money to recruit customers, so my brother came all the way. You said it was time to leave, do you think my brother is a joke?"
"Shopkeeper Kuang is not afraid of retribution if he acts out of line?"
"Who says it's not the case? We're thousands of miles away, and thieves are rampant everywhere. Shopkeeper Kuang is in trouble..."
"Everyone, everyone——"
In the crowd, a middle-aged man raised his hands and said: "It's Kuang's fault, but there are reasons for it. Originally, he and Brother Zhong were scheduled to set off two days ago, but he didn't arrive. Kuang and his family were not there. If I dare to delay my trip, I can only recruit other people temporarily. The journey is far away and the commission is expensive. Even if Kuang has some wealth, he can only afford two experts. I hope you can forgive me. Ji Yan, please have a drink A glass of water and wine..."
"Hmph, you want to send someone away with just a glass of water and wine?"
"Where is the master that Shopkeeper Kuang invited? Let him come out..."
"Yes, let him come out. How dare you cut off the brothers' financial path..."
Yu Ye walked closer and slowly stopped. Instead of rushing to find anyone, he stood with a few bystanders.
The scene was a bit chaotic, and it was not difficult to see what was going on.
The slightly fat middle-aged man should be the shopkeeper Kuang he is looking for. The young man next to him is named Ji, and he is his driver. The six or seven strong men who kept shouting may have come for the invited guests, but because they failed to get what they wanted, they acted violently and made threats.
There is no doubt that the Zhong brother mentioned by shopkeeper Kuang is Zhong Jian. It was learned from his mouth that he and Zhongjian agreed to set off two days ago. And what did Zhong Jian say? The time limit mentioned by Zhong Jian was exactly two days apart. If shopkeeper Kuang had set off on time, wouldn't his trip to the wilderness have been in vain?
And even if he arrived in time, it seemed it was still too late.
Shopkeeper Kuang has already hired two experts?
"Pan is here, who is making any noise?"
At this moment, the door behind shopkeeper Kuang opened, and a tall man in his twenties or thirties walked out. His bun was crooked, his eyes were sleepy, and he was smelling of alcohol. He staggered to the eaves and stood under the eaves. Certainly. Then another man walked out of the guest room. He was short, with a square face and a short beard. He looked at everyone present with his narrow eyes indifferently.
"Pan Yuan from Hongshan?"
"Why is it him..."
"Everyone, these are Pan Yuan and his brother Yuan Jiu who were hired by Mr. Kuang."
Shopkeeper Kuang signaled to everyone, clasped his fists and bowed, and said: "Now that the matter has come to an end, I can't let you go all the way in vain and go drink and eat meat while Kuang is the host..."
The strong men did not appreciate it. After being slightly surprised, one of them shouted: "So what if it's Pan Yuan? This place is not Hongshan..."
Pan Yuanshang, who was still drunk, suddenly opened his eyes and kicked the man who called him by his name with a "bang". Before the man finished speaking, he was already staggering back. His brother Yuan Jiu remained silent, but he rushed out from under the eaves, threw the man to the ground, and stabbed the man's shoulder with a short knife.
"ah--"
The man who had been stabbed screamed loudly, but was held down by Yuan Jiu.
Everyone was shocked and pulled out their swords with a "swish, swish" sound.
When Pan Yuan raised his foot to kick someone, he was like an angry beast. But after he put his feet back, his expression remained the same. He belched wine, rolled his eyes, stretched out his fingernails to pick at the scraps of meat between his teeth, and spat calmly: "Bah! How dare anyone do this business that I put my mouth to? Grabbing food. Yuan Jiu——"
Yuan Jiu stuck the short knife on the man's shoulder, and let the other man howl. He just lowered his head and looked at it with a bloodthirsty look on his face, but suddenly he swung the knife back, and a section of his arm flew out with blood stains on it.
"ah--"
Everyone present already had swords in their hands and were about to attack Yuan Jiu, but they were shocked again when they saw this.
"Humph, this is the result of snatching food!"
Pan Yuan snorted and glared: "Whoever doesn't accept it, just give it a try. I won't want his arm anymore, I want his head!" There was murderous intent in his words, and he said viciously: "Go away - —”
Yuan Jiu put away his sword and stepped back.
The man who had lost an arm lay on the ground rolling and howling.
Everyone present looked at each other, then they scrambled to lift up their companion, picked up the bloody severed arm, and hurried out of the hospital, but they did not forget to leave harsh words: "Pan Yuan, this matter can't be solved -"
Pan Yuan stretched out his hand and scratched his ears. He looked disapproving, then smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Kuang, I've surprised you!"
Shopkeeper Kuang was still dumbfounded and said hurriedly: "No problem, no problem!"
Pan Yuan shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly: "How can a bunch of hard-hitters be willing to leave without resorting to bloody means!"
"What you say makes sense, what you say makes sense!"
Shopkeeper Kuang nodded repeatedly and said: "Kuang has been traveling all year round and knows that escorting is not an easy job. Only a true master can intimidate the gangsters. Thanks to Brother Pan and Brother Yuan tonight, please rest early!"
