Chapter 5, Part 5: It's a pity she's dark-skinned, but she's still a beauty. ...
"A rainbow in the west means rain in the east. A sunny morning means sunshine, a cloudy evening means rain. A mackerel sky means windy weather even if it doesn't rain."
The old man shook his head and called out as he led the young child by the hand through the streets.
On a dark afternoon, the sky was overcast. For some reason, the midday sun was still blazing, almost scorching, but as soon as the sun began to set, the weather suddenly changed. The entire city of Nanjing seemed to be shrouded in a thin, gray veil, and shadows climbed from the moss-covered bricks and tiles onto the faces of the hurried tourists.
Under the cover of clouds and fog, a large white banner stood out conspicuously.
A few people had gathered in front of the banner. Ironically, the signboard, which had been standing upright, fell to the ground and tore in two with a gust of wind. The young man, wearing a straw hat and a sky-blue Taoist robe, pondered for a moment, then removed a white cloth from the neck of a donkey with glossy black fur beside him. With a flourish of his hand, thick ink flew, and in the blink of an eye, the white cloth was tied back around the donkey's neck. Accompanied by a low bray from the donkey, four large characters, written in a flamboyant style, were now prominently displayed on the white cloth—
"One hexagram per day".
The young man raised his index finger and gently pushed up his low-brimmed straw hat, revealing a high, straight nose like a towering mountain, bright phoenix eyes, and a handsome, fair face.
The young man was tall and slender, and the sight of him standing in front of the simple, even shabby, stall alongside the shiny, gleaming donkey was both incongruous and strangely harmonious.
At this moment, he seemed to be shaking a rattle drum in his hand, the divination sticks swaying in the container in his palm. His pair of bright, phoenix eyes, gleaming like deep water, were fixed on the girl in front of him, who looked no more than a child. His eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled and said:
"I am but a humble servant, skilled in Zi Wei Dou Shu, Ba Gua Liu Yao, from weddings and funerals to the meager fare we ate this morning..." The divination stick container rattled, making a crisp clinking sound. The young man held up one finger. "Honest and fair, only one coin. Little sister, would you like to have your fortune told?"
He should be in his thirties, the age to settle down and start a family, but his eyes and brows are full of a carefree, youthful air; in short, he looks like someone who's trying to fool a child.
Fortunately, he had a handsome face. Everyone loves beauty, especially this young girl just beginning to experience romantic feelings. She immediately blushed, knowing that this man was probably a charlatan who was trying to cheat her. She still shyly reached into the divination tube in his hand to take out a divination stick...
Suddenly, a long neighing sounded through the sky, and a gust of wind swept past their ears. A chestnut horse galloped over the heads of the crowd like a flying swallow. The shadow came and went in an instant, until dust rose and the chestnut horse galloped away like an arrow released from a bow.
Amid the commotion, the young man bent down to pick up a stick that had fallen to the ground, but accidentally dropped it during the earlier commotion.
However, he stopped just as he picked up the fallen stick with two fingers, raised an eyebrow, and then looked straight ahead at the man and horse that were gradually receding into the distance.
Although the incident happened suddenly, he had sharp eyes and caught a glimpse of the beautiful yet heroic face of the woman who flashed by on horseback.
In that brief moment, he even had a moment to think. He had been in this prosperous Jiangnan region for almost half a month. The Jiangnan environment nurtures people, and both men and women there have fair skin. This was the first time he had ever seen someone with such a dark face.
It's quite novel. Although it's a bit dark, it has a unique charm, but... it's a pity.
The crowd finally came to their senses, a wave of fear washing over them. The younger ones were crying, while the hot-tempered ones could only shout and curse at the thunderous sound of galloping hooves.
"Rushing to be reincarnated!"
The young man's eyebrows twitched, he pursed his lips, withdrew his gaze, stared at the skewer he had picked up in his palm, and sighed softly, seemingly with regret:
"Yes, they're in a hurry to be reincarnated."
