Duan Zhengchun transmigrates to Yin Zhiping

under night.

Duan Zhengchun sat alone in a restaurant, drinking wine while gazing at the silent street outside.

He was the only customer in the entire restaurant, and the only other person was the manager, who was idly wiping the counter with a rag.

There were no waiters in the restaurant; even the food and drinks were prepared by the manager himself in the kitchen.

This is one of the few shops on the street that is still open to customers.

"Everyone's run away, why doesn't the shopkeeper leave?"

Duan Zhengchun tilted his head back, took a sip of wine, and asked a question casually.

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper turned his head and looked at the man, then smiled wryly and said, "My elderly mother is seriously ill and it is not advisable for her to travel long distances. My child was also just born not long ago. Where can we go?"

Duan Zhengchun said, "Then why not close down and stop operating? With war and chaos all around, how can there be any business?"

As the shopkeeper wiped the counter, he continued, "It's better to keep the door open than to hide at home. At least we can get some business. Sometimes those martial arts heroes who live in Willow Garden will come to patronize us."

"Just like you, sir, if I close the door, wouldn't you have nowhere to go when you want a drink? You also live in Willow Garden, don't you?"

Duan Zhengchun nodded and continued, "The Mongol army is coming in a fierce manner. Aren't you afraid?"

The shopkeeper smiled bitterly, "Of course I'm afraid! But what good is being afraid? The enemy won't let us go just because we're scared."

"I believe that the imperial court will not abandon Huai'an, nor will it abandon us."

"Even if there's not much business, I'm leaving a light here to tell those who are still here that the disaster will eventually pass, Huai'an County is still here, and hope is still here."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengchun was taken aback and couldn't help but be moved. He hadn't expected these words to come from the mouth of a restaurant manager.

Perhaps this is why the garrison of Huai'an, knowing there would be no reinforcements, was determined to defend the city to the death.

Just then, two carriages stopped outside the restaurant, and then four or five figures dressed as merchants slowly walked into the restaurant.

"Shopkeeper, is there any food left?"

"Quickly prepare some food for us, and bring out a few jars of good wine!"

The middle-aged man with a full beard, who was in the lead, looked around, unbuttoned his fur coat, and said loudly.

"See? That's how business comes in."

"Please have a seat, esteemed guests, we'll be right there!"

The shopkeeper smiled and whispered something to Duan Zhengchun, then immediately beckoned to several merchants and hurried towards the kitchen.

Duan Zhengchun smiled and shook his head, then raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp. He glanced at the five merchants sitting near the door, seemingly casually.

After they sat down, they began to talk in hushed tones, their faces sometimes showing smiles and sometimes full of worry, as they talked about what they had seen and heard along the way, and the current predicament of Huai'an County.

Duan Zhengchun had an amazing hearing. From their conversation, he knew that they were tea merchants who traded goods between the Song Dynasty and Mongolia.

"Once you leave Huai'an County, you'll be on the border, surrounded by Mongol Tartars. With all this war and chaos, aren't you all afraid?"

As Duan Zhengchun poured the wine, he slowly asked a question.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man at the head turned and sized up Duan Zhengchun. After a moment's hesitation, he smiled and said, "Those of us in this line of work risk our lives. Does war mean we have to stop doing business?"

"We all have families to support, and we have to make a living, right? To put it bluntly, things are worth more when it's like this."

"This trip will be worth half a year's harvest for us."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other four people at the table nodded in agreement.

Duan Zhengchun paused for a moment, then continued, "But the area outside the city is in such chaos. Although the inner city is not sealed off, the outer city has probably been closed off for a long time, right? Will you all still be able to get out?"

The middle-aged man smiled slyly and said in a low voice, "Cats have their ways, dogs have theirs, we have our own methods, so there's no need for you to worry about it, young master."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengchun smiled and shook his head, saying nothing more, and continued to drink his wine in silence.

Soon, the innkeeper brought all the prepared food and wine to the table. The five merchants stopped talking and began to wolf down their food, looking as if they had traveled a long way and were starving.

