Chapter 364: Lian Nishang

Huang Zhen, a man past the age of knowing his fate, had been a disciple of the Huashan Sect for most of his life and had managed the sect’s properties for over two decades. He knew well that the prosperity or decline of a business was the surest barometer of the times. If the common people had no spare coin, commerce could not flourish.

For twenty years, he had watched the world worsen, business decline. Not only was trade difficult, but collecting rent from leased land had become a struggle. The sect’s annual income was shrinking. But the Huashan Sect had many mouths to feed: the grand-uncles, senile and garrulous; the uncles and masters, still in good spirits; most of his own generation, now middle-aged with families; and then the disciples, many of marriageable age, with even more disciples below them.

Disciples came and went. Those with families and businesses would return home after completing their studies. Those from poor families, like himself, would often find employment within the sect. It was a meager living, but a living nonetheless. For the sect, more disciples meant greater power, more manpower to handle matters for the court and wealthy families. Poor disciples were a welcome resource—strip away the veneer of “martial arts” and “chivalry,” and a sect was just a business, always in need of assistants.

But more people meant greater expenses. The Huashan Sect was a large establishment; the cost of food alone was staggering. The annual repairs to the various Taoist temples and buildings on the mountain were another drain. Social obligations were a huge expense. Huashan was a famous scenic spot; when officials and nobles passed by, they would inevitably visit. The sect had to host them, and good food and drink were not enough. They also had to offer “gifts” upon their departure. Though these were local products, they still required manpower to collect and process.

Since taking charge of the sect’s properties, Huang Zhen had come to understand the immense difficulty of maintaining them. He was stretched thin everywhere. It was a wonder how the sect leader and the uncle in charge of finances had managed to keep things afloat. This venture into Lingao, this involvement in the Australians’ affairs, was not just about “righteousness”; there were undoubtedly economic considerations as well.

He felt a pang of regret. If he could invest more capital in such a good business, invite a few of his skilled senior and junior brothers to practice here, he would surely make a fortune.

But he could not voice this thought. He only said that the pharmacy was “not bad,” that they could cover their own expenses, and that they had established a foothold in Nanbao.

“Shopkeeper Huang is truly a talent in finance,” Sima Qiudao said with a bit of classical flair. Huang Zhen didn’t understand, but just smiled.

Sima Qiudao recounted the contents of the secret letter and shared his own views. Both Huang Zhen and Zhuo Yifan agreed with his assessment: kidnapping a true short-hair was too difficult, and transporting a captive through the Li area was even more impossible.

Assassinating one or two short-hairs and then escaping was far more feasible, both in terms of execution and the possibility of escape.

Sima Qiudao suggested that if that wasn’t enough, they could also capture a few “fake short-hair artisans” to make up the numbers. Shi Weng wanted to capture a true short-hair to understand their internal situation. Fake short-hair artisans, taught by the true short-hairs, would surely know a great deal.

He had another, unspoken thought. Australian goods were known for their ingenuity. If he could bring back a few skilled artisans, it would be a windfall for Shi Weng or the high officials behind him. It would also help to make up for their failure.

He estimated that the short-hairs would not care too much about the fake short-hairs, and the pursuit would not be as urgent as if they had kidnapped a true short-hair. There was still a possibility of safely transporting them to the mainland.

Everyone agreed with Sima Qiudao’s suggestion. Especially Zhuo Yifan. As the leader of the operation, he was under immense pressure. The safety of more than thirty people from various sects depended on him. If there were heavy casualties, if not even one in ten managed to escape, he would not be able to face them, and even the White Stone Daoist would probably not be able to face the various sects.

He asked, “Has the person who will be our guide in the Li area arrived yet?”

Sima Qiudao said, “Not yet. But it will be in the next few days.”

“Once they arrive, we must act as soon as possible,” Zhuo Yifan said. “It is not advisable to stay here for long. Everyone must be careful.”

After the meeting, Zhuo Yifan took a pack of medicinal herbs and left the pharmacy.

On the street, there were few pedestrians. The sky was gloomy, and dragonflies darted about, a sign of impending rain. Zhuo Yifan had no umbrella, only a “one-wrap-around” cloak. He quickened his pace towards the urban rail station outside the town.

Just as he left the town, thunder rumbled, and dark clouds gathered. A heavy rain was about to fall. He looked around and saw a small pavilion by the side of the street. “What luck!” he said to himself. The pavilion was a perfect shelter. He stepped inside. The thunder continued, and in an instant, the rain was pouring down.

The small pavilion was nestled among green trees, the environment quite elegant. The thick thatched roof drained the water well, not a single drop falling inside.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. On the bench in the pavilion, a young girl was lying down. It was the same short-hair policewoman he had met on the street. She wore the short-hair’s police uniform. Her appearance was not stunning, but her almond-shaped eyes were bright and colorful. Even a fleeting glance was enough to captivate him. Zhuo Yifan thought, If she were on the street, she would be in trouble in this heavy rain. Fortunately, there is this pavilion to rest in.

