Chapter 6, the tiger and rhinoceros in their natural state astonish people

Lian Fengming leaned closer to Sun Chaozong and quietly asked, "Is it strange that Mr. Sun does not avoid people when speaking—could it be that these three are all your subordinates?" Sun Chaozong nodded and replied, "I will introduce them to the two shortly."

While thinking this, the sound of hooves suddenly erupted, and a soldier sent to scout came rushing towards him, covered in blood. He quickly sidestepped, only to see the horse galloping wildly, heading straight for the roadside, while the rider made no sound and tumbled off the horse onto the ground.

The tea doctor’s degree was presented along with tea and snacks. Sun Chaozong picked up the tea cup and offered a toast to the two, saying: "Please, please—this is also a case of desperate measures, hoping for an extra pair of hands is always good"

A group of people came to a halt. Wang Baobao ordered his soldiers to form two circles, one inside and one outside, to protect the prisoner transport. Weng Chila, seeing his strict discipline, secretly praised him and also commanded the ten Qiexue he brought along to encircle the outer side of the Han army for protection

As winter departs and spring arrives, all things revive. In the blink of an eye, across the vast expanse of the land, nature flourishes once again, presenting a scene of vibrant prosperity.

Upon seeing Wei Chi He and the others, their spirits were greatly lifted. The Guo brothers also successively seized horses and spears, following Zhuang Yun to defend Mount Luo. They had engaged in combat with the Mongolian troops several times and had a solid foundation in horsemanship. At this moment, they shouted loudly and fought fiercely, displaying unparalleled bravery. Before long, seven out of ten cowardly Xue had been killed, leaving three who were indeed valiant, fighting to the death without retreat, wielding their swords and spears with impeccable precision, engaged in a bitter stalemate.

Wang Baobao looked up at the sky, where the red sun hung high, around the time of noon. He couldn't help but frown and said, "I think if the enemy were to come, it would likely be around this place. If they go further north, it would no longer be something Liu Futong would dare to act recklessly about."

Nature may be thus, yet human affairs are otherwise The swirling waters flow from the distant eastern side into the Huai River, which surges forth and then flows eastward into the sea Last winter was unusually cold, and the Huai River even froze solid to the bottom This spring, with continuous heavy rains, the water level has risen dramatically It is said that in the downstream areas, several dikes have burst, and countless villages have turned into marshlands

The Daru Huachi of Runing Prefecture, how absurd, Wei Chi He was still immersed in the previous topic, "Is it possible to attain a fourth-rank official position just by taking a small county?" Lian Fengming laughed and said, "I heard that the Ministry of Personnel initially proposed Daru Huachi of Luoshan County, with Li Siqi as the county magistrate. Later, the Emperor remarked, 'People say the state looks down on Han people; if so, it indeed looks down on Han people,' and ordered a re-evaluation..."

Weng Chila nodded and turned to call a Mongolian soldier, saying, "Ala, go and scout the nearby area for any dwellings." Wang Baobao, who understood a few words of Mongolian, then said, "It would be best to send a Han person to look—Old Xie, why don't you go?" Weng Chila slightly nodded, saying, "Young Master has thought this through."

In a two-on-two scenario, there will be no mistakes; however, they have many subordinates," Sun Chaozong said. "If we add Li Siqi, he also has a disciple named Guan Bao, whose swordsmanship is exceptional, and then there's Li Baobao, who possesses incredible strength..." Lian Fengming stroked his curled beard and laughed, saying, "Not all of them may be able to come. For this escort mission, I believe it will only be Wo Erwen and Weng Chila, at most adding either Guan Bao or... whatever Li Bao's name is.

The general and the Wuerwen signing ceremony are unlikely to proceed smoothly, Wang Baobao said with a slight smile, The best plan is to first halt and rest, find a suitable vessel, and cross again tomorrow morning

Wang Baobao observed his opponent's agility and realized that his own martial skills were vastly inferior. He hurriedly sheathed his sword and put away his spear, intending to use the reach of his weapons to keep the enemy at bay. Indeed, Wei Chi He lacked experience in fighting against cavalry, merely jumping around in front of the horse, unable to launch an attack for the time being, leaving Wang Baobao in a difficult position.

A young boy in white followed behind him, carrying a load of books for his master. At this moment, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and urged, "My lord, let us hurry with the books; once we reach our destination, we can rest."

