Chapter 1, If you fall into a pit, consider it your misfortune

Zhang Demei clasped his hands in front of the young man and said: "Friends on the Hezi Dao, are you from the Xian line? I, Zhang, am not very bright, and I would appreciate it if you could kindly extend a hand to me, acknowledging the Hezi, and let me gnaw on the cross!"

On the stage, Zhang Demei has already assumed the initial posture of a towering incense stick, followed by a gesture reminiscent of a celestial being pointing the way. He then proceeded to walk through the entrance, took a step, and began to throw punches, while cheers erupted from all around, the sound resounding like thunder.

The man smiled slightly and said, "I do not know him, I have no idea."

He speaks Tianjin dialect very authentically; those who do not know might think he is a local. In fact, Zhang Demeo's ancestral home is in Shanxi, but he has traveled extensively across the country for many years and can learn a few phrases from various places.

Zhang Demei, having created a lively atmosphere, opened his mouth: "Masters of the twelve escort agencies and esteemed friends in attendance! Today, the small shop is officially opened, and I am grateful for everyone's support in organizing this splendid escort event. I, Zhang Demei, have nothing else to offer but to present myself before all of you distinguished guests, to practice some martial arts. If there are any friends from the green forest who wish to spar, I, Zhang, would welcome it. If not, then let this be a moment to bring a smile to everyone’s faces, as a token of appreciation for your support today"

"Master Cheng Er! It is an honor for you to grace us with your presence, please come inside! Let me introduce everyone, this is Master Cheng Er from the Shuanglong Escort Agency, a well-known figure in the underworld!" "Old Hero Qin, you have finally arrived! I was just thinking that if I couldn't persuade you to come, the Youhui Escort Agency would be in big trouble!" ... "Oh my! Lord Hu! I can't believe your presence has been stirred by such a small matter, it truly is a great honor, no need for further words, please take a seat, I have noted all your kindness, and I will never forget it in this lifetime!" ...

Zhang Demei was greatly astonished on stage. On the first day of the escort agency's opening, a demonstration of skills was held, ostensibly to showcase martial prowess and intimidate bandits, hence the banner proclaimed a welcome for everyone to come and compete. In reality, this day was certainly an invitation to masters, along with the necessary official backing, referred to by the escort agency as the 'great threshold,' which included individuals holding official positions. It has never been heard that bandits would genuinely come to compete with the host on the day of the demonstration. Causing a disturbance on the opening day is a serious challenge within the escort agency industry, and such actions would not occur without deep-seated enmity.

The man beside him had long been on guard against this move, casting him a glance before turning to leave. The youth remained oblivious, still calling out loudly: "Zhang Dema, do you have the guts? Have you ever sparred with him?" His voice echoed both on and off the stage, drawing countless pairs of eyes towards him. The youth, fearing that the world would not be in chaos, was naturally pleased with himself, shaking his head and swaying, with his fan lightly raised, presenting a pretentious demeanor of a cultured gentleman.

Huo Zhenting nodded, and Zhang Dema quickly stepped outside to greet everyone. Instantly, firecrackers erupted in unison, and the sound of gongs and drums filled the air. On the newly laid bluestone floor of the escort agency, a thick layer of red paper from the exploded firecrackers was piled up.

Zhang Demei was unable to, and thought to himself: "It is said in the martial world: 'To forge iron, one must be strong oneself.'" Huo Zhenting does not possess martial skills, and after ingratiating himself for so long, it was clear that he was the only candidate for the chief escort of the Tianjin ship. At this moment, he had to hold his ground no matter what. Thus, he took a couple of steps forward, and seeing him willing to step up to the challenge, everyone erupted into enthusiastic applause.

"That's not right. Why do you smile as if you are mocking? Surely, it can't be better than you, can it? Can it?"

The young boy's eyes darted, and he shouted loudly: "Over there!"

The bucktoothed one has finally stirred up trouble, feeling quite pleased: "Alright, alright, I will show mercy. Hurting you is of no use, so rest assured."

This is a colloquial expression from the martial arts world, also known as a lip classic, meaning: "Friends on the path, are you just passing by or have you come specifically? May I ask your name? Once acquainted, we are friends, please take up your chopsticks and have a meal."