Pan Yuan is a ruthless person, but he is also good at being sophisticated and diplomatic. When he returned to his room, he did not forget to say with concern: "There was a lot of movement just now, which was not what Pan wanted. I would also like to ask the shopkeeper to go back to the room and say hello, don't let the madam and the young lady worry!"
"Uh-huh!"
Shopkeeper Kuang raised his hand to express his thanks, then turned around and said, "Ji Yan, we will set off tomorrow morning. Prepare your carriage and horses in time!"
A bloody conflict was subsided in an instant. The onlookers dispersed and the inn became quiet.
Yu Ye stood there, hesitant.
The so-called business of escorting the Kuang family has been regarded as a piece of cake by Pan Yuan. Anyone who dares to covet it will be competing with him for food, ranging from the loss of an arm to the loss of a head.
It would not be a wise move to state your intention at this time. In order to go to Luming Mountain, we have gone through all the troubles, and now we finally have a clue. How can we give up just now.
"Shopkeeper Kuang, please stay—"
Seeing that shopkeeper Kuang was about to leave, Yu Ye hurriedly shouted. Pan Yuan stopped with Yuan Jiu before entering the guest room.
"Oh, what advice does this little brother have?"
Shopkeeper Kuang had already seen Yu Ye in the yard and thought he was just a guest of the inn.
Yu Ye took two steps forward, raised his hand and saluted: "I, Yu Ye, have been entrusted by Zhong Jian and Brother Zhong to escort shopkeeper Kuang and his family to Queling Mountain. I was late for two days due to delays on the way. Please forgive me. two!"
"Zhong Jian? You..."
Shopkeeper Kuang looked at Yu Ye and said unexpectedly: "Regardless of the truth or falsehood of what you said, you are so young and can't take care of yourself, how can you take good care of others. Little brother, please come back!"
It seems that Yu Ye is not tall, strong, and only fifteen or sixteen years old, but he wants to escort his family of three to Queling Mountain. It is obvious that he does not know the heights of the world. Everyone in the world is interested in profit, and even people in the world can't resist the temptation of huge sums of money, let alone a reckless and ignorant young man. But it is inconvenient to offend others, just persuade them to leave with good words.
Yu Ye was unwilling to leave. He took out an iron sign and said, "This is the token agreed between Brother Zhong and Shopkeeper Kuang."
Shopkeeper Kuang took the iron plate and was slightly stunned.
There is a name cast on the palm-sized iron plate, with a giant bow on one side and Zhongjian on the other. This is something exclusive to famous rangers, and is also a unique symbol of a party's power.
"Yohe——"
Pan Yuan, the shopkeeper, was being pestered by a young boy, so he walked over and said with amusement, "A young boy who is still young dares to imitate others to grab food with a knife and take chestnuts from the fire. Are you tired of living?"
Yuan Jiu followed him silently, her face still expressionless, but her eyes were gleaming coldly, as if she was about to slash someone's arm with a knife at any moment.
Yu Ye said to himself: "Brother Zhong told me that when he sees the cards, he looks like a human being."
"Boy——"
Pan Yuan couldn't help but widen his eyes and said, "I'm talking to you. You must be deaf. You beg to be beaten..."
"Brother Pan, please be patient!"
Shopkeeper Kuang was afraid of another dispute, and hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop it. He turned to look at Yu Ye, held up the iron sign and asked, "This is brother Zhongjian's Jianghu token. Why did he break the appointment?"
"Brother Zhong..."
Yu Ye glanced at Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu, and said after careful consideration: "Brother Zhong has made enemies and is busy killing people. He has no time to spare, so he asked me to take a trip to Queling Mountain on his behalf."
"I see."
Shopkeeper Kuang nodded, but said with a troubled face: "But... we are going thousands of miles away, and I'm afraid you won't be able to handle the desperadoes you encounter on the way. Besides, I have invited these two brothers, what should I do?" "
Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu exchanged glances, and took the opportunity to say: "Don't you hear the promise from Jianghu, and the letter is worth a thousand dollars. If shopkeeper Kuang dares to go back on his promise, where will he put my brother!"
Although this person has a violent temper, he is deeply scheming. According to his temper, he has already started beating people. Unexpectedly, the boy he wanted to teach him a lesson turned out to be the real owner of this transaction. So he suppressed his anger and reasoned with shopkeeper Kuang. But there was a faint hint of coercion and intimidation in his words.
Shopkeeper Kuang weighed the iron sign in his hand, looked at Yu Ye, and then at Pan Yuan, still in a dilemma.
Pan Yuan's face darkened and he said impatiently: "My brother has taken over this deal, no one can take away a penny!"
But I heard Yu Ye say: "What this eldest brother said is reasonable. A promise in the world is worth a thousand dollars. I will not accept a penny when I go to Queling Mountain. I just want to fulfill my promise and keep the integrity of the world!"
Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu looked at each other and said in astonishment: "If you don't want money, is that kid stupid?"
Shopkeeper Kuang was also unexpected...