The person waved his hand, signaling the tea doctor to prepare on his own. "Let me introduce this person first; he is the leader of the Huai Gang," the scholar pointed to the elderly man in the gray robe, then stood up and performed a deep bow. "My surname is Sun, courtesy name Chaozong. May I ask which disciple of the Heavenly Master you are, senior brother?"

It was in late October of last year when General Liu Futong sent someone to gather the forces from Luoshan, Sun Chaozong recalled, "We first arranged to meet at a small tavern outside the city. That day was exceedingly perilous; Li Siqi brought along a foreign monk named Suo Du, who pretended to fight, trying to provoke me into action—I underestimated him that day. A dignified 'Lightning Blade' could not withstand even thirty moves from that monk..." That day was exceedingly perilous; Li Siqi brought along a foreign monk named Suo Du, who pretended to fight, trying to provoke me into action—I underestimated him that day. A dignified 'Lightning Blade' could not withstand even thirty moves from that monk...

Disguised as Wang Baobao's subordinate was none other than Zheng Yan, the third disciple of Chaoyuan Temple. He coldly laughed and said, "Stinking Tartars, how could I die before I have severed your head?" He placed his left hand to his lips and let out a whistle, and from the roadside, five people jumped out with a rustling sound.

Wang Baobao hurriedly dismounted to assist, asking, "Old Xie, what happened?" Just as he grasped the man's arms, he suddenly felt a jolt of alarm and quickly leaped back. He saw a flash of cold light; despite his swift evasion, he had already been stabbed in the chest, his armor torn open, and even his heart-protecting mirror was shattered.

Sun Chaozong stood up and introduced, "This is the leader of the Huai Gang, and this is Brother Weichi from Longhushan—my third junior brother, Zheng Yan." Lian and Wei hurriedly stood up to greet the newly arrived scholar in a blue robe. Sun Chaozong then pointed to the other two tea guests: "Brothers Guo Hanjun and Guo Hanjie from Luoshan." He pointed to the tea doctor and said, "Miao Rui, known as the 'Iron Abacus' from Huai Dong."

Lian Fengming wielded a long saber. Upon seeing the enemy fall to the ground, he immediately abandoned his saber and took up a spear. In a swift motion, he deflected the long spear from another Mongolian soldier, then leaped forward and delivered a powerful punch, shattering the opponent's face, who also fell to the ground.

"Suoduo?" Wei Chi He pondered, "This person is known as the 'Number One Master in Northwest.'" Sun Chaozong scoffed, "Nonsense! In terms of his skills, he could only exchange fifty moves with me. It just so happened that on that day, Qizhou sent Peng Yingyu here; otherwise... he has also taken on an assistant, who is none other than Chahan's godson, Wang Baobao. If the three of them join forces, what chance do I have... I might very well be injured at their hands."

"What does this even mean?" Wei Chi He interrupted him, "Although the Daoist traditions of Zhengyi and Quanzhen are different, they ultimately stem from the teachings of the Supreme. You at the Chaoyuan Temple have matters to attend to; are we at Longhu Mountain supposed to just stand by? It is just that my senior brother's letter was delivered from so far away that it might not have reached the hands of the Celestial Master at this moment. Fortunately, I happened to be descending the mountain on business and encountered it along the way, which is why I was able to arrive in time.

In this stalemate, it seemed as though Wang Baobao had the upper hand. However, the more than ten soldiers engaged in combat with Lian Fengming and the Guo brothers displayed commendable courage but lacked strength. After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, two more Han soldiers were stabbed and fell from their horses, causing a slight dampening of morale. Lian Fengming let out a loud roar, spurred his horse out of the encirclement, and charged directly at Weng Chila, shouting, "Mr. Zheng, leave this Tatar to me; you go assist Brother Sun!"

"That Li Siqi," Wei Chi He rubbed a few tea leaves with three fingers of his right hand and chewed them, while asking, "Is he not coming?" "I believe he definitely will not come," Sun Chaozong shook his head, "Cha Han has just taken Shenqiu City and has engaged in several confrontations with the Xiang army; he cannot be absent from the battlefield."

Throughout this journey, he remained extremely cautious, wary of anyone attempting to ambush Li Zhongxun. To his surprise, after departing from Luoshan, whether by water or land, he traveled several hundred miles without incident, encountering no sign of the enemy. As they approached the point where they would cross the Guoshui River, suddenly, his companion, the timid Baihu Weng Chila, rode up beside him and asked, "Are we crossing the river today?"

