Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Halfway there, Cheng Tinghua suddenly asked, "Brother Sanshui, who taught you that two-finger blade-clamping move?"

Chen Zhan smiled and said, "I figured it out myself."

"hehe."

Cheng Tinghua curled his lip. "My master knew this technique back in the day. There are no more than five people in the entire world who can do it this well. You figured it out yourself?"

Chen Zhan didn't reply, he just smiled.

Cheng Tinghua didn't press the matter, snorted, quickened his pace, and walked up to Wang Wu.

Wang Wu lagged two steps behind, looked at the backs of the two people in front of him, and couldn't help but shake his head.

Cheng, the man with glasses, will never change his temper.

However, with Chen Sanshui now in the capital, things are bound to get lively from now on.

The three figures disappeared into the distance under the moonlight.

In the distance, the outline of the capital city wall faintly appears on the horizon. The gray-yellow brick wall lies silently on the ground, the eaves of the city gate towers point towards the night sky, and the dragon flag flutters silently in the wind.

Night was gradually breaking, and dawn was approaching.

The next morning, Wang Wu summoned everyone from Shunyuan Escort Agency to the front yard.

There were about thirty people, including bodyguards, porters, and apprentices, filling the entire courtyard.

Wang Wu stood on the steps, Chen Zhan stood beside him, and Cheng Tinghua leaned against the door frame, his glasses reflecting the morning light.

"Let me introduce someone to you."

Wang Wu patted Chen Zhan on the shoulder, his voice booming, "This is my friend of many years, Chen Sanshui. His boxing skills are extraordinary. From today onwards, he will be the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of our Shunyuan镖局 (escort agency)."

The Master Escort.

As soon as those three words were uttered, a buzzing sound immediately filled the courtyard.

The Grand Escort is one rank lower than the Chief Escort, but it is the top rank in the escort agency. It takes an ordinary escort more than ten years to accumulate enough prestige and merit before he can be promoted to the position of Grand Escort.

For years since the establishment of Shunyuan Escort Agency, the position of chief escort has remained vacant. Even Cheng Tinghua only held the title of "head escort" and did not officially serve as the chief escort.

How did a complete stranger end up sitting in this seat?
"He's a master bodyguard?"

A young man in his early twenties pushed his way out of the crowd, his voice loud and his face showing defiance, "He doesn't look that old, can he really do it?"

"Yes, Chief Escort, no matter how skilled you are, you can't just talk about it; you have to put it to the test."

Another shouting voice followed, and as soon as the words were spoken, Cheng Tinghua straightened up from the door frame and glared at the person.

The man's eyes met Cheng Tinghua's, and he immediately shut his mouth, shrank back, and retreated into the crowd.

Cheng Tinghua cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Chen Zhan, saying politely, "This is my apprentice, Li Hanzhang. He has been very rude; please forgive him, Brother Chen."

Li Hanzhang was the young man who had spoken up first. He was in his early twenties, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a lean physique, and a stance that showed he had a foundation in Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm). It was clear that Cheng Tinghua had taught him well.

Seeing his master being so polite to Chen Zhan, his resentment turned into surprise.

He knew his master's temper all too well. Cheng Tinghua was extremely arrogant, and only Wang Zhengyi in the entire escort agency could outdo him. No one else would dare to ask him to be polite.

Bowing to a complete stranger and apologizing on behalf of his apprentice?
Who exactly is this person?
There was a bit more commotion in the courtyard, with some even suggesting a martial arts duel with Chen Zhan to test their skills.

Wang Wu raised his hand and pressed it down, a smile on his face, but the meaning behind the smile was very clear.

"What a load of crap."

He spoke, his voice not loud, but it pierced through the noise of the courtyard: "The few of you are no match for Brother Chen with one hand, and there's no need to compete."

He glanced at the people in the courtyard, his gaze lingering on the faces of a few young bodyguards, who immediately lowered their heads.

“We recently took on a shipment to Suzhou. It’s a long way, so we’ll have Brother Chen escort it. Anyone who’s not comfortable with that can come along and see what Brother Chen is capable of.”

"Okay, that's perfect, it's been a long time since I went on a escort mission."

"Hehe, no problem. Let's see what Chief Escort Chen is capable of, and lend a hand while we're at it. That escort mission won't be easy."

The bodyguards were still muttering, but when it came to escorting goods, their eyes lit up with excitement. The escort agency had been quiet for the past two weeks, and their hands were itching to get back to work.

Chen Zhan had already heard from Wang Wu yesterday that this escort mission was indeed interesting, so he gladly accepted it.

After the introductions were finished, the crowd dispersed, each going about their own business.

Smoke was already rising from the kitchen in the front yard, and the aroma of cooking rice wafted out, mixed with the smell of firewood.

The dining area was under a shed in the front yard, with a long table and two long benches. A group of people were squatting or sitting around the table to eat.

The head chef in the kitchen was surnamed Ma. He cooked large quantities of food with great flavor. The staple food was steamed buns and pancakes, and the dishes were stewed cabbage with vermicelli, a large bowl of scrambled eggs, and several dishes of pickled vegetables.

