14

Chapter Fourteen: The Yangwei Escort Agency

Tuck in your hips, pull in your stomach, and calm your temper. Stay cool, you must stay cool; one should use gentle guidance with children.

Smoothing out his stiff face, Duan Mingyu flashed a signature killer smile: "Little classmate Zhaoniang, that is not how one drinks tea. The essence of tea lies in the tasting. You must sip it slowly to truly appreciate the flavor. For instance, look at these tea leaves; when hit with boiling water, they drift with the current, rising and sinking, tumbling and wandering, until they finally settle and slowly sink to the bottom of the cup. If you think about it carefully, it is just like life itself. After chasing after things for half a lifetime, in the end, dust returns to dust, and earth returns to earth..."

Yang Yanguang immediately clapped in approval: "Splendid! Hearing these words from Brother Duan, I feel as if I have been enlightened. A person’s life, more or less, is inevitably filled with ups and downs. It will not always be like the rising sun, nor will it be forever mired in misery. This constant cycle of rising and falling is, for any individual, a form of tempering. These golden words of yours are truly profound. I have only now realized that drinking tea is inferior to observing it; using it for mere consumption is truly a lesser path!"

Heh, that is exactly the effect I wanted. Duan Mingyu felt a secret sense of triumph. It had been proven: never play tricks in front of children, especially smart ones. Just as Mingyu was successfully bamboozling the two old men, a discordant voice reached the ears of the trio.

"Profound? More like a profound pain in the neck. He is clearly just stingy about his Tieguanyin tea and had to make up all these convoluted excuses. Men are all rotten to the core," Yang Zhaoniang muttered under her breath.

Duan Mingyu’s ears were sharp; he heard every word. Zhaoniang, you are truly too clever. This little girl is practically a tapeworm in my stomach, understanding such profound issues. Impressive, truly impressive. Though, you really do not need to generalize to the entire male gender.

"Let’s set aside the small talk. I have come this time to trouble you both with two matters!" Yang Yanguang suddenly set down his teacup and said with a solemn expression.

"As long as it is not about money, let alone one matter, even ten thousand would be no problem," Duan Mingyu said deviously.

Yang Yanguang’s face twitched. Was there anyone more shameless than this in the world?

Xu Zuye chimed in: "Little Duan, one cannot live like that. There are many things money cannot buy. I personally feel that having Mr. Yang serve as our guard for a few days is far more valuable than silver..."

Yang Yanguang’s face twitched again. He suddenly realized he was wrong; there actually was someone more shameless than Duan Mingyu.

For many years, apart from the one currently on the throne, no one had dared to speak to him in such a manner.

"Ahem, you two have misunderstood. The two matters I speak of are quite easy to handle," Yang Yanguang said, forcefully suppressing the urge to lash out.

"Oh, so they are small matters. Why didn't you say so earlier, Elder Yang? We thought you were going to ask us to move mountains!" Duan Mingyu remarked.

"My two young friends, please listen. The first matter is that my wayward granddaughter wishes for a pair of wooden clogs. I wonder if you might have any suitable for a young girl in your residence?" Yang Yanguang asked.

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhaoniang’s eyes lit up.

Duan Mingyu replied: "That is most unfortunate. We truly do not have any wooden clogs suitable for a young girl; we mostly have adult sizes. Why don't you two stay here for now? Next time I make a batch, I shall craft some specifically for children. It will not be too late for you to leave then."

Xu Zuye’s eyes brightened: "Exactly, exactly! Please stay, Elder, and allow us to fulfill our duties as hosts!"

Yang Yanguang sighed. The person he was waiting for had not yet appeared, so staying for a while was of no consequence. If he did not get those clogs, this little girl would likely give him no peace. "If that is the case, then I shall stay for a while."

Duan Mingyu sipped his tea and asked: "I wonder, what is the second matter you wish to address?"

Yang Yanguang paused: "The second matter is simple: I merely wish to inquire about the current situation in Bianliang City."

Xu Zuye immediately stood up: "If the Elder has questions, please speak freely. I guarantee I will tell you everything I know."

Yang Yanguang smiled: "That is excellent. I have observed that bullying and market manipulation are rampant in this city. Why does the local prefect not intervene?"

Xu Zuye sighed: "Prefect Cheng Zhiyuan is actually a rare and good official. Since taking office, he has loved the people like his own children, never imposing harsh taxes, and ruling with justice. When Huang Chao’s rebel army attacked, the local Commandant—the highest military official in the prefecture—prepared to surrender the city. Upon learning this, Prefect Cheng used a clever ruse to have the Commandant beheaded on the spot. Then, as a mere scholar, he led the city’s troops and civilians to defend against the fierce onslaught of the rebel army for three months, ultimately forcing them to retreat."

Yang Yanguang nodded: "I have heard of this. But why would such a good official turn a blind eye to these matters that disturb the common folk?"

Xu Zuye looked at Duan Mingyu’s clueless expression with a sense of satisfaction; he had finally gotten the better of this lad: "Prefect Cheng has his own difficulties. Although the rebels have retreated, the burden of repairing the city’s defenses and rebuilding Bianliang rests entirely on his shoulders. With the Commandant dead, Prefect Cheng is now the supreme military and political authority in the city. A man’s energy is ultimately limited, and the Prefect is simply powerless to deal with these minor matters!"

Xu Zuye continued: "Mingyu, you certainly had your fill of action today, especially that low blow of yours. Hmm, it was almost as impressive as my own 'virgin training' techniques! Haha!"

Duan Mingyu and Yang Yanguang looked at each other in silence. Why could Old Xu not see that the word 'lecherous' was written all over his face? Why!

Seeming to sense the awkward atmosphere and realizing his lewd grin was damaging his image, Xu Zuye gave a serious cough: "Mingyu, do you know who this Zhang Baobao is?"

Duan Mingyu frowned: "Isn't he just a hoodlum in Bianliang?"

Xu Zuye said: "Do you think he could act so recklessly in this city just because of his own meager strength? Wrong. This brat has an elder brother, known in the underworld as 'Zhang the Seventh Monkey.' As for his real name, no one knows it."

Duan Mingyu asked in confusion: "And who is this Zhang the Seventh Monkey? Is his influence in Bianliang that great?"

Xu Zuye said calmly: "Great is an understatement. There is an establishment in Bianliang called the Yangwei Escort Agency, with hundreds of skilled guards. The city was able to survive the rebellion partly due to their efforts, so their influence in the martial world is immense. The head of the agency, Cao Hong, has twelve chief escorts under him, known as the 'Twelve Zodiacs.' This Zhang the Seventh Monkey is one of them, and he is known as the strategist of the group."

Good heavens, this was trouble. He had effectively cut off a piece of the Zhang family’s pride. Would Zhang the Seventh Monkey come seeking revenge? The answer was certainly yes.