Of course not! The young man puffed out his chest, his gaze darting around, hoping to suddenly see his companions. However, after looking around several times, there was no sign of any men. Suddenly, he noticed a robust young man outside the circle trying to squeeze towards the entrance. The expression on his face was filled with more excitement than anyone else, joy radiating from his eyebrows and eyes, impossible to contain. Although there were many onlookers, none were as exuberantly happy as he was.

"Do not be arrogant!" A Long was furious and was about to pounce. Zhang Dema quickly stopped him: "A Long, A Long, in our profession as bodyguards, we cannot always resort to violence. There is a saying in the martial world: 'Enduring three parts, peace is gold.'

The bridge performers, all talk and no action! Boo! Those watching the spectacle see that there is an even greater spectacle to behold, and they join in the booing: "Fight! If the bright daggers don't fight, then what’s the point of showing them off! They could have quietly opened their business!" "You only need to protect a stinky sock for me, and if it gets lost, you won't have to compensate!" The sharp-tongued people of Tianjin are notoriously caustic; when they encounter a good performer, the cheers are generous, even causing some to lose their breath. When faced with a disgraceful situation, their biting remarks can truly crush a person.

The man glanced at him lightly and fell silent. The young boy's eyes darted, and he suddenly jumped up, shouting: "Hey! That sharp-tongued one, Zhang Dema! There’s also a sharp-tongued one here, saying your skills are not impressive, all showy moves without substance—want to challenge you to a match!" Beneath the fan, two large buck teeth protruded from his mouth, gleaming with excitement.

The young man could not comprehend these words, thinking it merely meant a challenge, and exclaimed: "Yes! Go ahead, you compete with him and see who is superior and who is inferior"

Zhang Demei was filled with uncertainty, unable to grasp the situation for a moment

"Good!" The boy also shouted loudly, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the man beside him was distracted. "Hey," he nudged the man with his elbow and pointed at Zhang Demei on the stage, "Is his skill good or not?"

Where exactly is it? You are not messing with me, are you?" A Long shouted, his eyes filled with fierce light

Zhang Demei frowned, realizing that the person was a newcomer (meaning just starting out and unaware of the rules). He could only tentatively gauge the situation. Since the other party did not understand, he no longer used lip service and said: "The escort agency thrives on the support of friends, and we are dressed in the clothes provided by friends. In this business, without friends, there would be no us. Since a friend wishes to exchange a few words, I, Zhang, cannot refuse to accompany. However, today is a special day for the little trumpet, so how about we keep it brief? Let us not disturb the harmony among friends"

The onlookers have already crowded the entrance, peering in from three layers inside and three layers outside. A fair-skinned young man stands in the crowd, shielding his face with a folding fan. He is short and cannot see anything, and upon hearing the sounds, he curiously asks, "What is... a sharp hook?" A man beside him replies in a low voice, "It refers to a master acknowledged by everyone."

After the two gong beaters, there followed a procession of dragon and lion dancers, accompanied by drummers and suona players, traversing every street and alley of Tianjin, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere throughout the entire Tianjin area

One of the bodyguards behind him couldn't help but exclaim: "Master, this brat is being so disrespectful, let me teach him a lesson!"

Then, the bucktoothed person, seeing Zhang Demaow, became increasingly impatient and shouted: "What’s going on? Are you brave enough to compete with him? Isn’t it just a matter of showing off? You won’t know until you actually engage in a fight. You keep practicing by yourself; I might as well go watch on the overpass!"

Seeing that the important guests had nearly all arrived, he entered the hall and approached the host, Huo Zhenting. Leaning down, he quietly asked, "Master, is it time? Should we announce that the Bright Blade Meeting is about to begin?"

Although Huo Zhenting is the owner of the escort agency, he himself does not possess martial arts skills and is not familiar with the industry regulations. Therefore, all matters are handled by Zhang Dema, while he only needs to provide the funding

"Elder brother? Brother Qin?" She looked around but could not find anyone, and immediately panicked. Turning back, she saw Zhang Dema on the stage looking around in the direction of her finger: "Which hero wishes to offer guidance?"

A Long said: "Master! The Bright Arrow Society is meant to make people recognize the banner of our escort agency. If we do not fight, our Bright Arrow Society will be ruined! You decide what to do."

At this moment, the Friendship Escort Agency is bustling with voices, and the escort leader, Zhang Dema, is so busy that his feet hardly touch the ground, greeting guests like a fluttering butterfly.