It's a pity she's dark-skinned, but she's still a beauty.
What a pity.
The fortune stick lingered briefly in the young man's jade-like palm before being tossed back into the container. The stick bore only one poem—
"While playing in the green pool, I was secretly surrounded by a net; I thought of no way to escape, and my fate was to die in the spring, where I was left to grieve alone."
A very bad omen.
A very bad omen.
Suddenly someone shouted, "Hey! It's raining! The weather's about to change! Let's hurry home!"
Before the words had even finished, a clap of thunder sounded in the clear sky, and a fierce storm lashed down upon them.
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The best darts in the world.
The person riding the chestnut horse at breakneck speed was naturally Jiang Ling'er.
After escaping from Ji Yunshu, she hadn't rested and finally arrived at the escort agency at breakneck speed. She dismounted just as the wind and rain were at their fiercest and heaviest. She was soaking wet, but she didn't care. Today was the birthday of Old Chief Escort Jiang, and the grand and imposing vermilion gate was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, but the doors were tightly closed, which was completely out of place with the flamboyant and festive decorations.
The renowned镖局 (镖局 is a type of security escort agency) is famous throughout the world, and its doors are always open to the public. Today, on the occasion of Elder Jiang's birthday, it should be even more welcoming of heroes from all over the world. Not only did they invite heroes from all over the world three months ago, but now, even if there are no carriages and horses filling the gate, where are the brothers inside the镖局? Where are the gatekeepers? Why is it so deserted?
Jiang Ling'er's unease reached its peak. She shouldn't have been so playful, so careless as to leave such an important event as Old Master Jiang's 60th birthday celebration to Ji Yunshu, leaving her completely bewildered and clueless about what had happened! Especially when she dismounted and knocked hard on the door, only to see Yuan Zao sneaking out and grabbing her hand, pushing her outside:
"Sister Ling'er, hurry! It'll be too late if they find out!"
"This is my home, why should I leave?"
The wind and rain lashed against her, and the unease manifested as a tangible heartbeat, each pound so heavy it seemed about to leap from her chest. Jiang Ling'er bit her lip, struggling to suppress the unease and panic that threatened to engulf her, and grasped Yuan Zao's shoulders to stop her: "Calm down! Tell me what happened? Who are 'them'?"
"'They' are the White Tiger Hall disciples under Zhao Xiao! Sister Ling'er, you know Zhao Xiao has never gotten along with you. Now that the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) has encountered such a big incident, he's leading the White Tiger Hall disciples all over Jinling looking for you!"
Zhao Xiao is the only son of the late Zhao Ji, the head of the White Tiger Hall. Although they were childhood sweethearts, he and Jiang Ling'er were probably incompatible from birth. They fought since they were young. After Zhao Ji's death six years ago, the eighteen-year-old Zhao Xiao seemed to grow up overnight. He took over the White Tiger Hall at a young age, and Jiang Ling'er got married. Since then, he has drifted further and further away from Jiang Ling'er and Yuan Zao. They only meet once a year when the镖门 (镖门 is a type of security escort agency) holds a martial arts competition. Every time, they fight to the death, and of course, Jiang Ling'er wins by a small margin every year.
Yuan Zao almost begged her, nearly crying, "Sister Ling'er, hurry up and leave! It's too late! Please get out of the city first, and I'll tell you everything later..."
"What happened to my dad?!"
Jiang Ling'er gripped her hand tightly, so hard that her knuckles turned white. The torrential rain soaked her head and face, but it only made her eyes seem to burn with two flames, sharp and piercing.
Yuan Zao knew that Jiang Ling'er wouldn't leave if she heard that her father was in trouble, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "They said...they said that Old Escort Jiang was colluding with the Jurchens and the Demonic Sect, and they are questioning Old Escort Jiang now!"
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment, then immediately burst into a tirade: "Bullshit! Bullshit! Who doesn't know that my father hates the Demonic Sect the most? Colluding with the Jurchens? Even if the current emperor were colluding with the Jurchens, my father wouldn't!"