The shopkeeper returned to the counter, picked up the rag again, and kept wiping the counter even though it was already spotless, as if he didn't know what to do unless he was busy.

The merchants were quick and soon devoured all the dishes on the table. They patted their bellies in satisfaction and then drank several bowls of wine together.

Just as the group was finishing their meal and preparing to leave, Duan Zhengchun suddenly stood up and slowly sat down among them.

"Young master, what's wrong?"

The middle-aged man at the head of the group looked at Duan Zhengchun with suspicion and asked a question.

The others simultaneously showed a hint of displeasure, seemingly resisting Duan Zhengchun's sudden and presumptuous action.

"It's so late, surely you gentlemen aren't in a hurry to get going?"

"Since I'm alone, why don't I join you guys for a few drinks?"

Duan Zhengchun smiled and spoke slowly.

"I'm sorry, young master, we have to leave the city tonight, otherwise we won't be able to leave when the Mongol army arrives tomorrow, which will delay our journey."

The middle-aged man clasped his hands in a fist salute and explained with a hint of apology.

"Then why don't you take me with you? I'd like to leave the city anyway."

Duan Zhengchun showed a hint of disappointment on his face, then changed the subject.

"I'm sorry, we're not familiar with you, young master, so we're afraid we can't take you with us. If something goes wrong, our route out of the city will be cut off."

The middle-aged man stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and explained again, then winked at his companions, indicating that he was ready to leave.

"Are you spies for the Mongol Tartars?"

Just as the group was getting up, Duan Zhengchun suddenly spoke again.

Upon hearing this, the five people almost simultaneously trembled and instantly stopped in their tracks.

"Young master! What do you mean by this?! Just because I didn't drink with you, do you think you can spout nonsense and slander an innocent person?!"

The middle-aged man turned around and glared angrily at Duan Zhengchun, shouting sternly.

"A Mongolian dog is a Mongolian dog. In order to hide its identity, it doesn't even recognize its own ancestors!"

"Don't think you can hide your true identities just by shedding your dog skin!"

Duan Zhengchun snorted coldly, picked up a wine pot on the table without turning his head, and took a few big gulps.

"careful!"

Just then, the shopkeeper standing behind the counter suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

At the same time, the two merchants closest to Duan Zhengchun suddenly had two short knives in their hands and rushed straight for Duan Zhengchun's neck!

At this critical moment, Duan Zhengchun slammed his left hand on the table, and the two chopsticks that were lying on the table rose up with a thud. Then, with lightning speed, he knocked the two chopsticks away!

In the blink of an eye, the two merchants who had planned to ambush Duan Zhengchun were already clutching their necks and collapsing backward!

Two chopsticks pierced right through their necks!

Seeing this, the other three were stunned for a moment, then reached into their waistbands and drew short knives, attacking Duan Zhengchun at the same time!

Duan Zhengchun swung the wine pot at the head of the middle-aged man in the lead, then leaped up and kicked the other two men hard in the chest!

With two muffled groans, the two men were sent flying out of the restaurant and crashed heavily onto the empty street, never to rise again!

In the blink of an eye, Duan Zhengchun had killed four people!

The shopkeeper, standing behind the counter, stared blankly at Duan Zhengchun, nervously swallowing. He knew Duan Zhengchun lived in Liuyuan, but he never expected Duan Zhengchun to be so ruthless and vicious as a Mongol Tartar.

The middle-aged man, whose head had been smashed and was still dazed, sat on the ground, painfully rubbing his head, which was bleeding from the blow, and gradually came to his senses.

When he saw that all his companions had been killed, his face turned pale instantly. He looked up at Duan Zhengchun in terror, his lips trembling, and asked, "Who are you?!"

Duan Zhengchun looked down at the middle-aged man and said calmly, "A Song person."

At this moment, facing these ambitious Mongol Tartars, he represented tens of thousands of people of the Great Song Dynasty, no longer simply Yin Zhiping or Duan Feng as individuals.

"How did you find us?"

The middle-aged man swallowed hard in fear, and reluctantly asked another question...