Chapter 6, Bodyguard

Gong Sun Yan and Ouyang Tian exchanged a glance, both recognizing the surprise in each other's eyes

Gongsun Yan turned to the main topic and said: "Third Brother, what happened at the Xiongwei Escort Agency last night?"

Soon, Fang Tian's hands were filled with bags of various sizes, forcing him to temporarily grab a passerby on the street, offering him two taels of silver to help carry them back to the inn. The passerby was overjoyed, as he had not expected to stumble upon such a windfall while idly wandering the streets (at that time's living standards, two taels of silver was the monthly living expense for a family of five). From then on, he became even more fond of loitering on the streets, but such good fortune never came his way again.

Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue finally understood the relationship between the two prominent families. The Zhang family of Chang'an is located in the north of the river, while the Gongsun family is situated in the south, with their spheres of influence divided along the river. The Yangtze River has historically served as a buffer between these two powerful factions. However, the influence of the Zhang family of Chang'an has now extended into the territory of the Paibang, which undoubtedly poses a threat to the Gongsun family.

Gongsun Yan and Hai Mingyue, two childhood playmates, met again and had endless conversations. For a moment, they completely forgot about needing to rest (to be honest, it is not easy to rest during the day). They decided to go out and stroll around the streets.

Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue exchanged a glance, not expecting that there existed conflicts among the four great families of the martial world that were difficult for outsiders to comprehend

Although Fang Tian was in a flurry of activity, seeing the three people ahead of him in high spirits made him feel that the effort was worthwhile

The young ladies went out shopping, and Fang Tian naturally accompanied them. Ouyang Tian and Ding Rushan, being older, were unwilling to indulge in the frivolities of youth. That said, with them around, Gongsun Yan and the others would likely not enjoy their outing. Meanwhile, Gongsun Wei went to serve as his liaison, engaging with the people from the Xiongwei Escort Agency.

Ding Rushan, seeing that he could escape from his own "prison of favor," was greatly impressed by Fang Tian's martial arts, even though he later sustained serious injuries. This method of escape was something he had never encountered in his life. Now, seeing Fang Tian's humility and courtesy, he was very pleased and said: "Good! Good! I have overstepped my bounds; there is no need for you to be so polite, my dear nephew. When there is time, I would like to seek your guidance on martial arts."

Fang Tian was admiring the beauty of two women as they strolled through the streets, laughing and showcasing their various charms while indulging in a shopping spree, lost in thought. Suddenly, a figure collided with him from the side, and the impact was surprisingly silent. The street was bustling with people, and just as this figure was about to bump into Fang Tian, he became aware of it, slightly shifting his body to evade the person. At that moment, the individual extended a finger and pointed towards his shoulder well.

Gongsun Wei glanced at Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue again, and then said: "Brother Fang, please do not blame me for being overly cautious; this matter is indeed related to the Gongsun family..."

Gong Sun Yan explained the key points of this matter to Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue, also revealing her unavoidable difficulties

Ouyang Tiandao: "Young Master Fang need not be so polite; we are all not strangers. Forgive this old man for being presumptuous, and let me address you as 'worthy nephew.' Haha."

Fang Tian steadied himself and was about to counterattack, but he had already lost sight of the two figures. With a slight focus, he noticed that the two moved as smoothly as fish, navigating effortlessly through the crowd. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the vast throng of people.

Gongsun Wei glanced at Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue, hesitating to speak.

Gongsun Wei was greatly impressed; in this way, there was no formal commitment, allowing for flexibility when the time came. He hurriedly said, "I understand Sister Yan's intention."

Gongsun Yan and Ouyang Tian exchanged glances, both being intelligent and wise individuals, momentarily unable to ascertain whether this decision was indeed correct or not

After everyone met again, Fang Tian repeatedly expressed his gratitude to everyone for working so hard for him alone

Ding Rushan said: "That 'Five Tiger Blade' Lei Hu has crossed swords with me before. His 'Five Tiger Breaking Door Blade' is sharp and fierce, with an imposing momentum, truly a master technique in the martial world. Even he was injured, it seems the opponent is indeed formidable"

Ding Rushan was originally an upright person. Fang Tian, seeing that he wanted to compete in martial arts, did not take offense and said: "I hope Uncle Ding will provide me with much guidance"

Gong Sun Yan and Ouyang Tian exchanged a glance. Ouyang Tian said, "Miss, I believe this matter is feasible"

Gongsun Wei said, "Now that the Xiongwei Escort Agency has suffered a heavy blow, it is evident that this escort mission has become quite difficult. Since they are also escorting goods to Yangzhou, should we lend them a hand?"