It is unexpected that Master Zhang sent Brother Wei Chi down the mountain in person, which shows the great respect for Chaoyuan Temple. Even the Grand Leader, Lian Fengming, smiled and returned the greeting, saying, "I thought it would be difficult for people to come from the distant Longhu Mountain."

Sun Chaozong nodded: "Indeed, indeed. This time, as we ambush the convoy midway, we should have a guaranteed victory. My junior brother and I will deal with Wo Erwen, and the two of you may assist in rescuing the people."

"How is that possible?" Lian Fengming laughed and said, "Such deep enmity?" Sun Chaozong took a sip of tea, gradually calming his anger, and then said: "He was originally the magistrate of Luoshan, but was dismissed from his position due to flattery. He then became the master of a manor. When the lord of the manor started a rebellion, he was invited to come out of retirement to serve as a general due to his previous reputation..."

Zheng Yan, in a disadvantageous position in close combat, upon hearing these words, hurriedly executed a move called "Advance and Slash," creating an opening and leaping out of the circle. Weng Chila thrust his spear to stab, but was hurriedly blocked by Lian Fengming. As their spears clashed, both felt a jolt in their hearts, exchanged glances, and simultaneously exclaimed, "What great strength!"

This book weighs at least fifty pounds, and the young man is drenched in sweat from carrying it, while the old man seems to regard it as a mere feather. He is tall by nature, with long strides, and as he sets off, the young man has to jog to keep up.

"Has Mr. Sun met with them?" Lian Fengming asked, "I heard that Mr. Zheng San also..." "Yes, my junior brother San has also arrived," Sun Chaozong sighed, "It is quite embarrassing to say, the two of us have attempted to break through several times, fortunately, we were quick to recognize the situation and retreated early, so we have not yet been injured"

"Man-made disasters compounded by natural calamities make the lives of the common people increasingly difficult," sighed an elderly man in a gray robe, appearing to be around fifty years old, with a dark complexion and a fierce-looking mustache.

Over there, Zheng Yan and Weng Chila were locked in a fierce battle. Wang Baobao mounted his horse, wielded his sabre, and commanded half of his subordinates to protect the prisoner transport, while the other half spread out to encircle the group attempting to rob the carriage.

Wang Baobao swung his waist knife, and immediately, eight or nine Han soldiers from the periphery surrounded him, brandishing their guns and leaping forward to assist in the battle. For a time, both sides fought to a standstill.

The old man chuckled and said, "Ah, Mr. Sun has arrived quite early." He hurried over, leaned against the wall to set down his book bundle, clasped his hands in a salute, lightly adjusted his cotton robe, and sat down directly opposite the scholar. The young attendant stood by his side.

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The master and servant walked one in front of the other, following the swirling water, meandering eastward. After a short while, as they turned along the winding path, a corner of a tea pavilion appeared in the distance by the roadside. "Is this the place?" the young man asked breathlessly. "If we go any further, we will reach Huaiyuan County town—this must be the place."

Currently, they are sending Junior Brother Ling to the capital..." Lian Fengming pondered, "Junior Brother Ling has a prominent reputation in the martial world, yet in the fragrant army... he is not a commanding general. The court places such importance on this; could it be that they intend to take action against the Chaoyuan Temple?

Previously, my fourth junior brother was unfortunately captured. I have made several attempts to rescue him, but this "Lightning Blade" Li Siqi is too formidable. Sun Chaozong interjected, "Moreover, the defenses are extremely tight, and I have not been able to succeed. That scoundrel Chahan is only holding my junior brother to negotiate with the court, which is why he has not yet been sent to the capital."

The Mongolian soldier hurriedly turned his spear back, but unexpectedly, as the silver light approached him, its trajectory suddenly changed, spinning around and arriving at the back of his head. A scream of agony was heard, and the Mongolian soldier's neck gushed with blood as he fell forward.

A few people hurriedly exchanged greetings. Sun Chaozong then said, "The Guo brothers will accompany us to rescue the people from the book robbery. Brother Miao, please stay here to provide support." Miao Rui nodded and then asked Lian Fengming, "Shengjia will be taken care of by me, how does that sound?" Lian Fengming expressed his gratitude and called over a young servant, saying, "Lian Xing, quickly bow to Uncle Miao."