Jiang Ling'er immediately pushed Yuan Zao aside and rushed in through the door.
"Sister Ling'er...Sister Ling'er!"
Yuan Zao hurriedly tried to grab Jiang Ling'er, but Jiang Ling'er broke free and kicked open the vermilion gate!
The vast and prestigious No. 1 Escort Agency only had a few scattered cleaning staff. An older member of the agency saw her and went to greet her, saying the exact same words as Yuan Zao: "Young Master, you... what are you still doing here? All the brothers in the agency are looking for you. You'd better hurry..."
Jiang Ling'er interrupted him: "Where's my dad?!"
"This..." The old man looked troubled. "The White Tiger Hall Master has ordered that no one is allowed to approach Old Escort Jiang without his permission."
"Zhao Xiao gave the order?" Jiang Ling'er drew her long whip from her waist and lashed it heavily on the ground. "You listen to him? Is he the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a term for a bodyguard/escort) or is my father the chief镖头? Where is my father? Take me to him!"
"Young Master, it was the White Tiger Hall Master's order that I...I..." The old man knelt down directly.
Not only the old man, but all the servants in the courtyard also knelt down.
"...Fine, fine. It's kind of you to still remember I'm the 'Young Master Escort'." Having watched her grow up since childhood, Jiang Ling'er didn't want to make things difficult for them. Taking a deep breath, she roared, "If you won't help me, I'll find someone myself!"
"Sister Ling'er!"
Yuan Zao hurriedly followed behind Jiang Ling'er, but no matter what he did, he couldn't catch up with her. Moreover, Jiang Ling'er would lash out at every door she went, and the fierce wind from her whip made it impossible for Yuan Zao to get even a little closer.
Jiang Ling'er first went to the residence of Old Escort Jiang, but no one was there. Then she opened all the doors, large and small, of the No. 1 Escort Agency, even the backyard, and finally arrived at the gate of the White Tiger Hall.
The "Discipline Hall" under the White Tiger Hall imprisoned all sorts of vicious criminals, both inside and outside the escort agency. Zhao Xiao had actually mobilized all the elite members of the escort agency to capture her, so Jiang Ling'er didn't have much trouble breaking into the White Tiger Hall. Since they wouldn't talk, she would search room by room, turning the White Tiger Hall upside down, ensuring no one escaped unscathed!
"No, no, young master!"
The long whip swirled and coiled like a silver dragon, causing silver locks to fall and iron chains to snap in two wherever it went. Those whose faces were visible were quickly glanced at by Jiang Ling'er before being told to get lost. Those whose faces were obscured were pulled close for a closer look, and she spared no one. The whip danced from the first cell to the last, severing the chains on the wrists and ankles of the person before her with a single lash. She then grabbed the long hair of a young man cowering in a corner and dragged him before her!
Drag it out into the sunlight!
The Discipline Hall was perpetually dark and damp, with only a small patch of light shining through the skylight illuminating a section of the space. Jiang Ling'er, having practiced martial arts since childhood, possessed considerable strength in her hands. However, the person before her was indeed lighter than an average adult male. When Jiang Ling'er grabbed him, she thought she had pulled a woman by the arm. Especially when he was forced to look up, revealing a beautiful face that, though somewhat dirty, still couldn't hide, was undeniably lovely and had the features of a beautiful woman, Jiang Ling'er was stunned and momentarily forgot to be angry.
"A woman?"
The setting sun seemed to cast a soft glow on him, his skin was pale and anemic from years of not seeing the sun, his nose was high but not aggressive, his eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, elegant and handsome, at first glance he looked like a beautiful ghost, but upon closer inspection he was like a lady in a painting by a scholar, who was beautiful whether lightly or heavily made up.
It's really not her fault. Although the Discipline Hall houses the most vicious criminals, it never detains women.