Zhang Demeo thought to himself, who are the most difficult people to deal with in the martial world? Scholars, women, and monks! If she is unwilling to show herself, could she be a renowned master? Or should I wait a bit longer? Thus, he shook his head and said: "There is a saying in the martial world, 'If it is not a diamond nail, it cannot pierce through iron sheets.' With so many masters present, daring to call out must mean she is not easy to approach. A Long, do not act rashly."

"It is not me, but he who wants to compete with you!" The young man, pleased with himself, turned around and pointed, only to be taken aback in shock. He saw that all around him were unfamiliar faces, all looking at her with great interest, and the man had long since disappeared.

He looked down in astonishment and saw that the voice came from a young man dressed like a scholar. From a distance, his features were unclear, only half of his face was visible behind a fan. However, this person had a slender figure and delicate bones, clearly disguised as a man, making it hard to believe he was a skilled fighter. Yet, seeing her self-satisfied demeanor and the unmistakable air of confidence, when she noticed Zhang Demei looking at her, she raised her chin high, proud like a peacock displaying its feathers, her expression quite infuriating.

The young man exclaimed: "Really? How do I compare to you?"

Every time they struck the gong, they would pause and call out: "Esteemed fellow villagers! Today marks a grand occasion for our Huiyou Escort Agency as we establish a branch in Tianjin. We are honored to have our colleagues here, and the twelve escort agencies have united to host a splendid escort event. We warmly welcome fellow colleagues from the industry, friends on the road, and neighbors from nearby! All friends are invited to visit our Huiyou Escort Agency; you will not come in vain, nor will you sit in vain, as we will treat you with the finest food and drink! Huiyou, Huiyou, what we have is friends from all over the world! Everyone, please come! All friends are invited to visit our Huiyou Escort Agency; you will not come in vain, nor will you sit in vain, as we will treat you with the finest food and drink! Huiyou, Huiyou, what we have is friends from all over the world! Everyone, please come! Ding ding ding ...

Zhang Demeo frowned, feeling that this person was not giving him any face, and he was somewhat angry in his heart. He said in a deep voice: "This young hero, if you wish to offer your guidance, then come up!"

It is him! He wants to duel with Zhang Dema! It is him! Zhang Dema! Do you dare to accept the challenge?" A finger pointed outside the circle, fixed on the young man. He thought to himself: "Who told you to enjoy the excitement so much, as if seeing a lively scene is as joyful as seeing your own mother? You might as well join in the fun yourself.

In the center of the courtyard stood a tall and well-constructed stage, with the performers already dressed and standing on either side. Zhang Dema, the head of the escort, arrived at the edge of the stage accompanied by a dozen escort members and twenty or so young attendants. They did not use a ladder; the less skilled young attendants paired up to leap onto the stage energetically, while the more skilled escort members used the edge of the stage for support, making their way up in pairs. Finally, Zhang Dema himself leaped onto the stage. These individuals were full of spirit, arranged themselves in formation, and performed a bow in unison towards all directions, which was met with a round of applause.

Zhang Demei finally felt relieved, and couldn't help but regret his earlier caution. Today was a day when everyone was watching, and since this was a soft target, he intended to use it to establish his authority. He then coldly laughed and called to his two disciples: "A Long, A Hu, the young brother is shy; please bring him up here!" The two strong men responded and jumped off the stage to approach the young man.

The copper gong, draped in red silk on both sides, resounded through the mountains. The robust man striking the gong was also adorned in red silk, with a red flower atop his head, his face beaming with joy

"It’s not me who wants to compete! Really, it’s not me. He, he was just... I..." The young man saw the fierce and intimidating look of the various bodyguards on stage approaching him, and he couldn’t help but step back, his buck teeth slightly trembling, and the hand holding the fan also shaking gently. He thought to himself: "Could it be that I’m going to suffer today? Brother Qin, it can’t be that you’re abandoning me at this moment?" Those around him, seeing his fingers trembling and pointing aimlessly, quickly shouted: "It’s not me, it’s not me!" and hurriedly dodged.

"Good." The man smiled faintly.

"... is ... is, is ... ..." The young man looked around, but he did not see any sign of his companions. His expression changed, and he no longer resembled a skilled individual at all