Wang Baobao carefully observed these Mongolian soldiers, noting that each one was robust and fierce, mounted on strong horses with iron armor, wielding curved sabers and long spears. When commanded to disperse, they remained motionless, vigilantly scanning their surroundings. He could not help but exclaim in his heart: "Who says the Mongolians are easy to defeat? Just these cowardly Xue bodyguards are enough to ensure the emperor's safety." Looking at his own troops, he felt that while they might be slightly inferior in momentum, they were not lacking in discipline, which greatly reassured him: "Uncle Li is truly skilled at training soldiers; in just three or four months, he has managed to organize this rabble to such a level!"

The monk heard, "Wei Chi He asked, 'On the day of entering the city, Cha Han spat out fresh blood and fell seriously ill. Is that true?'" "This matter is indeed true," replied Lian Fengming, "However, in December, the court issued an edict, appointing him as the Daru Huachi of Runing Prefecture, and his younger brother Li Siqi as the governor. He immediately recovered from his illness.

The old man, with his hand resting on the awning, looked towards the east and asked, "Are you sure you haven't made a mistake? How much longer until we reach Huaiyuan?" The young boy quickly replied, "It will take at least half an hour." "Hmm," the old man nodded, reached out to take the book burden off the boy's shoulder, raised it with his left arm, held it horizontally in his hand, and strode towards the tea pavilion.

"What a pity, what a pity," Wei Chi He wiped his mouth and said, "I have heard that his swordsmanship is exceptional, and I am quite eager to spar with him for a few moves." Sun Chaozong slammed the table and exclaimed, "That scoundrel Li Siqi, I hate him to the bone. I will not rest until I have personally dealt with this scoundrel!"

"How? What is the origin of this?" Lian Fengming stroked his beard and asked, "Can we not handle this with just a few of us?" "Please be mindful," Sun Chaozong sighed, "The matter began last October. My fourth junior brother and I were entrusted by General Liu Futong to recruit troops in Luoshan. Unexpectedly, a certain Chahan Temur emerged from nowhere and seized the city, resulting in the death of the city lord, Zhuang Yun, amidst the chaos. My fourth junior brother fell into enemy hands that day..."

As the two turned their attention, they saw a stout Taoist priest wearing a somewhat worn black robe, revealing a tuft of long hair on his chest. He approached with a cheerful smile, slightly bowed his head, and sat down with a grand demeanor. The tea doctor, accompanying him with a smile, said: "In a humble village tea shop like this, where can one find any Gu Zhu or Fan Dian Shuai tea? I will only serve the best, so please make do with what I have."

Wei Chi He Ben was sweating profusely, having drained a large cup of tea in the blink of an eye. While calling for the tea to be refilled, he fanned himself with his sleeve and asked, "Brother Sun and Brother Zheng, how confident are you in dealing with those two, what was it, Wo Ah Wen, and what about the timid Xue Bai Hu Chang?"

Sun Chaozong had already rushed close to the prison cart. This time, Wang Baobao brought a total of 20 cavalrymen, half of whom surrounded the prison cart, each drawing their guns and forming a circle with the gun tips pointing outward. As Sun Chaozong approached, he extended his left index finger to open a long spear in front of him, but unexpectedly, two more spears suddenly thrust out from the left and right. He hurriedly stepped back, and with two sharp sounds, both sleeves of his clothing were pierced, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. Sun Chaozong had already rushed close to the prison cart. This time, Wang Baobao brought a total of 20 cavalrymen, half of whom surrounded the prison cart, each drawing their guns and forming a circle with the gun tips pointing outward. As Sun Chaozong approached, he extended his left index finger to open a long spear in front of him, but unexpectedly, two more spears suddenly thrust out from the left and right. He hurriedly stepped back, and with two sharp sounds, both sleeves of his clothing were pierced, causing him to break out in a cold sweat

A mournful cry was heard as the leading warhorse was struck in the neck by Zheng Yan's blade. In pain, it reared and charged off at an angle, with the rider unable to rein it in. A gap immediately appeared in the formation, and two men on either side raised their spears to fill it, but it was too late. Sun Chaozong had already seized Zheng Yan's left arm and, with a mighty heave, Zheng Yan leaped into the air, soaring as if riding the clouds, and flew over the heads of the soldiers, landing precisely beside the prison cart.

