Zhan Chun - Chapter 79
The answer was too quick, which made the other person uncomfortable: "You...really want to go?"
"What's the point of being real or fake?" Yi Chun smiled. "But I don't know the Zhongxing Gang, so you'll have to lead the way for me."
The man paused for a moment, then jumped off the windowsill first.
The waterways were crisscrossed. After traveling for about half an hour, they saw a bright light on the bank ahead. Along the bank, which was several feet long, there was a stone platform every three steps, with torches lit on the platform, which reflected in the water as a dragon-like light.
There were people waiting on the shore. When they saw Yichun, they couldn't help but look at her strangely, but they weren't hostile. They just said, "They actually brought her here."
The man following behind whispered, "Is the leader still there?"
The other party nodded and led Yichun into the main hall without saying a word. Inside, it was also brightly lit. Behind the main entrance was a large open space, surrounded by a circle of stone platforms and torches. The leader they had seen on the water earlier was waiting in the middle with his arms crossed. A fierce tiger head was tattooed on his shoulder, looking ferocious in the flickering lights.
"You've got guts," the leader said in a low voice, with a hint of admiration in his tone.
Yi Chun, too lazy to waste words with him, directly drew her sword: "How do we fight?"
The leader was slightly moved. After looking at her for a while, he said, "I'll stop here and not kill you. Considering you're young and a little girl, I'll give you five moves. If you win, the Zhongxing Gang will not only not make things difficult for you, but if anyone in Yangzhou comes looking for trouble, we will also do our best to help you. If you lose, then break your iron sword and kowtow three times to me!"
Yichun tossed the scabbard to the ground and chuckled, "I'm eighteen, not young anymore. I don't need you to give way!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the sword light pierced right in front of him.
Fast, ruthless, and accurate. Shu Jun once said that while her movements were agile, they lacked ruthlessness. Now, two years later, her swordsmanship has been completely transformed. I'm afraid Shu Jun would never say those words again if he saw her.
To block was impossible; to dodge was futile, as the sword light enveloped the body, leaving only injury wherever one sought refuge.
She was like a ghost, completely unpredictable. Just as the sword light was about to pierce her left shoulder, the leader dodged to the side, clenched his fist, and planned to use brute force to send her flying.
The leader was overjoyed when his fist struck the target, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that one of her feet was braced against his fist, propelling her into the air with his brute force.
The sword light, which had been moving like a silver dragon, suddenly stopped, hovering four inches in front of his brow, the tip of the sword trembling slightly.
Yichun, panting, said in a low voice, "I won."
The leader was stunned for a long time, and finally a smile gradually appeared on his scarred face.
"Not bad, you won." His voice was gentle. "Would you like to come in for a drink?"
Seeing that Yichun hesitated, he said, "If you have important business to attend to and cannot stay long, please do as you wish."
Yichun grinned, revealing her teeth: "No, the so-called liquor, it's not some strong liquor, is it? Um... I don't like drinking it."
The leader laughed heartily: "It's not strong liquor, it's the famous Qionghua Dew from Guangling. Would you do me the honor of drinking it, young lady?"
When Yi Chun first left Jianlan Manor, he didn't drink alcohol. However, after wandering the martial arts world for two or three years, he gradually learned to drink and enjoy himself, and he could manage to drink four or five cups without any problem.
She rarely allowed herself to get completely drunk and lose control, so after drinking three glasses of wine, when the leader wanted to pour her more, she politely declined, saying, "I can't hold my liquor. It's not that I'm refusing your kindness, but I really can't."
The leader didn't press her, looking at her with a touch of melancholy: "I once had a son, who, if he were still alive, would be about the same age as Miss Ge. Unfortunately, the little brat was nothing but a good-for-nothing, causing trouble everywhere, and ended up committing murder, being arrested and beheaded by the authorities. I was originally from Xingyuan Prefecture, and staying there only brought back painful memories, so I came to Yangzhou alone, where I've made some good brothers. In your eyes, we are naturally no good, just thieving scoundrels, but there are countless ways to survive in this world, and we are just struggling to make ends meet."
Seeing that Yichun remained silent and seemed somewhat disapproving, he continued, "Miss, please don't take it to heart. I was just speaking my mind today. My brothers and I have made enough money, and in a few days we will leave Yangzhou to find a stable estate to farm, get married, and have children. We will never do anything like robbery again. I advise you, Miss, that Yangzhou is probably not very peaceful these days. With your skills, you're bound to attract trouble. It would be best to leave as soon as possible."
Yichun asked curiously, "Is something the matter?"
The leader lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard: "Miss, have you heard of the Yan Clan?"