The man seemed startled, his Adam's apple bobbing as he was about to speak when Jiang Ling'er released him. Without turning back, she lashed out with her whip, her voice growing colder, her eyes blazing with fury that drew attention.
"Zhao Xiao, where did you hide my father?!"
The newcomer dodged to the side, and the long whip struck the wooden cage, missing its mark.
The newcomer was tall and handsome, none other than Zhao Xiao. However, the sinister look in his eyes somewhat diminished his natural charm, making him appear gloomy and stubborn.
"My brothers and I searched everywhere for you. We thought you and your frail husband had escaped to Sun and Moon Fortress, and I even sent men to intercept you. We never expected you to walk right into our trap. You still have some backbone." Zhao Xiao said, glancing at the prisoners fleeing in the chaos. The prisoner who had looked like a beautiful woman glanced at Jiang Ling'er and then joined the fleeing crowd. In no time, the dozens of cells in the vast Discipline Hall were empty. A deep shadow fell over his brow as he angrily shouted, "Jiang Ling'er, do you know how many vicious criminals and criminals are here? You've ruined decades of hard work for the White Tiger Hall!"
He was arrogant, but Jiang Ling'er was even more arrogant. When it came to shouting, Jiang Ling'er was a natural and never lost to anyone: "If you don't hand over my father, I'll not only destroy the 'Discipline Hall,' but I'll also destroy the entire White Tiger Hall!"
Before he finished speaking, with lightning speed, the whip had already left a red mark on Zhao Xiao's handsome face, stretching from his left ear across half of his face to the bridge of his nose. Although it looked frightening, there was no bleeding, indicating that he had held back some force.
However, you shouldn't hit someone in the face, especially in front of others.
Jiang Ling'er did it on purpose.
She wanted to embarrass him.
Out of respect for the deceased White Tiger Hall Master, her father treated Zhao Xiao with great care, almost like a son, even more so than his own daughter. He never even uttered a single harsh word against him. How did Zhao Xiao treat her father in this way? She regretted it; this heartless bastard deserved a good beating!
"Disrespectful to your superiors, this is just a small punishment to teach you a lesson." With a flick of her wrist, the long whip coiled back around her wrist like a silver snake. Holding one end of the whip, she lashed the other end against her palm, glancing at Zhao Xiao and snorting coldly, "I'll teach you a lesson so you'll remember who the young master of the number one escort agency in the world is, and who your master is."
As expected, Zhao Xiao's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his face darkened like the bottom of a pot. However, instead of the fury Jiang Ling'er had anticipated, he calmly said:
"Alright, same as always. If you can beat me, I'll take you to see the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort).
The simplest thing is to solve it with your fists. Jiang Ling'er couldn't be happier. Besides, it's not like she hasn't fought Zhao Xiao before. He was her defeated opponent. Zhao Xiao is undoubtedly the best in the escort agency and a tough nut to crack. But she has received the true teachings of Uncle He Yong. No matter how tough the nut to crack, she can make him submit!
"It's too crowded here, let's go outside to make a call."
She was about to turn and leave when Zhao Xiao stopped her:
"Don't agree so quickly, hear my conditions first. The title of the best镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the world is always given to the most capable. If you lose, I want you to automatically relinquish your position as the young镖师. And..." Zhao Xiao paused, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the horrifying red marks on his face, staring at Jiang Ling'er as he added, "Kneel before me..."
Before Zhao Xiao could finish speaking, Yuan Zao, her eyes already red with rage, looked ready to rush forward and tear him to pieces.
"What nonsense are you spouting, Zhao Xiao! How could you let..."
"Okay, I promise you." Jiang Ling'er tightened her grip on the long whip, her face showing no extra expression.
Yuan Zao froze instantly, then suddenly raised her eyebrows to look at her, exclaiming, "Sister Ling'er!"
A note from the author:
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① This comes from a Guanyin divination slip.
This chapter features two important potential stars! (Zhao Xiao out)
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