He seized the opportunity to leap onto the horse's back, raising his arm and calling out loudly, with his spear unfurled in hand, striking east and hitting west, pointing south and thrusting north, and in an instant, he killed two enemies. It turned out that before joining the Huai Gang, he had been a disciple of the renowned spear master Xu Ji from Henan, learning the ancestral Yue family spear technique. Xu Ji was a descendant of Xu Qing, the most favored general of the famous Southern Song general Yue Fei. Xu Qing had received direct instruction from the Yue family and was once known alongside Yue Yun and Niu Gao as the 'Three Bravest in the Army,' achieving great merit in numerous battles against the Jin army. Xu Ji inherited about seventy to eighty percent of his ancestor's skills, and through diligent practice, he had learned about forty to fifty percent. Later, as he roamed the rivers and lakes, this technique of striking while mounted had not been used for many years. Today, as he took on the role of Feng's husband, although it felt somewhat rusty, it was still not something those Mongolian foot soldiers could withstand.

Wei Chi He and others were in shock when they suddenly heard a long, mournful cry nearby. It turned out that Sun Chaozong had endured a light cut to his left arm and had already dealt with that Mongolian soldier. As he extricated himself, he immediately swung his right hand in a spinning motion, creating a flash of silver light, aimed directly at the face of the Mongolian soldier who was engaged in combat with Lian Fengming.

I am truly ashamed to have troubled both of you with this labor. The scholar in question is Sun Chaozong, the foremost disciple of the Chaoyuan Temple. He then smiled wryly and said, "It is just that the adversary is exceedingly formidable. My fourth junior brother has also fallen into their hands, and we had no choice but to..."

The enemy's attack missed, and with a leap, he pounced forward. Suddenly, he heard a rush of wind behind him. In the midst of his hurried movements, he turned his blade just in time, already aware of the weight of the situation, and shouted angrily: "Damn Tartars, seeking death!"

The person in the prison cart had long hair cascading down, obscuring their face, and remained silent with their head bowed the entire time. Zheng Yan thought that the person had been acupointed and could not move. Just as he was about to swing his knife to break the cage lock, the person suddenly raised their head with a loud laugh, and with a vigorous shake of their arms, a resounding crack echoed as splintered wood flew everywhere, and the prison cart was shattered into pieces! Zheng Yan thought to himself, "This is not good," and hurriedly tried to retreat. However, just as he took a step back, the person's pair of bright red palms had already silently pressed against his chest...

It is said that Suo Du has a junior disciple with remarkable skills," Wei Chi He remarked, "I have heard the Headmaster mention the Xuan Sect, but I cannot recall the name. It is said that the two of them exchanged blows, and after a hundred moves, my senior brother finally gained the upper hand..." Lian Fengming frowned and said, "To be able to exchange a hundred moves with Master Yu, this person is indeed extraordinary.

The young boy stepped forward and knelt down, but was pulled up by Miao Rui, who said: "There is no need for such formalities—please go ahead, I will be here, waiting for good news."

While speaking, someone suddenly whispered from behind, "Mr. Sun, the person has arrived." Sun Chaozong looked up and exchanged a glance with the tea doctor standing nearby. The tea doctor understood and nodded, quickly walking to the entrance of the tea pavilion to look out.

At the forefront was Sun Chaozong, when a Mongolian soldier charged in on horseback. He had already been struck in the left leg by Sun's left index finger, which had pierced him with a swift motion. The Mongolian soldier let out a blood-curdling scream, and despite his injury, he displayed extraordinary bravery. Lowering his head, he grasped the pen's body with his left hand and drew his curved saber with his right, aiming a downward strike at Sun Chaozong's head. Unable to pull the pen out with his left hand, Sun had no choice but to forcefully strike upward with his right hand, resulting in a loud "clang" as his arm was jolted, leaving a faint numbness.

Wang Baobao and his group were escorting a prison vehicle, heading north from Huaiyuan, preparing to cross the Guoshui River, and making their way directly to the canal

It is likely that this is indeed the case, Sun Chaozong nodded in agreement with his analysis. "For this reason, we absolutely cannot allow the Fourth Junior Brother to reach the capital. In recent days, we have learned that they are moving down the Shun River, planning to abandon their boats at the banks of Guoshui, bypass the city of Huaiyuan, and head north into the Grand Canal—therefore, I request both of you to gather here to assist me in bringing the Junior Brother down.