Ouyang Tian explained: "One month ago, Zhang Mingyuan, a disciple of the Zhang family in Chang'an, officially assumed the position of deputy leader of the Changjiang Pailang."

Gongsun Wei smiled broadly, clasped his hands towards Fang Tian, and said: "Brother Fang, how are your martial skills? I have not had the opportunity to witness them in person, which I greatly regret. However, your literary talent has left me in deep admiration; I am truly far from your level. Whenever you have time, I hope you can offer me more guidance, brother."

Gongsun Yandao: "Third Brother, what are your thoughts? Brother Fang and Sister Hai are not outsiders. Feel free to speak candidly."

Everyone was shocked by the news of Gongsun Wei, left momentarily speechless. Ouyang Tian skeptically asked, "Are there really only seven people on the other side?"

At that moment, the voice of the shop assistant sounded from outside the door: "Gentlemen, there is a guest with the surname Lu who wishes to see you all"

As a member of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Yan does not wish to bring trouble to her family from the formidable Xuanxin Sect due to her own negligence, especially as tensions with the Zhang family in Chang'an are about to escalate. Instead, at this critical moment, she believes that publicly disclosing her family's predicament, leveraging her friendship with Hai Mingyue and the special relationship between her senior brother Fang Tian (who, to this day, Gongsun Yan still thinks is a disciple of the mad monk), could be beneficial. Even if she cannot secure assistance from the Xuanxin Sect, as long as they remain neutral, it would still be advantageous for her family.

By the time Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue had composed themselves and stepped out of the room, it was already filled with people, including Gongsun Wei, who had gone to investigate what had happened at the Xiongwei Escort Agency yesterday.

In fact, the Xuanxin Sect and the Zhang family of Chang'an are both located in the northwest region. Whether there is a close relationship between the two remains unclear based on the current intelligence from the Gongsun family, but it cannot be ruled out that there may be some undisclosed close ties between them. Historically, due to the Xuanxin Sect's status as the foremost sect in the world, the martial arts community does not categorize it as a regional martial arts force. However, not being a regional martial arts force does not imply a lack of control in the local area. For instance, the Shaolin Sect, aside from its influence throughout the martial arts world, cannot be denied to have absolute control in the vicinity of Mount Song in Zhongzhou.

It is in the nature of girls to go shopping, and the more they shop, the more enjoyable it becomes. Fang Tian followed behind for quite a while, feeling only a sore back and aching waist, while each of the young ladies appeared lively and full of energy.

For a moment, it was impossible to discern the true intentions behind the actions of these two individuals. Fang Tian, being naturally easygoing, decided not to dwell on it since he could not figure it out.

Gongsun Wei finally became aware of his loss of composure. He had always been proud of his literary and martial talents. Although he was not arrogant enough to consider himself the best in the world, he believed that there were only a few individuals capable of competing with him in terms of talent and skill. Due to his self-assuredness regarding his own abilities, Gongsun Wei often felt superior to others, consistently viewing them and their actions from a condescending perspective. However, as he came from a collateral branch of the Gongsun family, his status was not highly regarded until he caught the discerning eye of the family head, Gongsun Feilong. Consequently, he did not possess the sense of superiority that other scions of prominent families had. Thus, among the Seven Young Masters of the Martial World, he did not appear particularly arrogant or exceedingly unpleasant. However, Fang Tian's first impression of him was unfavorable, leading to an increasing sense of dislike over time, which resulted in lingering animosity between the two for an extended period. It was only after Fang Tian interacted with several other renowned young masters of the martial world that he began to find Gongsun Wei not so disagreeable.

Gongsun Yan and Ouyang Tian truly deserve to be called wise; in an instant, they grasped the key to the matter. The explanations provided by both of them, when combined, turned out to be seamless.