Of course I've heard of it; those two words are truly legendary. She lowered her head, remaining silent, but she roughly understood what he meant.
"Last year they suffered a setback in Hunan, so they turned their attention to Jiangnan. Jiangnan is a treasure trove. Although there are many gangs, they are very chaotic and have never produced any powerful sects. Small, mixed gangs like ours are everywhere. With so many gangs, people's hearts are also mixed. It would be great if we could unite and fight them head-on, but unfortunately, there are very few who dare to take the lead. Everyone is hoping that others will work for them! I think we will be caught by the Yan Clan sooner or later. If they bribe the government with some silver, where will we, the outlaws of the martial world, have a place to stay? Young lady, you are so young but already have such good skills, which is exactly what the Yan Clan wants. Their so-called Third Young Master has recently taken to cultivating some kind of Autumn Wind Gang, which is dedicated to collecting promising young heroes. If you are chosen by them, you will be working for them for the rest of your life and you won't even know how you died. If you don't agree, you will still die. You'd better be careful, young lady."
"Third Young Master?" Yi Chun was stunned for a moment before she remembered that the leader of the Yan Clan had four sons. Yan Yufei was only the second son. He had an older brother whose leg had been cut off, and there should be two younger brothers below him.
She pursed her lips slightly: "...Thanks for reminding me, I'll be careful."
Even coming to Yangzhou to relax doesn't prevent me from running into the Yan Clan; they're like a persistent ghost.
After leaving the Zhongxing Gang, Yi Chun returned to the inn to retrieve her belongings and hired a boat that very night to leave Yangzhou. She wasn't one to seek trouble, and given her unpleasant past with the Yan family—Yan Yufei's right hand had been severed by her—another encounter would surely cause more trouble. Leaving was the best course of action.
Because it was late at night, none of the boatmen were willing to row for her, so Yichun had to rent a boat and cross the river by herself.
She wasn't very good at rowing, and it took her a lot of effort to get the small boat moving on the water. The moon was high in the sky, and the water was gurgling. Yichun simply put down the oars and stood at the bow, letting the small boat drift downstream with the undercurrent.
A cool night breeze caressed my face, carrying faint sounds of singing and laughter from distant brothels. Wealthy officials and nobles often spent lavishly, lingering in brothels all night, considering it an elegant pursuit.
I suddenly remembered what Little Pumpkin had said: there were several famous girls in the brothels of Yangzhou who were quite infatuated with their master, but their master remained chaste and uncompromising, so the girls were heartbroken and hated him to the bone.
Little Pumpkin always liked to praise Shu Jun to the skies in front of her, and when she thought of something funny, she couldn't help but laugh.
Looking back, all you can see are blurry lights reflected on the water. As the small boat turns a corner, you can see nothing but the moonlight.
After walking about half a mile, they suddenly saw several boats moored in the middle of the river ahead, a rather strange situation.
Surrounded in the center by several pointed fishing boats was a painted boat. It was not large, but it was quite conspicuous and luxurious with its carved railings, jade steps, and bright lights.
The pleasure boat is now surrounded by several fishing boats and cannot move because the fishing boats have iron chains pulled out from their sterns and grab onto the willow trees on both banks, which is equivalent to blocking the river. Not only can the pleasure boat not pass, but her small boat cannot pass either.
Yichun steered the boat into the muddy water and frowned as he looked inside. He saw three people sitting in the pleasure boat: an old man and two young men. The boat was trapped, but they did not seem panicked; on the contrary, they were quite calm.
Several other people dressed in purple-red clothes, carrying swords, spoke loudly to them with ferocious expressions, but the three men did not even flinch, as if they had not heard them at all.
Finally, the leader seemed to get angry and slapped one of the young men to the ground. The old man next to him hurriedly got up as if to help him up, but he was also kicked in the chest and fell to the ground, his life hanging in the balance.
Yichun could no longer bear to watch. He quickly rocked the boat, then jumped onto the pleasure boat. Before anyone could react, he drew his iron sword with a clang.
The other men in crimson robes guarding the boat immediately stepped forward to stop her, but she kicked them all into the water. The remaining men gave her a strange look and quickly whispered a few words to each other. Yi Chun only vaguely heard them say something like, "Someone is causing trouble. We don't know if it's true or not, so we should retreat first!"
One of them raised his sword as if to slash at the old man. Yichun hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, but the man quickly withdrew his sword and, like the others, turned and jumped off the painted boat. The iron chains rattled as they were retrieved from the willows on the shore. The fishing boats with their pointed prows moved very fast and were gone in the blink of an eye.