It was a rather elegant countryside tea pavilion, with a tall fabric banner displaying a large character for "tea". Although the calligraphy was somewhat lacking in skill, it was nonetheless neat and pleasing to the eye. Inside the tea pavilion, there were four or five square tables, but only three people were sparsely seated among them.

Zheng Yan took a breath and hurried to his senior brother's side. Sun Chaozong had already charged three times in succession, all returning without success. Therefore, they formed a circle formation, with one person facing the enemy while two others came to assist, which was even more powerful than a three-person joint battle. Just as he was struggling to find a way in, he saw Zheng Yan arrive and joyfully said, "Third junior brother, guard my back." Zheng Yan complied and pressed his back against him, and the two of them brandished their weapons, spinning left and right like a giant top, charging straight towards the enemy formation.

Several soldiers hurriedly urged their horses to come to the rescue, causing their formation to become disordered and break apart. Zheng Yan used his right hand to wield a long knife to fend off the enemies, while his left hand quickly went to support the prisoner cart, calling out: "Fourth junior brother, do not panic, it is I who have come!"

"How could an old historian rebel against the court?" Wei Chi He laughed and said, "This can be described as: seeking an exorcist but consulting the wrong person." "An old historian is not entirely incapable of uprising," Lian Fengming said leisurely, "but as a mere landowner..." "Exactly," Sun Chaozong said resentfully, "this is precisely what led to the trouble!"

"Mr. Zheng has arrived," the tea doctor greeted, "Everyone is here, let’s get started quickly." Just then, hurried footsteps were heard, and a scholar in a blue robe rushed in, his appearance somewhat resembling that of Sun Chaozong. While bowing to Lian Fengming and the others, he said, "I’m here, I’m here, I’ve passed Li Zhai, and I’ll be there in the blink of an eye."

"Zha Han, this fellow, is a person of mixed ethnicity; what does he count as a Han person? With a gold seal in hand, what ailment could he not cure?" Sun Chaozong said, "Perhaps he is also afraid that Junior Brother Jie Si might encounter trouble on the way to the capital, hence he requested the court to send someone to escort him."

Just as he was entangled with the Mongolian soldiers, several others had also engaged with the enemy troops. Qiexue was the emperor's personal guard, composed of elite warriors selected from among the best. Moreover, with their long spears and high horses, they were difficult to approach, especially since Fengming and the others had trained primarily in close combat techniques, making it challenging to get close to them.

It turns out to be 'Long Huai Wang Duan', the leader of the sect, and Brother Sun from the Chao Yuan Temple. I beg your pardon. The Taoist once again bowed and replied, 'I am Wei Chi He from Longhu Mountain, and I have reason to be here.'

The tea doctor’s degree comes over. The scholar said: "First, let’s have two cups of tea and a plate of spiced peanuts; we still have people to wait for." As soon as he finished speaking, someone at the door laughed heartily and said: "No need to wait—tea doctor’s degree, bring another cup of Gu Zhu or Fan Dian Shuai, and any exquisite snacks, just bring them up."

The one who attacked him was the cowardly Xue Baihu Weng Chila. Upon hearing his curses, Weng Chila understood in his heart: "Ah, Zheng Yan, you scoundrel, are you still not dead?"

"Oh, who is it?" Wei Chi He asked with great interest. Sun Chaozong replied: "It is said to be a signing official from the Li Fan Yuan, named Wo Erwen, a Semu person, along with Qie Xue's hundred households, Weng Chila. Both of these individuals are exceptionally skilled, and their techniques are quite peculiar, vastly different from those in the Central Plains. Therefore, we would like to request their assistance..."

However, it is not certain," Weng Chila shook his head and spoke in his half-life of Mandarin, "Recently, thieves have been rampant, and even the capital region cannot guarantee safety—I am afraid they might make a move on Guoshui, then...

The old man turned around with a smile and gently patted the boy's head, saying, "Are you tired? Very well, let us walk along the shore."

Wei Chi He and Sun Chaozong freed their hands and simultaneously lunged towards the inner circle. Sun Chaozong shouted, "Senior brother, you go intercept that Wang Baobao, and I will rescue the person!" Wei Chi He responded with an acknowledgment, brandished his long sword, and charged directly towards Wang Baobao's horse.

Upon seeing the old and young enter, the tea doctor hurriedly approached, just about to greet them when suddenly a scholar in splendid robes with a long beard stood up from the west side, clasped his hands, and called out: "Captain Lian, please come and sit here—my brother has been waiting for you for quite some time"