Fortunately, in the recent days of robbing the rich to help the poor, Fang Tian has gained quite a fortune; otherwise, it would have been difficult to cope with the frequent demands of the three young ladies (mainly from the two of them, while the maid, Yue'er, has remained true to her position and has not joined this frenzy of shopping).

Fang Tian was indeed filled with uncertainty and suspicion, not expecting that this small town concealed such hidden talents. Those two individuals were clearly extraordinary figures from the martial world. For a moment, he could not even guess what kind of people they were.

Although this small town is quite small, it is bustling with activity. Due to the constant flow of merchants coming from the south and the north, who all need to stop here to rest and replenish various supplies, the entire town boasts a wide array of small stalls and shops, offering an impressively complete range of goods

After becoming bodyguards for the bodyguards, they decided to stay at the Natural Residence Inn for one more day to rest well before setting off early tomorrow morning

In a few moments, the rabbit leaped and the magpie took flight, yet the passersby nearby remained oblivious to the unusual occurrence, and thus the matter came to a close

This text appears to be a placeholder or a non-specific symbol. Please provide a specific text for translation.

Fang Tian saw two individuals adorned in various new garments, momentarily exuding unparalleled beauty, at times appearing fresh and elegant, at times like orchids in a secluded valley, and at times like peonies in full bloom

Last night’s commotion in the courtyard was widely known to be due to an issue at the Xiongwei Escort Agency. However, shortly thereafter, an incident occurred where Fang Tian was injured. Gongsun Yan was anxious about Fang Tian’s condition, Ding Rushan felt guilty for having acted too harshly, and Ouyang Tian was preoccupied with diagnosing Fang Tian’s injuries. As a result, they did not go out again, only sending Gongsun Wei to gather information. Consequently, they still do not know what exactly happened last night.

Only the Square Sky Eye appears dazzling

Gongsun Yan looked at Gongsun Wei with displeasure and said, "Brother Fang, Sister Hai, to be honest, our relationship with the Zhang family in Chang'an is currently somewhat tense, and the Xiongwei Escort Bureau is headquartered in Chang'an, which means their connections run deep. Therefore, it is quite difficult for us to decide whether or not to extend a helping hand to the Xiongwei Escort Bureau"

When Gongsun Wei first saw Haimingyue, he was greatly astonished. He then glanced at Gongsun Yan and noticed that the two were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each excelling in their own way, each possessing their own beauty, each with their own charm. He was momentarily captivated, almost doubting whether they were celestial beings descended to the mortal realm

Gongsun Wei said: "Uncle Ding, because my little nephew helped them a bit last night, one of the bodyguards with the surname Lu expressed many words of gratitude, implying this in various ways. ... ... Oh, because Lei Hu was seriously injured, everything is being managed by that bodyguard with the surname Lu"

Gongsun Yan also seemed to have made up her mind, and said to Gongsun Wei: "Third brother, I would still like to ask you to go next door to meet this Master Lu. If they formally request our assistance, we might as well say that we are just passing by and can travel together."

Gongsun Wei, seeing that everyone had expressed their thoughts, also said: "My idea is that although the Xiongwei Escort Agency has a close relationship with the Zhang family due to its location in Chang'an, the Xiongwei Escort Agency is not the Zhang family. We can completely help the Xiongwei Escort Agency with this matter to gain a personal favor. Perhaps we can leverage this situation to draw the influence of the Xiongwei Escort Agency to our side..." Perhaps we can leverage this situation to draw the influence of the Xiongwei Escort Agency to our side..."

Did they formally request our assistance?

Fang Tiandao: "Uncle Ouyang, you flatter me." After saying this, he glanced at Ding Rushan and added, "I have met Uncle Ding."

Having finished speaking, he went out to deal with the bodyguard surnamed Lu

Gongsun Yan and Hai Mingyue discovered something unusual about Fang Tian. After inquiring, they were also greatly puzzled. However, when Hai Mingyue heard the description of the short and stout individual, a flicker of unusual expression passed through her eyes, while the others did not notice.