She was sleeping like a begonia in spring, her posture even more charming. Zhuo Yifan’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly averted his gaze. He was a disciple of a famous sect and prided himself on his propriety. He hardly dared to look at her directly. Seeing that she was sound asleep, he didn’t dare to wake her. If she wakes up, won’t she mistake me for a frivolous person? He tiptoed to the entrance of the pavilion, sat cross-legged on the stone railing, and watched the rain fall. Though his heart was pounding, and he thought that although the girl’s beauty was not as great as the beauties he had seen in Jiangnan, she had a unique temperament, he didn’t even dare to turn his head to look at her.

After a while, he felt a chill. I am a martial artist, and I still feel a chill. How can that young girl bear it? She will probably get sick. He then thought, A man and a woman alone, though I should avoid suspicion, how can I bear to see her get sick? Avoiding suspicion is a small matter. I would rather she wake up and blame me. He tiptoed back into the pavilion, took off his cloak, and gently covered her with it. He then tiptoed out again. After a few steps, he heard the sound of the girl turning over. He didn’t dare to turn around, but he heard the girl shout sharply, “You audacious scoundrel, how dare you try to take advantage of me?”

Zhuo Yifan quickly said, “Miss, please don’t be mistaken. I saw that it was cold and was afraid you would catch a cold, so I took the liberty of covering you.”

The girl suddenly sighed and said, “Please turn around.”

Zhuo Yifan was very surprised. He turned around, still not daring to look at her directly. The girl said, “I saw what you did just now. Though Nanbao is a remote place, it is also quite peaceful. I am a police officer, and any fool who dares to touch me is not afraid of being sent to a labor camp for a few years of hard labor.”

Zhuo Yifan thought, Why is this woman so frank? Her face was flushed. He then heard her say, “I was just scolding you to scare you. Don’t be offended.” Zhuo Yifan frowned, thinking, Why is she so fickle, scolding people for fun?

The girl suddenly said, “Hey, what’s your name! I haven’t asked you yet.”

Zhuo Yifan told her his name, but the girl said, “Show me your ID card!”

After looking at the ID card, she said, “My surname is Lian.” The sound of the rain outside gradually stopped, and a gust of wind blew in. The cloak on the girl’s body fluttered, her posture beautiful. Zhuo Yifan suddenly thought of the “Nishang Yuyi” (Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe) and blurted out, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be called Nishang?”

The girl’s face suddenly changed, and she shouted, “Who are you? Tell me the truth!” Zhuo Yifan was startled and said, “I am Zhuo Yifan. If Miss Lian doesn’t like the name, you can just laugh. Why get angry?”

The girl’s eyes flashed, her gaze as sharp as scissors. After hearing what he said, she calmed down. “I’m having a bad temper again. My name is Lian Nishang. I didn’t show you my ID, but you knew my name. I thought you were one of the spies the chiefs have been talking about lately, who have infiltrated Lingao. I heard they have spent a lot of effort to gather information about Lingao.”

Zhuo Yifan’s heart skipped a beat, but he pretended to be calm. “I am just a down-and-out doctor. I know a little bit of clumsy medicine. I came here to buy some medicinal herbs.”

Lian Nishang smiled. “Your temporary residence is in East Gate Market, but you came all the way to Nanbao to buy medicine. That’s strange. Wouldn’t it be better to buy medicine in East Gate Market, where there is more and better selection?”

Zhuo Yifan knew that she was suspicious and quickly said, “I want to buy ‘yizhi’ (Alpinia zerumbet). I heard that this place is close to the Li area, and the ‘yizhi’ from here is the best.”

Lian Nishang nodded. She suddenly walked towards him, flicked her sleeve, and grabbed his wrist with lightning speed. Zhuo Yifan was shocked, his face turning red. He tried to struggle free, but she let go and said, “You doctor have some skills.”

Zhuo Yifan said, “It’s just a little self-defense skill passed down from my ancestors. I travel a lot, so it’s for my own safety. But you, miss, are not like an ordinary woman. You have some skills.”

Lian Nishang said, “This is what the chiefs taught me. It’s called Krav Maga. They say it’s a foreign martial art, different from the techniques of the martial artists I’ve seen in the Great Ming. It’s very practical. Even the big guys in the army are no match for me, let alone a few street thugs. The one who taught us this was a tall and big Chief Xue, and there was also a foreign woman. I heard she’s Chief Xue’s girlfriend. She’s a good person, and her skills are also very good. Her strength is no less than a man’s. It’s just that she has a strong smell. I don’t know why Chief Xue likes that.”

Zhuo Yifan said, “What’s there to say about the skills of barbarians?”

Lian Nishang’s eyes flashed. “Why don’t you be my sparring partner? There’s no one in Nanbao who can fight. Even if there are, they are probably still concerned about the separation of men and women, and being gentle with women. The chiefs also say that this custom cannot be completely changed yet.”