More than 30 people sat around a table. Those who couldn't sit down squatted down beside it, holding bowls and chopsticks, stuffing one steamed bun after another into their mouths.

They were all martial arts practitioners with enormous appetites. In one meal, ten buckets of rice were emptied, and three baskets of steamed buns were left with only a few.

Wang Wu sat at the head of the table, with his two apprentices beside him.

The older one is called Wang Xiaochuan, seventeen or eighteen years old. He is almost as tall as Wang Wu, with a sturdy build and calloused hands. He has already escorted several shipments with his master and works as a courier in the escort agency. His kung fu is not outstanding, but he is brave and willing to take risks.

The younger one was called Zuo Zongsheng. He was thirteen years old and still an apprentice. He was short and stocky with a round face and a chubby appearance. He ate by holding the bowl in his hand, and his face was covered with rice grains.

Seeing Zuo Zongsheng's eating habits, Wang Wu reached out and patted him on the back of the head: "Eat slowly, you'll choke to death."

Zuo Zongsheng shrank back when he was slapped, his mouth stuffed with half a steamed bun. He mumbled a response and continued to eat heartily.

Wang Wu had originally planned to get some wine, and he sent someone to the kitchen to fetch wine jars, but Chen Zhan stopped him.

"I don't want to drink anymore, I just want to eat."

He could tell that Shunyuan Escort Agency wasn't exactly living a comfortable life.

The escort agency had been established for over ten years and had gained a reputation, but its foundation was weak, unlike the Huiyou Escort Agency which had the backing of Li Hongzhang and was financially strong.

With over thirty mouths to feed, all of whom are martial arts practitioners, the energy consumed in one meal is equivalent to three or four days' worth for an average family. Add to that the horse feed, weapon maintenance, and yard repairs, and all the miscellaneous expenses add up to a considerable sum.

Business at the security escort agency is tough these days. We're getting fewer jobs and the income is barely enough to cover expenses. Let's skip the fancy stuff of wine and meat.

Wang Wu glanced at Chen Zhan, said nothing, waved to the kitchen, and ordered someone to take the wine jars back.

He knew in his heart that Chen Zhan was saving him face.

After the meal, everyone went their separate ways.

Chen Zhan took a stroll around the escort agency, familiarizing himself with the surroundings. Shun Yuan Escort Agency didn't have many rules, unlike Hui You Escort Agency which emphasized pomp and circumstance; it was more casual and down-to-earth.

The bodyguards practiced martial arts on their own and went home on their own. No one cared what they practiced or how long they practiced. As long as they could fight and compete when they went out to escort goods, that was enough.

Of the thirty or so people, five of the bodyguards were locals from the capital. They lived outside the city, worked at the bodyguard agency during the day, and slept at their own homes at night, not staying at the bodyguard agency.

The rest were all skilled workers from out of town. They slept in a large dormitory at night, with more than a dozen planks crammed together in a side room in the front yard.

Chen Zhan naturally didn't need to sleep in the communal room. Wang Wu arranged for him to stay in a separate room in the backyard. The room wasn't big, with a kang (a heated brick bed), a table, a chair, and an old single-edged sword hanging on the wall, left behind by the bodyguard who had stayed there before.

Simple, but quiet.

That afternoon, Chen Zhan drove a pile in the room and checked the old wounds on his back and lower abdomen again. The wounds had completely healed, leaving only some faint scars.

In the evening, Cheng Tinghua came over and sat for a while. The two chatted about Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm) techniques. When Cheng Tinghua left, he said, "Be careful with tomorrow's convoy; it's not simple."

Chen Zhan nodded; he knew.

The next day, the escort agency arrived; it was the people delivering the goods.

The escort business is basically divided into two types: covert escorts and overt escorts.

"Hidden goods" means that no one knows what is being escorted. The escort agency does not inspect the goods or ask about their contents; they only care about taking the money, escorting, and delivering the goods.

This kind of work is expensive because those who carry out secret escorts must have secrets. Otherwise, there would be no need to hide it from the escort agency. At least seven or eight out of ten secret escort missions involve contraband, such as stolen goods seized by the imperial court, smuggled salt and iron, or opium.

The risks are high, but the rewards are also high. However, many security escort agencies dare not take on clandestine escort missions because they cannot afford to take responsibility if something goes wrong.

The regulations for open escort services are much more formal. The escort agency will inspect the goods to see what they are, sign a contract, collect a deposit, and have the recipient inspect and confirm the goods upon arrival at the destination. If the goods are lost, the escort agency will compensate for the loss at the original price.

The shipment Chen Zhan was escorting was an open shipment, but it wasn't carrying goods; it was carrying people.

Human dart.

It's not unusual for bodyguards to be escorted by guards. Escort agencies have always offered bodyguard services. It's an old practice for high-ranking officials and nobles to travel long distances with a few bodyguards to escort them, charging according to the distance traveled.

But this escort mission was a little different.

Two carriages arrived, entering the security agency through the back door. The curtains of the carriages were drawn tightly, so the people inside could not be seen.