Ouyang Tiandao: "If they formally seek our assistance, adhering to the principles of the martial world, it would be inappropriate for us to refuse. However, the opponent is too peculiar, and we do not understand the details. Taking on this matter rashly may be detrimental to us"

After this incident, the enthusiasm of the two young ladies for their outing diminished significantly, and they hastily wrapped up their activities and returned to the inn

When Gongsun Wei returned, they realized that they had become the bodyguards of the bodyguards

Fang Tian noticed that he was merely praising his own literary talent, likely because he had been severely injured by Ding Rushan and had narrowly escaped death, thus looking down on martial arts. However, Fang Tian did not expose this and smiled, saying: "Brother Gongsun, both your literary talent and martial arts are unparalleled; I fear there is no one in this world who can match you. I, being unworthy, would never dare to offer guidance to you, my esteemed brother."

Gongsun Yan, Ouyang Tian, and Ding Rushan were greatly intrigued. If they could truly achieve this objective, they would be in a very advantageous position when dealing with the Zhang family. This bold idea immediately captivated them, and they were already contemplating the feasibility of this daring proposition in their minds

It is true that the opponent possesses formidable martial arts skills. I once engaged in combat with one of them, and they were a formidable adversary. However, Gongsun Wei was not being entirely truthful; during last night's encounter, he suffered some hidden setbacks. Yet, he could not openly admit this here and had to vaguely state that the opponent was very strong

Everyone has finished exchanging pleasantries and has taken their seats again

Fang Tian then realized that the person had intentionally launched a sneak attack. He quickly lowered his shoulders and tucked in his elbows, raising his left hand to counterattack. At that moment, a gust of wind approached from his left side, indicating that there was another person behind him. Fang Tian immediately adapted; without waiting to counter, he spun his body and escaped the encirclement of the two individuals. His right palm met the finger thrust aimed at him, while his left foot kicked out, heading straight for the second attacker. In the blink of an eye, he saw that the second person was short and chubby, with a beaming smile. The individual then struck down hard to block Fang Tian's leg. With a loud 'bang,' Fang Tian was forced to step back, realizing that the person's martial arts skills were surprisingly formidable.

Fang Tian was thus extracting silver with one hand, receiving various items of all sizes with the other, and then stuffing these items into the hands of the idlers he had temporarily captured, of course not forgetting to slip two taels of silver into that person's embrace.

Gongsun Yan, Hai Mingyue, Yue'er, and Fang Tian are shopping

Everyone was astonished by the formidable skills of the bandits, pondering where such masters had emerged from. No one noticed the peculiar point raised by Gongsun Wei that the other party had not actually robbed the convoy. In the hall, only the young girl, Xiaoyuer, was unaware of the prowess of 'Five Tiger Blade' Lei Hu and did not pay attention to the opponent's high martial arts skills. However, her limited experience in the martial world also led her to overlook this strange detail

Ding Rushan felt greatly satisfied

Fang Tian already had a poor impression of Gongsun Wei, always feeling that such scions of noble families, due to their advantageous backgrounds, were inherently arrogant and looked down on others, displaying a domineering demeanor that was quite detestable. Now, seeing Gongsun Wei gazing at Hai Mingyue with a lecherous expression, his dislike for this person intensified. While exchanging pleasantries with Ding Rushan, he intentionally or unintentionally blocked Gongsun Wei's line of sight.

Although everyone kept vigil outside the room for Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue throughout the night, they were all highly skilled martial artists. A mere night without sleep did not show the slightest sign of fatigue in them

Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue, being unconcerned with these matters, were not interested in the overly serious political discussions. However, out of gratitude towards Gongsun Yan, they sat there calmly listening. Naturally, they would not offer any opinions, nor could they propose any suggestions, as these issues did not directly relate to their own interests.

The purchased items have all been delivered. Upon seeing them, the two immediately forgot everything and began chattering incessantly. They even picked up the clothes they had bought and tried them on right away. Thus, in front of Fang Tian, the two took turns appearing in various new outfits to ask for his opinion

Gongsun Wei said: "Last night, there was a robbery of the escort. The assailants numbered a total of seven, killing seven porters and two escort guards, while five other escort guards were injured. Moreover, their deputy chief escort, Lei Hu, was severely injured. However, it is strange that the escort cart was not taken away."

A tall hat was presented, and Gongsun Wei felt somewhat pleased, though he did not show it on his face. He merely repeated his thanks, but the joy in the corners of his eyes betrayed his true feelings at that moment