"Brother Youjiao, Brother Youjiao,"
After studying acupuncture points at the Mingshitang, as usual, Li Ji strolled around the town hall to finish his day's work. When he returned to his residence, a half-grown boy stopped him at the entrance of his yard.
"Uncle Guo asked you to come over for a drink, saying there's good news."
"Oh, I see. I'll head over now," Li Ji replied.
The Uncle Guo the boy mentioned was the only escort master at the only escort agency in town, the Zhiyuan Escort Agency. Though it was called an agency, there was only one actual escort, Old Guo, along with two young assistants.
The Zhiyuan Escort Agency's headquarters was in Shuangcheng, but it had stationed escort masters in crucial locations across surrounding towns to handle small, low-value business from scattered clients. To put it simply, the escorts sent out were generally those who were not valued and lacked skills. Old Guo, over forty and nearing fifty, had ordinary martial skills and did not know how to flatter others; he had come to Cixi to basically retire.
Seeing that it was still early, with one or two hours before dark, Li Ji did not head home. Instead, he returned to the back street, bought three pounds of camel meat, a smoked fatty goose, and a few seasonal side dishes to pair with the drinks, wrapped them in lotus leaves, and carried them with a hemp rope straight to the north end of the town.
The escort agency was located at the far north end of Cixi Town, a solitary courtyard. Old Guo was tall, with a square, dark red face and a loud voice, embodying the typical characteristics of a martial escort: loyal, friendly, and unable to keep secrets.
"Hahaha, Li little brother, guess what your big brother brought back from Shuangcheng this time?" Old Guo said excitedly, beaming with pride.
"Don't joke, big brother. I just arrived in Cixi. If it weren't for your help, how could I have had it so easy? If you're so happy, did you bring me a new sister-in-law?" Li Ji joked back.
"Nonsense! I can barely handle the one in the house now. How could I dare to attract more?" Old Guo chuckled, then took out an item that resembled a scroll and solemnly handed it to Li Ji.
"With this, I can say I've lived up to my promise," he said, downing a glass in one go.
The scroll was light, made of nine pieces of bamboo strips threaded together, densely carved with countless small characters and images. The first bamboo strip had four large characters: "Liuhesword Method." Li Ji couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
"Big brother, where did this come from? It's so precious; how could I accept it?"
Since arriving in this world, Li Ji had seen that inner skills and techniques were quite rare. In Cixi, there were only a handful of people who truly knew martial arts, which was why he could stand out using his previous life's fencing skills and a rudimentary breathing technique. It wasn't that he was too strong; it was that others were too weak. The rarity of any decent martial art or sword technique was evident.
"Don't be modest, Li brother. Between us, it's too far-fetched to talk about these things. You know and I know, this sword method is worth more than my life. Now, sit down and drink," Old Guo said.
Li Ji understood what Old Guo meant. Since arriving in Cixi, Old Guo had indeed helped him a lot, but Li Ji had helped him even more.
A year ago, when the bandit Huo Dao Kou invaded, he had robbed Old Guo's escort; without Li Ji stepping in, not only would Old Guo have lost his goods, but his life would have also been in jeopardy. Later, when the bandits from Zhoutou Mountain attacked, Old Guo also helped defend the town. At that time, surrounded by four or five fierce bandits, without Li Ji, he would have been buried under the ground by now.
In Cixi, Old Guo truly could not help in many ways, but knowing that Li Ji was skilled, he had kept an eye on him. This time, obtaining this sword method was also fulfilling his own wish.
"Where did you get this sword method, though? Liuhesword Method, is there such a sect in Nanli?" After sharing a drink, Li Ji asked.
"No, it seems there is such a sect in the north. I heard people mention it occasionally but don't know much about it. It's said that getting this sword method wasn't difficult for me, but it's also bittersweet," Old Guo said, placing a piece of beef in his mouth with a somewhat forlorn expression.
"This time when I returned to Shuangcheng, I ran into my old brother, Xiang Lao Ge. The escort agency in Shuangcheng went on a trip toward Yunhan Tianling two months ago. Unexpectedly, something happened: not only did they lose the cargo, but several people were also injured or killed, and Xiang Lao Ge was seriously injured.
When I saw him this time, though he saved his life, he has lost all his martial skills. The doctor said even though he's alive now, he probably won't have many years left. We've been friends for over twenty years, and Xiang's martial skills far surpassed mine. I never expected him to end up like this."
"The rivers and lakes are treacherous… blood is licked off the knife…" Li Ji quietly took a sip of his drink, not knowing how to comfort him.
"Yes, this profession of being an escort, though the pay is generous, it's inevitable that you might die in battle. A jar can easily break by the well, and that's life!"
Old Guo wiped the corner of his eyes and continued, "My brother Xiang came from the north. This sword manual was passed on to me by him."
"Why? Doesn't he have brothers, apprentices, or friends? In the escort agency, it shouldn't be hard to find a promising young person, right?" Li Ji asked, puzzled.
"You don't know, my brother Xiang is a solitary person. He has never married, has no children or apprentices, and at the Zhiyuan Escort Agency, he only got along with me. I guess he probably came to avoid disaster from the north.
As for the escort agency, heh heh, it's filled with scheming, and factional struggles; how could there be anyone pure-hearted? Even good people would turn dark within a few years of joining."
He fixed his eyes on Li Ji,
"Before I left, Brother Xiang entrusted this sword manual to me, asking me to find a talented young person to pass it on, to keep it out of the hands of those rotten people in the escort agency. I'm giving it to you, which also counts as fulfilling a promise."