Wang Wu personally greeted them in the backyard, dismissing all irrelevant people and leaving only Chen Zhan and Cheng Tinghua.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and the first person to step down was a woman in her forties, wearing a dark blue jacket, with her hair in a low bun. She had a dignified appearance and a composed demeanor, and was clearly the principal wife of a wealthy family.

Two more young women, both in their early twenties, came down from behind. They were dressed simply, kept their heads down, and followed behind the woman without saying a word.

One wife and two concubines.

Finally, two children, a boy and a girl, got off the second carriage. The older boy was a little over ten years old, wearing a worn blue cloth robe. He had bright eyes and looked around curiously, surveying the courtyard of the security escort agency.

The younger one was a girl, seven or eight years old, with two braids. She hid behind the woman, only half of her face showing, looking timid.

Xu Zhiyuan's family.

Xu Zhiyuan was a high-ranking official of the third rank in the imperial court, formerly the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a key figure in the reform movement, and a pillar of Tan Sitong's faction.

A few days ago, he was urgently dispatched to the south to take charge. He left in a hurry and did not take his family with him. Now the reformers and the imperialists are fighting fiercely, and there is a fierce battle in the court. Although there is no bloodshed, the methods behind the scenes are becoming more and more ruthless.

Xu Zhiyuan went to the south, and his family in the capital became a bargaining chip for the imperialists to manipulate and blackmail.

When Tan Sitong learned of this, his first thought was to send Xu Zhiyuan's family out of the capital to the Xu family's old residence in Suzhou. It was far from the political vortex of the capital, and with the help of Xu family members, it would be much safer.

Wang Wu originally planned to lead the escort mission himself, but he had other matters to attend to in the capital and couldn't leave. If Chen Zhan didn't come, Cheng Tinghua would have to lead the mission.

Now that Chen Zhan has arrived, this escort mission will be entrusted to him.

Wang Wu introduced Chen Zhan and the woman in the backyard. The woman, surnamed Sun, was Xu Zhiyuan's legal wife. She was very composed and didn't talk much. She only said, "Thank you for your trouble, Chief Escort Chen," and then fell silent.

The two concubines didn't say a word and kept their heads down the whole time.

The boy was quite bold; he tilted his head back and sized up Chen Zhan, his eyes darting around. After a long while, he blurted out, "You're the one escorting the goods? You don't look like it."

His mother slapped the back of his head and pulled him behind her.

Chen Zhan smiled but didn't reply.

He had heard Wang Wu explain the details of this shipment, so he naturally understood the dangers involved.

The reformers and the imperialists have been fighting each other for years, maintaining a semblance of dignity on the surface, but secretly resorting to any means necessary.

Xu Zhiyuan's family traveled from the capital to Suzhou, a journey of over a thousand li. Once they left the capital's territory, it was perfectly normal for them to encounter bandits, thugs, or "accidents" along the way.

The imperialists wouldn't act in the capital, as that would be too conspicuous. But outside the capital, far from the emperor's reach, anything could happen.

This is the real reason why this shipment was "difficult to escort".

It's not the outlaws on the road who are difficult to deal with, but the people behind the scenes.

Chen Zhan gladly accepted.

That afternoon, carrying the flag of Shunyuan Escort Agency, the group set off from the back gate of the agency, circled two alleys, and merged into the main road leading out of the city.

Two carriages, eleven horses, and a dozen or so people.

Chen Zhan rode on the lead chestnut horse, wearing the standard short jacket of the escort agency, with a short knife at his waist, given to him by Wang Wu, which he did not refuse.

Behind him were three bodyguards, all of whom were the best in the Shunyuan Escort Agency, with a foundation of at least mid-stage internal strength. They had followed Wang Wu on several tough escort missions and had seen their share of battles.

Behind them were seven scouts, responsible for scouting ahead and behind and protecting the vehicle. Wang Xiaochuan was among them, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy, riding his horse with his back ramrod straight, looking eager to try.

Two carriages were in the middle, with the curtains drawn tightly. The women and children inside could not see what was happening outside, but could hear the "clatter" of the horses' hooves on the bluestone slabs and the "gurgle" of the wheels rolling over the road.

The flag fluttered in the wind, with blue background and white characters, the two characters "Shunyuan" written in a neat and powerful style.

After exiting Yongding Gate, the official road extends southward, flanked by early summer wheat fields and miscellaneous trees. A thin layer of mist floats on the distant horizon, the sun has not yet fully risen, and the sky is overcast.

Chen Zhan sat on his horse, looking ahead.

The journey from the capital to Suzhou is over a thousand li (approximately 500 kilometers). If we consider the distance on foot, a slow carriage would take about ten days, but the return trip would be much faster.

Beyond the border of Zhili lies the area bordering Shandong and Henan, a region plagued by bandits, and with its mountainous terrain and narrow roads, it is ideal for setting up ambushes.

He narrowed his eyes, lightly tapped the horse's neck with the whip, and the chestnut horse quickened its pace, stepping onto the official road heading south.

The group gradually moved away from the city walls of the capital, the outlines of the city towers growing smaller and smaller behind them until they finally disappeared into the mist on the horizon. (End of Chapter)